Readers looking for a holiday escape will enjoy the scene-setting, but may long for more substantive romance. Lalli enriches her tale with rich, vibrant descriptions of South Asian culture and a gentle exploration of the cultural differences between Indian Americans and India natives, but the pacing of the love story itself feels clunky, dulling the emotional impact.

They must decide if what they have is worth preserving across the distance. But their romance can't last forever Niki will return to Seattle for Christmas in three weeks, while Sam will go home to London. Their mutual attraction is instantaneous and intense: Sam is 'literally copied and pasted from wildest fantasy,' and Niki soon discovers there's more to him than meets the eye as he opens up to her about his past. While attending the luminous wedding, she locks eyes with Sam Mukherji, the live band's bassist. After uptight Niki Randhawa is laid off from her data analytics job, she does something uncharacteristically impulsive, taking off to Mumbai for both her best friend's wedding and Diwali, the Festival of Lights. 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.Ī whirlwind vacation affair deepens into an unforgettable connection in this unsteady holiday rom-com from Lalli (Serena Singh Flips the Script). Free-spirited Sam helps Niki get in touch with her passionate and creative side, and with her Indian roots. When Niki and Sam join Diya, her husband and their friends on a group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper. At the wedding, the champagne flows and their flirtatious banter makes it clear that the attraction is mutual. Maybe it's the splendor of Mumbai or the magic of the holiday season, but Niki is immediately drawn to Sam. Niki arrives in India just in time to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, where she meets London musician Sameer Mukherji. So for the first time ever, she throws caution to the wind and books a last-minute flight for her friend Diya’s wedding.

When she's laid off, Niki realizes that practical hasn't exactly paid off for her. And she's always dated guys that seem good on paper, rather than the ones who give her butterflies. She's always stuck close to home, in case her family needed her. Despite her love for music and art, she became an analyst for the stability. Twenty-nine-year-old Niki Randhawa has always made practical decisions. One type-A data analyst discovers her free-spirited side on an impulsive journey from bustling Mumbai to the gorgeous beaches of Goa and finds love waiting for her on Christmas morning. 'Lalli's prose is deft, her characters are delightful and her book is the just-right holiday romance.'- USA Today

A holly jolly diwali