I thought I learned a lot from this book about the lives of Muslim teenagers at uni in Australia . Ultimately, the take-home message to me was that all teenagers have the same issues regardless of their religion and upbringing about that perhaps Muslim teens have additional pressures from their families and communities, particularly the expectation of arranged marriage.
That’s not very much happens in this book. It’s it’s primarily a relationship base novel rather than a story based novel but I think by the end of the story we did really get to know the main character is well. The characterisations were well developed and really seemed like real people.
Do you have a has a clear easily read prose style, and the novel was a pleasure to read .

The novel is released in the UK on the 6th of July 2023 by Ultimo press. I read an early copy on NetGalley, UK.
This review will appear on , Netgalley UK ,Goodreads, Amazon, UK, and on my book blog, bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.Com

This book covers beliefs, values, customs, practices, and institutions of culture that gave me great insight. The author has provided readers with a deeper understanding of the ways in which people from different cultural backgrounds live, think, and interact with each other. I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for the richness and diversity of human culture. This book can promote understanding, empathy, and a sense of interconnectedness among people from different backgrounds.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This story, heavily influenced by the author's Muslim identity, is set in Sydney, Australia and features a young cast of characters, all of whom are University students and members of an Islamic Students organisation. The story mainly revolves around Sara and her best friend Abida, as they try to negotiate life in a city where they are regarded as outsiders, even though they were born there. Sara starts a forbidden liaison with a boy, Naeem, and Abida runs for election as president of the campus organisation. Their different paths threaten to destroy the young women's deep friendship and understanding. This is a story about love: of God in particular, but also of community, friends and family, as well as romantic attraction. While it is predominantly a YA title, it holds interest for the general reader who may not be familiar with the laws and customs of Islam.

Its style is a little self-conscious at times, but the author cleverly navigates the problematic passages between Sara and Naeem without it being either salacious or twee. A promising debut.