Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit - Available

Sunshine and Spice

by Aurora Palit
Soneela Nankani
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
When two complete opposites agree to fake date in order to solve their cultural dilemmas, they find the only force more powerful than an immigrant mother’s matchmaking schemes might just be true love.
Naomi Kelly will do anything to make her new brand consulting business a success. When she lands a career saving contract to rebrand the Mukherjee family’s failing local bazaar, she knows there can be no mistakes. But as the “oops” baby of a free-spirited Bengali mother, Naomi’s lack of connection to her roots represents everything Gia Mukherjee disdains.
Enter, Dev Mukherjee.
Dev knows everything his mother wants…including her wish for him to get married, like, yesterday. When Gia hires a matchmaker (without, you know, asking him), Dev vows to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up in a cold, loveless marriage. When a potential match assumes Naomi is his girlfriend, the solution to both their problems becomes clear: Naomi will pretend to date Dev in order to sabotage his mother’s matchmaking efforts in exchange for lessons in Bengali culture. Flawless plan, right?
But as Naomi and Dev bond over awful dancing at Garba, couples cooking classes, and tackling the rebrand as a team, they start to realize while their relationship may be fake, their feelings for each other are starting to become very real. As the line between reality and rumor blurs, Naomi and Dev must confront what it means to fit the mold, and decide how much they’re willing to risk for love.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 10, 2024

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593911631
      • File size: 275856 KB
      • Duration: 09:34:41

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from July 15, 2024
      Palit debuts with an addictive grumpy sunshine romance starring a hero whose one-liners are worthy of a modern Mr. Darcy. Canadian Bengali Naomi Kelly grew up in a rural community with a mother who rejected everything Indian and a stepfather with no connection to her heritage. Now an adult, she feels culturally isolated and yearns for Bengali connection. She also desperately needs a contract as the brand consultant for a recently reopened Indian shop in a quickly gentrifying neighborhood. The store belongs to Dev Mukherjee’s very traditional Bengali mother, whose other major project is finding Dev a wife—with no regard for his feelings on the matter. When Dev and Naomi meet, they see a solution to both their problems: Dev will be a cultural cheat sheet for Naomi as she works to impress his mom, while Naomi will keep potential brides away by pretending to be Dev’s girlfriend. The result is an un-put-downable charmer brimming with serious themes of cultural identity, family estrangement, and the struggles of the first generation born to immigrant parents. As sparks fly and real feelings grow, readers will be unable to keep the smiles off their faces. Agent: Jemiscoe Chambers-Black, Andrea Brown Literary.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Soneela Nankani and Imran Sheikh narrate this take on fake dating and modern love. Even though she lacks a Bengali background, Naomi is hired to rebrand Gia's bazaar, a run-down Indian marketplace. At the same time, Gia engages a matchmaker to find a wife for her reluctant son, Dev. Soon, Naomi and Dev team up--Naomi pretends to be Dev's girlfriend, and Dev teaches Naomi about Bengali culture before the grand opening of his mother's bazaar-turned-caf. The two develop a deep connection, but a long-term relationship seems impossible amid familial obstacles. Nankani convincingly conveys Naomi's yearning to belong, while Sheikh makes Dev's seriousness endearing. Both narrators are spot-on with their accents for the supporting characters, and the Bengali backdrop puts a fun spin on the overused fake-dating trope. C.A.P. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      February 21, 2025

      Bengali Canadian author Palit offers a standout debut that listeners are sure to fall for. This fake-dating, grumpy/sunshine romance finds fledgling brand consultant Naomi Kelly struggling to revamp Dev Mukherjee's family caf� to keep up with the times and the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Despite her own Bengali roots, Naomi was raised apart from an Indian community and has little knowledge of the customs of her heritage. Dev, who is also Bengali, agrees to help Naomi learn the ins and outs of the culture in exchange for her posing as his girlfriend to ward off his mother's matchmaking schemes. Though their relationship starts as a put-on, Naomi and Dev's undeniable chemistry takes hold and soon they must consider whether a real relationship might be possible. With steamy open-door scenes and witty writing, Palit's contemporary romance entertains while also investigating the complications of cultural identity and familial expectations. Award-winning narrator Soneela Nankani and relative audiobook newcomer Imran Sheikh offer sparkling performances, capturing the main characters' distinctive voices with flair. VERDICT A must-listen contemporary romance, sure to delight Bollywood fans and those who enjoy the works of Farah Heron, Uzma Jalaluddin, and Sara Desai.--Shannon O'Connor

      Copyright 2025 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading