This book is a Muslim YA romcom OWN voice written by a Muslim male.  Woah, right? And the actual story, sigh (blush) I enjoyed it, and part of me is disappointed in myself for how much I enjoyed it.  Most of the characters are Muslim and all over the spectrum in their religiosity so to speak, there are a lot of jokes at the expense of tenants in Islam and trivializing of certain concepts which really isn't something to celebrate, but it reads real and there is a lot of Islam that is front and center and deep and though provoking. For most non Muslim readers, I'm sure 15 or 16 and up would be fine with the content and 353 page length, but as a former Islamic School Librarian, I'd have to reserve recommendations to college age.  The protagonist is 19, there is talk of sex, but not crass, the main female character has a past that includes a sex tape, and there is a lot of language, but its also really funny and really relatable and really sweet and takes place in high school.

SYNOPSIS:

Danyal is a pretty face, but he isn't very bright.  He goes to an elite private school though somehow, and while he is admittedly dingy, he is also very kind, innocent and generous.  He was held back at some point in school and is 19 as a senior in high school.  He works in a French restaurant and dreams of being a chef.  He has no desire to go to college and as the only son of Pakistani immigrants, they are not thrilled with their son't future plans.  Danyal is pretty chill about it though and his mom wants to arrange his marriage, and he is willing, although he is crazy in love with his friend's twin sister.  He is religious and hasn't really broken any of the Islamic relationship rules, he prays fajr, and just kinda floats through life doing the best he can and forgiving himself and others when they mess up.  

When his mom arranges a meeting with Bisma he is willing to get to know if they are a match.  She however, fully discloses her past to him when they head out for coffee, which involves her rebelling, once a few years earlier, against her father and going to a party, further rebelling and getting drunk and then making the poor and regrettable choice to sleep with someone.  To make matters worse, the event was video taped and spread around the community forcing the family to move.  Bisma is pretty religious and really studious and really sorry, but her father and most community people don't let it go.  Danyal thinks that is stupid, one mistake shouldn't haunt her forever, unfortunately he doesn't think chivalry and pity are enough of a reason to marry her as he doesn't think they are meant for each other.  Basically, he is still really crushing on Kaval.  So he and Bisma decide to be friends.

When Danyal's history teacher in a fit of spite nominates Danyal for a prestigious Renaissance Man competition, Danyal calls on Bisma for help.  The topic is Winston Churchill, the beloved British leader, but Danyal quickly learns he is not beloved by most Indian subcontinent people.  Kaval offers to help so that Danyal can win the competition, impress her parents and then maybe give them a chance.  But, suddenly Danyal doesn't know if that is what he wants.  He wants to be himself, he wants to be accepted, he wants Bisma.

WHY I LIKE IT:

You know how it is going to end, you don't know entirely how it is going to get there, but you know where it is headed, yet the book is still compelling and fun.  Between the banter of the religious friend, and the no longer religious friend, the advice the French Chef bestows on Danyal and Danyal's complete and utter cluelessness to everything, the book is really warm and the characters really like-able.  I dislike the stereotype of the "religious" character, but the other side characters are better developed.  

On occasion I think Danyal's stupidity is over done, he isn't an idiot, he just isn't book smart. So when he doesn't know what "break a leg" implies for example, it seems a tiny bit off.  I know his friends say he isn't funny, but I think he is hilarious, especially with his commentary on the Desi community.  "It is the curse of brown boys everywhere.  We either die young or we live long enough to see ourselves become uncles."

The role of Islam is incredibly prominent, and the characters understand what it means to be Muslim differently.  Sometime I agreed with them, sometimes I didn't, sometimes the characters didn't agree with each other, sometimes they did.  There is a lot to think about: destiny, Allah's mercy, Qalb-e-saleem (a pure heart), caring for the less fortunate.  Even politically there is a strong thread of colonialism, which the characters wrestle with and with being immigrant's children.   There is a lot packed in, but it flows so smooth and the writing rich with authenticity, that quite often I would laugh out loud and read various lines to my young children.

FLAGS:

Talk of sex and losing virginity, but not detailed, just stated.  The chef is a lesbian.  There is lots of language including the F word, not thrown in effortlessly, usually for a reason, and often reprimanded.  There are a few kisses on the cheek and lips between Danyal and Bisma, but in a Disney princess movie sort of way.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Not for middle or even high school book club. I don't think that it is a completely "halal" romance story, but I think I wouldn't be concerned if juniors and seniors were reading it, I think they would love it, and I might just have a few that I want to suggest it to...

I absolutely LOVED this book! I've been in a YA romance slump and this is just what I needed!

This is about Danyal who isn't the brightest pea in the pod. He's muslim and his parents are quite conservative and don't approve of his dream of going to culinary school... the food in this all sounds so good. His parents are trying to set him up with. a "good muslim girl." however, he thinks he's in love with Kaval, a girl who's super beautiful and smart and "out of his league." anyways, she thinks she's better than him and never really paid attention to him because everyone thinks he's stupid.
his parents try and set him up with a beautiful, smart girl, who comes from a good family. immediately he wonders why her parents would even think of giving their daughter to him for marriage, but then he finds out that she's "damaged." Bisma just broke my heart. she's so sweet and so kind and deserved so much love, and I hated everyone who hurt her.
they end up having a friendship and she helps him with the renaissance man which he was chosen for. it's like this project that only super smart people get chosen for, but his teacher chose him kind of out of spite. anyways, she helps him study, and soon he realizes he actually likes her!
their romance is so sweet and fun and funny and I found myself smiling and laughing throughout this entire book! 100% recommend!

3.5 stars

I thought that this was such an adorable book. Right before reading this I had just DNFd my first book in years and this really brought my spirits up.

I can't really speak on the representation in this book because I am not familiar with Muslim customs. However, I am really glad that we're starting to see more diverse books being put out. Danyal and Bisma were such lovable characters. Sure, Danyal said some questionable things, but his charisma really won me over.

The first half of this book was pretty slow but I liked getting to know the characters so I didn't really mind. The plot only really begins at the 50 percent mark and that's when I started to become really invested in the story.

I was also really surprised to find myself intrigued with the Churchill storyline. I'm not a big fan of history but Syed M. Masood wrote about it in such a captivating way and I was moved by Danyal's commitment to his beliefs.

Overall, this was a really good book and I would definitely recommend it!

This book is, in a word, annoying. Annoying, because what could've been a diverse, dynamic, and iconic representation of Muslim teenagers became a cheap, cliche, and disrespectful story towards its own characters. Other reviewers have pointed this out, so I won't harp on it too much, but the only representation of religion in this book is either Old People (antiquated, conservative, old-fashioned, repressed) or Young Zealots (even more boring, even more intense, even more repressed.) Islam is trivialized, joked about, and treated with no respect, and the only younger characters who expressed devotion or interest in their faith traditions are characterized as boring, unlikable, or generally Bad. The teenager who takes an interest in going to the Mosque is presented as someone who needs to 'lighten up' or change as if being religious is an inherently bad thing. Again, it should be noted that I'm not a Muslim, but I'm echoing sentiments that I found in reviewers from Muslim readers, and given how many seem to be irritated at this treatment of their faith, I think my criticisms are valid. As a religious person myself, albeit a Christian, it does make me sad to see how few portrayals there are in mainstream YA literature of funny, creative, pop-culture-obsessed, sporty, queer, disabled, or otherwise "real" religious teenagers, who are progressive, independent thinkers, and more than just a stereotype. Don't get me wrong - I understand where people are coming from with their critiques of religion, and I don't want to police any author's depictions of their own faith or culture. I just wish we had teenagers in YA of ALL different religions whose religion wasn't treated as a joke, or something they had to "overcome."

This book is super funny, cute and addictive. The story follows Danyal Jilani, a boy who’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, and Kaval, this book is amazing and great for any YA reader

Wow, what a great read!
I loved every bit of this book, it can do no wrong. The explanation of what Pakistani culture and the Muslim religion mean to teenagers now was perfect. It showed how things have adapted, but also the traditions that are the same. I knew nothing of the culture before and I feel like I've been given a crash course in the basics. Danyal is relatable, he's not great at school and wants a different future than his parents are pushing him toward. He's a great friend and tries to balance respect for his family with his desires.

Danyal's relationship with Bisma is adorable. At first, he's kind of shallow and can't see past the surface, but as they spend time together and she doesn't judge him, he starts to mature and realize that who a person is matters most.

This is funny, sweet, sad, and an enjoyable read. I didn't want to put it down and I can't wait for this to be released to the world!

