What’s On The Bookshelf: Rom-coms great for reading on the beach
Our friends at Emirates Literature Festival share three romantic comedies…
We think it’s fair to say that summer is officially here so it’s time to refresh your reading list and give it some seasonal flair.
The Emirates Literature Foundation team has recommended three romantic comedies that will be all the rage on the beach. Quirky characters, light-hearted plots and the not-so-straightforward quest for love.
So, throw on a hat, lather on that sunblock and get to reading!
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Ever wonder what a mashup of comedy, family, romance and murder would be like? Wonder no more, because Dial A for Aunties has all that and more. A laugh-out-loud story about an Indo Chinese American protagonist, Meddeline Chan, running a wedding business with her mother and her aunts. We don’t know what’s more horrifying; her mother pretending to be her online to catfish a man or Meddeline accidentally murdering the poor guy on their first date. This is where the aunties (and mom) step in and try to make the problem, aka dead body, go away but as with every caper, the situation keeps going from bad to worse.
It will be interesting to see if Sutanto’s other 2021 release, The Obsession, a young adult mystery novel, has the same infusion of clever and funny writing.
Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron
What happens when you’re in need of a fake fiancé and the man your parents are trying to set you up with is across the hall? Duh, you get accidentally engaged.
The main characters, Reena and Nadim are charming and flawed, which makes them perfectly relatable. This also makes their relationship with each other and with their families complicated, adding new dimensions to the story. The rebellion of the second-generation South Asian immigrants against their culture and arranged marriages quickly draws one in, and it certainly helps that the steamy romance is set against the backdrop of a cooking competition with mouth-watering descriptions of Indian cuisine. Be warned, this book will make you hungry!
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
There were high expectations of this novel by the New York Times bestselling author, Emily Henry, and it does not disappoint. Poppy and Alex are complete opposites who become best friends over the span of one car ride. Their bond is strong, and it is strengthened by their annual vacations together which are less glam and more camp. It seems like nothing can drive the two friends apart. Except something does and we spend the whole book trying to figure out what. The story is based on many predictable tropes: fatal attraction, best friends turned lovers, second chance romance and yet the execution is so perfect that it leaves the reader laughing and crying and cheering for the soulmates until the very end.
If you enjoyed this feature, check out more views and reviews on the Emirates Literature Foundation blog. You can also catch your favourite authors on the latest episode of the Foundation podcasts the Boundless Book Club and the Best of the Emirates LitFest.
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