Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Dating Dr. Dil features a love-phobic TV doctor who must convince a love-obsessed homebody they are destined to be together. 

Kareena Mann dreams of having a love story like her parents, but she prefers restoring her classic car to swiping right on dating apps. When her father announces he’s selling her mother’s home, Kareena makes a deal with him: he’ll gift her the house if she can get engaged in four months. Her search for her soulmate becomes impossible when her argument with Dr. Prem Verma, host of The Dr. Dil Show, goes viral. Now the only man in her life is the one she doesn’t want.

Dr. Prem Verma is dedicated to building a local community health center, but he needs to get donors with deep pockets. The Dr. Dil Show was doing just that, until his argument with Kareena went viral, and he’s left short changed. That’s when Kareena’s meddling aunties presented him with a solution: convince Kareena he’s her soulmate and they’ll fund his clinic.  

Even though they have conflicting views on love-matches and arranged-matches, the more time Prem spends with Kareena, the more he begins to believe she’s the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But for Prem and Kareena to find their happily ever after, they must admit that hate has turned into fate. 

364 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2022

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

Nisha Sharma

13 books2,579 followers
Nisha Sharma is the critically acclaimed author of YA and adult contemporary romances including My So-Called Bollywood Life, Radha and Jai’s Recipe for Romance, The Singh Family Trilogy and the If Shakespeare was an Auntie series. Her books have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly and more. She lives in Pennsylvania with her Alaskan husband, her cat Lizzie Bennett and her dog Nancey Drew. You can find her online at Nisha-sharma.com or on TikTok and Instagram @nishawrites.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
11,569 (18%)
4 stars
23,294 (37%)
3 stars
19,178 (31%)
2 stars
5,803 (9%)
1 star
1,966 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,450 reviews
Profile Image for Hannah B..
1,121 reviews1,872 followers
July 6, 2023
✨Catch me ADDING cobwebs to my vagina.✨

This man…murdered my libido. I deserve a fucking trophy for *finishing* this book because as I just said, I don’t have that ability anymore. I can’t possibly have had a worse experience. I will say, the sexual tension between me and DNFing this book was hot as shit...

But I fucked around and found out so you don’t have to. I was the shrew we met along the way and have no problem taking one for the team and writing a very angry, very negative review. This book turned ME into the romance hero we deserved. I was clenching my jaw and grunting and being generally moody during this entire experience.



My thoughts summed up if you want to tap out of the rest of my obviously unhinged review: This is actually the worst book I've read in a long time. Prem is a monster of a character and I cannot believe Kareena had to fall in love with him. I feel…

…so bad for her.



Now for the brave fools, giddy up because we ride at dawn.

Two things that made hating this book worse: I really liked Kareena and there was really dirty sexy sex. I hate that this book wasted those two things! But! When a hero is as fucked up as Prem, I don’t want to see him end up with Kareena, nor do I want to witness him having orgasms. No happy ending(s) for you motherfucker.

Kareena’s family was trash to her for the entire book which was obviously WONDERFUL for the vibes of this book. She got shit on left and right and I am TIRED. I did adore how she read Prem to filth on television and attacked him with Pedialyte…but she took him back way too quickly (in my opinion taking him back at ALL is too quickly).



Prem is the type of dude to make anonymous thirst trap videos for tiktok where he’s riding a chair in broad daylight next to a pile of dirty laundry and a remote without the battery cover…but then hates on tiktok in the group chat. He knows he’s hot as shit, and he’s very annoying about it. He doesn’t believe in love because of course he doesn’t. He calls Kareena a single old woman with expectations (love) too high but still wants to fuck her and her sweater vest collection because of course he does.

Prem invited Kareena's sister on his talk show under false pretenses. They were not going to be discussing the benefits of love, no. They were actually going to be using Bindu's engagement as a case study to prove that love doesn't exist and how she is just with her fiance out of convenience. Real stand up guy. I disliked Bindu greatly but no one can top Prem. He’s consistently like “what did I do wrong,” “why isn’t Rina happy with me,” “what happened?” and I just need to scream YOU THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED you-oO-OO

But my favorite thing, my FAVORITE thing, is that this man calls his penis, CHARLIE. And no it is never explained! And no it is never revealed to Kareena. She got dickfished! I’ve attached some LOVELY quotes at the end of the review for your enlightenment. I, for one, need an exorcism.

I could’ve handled The Charlie if I’d have liked Prem…which was impossible for me to do. My one star review is for me fundamentally despising Prem and his fundamental fuckboyness that never improved. Charlie is just a bonus. A garnish if you will. The author’s explanation for Charles can be found here and I will question to the end of my days why the explanation was fully deleted from the book. I still wouldn’t have liked it but at least I would’ve had context. I simply wasn’t bodily prepared for having my cousin’s name dick slap me.

It’s so unfortunate this book is open door. I bet you’re thinking WHAAAAAT Hannah is mad at sex? Yes, because this man deserves zero orgasms. I don’t want to see him in the throes of pleasure. The sex was hot yeah, but *Charlie* made it a threesome every time in the worst way. And so many of the word choices were WRONG. I enjoyed none of the sex scenes because Prem is a soggy douche canoe with holes I don’t want to see filled.

