Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma is set in New Jersey and revolves around head-strong lawyer Kareena Mann and the equally stubborn Cardiologist Dr. Prem Verma. Kareena has her heart set on finding love like her parents had. She dreams of finding her jeevansaathi — which translates to soulmate in English.
However, she is 30 years old (wrongfully considered ancient in Desi culture) and refuses to settle. Kareena is attached to her childhood house, as it’s how she remembers her late mother. As such, when her dad decides to sell the house, Kareena makes a deal with him — if she can find a fiance in four months, she keeps the house. The very stubborn Kareena takes this deal very seriously and sets out to find love — even tapping into dating apps.
Dr. Prem Verma believes love doesn’t exist (ironic since his name translates to love) and has dreams of creating a community health center focused on treating the Desi community. However, he desperately needs funding. He hosts a talk show called The Dr. Dil Show to save for his community center. His plan was working perfectly until he and Kareena got into an argument on air, which later went viral.
At this point, the Aunties (i.e. elder, unrelated Desi women treated like family) step in (because they just can’t help themselves). The Aunties explain to Kareena and Prem that they both need a relationship. For Kareena, getting engaged means she gets to keep her house. For Prem, getting engaged would show his donors he can win back the hearts of the South Asian community.
Reluctantly, Kareena and Prem decide to fake-date so they can both reap the rewards. The more they spend time together, the more real feelings form. Like all fake-dating tropes, things quickly get messy!
After Prem’s donors back out and the male South Asian population in New Jersey avoids Kareena like the plague, things get messy. What is real and what is fake quickly begins to blur; they just have to decide what they want to do about it.
Best quotes:
“The biggest mistake you can make is trying to interpret someone’s actions in a way that fits your definition for love.”
― Nisha Sharma, Dating Dr. Dil
“If love existed, this woman would have his heart, and he’d willingly take his scalpel to carve it out and give it to her.”
― Nisha Sharma, Dating Dr. Dil
“Iʼm going to love you for as long as I live. That sounds cheesy as hell, but I promise you, itʼs going to happen.”
― Nisha Sharma, Dating Dr. Dil
“It’s hard to communicate the immigrant experience with those who don’t understand. We want to support and be with our families, and sometimes we sacrifice our mental health and our emotional well-being to do it.”
― Nisha Sharma, Dating Dr. Dil
My thoughts:
This story is such a good mix of fake dating and enemies-to-lovers tropes. It will have you rooting for the characters’ love stories and their own personal triumphs.
Nisha Sharma also critiques the misogyny, dating, and marriage expectations in South Asian culture in a relatable and elegant way. Sharma touches on the pressure Desi children feel to live up to their parents’ expectations, even as adults.
This novel is funny, romantic, and spicy while also being relatable and thought-provoking. Once you start, you won’t want to put it down!