Say You'll Be Mine - by Naina Kumar (Paperback)

About the Book

"When Seth, Meghna's one-who-got-away writing partner and best friend, asks Meghna Raman to be the 'best man' for his last-minute wedding, Meghna is determined to move on, even if it means telling her mother she's finally open to an arranged marriage. Since she-a theater teacher and an aspiring playwright-won't fulfill her parents' dreams of becoming an engineer, she might as well marry one. Grumpy, handsome, no-nonsense engineer Karthik Murthy has seen enough of his parents' relationship to know marriage is not for him. He only agreed to his mom's matchmaking attempts to make her happy, never dreaming he'd meet someone as vibrant as Meghna. Though he can't offer a real marriage, a fake engagement could help him avoid the absurd number of arranged set-ups his mother has planned for the next year. Thinking a faux fiancâe will dampen the sting of her ex's wedding festivities, Meghna agrees to team up with Karthik until the wedding ends. But as they find common ground and their undeniable chemistry takes shape, their expectations and insecurities threaten to risk something that's become a lot more real than they had hoped"--

Book Synopsis

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - "Naina Kumar turns the arranged marriage plot on its head. . . . A sparkling new voice in the romance stratosphere."--Entertainment Weekly (Grade: A-)

"I couldn't put down this page-turner. . . . The new When Harry Met Sally . . . a warm, smart, sexy, and absolutely charming debut."--Colleen Hoover

A teacher with big dreams joins forces with a no-nonsense engineer to survive an ex's wedding and escape matchmaking pressure from their Indian families. Their plan? Faking an engagement, of course.

AN ELLE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Meghna Raman defied her parents' wishes and followed her life's passion, becoming a theater teacher and aspiring playwright. When she discovers that her beloved writing partner, best friend, and secret crush, Seth, is engaged--and not to her--she realizes he's about to become the one-that-got-away. Even worse, he's asked her to be his best man. And worse than that, she's agreed. Determined to try and move on, Meghna agrees to let her parents introduce her to a potential match. Maybe she could marry the engineer that her parents still wish she'd become.

Grumpy engineer Karthik Murthy has seen enough of his parents' marriage to know it's not for him. He agreed to his mother's matchmaking attempts to make her happy, never dreaming he would meet someone as vibrant as Meghna. Though he can't offer her something real, a fake engagement could help Meghna soothe the sting of planning Seth's wedding festivities and Karthik avoid the absurd number of set-ups his mother has planned for him.

As the two find common ground, grow protective of each other's hearts, and start to fall for the traits they originally thought they hated, an undeniable chemistry emerges. But soon, their expectations and insecurities threaten something that's become a lot more real than they'd planned.

Say You'll Be Mine is a delightful trip back to the heyday of swoony romantic comedies from the nineties, but with a deep and poignant look at the effects of culture and family in our most intimate relationships.

Review Quotes

"I couldn't put down this page-turner. A warm, smart, sexy, and absolutely charming debut with the most important lesson at its center: real love is built on courage. Meghna and Karthik's happily ever after is the new When Harry Met Sally. Naina Kumar's Say You'll Be Mine has it all."--Colleen Hoover

"Fake engagement--one of the romance genre's most stalwart, dependable tropes--reigns supreme in Naina Kumar's Say You'll Be Mine . . . an insightful look at how cultural and familial expectations can shift even the best-known love stories."--ELLE "One of 2024's Best Romances"

"Charming . . . brilliant."--New York Post (A Best Book of February)

"With poignancy, humor, and heart, [Say You'll Be Mine] unpacks the ways in which personal and external expectations can derail our best intentions and champions the courage and growth true love really requires."--Entertainment Weekly (Grade A-)

"A fresh and charming story about finding love without losing yourself . . . I rooted for these wonderfully headstrong, big-hearted characters all the way."--Linda Holmes, New York Times bestselling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over

"Stuffed to the brim with emotion, chemistry, and all the best microtropes, Say You'll Be Mine is a romance lover's dream."--Ava Wilder, author of Will They or Won't They

"Swoon-worthy . . . Naina Kumar captures readers' hearts in this sweet saga."--Woman's World

"This debut about love, culture, family, and friendship is absolutely irresistible--I didn't want to put it down!"--Sarah Adler, author of Mrs. Nash's Ashes

"Swoony, smart and charming: Say You'll Be Mine is the type of South Asian diaspora romance I've always wished for. Naina Kumar's debut is spectacular."--Nisha Sharma, author of Dating Dr. Dil

"I adored this book! A sweet, funny, yet sizzling story of two people who unexpectedly find love while faking an engagement after being set up by their parents. This book should be an instant romance classic!"--Farah Heron, author of Accidentally Engaged

"A delightful, layered book that addresses the frequent disconnect between what a person does, says, thinks they want, and actually wants--as individuals and within the context of their family, work, and community . . ."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"The strength of this sweet debut lies in the relationships with family members and friends and how they are tempered by cruel realities and the thorny path to true love. Kumar is a writer to watch."--Booklist

"Perfect for fans of grumpy-sunshine pairings and mostly closed-door romances."--Library Journal

"Kumar debuts with a swoon-worthy contemporary that marries a grumpy-sunshine romance with a deep exploration of familial relationships. . . ."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Naina Kumar is the bestselling author of Say You'll Be Mine and Flirting With Disaster. She lives in Texas, close to her family, whose antics provide endless inspiration. When she's not writing, she enjoys taking her rowdy rescue dog on walks, rewatching Gilmore Girls on a loop, and shopping at H-E-B.