Preeti Patel has a lot going on. She’s finishing her residency to be a doctor, and she needs to find a job, find a place to live, and make decisions about her marriage. After a college romance that ended in disaster, Preeti has chosen to marry a man from her community, one that her parents approve of. She’s happy with her choice—it’s a smart choice—except for one thing. Her touch aversion keeps her from getting close to him.
When a friend leaves tow suddenly to take a new job, Preeti is gifted an apartment to live in through the end of her residency. It’s perfect for her. But her friend also told another of their friends that he could stay there too. And it’s not just anyone, it’s Preeti’s first love, Daniel Thompson.
At first, Preeti decides she should act like Daniel isn’t there. But she might as well try to not breathe, the way she feels about him. And then, at the end of a very bad day, when Preeti’s anxiety has taken control and she can’t deal with much of anything, it’s Daniel who sees what the problem is and soothes her with his guitar playing. As Preeti is able to relax and get past her anxiety attack, she finds that she can’t help but connect with Daniel again. He knows her, he can touch her without triggering her, and his kindness melts her heart all over again.
But they’ve been apart for six years. She broke up with him suddenly after their college graduation, and she never explained why. She knows that she owes him an explanation. But she can’t being herself to tell him what had really happened, how her aunties had turned against her family, putting her mother in the hospital. And how Daniel’s father had told her in no uncertain terms that she was completely wrong for him. Preeti had been a coward and broken up with Daniel without telling him everything that had happened. She’s not sure she can forgive herself for that, but she would never expect Daniel to forgive her.
Because of all that, Pretti had chosen her family. She had chosen Yuvan, even though she’s not in love with him yet.
But as the days (and the nights) go by, living side by side with Daniel, having him cook for her and help her with her presentation that just might land her the dream job. She finds herself being pulled back into his world, spending time with his sister and their grandparents. But the more time she spends with Daniel and his family, the more she knows that her love for him never left her.
Preeti has to make some big decisions. She has to face her anxiety and decide what’s best for her and and her family. She has to make decisions about her job, about a place to live, about her future. About a marriage with Yuvan or her love for Daniel. She has to tell Daniel the truth and face the consequences.
First Love, Take Two is a deeply moving romance that incorporates family loyalty, cultural obligations, and mental wellness. There is a large cast of characters (which is sometimes challenging to keep straight), but Preeti’s voice is strong and singular. Author Sajni Patel draws readers into Indian culture in interesting and modern ways, and she creates a truly loving relationship of equals in Preeti and Daniel.
I got to listen to the audio version of First Love, Take Two, narrated by Soneela Nankani, and I thought she created a compelling performance. She did a great job with different inflections for the various characters, so it was easy to tell them apart. However, there were a few times that I thought her emotion was a little too high, making Pretti sound more intense than I thought the character was. But overall, listening to this story was lots of fun, adding life and excitement to this sexy story.
A copy of the audio book for First Love, Take Two was provided by Hachette Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks.
