A wonderful story that surrounds the old world thinking and bringing up their children in the Indian community and tradition. But in this day and age it’s not realistic for the grown children. Mira twin brother is one who doesn’t fit the mold and is disowned. Mira with a wedding in her future desperately wants her brother there, even if her parents disallow it. As she meets up with her brother in New York, she is accidentally knock down on the street and finds an unusual ring with a broken chain. And as fate would have it, the mystery of the ring has Mira discovering her true self.
I truly enjoyed reading this story, the heartbreaks and the strict traditions of the Indian society. The only thing that I wished was for a glossary for many of the words and slang the author used. I do know a little of the culture but not the language. Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #TheresSomethingAboutMira

💍 There’s Something About Mira 💍

“I’ve never questioned that our love was right, that it was powerful, that it made me feel my own humanity more than a single other thing I’ve ever experienced.”

Oh my heart, Sonali Dev has done it again. This was such a beautiful story, my heart is bursting trying to capture the essence of it in a review.

On a trip to NYC, Mira finds a beautiful gold ring on a chain that she finds irresistibly romantic. This leads her on a quest to reunite the ring with its owner, find the matching set to the ring and discover the story between the pair of rings. Along the way, she meets Krish, who has the other ring from his birth mom that he’s never known. What unfolds is a journey about finding yourself, standing up for those you love and embracing loved ones for who they are, as they are.

Mira confronts many truths during their adventures - from her relationship with her twin brother, her parents and her fiancé. Mira learns that “It is hard to do the thing you want when you’ve been taught that doing what others want means loving them.”

However, she also learns that, “The act of growing a spine hurts, but it doesn’t seem reversible.“

I adored Mira’s journey, her growth and the beautiful way she navigates healing from her past and being who she is. I also loved the themes throughout of being true to yourself, despite what others in your family or community will say.

Highly, highly recommend! Especially if you’re looking for:
💍 Multigenerational love stories
💍 Desi romance
💍 LGBTQ+ love and acceptance
💍 Standing up for yourself and your happiness
💍 Beautiful prose

I cannot recommend this book enough! I am grateful for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

This was decent for what it was, but it's not really my kind of thing. I think when I requested it, I was in a different sort of mood. I didn't have any real issue with it.

Mira’s perfect life takes an unexpected turn when her solo engagement trip to New York leads her to a lost ring. Her quest to find its owner goes viral, attracting the attention of a cynical journalist. As they reluctantly team up, Mira starts to question her own happily-ever-after.

This is a beautifully written and emotional romance. The character development is strong. The plot is fast-paced and full of twists. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I have been a fan of Sonali Dev's for some time, so I was delighted to receive an advance copy of There's Something About Mira. There's something about New York City that feels full of possibility and also can make you question your choices, and Mira Salvi experiences that when she finds herself flying solo on her engagement trip. A missing ring and a brooding journalist force her to question if she really had it all or if she knew what she wanted in the first place.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

It is equally refreshing and riveting to read a story about my culture that doesn't mock or misinterpret it but rather show you all the facets. There’s Something About Mira by Sonali Dev was an epic adventure where Mira didn't only reunite two long lost lovers, she found herself too. The storytelling is phenomenal. The author definitely knows how to tug at all your heart strings with the poetic writing. My heart is aching and splitting but at the end, there is peace and forgiveness.

Mira is the good girl in the family. She consciously walked the line set by her parents after her teenage tragedy that wasn't her fault at all. Like any good Indian family in USA, her parents just wanted a good marriage for her and they found a match for her. The orthopedic surgeon is the height of her achievement to her parents. She was supposed to go to an engagement moon trip to New Yoirk with her fiance but he had to cancel it at the last time and asks her to do the trip alone. She is excited to meet her estranged brother and his boyfriend too. On the very first day, she has a fall after a kid collides with her and she finds half of a ring in a chain. She has to know who the owner is and it sets her on a path that will change her life. Reporter Krish Hale approaches her to help in exchange of her letting him write the story and he is something different.

I see so many parts of myself in Mira and I am so glad that the author didn't play to the stereotypical Desi romance. She didn't just make it sarcastic or mockery or joking. She dived deep into the issues of Indian culture and family values. Mira was paying penance for something she didn't even do. She smothered her wishes and rebellion. She was stretched too thin while being perfect every way. Even her brother misunderstood her. But she isn't perfect in that sense. She has big heart and big feels. She is full of compassion and determination that get shadowed by her compromises. The search of the owner takes them through different parts of New York those have unique history and finally lands them where it all started. India. Mumbai. Pune. She had to make the trip with her mother and future mother in law for wedding shopping but she couldn't forget the tragic story of the ring. It was out of her character or may be it wasn't. May be she wanted to break free and this search was just the catalyst..or may be Krish was. The brooding grumpy stoic man who has his own demons and trauma. The ring is intricately related to his own life and he followed the thread to his very origin. The origin that is full of tragedy and soulmate love and devastating loss. Mira tried to suppress her feelings..this reckless need to do the right thing. But she couldn’t. The ending couldn't have been any more perfect. The author plays with words and emotions so beautifully. She effortlessly weaves in and out of the different plots while meshing them together at the same time. Love is timeless and so are the prejudices and hatred. Love is messy and so is the society with it's so called standard and protocols. Mira was probably waiting for someone like Krish to push her our of her cocoon and make her face her insecurities. A must read of 2025.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Mira’s supposed to be on vacation in New York with her fiancé but he had to stay behind for work (he’s a doctor), and encouraged her to go. It’s a good opportunity to reconnect with her brother who’s stayed away from family since coming out. On an excursion in the city, she comes across a ring on the ground, and the fascination with reuniting it with its owner consumes her. Enter the mysterious Krish, a journalist who wants to write a story about this after seeing Mira’s online appeal to find the ring’s owner go viral. What ensues is a heart aching, multi-generational story of love, fear and loss.

