I was initially skeptical of the newest installment in Rai’s Modern Love series. The main character, Jia, is a social media influencer who creates videos about make-up. I tend to avoid novels about models, and wasn’t sure that I was millennial enough to appreciate this romance. But First Comes Like might be my perfect pandemic read. It has a more lighthearted, fluffier tone than Girl Gone Viral, with a heroine whose thirstiness made me smile, and a down-to-earth hero who overcomes a tragic backstory.

Jia’s an outlier in her family of doctors. She’s been an influencer long enough to feel old compared to the fresh-faced teenagers on the scene. Jia is unapologetically vain, and used to people underestimating her. When she falls for a famous actor after he DMs her, Jia decides to surprise him at a Hollywood party. Unfortunately Dev, a Bollywood star who just moved to L.A. for his first American role, has no idea who she is. He’d never DMd her, and doesn’t manage his own social media accounts. He’s intrigued by this gorgeous woman who angrily confronts him; she’s embarrassed about being catfished. They’re both unprepared for the media frenzy they stir up after their paparazzi photos go viral.

Dev is a total cinnamon roll. His family is Bollywood royalty, but he’s from a less wealthy offshoot, and reluctantly joined the family business in his teens. Dev is raising his recently orphaned niece, while supporting his Uncle Adil, who’s the kind of relative who offers a hot roti to everyone who visits. I feel certain that Adil gives great hugs. Dev’s parents died when he was sixteen, and he was forced to move in with the grandparents who’d rejected his mother for being Muslim. Reconnecting with his uncle and niece, Luna, means he starts the book living with accepting family members for the first time since his childhood.

Dev seems to spend most of his days worrying about how to make his niece happy, then, after they meet, watching Jia’s skincare tutorials. His insta-pining had him buying her recommended serums even though Dev has no idea what serums are. Every time he fell asleep to Jia’s videos about eyelash curling, I found myself smiling.

First Comes Like is a tropetastic ball of delight. The story blends so many tropes, there’s something here for everyone:

Love a mistaken identity? Jia thinks Dev is the mysterious man who’s been sending her flowery lines for a year.

Want a celebrity crush? Dev’s heartthrob looks make Jia weak in the knees, and his family embodies all the drama of a soap opera. The family matriarch steals the scene whenever she shows up demanding people marry, or offering to buy someone a pony.

Do you adore fake relationships as much as I do? When Jia’s conservative family sees photos of her and Dev, Jia is too ashamed to tell them she was catfished. Clearly, the only available solution is to pretend that she and Dev were dating all along. Since Dev can’t stop thinking about her, he’s happy to tag along on Jia’s sponsored adventures.

Hello, fans of marriages of convenience – Dev is determined to make his own way without his family’s influence, even if it means forgoing a huge inheritance he’ll only receive if he marries in the next few months. As long as his family doesn’t find out that he’s dating Jia, there’s nothing to worry about. Is there?

I won’t spoil it, but there’s also only one bed.

The waves of drama in this book held my attention, but each conflict popped seamlessly instead of being dragged on until the end. The story kept surprising me. Every time I thought the plot was winding down, some new and delicious drama would appear. With this many tropes, the book could easily have felt silly, but Dev and Jia’s partnership is so earnest and tender, it warmed my heart.

Jia and Dev are both talented at work, but naive about dating. Virgin characters aren’t my fave, but watching these two stumble through their problems, and sex, was marvelous. Jia starts the book as a people pleaser who’s learned to manage her anxiety. Through her romantic adventures with Dev, she learns to pay less attention to what others think. They both have big, messy, and loving families who make mistakes, and offer opportunities for Dev and Jia to learn how to function as a unit intertwined with their relatives, but still distinct.

My only issue with the book was how the catfishing was handled. Jia was internet savvy. I had some trouble believing that she’d fall for regurgitated soap opera lines sent by a loser who never has time to video chat. I thought the catfishing was a weak obstacle to them dating, but I may have been underestimating the power of embarrassment. I was glad when the story quickly moved on from this setup.

My perfect pandemic read has enough drama to keep me guessing, but resolves conflicts before they stress me out. First Comes Like gave me everything I wanted, except for tips on moisturizing lipstick. Sadly, I’m still searching for my perfect shade. But if you’re looking for a trope-filled story with characters who overcome family expectations, First Comes Like was delightfully likable.