Book – All That Sizzles by Sakshama Puri Dhariwal                                    Genre – Romcom

One word to describe this book? Pani Puri hai ekdum!

With a good smattering of delicacies, Sakshama Puri Dhariwal is back with yet another delectable romcom for her readers – All That Sizzles. 

This was my first book by Sakshama. Her past books – The Wedding Photographer and Man Of Her Match – have been loved by Indian readers. As the blurb reads, All That Sizzles, is “a spicy meet-cute that will delight your rom-com palate.”

All That Sizzles brings back the old characters anew but this isn’t about them. This world of souffles and sorbets belongs to Nik and Tanvi. Tanvi is a wedding planner and wants to hire a celebrity chef Nik Shanker for a million dollar wedding. However, circumstances force them into a fake engagement scenario that brings in yumsome twists for readers. 

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The story is endearing and as dazzling as the cover. The dynamic chemistry between Tanvi and Nik is captivating. It’s clash of starkly opposite personalities that leads to steamy encounters. The friendly banters and witty discourses between the characters add to the ambience. Humor is liberally peppered throughout the narrative and is, most often, slipped in subtly. What’s heartwarming is the warmth and affection between the Bedi siblings and Tanvi’s girlies. Talking about Nik…he has that calm and understanding demeanor that’s a dream of every woman. The narrative is a delicate dance of tension and desire laced with high-society wedding shenanigans and culinary hustle. 

To begin with, this isn’t a run-of-the-mill romcom. It is warm, it is tender, it is hilarious. But it also has social and cultural undertones to it. There’s an emotional depth to the narrative. The characters, their backgrounds, their deepest fears and vulnerabilities are crafted delicately yet dexterously. The book sensibly and sensitively portrays LBTQIA. The narrative carefully navigates individual aspirations and  insecurities. Alongside,the pain of survivor’s guilt, broken childhood, trauma too makes its ghostly presence felt strongly. In this way, the author slowly treads into a journey of self-discovery and self-growth. 

Tanvi’s reacquaintance with an old wound felt uncannily familiar and seered within. 

To sum up, All That Sizzles is a feast for heart and soul alike. It is sure to tantalize your taste buds especially if you are a rom-com lover like me. 

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