The Marriage Game, Sara Desai – Blog Tour

Today we are excited to celebrate the release of THE MARRIAGE GAME by Sara Desai by participating in the blog tour! This is a sexy, romantic comedy that you won’t want to miss.

Check out the purchase links for the book below.

Go to Sara’s FB page for a release day giveaway!

 

PURCHASE NOW

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The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

A Standalone Novel | Available Now

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Book Blurb:

One of Oprah Magazine’s Most Anticipated Romances of 2020

A high stakes wager pits an aspiring entrepreneur against a ruthless CEO in this sexy romantic comedy.

After her life falls apart, recruitment consultant Layla Patel returns home to her family in San Francisco. But in the eyes of her father, who runs a Michelin starred restaurant, she can do no wrong. He would do anything to see her smile again. With the best intentions in mind, he offers her the office upstairs to start her new business and creates a profile on an online dating site to find her a man. She doesn’t know he’s arranged a series of blind dates until the first one comes knocking on her door…

As CEO of a corporate downsizing company Sam Mehta is more used to conflict than calm. In search of a quiet new office, he finds the perfect space above a cozy Indian restaurant that smells like home. But when communication goes awry, he’s forced to share his space with the owner’s beautiful yet infuriating daughter Layla, her crazy family, and a parade of hopeful suitors, all of whom threaten to disrupt his carefully ordered life.

As they face off in close quarters, the sarcasm and sparks fly. But when the battle for the office becomes a battle of the heart, Sam and Layla have to decide if this is love or just a game.

EXCERPT

“You’re sitting at my desk.” She put the pot on the reception desk and folded her arms.

Sam shuffled his papers, spreading them across the polished wood surface for no reason other than to keep his gaze off her distractingly perfect breasts. “I didn’t see your name on it.”

“Just look at your lease. You’ll see it written across the top, or can’t you read big words like Patel?”

“I don’t recall seeing any identification,” he countered. “For all I know, you could have just walked in off the street. You’re certainly not dressed like you’re running a business.”

Eyes blazing, she glared. “What’s wrong with how I’m dressed?”

“An apron and a pink tracksuit with Juicy written across the ass are hardly serious business attire and they certainly don’t scream swipe right on desi Tinder.”

Sam didn’t know if there was such a thing as Tinder for people of South Asian descent living abroad, but if it did exist, he and Layla would definitely not have been a match.

Layla gave a growl of frustration. “You may be surprised to hear that I don’t live my life seeking male approval. I’m just getting over a breakup so I’m a little bit fragile. Last night, I went out with Daisy and drank too much, smoked something I thought was a cigarette, danced on a speaker, and fell onto some loser named Jimbo, whose girlfriend just happened to be an MMA fighter and didn’t like to see me sprawled on top of her man. We had a minor physical altercation and I was kicked out of the bar. Then I got dumped on the street by my Uber driver because I threw up in his cab. So today, I just couldn’t manage office wear. It’s called self-care, and we all need it sometimes. Danny certainly didn’t mind.” Danny certainly didn’t mind.”

“Who’s Danny?” The question came out before he could stop it.

“Someone who appreciates all I’ve got going here…” She ran a hand in and out of her generous curves. “… and isn’t hung up on trivial things like clothes.” She tugged off the apron and folded it on the crock-pot.

“I’m not hung up on clothes either,” Sam teased. “When I’m with a woman I prefer her to have no clothes at all.”

“You’re disgusting.” Layla grabbed her crock-pot and donuts and marched into the small kitchen at the back of the office. 

Sam heard cupboards bang. Cutlery clatter. Angry mutters and a huff. A few minutes later Layla marched back out with a bowl of dal in one hand and two donuts circling her finger like rings. 

Only when she sat down and proceeded to eat one of the donuts off her finger did he realize he hadn’t done any work since she walked in.

“Donuts and dal are not two foods that naturally go together,” he pointed out.

Layla took a giant bite and licked her lips. “Do you not have work to do? Or are you just going to sit there and look pretty?”

 

PURCHASE NOW

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Sara Desai has been a lawyer, radio DJ, marathon runner, historian, bouncer and librarian. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband, kids and an assortment of forest creatures who think they are pets. Sara writes sexy romantic comedy and contemporary romance with a multicultural twist. When not laughing at her own jokes, Sara can be found eating nachos. Visit Sara at http://www.saradesai.com.

FIND SARA DESAI:

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The Archer At Dawn, Swati Teerdhala – ARC Review

The Sun Mela is many things: a call for peace, a cause for celebration, and, above all, a deadly competition. For Kunal and Esha, finally working together as rebel spies, it provides the perfect guise to infiltrate King Vardaan’s vicious court.

Kunal will return to his role as dedicated Senap soldier, at the Sun Mela to provide extra security for the palace during the peace summit for the divided nations of Jansa and Dharka. Meanwhile, Esha will use her new role as adviser to Prince Harun to keep a pulse on shifting political parties and seek out allies for their rebel cause. A radical plan is underfoot to rescue Jansa’s long-lost Princess Reha—the key to the stolen throne.

But amid the Mela games and glittering festivities, much more dangerous forces lie in wait. With the rebel Blades’ entry into Vardaan’s court, a match has been lit, and long-held secrets will force Kunal and Esha to reconsider their loyalties—to their country and to each other. Getting into the palace was the easy task; coming out together will be a battle for their lives.

A House of Rage & Sorrow, Sangu Mandanna – Blog Tour

One kingdom. One crown. One family.
“Maybe it’s time the great House of Rey came to an end. After all, what are we now? Just a house of rage and sorrow.”

Esmae once wanted nothing more than to help her golden brother win the crown of Kali but that dream died with her best friend. Alexi broke her heart, and she vowed to destroy him for it. And with her sentient warship Titania beside her, how can she possibly fail?

As gods, beasts, and kingdoms choose sides, Alexi seeks out a weapon more devastating than even Titania. Past lives threaten the present. Old enemies claim their due. And Esmae cannot outrun the ghosts and the questions that haunt her. What really happened to her father? What was the third boon her mother asked of Amba? For in the shadows, lurking in wait, are secrets that will swallow her whole.

The House of Rey is at war. And the entire galaxy will bleed before the end.

The Takeover Effect, Nisha Sharma – ARC Review

Hemdeep Singh knows exactly what he wants. With his intelligence and determination, he has what it takes to build his own legacy away from Bharat, Inc. and the empire his father created. But when his brother calls him home, Hem puts his dreams on hold once again to help save the company he walked away from. That’s when he encounters the devastating Mina Kohli in the Bharat boardroom, and he realizes he’s in for more than he had bargained.

Mina will do whatever it takes to regain control of her mother’s law firm, even if it means agreeing to an arranged marriage. Her newest case assignment is to assist Bharat in the midst of a potential takeover. It could be the key to finally achieving her goal while preventing her marriage to a man she doesn’t love—as long as her explosive attraction to Hem doesn’t get in the way.

As Mina and Hem work to save Bharat, they not only uncover secrets that could threaten the existence of the company, but they also learn that in a winner-takes-all game, love always comes out on top.

*ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts are entirely my own and in no way biased.*

The Takeover Effect is a fast paced, intriguing, and sexy story that centers around our two protags – Hemdeep “Hem” Singh and Mina Kohli, in the background of corporate espionage, hostile takeovers and mergers, and corporate politics thrown in with a bunch of family issues and angst. It was an amazing read and I finished it in one sitting. Once I started reading, it was almost impossible to stop because it was just so good. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. So very, very, very much.

The writing and plot in this story are very intense and gripping. I mean, there is so much happening with the takeover attempt and everyone seems to have their own agenda and then you just don’t know what is going to happen in the end, as regards to the takeover (I mean, it is a romance so the HEA/HFN is guaranteed, but I WAS SO INVESTED IN FINDING OUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE COMPANY!) Frankly, I have never really been interested in the background as something more than tools to move the story forward. But in this one, I was genuinely into the whole backdrop scenario and what would happen. So, points for that.

It also blended into the story perfectly and it was like an entity of its own in the story, like the characters. It was really so well done and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 😀

Complete brownie points for the punjabi dialogue littered throughout the story because it was so amazing to read it! I absolutely love it so, so, so much!!

Mina, the female lead in the story, is a lawyer who wants to oust her uncles and take control of the law firm her mother built from scratch and which had been taken over by said uncles when she was just a teenager. She’s absolutely amazing. Her sheer determination to get back what was stolen from her is so nice to see and I absolutely rooted for her the minute she came on page. Her quick wit and snarky comebacks are just as brilliant. I loved her banter with Hem.

She loves her mother so much and it is so prevalent in everything she does. She wants to make her proud and be the daughter she thinks her mother would want her to be. And despite her go getter attitude, she has her own insecurities like any other person. I love how she’s portrayed as a whole. Absolutely phenomenal!

And then there’s Hem. Quiet, complex, and understanding Hem who comes home at the first sign of trouble for his father despite their disagreements not too long ago. It is established right from the start that even though he doesn’t see eye to eye with his parents and they have all this shit between them, he cares a lot about his family and there isn’t anything he wouldn’t not do for them.