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a YA contemporary romance that dealt mainly with four Muslim teens. Even though the plot was somewhat predicable, the author did a great job of making the themes standout by using a not so common culture. Well written and paced.

This book was a really fun read that had interesting and more serious themes. Something I really liked about this book is how informational/educational it is. I really liked learning about a culture I am not super familiar with. I liked learning about historical events and also learning about the dynamics between Muslim families and friends. This was one of the reasons I gave this 4 stars. It had a lot of YA romance "fluff" and cute moments but a lot of the book was super educational for non-Muslims like myself.

I really liked most of the characters in the book. Danyal was a great character and I liked being able to see how dedicated he was to his thesis. He wanted to tell a side of the story that doesn't get told. Another thing I liked about Danyal was his kindness to Bisma and her sister. He was so nice to both of them. I also loved how passionate he was about cooking and wanting to own his own restaurant some day.

Bisma was another character that I loved. She was strong, smart, and cared about helping Danyal. She has gone through some unimaginable situations and I really felt for her throughout parts of this book. Her younger sister was also a lovely addition to the book.

One last thing I really liked was how the entire book was from Danyal's POV. I don't think I have ever read a YA Romance book from entirely a male POV and I really liked it.

I was surprised (in the best of ways) at how much I enjoyed reading this book. I was expecting a cute, lighthearted romance (which I got) but also received so much more. This book included many heavy topics that really got me thinking in addition to the sweet, fluffy romance.

I found Danyal to be an incredibly interesting protagonist. It is rare to find male protagonists in contemporary YA romance and Danyal's voice is very engaging. I expected to find him annoying and shallow in the first few pages but he quickly proved to be much more than that. He cares about people deeply and won't stand for injustice. He wants to tell people the truth no matter how hard it could be. His passion for food was beautifully written. Despite all the serious topics he speaks about in his essay, he has a quick, witty sense of humour that lightened the read. Danyal is the perfect example of how grades don't define you. Being a compassionate person who does the right thing over the easy thing matters more.

Although a lot of people find it boring, friends-lovers is one of my favourite tropes. I found Danyal and Bisma's story both adorable and meaningful. They care about each other despite their flaws and support each other through hard times. I found myself smiling at my laptop screen as I read more than once.

I've always loved historical fiction novels and I liked reading about Winston Churchill in this novel. I found Danyal's point on how history is whitewashed and evidence is mostly one-sided fascinating. Reading his final Renaissance Man speech was incredibly moving and powerful.

Contemporary YA romance does not always have a lot of substance. I went into this book not really expecting any. I am really glad this book discussed deeper topics than most others.

It's always nice to read about a culture different from your own as you get to learn new things. However, I would like to acknowledge that some other reviewers have pointed out that there are some cases of misrepresentation and not everything is fully accurate.

I really, really enjoyed reading this book overall and couldn't stop reading! I am so glad I got the opportunity to read this book. It's been on my TBR list before I even saw it on NetGalley. Thank you so much to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for sending me an ARC!

More Than Just a Pretty Face is one of the best and most engaging YAs I’ve read in awhile. The narrator’s voice immediately draws you in. There were moments when I laughed out loud and others when I sobbed. This book truly is the best of both worlds. I feel it will appeal to a wide variety of readers, particularly male YA readers who tend to have limited choices. I highly recommend this book!

On the surface, this is a gentle contemporary love story with sly humor and delicious descriptions of food. As the story unfolds, you realize that, like the MC, it's so much more: a respectful depiction of a modern teenager living his religious faith; a history lesson; a testament to the power of individual goodness, and taking a stand against injustice. A moving and memorable read!

Loved this debut by Syed M. Masood. This book was hilarious and insightful. I laughed and definitely got misty eyed. Danyal's voice shined through. I loved how he shared his love for others through food, I could practically smell the dishes. The romance is sweet and the friendship dynamics felt very real. Definitely pick this one up!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

More Than Just a Pretty Face was a pretty cute book and it was also an eye opener. Mostly because of how people view one another and how they might love one another. It's definitely a beauty on the inside vs. the outside kind of book. Even if people were viewed as beautiful or handsome they still had to somewhat prove that they were more than just a pretty face. Even if it took them a while to figure out how to do so.

In it, you will meet Danyal and Bisma. Both are kind of seen as fucks up from their own family. Danyal has dreams of being a chef due to his love of cooking. There's just the small tidbit of him not being completely amazing at school. Nothing really held his interest except for a girl named Kaval.

