Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat

Lalli (A Holly Jolly Diwali) offers a refreshing take on an enemies-to-lovers rom-com, featuring Punjabi heroine Jasmine Randhawa, who finds love in a most unexpected place. Broke and newly single, Jasmine agrees to join her parents on a cruise and is horrified to realize that it’s a cruise meant for seniors; the only eligible man in sight turns out to be Jake Dhillon, who is admittedly sexy and successful but also cocky, and more important, he’s one of the kids Jasmine used to babysit. Mayuri Bhandari provides a delightful narration of this funny and quirky book, effectively portraying Jasmine’s and Jake’s evolving character arcs and growth as they battle their attraction to each other and lower their defenses enough to connect. With precise pacing, Bhandari describes the hijinks that Jake and Jasmine get up to both on and off the boat, capturing their banter with the perfect amount of snark and silliness.