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ASHLEY GABRIELLE

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  • My Bookshelf
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How to Backpack Grand Teton National Park, Ashley Gabrielle Travel and adventure blog
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  • Adventure
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Books

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams | Mini Review

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Books

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez | Mini Review

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Writing

How To Get People To Actually Read Your Instagram Caption

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Writing

Writing to Attract The Right Audience

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Writing

Five Tips To Become a Better Content & Social Media Writer

read more
  • In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead
    Books

    In My Dreams, I Hold A Knife by Ashley Winstead | Mini Review

    This book is completely worth the hype! “In My Dreams I Hold a Knife” by @ashleywinsteadbooks Here is what it’s about: Six college friends are reunited at their alma mater ten years after their friend was murdered. Someone is determined to find the real killer and the friends are forced to confront what actually happened that night. The story is told over multiple timelines—now and the four years the friends are in college. We get to understand each persons’ motives and not just for murder. We get insight into their fears, hopes, and trauma.  This book was so well developed. I enjoyed the writing style, pacing, and story organization. The characters were…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

    You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

    August 23, 2020
    Grand Teton National Park Backpacking and Hiking Tips

    How to Backpack Grand Teton National Park: Packing and Tips

    May 19, 2020
    Planning out the week in white planner and white desk

    How to Be More Efficient With Content Creation

    January 26, 2020
  • Seven Days in June by Tia Williams book on black and white bedding
    Books

    Seven Days in June by Tia Williams | Mini Review

    I loved this book! It does have second chance romance in it, but it also deals with other important issues outside of a relationship. I loved Audre, Eva’s daughter; she was so smart and driven. I also really loved the relationship between Audre and Eva.  The writing was so good! This story was well written, developed, and oftentimes witty and funny. —Themes and issues discussed in the book:* We see Eva’s experience as a black & female romance author in the publishing industry. Because being Black, and then female, and then writing romance stories, presents specific issues—like, stigmas against romance not being real literature & not being taken as seriously…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    Planning out the week in white planner and white desk

    How to Be More Efficient With Content Creation

    January 26, 2020
    hostels in europe, londond, backpacking europe

    Tips for Staying in Hostels and Staying Safe

    May 19, 2020
    Grand Teton National Park Backpacking and Hiking Tips

    How to Backpack Grand Teton National Park: Packing and Tips

    May 19, 2020
  • Olga Dies Dreaming Book Cover, woman drawing in green , blue and pink on a orange background
    Books

    Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez | Mini Review

    Olga Dies Dreaming is a story about a Puerto Rican family that specifically focuses on Olga and her brother Prieto. The story takes us through topics and themes of identity, multicultural upbringing, gentrification in Brooklyn, love, family, and career-building.  4.5/5⭐️ Olga is a wedding planner in Brooklyn who works with very rich clients. Prieto is a congressman who works serving his Latinx community while also dealing with the gentrification that is affecting his Brooklyn constituents. Olga and Prieto are raised by their grandmother when their activist mother abandoned them for her radical political pursuits, and after their father died young. I enjoyed this book, the writing had me hooked from…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    Book-Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

    Mexican Gothic By Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Mini Book Review

    January 10, 2022
    In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

    In My Dreams, I Hold A Knife by Ashley Winstead | Mini Review

    January 19, 2022
    planning a trip to puerto rico, woman sitting in the sun at coffee shop

    Puerto Rico: Recap and All My Tips!

    May 20, 2020
  • writing on MacBook Pro at a desk
    Writing

    How To Get People To Actually Read Your Instagram Caption

    How to Get People to Actually Read Your Instagram Caption Writing an Instagram caption is like writing a mini blog post. It should have a header, a body, and a conclusion. Like any blog or article, it needs to have a strong headline to make your target audience click ‘read more’ (clickbait but…without lying about what the content will be).  PRO TIP: Remember, it is important to use keywords and your target audience’s language. Here are some basic tips to get your target audience to actually read your Instagram caption and then engage with it, leading to more brand awareness and more sales. Just like a blog post or an article, you…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    blog post image of Ashley Gabrielle Aguirre