I was just as invested in this mission that I read it within hours! Parts of the story are relayed via letters. I liked her slow awakening through this experience as she reconsiders her own life. Maybe her wedding is more about appeasing her immigrant parents and their social standing within the Indian community. The burden to be their dutiful daughter to offset the shame and disappointment of their ‘rebel’ son. There’s trauma involved in both timelines that are disturbing and sad. Dev’s approach to dealing with these issues feels organic and honest. This is also a slow burn romance (no cheating) that builds up beautifully.

Highlights:
💍 Single POV, dual timeline, part epistolary
💍 South Asian, queer rep
💍 Slow burn (no love scenes), adventure
💍 Multi-generational, immigrant perspective
💍 Tradition, culture clash

Be aware of: homophobia, domestic abuse, some violence

Boy did I feel that emotional pull with tears threatening to flow at the end! It’s my favorite novel by Dev thus far. Her writing is so engaging and descriptive. I always find it easy to fall into the world she’s building. I hope you pick this up!

Thank you Lake Union Publishing & @netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗮 arrives February 1st!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of There's Something About Mira by Sonali Dev!

Sonali Dev never disappoints. I love the writing and the way she tackles issues, the way her characters tackle big things. This one with Mira coming back around to her brother, finding herself even when she thinks she's already found, and going on this adventure to find the owner of a ring she found in Times Square NYC is captivating and I just couldn't get enough. Mira's journey was so lovely. The end was just perfect and I'm so glad they got there.

#arc
#netgalley
#theressomethingaboutmira

Mira honey when you end up going on an engagement trip alone that should be a sign to kick the guy to curb. She finds a lost ring and Krish Hale a journalist who acts like he just wants a story agrees to help her find the owner. Technically this one is a love tringle and I generally hate those but I don't consider this one a love tringle cause I'm pretty sure Mira's fiancé has one foot out the door. I found the banter between Mira Krish good and I did enjoy the story.

There is Something about Mira by Sonali Dev is a modern romance centered around a young Indian-American woman named Mira who is thirty years old and a physical therapist who specializes in pain management. She is engaged to an orthopedic surgeon named Druv. Both sets of parents, well, mothers, really, are thrilled and much more invested in the wedding than are the bride and groom. Druv wanted to introduce her to New York City, but here she was, rescheduling the flight for the last time. The airline would not do it again. Then, he announces he cannot go. She decides to go by herself. Her mother is aghast, but it is not that first time Mira has upset her. First on her list is the Empire State Building. On her way there, she trips and falls, and finds a ring on a chain. She becomes obsessed with finding the owner. She has gone to see her brother, Rumi, and his live-in boyfriend, Sak, which she has been forbidden by her mother to do. Gays is not OK. The boyfriend becomes just as interested; he is a high-end jeweler and introduces her to someone he knows, Khrish, who has already seen Mira’s post on social media, is a newspaper reporter, and all in. Mean while we are monitoring a correspondence between two women friends from thirty years earlier. There is a lot going on.

For Mira, this is a journey of discovery. She had been an old maid when the most handsome man around took and interest in her. Why would she not want that? Her mother did, but then she pretended Rumi was dead because he loved a man. The two women from earlier turned out to be important to the story as Krish and Mira traveled to India to find one of them. Mira was a strong young woman who hadn’t quite settled into her self yet. It was kind of a coming of age story for her. Several sets of eyes were opened throughout the process. It was a saga with a plot. Things changed for everyone during the years or so this story took place and the reader was on the journey. If anything, I would say it was a little wordy. Good book.

I was invited to read There is Something About Mira by Lake Unions Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #UnionLakePublishing #SonaliDev #ThereIs SomethingAboutMira

What a lovely, well written story. This book was a wonderful surprise and totally not what I thought it would be! I wouldn't call it a rom-com, but there is romance involved, certainly. I appreciated the way this book brought readers into the challenging dynamics of being born into a family structure that doesn't serve you or your true identity, and how to break out of that.

Would recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance copy of this novel.

