The Marriage Game
by Sara Desai
After losing her job and her boyfriend, recruiter Layla Patel moves home to San Francisco and sets up her new business in the office above her father's restaurant. There are two problems: her father has secretly created a dating profile for her and lined up a series of suitors, and the office is already rented to Sam Mehta, a CEO who refuses to leave. Layla and Sam make a bet over who keeps the space, with Sam chaperoning her blind dates along the way. The closer they get to the finish line, the less either of them wants to win. A playful, family-filled rom-com that riffs on arranged-marriage traditions.
About This Book
The Marriage Game is a contemporary romance novel by Sara Desai, first published in 2020 by Berkley. It runs 352 pages. Readers can expect enemies to lovers, forced proximity.
At a glance
- Genre
- Contemporary
- Trope
- Enemies to Lovers
- Length
- 352 pages
- Format
- Paperback
Where to read or listen
Get The Marriage Game by Sara Desai
These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Why You May Love This Book
You may love this if…
- After a disastrous professional and personal upheaval, a recruiter finds herself in a high-stakes office rivalry with a CEO who refuses to vacate her new workspace.
- Fans of office rivalries
- Readers who enjoy family-centric rom-coms
- Playful
- Features Enemies to Lovers
The Romance
Tropes, dynamics, and the chemistry that drives this story.
Relationship Dynamics
Details
Type: Contemporary
Pairing: unknown
Power balance: Balanced; both characters are established as professionals with conflicting interests.
How It Feels
The emotional landscape you'll move through while reading.
Moderate humor.
Heat Level
Based on available metadata and editorial review.
Who Is This Book For?
Best for
Reading mood
Recommended audience: Fans of contemporary romantic comedies.
Content Guidance
The Story
Spoiler-Free Synopsis
Layla Patel moves back to San Francisco to launch her own recruiting firm in the office above her family's restaurant, only to find it already occupied by Sam Mehta. When Sam refuses to leave, the two establish a wager to decide who gets to stay. Throughout this process, they become entangled in each other's lives, particularly as Sam takes on the role of chaperoning the blind dates Layla’s father has secretly organized for her, blurring the lines between their adversarial arrangement and personal feelings.
Central Conflict
The conflict centers on a professional dispute over office space usage and the personal interference of Layla's father in her dating life, which forces Layla and Sam into constant, unwanted proximity.
Setting
San Francisco, specifically an office above a family-owned restaurant.
Strengths
- Relatable premise
- Strong use of classic rom-com tropes
- Playful narrative tone
Discussion Guide
Questions to deepen your reading experience or spark a book club conversation.
- 1
How does the central conflict shape the relationship between the main characters?
- 2
How does the setting influence the characters' decisions and their relationship?
- 3
How do the relationship dynamics evolve throughout the story?
- 4
Who would you most want to recommend this book to?
- 5
How did the pacing affect your reading experience?
- 6
Which aspect of the story did you find most compelling?
How This Profile Was Created
Eikna uses book metadata and AI-assisted analysis to create structured romance profiles. Public profiles are reviewed and approved by an editor before publication.
- Editor reviewed:
- Yes
- Last reviewed:
- October 13, 2026
- Confidence:
- Moderate confidence
- Profile version:
- eikna-public-book-intelligence-v1
About the Author
Sara Desai
What Readers Say
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Publication Details
- Publisher
- Berkley
- Format
- Paperback
- Length
- 352 pages
- Language
- English
- ISBN-13
- 9780593100561
The Marriage Game: quick answers
- Who wrote The Marriage Game?
- The Marriage Game was written by Sara Desai.
- When was The Marriage Game published?
- The Marriage Game was first published in 2020 by Berkley.
- What genre is The Marriage Game?
- The Marriage Game is a contemporary romance novel, with enemies to lovers, forced proximity.
- How many pages is The Marriage Game?
- The Marriage Game is 352 pages long (Paperback).
Are you the author? Verify your author profile to manage this book.
This is my book — sign inWhere to read or listen
Get The Marriage Game by Sara Desai
These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
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