Another bad Muslim Rep. I'll ignore it for while and will talk about the story and character. Kiran and Deen dated for 3 years in secret. No one knew about it. One day out of nowhere Deen ghosted Kiran and his family moved away. Kiran was left wondering what she has done to deserve it. Her mother being sick, sister being away and Deen vanishing, altogether make her a different person who has severe trust issues. Kiran was looking forward to moving to a new place with her sister, for 3 years. She was planning to start college with her sister at her side. Amira had different plans and told Kiran that she had found someone and they both are planning a future together. But it is not enough that person turned out to be Deen's brother. Kiran doesn't trust Faisal and thinks he is also gonna dump her sister. She wants to save her sister. On the other side, Deen and Faisal have a few secrets and Deen thinks his brother deserves to be happy and Amira make him happy. Kiran and Deen are against each other and there was already bad blood.

That's the whole story. Kiran acting like a saviour and Deen acting like he has to do everything. If you'll remove the events due to miscommunication then this book will be only 70-80 pages long. I couldn't relate to Deen, I got it from where Kiran was coming. Did I tell you Kiran and Deen are anonymously FRIENDS on an online game's chat room? There wasn't much about their relationship. Only details were conveyed through their text conversation which felt more like a friendly conversation. So it was hard to connect to them. There were a bunch of supportive characters but they felt more like fillers. The story was dragged so much and it annoyed me. 

Now let's talk about Muslim Rep

I don't have any problem regarding Amira and Faisal dating as they were serious and wanted to get married. It was totally okay to understand each other.

On the other hand, Kiran and Deen were dating in the secret. Once it was mentioned they kissed behind the mosque. There was flirting in the mosque and the way a few Ayah were used made me so angry (if you know, you know).

There was an excessive amount of handshaking and hugging which is not cool.

Deen is such a bad example who drinks, who don't pray and also don't believe in God. On the positive side, he acknowledged that he is not a good Muslim.

this is book filled with so much joy, so easy to read and be immersed in the story. its everything i wanted in a desi story and i love that farah gave this to us! (full rtc)

Sometimes you just want a light fun, empty-calorie read, and in that regard I feel like this book really delivered.  The characters are in college, and yet it is published by HarperCollins Children, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, which perhaps added to the lack of expectation and increased forgiveness.  It reads very much like a Bollywood movie, there is dancing, angst, romance, redemption, culture, religion, and a sense that a certain arbitrary line of it all won't be crossed to earn the book an R rating, and will keep it safe for Muslim high school teens.   I think the book is fine for Muslim's in 10th/11th grade and will be enjoyed by those in college (and up) as well.  Over 429 pages the highly predictable tropes find their footing in their unique religious and cultural framing.  The plot is perhaps a bit on the nose and overly serendipitous, but individually the characters show range and complexities that will resonate with readers.  They have all made good and bad choices and continue to do so, but the big ones are largely in the past, and what we, the readers, get to see in many ways is them reaching for forgiveness in a contemporary whirlwind culmination of a wedding, overcoming addiction, a past felony, secrets, ex-significant others, familial expectations, loss, change, and school.  The book is not preachy, although there is a like-able imam as a side character and he gets some advice in.  The Muslim characters grapple with their faith as they would their culture; picking and choosing what to practice, but never really escaping it or wanting to completely abandon it either, it is just who they are and part of their identity. I enjoyed the book, reading it in two sittings and not feeling guilty that I lost sleep doing so, but like most rom-coms, the specifics and characters will blur over time.  It has a lot of similarities with Hana Khan Carries On, while not having quite the religious adherance of S.K. Ali's characters or rawness of Tahira Mafi's.  One thing that is uniquely it's own, however, is the author's beginning dedication, I don't think I have ever read one quite so perfect, memorable, and possibly guilt causing.  I laughed out loud!



SYNOPSIS:

Kiran's mom passed away a year ago from ALS, and with her older sister Amira in law school at the time, she dealt with her mother's illness and passing, largely alone as she additionally had just been ghosted by her first and only boyfriend, Deen.  Now that her sister is about to graduate, and Kiran is about to start university, they can finally be roommates and reunite the family.  Except, Amira has met someone, Faisal.  Someone who was there for her when her mom died, and they are planning to move across the country to California in a few months.  Devastated Kiran forces herself to be happy for her beloved older sister, until she finds out that Faisal is Deen's older brother, and there are some gaping holes in his past.  With her sisters future on the line, promises to her deceased mother haunting her, and a serious lack of communication abilities (more on that later), she is determined to uncover the truth about Faisal and maybe even Deen in the process.

Alternating point-of-view chapters give Deen a chance to provide his side to the story: the reason he had to disappear from Kiran's life, what happened to his brother, and the unreasonableness of his family.  As he struggles with his own conscious and stumbles around unsure of his own potential and worth, Deen comes across as selfish and arrogant, but ultimately only cares about his brother and making things up to him.  He is determined that Deen deserves to be happy and he is committed to keeping Kiran from destroying it.

In typical desi fashion, appearances matter and while all the behind the scenes sleuthing, plotting, and fighting is taking place, on the surface, wedding plans are being made and dances choreographed.

The book includes pages of texts from three years ago between Deen and Kiran as they meet at Sunday school and sneak behind the mosque.  There are also gaming dialogues between two anonymous fantasy characters that it is pretty obvious are Kiran and Deen.  The reveal isn't a shock to the readers, only the characters, and proves a nice way to see redeeming traits in characters who's present real actions aren't exactly endearing.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The OWN voice representation of Desi culture and Islam is not in addition to the story, it is woven in to the characters and the plot.  The characters are largely liberal as the families are chill with dating, mixed gender hand shaking and dancing, and what not, but their Muslim upbringing is almost always close by.  The characters say "astagfirulllah" after kissing, they acknowledge that some of the Muslims drink and some have left that lifestyle, they miss visiting the mosque, they recognize that they aren't praying, etc., while many flags are present, they really aren't sensationalized or given more than a single word in print.  It strikes a pretty solid balance of showing where some thoughts or values come from, and where personal individuality takes over.  I don't think Muslims will be offended, nor non Muslims confused.

The biggest issue I had with the characters is that it really could have been resolved, all of it, with a few decent sit down conversations.  Kiran and Amira, for example, are terrible at communicating and it blows this whole thing into a ginormous mess.  Sure, there is no book if there is no drama, but they never fix this.  So many lessons are acknowledged and the character arcs are shown or hinted at, this one, not so much, if at all.  They didn't talk when their mom was sick, when she died, about what they were going through, about their dad, about their future plans, about the wedding, about the concerns with Faisal, about Kiran and Deen having a past, about moving to California,...the list really is exhaustive, and it doesn't seem to show that they acknowledge their role in escalating everything and vowing to be better.  Sigh.

I read a digital ARC and it had a few spelling errors, it broke down the fourth wall in one paragraph, and I'm hoping the final copy will have resolved these issues.  It mentions that typically the bride and/or her family pay for the wedding in Islam, and this is erroneous, culturally possibly: the brides family would cover the nikkah and ruhksuti, with the groom covering the walima, but to put it on religion is just incorrect.

FLAGS:

Deen talks about "knowing women," but it isn't explored.   A kiss isn't usually described it is just conveyed as something that happened.  There is a bit of detail in the chemistry felt in the dances, but in true Bollywood fashion, they stop short of kissing. There is a stripper called to the bachelor party, but the characters are appalled and she is immediately escorted out. A religious character accidentally drinks alcohol and blacks out.  There is profanity, not excessive, but conversationally.  There is talk of addiction to prescription drugs, a felony crime committed, deceit, lying, bullying, and physical altercations briefly recalled.  There are parties attended, alcohol consumed,and  at one point a female forcefully kisses an unconsenting male.  

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I've gone back and forth with suggesting to the high school book club advisor to consider this book.  I think the right group of readers could really opine on the characters actions from the shy Faisal with a huge forgiving enduring heart to the nosey obnoxious Mona Khala, but there are some potential flags that might ultimately keep this book from being entirely Islamic School appropriate even for the highest grades.  Ahh, I'll keep you posted on what I decide.

One of my most anticipated releases of this year, It All Comes Back To You is not exactly a heartfelt mushy-mushy book. But funnily it does house one of the most heartfelt tropes in the YA community and that is *ladies and gentlemen: put your hands together for* the “I hate you in real life but are online best friends on a gaming platform.” I know, stunning.

Kiran is still reeling from the loss of her mother and making plans for living in college and having her own apartment with her older sister Amira is her one last straw, but all her plans come crumbling down when her sister decides to get married to a man she has known for only three months – a man who is the older brother of Kiran’s secret and severely despised ex. And she is convinced that her sister’s fiancé is a tyrant and lo behold, her only mission in life: plan – expose the truth.

I truly didn’t get Kiran’s obsession with ruining her sister’s marriage. I get that she was very concerned about her sister marrying a bad guy but her method of handling it was not very mature. I just couldn’t connect with her, and honestly, she wasn’t very likable either. She went out of her way to make everyone around her miserable, which in my opinion was a tad bit toxic. I do sympathize with her because she was like this wounded and angry animal lashing out but eh, well.

Deen on the other hand was this very charming character and I truly admire how the author dealt with his character arc. Lies from the past, his own guilt, and expectations weighed him down and it was really interesting to follow his journey of finding himself, forgiving himself, forgiving people around him, and reconnecting with his religion.

The most admirable aspect of this book was exploring the Muslim community and how people perceive it in other countries. I had loads of fun learning about the culture and all their marriage rituals. The pacing was slow to medium and the language was fairly easy to follow.

The side characters, unfortunately, were a letdown except for Faizal (Deen’s older brother). He had a story for himself, and for reason, I kept wishing that he was the main character and I definitely wanted to know more about his story which was way more interesting than Kiran and Deen’s toxic relationship.

I love reading about love interests who are really compatible or even people who are polar opposites and might never work, but they make it work. But there was something really important missing between Deen and Kiran. I just couldn’t feel their chemistry or any sort of hint at compatibility. I definitely wasn’t rooting for them but I am happy about the way things turned out.

Definitely recommend this book for such amazing diversity, flawed realistic characters, and character development. I suggest you stay away from this book if you don’t like characters who make incredibly annoying and stupid decisions just for the sake of furthering the plot. It was an overall enjoyable book and I respect the new take on how people deal with love, grief, and expectations.

Oh boy this book was FRUSTRATING! Full of so much miscommunication, questionable decision making, and second hand embarrassment, this book angered me to no end. I’m pretty sure the entire plot could have been solved in an hour if someone sat these characters down and told them to actually FUCKING COMMUNICATE. This book was difficult to get through, especially since the whole plot centered on invasions of privacy and uninvited meddling for the sake of “protecting family.”

The story follows Deen and Kiran, two teens whose older siblings are engaged to be married. But—plot twist!—Deen and Kiran dated in secret 3 years ago before Deen ghosted her, leaving a lot of bad blood between them. Convinced she has to “save” her sister from this marriage, Kiran forms a plan to fuck with her sister Amira, her sister’s fiancé Faisal, and Deen’s life in an unending drama of stupid and cruel deeds. Maybe, if Kiran had taken the time to sit down with her sister and express how she feels (that Amira and Faisal’s 3 months of dating maybe isn’t enough time to know everything about another person), then she wouldn’t have had to snoop around her fiancé’s room, hire a stripper to make her sister jealous, try to make it look like her sister was cheating, and a whole longer list of asshole decisions. Look—I can understand being protective of your siblings and wanting to help them, especially if they may be blinded by their feelings, but maybe instead of fucking with everyone’s lives, Kiran could have sat down with her sister, had a good healthy conversation about her doubts about this marriage, and resolved this all in a few hours instead of a few hundred pages.

The anger-inducing Kiran chapters were thankfully broken up by chapters from Deen’s POV, an online chat room (where Deen and Kiran are actually talking to each other under the disguise of anonymous gamers), and texts from 3 years ago (when they were dating as kids). Deen, thankfully, I found to be less frustrating, though I did also find him annoying and a tiny bit misogynistic at times. He had a bit more depth to him, and I found that his actions trying to protect his brother were a bit more justified, but once again he totally could have cleared the air if he actually communicated with others for once. I also want to mention how infuriating it was for there to be basically no consequences for their actions. Deen actually went through some character growth and started to fix his mistakes by the end of the book, but Kiran got let off the hook SO easily.

There are some subplots about Kiran following her passion for dance, Deen’s drama with his best friend, and a mysterious event that Deen and his brother have to cover up at all costs (which was pretty predictable), but I want to talk about the romance. This book, especially from the description that’s given, seems to be pointing towards a romance between Kiran and Deen, however this isn’t a big part of the book. There’s some lines about “wow she looks hot” or “he made my heart rate speed up” but there isn’t any follow through or mention of a relationship in the future. Even with that spark, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of foundation for a healthy relationship, at least not in the “let’s never talk about our feelings” state of mind they’re both in. This book solely centers around these two kids fucking with their siblings lives (mainly Kiran starting fires and Deen attempting to put them out).

Really, the only reason I continued this book was because I got an eARC from NetGalley and I thought the problems with Amira and Faisal (the siblings) would be resolved. I was really rooting for them, and it was kinda left on an unsatisfying open end. I will admit that the writing was good and the main characters had layers, but I just found the plot of the book to be overall frustrating and convoluted. The exploration into Muslim culture and traditions was really great and educational personally, and I enjoyed that this representation is finally on the page. But even so, those were not good enough to make up for the rest of this falling short for me.

Basically, if you’re not a fan of the miscommunication/misinformation trope or actually want to like the main character, I would recommend skipping this book and trying out some other novels with an actual desi romance.

DNF @ 42 % I just couldn’t finish this….
spoilerish kinda !??? actually yes there are spoilers
here are a couple reasons why. spoilers ahead
- deen & kirans past relationship is not believable whatsoever. I dont believe they had a past relationship. the only glimpses we get of their past relationship is via text messages which is probably I had a hard time getting attached to their former relationship
- I don’t like kirans protectiveness over her sister its uncalled for especially since she’s the younger sister it just makes her seem whiny.
- the discord romance storyline between deen and kiran is very under developed probably because its already established that they chat on discord when the story begins
- idk how I feel about the muslim representation…. every single time theres a romance between muslims they’re always non-practicing or consider themselves “bad” muslims. I get that there are many different types of muslims but the only types of muslims being written about are muslims who conform to western standards.
- kiran is just an annoying character in general. she’s invasive and has no boundaries and has the audacity to act like the victim when deen rightfully calls her out for interfering with his brothers life.

I dont know if kirans character is redeemed by the end of the book but I really dont care enough to keep reading. life is too short to read bad books.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review**

It All Comes Back to You is nothing like what I expected - and I’m glad for it. For what I thought was a fluffy and sweet romance, It All Comes Back to You is, what I’d more accurately describe, a romantic comedy with drama and coming-of-age elements centering two very flawed desi Muslim teens. It is messy at times, and delightfully so, making It All Comes Back to You such a memorable story and a wonderful addition to young adult fiction.

Told in alternating perspectives, the story follows two desi exes who are reunited after years apart. Kiran, a Pakistani-American teen, lost her mother to ALS years ago, and as a consequence is determined to keep her father and her older sister close. But when Deen, who ghosted her, returns to her life when Kiran’s sister becomes engaged with Deen’s older brother, Kiran is determined to find out what happened. Meanwhile, Deen is determined to keep Kiran from the truth. In a game of cat-and-mouse, the two teens grapple with the push of the past and the pull of their chemistry with one another.

Despite what the book’s vibrant illustrated cover by Zahra Fatima may suggest, It All Comes Back to You is not a fluffy and wholesome romance. Rather, It All Comes Back to You is more of a romantic-comedy-drama-coming-of-age that also explores the weight of grief and family expectations, redemption, and grudges. At times, the story is solemn; we see Deen and his brother suffering from their parents’ expectations and how their parents use their sons for clout. We also see Kiran and her father still suffering from the aftermath of Kiran’s mother’s passing, and how a cloud of grief follows them, causing Kiran to be more protective of her sister and father while her father throws himself into work. A huge secret from Deen and his brother’s past is a central mystery of the story, a secret so severe that their family would do anything to keep the truth from resurfacing, giving the story great emotional beats and intrigue to continue reading.

The cat-and-mouse element of It All Comes Back to You added great emotional depth to the story. Driven by their desires to protect their loved ones, Kiran and Deen attempt to outmanoeuvre each other – with Kiran trying to find the truth of why Deen ghosted her, and with Deen trying to protect his brother from the truth coming out. The conflict that arises is addictive and brilliant, deepening both characters, their motivations, and also their frustrations (and undeniable attraction) with one another. What I enjoyed is that, as readers, we see the trainwreck waiting to happen from miles away, but as we are pulled deeper and deeper into Kiran and Deen’s motivations, particularly when they turn desperate, we understand that what unfolds is inevitable – and we cannot help but watch it unfold.

Indeed, the two cross boundaries and lines of what would be considered ‘good’, but with what’s on the line – specifically, their siblings’ wellbeing, their happiness, their futures – the story is a fantastic illustration of how far someone will go to protect someone you love, even if it hurts the person that they are protecting. It All Comes Back to You never intends to be a blueprint of ‘moral’ or ‘good’ desi teens. Rather, It All Comes Back to You is a story about very flawed teens who get carried away with their desire to protect someone they love, from someone they used to love, and explores all the feelings and hurts and consequences with acute self-awareness.

I adored both Kiran and Deen, but the first thing you should know going into It All Comes Back to You is that Kiran and Deen are far from perfect characters. Kiran lost her mother to ALS, a pain that she still carries as she hasn’t had the opportunity to grieve, while Deen hides a secret that weighs him down with guilt. Indeed, the two regularly push boundaries, make a lot of mistakes, misunderstand one another (and also misunderstand themselves!), and lash out in grief and hurts that haven’t quite healed yet. But rather than this be a detractor to the book, the deliberate and thoughtful characterisations of both Kiran and Deen, though at times discomforting, elevate the story to one that is vulnerable, candidly portraying the ugliness and hurts we all carry - if only we were honest with ourselves.

Sincere and thoughtful, It All Comes Back to You melds the complexity and messiness of relationships and grudges with a compelling story about how the path to hell – or a trainwreck – is paved with good intentions and teens who love and want to protect their siblings. It All Comes Back to You is fun and engrossing with a delightful touch of mess, making this a vulnerable story interwoven with personal truths about how we are all far from perfect.

Beyond this being a love story, it's the journey of learning to trust for positive growth; personal, spiritual, and mental. The key point is trust. Trust your instincts. Trust your family and friends, allowing loved ones to see your true colors no matter how painful it may be. Trust life and the ridiculous daily challenges we go through. Most importantly, trust your purpose, your worth.

I'm astonished by Farah Naz Rishi's ability to make me feel anxious, happy, and angry in just a matter of seconds; it truly speaks to her impeccable writing. I know many of the passages will be bound close to heart until the end of time.

*Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to read this magnificent book. To say I love this book is an understatement.*

Three years ago, Kiran Noorani’s first love, Deen Malik, ghosted her and moved without a word. Soon after, Kiran’s mom died. Two great losses. So when Kiran’s sister, Amira, announces that she met a guy, Faisel, and might move across the country with him, Kiran is desperate to intervene. The perfect opportunity arises when Kiran overhears a conversation between Faisel and his best friend, revealing that Faisel has secrets he wants kept hidden. In the name of protecting Amira, Kiran makes it her mission to reveal the truth, regardless of the consequences. However, Kiran faces resistance from Faisel’s brother, a ghost from her past, who is determined to support the happy couple. Sparks fly as games of deception collide and details from the past are spilled.

This was an emotional rollercoaster of a story, filled with complicated love, loss, trauma, secrets, family expectations, close friendships, and forgiveness. I was thoroughly entertained by the unique plot, non-stop witty banter, second-chance romance, infusion of Muslim culture, and the mystery that was Faisel’s past. I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for all the puzzle pieces to come together. Not to mention, the cover was GORGEOUS. That being said, I was frustrated by the general lack of honesty and unwillingness to communicate. A lot of unnecessary pain could’ve been avoided. Moreover, Kiran’s methods of manipulation went too far, in my opinion. I understood her reasoning, but I didn’t agree with her actions. Lastly, I wish the ending was less open-ended, but I hope that there’s a possibility of a sequel!

Thanks to NetGalley, Quill Tree Books, and Farah Naz Rishi for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Kiran’s big sister Amira is all about school; she’s finished her law degree and is going to move back to Philadelphia where she, dad, and younger sister Kiran can work on being family without their mom, recently lost to ALS. Plans change when Amira meets Faisal, after just three months they are planning their wedding and a move to California. Kiran is devastated, especially since she secretly dated Deen, Faisal’s younger brother three years ago and then was ghosted by him when his family stopped coming to the masjid and then left the tight circle of desi families amid a swirl of rumors. Kiran doesn’t want to confess to secret dating, but she’s sure there's something to the rumors and when Amira ignores her hints that the engagement move more slowly, Kiran is determined to do anything she can to prevent the wedding. Lots of interesting cultural details about Pakistani American culture as well as MMO - Deen and Kiran don’t know that they are online friends. Kiran can be a tough character to like, but readers

It All Comes Back to You by Farah Naz Rishi is a funny and engaging story told from the POVs of Kiran and Deen, two exes. Three years prior to the events of the novel, the pair dated, but things ended abruptly when Deen ghosted Kiran. She is still hurt and bitter. Kiran and Deen are less than enthused when then they find out their siblings have started dating. Suddenly, they are thrust back into each others’ lives, but Deen still can’t tell Kiran why he ghosted her. However, as Kiran becomes suspicious of Deen’s brother, Deen has to do everything in his power to stop her before she ruins his brother’s one chance at happiness.

While this book seems like a romance and is sort of about second chance love, it is really more about the characters’ personal growth. Both main characters are messy and infuriating but also understandable. I loved them, despite their flaws, and I wanted the best for them. I wanted them to grow, and they did. The plot was interesting and compelling. There were a few inconsistencies about the timing of some past events, but that didn’t really detract from the story as a whole.

Overall, It All Comes Back to You is a fresh, fun book, and I highly recommend it! It comes out September 14, 2021, so go preorder it, request it at your library, or buy it when it comes out!

DNF 38% for now

I really wanted to like this book but I just could not push myself in continuing further. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the plot and the general premise this was all going, but I just didn’t feel excited enough to see how it will all play out. Maybe it’s cause I wasn’t in the mood for a YA ….so we’ll see.

But for those who are looking for an easy YA read between two head strong individuals who will do anything to protect their families even if it means they have to get along with each other… or at least try too. This would be perfect for you!!

Though this is described as a romance, Kiran and Deen’s relationship is definitely a secondary plot of this absorbing tale. Kiran and Deen secretly dated a few years ago and now their siblings, Amira and Faisal, are getting married. While Deen is thrilled that his troubled brother, Faisal, will finally move on from his past, Kiran is adamantly against the marriage.
There is much to like about this novel. Deen is very funny and his friend Vinny is an excellent sidekick. Kiran’s heartbreak over the death of her mother and desperation to keep her family together feels very real, though she does sometimes cross the line to protect her sister. Is she motivated by her anger because Deen ghosted her in the past or does she truly believe Faisal is a terrible person? I found myself also wanting to follow Amira and Faisal’s story more closely than that of the two main characters. Faisal, in particular, suffers because of the actions of others and it felt unfair that he paid so high a price for his past actions. Though there is a prologue, I was definitely left wanting more.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It All Comes Back to You alternates between the viewpoints of Kiran and Deen, 2 people who had a “thing” a few years ago and are thrust back together when their older siblings fall in love and get engaged. Deen ghosted Kiran and now Kiran is out to get him and seemingly also his brother, wanting to figure out his secrets so her sister won’t marry him. I had an underlying anxious feeling the entire time I was reading, knowing that the schemes would blow up at some point during the book. The storyline was unique in some ways, and predictable in others. I personally did not enjoy the anxious feeling as I was reading, though the story is well written.

It All Comes Back to You is a YA novel following Deen and Kiran, exes who have to face their past when their siblings begin dating. Kiran needs to keep her family together after the death of her mom. However, her sister Amira’s announcement that she is dating someone shakes her world. Deen is thrilled that his brother, Faisal, has an amazing girlfriend. It is the least Faisal deserves after all he has done for Deen, as Deen is the reason that Faisal needs a clean slate. As the families meet, Deen and Kiran are faced with their unresolved past. Three years ago, Kiran and Deen dated, secretly until Deen’s ghosting ended any semblance of a relationship. With hints of secrets in Faisal’s past, Kiran is determined to find the truth and protect her sister. Deen wants happiness for his brother and if he has to stop Kiran to do it, he will. Will Kiran and Deen be able to take down their walls and truly understand who they are?
Oh my goodness! This book so pulls at the heart-strings! Coming into the story, I did not realize all that would go on. Both Kiran and Deen are struggling with where they are in life. They are on the cusp of adulthood, trying to find their way distinct from their families while still being so entrenched in the culture that they were a part of. They were both sort of floundering, not sure what they really wanted out of life. Unfortunately, the circumstances that bring them together only exacerbate the struggles they both face. Kiran is desperately trying to keep her family together and keep her dad and sister safe. Amira’s boyfriend is not part of that plan. Convinced that Faisal is not what he seems, she is trying to find the truth. I felt for Kiran. While I often did not agree with her choices in her quest, I understood her feelings. She and her family were in some ways still dealing with her mother’s death. They were a bit adrift and Kiran was struggling with it. Having to deal with Deen just brought up all the feelings she had from that time, they irritated one another, in part because they still knew each other at least somewhat. Deen, oh that boy! He had so much guilt about all Faisal had gone through, especially the parts he was involved in. In quite a few ways, he was just getting through life.
I loved how we got to see into both of their lives. This story is told in a mix of past and present, slowly unfolding the story. Both of the characters had a lot of pain in them and though they had good intentions, spent a lot making things difficult for themselves and those around them. At times, it was a little painful to watch. I almost wanted to cover my eyes sometime, because of either Kiran’s plan to find the truth or Deen’s attempt to protect his brother. I will admit that I had some trouble getting through this book, I had to pause a few times to compose myself and reset from it. Overall, I enjoyed the story and felt like I could connect to the characters. I was a little thrown off by the language, but that is a personal preference. This is definitely a book for older teens, it includes drug abuse, alcohol use, death, innuendos, and language. The characters are Desi and especially in this story have a lot of references to their culture and religion. If you are okay with all of the content warnings I mentioned and a little bit of heart-tugging, I would recommend this to you!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

I posted my review on Goodreads, Bookbub and Barnes and Nobles. I will post on Amazon and my blog closer to release date

I really really wanted to love this book. I was so excited for it and for the first couple chapters I was in love with the characters and deeply invested in the plot.

I absolutely can say that the plot was dynamic and fast paced throughout the entire story. The characters are all witty and realistic and the authors talent shines through the writing.

However, I was appalled at the characters behavior and I despised the ending. Throughout the story the characters do horrible things to and for one another under the guise of ‘protecting family’ and besides slight feelings of guilt they never seem to truly process their actions.

At the end, instead of resolving anything, they all just walk away from each other in an attempt to grow and be better people. Then we see in the epilogue that 3 years later Kiran and Deen meet again. My main issue is that the ending was a realistic one for a very dramatic story. The book is full of high stakes pranks and dark backstories with drugs, parental loss, and emotional abuse, and the characters deserved a happy ending after all of that trouble. Not a real world happy ending, but a true fairy tale sparkle filled happy ending. Dramatic story should always equal a dramatic ending in my opinion.

Overall I really enjoyed this book but the last 5 ish chapters were just infuriating. It almost felt like climbing up a massive mountain only to see that the view has been blocked off by a tarp.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for the opportunity to read this! I flew threw this book. I'm not kidding. I started it last night and finished it this morning. It was amazing. I felt so many things. I really enjoyed the humor in it as well. I find that a lot of authors use outdated Gen Z humor that just falls flat, but the humor in this was actually really great. I started this for the romance, but I was so invested in the plot as well. I think it was a really smart decision to include both POVs plus glimpses of their past and how it parallels their conversations now. Petition for a sequel about Amira and Faisal's life in California and Deen and Kiran's lives after college please? I need it immediately.

"To Kid Me, who spent most of Sunday school daydreaming of love stories with Muslim characters..." - Farah Naz Rishi, It All Comes Back To You

From the dedication on this story, I knew I was HOOKED. Seeing yourself represented in a story like this is so rare for so many people so for my desi (and non desi) enemies to lovers fanatics this one is def for you! Not to sound cliche, but so may good tropes are in this story (notably lovers to enemies to lovers, despise each other but are secretly BFFS online)

This story follows Kiran and Deen as they try to navigate through their siblings wedding while grappling with their own lives in college, family problems, past trauma and the fact that three years ago they had dated in secret- with a nasty ending to their own story. Kiran and Deen have opposite goals with the wedding at hand - Kiran wants nothing more than to sabotage it and Deen wants nothing more than to make it happen and this along with their own personal issues cause clashes between the two that affect everyone around them.

This book is written from dual pov's (Kiran and Deen) and the writing style is excellent. In my opinion, the dual pov style really helps you understand the characterizations of everyone very early on and this helps to understand and enjoy the story in a very significant way. I also enjoyed that every so often the book would switch from the first person point of view to a chapter of electronic dialouge. If you've ever read a texting fic, the set up of some of the chapters are just like that and it explains certain aspects of the story much better than first person pov could have. The stylistic choices in this book are honestly just *chefs kiss*

The plot is excellent, this is def a quick read- I devoured it in a day. There's suspense and mystery throughout the book in addition to the romance stories and it wraps up very neatly. It All Comes Back to You is 100% a page turner and I found myself dying to know what would happen next and when we would find out the answer to the overarching mystery of the secrets that each party was keeping from one another and the unravelling of secrets that we as readers knew but our characters did not.

This was a difficult book to read. The tension between the main characters and the meddlesome nature of their conflict really made them unlikeable protagonists but the conflict and resolution was compelling because it took an unconventional approach. The family bond in this book was so incredibly important and I think made this book an incredible success despite my dislike of every single choice made by the two main characters.
Incredible writing!

Thank you to Net Galley and Quill Tree Books for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

It All Comes Back to You has a beautiful cover, if I was in the bookstore I would instantly pick this up. Two exes who are enemies also sold me. The story jumps from the two main characters POVs this was a wonderful choice because we got to see what was going on in each of the character's heads. It was difficult to put this book down because I just had to know why these two broke up and where they were heading in the future.

This book is labeled as a "romance" but it felt more of a coming of age story. This was not a negative in my opinion because I still loved the story and I will 100% be purchasing the physical copy non September 14, 2021 when it releases!

I have seen so many reviews with spoilers and I want to avoid that so I will end this review here.