e-Audio, 09:45:16
Narrated by: Reena Dutt
Release Date: January 3, 2023
Published by: Simon & Schuster Audio
Read from: January 6-9, 2023
Stand-alone
Source: Simon & Schuster ALC (I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
TW: Death of parent, Sexism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Misogyny, Racism, Cancer, Homophobia, Poverty
For Readers Interested In: Realistic Fiction, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Romance, YATo All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets Pride and Prejudice in this delightful and heartfelt rom-com about a Bangladeshi American teen whose meddling mother arranges a match to secure their family’s financial security—just as she’s falling in love with someone else.
Zahra Khan is basically Bangladeshi royalty, but being a princess doesn’t pay the bills in Paterson, New Jersey. While Zahra’s plans for financial security this summer involve working long hours at Chai Ho and saving up for college writing courses, Amma is convinced that all Zahra needs is a “good match,” Jane Austen style.
Enter Harun Emon, who’s wealthy, devastatingly handsome, and…aloof. As soon as Zahra meets him, she knows it’s a bad match. It’s nothing like the connection she has with Nayim Aktar, the new dishwasher at the tea shop, who just gets Zahra in a way no one has before. So, when Zahra finds out that Harun is just as uninterested in this match as she is, they decide to slowly sabotage their parents’ plans. And for once in Zahra’s life, she can have her rossomalai and eat it too: “dating” Harun and keeping Amma happy while catching real feelings for Nayim.
But life—and boys—can be more complicated than Zahra realizes. With her feelings all mixed up, Zahra discovers that sometimes being a good Bengali kid can be a royal pain.
*MY THOUGHTS*
As you all can see, there’s a love triangle….. And if you’ve been following me for anytime at all, you know this kind of scared me a bit lol But I didn’t have to be worried at all. This book was so cute! It did have some flaws, but most of them do.
So I guess we start with that. The love triangle and the romance. I knew the end game from the beginning lol But I could also tell why Zahra thought she liked him. However, the way she was written, it seemed like she was, I don’t know, just really mean. I mean I have no idea of the pressure of my family trying to put me together with someone, but man, I agreed with her momma in that last scene. Like I get what you’re doing, but you don’t have to be so nasty about it. When they finally got it together, it was actually really cute. I liked seeing them finally work it out.
This book also explores socioeconomic status. Zahra’s dad died from stomach cancer. I was immediately drawn to that because my mom is a stomach cancer survivor. It really scared me. The family goes on to fall on financial hardships. It’s explained that it’s because her father had been the one to have the job and to do all the bills etc. I think the book did a good job of showing it versus just telling about it. The main character had to help with some bills, they had to make sacrifices, and everything. I hated it because she was only a teen, but at the same time, it was definitely realistic. In today’s society, these things would really happen.
The plot in this was the thing that was really lacking to me tho. It was kinda boring? I mean I get that it was trying to show the way the parents were putting them together, but it didn’t feel like anything else besides that? I wanted more. And the Bridezilla was just a bitch for no reason. There was no reason for her to act like that. I hated it. Idk, it just seemed like there could have been something else going on.
The narration was the best! I have only listened to one other book by her. I didn’t even realize it. As it turned out, it was an anthology tho. There’s some there that I haven’t read, so I guess I’ll be adding them to the list because it was really good.
The main character being mean and the plot itself being a little iffy is the main reason it took me a little bit to read this. I can usually finish a book in one day if I’m listening to audios, but this one took a minute. I had to keep restarting it or rewinding and relistening to some things. I don’t think my issues will be an issue for everyone else tho, so I really hope y’all go out and get this book!
Overall, I give this
