ALL THINGS ROMANCE BOOK CLUB at Books Inc. – Mountain View, CA

This month, to get into the holiday spirit we're reading Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli and Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young.

Get your copies at our Mountain View store for 15% off if you're in the club!

About Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli:

One type-A data analyst discovers her free-spirited side on an impulsive journey from bustling Mumbai to the gorgeous beaches of Goa and finds love waiting for her on Christmas morning.

Twenty-nine-year-old Niki Randhawa has always made practical decisions. Despite her love for music and art, she became an analyst for the stability. She's always stuck close to home, in case her family needed her. And she's always dated guys that seem good on paper, rather than the ones who give her butterflies. When she's laid off, Niki realizes that practical hasn't exactly paid off for her. So for the first time ever, she throws caution to the wind and books a last-minute flight for her friend Diya’s wedding.

Niki arrives in India just in time to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, where she meets London musician Sameer Mukherji. Maybe it's the splendor of Mumbai or the magic of the holiday season, but Niki is immediately drawn to Sam. At the wedding, the champagne flows and their flirtatious banter makes it clear that the attraction is mutual.

When Niki and Sam join Diya, her husband and their friends on a group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper. Free-spirited Sam helps Niki get in touch with her passionate and creative side, and with her Indian roots. When she gets a new job offer back home, Niki must decide what she wants out of the next chapter of her life—to cling to the straight and narrow like always, or to take a leap of faith and live the kind of bold life the old Niki never would have dreamed of.

"Lalli's prose is deft, her characters are delightful and her book is the just-right holiday romance."--USA Today

“A delicious holiday romance, cozily wrapped up in a story about rediscovering your roots and taking a chance on newfound love. Niki’s decision to attend her friend’s wedding in India provides a compelling exploration of family, reinvention, South Asian culture, and newfound love. What a fun read!”--Uzma Jalaluddin, bestselling author of Hana Khan Carries On

“Funny and heartwarming, with lush descriptions of Indian beach resorts and chaotic city streets, Lalli’s latest multicultural romance is extremely satisfying; her characters are refreshingly relatable. Highly recommended for fans of Sonali Dev and Sophie Kinsella.”--Booklist (starred)

Sonya Lalli is a romance and women’s fiction author of Punjabi and Bengali heritage. Her books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Washington Post, Glamour and more. She lives in Vancouver with her husband.

"A sweeping global romance that epically showcases India's festival of lights."--Entertainment Weekly

About Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young:

Two best friends realize that their fake relationship—mixed with a dash of holiday spirit—might spark some very real feelings in this charming sapphic novella from the New York Times bestselling author of People Watching and Out on a Limb.

On the very first day of her dream job, Clara messed up. Her photography idol, and new boss, assumed that Clara would be bringing her girlfriend to their upcoming gallery opening, and Clara, in her nervousness, failed to correct her.

This is an issue for two reasons: Clara is single and is most definitely (probably) straight.

Evan was recently dumped by her fiancée for a shared co-worker and is still trying to figure out where it all went wrong. So when she finds out that the happy new couple will be hosting the staff holiday party, she is determined to find a date.

Together, these two lifelong friends hatch a plan to get through Clara's gallery opening and Evan's holiday party by pretending to date one another.

It should be easy . . . right?

But Evan quickly realizes that pretending to date her straight best friend, whom she's had a crush on for half her life, maybe isn't the best idea. Meanwhile, Clara surprises even herself as she begins developing real feelings for Evan. . . .

Will the two make it out of the holiday season as friends—or ring in the new year as something more?

Hannah Bonam-Young is the author of Next of Kin, Next to You, Out on a Limb, Out of the Woods, and People Watching. Hannah writes romances featuring a cast of diverse, disabled, marginalized, and LGBTQIA+ folks wherein swoon-worthy storylines blend with the beautiful, messy, and challenging realities of life. When not reading or writing romance, you can find her having living room dance parties with her kids or planning any occasion that warrants a cheese board. Originally from Ontario, Canada, she lives with her childhood-friend-turned-husband, Ben, two kids, and bulldog near Niagara Falls on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples.