The Shaadi Set-up is a book written by Lillie Vale and published on 7th September 2021. This novel is angsty and perfect for readers who want to read something with funny yet heartfelt moments. The main characters as well as the love interest in this book are Indian-Americans. Making it relatable to people brought up in Indian Families. Here is a brief summary of this book.
The Main Character:-
Rita Chitniss is a furniture restorer. Having a degree in interior designing and being a mom of 2 dogs, she is exactly where she wanted to be. Throw in a wealthy and hot boyfriend Neil Deiwan, And life is as good as it gets. Except for two things. Rita is broke and Her relationship is under wraps.
Rita, Neil, And Her Ex-Boyfriend Milan:-
Rita’s mother and Neil’s father loved each other as teenagers. Unfortunately, Neil’s father broke Rita’s mothers’ heart, leading to a fallout. So, well, there’s no way that Rita can tell her mother right? Not only that, but Neil’s mother is one pushy woman, who can’t wait to get her son married. Now Neil wants to come clean and Rita is freaking out on the prospect of telling her family.
Except, the talk about an Indian matchmaking site, shaadi.com has given her the best idea. The idea is to go on the dating site and take her boyfriend with her. This means, Make her and Neil’s fake profiles, write answers that will make the algorithm match them on the dating site. And convince their parents that they are right for each other. The only thing that is slightly out of the equation is that Rita is not ready for marriage. Neil is a Mama’s boy. He can’t communicate and stand up for himself in front of his mother. And well, another strike is that he can’t stand smelly feet and sweat.
The plan is great, the execution is fantastic, but why does Shaadi.com keep matching Rita and Milan? Her high school boyfriend who broke up with her 6 years ago? The one who is in the realtor business? The one who left her hanging at the airport to go on a trip by herself. The one who stood her up and broke up with her on the call?
Rita’s Mother’s Meddling:-
And why is it, that along with the dating site, Her mother certainly thinks that they should date? Setting them up in situations that are uncomfortable, Hoping for things to progress. Because of this, her mother’s meddling has caused them to get into a business contract together, To turn the house around for better sales.
It certainly does not help that Neil’s flaws are Milan’s perfections. That Milan does not get grossed out of smelly feet and sweaty bodies. Not only that but they two still have a repo between them. Milan admires Rita’s work and he is curious to know more about her. Also, he was great to her before that incident.
The Romance Development:-
So now what will happen? Old memories surface. Anger ensues. The cold war begins. And this time Rita will leave unscathed. By throwing her perfect boyfriend in Milan’s face once they tell her parents. Of course, The plan goes downhill when Rita realizes that they can still communicate better than anyone else. That they are still very much compatible. And let’s not forget the years of history between them. So what is holding them back you might ask? Rita doesn’t know why they broke up. And the relationship between them is perfectly professional.
But it won’t be for too long. One home becomes two. And the second one is Rita’s ideal and dream place. So when Milan and Rita spend time together, Lines will blur and feelings get involved. Motherly instincts might not have been wrong after all.
Book Review:-
In The Shaadi Set-Up, there are plenty of tropes to love. forced proximity, Second chances, slow burn, and first love are among my favorites. A couple playing house, two lovely puppies (a Yorkie–Jack Russel terrier mix and a French bulldog!), and food as a love language!
I found the components of Rita’s relationships and conflicts with her family to be more intriguing than the romance. Because it was evident from the start what would happen and which one of the two she would choose. But apart from that, The humor, and wit between the mother and daughter took the cherry on the cake.
Apart from all that, My final thought on The Shaadi Set-Up is that it is a thoughtfully entertaining debut that brings together family love, friendship, and the yearning for second chances.
Guest Posted By ( Netra Surana )
Netra Surana is a digital marketer and she is currently pursuing MBA. She is also an avid reader. Writing on her blog and Dancing are two of her favorite hobbies. Her blog is about book reviews and recommendations. She further aspires to gain knowledge by applying her skills at a corporate.
