Teen Street Team Reads & Reviews: Radha and Jai’s Recipe for Romance

Teen Street Team member Shubhi submitted this review for Radha and Jai’s Recipe for Romance by Nisha Sharma.

Radha knows what she wants. She has worked her way up to becoming a top-class Kathak dancer, and is sure that is what she wants to do in her life. Or is it? When an unexpected turn of events forces Radha to reconsider her passion for dance she finds herself lost. Meet Jai, top of his class, captain of the Bollywood Beats club at his school. Life seems to be going well for Jai. The problem is that his only passion, Medical School, seems just out of reach because of financial issues. Sparks fly the moment they meet. But when fate throws them together into their school talent, both of them realize they must dive deeper within themselves and go beyond their past to discover themselves. With a dash of comedy, a pinch of dance, and a whole lot of fun, this book is sure to be sweet! 

“Radha and Jai’s Recipe for Romance” is a Young Adult (YA) romance novel by Nisha Sharma. This book not only provides intricate points of view for topics like self-discovery and pursuing one’s dreams, but it also provides the reader with a glance at diverse Indian culture. Overall, this book felt like the perfect comfort read! The wholesomeness and warmth of this book made it the perfect book to get me out of my reading slump.  

Everything about it, from the plotline to the character’s development, was very well done. The plotline is nuanced, but it manages to resolve into a happy ending overall. What I really loved about this book’s plot line was how well it was paced. It was not a slow-burn romance, nor was it a fast-paced intense romance either. The pace was just right, and the chemistry between Radha and Jai was well-developed as well. The two were given enough page time together, but also enough time apart so we could see their individuality.

Speaking of their individual characterization, I loved the way Radha was represented. As someone who does performing arts myself, I particularly loved the way Radha and her moments/thoughts as a performer were represented. Radha’s development as a character was realistic as well. Throughout the novel, Radha’s progress with her internal conflict is not always linear, making it easier to relate to her. As for Jai… Jai was a huge green flag throughout the entire novel. He was not only very understanding of Radha and her struggles but also open to improving whenever he made the wrong decisions. It was always easy to root for Jai throughout the novel.  

I would rate this book a 4 out 5, and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to get out of their reading slump or looking for a good romance novel!