He is a fierce entrepreneur and lawyer and has the power to shut a room down with his presence and command over the room. But, he is also soft and understanding and supportive – for his brothers and Mina. He is also determined and doesn’t give up easily.

I adore the progression of Mina & Hem’s relationship throughout the book. It starts off as a mutual attraction they both deny at first but then it slowly buds into dating and then love and it’s just done so beautifully. I love how they both bond over their mutual love of Indian food and their mother tongue – Punjabi. They’re both very different in some aspects, yet so similar in others and they just fit together so well. They are both so in tune with each other and are always supportive which I like. Of course there are bumps along the way and then Hem does behave like a dick at times, but at the end of the day, they make each other happy and it was so good to read about!

All the characters were absolutely amaze and I loved them all. Hem’s family and Mina’s vapid uncles were all great characters and I loved them so much! They were well fleshed out and that was really nice to read. I think my favourite side characters were Hem’s brothers, Ajay & Zail. Their family had their issues, like any other family, but I loved the dynamic of this trio. They clearly admired and respected each other a lot and that was very visible throughout the story.

Over all, this was definitely a book I would recommend to every romance reader out there! ❤

 

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Avon

 

Nisha Sharma is the author of the critically acclaimed YA novel My So-Called Bollywood Life, and the adult contemporary romance The Takeover Effect. Her writing has been praised by NPR, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Teen Vogue, Buzzfeed, Hypable and more.

Nisha credits her father for her multiple graduate degrees, and her mother for her love of Shah Rukh Khan and Jane Austen. She lives in New Jersey with her Alaskan husband, her cat Lizzie Bennett and her dog Nancey Drew. You can find her online at Nisha-sharma.com or on Twitter and Instagram @nishawrites.

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Have you read any of Nisha Sharma’s books? Did you enjoy them? Are you excited for The Takeover Effect? Have you already read it? Did you enjoy it?

#DesiRepDiscussions – Representation Matters

Hey guys!

Over the past couple years, the #DiverseReads movement has gained momentum and people have become aware of reading books that are different from cis straight white characters. Because, this world is a huge place and there are many different people here that are not straight or white. They have been poorly represented in media for a long time and that has taken its toll.

Desis are an example of such oppressed voices. We have not been represented in a good light in the western media, but, thankfully, that has changed in the last few years and with emerging authors such as Roshani Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, Tara Sim, Dhonielle Clayton, Sabaa Tahir etc, hopefully, people will see us in a better light.

The purpose of this discussion event is to make others aware of the lush, beautiful desi culture and to tell them more about us. So, for the next few days, my absolutely amazing friend, Aditi from A Thousand Words A Million Books and I will be sharing various essays by desi book people – bloggers, bookstagrammers, twitterati etc for you guys.

I hope that you learn something new by reading what we have in store for you here and that you enjoy it. Thank you for stopping by!

Representation Matters

– Aimal

Desis are one of the largest population groups in the world, with over 1.7 billion people and a diaspora that’s spread across all continents. But even then, desis are among some of the least represented groups in publishing, especially when you consider Bangladeshis and Pakistanis.

There are only a handful of desi books released in publishing every year – a number that’s, fortunately, increasing every year but still very low. Even fewer are books written by desis about desis, and those that aren’t written by desis often fall prey to stereotypes and gross conflation of the various rich subcultures within the “desi” culture into a monolithic, single dimension. It’s something I’ve noticed rather often what sort of desi stories are pushed by publishing (and movies, or anything – actually), and those are overwhelmingly what I call “oppression narratives.”

For desi teens to pick up books that promise them representation and only read how horrible their cultures are, how oppressed desis are as a product of their own cultures and countries is a concern. For example, Bollywood is a booming industry with hundreds of movies released every year, from every different genre imaginable, yet when you think about an Indian movie, what do you picture? Slumdog Millionaire, about poverty and violence. Pakistan has a huge fashion and entertainment industry with music that’s adored all over the world, but what media is hailed by the West?

Oppression narratives about terrorism and violence. These are, unfortunately, realities of desi countries – undisputedly, but they aren’t the only realities. And it’s concerning to me that mainstream publishing only likes to push narratives that tell desis of their oppression, and that focus on our “Othering,” while largely avoiding and/or not resourcing narratives that tell mainstream audiences that desis have their own identities, their own cultures, sure, but we are a diverse, large group of people who are people first and foremost.

There are, of course, exceptions. Some of the recommendations I have are Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed, and Fire Boy by Sami Shah – both very unique novels by desi writers. The first tackles what it’s like growing up desi (Indian) and Muslim in the United States, while the second is an elaborate fantasy about a Pakistani boy who finds out he’s half-jinn.

