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I can be snobby. There are some instances of media consumption–guilty pleasures–that I would rather not have other people witness. Trashy magazines? Sneak ‘em in at the hair salon. Chick flicks? I wait for Netflix. Romance novels? You’ve got to be kidding me. Never.

At least, that’s how I felt before reading bestselling author Nicola Marsh’s “Busted in Bollywood.” True to its title, the story is fanciful, romantic and involves hordes of dancers in an exotic setting (in this case, Central Park). Shari Jones, a down-in-the-dumps single half-Indian female, takes the trip of her lifetime to Mumbai…to pose as her best friend, Amrita, and break up the arranged marriage her parents facilitated for her. Upon arrival, Shari meets Rakesh, Amrita’s betrothed, who turns out to be not an Urkel as expected, but rather an Adonis. As her scheme to impersonate Amrita falls to bits, Shari finds herself irrefutably attracted to Rakesh’s debonair business partner, Drew. What follows is a series of misunderstandings, make ups, make outs and much more.

Admittedly, “Busted in Bollywood” was a risky experience. I read mostly on my commute to work, and the large text on my Kindle screen afforded little to no privacy as I worked through the sex scenes. To the nice old lady sitting to my right and peeking over my shoulder as I read about our protagonist’s nights of lust and debauchery, I offer my deepest condolences.

Grandma-traumatizing aside, I really enjoyed this book. There is no simpler or better way to put it. Yes, it was over the top at times. It was dramatic and fantastically serendipitous. But it was also goofy and endearing. Perhaps regular romance readers wouldn’t be surprised by this, but as a virgin to the genre I was pleasantly surprised.

That’s not to say this book was perfect. Like I said, things happened to fall into place too conveniently. The women were all gorgeous and the men gods in their own right. The most egregious offenses came in the form of text messages, such as this gem,”Yay! U. Me. MM. Celebr8 big time xx.” Seriously? Who texts like that? (By the way, that “MM” stands for “Mojito Monday.” Learn it. Love it.)

But faults aside, anyone who likes a good rom-com will like this book. It’s good sexy fun, naughty enough to place it in the romance category but not so much that you feel dirty after reading it. The Bollywood integration, though far-fetched, is silly and cute. With a lively but misguided protagonist leading the way, it’s hard not to imagine who you would cast to play each character in a movie adaptation.

This is a great, light book for the holiday season. Perfect for a flight or a lazy afternoon, it’s is an indulgent read for a time when you need to escape the stress of wrapping up your year. “Busted in Bollywood” is somewhat like a good box of chocolates. It won’t change your life, but it will keep you satisfied. Isn’t that all you need sometimes?

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Amina Elahi is Divanee.com’s Managing Editor. Check out her blog, where she posts words and images that make her think.

Follow @aminamania