Book Description

Shaadi preparations are in full swing, which means lehenga shopping, taste testing, dance rehearsals, and best of all, Arya’s sister Alina is home. The Khannas are together again, finally, and Arya wants to enjoy it. So she stifles her lingering resentment towards Alina, plays mediator during her sister’s fights with their mother, and welcomes her future brother-in-law with open arms. (Okay, maybe enjoy isn’t exactly right.)

Meanwhile at school, Arya’s senior year dreams are unraveling. In between class and her part-time gig as a bookshop assistant, Arya struggles to navigate the aftermath of a bad breakup between her two best friends and a tense student council partnership with her rival, the frustratingly attractive Dean Merriweather.

Arya is determined to keep the peace at home and at school, but this shaadi season teaches Arya new realities: Alina won’t always be in the bedroom down the hall, Mamma’s sadness isn’t mendable, friendships must evolve, and life doesn’t always work out like her beloved Bollywood movies. But sometimes, the person you least expect will give you a glimpse of your dream sequence just when you need it most.

Structured like a Bollywood film (entertaining intermission included!) Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment will make you swoon, laugh, cry, think, nod your head in agreement, and quite possibly make you get up and dance.

My Review

There are so many layers at play in this book: trouble at school within Arya’s friend group, her contentious relationship with academic rival Dean, and the general tumult of senior year. All of that is more than enough to manage, but Arya must also help her sister Alina prepare for her wedding, which includes numerous smaller ceremonies and celebrations, not to mention a new outfit for each event.

And let me tell you: the aunty drama is real! Oh, the shade!

I know I’m not the target demographic for YA books and that adolescent brains are still developing, but there are times when I come across a narrator who is being unfair or unreasonable with their interpersonal conflicts. I didn’t get that sense here: Arya is a reliable narrator who is reasonable in her approach, and like many books, conflicts could have been avoided with a single conversation, but people of all ages tend to be avoidant rather than direct, so we can’t fault Arya for choosing to ignore/avoid big conversations. This is especially true considering how much she has going on in her life. It’s easy for an issue to persist because of the expectation that it will be resolved—but of course, when it doesn’t resolve, it might feel too late to engage.

I would absolutely recommend Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment. This is a lovely book full of family and food. I loved all the cinematic shoutouts and I definitely want to watch all the of the movies on the recommended list. I can’t wait to read Avachat’s next book.

I received a digital ARC of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley