Alisha Rai's young adult debut and it's packed full of heavy, yet relevant themes: high school crushes, sibling relationships, falling-out friendships, and deportation.
Sonia Patil and her family have gone through difficult times (understatement), since their mom's deportation, Sonia and her sister, Kareena, (whose cancer is in remission, but also did not pursue a DACA status so she is also living in fear of deportation despite having lived in the U.S. for her entire memory) carry the weight of staying in the U.S., keeping a low profile, and trying to survive. When Sonia saves her high school crush, James, from drowning - while in cosplay as a superhero - she draws all the attention as news, police, and the family try to figure out who was the caped hero who fled the scene. A contemporary retelling of the 90s movie While You Were Sleeping, we follow Sonia as she navigates fragile, shifting relationships while also finding herself falling for someone unexpected.
Told from Sonia's POV, I fell in love with her character: she is smart, creative, and resilient, yet so unsure of herself because of the relationships that have been lost. Though the story is primarily a rom-com, Rai does well in exploring the nuances that come with immigration and the rippling effects that come with deportation. Her co-worker-turned-new-friend, Hana, is also a new source of strength for Sonia that then gently gives her the confidence to use her voice.
Were there some cheesy lines? Sure. Was Kareena dating someone unexpected seem like too much? (no spoilers) Sure, but it's a much better conflict than the one we are initially presented with. Overall, this is a fun, sweet, and endearing YA contemporary novel of a girl trying to piece life together after earth-shattering transitions out of her control. I'd give it 5 stars, but I didn't see the appeal of James as a love interest (very few redeeming qualities aside from his looks and his family) and there were some pretty corny lines from the love interest, so reduced half-stars there for a solid 4.

Reviews Posted: March 18, 2023
Goodreads
Storygraph

This book was the perfect difference between cute and serious. I adored so many of the characters and I think the author tackled a very difficult topic well.

The characters were great and I love that the main character had so many different types of relationships with the people in her life. I especially loved how the author showed that family can be found and made in the most unlikely places.

The romance was cute as well and from the first moment, they interacted I was hooked. I was rooting for them the whole time.

As many people know immigration has been a polarizing topic in the US for many years now. And the author does a good job of showing use how terrifying that can be for people and the thoughts that often consume them.

Overall, I think this is a great read and I highly recommend it.

This is the third Alisha Rai novel that I have read, and it has firmly entrenched her as one of my favorite authors.

While You Were Dreaming is a wonderful debut YA contemporary story that highlights the lives and struggles of undocumented people and the lives of those around them. The GoodReads description mentions fake dating and a love triangle in the very first few lines and I am here to tell you to throw that out right now. This book falls under the love triangle trope in the way that bad lemon-flavored sparkling water is actually lemon-flavored. The book has a bare essence of the trope, but to say it's a legitimate love triangle would be absurd. And the fake dating is more of a misunderstanding that two characters are dating than what I would characterize as fake dating.

Now that that's out of the way let me tell you what I absolutely love about the book.

I think this book is such an important read to understand how issues of immigration affect everyone involved. This is the story of what happens after families are torn apart, and its a story told so beautifully. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. I just loved this book so much.

This is the first time I'm reading something Alisha Rai has written in first person, and I think she executes it wonderfully. Sonia's thoughts and insecurities inform the prose. She is such a complex, three-dimensional character who shows so much growth throughout the book, and I felt like I was living inside her head I knew and understood her so well. On top of that, Sonia's connections are so meaningfully built or mended. I love her friendship with Hana, and I love how believable all reconciliations are.

The romance, though not the main focus of the book at all, was adorable. I love Niam as a character so much. He makes mistakes and he's so awkward, but he tries. And I just think he fits with Sonia so well.

Overall, I really really loved this book, and everyone needs to read it. 5 stars.

Oh this was so good!! It was cute, funny, heartwarming, affirming. There was romance, and friendships and family drama as well. I really liked Sonia and Rai wrote her so well. I started to worry towards the end as to how the story (& conflict) was going to wrap up but I am really happy with how it did. Immigration & documentation status is a pretty serious topic and not something that can be resolved easily & quickly. I worried that the ending would be too unbelievable but it was perfect. It wasn't resolved in a pretty magic bow but with the suggestion that help was available and her status could be resolved in the future.

This is going on my top favorites list and is a definite contender for one of my favorite YA books this year.

When I discovered that one of my favorite authors, Alisha Rai, had written a YA novel I was over the moon! And then when I saw the title I was even more excited, because While You Were Sleeping was one of my favorite 90s rom-com guilty pleasures.

While You Were Dreaming brings some of the same tropes as the movie that was its inspiration. The heroine executes a quick-thinking rescue of the guy she has had a crush on for a while. The guy's family misconstrues their relationship. The heroine eventually falls for the guy's brother. But Rai puts a special spin on all of that for her YA debut. Our heroine, Sonia, is an anxiety-riddled teenager with body image issues and an active imagination. She is lonely and sad after her mother is deported back to India and her best friend ghosts her. Sonia's older sister's undocumented status makes their situation even more tenuous. They have to avoid drawing attention to themselves at all costs. So when Sonia publicly saves the life of a classmate while wearing a cosplay superhero costume and the footage goes viral, she does everything in her power to make sure nobody know that she is the mysterious "Shadow" that everyone is looking for.

Rai's signature style shows through in this sweet YA novel, with sharp writing and beautifully-developed characters. Sonia's new friend Hana is the friend I think we all need. I hope Rai has plans to give Hana her own story in the future. If you're looking for a smart YA romance that's more than fluff, that tackles some of the serious issues facing our young people today, definitely check this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and to HarperCollins Children's Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved every bit of this. The friendships and the family for Sonia, are really well done. Sonia is such a strong main character. She's on the cusp of adulthood, still feeling the uncertainty of the teen years plus the responsibilities that come with adulthood. Sonia has anxiety and that is handled sensitively. Body positivity is here, with Sonia being told she's beautiful and not to fall for Western standards, while her mother deals with the less positive Auntie. I appreciated every time a character was straightforward and asked questions. Hard conversations were had, about family, about friendships, about intentions. And characters apologized (except for the mean girl, but that's to be expected). Sonia's family wasn't wrapped up in a bow with promises that everything would be fine in the end, and that's ok. That's real and that's life. Niam's family may have looked more picture perfect, but Rai allows Niam and James to have their sibling rivalry as families have. The romance is perfect YA, in my opinion, teens who are feeling the hormones and wanting to spend time together, while being uncertain about every step because that's how teenagers are.
I've loved every one of Rai's adult romances, and I'm excited to see what else she writes in YA.

CW: immigration issues and deportation, mean girls, anxiety, panic attacks

4.5 stars.

I’ve always loved the rom com While You Were Sleeping so I was 100% on board for this inspired YA novel.

I loved that While You Were Dreaming delved into some topics that you don’t typically see in romance or YA. Sonia’s mother was recently deported to India, so her also undocumented sister is working at dead-end jobs to help make ends meet while staying under the radar. Sonia just wants a date with her math class crush, but she’s also trying to avoid attention to protect her sister. But of course, when her crush falls and nearly drowns, she has to save him! And from there she somehow meets the rest of his family, including his older brother Niam.

The pacing was a little slow at first, but I really got into it once the action began to happen. There was a minor love triangle with Sonia and her math crush and his older brother, but early on communication occurs so it felt less like a triangle and more like a natural progression.

Overall, it was sweet, but not just the romantic relationship. I loved how Sonia’s family looked out for each other, and even how Niam’s family easily took her in and “adopted” her. While You Were Dreaming was a great read and I’d love some more.

Thank you to HarperCollins and Quill Tree Books for the review copy.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Alisha Rai and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

If it were up to Sonia, she would be attending comic con, but instead she is working a shift for her boss' daughter. Life has been hard for Sonia ever since her mom was deported and her sister had to give up college because she never claimed her DACA.

Soon Sonia makes it to comic con and ends up being a being a real life hero when she saves the life of her crush, James. She is soon a mysterious internet hero since she was in a mask. Will Sonia be able to stay out of the spotlight and be able to connect with James?

A cute YA read! I loved this book and will definitely be recommending it to others!

I’ve gotta tell you- I’m such a sci-fi and fantasy person, contemporary romance rarely holds my attention. However, this eARC (thank you @netgalley!) managed to keep me invested the whole way through- I read it in less than 24 hours.
Sonia, our MC, is so easy to root for even from the beginning, even when she messes up. The main romance is fabulous (While You Were Sleeping fans are sure to appreciate it) but what really kept me reading were all the other relationships: a past friend, a new friend, and of course, an older sister, who all have their own character development and growth alongside our MC. The representation in this is so effortlessly positive (queer rep, mental health rep, and body positivity are not the main storylines, but the way they’re included always felt super good and also believable!) And overall, what I thought I would read and enjoy as a rec for my students ended up being a very fun read for me, too. So! 5/5 stars for teen romance readers, and definitely going on my classroom wishlist 🤗

Sonia has always flown under the radar--intentionally. Especially since her mother got deported, she's extra scared of what might happen if people find out her sister is undocumented, as well. So when she saves her crush's life and the bystanders call 911, she flees. She can't risk the cops, or the hospital, asking too many questions. Thankfully, she was dressed as a superhero at the time, so even though a video of her saving James goes viral, nobody knows who she really is.
But as she gets closer with James and his family (particularly his brother Niam and their mom) she starts to wonder what she really wants, when it comes to James. And Niam. And through it all, she's made a new friend--Hana, the girl she works with. But as their friendship grows she can't help but think about her ex-best friend, the one who ghosted her just days after her mother's deportation. And through all of this, Sonia worries about her identity getting leaked, and the secrets that hinge on Shadow, her alter-ego who saved James, staying anonymous.

While You Were Dreaming does a beautiful job of showcasing different types of relationships-- close families and strained ones, tense friendships and ones that flow easily, we've got it all. Alisha Rai absolutely nailed the voice of a teen with the weight of the world on her shoulders, young but aged beyond her years. And Sonia's family dynamics--fraught but ultimately loving--were so beautifully done, as well.
I've loved all of Alisha Rai's adult books, and I loved this one as well!

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced reading copy! Rai is a great writer, and this book does not disappoint as her YA debut. Sonia is a great main lead, and shines on the page. This book was a thoughtful and cute YA from Alisha Rai that does a good job of balancing the issues of immigration with issues of growing up. I liked all the characters, and I think this is a good addition to romantic, adventure young adult fiction. I recommend this book for fans of Rai and young adult romance.

Rai easily transitions from romance to YA with this strongly-voiced contemporary. There's quite a lot to engage with - immigration issues, troubled old friendships and interesting new ones, body image, romance, sister relationships, and the fame that Sonia is trying to avoid - and while each topic does find its place and is worked on in interesting ways, my main issue was that things felt overstuffed and toward the end some of the threads felt like they were dropped somewhat. This also undercut the romance plotline somewhat; while not instalove and featuring some cute scenes, I felt as if it needed more time and buildup for me to be invested. Still, the story balances serious, funny, emotional, and real quite well, and plenty of readers will be drawn to this one.

4.5/5 stars

In Alisha Rai's debut YA novel, we meet Sonia patel, a high school student who just wants to dress up in her cosplay costume and attend her local comic con. Instead, she is working at the coffee shop next door and dreaming about her crush, James. When James has an accident, Sonia is there to save the day, in literally a superhero costume. As James recovers, Sonia finds herself becoming close with James' family including his older brother, Niam. She is also avoiding social media detectives trying to figure out the idenity of James' hero. How will Sonia juggle keeping her idenity a secret, family problems and figuring out who is the boy of her superhero dreams?

The romance in this book is adorable and gives all the feels. It also has humor throughout while discussing some more serious topics. It does a really nice job of representing different cultures, immigration issues, and the age of social media and it's effects on society. I also enjoyed the friendship Sonia develops with Hana.

I would highly recommend this book!

It balanced the struggles of immigration & undocumented loved ones with the cute & swoon-worthy budding romance(s) so well —a love triangle, a female friendship, a sister bond, and a passion for cosplay win in this YA. Full review will be posted on the blog on March 15th, 2023 and will be updated here too.

I’m not quite sure what I was expecting from While You Were Dreaming, but it wasn’t what I got. Don’t get me wrong, it was pretty good and very well written, but I had higher expectations.

I thought the whole ‘thrust into the spotlight’ part of this book was going to be more in the vein of the tons of influence stories that are very popular right now. I’m not mad that it wasn’t as this take was very interesting. A masked hero who has gone viral is very interesting, but a lot of the time that plot line didn’t seem to be the main focus.

Personally, I think the story focused far too much on the romance side of things. I was way more interested in Sonia being a masked superhero than who she has a crush on. Also, the strained relationships she had with her mother who was deported back to India and her sister who is undocumented were definitely better. The protectiveness Sonia felt over her sister as she didn’t want to lose her too made for a far more interesting dynamic than Sonia had with either of her love interests.

The characters were very realistic and I liked how they developed over time, although some were not for the better. Both sisters were fiercely protective of the other, but they showed it in completely different ways. I enjoyed seeing their love for each other develop into a much more open and honest relationship.

Sonia’s need to hide her heroic act in fear of deportation was heartbreaking and massively brave. It takes a very strong person to not own up to something that would get you a lot of praise and that’s very commendable. This is a small spoiler so don’t read the next sentence if you are thinking of reading this! I’m glad the secret did go any further than James’ family finding out, as I wouldn't want Kareena to get deported, but I was somewhat interested to see what the fallout would have been. I don’t know if this will end up being a series/duology, but may something will come of it in a future book.

While You Were Dreaming was a heartfelt romance that has a strong focus on family and friendship dynamics with a sprinkling of superhero action. It was a pretty good read from start to finish, but something felt missing for me. If there are plans for a second novel I would think about checking it out, but this one did not blow me away by any means.

An incredibly thoughtful YA novel that is tense at times but also very sweet. The characters all felt very real to me, especially Sonia and Kareena. I liked that most of the characters were all open to learning and growing from their mistakes. At times, I found it hard to get into the superhero-ness of it all, but I still enjoyed the story and the writing.

Loved how fun this was! The Ms. Marvel vibes were especially appreciated. A sweet, touching romance that asks important questions, like who do I want to be? And is that the same person I want to be perceived as?

This was my first foray into Young Adult novels that I have actually liked! I generally find them too melodramatic, but this one was really well written. Sonia has believable conflicts and life concerns, not just “which boy should I date”. I appreciate that the author covered some really serious topics like documentation and mental health with sensitivity, but without either glossing over it or going so in depth as to make the story depressing.

An eye opening and heartfelt story that touches on so much more than the cute love story it features. Loved it and highly recommend to everyone.

As this title is published by HarperCollins, I will be withholding my review of the title in support of the HarperCollins Union strike. I look forward to reviewing this title once HarperCollins has met the union at the bargaining table and agreed to a fair contract.