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Recipe for Persuasion
(The Rajes #2)
by
From the author of Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors comes another , clever, deeply layered, and heartwarming romantic comedy that follows in the Jane Austen tradition—this time, with a twist on Persuasion.
Chef Ashna Raje desperately needs a new strategy. How else can she save her beloved restaurant and prove to her estranged, overachieving mother that she isn’t a comple ...more
Chef Ashna Raje desperately needs a new strategy. How else can she save her beloved restaurant and prove to her estranged, overachieving mother that she isn’t a comple ...more
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Paperback, 464 pages
Published
May 26th 2020
by William Morrow Paperbacks
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Start your review of Recipe for Persuasion (The Rajes, #2)

This is not a romcom!
Calling Recipe for Persuasion fun and breezy is highly misleading. This book deals with a lot of serious issues that should have come with a big fat warning. Also, I'd have liked this a whole lot better if Sonali Dev hadn't called it a retelling.
Basically after a shitty childhood with an alcoholic father and absentee mother, Ashna Raje has abandonment issues, depression and severe anxiety. As if that wasn't enough, she's on the verge of running her restaurant to the groun ...more
Calling Recipe for Persuasion fun and breezy is highly misleading. This book deals with a lot of serious issues that should have come with a big fat warning. Also, I'd have liked this a whole lot better if Sonali Dev hadn't called it a retelling.
Basically after a shitty childhood with an alcoholic father and absentee mother, Ashna Raje has abandonment issues, depression and severe anxiety. As if that wasn't enough, she's on the verge of running her restaurant to the groun ...more

Nope, this is not sweet romcom that I’ve dreamed of and it is not also great example for retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion.
I actually have to admit that when I click the request button, I didn’t think it was retelling of one of the famous classics. I looked at the beautiful cover and read the blurb made me think it’s entertaining second chance romance with humorous enemies- ex lovers story with a sweet and romantic touch of Indian cultural motifs. But as soon as I got the book into my hands, ...more
I actually have to admit that when I click the request button, I didn’t think it was retelling of one of the famous classics. I looked at the beautiful cover and read the blurb made me think it’s entertaining second chance romance with humorous enemies- ex lovers story with a sweet and romantic touch of Indian cultural motifs. But as soon as I got the book into my hands, ...more

In this loose retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Ashna is a Bay Area chef so desperate to save her family’s failing restaurant she agrees to compete on the reality tv show Cooking with the Stars. That’s where she reconnects with her first love—now a Brazilian soccer star—on live tv, for the first time since he disappeared twelve years ago on the worst night of her life.
Dev puts her own spin on Austen’s classic, while highlighting the timeless themes of the original: a young woman sensitive ...more
Dev puts her own spin on Austen’s classic, while highlighting the timeless themes of the original: a young woman sensitive ...more

[2.5] I thought Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors was a delightful romcom so had high hopes for Dev's 2nd Austen tribute. Unfortunately, the plot almost keeled over with the burdens of Ashna and her mother. I found it difficult to root for the confused heroine who (unlike Anne Elliot) wallows in her guilt and unhappiness.
...more

Ashna Raje is struggling. Her restaurant could use some major renovations, and she can barely fill thirty of the dining room’s one hundred tables on a good night. She never seems to see eye-to-eye with her very successful mother, who lives in India and rarely makes time to visit Ashna in the San Francisco Bay Area. And now, Ashna’s cousin and best friend want her to star on a celebrity cooking show, where she’ll be paired off with a famous partner and have the chance to win enough money to turn
...more

Jane Austen’s Persuasion gets a modern face lift Desi-style in this standalone sequel as Indian American chef, Ashna Raje, and Brazilian footballer, Rico Silva, encounter each other once again as acrimonious cooking partners on a reality TV show. I love that the Sonali Dev has cooked up the Raje series of modern retellings of Austen’s classical works including this second entry, Recipe for Persuasion, giving members of the Raje family their chances at romance.
Ashna’s family are convinced a real ...more
Ashna’s family are convinced a real ...more

I drooled my way through the first book of this Jane Austen–based series, Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors. Would the sophomore effort measure up?
Well, almost. I am a big fan of Dev’s cluster of characters, the Raje family, Indian aristocrats transplanted to a more egalitarian California but still trailing clouds of privilege in their wake. They are glamorous but grounded, rooted in but not bound by their culture and traditions. They lead rich lives (in the values sense, more than the economi ...more
Well, almost. I am a big fan of Dev’s cluster of characters, the Raje family, Indian aristocrats transplanted to a more egalitarian California but still trailing clouds of privilege in their wake. They are glamorous but grounded, rooted in but not bound by their culture and traditions. They lead rich lives (in the values sense, more than the economi ...more

2.5 stars
Well. Here we are again with another book blatantly being called a rom-com and there’s a small serving of rom, but definitely no com. And I’m extra disappointed because not only was PP+OF one of my top 10 books the year it released, but Persuasion is a dear favorite of mine.
I liked Ashna and Rico well enough. They’re both good people who are still hung up on each other; however for me, it wasn’t charming. I didn’t quite see the chemistry between them and more often than not, was told t ...more
Well. Here we are again with another book blatantly being called a rom-com and there’s a small serving of rom, but definitely no com. And I’m extra disappointed because not only was PP+OF one of my top 10 books the year it released, but Persuasion is a dear favorite of mine.
I liked Ashna and Rico well enough. They’re both good people who are still hung up on each other; however for me, it wasn’t charming. I didn’t quite see the chemistry between them and more often than not, was told t ...more

Comparing this to book #1, it's not as perfect and not as good as the first one. BUT it's still freaking good because when you're comparing to a masterpiece like Pride, Prejudice, and other Flavors, it's hard to live up to.
If you like gut-wrenching angst, swoon worthy romance, and family drama that would mess you up when all the truth is revealed--pick this one up. I absolutely loved the mother/daughter relationship that really needed to be mended with communication. I also loved the yearning th ...more
If you like gut-wrenching angst, swoon worthy romance, and family drama that would mess you up when all the truth is revealed--pick this one up. I absolutely loved the mother/daughter relationship that really needed to be mended with communication. I also loved the yearning th ...more

Chef reality show gets very REAL!
A very loose nod to Austen's Persuasion. Ashna Raje is trying to hang onto her beloved father's once successful Indian restaurant at all costs. The restaurant is in crisis, millions of dollars were embezzled. Now she is doing all she can to lower overheads and rebuild the restaurant, her father's dream. And that's the crux, Ashna needs to discover her own dream.
Her cousin persuades as her to take part in a reality tv cooking show. Grand prize of $100,000
Little d ...more
A very loose nod to Austen's Persuasion. Ashna Raje is trying to hang onto her beloved father's once successful Indian restaurant at all costs. The restaurant is in crisis, millions of dollars were embezzled. Now she is doing all she can to lower overheads and rebuild the restaurant, her father's dream. And that's the crux, Ashna needs to discover her own dream.
Her cousin persuades as her to take part in a reality tv cooking show. Grand prize of $100,000
Little d ...more

Wow.
You should all be very, very jealous of me right now because I got to read an early version of this book, and you're going to want it. Of course, now I have the unenviable task of putting down my thoughts before I forget them while not spoiling the book in any sort of way. I will say that many Kleenexs were lost in the reading of this book. If you would like to have your innards turned inside out and then put back to rights thus leaving you with a happy but weary glow, then this is the book ...more
You should all be very, very jealous of me right now because I got to read an early version of this book, and you're going to want it. Of course, now I have the unenviable task of putting down my thoughts before I forget them while not spoiling the book in any sort of way. I will say that many Kleenexs were lost in the reading of this book. If you would like to have your innards turned inside out and then put back to rights thus leaving you with a happy but weary glow, then this is the book ...more

3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
She was the one who couldn’t be the kind of daughter who made her mother want to stay. She was the daughter who wasn’t enough for her father to give up whatever it was he got from his scotch.
Recipe for Persuasion continues an intimate look into the lives of the Raje family members, an Indian royal family living in California who readers were introd ...more
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
She was the one who couldn’t be the kind of daughter who made her mother want to stay. She was the daughter who wasn’t enough for her father to give up whatever it was he got from his scotch.
Recipe for Persuasion continues an intimate look into the lives of the Raje family members, an Indian royal family living in California who readers were introd ...more

CW: talk of past alcoholism, suicide and rape; ptsd and panic attacks
I have a thing for desi Jane Austen retellings, so as soon as I saw the announcement for this book, I knew I was going to read it. Second chance romance on the other hand is not my favorite trope, but because I knew how Persuasion turns, I thought I would love this one too. It didn’t end up working that way though.
The bare bones of the story is quite close to the original, but I was actually excited for the reality cooking sh ...more
I have a thing for desi Jane Austen retellings, so as soon as I saw the announcement for this book, I knew I was going to read it. Second chance romance on the other hand is not my favorite trope, but because I knew how Persuasion turns, I thought I would love this one too. It didn’t end up working that way though.
The bare bones of the story is quite close to the original, but I was actually excited for the reality cooking sh ...more

Reviewers note: Trigger warnings – Rape, Alcholoism, Suicide
Recipe for Persuasion is billed as a desi retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, I’ll have to take the publisher and author’s word on that because I haven’t read the original and I wasn’t impressed with the retelling. Billed as a rom-com, there was nothing funny about this story and it wasn’t particularly romantic. The hero and heroine had a forbidden teenage romance in high school for about 1 year; she is Indian, his is Brazilian and ...more
Recipe for Persuasion is billed as a desi retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, I’ll have to take the publisher and author’s word on that because I haven’t read the original and I wasn’t impressed with the retelling. Billed as a rom-com, there was nothing funny about this story and it wasn’t particularly romantic. The hero and heroine had a forbidden teenage romance in high school for about 1 year; she is Indian, his is Brazilian and ...more

I have so many mixed feelings about this compelling yet frustrating book. It's engrossing for sure, but I feel like this story has been hijacked by its secondary characters and flashbacks and I have no idea why this was necessary.
One of Ashna’s greatest challenges is that she feels that other people don’t see her, that she’s not enough. Reading this book, I couldn't shake the sense that her creator seems to share that opinion. She’s apparently so bored with her main character that she abandons ...more
One of Ashna’s greatest challenges is that she feels that other people don’t see her, that she’s not enough. Reading this book, I couldn't shake the sense that her creator seems to share that opinion. She’s apparently so bored with her main character that she abandons ...more

Persuasion is one of my favorite Jane Austen novels, so of course I was going to read this modern romance that riffs on Persuasion‘s themes!
Recipe for Persuasion is a loose follow-up to last year’s Pride, Prejudice & Other Flavors. The Raje family is still the center of the story, but here, the focus shifts to Ashna Raje, who was a supporting character in the previous novel.
Before getting too far into discussing Recipe for Persuasion, I want to get one thing straight, which is that the blurb abo ...more
Recipe for Persuasion is a loose follow-up to last year’s Pride, Prejudice & Other Flavors. The Raje family is still the center of the story, but here, the focus shifts to Ashna Raje, who was a supporting character in the previous novel.
Before getting too far into discussing Recipe for Persuasion, I want to get one thing straight, which is that the blurb abo ...more

As much as I love Pride & Prejudice, the book just doesn't update well. (I'm posting a review soon of a spectacular P&P fail.) So many of the elements of the story don't work out of context. Seduction of underage girls, the importance of one sibling's marriage on the family's fortunes, how many families one dines with, fine eyes... stuff just hits different now.
Persuasion, however, is, in many ways, a much easier tale to update. A young woman too sensitive to her family's censure, a young man wh ...more
Persuasion, however, is, in many ways, a much easier tale to update. A young woman too sensitive to her family's censure, a young man wh ...more

3.5 Stars - Good book
I'd never read a retelling of Persuasion before but this was good! I had read Dev's Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors and really enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy this one as much but I think that's in part because Persuasion is my favorite Austen novel. Dev did well with this one and it's a thoroughly enjoyable book that I can recommend. ...more
I'd never read a retelling of Persuasion before but this was good! I had read Dev's Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors and really enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy this one as much but I think that's in part because Persuasion is my favorite Austen novel. Dev did well with this one and it's a thoroughly enjoyable book that I can recommend. ...more


This Jane Austen inspired contemporary romance novel was a decent, uniquely written diverse-filled read that left me pleasantly surprised on how much I didn't completely hate it. Sure Ashna estranged mother Shobj annoyed me like no other but the rekindle romance between Ansha and Rico made up for it. Overall, it was not a bad read and would definitely keep this author on my radar for future releases.![]()
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Please not that I received this via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Trigger warnings: Rape
I loved the first book in this series so much. Sonali Dev did a great job with retelling Pride and Prejudice and with her next re-telling I went, oh no. No. No. This book was too all over the place. Reading the description you think you would be focused on the heroine (Ashna Raje) and the hero (Rico Silva) but nope, we also get into Ashna's mother's life prior to her marrying Ashna's fa ...more
Trigger warnings: Rape
I loved the first book in this series so much. Sonali Dev did a great job with retelling Pride and Prejudice and with her next re-telling I went, oh no. No. No. This book was too all over the place. Reading the description you think you would be focused on the heroine (Ashna Raje) and the hero (Rico Silva) but nope, we also get into Ashna's mother's life prior to her marrying Ashna's fa ...more

Ashna’s story really should have been two books! One about Ashna’s mother Shobi-and her hellacious relationship with Ashna’s dad- and another about Ashna and Rico. For me, the story fell short. The content was simply...too much to process.
At this point, I can tell you more about Ashna’s family drama more than I can about her and Rico, much less their second chance together, because the family drama consumed all the space. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if the book was advertised differentl ...more
At this point, I can tell you more about Ashna’s family drama more than I can about her and Rico, much less their second chance together, because the family drama consumed all the space. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if the book was advertised differentl ...more

