Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat

Starred review from December 19, 2022
Jasmine Randhawa, the heroine of this highly emotional rom-com from Lalli (A Holly Jolly Diwali), has stubbornly forged a path away from her family’s Punjabi traditions. Now she’s broke and newly single and hates that she’s living up to her family’s expectations of her as the “problem child.” When she overhears her parents ask her sister, Niki, to join them and others from their South Asian community on a 10-day Alaskan cruise, Jasmine is hurt not to be invited herself and surprises all by agreeing to go when Niki cannot. Also joining the cruise is Jake Dhillon, the Washington State Punjabi community’s golden child. Jasmine initially writes Jake off as a “douchebag,” but when they both volunteer to co-host the cruise’s amateur dance competition, she learns there’s more to him than she first realized. Jasmine’s looking for a partner, not just another lover, but to get her happy ending she must both reconnect with her roots and stop caring what others think of her. Lalli brings the cruise to vivid life, with exiting excursions along the way and plenty of meddling aunties on board. This ought to make some waves. Agent: Martha Webb, CookeMcDermid.

February 1, 2023

Jasmine Randhawa has always been impulsive and headstrong, but her most recent spur-of-the-moment decision, to go on a cruise with her parents, might be the worst. In addition to her parents, with whom she doesn't get along, many of the other passengers will be from the community of aunties and uncles of her childhood, the ones who have judged Jasmine to be a troublemaker her whole life. When she gets on board, Jasmine also discovers that it's a seniors' cruise, making the average age far too high for any discreet hookups she might have been considering--except for Jake Dhillon. He's just the kind of guy she is trying to avoid: hot, cocky, and far too into himself. Jake, however, has hidden depths, secrets, and an instant attraction to smart and funny Jasmine. Their chemistry is sizzling, but their path to romance is winding, with plenty of missteps and misunderstandings. VERDICT An enemies-to-lovers romance full of humor and heart. Readers will fall in love with Jasmine, Jake, and the cast of aunties, uncles, and friends who help them along the way in Lalli's latest (after A Holly Jolly Diwali).--Heather Miller Cover

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2023
Lalli's latest rom-com, following A Holly Jolly Diwali (2021), is set in the Pacific Northwest and features a techie millennial who badly needs a vacation from life and ends up stuck on a cruise meant for seniors. Thirtysomething Jasmine Randhawa thought the Alaskan cruise her parents booked would include people her own age, otherwise she wouldn't have agreed to surround herself with hundreds of Punjabi aunties and uncles eager to express their unwanted opinions. Jasmine knows she isn't a perfect Indian daughter; she's made some poor choices with her finances and in relationships, but she loves pushing boundaries within her parents' conservative community. When she mistakenly flirts with a handsome stranger, Jake Dhillon, the only other person aboard near her age, she's horrified to discover that he was someone she used to babysit. With her defenses up and her pride at stake, Jasmine treats Jake like an enemy, but mistaken first impressions combined with a forced-proximity trope and the need to be discreet ratchet up the sexual tension and make for a delightful Pride and Prejudice-inspired romance.

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April 1, 2023
A woman and her childhood nemesis are stuck together on a 10-day cruise in this contemporary romance about family expectations. Jasmine Randhawa has worked hard for her independence, knowing that her decisions have labeled her a troublesome daughter to her parents though she's ticked the boxes of having a well-paying job and an attractive boyfriend. But finding herself suddenly single and overhearing her parents invite her sister, Niki, on an Alaskan cruise they're taking along with other members of their South Asian community have finally put her over the edge. Alas, Niki can't go, and, in a small act of defiance, Jasmine insists on taking her place. What she doesn't know is that it's a cruise for seniors, and the only other person her age is Jake Dhillon. For years, Jasmine has watched her community accord Jake celebrity status as the ideal South Asian son, while Jake knows of Jasmine's reputation for trouble. They each must fight against the judgmental assumptions they've made, but Jasmine finds Jake too cocky for his own good, while Jake thinks Jasmine tries too hard to be a rebel. Then, when they both volunteer to host the ship's amateur dance competition, they start to bond over adventurous excursions and their fraught relationships with cultural norms. The romance is slow and sweet as the leads test each other's boundaries. A cruise to Alaska makes a charming setting, combining a lively cast of characters with beautiful, immersive descriptions of the environment, and the gorgeous backdrop further accentuates Jake and Jasmine's developing attraction. As well as finding romance, Jasmine learns that there's a middle ground between isolating herself from family conventions and fully embracing Punjabi traditions. She can have it all--and on her own terms. A modern romance with the perfect mix of emotional growth and meddling aunties.

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