Mira Salvi has it all - a job she loves, a fiancé she adores....so why does it feel like there is something missing? After Druv has to cancel their engagement trip to New York City because of work again, & she has already changed dates with the airlines so many times she was warned that this time it was non-refundable, Mira decides to take the trip solo. After all, she has always wanted to see New York City, and her twin brother Rumi lives there with his boyfriend. She hasn't seen Rumi ever since their parents cut him out of their lives, and she really misses him. One day when she is out sight-seeing, she gets knocked over by a rambunctious little boy, and she falls to the pavement. As she is picking everything up to put it back in her purse, she notices a ring on a chain. She feels like it is her mission in life to reunite the ring to its rightful owner. She teams up with journalist Krish Hale & they begin the search that will lead to not only healing one broken heart, but may just change the course of Mira's life in a way she never dreamed possible.

I am a huge fan of this author's books, and this one did not disappoint. This is not just a love story, it was so much more. I love reading about the Indian culture, and this book, as with all of her books, was rich with it. Mira was a force to be reckoned with, and I could tell from the start she deserved so much better than Druv. It wasn't that he was a bad guy, because he wasn't.... he was great. It was just that he never put her first. The way her mother especially treated both Mira and Rumi just broke my heart. I can't fathom ever treating my daughter that way, no matter what she did, or who she loved. This is perfect for fans of Naina Kumar, Jasmine Guillory & Abby Jimenez.

This book isn’t so much about if they will get together but when and how. Our MC is sweet, kind and always puts everyone else first. It’s only when she listens to her heart and goes on a journey to find an answer that she finds her true self and her voice. This author has a way of writing stories that make you feel like you are right alongside the characters. It all feels so genuine that you can’t help but feel disappointed when the story comes to an end. This was a sweet read that tackles overbearing parents and following your gut to your happiness.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

There really is something about Mira. I loved her as a main character. I loved her journey to find herself. The mystery of the ring gives her a purpose for something to pursue. Krish is an an unlikely hero, but I loved his character too. It was difficult to read the hate that is directed to some people still today but it was a driving force in Mira's path. I enjoyed the story a lot. I haven't ready anything else by this author, but will look for some of her others since I enjoyed this one. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I was hoping to enjoy this one, but so far it has turned out quite different from what I expected, and I decided to DNF.

A large element of the story so far has been Mira's parents being horrifically homophobic towards Mira's brother, even going so far as to say he's dead to them. In the parts that I've read, Mira doesn't speak up about this to them, she actively keeps them in her life, and she even excuses their behaviour by saying they're from a different generation.

Then, she visits her brother and his partner in New York, and when her brother says he wants his partner to be at her wedding *explicitly as his partner*, Mira keeps saying "but he's invited!"

Now, I understand that the narrative will most likely show Mira's growth when it comes to this. It's most likely setting out to show how wrong this behaviour actually is, and how Mira should 100% support her brother.

But as a queer person, I do not have the patience to follow Mira along on that journey. I don't sympathize with her and I don't like reading about her as a main character. Maybe, hopefully, cishet readers might learn from this, but I do not have the patience nor the bandwidth to sympathize with someone who still needs to take a clear stance against homophobia.

Sonali Dev has a way of writing the most relatable characters I've ever read. Now this doesn't mean I've gone through every situation the characters have, but I've felt the emotions they have and the doubts and the turmoil. I love how she can make me connect to her characters in this way.

Now onto this book specifically: the plot was so fun! It takes a typical "lost item and a mission to find the owner" plot and makes it deeply emotional with the character who finds the lost item learning more about herself through the process of finding its owner. Mira really needed to grow, and this situation forced her to take that final step into just *thinking* about who she wanted to be and actually *becoming* that person.

The themes? Top notch. The family dynamics? Heartbreaking and healing. The romance? Sprinkled in. Dev's books are more "Women's Fiction" than "Romance" (not in a bad way), and I like how the Romance isn't the POINT, but it's a nice perk to all the growth the character was able to do (not that you need to grow or be your best self to be in a relationship, but I digress).