    Why I’m No Longer Tracking Macros or Focusing on Weightloss

    May 14, 2021
    In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

    In My Dreams, I Hold A Knife by Ashley Winstead | Mini Review

    January 19, 2022
    social media on laptop in a coffee shop with a notebook

    Five Tips To Become a Better Content & Social Media Writer

    January 27, 2022
  • social media planning and writing tips for indie romance authors
    Writing

    Writing to Attract The Right Audience

    Top 3 Tips for Planning and Scheduling High-Quality Instagram Content: Planning content for Instagram can feel overwhelming but it is important to plan out the general themes or topics for each post. This can be done in about an hour for a month’s worth of content in advance.  It’s important to stick with main topics and rotate through them throughout the month.  Topics could include workout video, leadership/ walking the walk, Selling, and a useful tip or myth-busting on a trendy topic. Using post planning tools can help you see what photos look like on your Instagram grid before you post.  This can help create a cohesive and aesthetic feed.…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

    You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

    August 23, 2020
    The Blue Lagoon, Iceland, Ashley Gabrielle

    Iceland in January: Trip Recap

    May 21, 2020
    Hispanic Heritage Month reading list, Silvia Moreno garcia, Alexia Daria

    My Reading List for Hispanic + Latinx Heritage Month

    September 18, 2021
  • social media on laptop in a coffee shop with a notebook
    Writing

    Five Tips To Become a Better Content & Social Media Writer

    Here are things you can start doing to help you improve your writing so that you can increase brand awareness, increase engagement online, and make more money. Write everyday, create captions, blurbs, and infographics. Practice will only help you improve. 2. Read within your niche and look at content like blog posts & Instagram captions that your ideal reader or client is engaging with. This will help you learn how to structure sentences and get a feel for different tones, voices, and will overall make you a better writer.  3. Just say what you mean. There is no need for words (big or small) that people, especially your target audience…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    My Reading List for Hispanic + Latinx Heritage Month

    September 18, 2021
    are tours worth it when traveling

    Should You Book Tours When Traveling?

    May 20, 2020
    blog post image of Ashley Gabrielle Aguirre

    Why I’m No Longer Tracking Macros or Focusing on Weightloss

    May 14, 2021
  • Milk Fed by Melissa Broder Book Review, holding up book, orange cover and window in background
    Books

    Milk Fed by Melissa Broder | Mini Review

    Book Review: Milk Fed by Melissa Broder Many have called this book, sexy, erotic, and funny. I would not use any of those words to describe it. It was fascinating, strange, repulsive, and uncomfortable. This book isn’t really just about an eating disorder or mommy issues. It was a weird exploration of desire and hunger—for food, sex, intimacy, love, and acceptance.  Judaism is a huge part of the main character, Rachel’s, exploration of her relationship with her mother, her childhood, her beliefs, and her friendship with Miriam, a woman who works at a frozen yogurt shop. Rachel at times, especially in the beginning, was hard to like; we are immersed…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    social media planning and writing tips for indie romance authors

    Writing to Attract The Right Audience

    January 27, 2022
    writing on MacBook Pro at a desk

    How To Get People To Actually Read Your Instagram Caption

    January 27, 2022
    The Blue Lagoon, Iceland, Ashley Gabrielle

    Iceland in January: Trip Recap

    May 21, 2020
  • Half Truths by Claire Contreras Book Review
    Books

    Half Truths by Claire Contreras | Mini Book Review

    ? Book ReviewHalf Truths by @clairecontreras This book included all the good tropes and themes that I love in a novel.  •Dark Academia•Thriller + Mystery•Secret Societies•Slow Burn Romance•Hockey Players At first, I wasn’t too sure how I felt about the main character, Amelia. She does come across as a spoiled rich girl at first that I wasn’t sure I cared about. As I got to know her, I found her very likable. And I think that was the point. I can say that everything, in the end, makes sense and feels justified…which is something I really pay attention to in a thriller. I do have questions about the other missing women,…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    Seven Days in June by Tia Williams book on black and white bedding

    Seven Days in June by Tia Williams | Mini Review

    February 8, 2022
    social media planning and writing tips for indie romance authors

    Writing to Attract The Right Audience

    January 27, 2022
    You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

    You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

    August 23, 2020
  • The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
    Books

    The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue | Mini Book Review

    REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Genre: Historical Fantasy, FictionThemes: Fantasy, Historical, Romance I really enjoyed “The Invisible Life of Addie Larue”. I kept seeing great reviews but I also heard it had a slower pace. It’s true, this is a really slow burn. BUT Enjoyably slow and so worth it.  Addie Larue lives invisibly for 300 years because of a deal she makes with the devil. No one can remember her once they lose sight of her. The story takes us through different countries, time frames, and moments of her life.  I will add that romance is not the main theme, at least not in the way people might suspect. Based on the synopsis…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez | Mini Review

    February 3, 2022
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    My Reading List for Hispanic + Latinx Heritage Month

    September 18, 2021
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    Five Tips To Become a Better Content & Social Media Writer

    January 27, 2022
  • Book Review
    Books

    Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Mini Book Review

    I really enjoyed “Mexican Gothic” so I was really excited to dive into another story by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. LOVED. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Mexican mythology with some adventure and romance. I have so much I want to share and explain about the story. The first thing I just need to say…THAT ENDING. It was just written so well! I loved the adventure and travel feel of the story, as well as the whole setting. Moreno-Garcia does a great job with world-building. Even though I am not very familiar with Mexican mythology, and I was able to understand the story and the importance of each character that Casopea comes in contact with. This story…

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    Ashley Gabrielle

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    Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez | Mini Review

    February 3, 2022
    Milk Fed by Melissa Broder Book Review, holding up book, orange cover and window in background

    Milk Fed by Melissa Broder | Mini Review

    January 11, 2022
    You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

    You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

    August 23, 2020
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Ashley Aguirre, COPYWRITER FOR INDEPENDENT AUTHORS. WRITER, BLOGGER, AND BOOK REVIEWER.

ASHLEY

DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR + COPYWRITER FOR INDIE AUTHORS

GRAD STUDENT | BOOK REVIEWS

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Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner Genre: Memoir Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Genre: Memoir

Themes: Death of a parent, relationship with parent, multicultural identity, culture and food.

Loved this memoir and it’s absolutely one to read! The writing is SO good—I had to remind myself multiple times this was a real story because I was completely drawn in.
 
Zauner is a musician in the band Japanese Breakfast (go check out their music!) The book discusses her relationship with her parents and especially her mother. She also discusses her mother’s cancer diagnosis and eventual death. 

There are heavy topics so look up content warnings if you think some of the themes would be uncomfortable for you. 

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#cryinginhmart #bookstoread #bookreview #bookblogger #bookstagram #memoir #whattoread #whattoreadnext #booktok #bookrecommendations #bookrec #bookrecommendation
The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa 💒What’s goin The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa

💒What’s going on:

Solange overhears a conversation she shouldn't have and then last minute she realizes she can't stay quiet about it...so she stops Dean's wedding right in the middle of the ceremony. 

💒Things to Note:

-Brazilian MC
-Nods + Mentions of When Harry Met Sally
-One Bed
-Likeable characters

💒Honest Thoughts: 

This was a fun, well-paced (medium-burn), romcom with fake dating. A couple of pages in and I knew it was going to be a good one. 

There were a couple of twists at the end that I could discuss, but obviously won't include spoilers here so let’s talk in DMs!

💒Bottom Line:

Overall I enjoyed this book. I really liked Dean's and Solange's relationship, fake dating is always a fun one, and I completely recommend reading it!
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#theweddingcrasher #romcombooks #romcom #bookstagram #bookstagramrecs #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookblogger #booktok #bookrecommendation #bookrecs #romancebook #romancebookstagram
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid I didn’t One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I didn’t dislike this book but I’m not sure I liked it either. 

❤️‍🩹 What it’s about: 

The main character Emma falls in love with Jesse at 17, they push each other to go after the things they want, they grow together and eventually get married in their twenties. One day Jesse disappears and is presumed dead. Over two years later Emma has finally found love again and is engaged to Sam. But two months into her engagement Jesse calls her. 

So this story is emotional to say the least.

❤️‍🩹My thoughts:

I think at times it felt like I was reading an outline of the story versus actually reading it or experiencing it. The writing wasn’t bad, but the story telling felt more basic and lacked depth in some parts of the book. There are also very well developed emotional scenes, so I wish we would have gotten more consistency with that throughout the book.

I cannot presume to understand what Emma goes through—what it’s like losing your husband like that, but she also changes to be completely the opposite of who she was. It’s not that it’s unbelievable, but that we are just told it happens, we don’t see that change happen. There is more telling versus showing in this book.