This was so different than what I expected. By the cover and the description, I expected a light-hearted RomCom, but it was so much more. This book was filled with adventure, love, social issues, mystery and a dash of drama. It was a little slow at the beginning, but it did pick up. I think Mira’s struggles to be herself and be heard are relatable. The way of parents born in a different country are most times not the way of the world we grew up in. Mira is torn by her duty to her parents, her love for her brother and her need to be herself and do the right thing. You will be cheering for Mira through it all. Many social issues were touched upon, showing how far we’ve come and how much farther we need to go. The characters are all strong, all dealing with their own issues. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to reading her again.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Warm, engaging & tender.
Honestly, I think my favorite yet from the author.
So enjoyed the characters & story.

With thanks to NetGalley and Amazon/Atria Publishing for this e-ARC.

1/5 stars: This is Dev's stand-alone which is a BIPOC Romance that follows an Illinois woman who finds herself alone on her New York engagement trip as she unexpectedly teams up with a journalist to reunite a lost ring with its owner and ends up discovering herself along the way. Dev's writing and character work are nicely done; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain likable. Dev does takes on some very serious subjects; so take care and check the CWs. Unfortunately, this just wasn't a book for me; leading me to DNF it at 11%.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

“When you’re true to yourself , even when something hurts, it feels good. When you’re betraying yourself, even when something is supposed to feel good, it hurts.”

Mira Salvi hasn’t a thing to complain about with a fiancé everyone adores and a job she loves, not even when she has to go on her engagement trip to New York alone. While playing tourist in the city, Mira chances upon a lost ring, and her social media post to locate its owner goes viral. Only one person seems to want to find its owner as badly as Mira does: journalist Krish Hale. Brooding and arrogant, he will do anything to get to write this story.

I didn't expect to be so into this story but from the first chapter I was hooked. The ring led them to places they didn't anticipate and with it came all the trouble they didn't see coming.

Along the way, Mira had some introspection of her own as she began to uncover parts of herself that she didn't know she had. I loved seeing her come into her own.

It all came to a head when she had to make a decision on whether to upend her life or stick to the status quo. I loved how it all ended. Such an amazing read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 5⭐
Steam level: 1🌶️ Kissing only

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but omg I loved it. I literally felt I couldn't put it down and I needed to follow Mira.
I did cry, it made me cry a few times, but that's good!!!
Will definitely read more from this author.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"There's something about Mira" is the first book I ever read where the main protagonists, nay, the whole cast, was Brown. I found this incredibly refreshing, and the fact that it was written by an Indian-American author made it feel very authentic.

The main story is about Mira's engagement trip to New York (alone, as her fiancé is busy with his career as a doctor), the mysterious ring she finds in the street, and her quest to find her owner. The secondary story though, is how Mira went from a dutiful daughter to finding her true self. By the second half of the book, Mira was sometimes selfish, moody, irritably, egoistical, which didn't endear her to me — but at the same time, that's the whole point of the story. She went from hiding herself behind the perfect façade of a devoted daughter that her parents moulded her into; to being someone who's allowed to feel a whole range of emotions and live her own life rather than fulfil others' expectations.

While there is an element of romance with the brooding and arrogant journalist Krish Hale (who I didn't love much either, I think I prefered Druv!), it wasn't the main point of the story. Several secondary stories intertwine with the main narrative. I loooved Sasket (his character was spot on!) and although I didn't expect to find queer love in this book — I loved that it wasn't marketed as such — it was actually a really pleasant surprise. I also grew to love Vasu and Suru's story, which we mainly discovered through letters. At first, I thought their correspondance interrupted the story, but then I ended up really appreciating them — the last one was particularly touching. I'm just disappointed we didn't see much of the end of their story.

I found the final chapters a little rushed, the resolution is a little too easy — let's tie all the loose ends with a neat little bow —but the epilogue was necessary without being too final.

To me, the strength of the story is in the depiction of the secondary characters — Mira's parents and Sasket seemed so realistic they must have been based on real people — and the portrayal of the struggle to find one's own identity, beyond family, race and culture.

*I received a free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion*

I really enjoyed this latest from Sonali Dev that has Mira Salvi, an engaged Desi woman visiting her estranged gay brother in NYC finding a ring and trying to track down its rightful owner with the help of Krish Hale, a reporter with his own mysterious connection to the ring. Part family mystery, part romantic suspense and full of drama, romance and action.

This book really had it all and I loved seeing Mira stand up for herself against her homophobic parents and find the true love of her life where and when she least expected. Great on audio narrated by Soneela Nankani and perfect for fans of authors like Sara Desai. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

The description of this book sounds just like a fun Hallmark movie so I thought this would be a nice light read. While it does have some of the elements of the Hallmark story, it’s so much more than that. I loved everything about this book, the search of the ring’s owner, the truth about why they are searching, and the fun adventures (and some harrowing) they have along the way. But where this novel really shines is in the character development and the people Mira becomes as she continues through the book and how she learns to be her true self. Highly recommended for a heartwarming read with just the right amount of romance.