When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Publisher: Simon Pulse
On Sale Date: May 30th 2017
Pages: 380
Age Range: Young Adult

Dimple Shah has her life all planned out. She just graduated from high school.She is excited to go to college at Stanford in the fall, but before that, she will attend a summer program for aspiring young web developers. This summer program means also something else for her: that she will be away from her Indian-American parents for a longer period for the first time, which she is happy about. Now she doesn't have to listen to her strict parents all the time who are mostly interested in finding her a suitable Indian husband. They already have an suggestion for her, some guy named Rishi. But Dimple is more interested in coding useful apps and has no interest in getting married anytime soon.

Rishi Patel is attending the same summer program as Dimple. Contrary to Dimple, Rishi knows about the arrangement his parents made with Dimple's parents. He is totally into this ''suggestion-arrangement'' and the plan to win her heart during the summer program. Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

Through their alternating point of views in the book, the reader learns that Dimple makes it clear to Rishi. she is not about to get married anytime soon, but they end up as partners for the competition and fall in love as they start spending more time together.

The story of this book overall was very romantic, cultural and just super cute! I loved the Indian background of this book, it really added something special and original to the book. Dimple is beside being Indian a true American teenager. She is independent, self-reliant, and knows what she wants in life. What she wants for herself and what her parents want for her are two completely different thing. I really liked this mix of cultures.
Rishi was a more traditional type of guy. Respect to his Indian parents is very important to him. He also respected the ones of Dimple though, which was just awesome.
Further on, the plot was wonderful and the characters and events felt super real to me.
I highly recommend reading this fun and cute book!

In May of 2018, author Sandhya Menon will have a new book coming out, From Twinkle With Love, also published by Simon Pulse. The cover and synopsis both look amazing, and I hope to review this book on my blog later this year!

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?

Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.