In the third installment of the Modern Love series by Alisha Rai, we follow Jia and Dev. Jia is a Muslim YouTube and Instagram star with followers in the millions and Dev is the grandson of Bollywood royalty and a famous soap opera actor in his own right. We start their story with Jia getting ready in the bathroom at a club, anxiously reapplying her lipstick. She’s there for one reason and one reason only, to meet Dev, a man she has had a texting relationship with for around a year. When Jia approaches him at the party, her world is turned upside down when he admits he has no idea who she is. Heartbroken, Jia returns to her home with Katrina and Rhiannon to drown herself in ice cream.
Things I loved about this book:
Jia is such a wonderful main character!! She is funny, insecure, full of bravery, smart, stylish, and loving. It’s not on paper, but she does describe her sexuality as Demisexual.
Dev is another fantastic male main character in this series! These men seem too good to be true. He is loving and doting to his niece and uncle, and he is caring, kind, and thoughtful.
The side characters, Adil Uncle, Shweta, Luna, Ayesha, all of Jia’s family really. They were so fleshed out even given limited page time. Refreshing.
The romance. THE ROMANCE. I can’t put into words how amazing their romance is. Yes, there are almost all of my favorite tropes in this story (fake dating, only one bed), but the best part is that it doesn’t include one of my least favorite tropes and one that is currently oversaturated in the romance market: miscommunication.
There was a tweet a while back that talked about the tired use of the third act breakup and honestly, I agree. It is tired, overdone, and unoriginal. There are so many ways for drama to occur that don’t include miscommunication and this story proves it. Throughout the story, they are communicating their wants, needs, and expectations and while they may not always communicate well in the moment, they readdress and bring up the things that bother them! They’re honest about their hurt feelings and allow the other person to explain themselves instead of just assuming and running away. Like seriously!!! That’s incredible! Obviously, there is tension and drama and uncertainty, but it feels more grown-up and less childish. Given that I’m reading an adult romance, I expect the main characters to behave as such and they do, but this is all too uncommon.
I really could go on and on about what I loved about this book. I read it in two days because I was just so enthralled by their love story. I was frustrated when I had to put the book down. I really loved this trilogy as a whole and I hope it continues on with Lakshmi’s story in the next book! Let me know if you’re excited to read this and what you’ve thought about the other books in the series. I’m a big fan so far haha.
Just Read It 