The Man Ban by Nicola Marsh: Harper Ryland is so done with men and all the drama that comes with them. After her boyfriend stomps 
on her heart and her parents call it quits on their 35 year marriage, she has all but lost faith in men and relationships. Which is exactly why she has decided to put herself on a man-ban, no men means no drama and more time to focus on making her food styling business a success! However it would seem the universe has other plans for Harper that come in the form of charming Anglo-Indian ER doctor Manny Gomes.
After having a less than great first meeting at her best friends wedding Harper has little to no choice but to except Manny’s help when she finds herself in a jam with no assistant and a big international job on the line. However the new issues that Harper has to face is the undeniable chemistry between her and Manny, maybe taking a temporary break on her man-ban is just want Harper needs and Manny is just the guy for the job!
Manny is hitting 40 and according to his grandmother it is high time that he finds himself a wife, after all that’s what any good Anglo-Indian grandson would do, but Manny has his own issues with settling down. With grandma Izzy constantly badgering Manny with her last wish for him to find a nice Indian girl and settle down Manny can’t help but find the irony in that the one girl he finally feels some pull to is the complete opposite of what Izzy wants for him, but the heart wants what it wants and it would seem Manny’s is set on the fiery Australian. The question is can Manny worm his way under Harper’s armour?
The Man-Ban was just the cutest! I loved every bit of this steamy, banter filled opposites attract romcom. I found myself flying through Manny and Harper’s story, these two kicked it of with a bang and kept the banter rolling throughout the novel!
Both main characters were amazing and easy to relate to, I loved that they both gradually started to open up and reveal their true selves, this made the novel more realistic and enjoyable. I think any girl can relate to Harper and her want for a man-ban after a bad break up. I have to give Marsh a huge thumbs up for spotlighting the fact that Harper has the autoimmune disease Vitiligo and the struggles she faced trying to hide it from everyone.
I absolutely loved Manny, firstly an Anglo-Indian main character, yes please! It was amazing getting to see a bit of the rich culture, food and traditions that come with the Anglo community. Manny was great, I loved the relationship he had with his grandmother and that he cared about her so much. I loved that he never gave up on charming Harper and pushing their undeniable connection.
Overall The Man-Ban was a great read and as always Marsh has delivered a swoony, snarky, banter filled opposites attract romcom that is a definite must read!
Book Info:
Publication: July 27th 2021 | Berkley Books |
When you swear off men for the foreseeable future, that means no dating. Hookups don’t count, right?
Harper Ryland has been on a self-imposed man ban for the last twelve months, after a particularly horrible breakup. Instead, she’s focusing on the one thing she can control: her career as an up-and-coming food stylist. Harper’s latest gig is her best friend’s wedding, and she receives glowing praise throughout the night. When the Best Man, Manny Gomes, belittles her hard work, she wants to stab him with skewers from the buffet table, but she can think of something much better: to lead him on the entire wedding and then humiliate him in sweet revenge.
When the handsome Anglo-Indian doctor shows up in New Zealand a week later, while Harper’s on her first international job, it’s the last thing she needs. Everything about him rubs her the wrong way, but when suave Manny steps in to help after an unfortunate disaster, his chivalry gets under her skin a little, and Harper discovers lifting her ban while overseas is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Manny isn’t looking for anything but fun either–especially not marriage, like his grandmother Izzy keeps pushing on him. But there’s something about Harper that makes him want more, even though she keeps her distance, and they’re about to discover how far he’s willing to go to be with her. . . .