My second favorite thing, nearly tied for first, is that this man said “Rina, honey” just about 50 times. For one, he started calling her honey WAY too soon. For all the marbles, IT WAS HORRIBLE. It made me sick. It rivaled Tessa Bailey’s obsession with “baby girl.” He “Rina, honeyed” all over this goddamn book like a randy youth..



This next section is mainly going to be quotes because I! just! can’t! let! them! go!

- Prem: "You're the type of old single woman who blames her lack of a love life on people who view relationships practically."

- Prem: "Why so hostile?" he taunted. "Is it because you finally realized that I'm right? That love is a bullshit excuse that women like you use when no one wants them?"

- Normally Charlie needed a moment to catch its breath, but nope. Not this time. His adrenaline pumped through his body like he'd just ingested narcotics and his dick was at half chub.

- Charlie threatened to poke a hole through his pants, he was so turned on.

- Prem: "Rina, honey" 10 million times

- When he pushed down his boxer briefs, his penis practically popped out and whacked her in the eyeballs.

- his mushroom head (I’ve read this in other romances and it gets me every time lmao)

- Prem: "Can you tell me?" he blurted out. "Tell me how a beautiful, vibrant person like you believes in a house filled with memories? Why do you think love is more than an illusion? That love can sustain a relationship for years?"

- Charlie bounced up like a spring, immediately at full staff.

- Bobbi to Kareena: "God, does your waxer find cobwebs in your coochie?"

- Prem: "Google, play Dudes' Night playlist." Doodses



I cared about very little of this book. I skimmed all of her dating app and text messages. I skipped all of her “bad dates” because they literally didn’t matter and tried to convince me that Prem wasn’t THAT bad. I also skimmed a lot of other filler shit because I could; the book seemed endless. Sue me. I nearly tapped out on page one when it was revealed that Kareena works at a company called: Women Who Work. I then almost stopped when Prem attempted to Gotcha! Bindu and tell her that her engagement was both a farce and doomed on television. I nearly left the group chat when he called Kareena an "old single woman" and a "woman who uses love as an excuse as to why no one wants her." But it was actually when Charlie entered stage left that made me keep reading so I could write this review.

Overall, I’d be semi okay with this book and the setup if Prem was a completely different character. I just can’t get behind her forgiving him so fast and him not changing at all. He was so righteous and smug. I did not believe his character was capable of fundamentally changing his horrible horribleness. His words during their viral fight were spoken with his WHOLE chest. The misogynistic shit that he spewed was so offensive and disgusting. But even then, the writing was clunky and fifteen pages in aged me five years. One star is given to Kareena and nothing/ no one else.


⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.5*/5

*It’s hot but it’s also NOT worth it nor actually hot because Prem is horrible and makes everything horrible with Charlie. Ol Chuck and his mushroom head barely make this a 3🌶 read.



Hannah���s Hot Tips for reading this book:
1. Don’t
2. If you do, read all of their italicized thoughts in a Batman voice, it’ll make them tolerable and considerably less creepy
3. Skip all text messages and dating app messages. They’re worthless and boring and severely unfunny. They will take you out of the story because real people don’t punctuate like that.
4. Control alt delete any references of the following: Charlie, Charlie at half chub, “Rina, Honey,” sweater vest, pouty lips, italicized thoughts, literally Charlie can fuck off, rhetorical questions, exclamation points, any time Prem thinks, any time Prem talks, honestly control alt deleting the entire book may be the best for your health
5. Expect to laugh only from the pain and horror of what you’re reading
6. Say “Google, play Dudes’ Night Playlist!” out loud for a Really Good Time
7. Don’t hold this book against Taylor Swift…Taylor you didn’t deserve this



❤️ More quotes ❤️

- "Do you go to bars pretending to be chill until you can trap someone into believing in your warped vision of true love?"

- Prem: "I fix broken hearts."

- Her shoulders were slumped, and that full curved mouth was set in a glossy pout. She'd piled that thick black hair on top of her head in a messy ponytail, and the glasses did nothing to hide her large brown eyes. Her prim and proper outfit was somehow sensual as her sweater vest clung to the swell of her breasts.
---I too pile hair into a ponytail and have breasts so every outfit is sensual.

- Prem: "I think she's accepted that I don't believe an emotion that I have literally referred to as an illusion is the foundation of a relationship."

- Prem: "Today, we're going to talk about how love is actually dangerous for heart health. Because love, ladies and gentleman, is an illusion that does not sustain long-term partnership."

- "I'm trying to tell you that maybe love doesn't exist! Maybe what you're really looking for is connection."

- Kareena: "I've read romance novels since high school, and so many of the heroines are ashamed when they don't have sex after four months, and I'm like, is that the scale I have to go by? It's been a lot longer than four months for me, so by romance standards, I'm screwed." Prem: "You will be," he said.

- "I may look gorgeous and have a medical degree, but I also have a sensitive side."



Me @ Prem after their viral fight: Do you have anything you want to say to women?

Prem @ me:







Prem, an asshole, eating Kareena's:






Prem: "Love is not real. It's just our need for attachment and building partnerships to create community."

