A New York Times bestseller An NPR Best Book of 2017 A Buzzfeed Best YA Book of 2017 A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2017 A School Library Journal Best Young Adult Book of 2017 A Bustle Best YA Novel of 2017 A PopSugar Best Young Adult Novel of 2017 A Book Riot Best Book of 2017 A Paste Magazine Best Young Adult Novel of 2017 “Effervescent.” –Chicago Tribune “Full of warm characters and … Riot Best Book of 2017
A Paste Magazine Best Young Adult Novel of 2017
“Effervescent.” –Chicago Tribune
“Full of warm characters and sweet romance.” –Entertainment Weekly
“Get ready to fall in love with Dimple Shah and Rishi Patel.” —HelloGiggles
The rom-com everyone’s talking about Eleanor & Park meets Bollywood in this hilarious and heartfelt novel about two Indian-American teens whose parents conspire to arrange their marriage.
Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?
Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him–wherein he’ll have to woo her–he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.
The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?
Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.more
When Dimple Met Rishi is a cute young adult/new adult crossover novel that features Dimble and Rishi, two young adults during the summer months that sit right after high school but just before college. They meet at a technical summer program but their introduction is far from happenstance. This cute story features topics related to arranged marriages, respecting culture and tradition, family issues, coming of age, being assertive, rising above the standard, diversity in STEM fields, breaking stereotypes, and staying true to yourself.
Overall, I found When Dimple Met Rishi to be a very enjoyable read full of culture and I would recommend it to those who enjoy sweet (with some slight drama) first-love romances. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
“When you think about it, our families are back in India, about eight thousand miles away. And they’re still so intricately connected to us. We have their names, their rituals, their traditions. Their dreams sit behind our eyelids. I think it’s beautiful.”