A Conversationn with
P h oto © L i llie Va le
Lillie Vale
What inspired The Shaadi Set-Up? I wrote The Shaadi Set-Up because I wanted to show a modern Indian family without turning them into caricatures, presenting familiar touchstones to Indian-American readers while still being a universal story that everyone can find relatable. I’m at the age where relatives have been nosing into my own plans for a shaadi, and my parents are the absolute best at batting back invasive questions and safeguarding my privacy, which I’m thankful for, because that’s not always the case in South Asian families. Fun fact: My best friend has been in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend (that she met on Tinder) and my mother (not realizing what most people use Tinder for) asked me whether I had ever considered joining Tinder. I then made an off-the-cuff comment along the lines of “Imagine if two Desi kids met on Tinder, had sex on the first date, and then made the calamitous discovery that they wanted to continue seeing each other? Imagine explaining to your folks how you met!!! They’d have to come up with some elaborate backstory . . . OMG what if they joined a matrimonial site like shaadi.com (a real website) to fake their ‘first meeting’ for their parents’ sake?!?!” Ten seconds later I realized I’d just come up with the plot of a book I was desperate to read. Who were these characters? What mistakes would they make, despite their best intentions? So then, of course, I had to write it! Rita and Milan can’t seem to forget each other, and six years after their breakup, their chemistry is still off the charts. What interests you about an exto-lovers story? Is there something about first love that sticks? In general, I find the theme of second chances and the power of perseverance incredibly compelling. Add to this the potent cocktail of emotions following Rita as she comes to terms with Milan being back in her life—yearning for who they used to be and what they used to mean to each other, bitterness at the lack of closure and her life taking a sharp left turn, and what’s at the heart of all second-chance romance . . . the hope that the future can still be different—and it’s my ultimate catnip.
How many of us always get it right the first time around? No matter what age you are, there’s an infinite number of ways to mess up a relationship. Sometimes it’s ships in the night, sometimes it’s the right person at the wrong time. Luckily, there are also a number of ways to reconnect again. A second chance means it’s never The End. We get another shot, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll get it right this time. The Shaadi Set-Up is a love letter to the places we call home and the people we find our way back to. Rita is an incredibly talented antique furniture restorer, in the vein of Flea Market Flip. How did you visualize Rita’s design projects? What’s your favorite HGTV show? I watch a lot of Flea Market Flip! I am hooked; I have binged season after season. The “ugly duckling” transformation of upcycling something a little unloved into a gorgeous piece of furniture inspired Rita’s job as a furniture restorer. I’m not a hugely craftsy person, but I love interior design and played a lot of Sims growing up. For me, half the fun of the computer game was in the architecture and design of making houses for my Sims to live in! My parents also collect antiques, and some of my best childhood memories are accompanying them to antique stores and flea markets. I love old furniture because of the quality and craftsmanship, and it’s fun to mix and match old and new to create a style distinctly your own. There’s also the idea of the character of a piece, the soul, the living history of something out of its time . . . This theme is incredibly up my alley. At the start of the novel, jaded by her failed relationship with Milan and her parents’ marriage, Rita is stuck in her worldview: Broken things can’t be fixed. She doesn’t yet see that her own job proves her wrong every day. As the novel progresses, we see Rita’s grit as she invests in her furniture and the beach house she’s renovating with Milan as much as she’s investing in their second-chance romance. Your novel is about a modern Indian-American woman’s search for love, and while her ethnicity doesn’t define her, her family and culture play a large role in the book. How did you blend female empowerment and independence with heritage and tradition? What message do you hope to give to readers? I was born in India, but having lived in the USA my entire life, I find my representation in mainstream media more than in Indian or even most Indian-American books and TV/film. I’ve struggled to relate to characters I’m told are supposed to share “my” experiences. I have always yearned for a book where an Indian-American character gets to just be, where their ethnicity isn’t the most interesting thing about them. Where they are of their heritage and traditions, but it is not wholly theirs. To this end, I wrote a character in line with my own experiences: Rita’s parents are supportive of her creative dreams, even when they
