Author: Syed M. Masood
Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary
About the book: Danyal Jilani doesn't lack confidence. He may not be the smartest guy in the room, but he's funny, gorgeous, and going to make a great chef one day. His father doesn't approve of his career choice, but that hardly matters. What does matter is the opinion of Danyal's longtime crush, the perfect-in-all-ways Kaval, and her family, who consider him a less than ideal arranged marriage prospect.
When Danyal gets selected for Renaissance Man--a school-wide academic championship--it's the perfect opportunity to show everyone he's smarter than they think. He recruits the brilliant, totally-uninterested-in-him Bisma to help with the competition, but the more time Danyal spends with her...the more he learns from her...the more he cooks for her...the more he realizes that happiness may be staring him right in his pretty face. (from Goodreads)
My thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this rom-com and loved that it was told from the male pov for a change. It was a nice change to read from the perspective of a genuinely kind and caring young man, even if everyone around him thought he was not academically bright. He stuck to his love of cooking even when others could not see the value in it - and it was this love that helped him to discover that there was more to him than just cooking. I look forward to reading more from this author!