Review: A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli
Thank you to Berkley for my copy of a Holly Jolly Diwali! All thoughts are my own.
When I saw the cover of this book, I KNEW I needed to have it. As a huge Christmas lover, I’m always looking to learn about other holidays that are celebrated in communities I am not a part of. A Holly Jolly Diwali did not disappoint in that aspect!
This is a perfect read if you want a little holiday magic but aren’t too interested in anything too festive. It’s a sweet, closed door romance about waking up in your late twenties and feeling like you’re not at all where you want to be.
Synopsis:
“Twenty-nine-year-old Niki Randhawa has always made practical decisions. Despite her love for music and art, she became an analyst for the stability. She's always stuck close to home, in case her family needed her. And she's always dated guys that seem good on paper, rather than the ones who give her butterflies. When she's laid off, Niki realizes that practical hasn't exactly paid off for her. So for the first time ever, she throws caution to the wind and books a last-minute flight for her friend Diya’s wedding.
Niki arrives in India just in time to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, where she meets London musician Sameer Mukherji. Maybe it's the splendor of Mumbai or the magic of the holiday season, but Niki is immediately drawn to Sam. At the wedding, the champagne flows and their flirtatious banter makes it clear that the attraction is mutual.
When Niki and Sam join Diya, her husband and their friends on a group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper. Free-spirited Sam helps Niki get in touch with her passionate and creative side, and with her Indian roots. When she gets a new job offer back home, Niki must decide what she wants out of the next chapter of her life—to cling to the straight and narrow like always, or to take a leap of faith and live the kind of bold life the old Niki never would have dreamed of.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Setting—I LOVED getting to visit India with Niki. It was a cool vehicle for the reader since Niki had never visited before so it was like we were experiencing the magic and wonder for the first time together.
Learning about Diwali—I admittedly did not know a lot about Diwali before reading this book. I’d heard of it before, thanks to my love of Mindy Kaling, but I didn’t know about why it was celebrated or how. I really loved learning about it and getting to add a book about a different holiday to my holiday book collection.
The Character Arcs—I can really relate to millenial stories of starting over right now and when Niki was dealing with coming to terms on the state of her personal and professional life, it hit me right in the feels. I love being able to connect with a character like that.
What Didn’t Work:
Didn’t Love the Romance—It was a little Insta-Lovey for me, but I suppose that’s to be expected in a holiday read.
Pacing— I feel like things moved a little too quickly and I didn’t really get a chance to get to know all the characters.
Content Warnings:
N/A