My need to create community:







Me after seeing all the positive reviews and using my last BOTM credit on this book:





Me refusing to believe this book is real:

Profile Image for Ayman.
274 reviews114k followers
March 8, 2022
NAUR because Nisha Sharma put her whole NishUSSY into this. i’m telling you DO NOT KNOW what swooning is until you’ve either watched a bollywood movie or you’ve read this book. 😩🤬🥺

this book had me unbuckling my seatbelt at six flags, flat ironing my skull, boxing a stingray, and drinking my protein shake with a side of peroxide. that’s how fucking good it was y’all 😭💖🥵💕💖✨🤩

these characters are EVERYTHING! forget cigarettes, i’m straight about to chug bleach out the bottle. 😭💖✨

Kareena is the literal definition of a badass dangerous woman! she speaks my fucking mind bro. i love her so much. she deserves the world and nothing less. she will not hesitate to put anyone in their place and i was 100% here for that. she can run me over with her car and i’d say thank you ☺️

Prem is OBSESSED with her. i’m telling you that everything he does is FOR HER. it’s one of those relationships in which they fake date but it hasn’t been fake for him the entire time. it’s one of those books in which she falls first but HE falls HARDER. so fucking harder!! he is the epitome of a man been written by women and i thank nisha sharma for that entirely. 😩😩😩

kareena and prem are so cute together **jumps off a cliff** 🤪🤪🤪

there were scenes that had me running blocks around the neighborhood 🏃‍♀️ this book is spicy and i mean SPICY SPICY. i was breathing hard and heavy. sweat and other bodily fluids were running off of me like a waterfall goddammit! like don’t even get me started on that shower scene…. nisha sharma knew exactly what she was doing with that one 😌

even the side characters, the banter, the grandma had me laughing my ass off. i’m telling you no book has made me holler as loud as this book has. it’s so fucking funny y’all. 😭😂😜🤪🥳

nisha sharma deserves her to get her coochie eating the fuck out of for birthing this masterpiece. i’m talking left to right, side to side, up and down, in and around. not all hero’s wear capes some write romcom books 😋✨🥵💖💕🤞🏽🧚‍♀️

if you don’t pre-order this book right NOW you are anti South Asian 🥰🥰🥰
Profile Image for jay.
937 reviews5,399 followers
March 27, 2022
sequel, Divorcing Dr. Dil, when?
Profile Image for sam.
409 reviews747 followers
May 21, 2022
the way i probably would’ve rated this higher if he didn’t refer to his 🍆 as charlie every 5 mins🚶‍♀️ what’s up with that anyway
Profile Image for Nilufer Ozmekik.
2,772 reviews55k followers
September 9, 2024
I’m pretty sure I express my excitement in the most unusual ways! Probably with some awkward sounds—like a cheering chicken gargling Glenlivet (yes, that’s an accurate description of the noise I make when I’m extra cheerful). Picture me reacting the same way when my husband brings me boxes of wine to keep me quiet, or while I’m counting Ryan Gosling’s abs out loud! I’ve also screamed several “Wows,” “Whoopsies,” and “Whoas!”

So, from my reactions, you can probably tell what I mean: this book is an absolute WINNER!

Most of you who read my reviews know exactly what I’m looking for when I start a steamy, hilarious romcom.

I love good character development, sassy and sarcastic banter, and I’m a true fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope. I love steamy scenes, as I’ve mentioned before, great humor, strong side characters, engaging conflicts, and, of course, big gestures!

I may have gotten a little carried away and shared some semi-spoilers by summarizing key parts of the book, but it feels like this one was written just for me! It checked all the boxes and exceeded all my expectations.

So, I’ve already placed this book in my top five romcoms of 2022, even though I’ve only read a few romcom ARCs so far. But trust me, friends, this one is special. If you’re into sexy, steamy, smart, laugh-out-loud romance novels and crave delicious Indian food, this book is a match made in heaven for you!

For context: “Prem” means “Love,” and “Dil” means “Heart” in Hindi, and our main character, Prem, is a scientist who insists that love doesn’t exist! Yes, this guy thinks love is an illusion, a chemical reaction that endangers the heart. Go ahead, you can start booing him now. But don’t worry—he’ll redeem himself plenty as the story goes on.

The absurd thing about this doctor is that he ends up stuck with a woman who’s obsessed with love. She humiliates him on live TV, causing him to lose sponsorships and jeopardizing his career, all thanks to a group of meddling aunties who force him to seek the blessings of Kareena Mann!

They meet at a bar, where Kareena is having one last drink to celebrate her 30th birthday—the one her parents forgot. She and Prem (a.k.a. Dr. Dil) strike up a long conversation and get to know each other (we get to read snippets of this conversation throughout the book). When they decide to move to the bar’s back office for some privacy, Prem gets an emergency phone call and returns to find Kareena already gone.

And that’s where their story really starts. Kareena gets pulled onto Dr. Dil’s TV show by her infuriating influencer sister, Bindu, only to realize that the man on the show is the same guy who ditched her at the bar. She hears him make some humiliating comments about love—comments that are the last straw. She’s furious, things escalate, and the incident goes viral.

Now, they must fake a relationship. Prem needs to repair his reputation, and Kareena needs a fiancé to convince her father to give her the money set aside for her wedding so she can buy their family home, which holds sentimental value for her. It’s a win-win arrangement, with love strictly off the table. Prem doesn’t believe in love, and Kareena can’t fall for someone as cold and robotic as him. But… you can guess how that turns out, right?

