Knot So Matched (The Wedding Whisperers Book 3) by Sudha Nair
My take on the book:
Khushi Iyer had to call off her wedding a day before, as she caught her fiancé cheating on her at the wedding venue. Since she planned to move to London after marriage, Khushi left her job and gave up her rented apartment in Bengaluru and now is not sure of her next steps. While Khushi is irritated by the unwarranted sympathy of people around her and guilt of her parents, her close friend Kiara who is a marriage planner, wanted Khushi to manage the next destination wedding she was organizing — in a safari in Africa, in Masai Mara.
Daksh Shetty, the handsome hero did not want to act in any more films, though his father forced him to act in one last movie before he switched careers. Daksh wanted to launch a new venture of match making, and he already succeeded in finding the perfect partner for his sister Saanvi with Tej through his match-making website. Daksh wanted young couples to find the match they wanted to live with and not because their parents found them right for their social status or business expansion.
After a brief encounter in the airport, Daksh and Khushi are forced to work in close proximity — Khushi as coordinator for Saanvi’s wedding in Masai Mara. Daksh is instantly attracted to Khushi as she looked at him beyond his stardom or family status but for the person who he is. Khushi who has been feeling low due to her cancelled marriage that affected her self-esteem, also developed similar feelings for Daksh. But Daksh’s family wanted him to get engaged to Ekta, a girl from their social circle. Will Daksh find love in Khushi and be able to convince his family forms the rest of the story.
Knot so matched sounds like any rom-com from the premise but its USP is the breathtaking backdrop of Masai Mara that the author brings to life with her prose. The contrasting backgrounds of the protagonists and how they get to know each other while exploring the wide life makes the story an intriguing one. Star gazing through telescopes, designing jewelry from local stones, bird watching on early morning treks, hot air ballon ride — the author creates interesting sequences leading upto the destination wedding, while seamlessly including wildlife and nature.
While the chemistry and romance between Daksh and Khushi is sizzling, I liked how the author addresses Khushi’s insecurities of being branded as curvy by her family and near ones while accepted whole heartedly by a sexy man; highlighting how true love looks beyond physical attributes. The parallel tracks of Adil-Roshni and Mihir-Jyothi are also well contrasted with Daksh-Khushi, while realistically portraying the complexities around relationships and marriages in Indian society.
I also loved how the author balances both Daksh and Khushi’s character arcs, along with their own challenges and dilemmas, thus making both of them endearing to the reader. A feel-good story which engages till the end, I highly recommend it.
My rating:
4.5/5.