I treasure these stories with my heart and soul because they provide me with some semblance of representation that I so rarely see in any form of media. And I sincerely hope that with this new push towards diversifying publishing, desis aren’t left behind and we get more books about our lives, our experiences and our beautiful culture(s) without being told how backwards and oppressed we are.

Connect With The Author:

Twitter | CuriousCat

#DesiRepDicsussions – A Love Letter to Sandhya Menon

Hey guys!

Over the past couple years, the #DiverseReads movement has gained momentum and people have become aware of reading books that are different from cis straight white characters. Because, this world is a huge place and there are many different people here that are not straight or white. They have been poorly represented in media for a long time and that has taken its toll.

Desis are an example of such oppressed voices. We have not been represented in a good light in the western media, but, thankfully, that has changed in the last few years and with emerging authors such as Roshani Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, Tara Sim, Dhonielle Clayton, Sabaa Tahir etc, hopefully, people will see us in a better light.

The purpose of this discussion event is to make others aware of the lush, beautiful desi culture and to tell them more about us. So, for the next few days, my absolutely amazing friend, Aditi from A Thousand Words A Million Books and I will be sharing various essays by desi book people – bloggers, bookstagrammers, twitterati etc for you guys.

I hope that you learn something new by reading what we have in store for you here and that you enjoy it. Thank you for stopping by!

A Love Letter to Sandhya Menon

– Kav

Discussing diversity in media is a prominent part of my mission as a booktuber. More importantly, I want to support and promote diverse content, particularly diverse YA novels. Last year, I had the honor of beginning my journey of supporting Sandhya Menon, an unbelievably talented YA author who writes about Indian-American teens as an Indian author herself. To this day, I can still remember the moment I discovered her and how that changed my world forever.

In the first half of 2017, Menon’s first novel, When Dimple Met Rishi, was released and I had the privilege of receiving an ARC of this novel. When Dimple Met Rishi was the first novel I ever read featuring a main character of my skin color. I still have an inability to express how my world changed and the happiness this brought me.

Since the release of When Dimple Met Rishi, Menon has announced two other novels, From Twinkle, With Love (out May 22nd, 2018) and When Ashish Met Sweetie, the sequel to When Dimple Met Rishi, two more YA novels featuring Indian-American teens. Each of these novels has the potential to change yet another Indian-American teen’s life the way When Dimple Met Rishi changed my life.

By writing about characters that look like her, Menon has revolutionized the YA world in terms of its Indian representation. When Dimple Met Rishi is the first mainstream #ownvoices YA novel with an Indian-American main character. This is thanks to the endless work of so many activists in the publishing world, but is also thanks to the endless work and talent of Sandhya Menon.

South Asian representation is rarely considered in the discussion diversity, as though places like India and Pakistan do not exist and people from there do not deserve to see themselves in media. Menon has begun dismantling this ideology by being brave enough to write what she does. Everyday when she writes, she is changing the world with her work.

I implore you to support Sandhya Menon in any way you can because the desi community needs your support. Support the woman who has changed countless Indian-American teens’ lives and will continue to do so in the future.

Connect With The Author:

Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

#DesiRepDiscussions – Humanizing Desi Characters

Hey guys!

Over the past couple years, the #DiverseReads movement has gained momentum and people have become aware of reading books that are different from cis straight white characters. Because, this world is a huge place and there are many different people here that are not straight or white. They have been poorly represented in media for a long time and that has taken its toll.

Desis are an example of such oppressed voices. We have not been represented in a good light in the western media, but, thankfully, that has changed in the last few years and with emerging authors such as Roshani Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, Tara Sim, Dhonielle Clayton, Sabaa Tahir etc, hopefully, people will see us in a better light.

The purpose of this discussion event is to make others aware of the lush, beautiful desi culture and to tell them more about us. So, for the next few days, my absolutely amazing friend, Aditi from A Thousand Words A Million Books and I will be sharing various essays by desi book people – bloggers, bookstagrammers, twitterati etc for you guys.

I hope that you learn something new by reading what we have in store for you here and that you enjoy it. Thank you for stopping by!

#DesiRepDiscussions – Importance of Desi Rep

Hey guys!

Over the past couple years, the #DiverseReads movement has gained momentum and people have become aware of reading books that are different from cis straight white characters. Because, this world is a huge place and there are many different people here that are not straight or white. They have been poorly represented in media for a long time and that has taken its toll.

Desis are an example of such oppressed voices. We have not been represented in a good light in the western media, but, thankfully, that has changed in the last few years and with emerging authors such as Roshani Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, Tara Sim, Dhonielle Clayton, Sabaa Tahir etc, hopefully, people will see us in a better light.