Ugh, Kaval.. she was not my cup of tea. She really annoyed me with how shallow she was throughout this book. I'm glad that Danyal figured out that she and he just weren't meant to be. Even if it took him a freaking long ass time to do so. That being said, him and Bisma were completely adorable and shippable. I loved them so much and it didn't bother me about Bisma's past.

Luckily for her, he didn't really either. Yeah, it was a shock at first but they started off as friends. Then everything eventually developed on a deeper level for them and it was just really cute to watch all of that happening. In the end, I really enjoyed this book and I'm really happy that he became someone that everyone could look up to and be proud of. Especially his dad.

2.5/5

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the overall plot but certain parts just didn’t resonate with me. 

I’ll start with the positives. I have been trying to read more books with Muslim representation and this is one of the few books where the characters felt like “normal” Muslims (at least based on my experiences as a Muslim in western society) to me. There were characters of different levels of religiosity and that seemed believable to me.

Another thing I really enjoyed was that Bisma and Danyal supported each other. Bisma was the only one who believed in Danyal and encouraged him to succeed and Danyal supported Bisma and accepted that her past mistakes do not define her. 

The discussion of Winston Churchill and the negative impacts of British colonialism on India was also great. I always appreciate when YA fiction novels can find a way to educate readers on important issues.

Unfortunately, there were a few things that didn’t work for me:
- Danyal‘s “voice” did not seem authentic to a 19 year old. He said things that seem immature for his age and it was not believable to me. For example, he referred to someone as a “jerk face” at one point.
- Danyal was portrayed as unrealistically unintelligent at some points. There were things he did not know or understand that were unrealistic for someone his age. He didn’t even know what the phrase “break a leg” means???
- The book also tried to explain some Muslim practices but it just did not explain it in a way that was accurate or correct at all. For example, Danyal explains that arranged marriage is basically a contract so that the couple can have sex. I can’t even start with how inaccurate that is. My only explanation for this is that it was meant to be from the perspective of a 19-year-old guy but I can see this explanation being very confusing for non-Muslims who know little about the religion.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I didn’t realize that the boy MC would be the 1st person narrator. Usually when it’s the boy who narrates a ya contemporary, I don’t like the book.

But Danyal wasn’t annoying. I mean, he’s annoying at times in the “I’m pretty and I know it” way, but it wasn’t cringy or annoying to read. I actually enjoyed his voice. Danyal is like the cool, really cute guy at school, who’s popular and has lots friends, someone you’d enjoy being around.

He’s a chef, and I love how food and cooking was incorporated into the story. To him, cooking is an art, and I could see how much being a chef means to him.

Though this book was light and funny at times, it touched on some heavy topics including racism against and murder of Muslims, which the reader sees through a historical lens (as Danyal researches about his people for a competition he’s in).

The romance was really sweet, and through it you see the true character of Danyal. He cares more about who someone is and not what they’ve done in the past or who their family is.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown books for Young Readers for an e-arc to review!

This was a lovely little novel that I think translates very well to a YA read. It was a bit predictable, and there were times when I felt it was slightly less believable than I wanted it to be. However, I think the Muslim culture was beautifully woven in and authentically done. I especially liked the descriptions of the food and his ability to express his love through the food, it was so lovely to read. As an Indian-American, I loved reading about food that I cook at home (biryani, gulab jamun, etc.) and it never felt put-on or over-simplified for a non-Indian reader. I also love how the culture was never mocked or misunderstood, it was delivered in a way that felt authentic to so many American-Born-Confused-Desi's lived experiences.

Thank you Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this e-ARC!
All opinions expressed are my own. :-)

I loved this book, it was so unbelievably adorable and cute. The slow-burn, snarky bickering, friendships and dynamics were everything! This book kept me laughing pretty much the entire time and you really just fall in love with the characters. I liked how the author didn't portray this one character as a villain (I won't be naming names to refrain from spoiling anything) but instead allowed the reader to see that her actions are justified and her needs are just as important as anyone else's, even if they don't match up with the people around her's. The relationship the grows between between Danyal and Bisma as they overcome obstacles was so heartwarming and just beautiful to read.

Perhaps the biggest reason why I enjoyed this book so much was how: yes, it is a fantastic love story between two people with their own battles, but it is also so much more. The book delves into issues and topics like racism, religion, social class, and just countless other matters that the majority of us face as well and intertwines them to form this moving story.

