Book Reivew: The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

Title: The Marriage Game

Author: Sara Desai

Series/Standalone: Marriage Game Series (Book #1)

Genre: Romantic Contemporary, Adult

Pages: 338

Publisher: Berkley    

Year Published: 2020

Format: Paperback Copy (Library)

First Line: "When Layla walked into The Spice Mill Restuarant after yet another disastrous relationship, she expected hugs and kisses, maybe a murmur of sympathy or even a cheerful welcome home."

"A high stakes wager pits an aspiring entrepreneur against a ruthless CEO in this sexy romantic comedy.

After her life falls apart, recruitment consultant Layla Patel returns home to her family in San Francisco. But in the eyes of her father, who runs a Michelin starred restaurant, she can do no wrong. He would do anything to see her smile again. With the best intentions in mind, he offers her the office upstairs to start her new business and creates a profile on an online dating site to find her a man. She doesn’t know he’s arranged a series of blind dates until the first one comes knocking on her door…

As CEO of a corporate downsizing company Sam Mehta is more used to conflict than calm. In search of a quiet new office, he finds the perfect space above a cozy Indian restaurant that smells like home. But when communication goes awry, he's forced to share his space with the owner's beautiful yet infuriating daughter Layla, her crazy family, and a parade of hopeful suitors, all of whom threaten to disrupt his carefully ordered life.

As they face off in close quarters, the sarcasm and sparks fly. But when the battle for the office becomes a battle of the heart, Sam and Layla have to decide if this is love or just a game."

My Rating:  3.75/5

This was such a fun romance, I've been enjoying picking up slower-paced romances this spring/summer and this was really a treat. I enjoy the characters, the plot and the family aspects of this book.  There were a few smutty scenes but not out of nowhere. The only thing lacking for me was the atmosphere, but that's a pretty normal feeling I have in romantic comedies. I was also a bit disappointed at how fast the conflict was resolved, but overall a fun romantic comedy for those looking for a new one to try.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny