This is a soft, lyrical book about language, love, and resistance. Set in a fictional town with political undertones reflecting real-world issues, it follows two teens from different communities learning how to bridge divides through stories, activism, and connection. I loved the gentle romance and the central idea that language can be a form of protest and healing. It’s quiet, reflective, and sometimes a little too slow-paced for my mood, but still beautifully written. If you liked The Lines We Cross or A Thousand Splendid Suns, this will probably speak to you.

Aisha Saeed has this rare, almost quiet magic in her writing—the kind that doesn’t shout, but instead settles softly into your heart. Forty Words for Love was no exception. In fact, it might be one of her most tender, layered, and emotionally resonant books yet.

This story felt like poetry. From the beautiful title to the depth of feeling in every chapter, there’s such intentionality here. Saeed explores love—not just romantic love, but cultural love, community love, self-love, and the love we carry for our roots, even when they feel like they’re slipping away. I found myself rereading lines just to feel them again.

The characters are so fully human. Yas, in particular, stayed with me. She’s torn between honoring her family, protecting her community, and figuring out who she is in a town that seems intent on silencing both her voice and her history. Her inner conflict felt so real, so familiar—especially as someone who understands the tension of being part of a diasporic community, of trying to belong in multiple worlds at once.

And the way Aisha writes about language—forty words for love—it was breathtaking. It reminded me how expansive love truly is, and how we so often try to condense it into one word when it deserves so many more.

This book is quiet in pace but loud in meaning. It doesn’t rely on shocking twists or overdone drama; instead, it asks you to feel, to reflect, to hold space for nuance. And as always, Saeed does this while centering brown, Muslim characters with softness, depth, and dignity—something that still feels far too rare.

Forty Words for Love is a story of resistance and tenderness, of remembering who you are while still growing into someone new. I closed it feeling full, grateful, and once again reminded why Aisha Saeed remains one of my favorite authors.

This was my first Aisha Saeed book and it was just weak? I liked the premise of the book and there are parts of it that were really good but it needed work! I needed more fleshing out the emotions driving these characters

The story was difficult to get into and didn't hold my attention very well. I don't think this is for me as I couldn't get into the writing as well.

Aisha Saeed's latest novel presents an intriguing combination of magic realism and contemporary romance. Forty Words for Love follows childhood besties Yasmine and Raf who grew up in a magical town. Saeed does a great job creating magical vibes in the descriptions of the town while still keeping Yasmine and Raf believable characters by having them deal with realistic issues such as worrying about their futures.
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The magic realism aspect works its way into the core of Yasmine and Raf's relationship as well, with Raf being part of a seemingly magical race of people called Golub, and as a result he faces pressure to not get to close to people outside of that bubble. But when a death rocks their town, Yasmine and Raf find themselves relying on each other to cope with it emotionally, and soon their relationship turns into something more than friendship. I've been told before that "people come together in the face of tragedy" (it was one of my 8th grade teachers after the Boston Marathon bombings who told me that, actually), so I liked this aspect of the story. Forty Words for Love also features a large cast of supporting characters (I don't love ensemble casts, but I'm a sucker for a cast of supporting characters) through whom Saeed explores how a community as a whole heals from tragedy. The book also tackles the topics of betrayal and being fed lies, which leads to a plot twist, the magnitude of which is unprecedented in this type of story, but it was executed well.
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Overall, an emotional read with an interesting premise.

Life got in the way and I could not finish the book. Thanks to the publishers for the chance to read the book.

Aisha Reid’s "Forty Words for Love" is a poignant exploration of romance and personal growth. The novel's lyrical prose and richly developed characters create a compelling narrative. While occasionally slow, it offers deep emotional insight and a satisfying, heartfelt conclusion.

This is a book that really grew on me despite a rough start. Forty Words for Love is a magical realism YA novel about the treatment of refugees .

Forty Words for Love does one thing that I cannot stand. Saeed creates a rich world with magical elements but does not explain how this world works. Forty Words for Love gives the reader rich, lavish writing and fascinating characters, but you are scratching your head trying to figure out this world.

Sadly, this wasn't really for me. I never ended up connecting with Yas or Raf as characters, and I honestly just had a difficult time following the thread of the plot. I never ended up getting into the story.

I love the cover though!

I did not finish this book.

I tried twice (at different times), but it was hard for me to get into it. I’m not sure why, but it was just not for me. However, the blurb is so intriguing and I have seen good reviews of this book, so I might give it another chance later on. It’s just a DNF for now.

Loved the friends to lovers aspect. Was a really interesting read and I enjoyed it would recommend. Was a bit skeptical of the magical realism but it made me a fan

First things first, the cover is GORGEOUS. A++
The actual story was adorable, and I really liked the friends to lovers romance. Raf and Yas had a very Romeo and Juliet thing going on (just without the dying and what not), and I was rooting for their romance from the start.
Magical realism is a tricky genre in my opinion, because the world building aspect is already built in, but it's the why the magic is there that needs to be built upon. We don't really get too much backstory on where the people of the Forest come from or what their magic fully entails. We get glimpses of information but not enough for me to really care about their struggles. It didn't really feel like the Golub's were a different species, but just regular displaced humans. There are so many flaws in the way the Golub "don't leave the permitter" logic works and how the small town survives in general that I just felt very disconnected from this story.

Its a cute story, but I think it truly falls on the younger side of YA and I was definitely not the target audience for this one.

A really good YA novel, with great characters and plot! I would definitely recommend to anyone who thinks it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

Thank you to execution and the publisher for granting me free access to the arc of this book. I wish I like this more than I did to be honest. The promise was there, the exexution however was a bit underwhelming.

This one's for those who are healing from grief or those who are trying to at the very least. Though I know not everyone loves magical realism, this might be a book to check if you enjoy it!

I went into this thinking I was going to absolutely adore this. That did not happen. The slow burn romance really had me wanting more. The magical realism always wasn't my favorite addition to the book. This is definitely a story for some people and not others.

This cover is so gorgeous and I was a little intrigued by the synopsis to give it a try. The world building was a little confusing for me at times. I thought the romance was really cute but it was more on the slow side which left me just wanting more at times. I love the social commentary woven into the book. It would be a great book to discuss.

Yas, a native to Moonlight Bay, and Raf, a refugee from Golub, have been best friends forever, despite the town’s division over the Golubs who have taken up residence there. When Raf realizes that he has romantic feelings for Yas, a series of events occur making him believe that he can never act on them. The other plotlines of the tale concern the lack of tourism in Moonlight Bay (the locals blame the Golubs for turning their bay from a beautiful lavendar/pink to a dreary gray) and the brainwashing cult-like behavior of the Golub leader.
For me, this book was very hard to get into (it took me several tries of starting and setting aside for other books). Once Raf started to question the leader, and rebel against all he was taught, the book got interesting.

This is a touching young adult tale about love and belonging. Though it's a bit confusing to follow the magical aspect of the town, the aspects of belonging, love and community are all clear.