Apps & Attraction • When Dimple Met Rishi

I am all about YA contemporaries that read like romantic comedies, and When Dimple Met Rishi is one of the best that I have ever read. It’s about two teens – Dimple Shah, who aspires to be in web and app development and doesn’t need to hear her Mamma’s nagging about finding the perfect Indian husband, and Rishi Patel, who is a romantic that believes in tradition and stability. Their paths wind up crossing when they both attend a summer program for aspiring web developers in San Francisco, but it remains to be seen whether these two will just maybe hit it off.

When Dimple Met Rishi was wonderful, friends. The premise is the perfect set-up for a story that will have readers fully invested in what transpires between Dimple and Rishi. It is a typical hate-to-love romance in that these two individuals have very different outlooks on life, which means that they butt heads immediately upon their first meeting and plenty of mishaps ensue. But it’s still so sweet to watch as they gradually get to know each other better, and perhaps realize that life is nothing like what they expected it to be – and that it might be even better than they could have ever imagined. Apart from the romance, there is also the exploration of the dynamics of a typical Indian family, the organic integration of Indian culture, friendships, and a glimpse at a field of study I don’t get to read about very often. These aspects were all executed very well, which resulted in a story that was both complex and compelling.

Dimple and Rishi were characters that I immediately took a liking too. Dimple was driven, determined to live her life the way that she envisioned it – even if it means challenging the traditional lifestyle her mother envisioned for her. I could particularly relate to how she felt overwhelmed by emotions, as well as external influences. Rishi, on the other hand, was all about respecting the traditions he had grown up with and doing right by his parents – even if it meant giving up things he was passionate about. I could relate to his instinct to please his parents a lot. Both popped off the page, and I finished the book feeling like I’d just spent time with two of my friends. 

I enjoyed When Dimple Met Rishi, in case it wasn’t yet obvious. Menon did a fine job bringing to life two real, flawed, relatable characters, and telling their stories in a way that was entertaining and emotional to read. I would very much recommend checking out this novel, and am highly anticipating whatever Menon decides to put out next – especially if it’ll be something similar to this book!

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Publisher: Simon Pulse | Publication Date: May 30, 2017

Source: ARC received from the publisher (Thanks!)
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