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First Comes Like

(Modern Love #3)

Alisha Rai (Goodreads Author)

3.79 · Rating details · 277 ratings · 164 reviews

The author of The Right Swipe and Girl Gone Viral returns with a story about finding love in all the wrong inboxes...

Beauty expert and influencer Jia Ahmed has her eye on the prize: conquering the internet today, the entire makeup industry tomorrow, and finally, finally proving herself to her big opinionated family. She has little time for love, and even less time for the ...more

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Paperback, 432 pages

Expected publication: February 16th 2021 by Avon

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· 277 ratings · 164 reviews

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Dec 02, 2020 Warda marked it as to-read

Please don't let the Muslamic aspect to this be butchered. ...more

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Oct 29, 2020 Nilufer Ozmekik rated it really liked it

I think Jia’s story was the sweetest, most lighthearted and well written one of the series! Ms. Rai adroitly and gently handled the sensitive issues like beliefs, conservatism, tradition, religion, grief, abandonment, self respect. Without provocation and trying to give political, social messages, she drew the line so professionally for giving us a unique romance and meaningful, motivational, poignant family bounding story with lovely characters.

Both Jia and Dev were decent, genuine, adorable ...more

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Jul 05, 2020 menna marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021-releases, muslim-rep

THE COVERRRR OMGGG IM SCREAMING AAAAAAAAAAA

A MUSLIM HIJABI MAIN CHARACTER!!!!! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR JIA'S BOOK SINCE FOREVER ...more

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Aug 18, 2020 Ⓐlleskelle - teamSøren♗ ⊲I like big b00ks⊳ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: online-text-letter-romance, 02-coming-soon

A muslim heroine with a hijab on the cover, online flirting, poesy wooing, catfishing and fake dating with an international Bollywood superstar?
I know I've had a less than stellar experience with the first book of the series but this one has me so EXCITED! Fingers crossed and bring on February 2021! ...more

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Dec 03, 2020 Jamie Rosenblit rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs

In recent years, Alisha Rai has become a must read romance author for me. Her modern love series (The Right Swipe, Girl Gone Viral and now First Comes Like) are some of my favorite romances and I look forward to each new release. Following Rhiannon & Katrina's stories in the first two installments, we now move to Dev & Jia. If you've read the first two books, you might be expecting a ton of steam in this one, but this deals with the issues of virginity and marriage, so it is light on steam. This ...more

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Dec 07, 2020 nick (the infinite limits of love) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021-books-i-love, adult, december-2020, needs-review, contemporary, arc

I really loved what Alisha Rai did with this book. Jia and Dev's story is a slow-burn one and I appreciated how respectful they were of each other's beliefs. I did want just a bit more from the ending, but overall, I had a good time with First Comes Like.

Note: this book is not as steamy as Alisha's usual books because Jia is waiting until marriage to have sex. ...more

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Jan 10, 2021 Danielle rated it really liked it

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC!

This book follows Jia. She goes to confront Dev at a party and finds out she had been catfished. One thing leads to another and they develop a friendship that turns into a fake relationship that moves towards something more.

I enjoyed getting to know Jia more and seeing how she approaches life and love. I liked how Jia and Dev complemented and supported each other despite the way their relationship starts.

This was a lovely third story in Alisha Rai’s Modern ...more

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Nov 23, 2020 Saniya rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020-reads, anxiety-rep, arcs, fake-dating, south-asian, muslim-rep, lighthearted, romance, adult, slow-burn

trigger warnings: death of family members, drug and alcohol mention, cheating spouse mention, car accident mention, catfishing, sex and nudity, panic attack, estrangement from family mention, racist microaggressions, grief, anxiety

The third installment to the modern love series by Alisha Rai was so wonderful and cozy to read. This book was infused with pop culture and social media easter eggs to the point where spotting references became quite an enjoyable scavenger hunt for me. I loved Jia and trigger warnings: death of family members, drug and alcohol mention, cheating spouse mention, car accident mention, catfishing, sex and nudity, panic attack, estrangement from family mention, racist microaggressions, grief, anxiety