While reading, I didn’t really care who Emma would chose to be honest, but I also kind of suspected. I think readers were not meant to be totally in the dark about who she would likely choose. Emma handles the situation really well (considering how complicated it is).

❤️‍🩹Bottom line:

This story is heartbreaking and I’m glad I read it even though I also didn’t feel very connected to the story or the characters.

❤️‍🩹Let’s discuss:

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one! I’m curious if anyone else felt similarly, or even if you felt different and loved it, send me a DM, let’s talk about it!! 😊

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#bookreview #bookstagramreview #bookblogger #summerreading #romancereads #romancereader #booktokreview #popularbookreviews #onetrueloves #bookcommunity #bookstagramcommunity
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry Genre: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Genre: Romance + Comedy
Themes: Friendship, Travel, Childhood Trauma

So, I LOVED this book. Over the past few weeks I have read multiple books that were so good; this one though, especially spoke to me…

I could write so much about why, but to keep it simple, I connected with a lot of aspects of the book: the travel, Poppy being a writer, the humor, and Poppy and Alex’s personalities. Not that loving a book needs explanation, but I also think I read it at the right time.

Alex and Poppy were complex, relatable, and enjoyable characters. They both were well developed. We get to see them individually grow throughout the years as well as see their relationship develop. 

I absolutely loved Poppy and Alex’s friendship and the way they joked with not only one another, but with the people they would meet on their vacations. I am left feeling inspired to travel more, and not just abroad but also do shorter, cheaper and even closer to home trips. 

✈️Okay ooookay, you want the tropes?
•Friends to lovers
•One bed
•Second chance

This story is ultimately about finding home and finding your place in the world. I obviously think it’s worth the hype and completely recommend it!

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#bookstoread #summerreading #readinglist #booksiloved #emilyhenry #whattoread #romancebookstagram #romancebooks #travelbooks #romcombooks #peoplewemeetonvacation #bookstagram #bookteviews #bookblogger #friendstolovers #friendstoloversromance #onebed @emilyhenrywrites
I really enjoyed Ashley Winstead’s thriller “I I really enjoyed Ashley Winstead’s thriller “In My Dreams I hold a Knife” and so I’m excited to read this romance by her!

Side note…I’m behind on reviews. I guess if I can even actually get behind. But I have two coming your way over the next couple of days. 😜🤍

So many great books were released today! Did you order or pick up any of them?

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#bookbloggers #bookblogger #bookreviewsofinstagram #apriltbr #aprilreads #bookstoread #pubday #whattoread #whattoreadnext #foolmeonce
April vibes ✌🏽 . . 🏷 #studygram #studygra April vibes ✌🏽

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#studygram #studygramcommunity #studyvibed #peoplewemeetonvacation #emilyhenry #gradschoom #gradstudent #weekendreading #summerreading #romcombooks #romancebookstagram
Simply put, so far I am loving “People We Meet o Simply put, so far I am loving “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry 

Hope you are having a good Saturday! 🤍

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#readingupdate #peoplewemeetonvacation #emilyhenry #readingnook #weekendreads #weekendreading #tbrlist #whattoread #romancebooks #summerreading #bookreviews #bookcommunity
It seems “People We Meet on Vacation” was well It seems “People We Meet on Vacation” was well liked, but “Beach Read”, while still having high ratings, was either hit or miss.

Did you like one and not the other? Did you enjoy both? I’m trying to decide if I should also add Beach Read to my TBR. 😊

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#beachread #thepeoplewemeetonvacation #summerreading #summerreads #bookstoread #friendstolovers #romancebookstagram #bookstagram #booktalk #bookblogger #bookinspo #bookinspiration #bookstack #tbrlist #beachreading #tbrstack #acotar #acomaf #acowar #beachreads #beachreading #vacationreads #vacationreading
Happy Thursday! What are you looking forward to d Happy Thursday! 
What are you looking forward to doing this weekend?

I really want to plan a trip for after the semester is over, maybe in June…so bonus question, are you planning any trips for this Summer and if so where to?

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#bookish #enemiestolovers #bookstoreaf #bookstagram #acotar #acomaf #acowar #currentlyreading #weekendreading #bookshelf #bookcase #bookstack #bookpile #fantasyromance #romancebooks #fantasybooks
I’ve somehow been successfully reading multiple I’ve somehow been successfully reading multiple books at once all month…🤷🏻‍♀️

Am I scared I won’t be able to keep it up? Absolutely. Maybe I’ll accidentally forget a book, or create a vicious cycle of just adding on book after book…never finishing anything. 

It’s a lot of pressure but I want you to know I’m doing my best to not add on another right now…”Verity” just won’t stop looking at me. 😅

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#acotar #acowar #readinglist #readingchallenge #readinglist #tbrlist #tbrcart #tbrstack #tbrpile #bookstoread #readingbooks #whattoread #verity #whattoreadnext #bookblog #bookreviews #bookcommunity #bookstagrammer #booktok #bookrecs
The Sign for Home by Blair Fell Pub Day: April 5, The Sign for Home by Blair Fell
Pub Day: April 5, 2022

Arlo is a 23 year old DeafBlind Jehovah witness. Arlo has always felt like his guardian and uncle, as well as his childhood interpreter, weren’t always telling him the full truth. Arlo tries to be a godly man but starts questioning everything when he is assigned a paper for his college English class.

There were so many moments where I was rooting for Arlo, including him working through his childhood trauma, learning to become more independent, challenging his beliefs, and going after the girl he loved. There were so many sweet moments and simultaneously so many heartbreaking moments. 

Dual POV: we experience Arlo’s perspective as if we are him. We also read Cyril, Arlo’s new interpreter’s perspective as he becomes invested in Arlo’s journey. I really enjoyed the writing style, it creates a whole new understanding of what it’s like not being able to hear and see.

Some included themes: 
•New friends and found family
•Toxic religion, religious trauma
•Death of a parent and childhood trauma
•Love and romantic relationships

I really enjoyed this book and appreciate the perspective, insight & awareness I’ve gained into the DeafBlind community. I’m glad I got to read this wonderful story, so thank you @simonandschuster & @atriabooks for the advanced copy.

Please look up content warnings if you have some topics you’d want to avoid. There are quite a few heavier topics in this story.

Lastly, if you read it, let me know! There are definitely things I want to discuss, including a character I feel conflicted about! 
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#thesignforhome #thesignforhomenovel #bookstoread #bookrecs #bookreview #bookrec #bookstagram #bookblogger #readinginspo #readingrainbow #booktbr #booklist #bookinstagram #bookinspiration
Book Review: Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma — Book Review: Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

 — I really enjoyed this one:

• I really enjoyed the writing, the story was well-developed, and there were some pretty funny moments that had me laughing out loud. I also loved the undeniable connection Prem and Kareena had.

🧁Kareena just turned thirty and she is single…so you can imagine the comments her family is making. She clearly just hit an infertility milestone *sarcasam* and while successful in her career, it’s not enough for her family; they’d much rather see her get married. 

🔥 There are bigger themes than just romance or fake-dating, though yes, this is a fun romance with fake dating.

• Fuck the Patriarchy: story includes discussion surrounding misogyny, marriage, the value (or lack-there-of) placed on women’s accomplishments, and family, specifically in Desi culture. 

• The Food: Food is a huge aspect of culture and I loved how much it was included in the story. From chai at breakfast, to a pani puri eating contest, I was constantly hungry from all the great food descriptions.

⚡️Let’s address complaints I keep seeing:

• Charlie: by the time I read this story…I think I was desensitized, but also “Charlie” was only used a few times and it was not in an overtly sexual manner. Nisha Sharma, the author, did make a TikTok explaining why she included Prem referring to his penis as Charlie, which that context makes sense. It honestly doesn’t take away from the story in any way. 

• Kareena is a Swiftie: and she also felt like a mature woman. It didn’t feel like her whole personality or anything and it wasn’t a huge part of the story. Not sure why people were upset over this.

👏🏽I can confirm this book is worth reading!! If you’ve read it let me know in the comments. let’s talk about it over DMs because there are spoilers I want to discuss!

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#datingdrdil #romancebook #romancebooks #romancebookclub #romcombooks #romcom #bookstoread #botm #botmclub #bookshelf #whattoread ead #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookreader #bookrec #readmorebooks #readmorewomen
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