My favorite part of this book was Mira's personal growth. I truly love her as a character and wish her the best out there in the world.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review. I love reading Dev's books!

For me this book did not hit the mark, the story though being marketed as a romance was more of a women's fiction for me. I felt the author was trying to make a lot of things funny even though they weren't. I had hoped the book would grab me from the very beginning but I am not able to read it at this point of time because of how stretchy it feels.

I might pick it up on some other day with fresh mind but as now now it was a no-no for me.

I love the nuance that this author uses with her characters. Mira has so much going on in her life that she is just pushing aside. She’s just moving forward and ignore my all the things that are expected of her but are not serving her.
This book is much more a journey of the heart, not a romance. There is a love story within but it’s not the heart if the story.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

There’s something special about this book that I can’t quite pin down. It starts out light, like the romcoms Mira loves. We get gorgeous details of Indian food and wedding preparations. The HEA ending is satisfying.

But there’s a surprising amount of tension as well, in a love story communicated through letters from decades ago, and in what Mira and Krish go through while solving the mystery of the ring. The author did not shy away from difficult themes, and the tension created made Mira’s dilemma all the more poignant for me. I found myself caring about her story more than I often do when reading romance.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

There’s Something About Mira is an engaging story about fate, family and what it takes to discover what truly makes you happy. Sonali Dev’s emotional tale is Mira’s personal journey and well worth reading.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mira’s always had a tough time living up to her immigrant parents’ expectations. But when, at the old age of 30, she’s finally engaged to a successful doctor from their South Asian community, they are thrilled but convinced she’s going to mess up this opportunity. Her fiancé Druv plans an engagement getaway for the pair to NYC, only to cancel because of his important, busy schedule. So Mira steps out of her comfort zone and goes on her own. Once she arrives in New York, she meets up with her disowned brother, then finds a ring in Times Square. Naturally she goes on social media to locate who the ring belongs to, and in the process finds herself teaming up with Krish, a reporter who also wants to uncover the owner. Can they actually work together to find the ring’s owner, even while they seem to get on each other’s nerves? And does fate play a role?

Mira is a character who took a while for me to warm up to, but once I did, I was completely invested in her happiness. Mira begins the book as little wishy washy and naive, and it’s not always easy to understand her attachment to her bland yet perfect on paper fiancé. Once she heads to New York and steps outside her comfort zone, though, the story picks up and each twist and turn is welcome.

This book is billed as a romcom, which it definitely is not. That just makes it a different book than I expected, not a bad one. There are a few amusing quips, but Mira’s story is an emotional one about how family dynamics and abuse continue to shape people and their choices long after childhood. I also liked the multiple discussions of queer identity and how queer people have always built relationships, no matter the time period or setting.

There’s Something About Mira is an emotional and engaging tale. Mira’s journey is many experiences, from growing up in an immigrant community to conforming to her parents’ expectations to finally finding her own happiness. Sonali Dev creates indelible characters and it’s wonderful to spend time with them.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MIRA by Sonali Dev is a Desi contemporary coming of age novel. Mira gets engaged to the “man of her dreams,” and yet, he sends her on an engagement trip to New York all alone. There, she finds this beautiful heirloom ring on the sidewalk, and a great search ensues to find the owner. She meets a young, attractive, Desi (because of course), journalist that wants to write a story about the ring, and also help her find the owner.

As soon as she meets the journalist, she can’t help but feel like he isn’t “Desi’ enough. He’s rude, he’s brash, he seems unkempt. Later, her brother teases her for glaring at the journalist after they’ve just met. Mira is a judgmental Desi auntie in training, not even trying to hide her glares. Also, PLEASE, I’m begging, let’s leave the “not Desi enough” conversations behind. They’re so pointless, and they do NOTHING to create a sense of solidarity and community within the South Asian diaspora.

Mira continues her journey around New York, searing for the ring with the help of the not-Desi-but-Desi journalist. She also is aided by her twin brother and his partner, who live in New York. This was another odd side plot that I just couldn't get fully behind.

