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Start giftingSunshine and Spice
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Learn moreWhen two complete opposites agree to fake date in order to solve their cultural dilemmas, they find the only force more powerful than an immigrant mother’s matchmaking schemes might just be true love.
Naomi Kelly will do anything to make her new brand consulting business a success. When she lands a career saving contract to rebrand the Mukherjee family’s failing local bazaar, she knows there can be no mistakes. But as the “oops” baby of a free-spirited Bengali mother, Naomi’s lack of connection to her roots represents everything Gia Mukherjee disdains.
Enter, Dev Mukherjee.
Dev knows everything his mother wants…including her wish for him to get married, like, yesterday. When Gia hires a matchmaker (without, you know, asking him), Dev vows to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up in a cold, loveless marriage. When a potential match assumes Naomi is his girlfriend, the solution to both their problems becomes clear: Naomi will pretend to date Dev in order to sabotage his mother’s matchmaking efforts in exchange for lessons in Bengali culture. Flawless plan, right?
But as Naomi and Dev bond over awful dancing at Garba, couples cooking classes, and tackling the rebrand as a team, they start to realize while their relationship may be fake, their feelings for each other are starting to become very real. As the line between reality and rumor blurs, Naomi and Dev must confront what it means to fit the mold, and decide how much they’re willing to risk for love.
A first generation Bengali-Canadian, Aurora Palit grew up in rural Alberta, where she was always the only South Asian student in her class. Her love of reading began at age four but it wasn’t until high school—when she wandered into the romance section of a bookstore—that she realized happily-ever-afters are her jam. Flash forward [an undisclosed number of] years and Aurora is now writing those stories with her own unique brand of humor, perspective, and belief that people of color deserve love stories too. During her time pursuing a master's degree in English literature, Aurora was drawn to discourses on diaspora and identity, racism, and multi-generational immigrant experiences; topics she now explores in her writing. When she’s not testing her characters’ patience, Aurora is raising small humans, roasting her spouse, prowling for chocolate, and dancing for all that she’s worth. She also spends her days adulting as a communications professional for a not for profit organization.
Reviews
"Don’t miss the sweet and swoon-worthy romance, Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit....Matchmaking schemes and the promise of romance take center stage in this debut novel....As the ruse plays out, Naomi and Dev are shocked by how real, and strong, their chemistry feels."—Woman's World
“Dev and Naomi are a perfect match! I was giggling, shouting, sobbing, ready to throw the book if they didn’t kiss already. Aurora Palit delivers a steamy and sensual read. This is your next favorite book—full of sugar and spice, it will linger long after you turn the final page… much like the best damn kiss of your life.”
—Ashley Poston, New York Times bestselling author of A Novel Love Story
“Sunshine and Spice is a laugh-out-loud delight that delivers everything in its name: sunshine, spice, but also—everything nice. Full of rich culture, fake-dating goodness and a strong new voice that hits just right, this swoon-worthy debut is a must read for all romance readers!”
—Lana Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author of The Game Changer
“Aurora Palit delivers hilarity, heat, and intricately woven South Asian family dynamics in Sunshine and Spice, a story about not just discovering where you belong, but wholeheartedly embracing your place within it. Naomi’s sunshine personality perfectly balanced Dev’s grumpy shell, and watching her melt him from the inside out was utter romance perfection. I’ll read anything Aurora writes!”
—Jessica Joyce, USA Today bestselling author of You, With a View
"Packed with hilarity, charming banter, and the most memorable, and meddling, side characters, Sunshine and Spice is a slow simmering rom-com packed with chemistry and heat. But what really shines in this book is watching each character navigate the good and the challenging aspects of their shared Bengali-Canadian heritage. I was rooting for Naomi and Dev as they learned to love their culture as much as each other … and I wanted all the South Asian delicacies that Aurora Palit lovingly described. Sunshine and Spice is a fantastic debut!
—Farah Heron, author of Jana Goes Wild and Accidentally Engaged
"In Aurora Palit's Sunshine and Spice, hearts sizzle and cultures collide as a woman cut off from her Bengali culture has to fake it for the opportunity of a lifetime. A delicious fake dating escapade follows, brimming with family antics, irresistible chemistry, and mouth-watering Gulab jamun. Palit's debut is sexy, witty, and warm, and you’ll cozy right up to her grumpy hero with a gooey center!"
—Nikki Payne, author of Pride and Protest and Sex, Lies and Sensibility
"Funny, steamy and bursting with character and playful banter, Aurora Palit's heartwarming debut about family, acceptance and finding love where you least expect it hooked me from the very first page. Naomi and Dev's story will stay with me for a very long time. An absolute must read!"
—Sara Desai, author of The Marriage Game and To Have and To Heist
"Aurora Palit cements herself as an exciting new voice in romance with her hilarious and heartfelt debut. Sunshine and Spice balances blazing chemistry between its two leads with witty, thoughtful commentary on how intercultural differences shape the classic opposites attract dynamic. Poignant yet joyful, this book is sunshine/grump perfection."
—Regina Black, author of The Art of Scandal
"Palit debuts with an addictive grumpy sunshine romance starring a hero whose one-liners are worthy of a modern Mr. Darcy....An un-put-downable charmer brimming with serious themes of cultural identity, family estrangement, and the struggles of the first generation born to immigrant parents. As sparks fly and real feelings grow, readers will be unable to keep the smiles off their faces."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Palit's debut is a lovely fake-dating romance that mixes sweet moments with a bit of heat while also tackling the realities of cultural identity. Perfect for readers who enjoy the work of Denise Williams and Farah Heron."
—Library Journal
"Written with great humor and heart, Palit's exemplary debut not only offers readers a beguiling combination of wit-imbued writing and a deliciously entertaining grumpy sunshine romance but also a thoughtful, empathic look at one woman's efforts to connect with her family's cultural heritage."
—Booklist Expand reviews