worry for her. She wasn’t badgered to become a doctor or pressured to marry. She dated in high school without incurring any parental or cultural wrath. I hope one day all Asian kids have the wholehearted support and love from their families to go boldly after what— and who—they want. The Shaadi Set-Up is your adult debut, written with the same charm and warmth as your young adult books. How was writing an adult novel different, and what remained the same? While there are definitely significant differences in writing for different age groups, I try to imbue all my work with a strong sense of place. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always loved the small towns that never felt small, the ones that had a beating heart of their very own. There’s something so nostalgic and enchanting and atmospheric about summer in such a place, especially in a beach town. All my published and forthcoming novels have a summer backdrop, include copious amounts of delicious food (I fully believe food is a love language!), and have a strong focus on friendship and found family. While the seasons may change, I don’t think I’ll ever stop writing about settings that are a character in and of themselves. What are some pieces of culture—books, movies, TV shows, food, etc.— that inspire you? I find inspiration in a lot of places, which is an entirely unhelpful answer, I know! I keep running lists on my phone—names I jot down, snippets of dialogue that pop into my head at the unlikeliest of times, even random, interesting finds in nature, etc.—and they usually find their way into my books at some point. When it comes to me and recipes, though, it’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation. I never remember whether I loved a meal so much that I had my characters eat it, too, or whether I had my characters eat it, made myself hungry, and then sought out the recipe myself! There are three of Rita’s favorite dishes prepared in The Shaadi Set-Up that are mine, as well: The daal tadka in Chapter 3; the onion pakoras in Chapter 5; and masala mac also in Chapter 5! What’s next for you? I’m getting my next young adult novel ready for publication! Beauty and the Besharam releases summer 2022 with Viking Books for Young Readers, another Penguin Random House imprint. It’s a rivals-to-lovers summer-y workplace rom-com inspired by Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, where a slightly curmudgeonly teen girl known for being besharam (shameless) falls for the last guy she ever expected. I’m also working on my next adult novel, The Decoy Girlfriend, wherein a con-artist author and at-a-crossroads actor embark upon a fake dating scheme only to discover the line between fiction and reality is thinner than they ever expected. I’m so excited about this one and can’t wait to share more details soon!
Reading Group Guide 1.
The Shaadi Set-Up is a second-chance romance. Have you ever reconnected with someone from your past? How did you reconcile the person they once were with who they are now? What about changes in yourself?
2.
Home design and renovation play a big role in this book. Discuss Rita’s passion for design. Why do you think she’s so drawn to it? Are you interested in DIY projects? If so, what kinds?
3.
How does familial expectation influence the main characters’ perspective on relationships and careers? Discuss the different ways in which Rita, Milan, and Neil internalize their families’ viewpoints.
4. What did you think of Rita’s plan to set Neil and herself up on
MyShaadi.com? Did you think it would be successful? Why or why not?
5.
When Rita and Milan reunite, Rita still holds a grudge against him for how Milan broke up with her. How does her opinion of him change throughout the novel? Why do you think she begins to see him in a different light?
6. Would you ever join a matchmaking site like MyShaadi.com? Why or why not? What would you put on your profile?
7.
The memory of Rita and Milan’s breakup in college plays differently for each of them. Do you believe one was more right than the other? Do you think they could have made it work, or was it better for them to go their separate ways back then?
8.
Why do you think both Rita and Milan are so drawn to Bluebill Cottage? What does that place mean to each of them?
9. The Shaadi Set-Up is full of multiple set-ups! Talk about the various ways these characters are matched up and pushed together. Did you have a favorite?
10. What do you think the future holds for Rita and Milan?
Rita’s Masala Mac Ingredients: 1 box Kraft Macaroni and Cheese 2 tbsp olive oil 1 medium chopped onion 3 cloves minced garlic 1 small diced tomato or ½ small can diced tomato 1 cup frozen peas ½ red bell pepper, chopped 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp chili powder or paprika (to taste) Salt (to taste) 1 cup shredded cheese (I like fiesta blend)
Optional ingredients: 1 fresh minced jalapeño (for a spicy crunch!) red pepper flakes (to taste) chopped parsley or cilantro
Directions: 1. Follow instructions on box. While waiting for water to boil, move to Step 2. 2. Heat oil in a pan. Sauté onion, garlic, and tomato until softened. Add peas, red bell pepper, turmeric, chili powder or paprika, and salt. Sauté until peas are cooked. 3. Add cooked macaroni and the packet of powdered cheese until mixed. 4. Stir in the shredded cheese until ooey gooey and turn off the heat. 5. Garnish with optional ingredients.
Enjoy!