The third installment to the modern love series by Alisha Rai was so wonderful and cozy to read. This book was infused with pop culture and social media easter eggs to the point where spotting references became quite an enjoyable scavenger hunt for me. I loved Jia and Dev. Both of their lives in the limelight had different origins and the way that affected their demeanor was really interesting especially when they started to interact with each other. I really appreciated how Jia’s faith and practices as a muslim woman were a relevant part of her character but not the sole defining characteristic. Her faith wasn’t an internal struggle but a part of her being, as natural as breathing. Dev’s innate understanding of her boundaries as a muslim woman were super wonderful to read too. The lack of physicality through the majority of the book really made the emotional bond between the two leads shine through and made me root for them really hard. Dev and Jia’s families were also great secondary and tertiary characters. Their shared values as people who care about family made their bond more realistic. Dev’s dedication to his niece and his contentious relationship with the rest of his family was relatable as heck. Same with Jia’s role as the rogue, independent, and impulsive daughter. The aspects of brown families who are overly invested in the marital status of their offspring was comical yet depressingly realistic.
My one issue with the book was the intimate scenes at the end of the book. I was torn between feeling like I was invading a personal moment for a muslim woman and also chastising myself for expecting all romances representing muslim women to be PG13 all the way through the end. This book respected the major cultural aspects of Islamic courtship through the entire book so it wasn’t so much an issue of misrepresentation as much as it was a question about whether a non muslim author has the right to cross a line such as this in a book. As a non muslim myself, I cannot say whether it was appropriate or not.
Aside from that, this book was an overall delight and I found myself unable to put it down. I kept sneaking my phone out to read at the worst possible times because it was SO GOOD. ...more

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Sep 14, 2020 Mjspice marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: most-anticipated

*looks at cover*
*reads summary*
Lemme just sit right here.

...more

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Oct 08, 2020 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: a-little-bit-of-romance, adult-fiction, arcs, own-voices, contemporary-romance, 2021-releases

I really enjoyed this. A hijabi heroine, fake relationship trope, what's not to love? This lacked the angst that I usually enjoy, but it was so sweet and sincere without being cheesy that I didn't miss it. ...more

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Aug 18, 2020 dina marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: muslim-reps, south-asian-reps

ANOTHER MAIN MUSLIM HIJABI REP LETS GO!

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Dec 21, 2020 Sarmat Chowdhury rated it it was ok · review of another edition

*Received an arc from working at Barnes & Noble which was provided by the publishing company, Avon Books*

I have heard about Alisha Rai, and her series of romance novels that star POC leads and feature South Asian leading ladies, featuring social media to add to the tropes implemented in these New Adult romance novels. First Comes Like takes the Desi serial tv tropes, the allure of Bollywood, Beauty vlogs, and two unique romance main characters to create a book that showcases themes not generall *Received an arc from working at Barnes & Noble which was provided by the publishing company, Avon Books*

I have heard about Alisha Rai, and her series of romance novels that star POC leads and feature South Asian leading ladies, featuring social media to add to the tropes implemented in these New Adult romance novels. First Comes Like takes the Desi serial tv tropes, the allure of Bollywood, Beauty vlogs, and two unique romance main characters to create a book that showcases themes not generally seen in romance.

While the arc did not include some needed editing from a narrative and grammar perspective, the biggest disappointment for me stemmed from the disjointed narrative surrounding Jia and her family, especially regarding her Muslim identity. Granted, as a practicing Muslim man it’s a touchy subject potentially to talk about the portrayal of a Hijabi romance character, but for a book that goes out of its way to showcase that the main character wears the hijab, I saw that Alisha Rai had really missed the mark when not only writing this character as a Pakistani American Muslimah.

In no way am I saying that all hijabi women, even those of the Desi diaspora, are monolithic in their approach to the hijab, but the way that Rai wrote Jia surrounding her Muslimah identity was......non existent at best. While I understand that a romance novel, especially for an American audience might not include the nuance we might find in other genres (and I did appreciate the removal of an Islamaphobia/terrorism related subplots for Jia) it played for me that Jia and her hijab was just used to showcase that Jia was going to be different then the other characters that Rai had in this series of books. Jia discussing her thoughts on drinking amd sex alone did not make sense for someone that is portrayed wearing the hijab on a daily basis - especially in an age where there is a broad spectrum of women in social media who have successfully made careers while also wearing the hijab. While how the hijab is worn and their religiousness might not come into question (nor should it) the hijab represents a more orthodox approach to practicing Islam in the public eye - and is usually coupled with the more orthodox views surrounding premarital sex and drinking. Rai did a better job showing this delineation with Jia’s sisters Sadia, Noor and Ayesha - Muslim women of varying degrees. Coupled with the one mention of Jia praying (again, minor details that seem random to me to only mention once in the entire narrative from Jia POV), not to mention the blasé approach of Dev being Hindu and Jia Muslim (folks, no matter how modern the family, that will ALWAYS PROVIDE A POINT OF CONTENTION WITH SOMEONE).

Compare Jia and her portrayal with Ayesha from Ayesha at Last, Zayneb from Love From A to Z, and the Binat sisters from Unmarriageable for both the hijab and Pakistani identity, and Jia seems two dimensional in comparison - a weak character because of the inclusion of the hijab as a prop in her storyline.

I liked Adil and Luna, along with the parents of Jia (and her sisters) as characters, and I appreciated that Dev was a good male lead that was a Desi man (and I loved the reference to Saatiya the Star Plus serial and Gopi washing her husbands laptop in the narrative)

So much room for potential and representation, really missed the mark.

...more

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Jan 08, 2021 Bajidc rated it really liked it

My very first Goodreads giveaway and it’s from one of my favorite authors! Alisha Rai offers a light-hearted escape from the onslaught of recent current events (I thought 2020 was over!) and grim reality. The first installment of the “Modern Love” series was an edgy and hilarious take on love in the dating app age. The second book, released during the pandemic, was prescient with its themes of self-isolation and mental health; even sourdough makes an appearance. This (final? But Lakshmi!) chapte My very first Goodreads giveaway and it’s from one of my favorite authors! Alisha Rai offers a light-hearted escape from the onslaught of recent current events (I thought 2020 was over!) and grim reality. The first installment of the “Modern Love” series was an edgy and hilarious take on love in the dating app age. The second book, released during the pandemic, was prescient with its themes of self-isolation and mental health; even sourdough makes an appearance. This (final? But Lakshmi!) chapter of the trilogy features a milder, modest love story. It takes a delicate hand to write a romance involving a modern devout Muslim woman (we come in so many flavors) but Alisha accomplishes it. If you’ve seen any Bollywood movies, then you’ll know the kind of vibe this book. Think of the sweet and meaningful surreptitious back-of-the-hand-hand-brushing scene of episode three of “Bridgerton” (aside: I like sexy times as much as the next duchess but against a stone staircase? Hard pass.).

Like many Desi girls, Jia struggles with longing for her parents’ approval and pursuing her non-traditional ambitions. Bollywood-to-Hollywood star Dev drops into her life, turbulent family histories on both sides shake things up, and a fauxmance begins. You may recall Jia’s wilder sister Saadia from the “Forbidden Hearts” series but don’t expect the same plot devices or scorchingly explicit scenes here. As Dev himself says, “this felt more muted and warm, though it still retained an undercurrent of passion.” From dating apps to hashtags to vlogs and catfishing, the entire series showcases fostering relationships sparked by, or despite, present-day technology. Also, I see you, veiled reference to “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.”

My copy of the book was an uncorrected proof so I’ll tamp down any criticisms that might be resolved before final publication and highly encourage readers to check out the first two books of the series which I adored. Keep writing more garam masala novels (and Quarantine Cuisine-ing and Tik-Tok-ing), Alisha! ...more

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Dec 11, 2020 Brittany J. (BNJreads) rated it really liked it

Thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks for the gifted copy of First Comes Like by Alisha Rai!

Well I didn’t want that to end...it ended so endearing and unexpected considering it all started out as a CATFISH! I said in the beginning that I wasn’t a fan of the fake relationship trope because I could see the train wreck coming but in this case it delivered a true romance that I’m sad it’s over! I want more of Dev and Jia NOW! I found myself overjoyed for them both having found something real, some ...more

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Dec 11, 2020 Elena rated it really liked it

Shelves: adult, romance, arc, contemporary-realistic, bipoc

Such a sweet romance featuring social media beauty influencer Jia and famous Bollywood actor Dev who, unbeknownst to him, was the face of Jia's catfisher. Featuring Fake Dating, Only One Room at the Inn, and more delightful romance tropes.

I think this is the first romance I've read with a hijabi heroine, and Jia was SO great! I especially loved the way the book handled sex. Jia is chaste but sex positive. (view spoiler) ...more

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Dec 28, 2020 Cassie rated it really liked it

Shelves: anticipated-releases, read-in-2020, arc, contemporary, romance, netgalley

3.75 {Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.}

First Comes Like by Alisha Rai is a wonderful blend of modern career paths and traditional family and cultural expectations in this fake dating romance. I really enjoy the diverse cast of characters in this series, as well as the heavier topics covered (grief, loss, abandonment).

I don't love the catfishing trope, so I was glad that it happened mostly before the start of the book. The progress from there ke ...more

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Aug 20, 2020 Maëlys rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, aoc, 2021-releases

☆ 3 / 5 ☆

The Right Swipe (Modern Love #1): 5 / 5
Girl Gone Viral (Modern Love #2): 4 / 5

Jia and Dev were really sweet but the shining star for me was Luna! <3

Youtube ☆ Twitter

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Jan 06, 2021 Jamie marked it as dnf

DNF - I couldn't get into this one. I appreciate the free review copy from Libro FM, but I have to move on. I liked the premise but just could not get into the story and didn't care about the characters. Snooze fest for me. Next! ...more

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Dec 05, 2020 Heather Hill rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook, 2020

Alisha, what happened here???? I wanted to love this one, but instead, it just fell super flat and the pacing was weird and off as hell. I feel like we didn't get any real tension until about 90 percent in, and by that time, it just felt forced and not realistic. Dev was kind of too perfect for a love interest and while I related somewhat to Jia's insecurities and family pressures, there was definitely just little to no chemistry for me between these two MCs. I really don't know what happened af ...more

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Nov 05, 2020 Shireen Hakim rated it it was amazing

I've enjoyed reading many of Alisha Rai's entertaining romance novels, and I thought I had already found my favorite, but now I know it's FIRST COMES LIKE.

Rai's talent really shines in this fresh story about a sweet Muslim influencer and a devoted Bollywood hero. Protagonist Jia Ahmed is relatable despite her beauty and social media success, yet is the tragedy-ridden oldest brother and grandson Dev that will capture readers' hearts. Their innocent courtship and fauxmance is delightful, but its ...more

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Jan 15, 2021 Stephanie (read_with_steph) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The third in Alisha's Rai's Modern Love series (which can be read as a stand-alone and/or out of order) is a unique love story full of twists and turns worthy of a Bollywood soap. I can't pretend to know whether it is culturally accurate, respectful, representative, or anything else other readers may be curious about. But I can tell you I immensely enjoyed the story.

We see the return of Jia, a Muslim beauty YouTuber who soon learns out the guy of the dreams she's been talking to online... isn't. The third in Alisha's Rai's Modern Love series (which can be read as a stand-alone and/or out of order) is a unique love story full of twists and turns worthy of a Bollywood soap. I can't pretend to know whether it is culturally accurate, respectful, representative, or anything else other readers may be curious about. But I can tell you I immensely enjoyed the story.