Oh my goodness, this book is AMAZING! Just look at the blazing five stars I’ve given it. Please, read it, and then come back and thank me for the recommendation!

I’m positive this will be a big hit, and I’m so excited to read more of the author’s work in the future!

A special thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager, and to the wonderful Nisha Sharma for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Profile Image for chan ☆.
1,202 reviews57.3k followers
December 14, 2022
i get that it's the technical term but i cannot stand the word penis in smutty scenes. it feels clinical. and it conjures images of a skinny lil thing. please no.
Profile Image for SK.
488 reviews8,740 followers
October 4, 2022
It's something to do with romance about a girl- Kareena (who's the only likable character in the book despite being immature), Prem (who's name means 'Love' but personality is Havas- 'Lust') and Charlie.

I've been traumatized.
Profile Image for kanira.
96 reviews3 followers
May 12, 2022
i still can't get over the fact that this dude calls his own dick "charlie". CHARLIE. OF ALL THE NAME YOU CAN THINK OF. YOU CHOSE CHARLIE.

i have officially lost brain cells reading this tysm.
Profile Image for saffiyah✧ఌ.
122 reviews1,789 followers
May 11, 2024
edit: okay i'm back with an update despite three back-to-back exams on monday. so apparently the mmc prem calls his 🍆 "charlie" because his mum called it that while he was potty training and the nickname just stuck. all i'm going to say is fuck you prem, fuck you charlie (yes i refer to them as separate entities) and fuck you prem's mother for starting this whole charlie trend and being the cause of my fucking nightmares.


0 stars★ - dnf @ p.30

why read when i can rewrite old reviews? (i'm four books behind schedule woohoo!🥳)


୨ৎ the plot: okay so there's a man named prem. he names his penis charlie. there is a woman named kareena. she wears sweater vests. they get hit by a semi-truck and i live happily ever after. THE END!😀


୨ৎ my thoughts: so unfortunately for me, that was not the end, but i wouldn't know since i gave up when they met😊 i have never been so thankful that a man was fictional😃


୨ৎ why i would still recommend this book: hate reads. and if you want to practise writing rant reviews - it's like free therapy.


anyway, time for the quotes!


“An idea formed in his head, one that even had his Charlie twitching in his pants.”
⤿ where do i find a man like charlie prem???


“When he pushed down his boxer briefs, his penis practically popped out and whacked her in the eyeballs.”
⤿ omg book boyfriends frfr 😍😍


“Her prim and proper outfit was somehow sensual as her sweater vest clung to the swell of her breasts”
⤿ and they say romance is dead🤭🤭


“Prem looked over at the bar and locked eyes with Sexy Librarian again. She was trying superhard to ignore him, and the feeling was mutual.”
⤿ 'superhard'? like your di-


“Velvet length”
⤿ 'never again' i said.


“Charlie bounced up like a spring, immediately at full staff.”
⤿ so, charlie prem is apparently on discount at walmart. how surprising!


“You're the type of old single woman who blames her lack of a love life on people who view relationships practically.”
⤿ this was a man written by a woman🥰🥰


“ "Why so hostile?" he taunted. "Is it because you finally realized that I'm right? That love is a bullshit excuse that women like you use when no one wants them?" ”
⤿ me rn:



i think this proves that i'm very petty and i will absolutely rewrite a review at 2am + 5 months later instead of writing two papers which are both literally due today🥱
Profile Image for Zoe.
338 reviews2,111 followers
April 26, 2022
You gotta think that when a man names his dick Charlie, what other body parts have names?

What about nick, you could say he was Prems right hand man

Or Susan, his left ear

Maybe Chip n Dale for his two balls?

Just suggestions of course.

yup, just me losing faith in humainty

But of all names you chose CHARLIE?? CHARLIE?? c'mon

Na i cant take it anymore im out.





{previous review}

He named his willy Charlie

I have lost faith

Full rtc

this is giving me 10 things i hate about you vibes
Profile Image for aleerless.
443 reviews347 followers
March 18, 2022
honestly i could live without the guy calling his dick charlie
Profile Image for RateTheRomance.
969 reviews120 followers
March 10, 2022
I really liked—no LOVED—this book...until a little more than half way through. Then it just went completely off the rails for me and never recovered.

DATING DR. DIL has a lot of good parts: great stories framed in Indian-American culture, laugh-out-loud moments, a strong and smart female lead, and a doctor who starts out dreamy and then fizzles...along with the writing.

Okay, let's address my first major problem with DATING DR. DIL. The male lead, Prem, is a HEART SURGEON. He's a grown-ass man in his mid-30s who owns a cushy NYC penthouse apartment and is very successful. He also refers to his own dick, by name, in the third person. YOU READ THAT RIGHT. With no explanation offered whatsoever, Prem unironically repeatedly refers to his penis as Charlie. This appears in the book 7+ times. And just in case you think this might be not-awkward, I present the following excerpts from the book (prepare for the ew-factor):

Immediately after sex:
"He was already ready to go again. Normally Charlie needed a moment to catch its breath, but nope. Not this time. "

Or this gem:

"He shifted, drawing up his knees to hide the fact that Charlie wanted to come out to play."

And don't forget the awkwardness of this sex scene moment:

"Prem felt Charlie tighten, but he wasn’t ready. Not yet."

Or during sexytime in the shower:

"...she squeezed a healthy glob of soap into her palm and began sudsing him up starting with his shoulders and moving over his chest down toward Charlie."

Besides the really awkward Charlie moments, Prem was wildly immature. There is a major conflict scene towards the end in which Prem confronts the female lead's family at a huge party (for the sister's engagement) and says the following to her sister (whom he has met twice, at most):

“What, you think because you’re spoiled, you can treat people like garbage? Your sister is twice as beautiful as you’ll ever be, and she isn’t a bitch.”

Ummmm....yeah. Not cool. For my taste, a male lead needs to be respectful towards ALL women not just HIS woman. I really hated this part. You can stand up for your love interest by expressing disappointment in her sister's actions, but you are not gonna call any female a bitch at her own engagement party in front of her future in-laws.

There are also quite a few problems with the writing itself: often repeated phrases, continuity issues, serious holes in the plot, and even a scene where Prem runs his hands up the female's BACK to grab her boobs. The boobs located on her back, apparently. Story errors like this happened over and over again.

This book had so much promise, but it just did not work for me.

I received a gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

RATING:⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated NC-17
TRIGGERS: past death of fiance, aneurism, past death of parent
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5 - A bit of drama, but still a pretty light read.

👇🏻HANG OUT WITH ME HERE!👇🏻
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
Profile Image for Tina's Bookish Life.
105 reviews55 followers
March 17, 2022
THIS BOOK NEVSKSURNELDHR
I AM IN LOVE!! I AM OBSESSED!! THIS IS ACTUAL PERFECTION. THIS IS LITERALLY THE BEST BOOK I'VE READ SO FAR THIS YEAR. I'M GONNA TRY TO EXPLAIN WHY BUT HONESTLY YOU CAN NOT UNDERSTAND PERFECTION UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE IT SO READ THIS BOOK!!

Prem & Rina's TSwift Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3tF...

"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."

General Review:
This is literally perfect in every aspect whether its writing style, plot, characters, pacing, EVERYTHING. You've got an amazing independent woman who knows her worth, a successful respectful attractive man, AND a fake dating trope WITH JUST THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF DESPERATION AND MOTIVE. AND THEY'RE BOTH SWIFTIES. AND THE SMUT IS SO FUCKING GOOD TOO.  I also absolutely loved learning about Indian culture too. I went into this book knowing almost knowing about it and then I found that its actually quite similar to my own culture (middle eastern/Egyptian) and it's so intriguing AND I WANNA TRY PARANTHAS NOW!! I also strongly related to Rina and Prem's conversation about their connection to their immigrant family because I too am an immigrant and I love that there's this representation here. I not only fell in love with the characters, and culture, but I found it so easy to connect to it too which is everything I love in a book. Miss Nisha Sharma HAS MADE MAGIC.

Characters:
Kareena - SHE IS WHAT I ASPIRE TO BE. ANNOYING MC?? FORGET THAT. She's gorgeous, has her dream job, knows her worth, and won't take shit from anybody.
Prem - THIS MAN IS PERFECT. He cares and he listens and is so supportive AHHHH WHERE DO I BUY ONE??????? He literally didn't miss one thing she told him even in passing and I wish I had someone who listened to me this much he's also got the perfect amount of seasoning (trauma ;) ) Also I wish I knew what in his life prompted him to call his dick Charlie...you cannot tell me it just came out of nowhere 😭
Bindu/ Dadi/ Rina's dad - I have a love/hate relationship with them because of how much they resemble my own family in the toxicity aspect (especially toxicity that stems from a thousand-year-old culture). I kind of completely hate Bindu though.
The aunties - I LOVE THEM. They seem so fun and supportive and make the best food and have the best gossip and I just need to hang out with them. But also if I were in Kareena's position I would hate the overwhelming meddling.
Bindu & Veera - They remind me of my own best friends and how I can go to them for anything and have these deep conversations and help me figure out anything SO I LOVE THEM TOO. Also, I just KNOW something is going on with Veera and Deepak.

Favorite Scenes:
- Meeting at bar
- Allergic reaction at cafe
- Met Museum
- Shed smut
- Prem going after Rina when he finds out she's at a guy's house
- Going to Prem's apartment for the first time
- Shower scene
- PEPPERMINT CREAMER
- Kidnapping Rina
- "I love you"
Profile Image for Danielle.
1,041 reviews595 followers
December 5, 2023
Note: I received a free copy of this book. In exchange here is my honest review:

You guys… this book is hot 🔥🔥🔥…. Big old caution ⛔️ for younger readers and wholesome folks…. Adult steamy content for sure!! 😍 This book was cute and I enjoyed it. 🤗 There was one particular word overused in all the lovey scenes that felt a bit off- if you read other’s reviews I’m sure you’ll find it… that aside- worth 👏 the 👏 read 👏!!

Thank you @goodreads @nishawrites and @harpercollins #goodreadsgiveaway
Profile Image for tasnim♥️.
117 reviews1,489 followers
March 8, 2022
3 🌟
was it steamy yes? but did it make up for all the millennial / weird pop cultural jokes i had to read at the end of the day.... no.

i dnf'd 60% in.
Profile Image for Maria.
326 reviews291 followers
April 12, 2022
Quick Note: I see a lot of people being upset by the Charlie thing. Perhaps this is just the elder millennial in me, but I remember a time when people were embarrassed to use the actual names of genitalia and assigned euphemisms or nicknames that were more palatable. Like the word "monkey" for vagina or referring to one's penis as their "Johnny Ringo". It was a dark ridiculous time. It is a little odd that he refers to his dick as Charlie in his internal monolog, but not a deal breaker for me.

Original Review
4.5
I rounded up, despite the excessive amount of pro-sweater vest propaganda, because this novel addressed very real issues, like the ingrained misogyny and colonialism in brown communities, in such a thoughtful way it separated itself from the standard romantic fluff.

The way the author wrote a family that was loving, but had some toxic behaviors was brilliant. Often fictional families are depicted as perfect or absolutely horrible, but that's not how things really are. People who love us can sometimes do very hurtful and harmful things to us without it meaning they hate us. And certain things like unprocessed grief can become so normal we no longer see the influence they have over our lives.

Family dynamics are complex and breaking from generational toxicity can be difficult.

This book also had the most realistic kidnapping scene in a rom com that I've ever read/seen.

Can't wait for the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Karla Espinosa.
124 reviews5,407 followers
March 14, 2022
I enjoyed this book sooooo much more than I thought I would! I expected a cute little rom-com but it ended up being so much more! My favorite part had to be the main character, Kareena, and her level of relatability. I mean she's an independent, hard-working, romance novel-loving, Taylor Swift fanatic, hopeless romantic woman. She's aware of her self-worth and refuses to settle for less. The cultural aspects were another favorite of mine. Of course, her love story with Prem was everything and more! If you're looking for a spicy rom-com that's going to keep you interested throughout the whole book, then this is perfect for you!
Profile Image for romancelibrary.
1,251 reviews575 followers
March 12, 2022
I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Dating Dr. Dil was one of my highly anticipated reads of the year. I expected a fun Desi romantic comedy with flawed characters to root for. I'm not sure what the author was aiming for, but the storytelling is chaotic, the dialogues are cringy, and every single character is awful and has little to no development.

Dating Dr. Dil is an enemies to lovers romance, with a dash of fake dating. It's also loosely based on The Taming of the Shrew. First of all, the connection between Prem and Kareena? Insta-lust. They're also both incredibly annoying. Kareena, in particular, crossed a line with her behaviour, which she never apologized for. The enemies aspect of the romance did not work well - Prem and Kareena came across as juvenile and asinine. Their childish behaviour was supposed to be comedic, but it only succeeded in annoying the hell out of me. In terms of characterization, Prem's passion and motivation to build a community clinic is easy to understand. But there's nothing to show the motivation behind Kareena's professional choices.

The romance slightly improved when Prem and Kareena got over their childish behaviour and went on fun dates together. Kareena believes in love. Prem doesn't believe in love. Kareena wants him to say the words. Prem doesn't want to say the words. It's the most annoying type of conflict. That being said, I liked the conversation between Prem and his mom. Most Asian families value actions over words. They don't go around saying "I love you" to each other. Instead, they show their love through actions and sacrifices. The author didn't specifically highlight this as a cultural thing, but I still appreciated the fact that Prem had a conversation with his mom about saying the words "I love you."

With a few exceptions, the dialogues are awkward, cringy, and stilted. Some of the Aunty dialogues made me think, "A desi aunty would never have used these words." It's almost as if the author was stuck between appealing to her Desi audience and her non-Desi audience.

The author tried hard to make it look like she was demolishing stereotypes, but in my opinion, she just ended up reinforcing these stereotypes. Why does every Desi romance have to be about arranged marriage vs. love marriage? Our culture is not limited to rishtas. Why do Desi authors amplify this aspect of our culture, to the point where it feels like a caricature and mockery? There was some commentary about how Desi women are negatively impacted by cultural expectations about marriage, but it didn't have a strong impact on me.
Profile Image for Nisha Sharma.
Author 13 books2,579 followers
March 18, 2022
Hello readers! I wanted to make sure I shared some important information about the book with all of you, and this is my best chance at getting the info in front of your faces.

If you're interested in DATING DR. DIL events, virtual and/or in person, check out my events page on my website here.

If you're interested in learning more about the genesis of the story, here is a Dear Reader letter to share some insight.

And so many of you have asked me about Charlie that I ended up just doing a video about it on TT. Here is a link to that video.

The best way to support an author is by either asking your local library to purchase a copy, or to invest in a copy for yourself or your friends! Thank you for all of you who have already been so incredibly supportive. Here are some purchase links for the book.
Bookshop.org
Indiebound
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Booksamillion

Special shout out to the South Asian readers who have messaged me with so much love. I know that I'm only writing from my particular lens from the third diaspora, but I'm so glad you connected with the story. I hope that with each book, I continue to work at making you feel seen and supported.

