Five-Star Review: Marriage & Masti by Nisha Sharma
Two best friends accidentally get married and then stay that way … plus corporate politics, tumultuous family relationships, and fighting the patriar
Hi Librarygoers!
First THANK YOU to everyone who has told me that they’ve read a rec from Aleia’s Library and enjoyed it. And also thank you to the well wishers who have congratulated me on finishing the draft of my novel. I spent the earlier part of this week with beginning edits and it’s so nice to revisit words I wrote ages ago.
This week, I have to send a special thank you to Nisha Sharma. I took a course she taught over the summer and it really motivated me to finish my novel. She’s an autobuy author of mine so I would have read Marriage & Masti anyway so it feels even more delightful knowing how some of the thought processes that helps her get her beautiful novels out of the door.
M&M is the third (and final 😩) book in the If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series. You don’t have to read them in order but you will get more enjoyment out of them if you do. If you have already read them, the couples you already know and love make an appearance.
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What is this story about?
Your (Veera) yacht just capsized. Well, not actually your yacht but the yacht of a German man you’re trying to woo into becoming a client of the maybe business you’re starting with your twin sister Sana.
You and Sana have spent the last few months globe trotting to build a foundation for said business after getting unceremoniously fired from the family company, by your father, so you could “get married and make babies”. You’re not having that so off around the world you go until the yacht-wreck leaves you stranded with a hotel bill to pay and credit cards at the bottom of the ocean.
You need a bailout and decide to call your sort of best friend (Deepak) who you haven’t really spoken to while jet-setting because he just got engaged and you’re a little heartbroken about it.
Only, the day the yacht-wreck comes around, Deepak is not engaged because his fiancé broke up with him via a GRWM video posted on social. Then instead of wiring funds, Deepak shows up. In Goa, less than a day after you called him.
Oh, did I mention that he’s now competing for the CEO role that you and your sister thought would be yours? So, she hates him (and a lot of things, that lovely grump to your sunshine) and is the first one in line at the bar the evening that he arrives. Then there are shots (so many shots) and a practice wedding that isn’t really practice. Surprise, you and Deepak are married. Spiritually married but in the Indian community it counts.
So you both decide to use it to your advantage. He has a vote for the CEO role coming up and you need to find footing in a life outside of the family business, including the maybe business that your sister no longer wants to start.
When you leave Goa, you return to New Jersey with Deepak and move into one of the empty floors of his condo (he’s definitely giving billionaire energy, you thought you were rich but he’s rich rich) and your sister is on a mission to find Deepak’s ex-fiancé because she might be the key to securing his CEO title.
Now, all that’s left is convincing everyone that your marriage is real. This includes his parents (who are lovely) , your parents (the same ones who fired you to force you to choose marriage & babies > career), and the aunties that keep the Whatsapp group messages flowing. You also have to protect your heart because this marriage is temporary (only until the CEO vote) and you believe there’s no way Deepak could actually match the feelings you have always had for him.
Or could he?
What is the tone of this book?
There’s so much deception hovering around the edges of Veera and Deepak but they are genuine with one another. If not in words, they are genuine in actions and that’s what’s meaningful when you’re battling corporate politics, difficult family relationships, and changing friendships.
Every page I turned is because I wanted to find out what’s next. Was it more corporate bullshit, more antagonists antagonizing, or finding out that Deepak loves to tame Veera’s bratty nature in the bedroom.
It feels like there’s always a secret around the corner, everything from “what is that corporate exec lying about” to “will Deepak tell Veera that the fake marriage isn’t so fake to him?”.
Who would you recommend this book to?
If you’re interested in meddlesome (but well meaning) side characters this series is exactly what you need! Also, if you’re a fan of a woman fighting the patriarchy, and her man standing behind her in support, Veera and Deepak are waiting for you.
What are some of my favorite lines?
Well, this was more like a yacht-wreck, but shipwreck was an actual term.
Getting married instead of asking her for a date was probably the wrong way to approach this, especially with the history between them, but he didn’t regret this for a moment, as complicated as it made their relationship.
“I saw the way you used to look at my son, and I’m so glad he’s finally come to his senses and now looks at you the same way.”
Have you started this trilogy? Let me know if you’re interested in more marriage-of-convenience-ish and friends-to-lovers romances?
I loved the first book in this series, but the meddling was just a little too much for me😅