I really liked this book, but it was emotional draining

Well, like other reviewers have said, despite what the marketing says, this isn't a Persuasion retelling. The only thing the two novels have in common is the former lovers trope. This is its own can of worms.
And, uh, it wasn't my favorite.
Oh, the main couple was adorable. I felt the chemistry. I looked forward to the Rico POVs.
But the romance was heavy-handed. Especially for the last quarter, there would be pages of talking while they hammer out the meaning of love or whatever. And I just gla ...more
And, uh, it wasn't my favorite.
Oh, the main couple was adorable. I felt the chemistry. I looked forward to the Rico POVs.
But the romance was heavy-handed. Especially for the last quarter, there would be pages of talking while they hammer out the meaning of love or whatever. And I just gla ...more

I am a huge Jane Austen fan and was so excited to receive this arc from Edelweiss+. Ashna is the head chef and owner of Curried Dreams, the failing business left to her by her deceased father. She will do anything to save it, including going on a reality cooking show where she will be matched with a celebrity. Low and behold, she gets matched with Rico, her high school ex boyfriend. I really enjoyed the relationship between Rico and Ashna. Both characters were really likable and fun to read abou
...more

I'm sorry but this was just not my thang. And that is truly a damn shame since nothing is more my thang than a yummy professional football player. (Team Messi 4eva)
But yeah, a couple of things to note:
(1) Don't let the cute cartoon cover fool you: this is no rom-com; it's actually fairly dark.
(2) I found it to be overly dramatic purely for dramatics' sake.
(3) Part of the book covers the story of Ashna's mom (which, to be completely honest, was more interesting than Ashna's story).
(4) Ashna was a ...more
But yeah, a couple of things to note:
(1) Don't let the cute cartoon cover fool you: this is no rom-com; it's actually fairly dark.
(2) I found it to be overly dramatic purely for dramatics' sake.
(3) Part of the book covers the story of Ashna's mom (which, to be completely honest, was more interesting than Ashna's story).
(4) Ashna was a ...more

(free review copy) I LOVED this one! The romance, the mother-daughter relationship story arc, the FOOD, the cooking show - all of it. I actually liked it better than the first in the series and can't wait to read more about the Raje family!
...more

May 26, 2020
Meredith (Austenesque Reviews)
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
jane-austen,
persuasion
A Complex Flavor Profile
Following her stellar modern-day Pride and Prejudice adaptation, Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors, Sonali Dev’s second book in The Rajes Series, Recipe for Persuasion combines the flavors of Jane Austen’s novel about second chances with complicated family dynamics and cultural diversity. In this standalone story, readers see Ashna Raje, the reserved and timid thirty-year-old chef and owner of Curried Dreams – her father’s restaurant – do the unthinkable and compete i ...more
Following her stellar modern-day Pride and Prejudice adaptation, Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors, Sonali Dev’s second book in The Rajes Series, Recipe for Persuasion combines the flavors of Jane Austen’s novel about second chances with complicated family dynamics and cultural diversity. In this standalone story, readers see Ashna Raje, the reserved and timid thirty-year-old chef and owner of Curried Dreams – her father’s restaurant – do the unthinkable and compete i ...more

An Indian chef and a Brazilian soccer player are the main characters in this lovely retelling of Persuasion.
As a hard fan of Jane Austen and originally from Brazil, I was immediately hooked by the premise of Recipe for Persuasion. Two high school sweethearts (an Indian chef, and a Brazilian soccer player), separated by family opposition, meet again twelve years later as participants in a culinary reality show.
What at first seemed to be a romantic comedy soon turned out much denser and more compl ...more
As a hard fan of Jane Austen and originally from Brazil, I was immediately hooked by the premise of Recipe for Persuasion. Two high school sweethearts (an Indian chef, and a Brazilian soccer player), separated by family opposition, meet again twelve years later as participants in a culinary reality show.
What at first seemed to be a romantic comedy soon turned out much denser and more compl ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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November 2020 - Food Memories | 1 | 3 | Nov 10, 2020 10:35AM |
Sonali Dev’s first literary work was a play about mistaken identities performed at her neighborhood Diwali extravaganza in Mumbai. She was eight years old. Despite this early success, Sonali spent the next few decades getting degrees in architecture and written communication, migrating across the globe, and starting a family while writing for magazines and websites. With the advent of her first gr
...more
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(3 books)
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“Happiness seeps into me when you're around, Rico. Without invitation, without notice, joy finds me. Being around you is being alive, it's breathing, it's home.”
—
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“One thing he'd say about her- she blushed like no one else he'd ever met. Her gorgeous skin went from warm brown to an almost fiery pink. It didn't help that Rico knew she was blushing with her entire body right now. He had loved to chase that blush across her skin.”
—
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