And for those of you venturing into the book for the first time, I hope that it makes you laugh. <3

T/W: death of parent/death of SO off page (backstory), grief
Profile Image for gauri.
197 reviews579 followers
March 16, 2022
i really hate to do this but this book is so boring and unoriginal and also kinda cringe. i hated prem's ridiculous views on love and his reasonings. kareena's strong mindedness and the instances of south asian culture were my favourite part!

thank you avon and netgalley for the arc!
Profile Image for Ayushi (bookwormbullet).
683 reviews1,182 followers
March 28, 2022
DATING DR. DIL IS OUT TODAY!! GO READ IT RIGHT NOW!!

Thank you so much to Avon for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review! And thank you so much to Nisha for sending me a personalized ARC 🥺

I'M OBSESSEDDDD. In case you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard of this DELIGHTFUL adult romcom releasing on March 15, Dating Dr. Dil is a South Asian remix of Taming of the Shrew that follows Kareena Mann, a love-obsessed homebody, and Dr. Prem Verma, a love-phobic TV doctor, who get into a viral argument about love on the set of Prem’s TV show, The Dr. Dil Show. Even though the two have conflicting views on love-matches and arranged-matches, the more time Prem spends with Kareena, the more he begins to believe she’s the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But for Prem and Kareena to find their happily ever after, they must admit that hate has turned into fate.

I've read every single one of Nisha's previous works and they're all amazing, but this is so clearly her best work and I cannot recommend Dating Dr. Dil enough for romance readers. It combines the best aspects of all of her books--the desi magic from My So-Called Bollywood Life, the grounded relationship in Radha & Jai’s Recipe for Romance, and the fierce and swoonworthy romance of The Singh Family Trilogy. It's hilarious, and emotional, and steamy, and so much fun. If there’s one thing that Nisha knows how to write well, it’s a male main character who’s utterly and completely obsessed with the female main character before he even realizes it. The lengths Prem goes to keep Kareena in his life in this novel was so much fun to see. From pani puri eating competitions, to murder mystery scavenger hunts at the Met, to “kidnapping” Kareena and whisking her away to his home to spend the night with her, this man was DOWN BAD and I was here for every second of it.

I also have to talk about the novel’s main character, Kareena Mann, Jersey’s resident sweater vest baddie, and tell y’all why I love her so much. Kareena’s character means everything to me. It’s not everyday brown women are leads in western romance books to begin with, and just seeing her front and center on the cover makes me so happy. Also, the fact that she wears glasses?! I need more glasses-wearing FMCs in my romance books, please and thank you.

Going into Kareena’s personality and character, I think the main reason why I loved her, and why so many other brown readers have loved her as well, is because of her no B.S. attitude. While Kareena is inspired by Kate from Taming of the Shrew, her personality means so much more in the context of South Asian communities and values. She refuses to lower her standards to meet the standards of her potential suitors, stands up to her dad to let her keep their family home, and straight up tells Prem that she’ll only have him if he reciprocates her love. She does this all on her own, but also with the help of her aunties, who all consider her as their own after her mother’s passing. Amidst the “Sharam nahi aati?” and “Log kya kahenge?” mentalities of many people within the South Asian community IRL (Mrs. W.S. Gupta, I’m looking at you, girl), Kareena and her non-toxic meddling aunties are a breath of fresh air. I also loved Kareena’s support system made up of Bobbi and Veera and I’m very excited to potentially read their books next 👀

Moving to Dr. Dil himself, there is a clear juxtaposition of Prem’s character against Kareena’s, which was done really well in my opinion, especially in the context of how desi men are treated in South Asian communities. In Dating Dr. Dil, Prem is 100% a desi f-boy as he claims, and it’s apparent how, as a South Asian man, he faces more privileges than Kareena does in their desi community. Even after Prem loses his late fiancé, Gori, he isn’t shamed for being single and seeking a new wife just like Kareena fears she will be if things don’t work out with Prem. Additionally, Prem is coddled by his mother at several points throughout the novel (as, let’s face it, many South Asian men are) whereas Kareena has to repeatedly stand up for herself to her father and grandmother. This contrast between the two leads, combined with their contrasting views on love and marriage, was done incredibly well IMO and I admire Nisha for highlighting these double standards within some South Asian communities.

All this to say that Dating Dr. Dil has some of the best South Asian-American rep that I’ve seen (but you knew that already), combined with filmy magic and the best romance tropes. Trust that Prem and Kareena will steal your heart immediately from the first few chapters. Nisha Sharma is a true champion to South Asian readers and I cannot thank her enough for providing readers like me with such incredible stories. This delightful novel is out now, and I hope you love Kareena and Prem as much as I did!

Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
Profile Image for Jessica .
2,352 reviews15.3k followers
April 5, 2022
This was such a cute and fun romance! Kareena is 30 and her family has been pressuring her to marry. Even though she has a successful career, she hasn't been successful in life according to her family because she's still single. Prem, on the other hand, is still single because he lost someone in his life and doesn't believe in love. Kareena and Prem meet and have a one night stand gone wrong. Kareena is humiliated and angry, so when she sees Prem at a work event for her sister, she goes off on him. On a live stream. The world knows they hate each other, but they both need to get married for different reasons and decide to fake date to get what they want for their professional lives. Kareena is still trying to date on apps and with people her aunties set her up with, but it's impossible to find someone genuine and who she could see herself with. Unless she's on a fake date with Prem, that is. The two can't stop thinking about each other. I loved how they were fake dating and would rather be with each other than trying to date other people. Prem did get frustrating with how he would not go all in with Kareena because he was STILL adamant that love didn't exist. He had a lot to go through, though, which he eventually does before the end of the book. There was a lot going on in the plot of book and a lot of family dynamics, but I ended up enjoying that and this romance!
Profile Image for shaira ✨.
494 reviews155 followers
Read
January 13, 2024
he’s a 10 but he calls his dick charlie 🥴
Profile Image for Angie Cox.
475 reviews4,662 followers
July 25, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ Stop what you're doing and pre-order this book!!!

Dating Dr. Dil is easily one of my favorite romantic comedies of all time! Inspired by Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, the story is about a love-phobic TV doctor trying to convince a love-obsessed lawyer that they are meant to be together. There is so much hilarious banter, amazing sexual tension, passionate romance, loveable characters, and more! I laughed so hard and even needed to take a few moments to cool down when things heated up.

This was my first novel by Nisha Sharman and will not be my last! And I guarantee Dating Dr. Dil will become the next big contemporary romance. So be sure to pre-order today (releases March 15, 2022).


So what did I love about this story?

Everything! No, really, I could go on and on about this book! But for the sake of time, I'll try to be brief. (Try being the keyword 🙈)


I am completely obsessed with Kareena and Prem! ❤️ It's rare in any rom-com for me to relate to or even like both the main characters, but Dating Dr. Dil nailed it! Kareena is a smart, independent, sassy, down-to-earth lawyer, and Prem is a loyal, sexy, pragmatic, playful doctor. Put them together, and BAM!!! You've got the ultimate power couple. They have my entire heart, mind, body, and soul! I freaking love them!


The dual POV really added to the story. Both Kareena and Prem are amazing characters with unique personalities and differing opinions about love, so seeing the world from their perspective really allowed me to understand where they were coming from.

But I will say, Prem's belief about love got to be a tad frustrating when he clearly was in love with Kareena. He was so caught up on the semantics that he couldn't see what was right in front of him. I just wanted to slap him across the face (lol)! However, after learning about Prem's past, it's understandable why he would have such a standoffish approach to love. And eventually, his head finally catches up with his heart, so it all works out. 😊


The chemistry between Kareena and Prem is off the charts! I think one of the most challenging things about rom-coms is convincing the reader the two main characters are meant to be together. But Nisha Sharma, you freaking did it! The enemies-to-lovers vibes, fake-dating plot, passionate banter, and stubborn personalities made the tension explosive. I could feel the heat coming right off the page! 🔥 Whether Kareena and Prem are fighting or f*cking, there is so much fire, it could burn the world. And that's the only kind of romance story I want to read.


The spice was . . . holy sh*t, it was something else. 🥵 Whenever Kareen and Prem are near each other, there's so much sexual tension. So when they finally get together, it's mind-blowingly sexy! The things Prem does to Kareena. Not going to lie, my mouth was gaping wide open a few times. These scenes were HOT, and things only got spicier as the story went on! (Yes, there are multiple sex scenes. 🙌 )

There were some things Prem says in heated moments (like using the term finger f*cked, calling his dick Charlie, and referring to Kareena as a 'dirty girl') that I personally am not into. But then he goes down on Kareena three times in a row and would say things like, "Tell me what you want, Rina, honey. I promise I'll make it good." So yeah, I got over the parts that annoyed me real quick. Because when you're reading about a man as hot and generous as Prem, you let things slide.


I adore the nosey aunties! They are the real MVPs of this story because, without them, there wouldn't be a Kareen and Prem endgame. Even though they were meddlesome, they just wanted what was best for Kareena. Every scene featuring these lovely ladies was a treat and had me laughing my ass off. I hope they'll be playing a part in the next books in this series!


I enjoyed learning more about Indian culture. As this story centers around Indian American families, it showcased Indian dating/marriage customs, family dynamics, delicious foods, and traditional outfits. The writing is so descriptive that it felt as if I were experiencing everything along with the characters. I now need to go to a Punjabi party and eat delicious pani puris. 😋


Even though I'm not Indian, I'm a daughter of immigrants and definitely found myself relating to Kareena.

"Sometimes I think that we, as the first ones born in the U.S. feel so much pressure to excel because our parents don't know if their intercontinental move was successful until we are successful. . . We are the reward to their sacrifice."

Many children of immigrants feel pressure to be who our parents want us to be, even at the expense of our own happiness. Of course, we want to make them proud, but we also want to follow our own dreams. I'm proud that Kareena was strong enough to be true to herself, but it was hard seeing the way her family treated her because it just mirrored my own experience. I loved how Prem stood up for Kareen at the end and eventually, how her family came around to support her.



Overall, Dating Dr. Dil was an absolute delight and should immediately be added to your reading list! It's one of those stories that you'll find yourself reading over and over again and thinking about constantly. If this is what we got from the first book in Nisha Sharma's If Shakespeare was an Auntie series, I cannot wait for the next one!


Thank you NetGalley for providing an eARC and Harper Collins for providing a physical ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,450 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.