January 11, 2021
Lalli (The Matchmaker’s List) charms in this delightful tale of love, friendship, and cultures clashing. Serena Singh, 36, an advertising creative director in Washington, D.C., is determined to remain single and independent, despite everyone around her encouraging her to settle down. With all of her friends—and her only sister, Natasha—married and too busy to hang out, Serena sets out to find a new bestie. Several comic misadventures ensue, including her inadvertently ending up at a sex club. She soon connects with feisty Ainsley, a colleague with a wicked sense of humor and a husband—who, like Serena, is Indian American. When a man from Serena’s past reappears and makes a play for her heart, Serena is faced with a choice: cling to past heartache, or take a chance on a bountiful future. Lalli excels at creating flawed but lovable characters, and her exquisitely crafted and perfectly paced narrative captivates. Serena and Natasha’s relationship with their Indian immigrant mother, Sandeep, underpins the narrative with stories of the girls’ effort to help her assimilate (such as explaining to Sandeep that she can’t haggle at Target). Women’s fiction fans will devour this funny, poignant story. Agent: Martha Webb, CookeMcDermid Literary Management.
February 1, 2021
Serena Singh has found her dream job as a creative director at an up-and-coming advertising firm, but her personal life is lacking. Her sister, Natasha, just got married, and their close relationship becomes strained when Natasha announces that she is pregnant. It's not jealousy that's plaguing Serena--she isn't looking for marriage or children, and she's happy with her casual relationship with Becket, whom she met at Natasha's wedding--it's the loss of a friendship that has centered her for most of her life. Enter Ainsley Woods, a coworker who is married to the owner of Serena's favorite chai stand. The two become fast friends, and Ainsley seems to be exactly what Serena needs. But her messy life gets the better of her when an ex-boyfriend reappears, straining her relationship with Becket and her friendship with Ainsley. Fixing the situation will require Serena to dig deep into her past to handle some long-avoided issues with love, trust, and commitment. VERDICT Lalli's latest (after Grown-Up Pose) has the story arc and the tropes of a romantic comedy, but it's the happy-ever-after of friendship that makes it sparkle. Serena's honesty and vulnerability will resonate with readers of Christina Lauren and Alisha Rai.--Nanette Donohue, Champaign P.L., IL
Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from February 1, 2021
Lalli returns, after Grown-Up Pose (2020), with another stellar feel-good story of a woman learning how to manage the expectations of her traditional Sikh community while living an untraditional life. When her younger sister, Natasha, gets married first, Serena, 36, is relieved that her mother, Sandeep, is finally off her back and that her sister has taken on the mantle of "good Indian girl," even though it changes their BFF status. Creative director at a hip advertising agency in Washington, DC, Serena has no interest in settling down and having children, but single life is getting lonelier as her friends start families of their own. Determined to make new friends, Serena takes the social media plunge, often with hilariously disastrous results. In the meantime, a new colleague shows Serena that having kids doesn't mean you're no fun anymore and that a second chance at love doesn't mean giving up your life to be a wife. As an emotional ending brings beautiful resolution to her strained relationships, Serena realizes that love, acceptance, and forgiveness go hand-in-hand. Heartfelt and forthright, Lalli's culturally rich work of women's fiction is exceptional.
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