by Ayesha Patel
Release Date: September 15, 2014
Kindle Edition: 424 pages
Kindle Price: $0.99 (special price Sep. 15th for one week only!)
“Love doesn’t conquer all…does it? Priyanka Patel is the epitome of an obedient daughter. She’s finishing up her medical residency at one of Houston’s busiest emergency departments, and has agreed-albeit reluctantly-to marry the man her family has chosen for her. The only thing that can derail the “perfect” life laid out before her is the sexy musician down the hall who wants into her life…and into her bed.
Tyler O’Connor has been infatuated with Priya since she treated his sprained ankle in the ER, and after saving her from a brutal attack, he can’t get her out of his head. When Priya puts her family’s wishes before their relationship, agreeing to an arranged marriage with another man, Tyler is devastated.
But love is fierce and unreasonable and clashes with the carefully sculpted life her parents want for her. Is going after her heart such a big deal, or will it truly unravel Priya’s world?”
Debut novel written by Ayesha Patel, Priya in Heels is a novel about chemistry and romance pushing the boundaries of Indian culture in America. Priyanka is a beautiful, independent and focused young woman that divides her time between medical residency rotations in the ER, sweating it out at the gym and harboring a love for plaid. “I have three goals in life: work in private practice, bring plaid back, and dominate San Diego Comic-Con. Nerd City.“
Priya is growing up as a young individual in America but doing her best to honor her Indian family’s culture and upbringing. Her closest friends are all Indian, she’s never let herself be tempted by boys and she is determined to make her family proud by agreeing to marry the Indian dentist that her mother has chosen for her. “I’m expected to be the best at everything, and anything less is failure. It’s like living under a microscope, and whatever I don’t do perfectly goes back to my parents.” Priya feels that she has a duty to be a good Indian daughter for the sake of her parents’ reputation and thus, does everything she can to be perfect.
When Tyler O’Connor-a gorgeous Irish musician that lives down the hall-suddenly springs into her life, Priya doesn’t know how to handle his attention except to try to push him away. But with the help of Priya’s meddling roommate Vicki, Tyler slowly works his way into her life, and into her heart. Priya believes that it is better to choose a marriage based on logic and reasoning rather than a relationship based on love. Love is only something that prevails in Bollywood, it’s not something that can exist in her life. “Bollywood is about living a life that would never exist in the real world. Love is nonsensical ideology, but ninety percent of Bollywood movies are about overcoming diversity and trials to be with the one they love.” Can the love between Priya and Tyler overcome the Indian culture that dominates her life, or will Priya choose to marry the dentist out of obligation to her mother’s wishes?
Priya in Heels is a wonderful romantic comedy filled with love, tears and laughter and you can’t help but fall in love with Patel’s compelling characters. It is intriguing to observe the different love stories throughout the novel and the way that culture can dictate such a huge aspect of one’s life. Above all, this is a story about love, a love that is undeniable and true. True love might just be found in books and Bollywood, but this is certainly one novel that you will want to read and experience for yourself!
Reason: I loved this book!
Reason: I love that if you buy it this week, it’s only 99 cents!
Reason: I love that you will understand this last bit of my review if you read the book!
Thank you to Entangled Embrace and NetGalley for approving me to read a review copy in exchange for an honest review!
Side note: I would advise anyone that plans to purchase a digital copy to be aware of the glossary at the end of the novel that defines the Indian words that are used throughout the story. My only complaint was that I didn’t know about the glossary until I finished reading and realize that it would have helped me better understand a few of the relationships in Priya’s family.
Thanks for having me and I’m so happy that you liked Priya in Heels. But you seem to be a Marvel Universe girl, like me, and that explains everything!