We see the return of Jia, a Muslim beauty YouTuber who soon learns out the guy of the dreams she's been talking to online... isn't. She's been catfished. But too ashamed to admit it to her family, a whacky scheme to save her dignity may turn into a true love match.

I always loved Jia in the first books and was super curious as to her character would be handled given Alisha Rai's reputation for including at least some intimacy in her books. I don't want to spoil anything, but I think and hope all readers will be pleased with how this one turned out. Both the hero and heroine in this book were just supremely likable. They almost had that "too perfect" quality--the book didn't center so much on their faults, but on the issues with their lives and the things surrounding them. This is a stellar third installment in the series and I can't wait to read more from Rai!

I listened to this book on audio and I cannot recommend the audio. I wish so much that I would have read it, but I was offered an ARC from Libro.fm and just couldn't wait until release day to get the story! The audiobook uses two narrators to reflect the dual POV, which is great, but sadly both of them were terrible narrators for different reasons. The woman was incredibly robotic with nearly zero inflection in her voice, especially when voicing Jia. The man was fine generally EXCEPT when he voiced female characters. He took on this weird soft yet high baby voice that almost sounded like he was making fun of the speaker that really took me out of the story. This is a book that's a must-read, in more ways than one.

Thank you to Libro.fm for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!

5 stars - 9/10 ...more

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Nov 16, 2020 N.G.Peltier N.G.Peltier rated it liked it

Shelves: desi-authors, authors-of-colour, books-devoured-in-2020

This was a sweet romance between two people who are pretty opposite but just work? Dev is pretty famous in India as a Bollywood actor and so is his family. Jia is also famous as a makeup influencer.
I love how she wears bright colours and makeup and Dev is a serious guy but he's just so sweet and supportive of her.

They don't have the best first meeting but circumstances leads them to fake dating when a photo of the two of them in an intimate looking embrace is revealed!

I love books where the f ...more

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Dec 31, 2020 Ritu Bhathal rated it really liked it

What a delight First Comes Like was, to read!
Having enjoyed the first two of the Modern Love series, by Alisha Rai, The Right Swipe and Girl Gone Viral, I was chomping at the bit for this next instalment in the series.
This time we focussed on Jia, a Social Media influencer and successful vlogger, and her love life choices.
It was a breath of fresh air to have a heroine with a headscarf, but that not to be the main point. Heaven knows women of all backgrounds have love lives and similar feelings, ...more

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Dec 29, 2020 Stacy40pages rated it liked it

First Comes Like by Alisha Rai. Thanks to @avon and @netgalley for the e-Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️

When instagram influencer, Jia, finally meets Bollywood soap star Dev, she remembers all their social media chats with pleasure. That is until he doesn’t know who she is. After undercoving the catfish scheme, they begin to know each other and engage in a fake dating scheme.. each for reasons of their own.

There were many things about this book I liked, and a few that I didn’t. It was an enjoyable read and I liked ...more

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Oct 27, 2020 Laura rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, 2020, romance, netgalley, diverse, series

The first two books in the series were awesome reads so I had high hopes for Jia's story. When first introduced in an earlier series, I loved that in a family of doctors, Jia is crushing it as a social media influencer.

Jia thinks she's been texting with Bollywood royalty/superstar Dev. But when she attends an event, just so she can meet him in real life, he has no idea who she is. Embarrassed and heartbroken, Jia realizes she's been catfished.

Then Events Happen and Jia and Dev find themselves in ...more

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Dec 20, 2020 Jess rated it really liked it

Shelves: authors-of-color, rrrc-challenge, 2021, arc

I love the Modern Love series and this newest installment is a perfect addition to a great series. We met Jia Ahmed in book 2 of the Forbidden Hearts series (Wrong to Need You) and Jia is featured in Rhiannon and Katrina's books as their friend and roommate.

In First Comes Like, Jia has been having online and text conversations with Dev Dixit for a year and wants to finally meet him in person. Dev is a well known Indian soap actor from a Bollywood family and he is in LA shooting a new show. Unfo ...more

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Dec 16, 2020 USOM rated it really liked it

(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

TW: panic attack

First Comes Like was a charming story about second chances and embracing what life throws at us. It's an action packed fast read - I devoured this book in one day! I just couldn't stop reading and I adored reading Jia and Dev's chemistry. Talk about instant and sizzling! This dual POV story allows readers to get to know both Jia and Dev better. To see the ways that Ji ...more

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Dec 11, 2020 Amanda B rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021-releases, arc-reads

I was so excited to receive this eARC from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I loved the first two books in this series and was beyond excited to read Jia’s book. I’m happy to say that I loved this one just as much.
Jia is a beauty influencer. She is feeling like her content is stale and she wants something new. Her dream is to have her own make up line, so that is what she’s working toward. I thought it was really interesting to read about someone that was an influe I was so excited to receive this eARC from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I loved the first two books in this series and was beyond excited to read Jia’s book. I’m happy to say that I loved this one just as much.
Jia is a beauty influencer. She is feeling like her content is stale and she wants something new. Her dream is to have her own make up line, so that is what she’s working toward. I thought it was really interesting to read about someone that was an influencer. I loved it. I loved how it was shown how hard Jia works, and how much work it really is. But despite all the work she does, her family still doesn’t get it and Jia feels the need to prove herself. I love Jia. I can’t speak to the Muslim representation but I love that this book exists for others to see themselves in. So, Jia has been talking online to Dev Dixit for a while. She manages to get invited to a part that he’s going to be at, so they can finally meet. Except, he has no clue who Jia is.
Dev was a great love interest. He is the guardian of his niece since his brother died and he is trying to cultivate an acting career in America. Dev is just all around a nice guy that is trying to do the right thing for the people in his life. I loved how sweet and thoughtful he was. So, when he learns of what has happened with Jia, he wants to meet with her and make amends. It also helps that he can’t stop thinking about her. (The fact that he watched all of her YouTube videos makes my heart melt.)
I loved their romance. The fake dating trope is such an excellent one. I also thought the book overall did a great job talking about religion and grief, class differences and family differences. I think there were so many good things about this book, but the slow burn, emotional development of Jia and Dev’s relationship was absolutely the best part. While I love a steamy romance, I really loved seeing these two fall in love without any of the usual physical intimacies. They don’t even kiss until after they’re married.
Overall, I cannot get enough of Rai’s books. She made me fall in love with both Jia and Dev (and also all of their family members) while they were falling in love with one another. I adored all the family dynamics, with Jia’s big family and Dev’s grandmother, uncle, and niece. I would love to see the next romance in this series to be one of Jia’s sisters. I think the romance was wonderful and at the same time, it did a great job talking about tough topics like grief. I absolutely recommend this book.
...more

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Jan 08, 2021 Jacqueline Holmes rated it really liked it

3.5*

This book was unlike many other romance novels I have read and it was so refreshing! I started to get tired of reading romance last year since I felt like a lot of the plots were so cookie cutter. There's always a fallout (or two) and a grand gesture (or three) before the couple ends up together for good. There was obviously a bit of drama in this book, but it was an entertaining and unique type of drama. Despite the fact that the character's relationship moves very quickly through its stag ...more

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Jan 03, 2021 Kari Ann Sweeney rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2021, advanced-reader-copy, audio-books, romance

PUB DATE 2.16.21 Thank you to for the librofm for the ALC.

I enjoyed the first two books in the Modern Love series-𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘱𝘦 and 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘎𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘭 (GGV more). But you can't win them all, because the latest installment didn't work for me.

WHAT WORKED:
* Hijab wearing South Asian POC as the lead.
* Low steam/Door ajar romance: Both characters follow propriety and modesty according to Islam and are waiting for marriage so there is a very slow burn.

WHAT DIDN'T:
*Too much going on- catfishing, fa ...more

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