Review
Delicate sister relationships, family shenanigans, and a fake marriage make for a heartfelt story in How Simi Got Her Groom Back by Sonali Dev. Rupi and Simi fled their home in Mumbai years ago, but both followed different paths to get to America. Simi is doing everything by the book for her legal status. Rupi, on the other hand, was taken advantage of and now has nothing but her formidable attitude and survival instincts to carry on. While Rupi has always been the one protecting Simi growing up, now Simi wants to pay her back. And offers up her secret boyfriend Prem as a solution.
A fake marriage in a traditional Indian family is easier said than done – especially with a rushed engagement to a bride with short hair and is covered in tattoos. My heart broke for Simi as she watches her sister live out every fantasy she had of becoming Prem’s wife. Prem’s family was also lovable and hilarious. My favorite is Prem’s mom, who tries so hard to be understanding and progressive in the unexpected situation.
Rupi is easily an unlikable character. I felt for her past but she was intentionally abrasive towards people who were trying to help her. Plus the bickering between the sisters was so repetitive, with petty low-blows that delayed the character growth longer than what was necessary. While that dynamic certainly reflects real-life sibling relationships, it became rather annoying to encounter so often.
Overall, I had a good time reading How Simi Got Her Groom Back. The romantic relationships scratch the itch for women’s fiction. Plus the AAPI representation offers insight into another culture. However, readers should be aware of potential triggers such as immigration laws, sexual assault, human trafficking, childhood neglect, and violence off the page.
Sonali Dev joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast to talk about unlikable characters and plans for more books. Keep an ear out for the episode and preorder How Simi Got Her Groom Back, available March 3.
Book
Two sisters face the real consequences of a fake marriage scheme in an emotional yet hilarious novel about immigration, healing, and family from USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev.
Two sisters. One fake marriage. Zero chance of keeping the truth hidden.
The Naik sisters escaped their traumatic past in Mumbai to come to the States, but their journeys have been vastly different. Simi is working toward a bright future as a pediatric nurse in a small town in Kentucky when Rupi shows up at her door in distress, on the run, and as always, dragging trouble in her wake.
With Rupi’s safety in jeopardy, the sisters hatch a desperate plan to keep her in the Rupi must get married—and fast—even if it means Simi recruiting the man she’s been secretly dating as her sister’s groom. A perfect plan? Not quite. But there aren’t many alternatives.
As the big day inches closer, Simi and Rupi face a storm of wedding shenanigans and romantic surprises, not to mention sisterly jealousies. As the stakes and tensions rise, will their secrets tear them apart or will they find a way to risk everything for love?
