Review of First Comes Like By Alisha Rai

First Comes Like By Alisha Rai 

"Finding her fake boyfriend cute might complicate things." pg131

What a sweet wholesome romance novel with just the perfect amount of comedy. It's honestly been a minute since I read a romance that really focused on the love between the couple and not other things. Rai really takes her time in building up this relationship and making it feel authentic and true. I can very much picture the couple in the future and how they could handle anything that is thrown at them because they are so completely secure in their love. It's really kinda beautiful. Rai blends a lot of different tropes I feel that make the novel feel fresh in ways I haven't read in a long while. One of my absolute favorite parts of this story was the amount of culture that is spread throughout. This book is about communication, trust, faith, and so much more and I do recommend it. 

It follows Jia a youtube star/model who has been communicating via text and DMs with a huge Bollywood star Dev for over a year. Finally the two are in the same city and Jia refuses to let him leave without meeting him. So she shows up at the party he's at but he doesn't know who she is. What seems to be a horrible catfishing disaster turns into a fake relationship to possibly a real marriage. Riddled with a number of sweet moments, traditions, and family duties this book is really about finding your person at the right time. Will Dev and Jia find love in the end? Some things I liked about this novel is that Jia though she has her own insecurities she is also brave and confident. Dev being a new parent to his niece is the cherry on top because he's so sweet and patient when it comes to her and this new relationship. I promise you'll be smiling till the very end! 

Stand out quote: 

"People come in and out of our lives, and we have to enjoy the parts in the middle. But I think it's okay to not enjoy all the parts." pg 187 

Some questions to ponder: 

1. Have you ever been catfished? 
2. Do you think they moved their relationship along too quickly? 
3. Jia and Dev's professional and personal lives seem to change a great deal throughout the novel, how do you see them coping with this down the line? 
4. On page 273, Lakshmi describes why Jia thinks the way she does, can you relate or understand this explanation? Why or why not? 

Thanks for stopping by! 

-MDB