The purpose of this discussion event is to make others aware of the lush, beautiful desi culture and to tell them more about us. So, for the next few days, my absolutely amazing friend, Aditi from A Thousand Words A Million Books and I will be sharing various essays by desi book people – bloggers, bookstagrammers, twitterati etc for you guys.

I hope that you learn something new by reading what we have in store for you here and that you enjoy it. Thank you for stopping by!

#DesiRepDiscussions – How I Hate Your Racist Joke

Hey guys!

Over the past couple years, the #DiverseReads movement has gained momentum and people have become aware of reading books that are different from cis straight white characters. Because, this world is a huge place and there are many different people here that are not straight or white. They have been poorly represented in media for a long time and that has taken its toll.

Desis are an example of such oppressed voices. We have not been represented in a good light in the western media, but, thankfully, that has changed in the last few years and with emerging authors such as Roshani Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, Tara Sim, Dhonielle Clayton, Sabaa Tahir etc, hopefully, people will see us in a better light.

The purpose of this discussion event is to make others aware of the lush, beautiful desi culture and to tell them more about us. So, for the next few days, my absolutely amazing friend, Aditi from A Thousand Words A Million Books and I will be sharing various essays by desi book people – bloggers, bookstagrammers, twitterati etc for you guys.

I hope that you learn something new by reading what we have in store for you here and that you enjoy it. Thank you for stopping by!

#DesiRepDiscussions – Why Is Desi Rep Important?

Hey guys!

Over the past couple years, the #DiverseReads movement has gained momentum and people have become aware of reading books that are different from cis straight white characters. Because, this world is a huge place and there are many different people here that are not straight or white. They have been poorly represented in media for a long time and that has taken its toll.

Desis are an example of such oppressed voices. We have not been represented in a good light in the western media, but, thankfully, that has changed in the last few years and with emerging authors such as Roshani Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, Tara Sim, Dhonielle Clayton, Sabaa Tahir etc, hopefully, people will see us in a better light.

The purpose of this discussion event is to make others aware of the lush, beautiful desi culture and to tell them more about us. So, for the next few days, my absolutely amazing friend, Aditi from A Thousand Words A Million Books and I will be sharing various essays by desi book people – bloggers, bookstagrammers, twitterati etc for you guys.

I hope that you learn something new by reading what we have in store for you here and that you enjoy it. Thank you for stopping by!

Why Is Desi Rep Important?

– Mith

Earlier this year, I had this idea for a contemporary young adult novel. I wanted there to be a ball. I wanted the main character, unnamed back then, to live with two stepsisters she had a strained relationship with and a stepmother that the three of them like not seeing. I wanted her to have a best friend that was the most important person in her life. I wanted there to be a romance… with a guy she initially hated. (Okay, well, more like strongly disliked. This main character can’t bring herself to hate anyone.)

I wanted it to be reminiscent of A Cinderella Story—a movie that is a classic, please don’t fight me on this.

So I called it #CinderellaStory for a while. A few days ago, I decided to call it something else: The Opposite of Love.

I’m bad at titles. Like, seriously bad. Same goes with names—we’d all grimace at the old names I’d called my characters. (Hoo boy, they were so bad.) But this was the first project that I’ve come up with a title for. A project that had the main character’s name, the best friend’s, stepsisters’, love interest’s… I even managed to plot some of it out! Pages of events, late nights with thoughts flitting through my head—

This project had a lot of firsts.

But one that particularly stands out would be that… the main character is Bengali. Like me. And her name is Jayna.

For the longest time, I thought that characters had to be a certain… something. A lot of books I read, back in 2011 and 2012, had main characters that were all white. There was never a main brown skinned girl, not one who got to tell her own story. It made me think that my stories had to be like that too.

Which, really. It’s ridiculous. All of that? Ridiculous.

So, yes. #CinderellaStory—The Opposite of Love—is about a high school student, a Bengali girl yearning to fall in love and doing that with the last person she expects. It’s about a girl who adores her best friend more than anything in the world; about a girl who’s unapologetically every bit of her, who loves everything that makes hermy main character, Jayna Das.

And it’s going to be a lot of work. A lot of writing, rewriting, revising, editing, all that jazz. But you know what? It’s the first project I’m super excited about. It’s the first project I want to get done.

This project is pretty much for that younger mewho thought writing about Jayna would be taboo somehow. To anyone else who thought that, too, once upon a time. There is no default, no set of rules you have to follow. Your story is something that’s not just wanted—it’s something that’s needed, too.

 

Connect With The Author:

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