One thing I will say though is: I am no expert on the Islamic religion, which is a key concept in this book that influences each of the character's decisions and lifestyle. I cannot speak on the fact if this book accurately portrayed their faith or practices.

Danyal's Rennissance Man speech was incredibly moving and I LOVED his character. He embodies pretty much the perfect MC. Being a little cocky (which makes him so lovable) but having a well rounded personality; his character never fails to make me laugh. His passion for the things he loves is astoundingly inspirational. Besides this, he also has faults that all of us can relate to and he's just so... human. I totally completely fell in love with Danyal (and Bisma!).

I read this book in one night and would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a cute slow-burn romance novel that also discusses deeper topics!

Y’all this book was so freaking cute.

Not only does it have important messages relating to religion and politics, but it also presents the idea of family and forgiveness.

I was honestly surprised at how much I began to love Danyal. His character development is sooo good. He goes from this cocky and arrogant boy to someone who’s so passionate about the things he cares for. It was wonderful watching him learn that he shouldn’t settle for less but to chase after what he wants. He's so accepting of what his family and friends label him as, and it's nice to see him realize that he's more than just a pretty face.

I also loved the relationship between Danyal and Bisma. It was so sweet to watch their relationship blossom and to see Bisma slowly begin to lower her walls. She also doesn't hold him back but pushes him to do and be better. Danyal is the same and is so caring and sweet to Bisma that I squealed so many times.

And the culture and heritage within this book!! It opened my eyes to not only the wonderful cuisine that Danyal cooks, but also how religion plays a daily role in the lives of those in his community.

I absolutely loved More Than Just a Pretty Face and it honestly made me tear up a little bit. It was such a fun read and I'd definitely read anything else that Syed Masood writes in the future!

What a fun book! I wasn't sure what the book was going to be like, but the idea sounded interesting. Turns out that it was one of those books that I didn't want to put down. Taking on following your own dreams, Muslim traditions, and contemplating history, this book has a lot of depth yet is kept remarkably light, something a lot of us need at the moment.

Danyal Jilani is an incredibly charismatic and apparently good looking young man. Trouble is, he doesn't really like paying attention in school and has never been a great student. That can be problematic in an Indian family where arranged marriages are de rigueur and how much wealth you can be expected to make is part of the package. Danyal wants to be a chef. He loves cooking for people and sees the world through food, but his father thinks that he will only be a failure. Danyal is "in love" with a girl he has known his whole life but is starting to get set up with others.

At the same time, there is a school competition called The Renaissance Man (or Woman). Teachers from each subject pick one student, usually the top student, and they have to do a major project and presentation in the hopes of winning a sizable prize. When Danyal is unexpectedly picked, everyone assumes he will fail miserably and other contenders are angry he is even in the competition. His project - to write a paper about Winston Churchill. While his history teacher is a huge Churchill fan, it turns out that Danyal's father is not, which leads him to question how to proceed.

I really enjoyed this book and think that a lot of YA readers who enjoy light-hearted romantic comedies will find this on their TBR list.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

I fell in love with this book within the first five pages. I don't know if it was Danyal's cocky, yet somehow insecure at the same time humor, the way he was obviously in love with Kaval no matter what she thought of him, or maybe the secret sweetness he has that urges him to love with everything inside of him. I can't pinpoint what exactly it was that made me love him and his story, but I do, and that's what matters.

More Than Just a Pretty Face is a story of an underdog, forgiveness, laughter, joy, wonderful food, real life issues, disappointment, triumph and so so much more. It made me feel pretty much every emotion there is to feel, but that's what makes a book great. In this beautiful book, you get to follow Danyal as he becomes a contestant in the all-important school contest: Renaissance Man. At the same time, he is also doing his best to navigate the confusing world of arranged marriages and heal the increasingly broken relationship between his two best friends. All of these aspects together make for a hilarious and heartfelt story.

I loved so many things about this book, but I especially loved getting the chance to learn about a culture that is different than mine. There aren't many books about Muslim teens out in the world today, and it was amazing to get to read one of them. I also adored the character of Bisma and everything her story brought to the table. She encouraged a lot of discussion and thoughts about how we look at others based on their past and I loved getting the chance to read it.

This is a must read book. I cannot say how much I loved reading it, but I will definitely be buying this book as soon as it comes out.

Thank you so much to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!