Karina Ahmed has a plan. Keep her head down, get through high school without a fuss, and follow her parents' rules--even if it means sacrificing her dreams. When her parents go abroad to Bangladesh for four weeks, Karina expects some peace and quiet. Instead, one simple lie unravels everything.

This book was so freaking adorable! Karina and Ace were such easy characters to root for. They formed a really fun and sweet dynamic from the start. Karina struggles with breaking the mold of who her parents want her to be and Ace really teaches her to step outside of that bubble. Truly this book was so wonderful to read.

Stayed up way too late last night reading this one and reading the anxiety attack scenes was very triggering, but this was a very good and realistic portrayal of what it can be like. It is over 400 pages, not a quick read. The author is a Bangladeshi American which is the same as the protagonist, so it is another #ownvoices. Lots of diversity, lots of cultural references, also lots of mentions of books, movies, music, and food. It reminded me of YA RomCom movies from the late 90s, but way more respectful and also a little bittersweet. Comes out May 2021, but I recommend you add it to your lists.