Mira and her parents haven’t talked to her brother for two years because he’s gay. Mira’s trip to New York is partially motivated by the desire for her brother to attend her wedding, despite the fact she hasn’t seen him in TWO YEARS. Her brother’s partner is kind and sweet to Mira, despite her abandoning him and choosing her parents over her twin. I felt as if this idea of Desi parents abandoning their LGBTQ+ child is overused in Desi media, and it's truly a shame that it appears in this book as well. I was very frustrated with the fact that even Mira, a "modern" woman, chooses to side with her homophobic parents over supporting and defending her brother.

I understand the appeal of an unlikable main character, but writing a Desi girl who can’t stand up to her parents and is pushed (ie: forced) into an unwanted engagement is such a TIRED trope. Eventually, I came around to liking the last third of the book, as Mira obviously goes through a journey of self discovery and growth along with Krish and her brother.

I'd really enjoyed THE VIBRANT YEARS by Sonali Dev, but unfortunately I can't say the same for this one. I'm hoping she will continue to write about the difficult topics, but as a subjective reader, I can't help but have certain thoughts and feelings about situations presented in a story. I can't say that all South Asian readers will dislike this book, as I'm sure there are South Asian woman who will see themselves in Mira. However, I can say that this book simply wasn't for me!

3.5 stars

Mira is almost 30 years old, engaged to be married but ends up going on her engagement weekend without her intended. She is alone for the first time in New York City. Red flags right there.

An interesting story that had all the elements for a great read but still fell a little flat for me. I enjoyed Mira's character, her background, relationship with her parents and brother. This book is a story of self discovery that has a YA feel but had some good banter at times.

There's Something About Mira is a journey from Chicago, to NYC and off to India for wedding clothes shopping. It was a good lesson in traditonal Indian weddings and food, lots of food talk. It's a story of self discovery and learning how to take a stand.

My thanks to Lake Union for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

I really enjoyed Sonali Dev's There's Something About Mira. Mira Salvi is engaged to a surgeon, and her Indian parents could not be happier. Mira and her fiancé plan a getaway to New York City, but her fiancé has to cancel when his partner is injured and can't cover for him. Mira goes alone and visits her ostracized brother and his partner. While in NYC, she collides with a toddler, falls on the ground, and finds a ring on a necklace. She becomes obsessed with finding the owner. When she posts about the ring on social media, it goes viral and attracts the attention of journalist Krish Hale, who wants to help her find the owner. Her quest takes her to India, and to some not so safe places. She begins to question her relationship with her fiancé, and definitely wants to defy her parents and invite her brother & his partner to her wedding, if there's going to be one. I love Sonali Dev's novels, the Indian family dynamic makes them fresh reading, and this book has even more tension than most of her novels. I highly recommend There's Something About Mira. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance readers' ebook to review.

Sonali Dev’s writing is simply breathtaking. Even the simplest of lines shimmer with a subtle beauty that I cannot get over. This story though, was something else entirely from any romance I’ve read. It came in contact with, battled, and overcame many issues that we as people face every day - abortion, sexual assault, familial manipulation, grief, lost love, and so much more. I list these not only as main points featured, but also as trigger warnings for those who may need them. That being said though, Sonali Dev faces all of these topics with such grace and care, that I felt seen and comforted by the way the characters faced these events in their individual stories. ‘

I absolutely loved the characters. Mira and Krish, as friends and partners in crime were everything. Mira learning who she was through her troubled relationship both with her mother and with her estranged brother, was magical. Watching Mira blossom through the adventure of returning a lost ring to its rightful owner and other half in the crowded city of New York was inspiring, emotional, and satisfying. I love how Sonali puts her characters into roles where, as women, they’re taught to be less than they are, to quiet themselves to the world around them until one day they realize no - and break the mold.

As someone who has faced many of the hard times brought up throughout this story, as someone who believes in true love and fate and blowing up the world around you to make the one you deserve, a happy one, I connected so deeply to Mira and her experience.

