This was a sweet romance coming from one of the most unexpected (and worst) first meetings. Rishi Patal comes up to introduce himself Dimple Shah, joking about starting their lives together as future husband and wife. Understandably, she not knowing who this wacko is, throws coffee in his face.

Let’s back up a bit.

Dimple struggles against the confines of her mother’s narrow view for her future. To be a pretty wife and marry an IIH. Ideal Indian Husband. The fact, she takes little care in her appearance, doesn’t want to marry and is more concerned with her future career as a programmer. All making her a big disappointment. Nonetheless, she is pleasantly surprised when her parents allow her to go to San Francisco University’s famous Insomnia Cafe, a coding program with an intensive workload, million dollar prize and this year, a chance to work with Dimple’s idol, Jenny Lindt.

Rishi Patal doesn’t have the programming dreams Dimple possess when he attends the same coding camp. He goes under the impression that she has been informed of their parents’ plans to arrange a match between them. Rishi is thrilled with this. He is a duitiful older son, yes but he also enjoys the stability and tradition the arranged marriage holds. It makes him feel more connected to the culture and his ancestors, repeating the rituals and practices that connect them all together. While he has some concerns about how well they will connect considering Dimple’s fierce personality and her scowling photos, he also believes deep down that they were meant to be.

Hence the optimistic introduction followed by cofee dousing. However, this miscommunication is quickly cleared up and things get more interesting when the two are paired together to create an app for the competition. Orchestrated on Rishi’s part as he requested her before coming but Dimple reluctantly accepts his help. Even though he’s not invested in the competition like she is, he’s still a nice guy. Besides, they’re on the same page now that their parents’ plans have been revealed. They can continue on as friends and partners.

Of course, Rishi still holds out a romantic hope that things can work out between them, so taken by her fierce passion and unruly beauty and as time goes on, Dimple cannot deny that Rishi is sweet, goofy, so unbashedly himself and willing to stand up for others and his beliefs without shame. He’s a good man.

Who couldn’t fall for them together. I certainly did! Menon creates an organic yet heartwarming relationship built up from small events like Rishi standing up for Dimple in front of frat boys, sharing their passions-Dimple with coding and why she wants to use her app to help people with diabetes like her father. Rishi with comics and art which he has tried to surpress because it’s impractical and goes against the wishes of his parents for a stable future.

Of course, they have their share of flaws and conflicts especially in regards to tradition and parents. Rishi plans to follow through on what his parents want as it aligns with his own wishes, exempting the comic “hobby,” while Dimple feels it is all archaic and dismisses her identity as a person with dreams and intellect. That’s a big hang up Dimple has in giving into her feelings. Before and during the relationship she fears it will consume her at the cost of her work. A nice foil to Rishi who avoids and dismisses her art because he fears his love for it will consume him and derail all his perfectly laid plans.

There’s also a few subplots as Dimple and Rishi deal with roommates and in Rishi’s case, an irresponsible brother whose arrogant attitude further pushes Rishi into the role of the responsible one, creating a distance between them. They’re minor threads but hep create a bigger world so Rishi and Dimple aren’t wholly consumed in their romance and further contrast their worldviews and why they’re able to work together through obstacles.

I have a few minor nitpicks with the story such as the coding competition angle falling to the wayside. It’s about a nine week camp, and in the midway there’s a talent competition that provides extra incentive for the students which created an enjoyable climax (and very cute scenes with Dimple and Rishi practicing their dance) but the following three weeks are quickly skimmed over. I understand that the author had a page limit and wasn’t going to go over each code the couple does but it made the coding aspect feel like set dressing if that makes sense. It also made the aftermath of the talent show drama also inconquestial even though it was interesting in the moment. It just feels like there was time missing that could have further delved into Dimple’s concerns about individuality vs coupledom so it seems less of a last minute obstacle. Seed the doubt even more.

Also the chapters are short, like two to three pages. The longest chapters being ten pages. So building that up there’s 55 pages and an epilogue but I found it unecessary. With the alternate POVs, it felt like if ch. 22 was a Dimple chapter and ch. 23 was a Dimple chapter, why not just string them into one big chapter? Especially since it was covering the same event seconds later. Also I wasn’t a big fan of the bold Dimple/Rishi names indicating a changing POV. They have very distinct voices, I just didn’t think it was necessary to have the titles when readers could figure it out themselves.

Even so, these are minor things that don’t take away from the nice romance at the center. Realistic with a dash of fairytale soul-mate feels, I’m excited to read the next one in Menon’s series.