I also loved the humor woven throughout the story that helped to lessen the heavier topics that she tackled with such class. I will never stop talking about her books, I started with The Vibrant Years (which I loved as well) but this one felt different, it featured adventure alongside the lesson of finding yourself and letting the right person in and addressed topics in a way that made me think and will continue to long after I closed the last page.

There’s Something About Mira is a lovely blend of complex family relations, romance and self discovery. It follows Mira, a young Indian woman who lives in Chicago and is facing her upcoming nuptials in a few months. She goes to NYC alone to visit her brother and ends up finding a lost ring. Thus begins a multi layered story about cultural issues and exploration, as Mira journeys to return the ring to its original owner and then to look for the ring owner’s long-estranged lover.

I had thought the story would be mostly a romcom with some mystery and was pleasantly surprised to find a touching, well handled adventure story about cultural and generational divide and self growth. I found the story behind the lost ring to be very moving. I also loved the multidimensional characters with real, relatable issues. The relationship between Mira and the journalist was the only issue I had. I felt it lacked the chemistry and substance that the cultural tie storyline had in abundance. Overall strongly recommend! This could be a hidden gem for this year. Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union for the arc!

'There's Something About Mira' is a beautifully written tale of Mira figuring out herself and how she wants her life to be in this world. We meet Mira on the verge of getting married, however, her finance never seems to have time for her, including going on their engagement-moon, which Mira goes on by herself. I loved how Mira rekindled her relationship with her brother and address some really hard issues and themes. I loved Krish, who helps Mira figure out the mysterious ring and necklace. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

There's Something About Mira was a special story. I believe it is my first by author Sonali Dev. Mira stumbles upon a ring while visiting New York and is compelled to find the owner. This act begins a quest that awakens Mira and changes her life in unexpected ways. The author so sensitively explores themes of identity and acceptance in this book. The characters were authentic and lovable. This tale also examines a variety of relationships and truly celebrates love. I was enthralled with this story and stayed up way past my bedtime to read the conclusion. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There’s Something About Mira
3.5 ⭐️

This was definitely a different story than I was expecting at the beginning, but it had some good depth to it!

Mira is off to visit her brother and visit NYC without her fiancé when she ends up finding a lost ring. She and a journalist traverse the city trying to get it back to its original owner, but the story doesn’t end there as they continue learning about the ring’s history.

First, I don’t love cheating stories and this one doesn’t have some emotional cheating in it. That being said, I enjoyed the second half of the book a lot more than the first. It had some solid depth to the plot and I liked Mira’s growth as a main character.

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!

I went into this book super excited, but after a few chapters that excitement was lost. I wasn't captivated by the story and didn't really care how it ended. I wasn't invested into the characters and they all kinda felt flat and generic to me. A light read for sure, but I was expected more depth to the story and the characters.

There’s Something About Mira by Sonali Dev is a charming and insightful novel that explores themes of self-discovery, family dynamics, and cultural identity. Mira, a successful young woman with a seemingly perfect life, embarks on a solo trip to New York after a series of disappointments.

When she finds a lost ring, her life takes an unexpected turn. Her quest to reunite the ring with its owner leads her on a journey of self-reflection, forcing her to question her own happiness and the path she has chosen. The story seamlessly weaves together a compelling mystery with nuanced character development. Mira’s journey is relatable, as she navigates the complexities of her relationships with her fiancé, her family, and herself.

The supporting characters, particularly her brother Rumi and his fiancé Saket, are well-developed and add depth to the narrative. Dev’s writing is engaging and fluid, drawing the reader into Mira’s world. The exploration of South Asian culture and the challenges faced by immigrant families adds another layer of depth to the story. While the plot may be somewhat predictable at times, the book’s strength lies in its insightful exploration of human connection and the importance of finding one’s true purpose. There’s Something About Mira is a heartwarming and thought-provoking read that will resonate with readers who are searching for meaning and authenticity in their own lives.