Mia’s voice in What Will People Think is tender, hesitant, and at times achingly unsure of itself. It feels juvenile—but not in a way that detracts. It feels that way because it is. Mia is young, caught in the tension between the life she dreams of and the weight of expectation—the fear of letting down the grandparents who crossed oceans and bent time to give her a chance at something more. She doesn’t want to disappoint them. And that longing for approval, that quiet ache of guilt and love, pulses through every page.

The novel unfolds in two timelines, braided together with care. In the present, Mia is faltering—unsure of her place, her voice, her wants. In the past, she learns more about her family through an old journal, and it’s there the prose blooms with another kind of light. The words are bold, full of agency, heartbreak, and fire. It’s through these pages that Mia begins to understand her inheritance is not just obligation—it’s also courage. It’s also choice.

There’s a haunting beauty in the way these two stories mirror and challenge each other. Hamdan’s writing carries a quiet lyricism, weaving memory and identity into something rich and resonant. This is a novel about what we carry, what we’re allowed to lay down, and how we come to understand ourselves through the lives that came before us.

The narrator brings Mia’s emotional landscape to life with such nuance and care—capturing the uncertainty, the tenderness, and the quiet courage in every line. The contrast between Mia’s searching and her grandmother’s strength is especially poignant in audio, making the generational echoes all the more vivid.

What Will People Think is not just a coming-of-age story—it’s a coming-into-voice. A soft, powerful reckoning with love, legacy, and the freedom to choose your own name in the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this ALC. My opinions are my own.

This book is about a Palestinian-American girl, Mia, who is secretly a comedian. She is afraid that her grandparents will disapprove so she keeps it a secret. There is also an office romance, and a mystery in this story. Her grandma will not tell her what happened to her in the past, so Mia has to read it in her journal.

I enjoyed listening to this one, the narrator does a fantastic job. I loved the story; also it's very refreshing to read about a different culture and what they believe in. The main character finds herself and I especially enjoy the parts involving her comedy act.

I love this book's cover, and am always going to be interested in a book billed as "equal parts funny and tender."

However, coming of age is not my favorite, and that was a strong theme in WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK? Main character Mia often made questionable choices which may be true to a 25-year-old, but were hard for me to follow. Her Arab grandparents were a bright spot in the narrative.

Author Sara Hamdan crafted a readable, engaging novel; however, sometimes as a reader it felt jarring to switch between the journal (set in the past) to the current day timeline, and back again. I understand that beginning a romantic relationship was both a way to tie Mia's story with that in the journal, and to show her personal growth, but I did not personally care for her romantic interest and thus struggled to root for them.

Reem Edan's narration was great. The delivery never felt too over-the-top or muted. Sometimes perspective changed from one character to another inside of a page, but I felt Edan handled that as well as anyone.

An enjoyable read that blends stand-up comedy, a workplace romance, and the timely topics of immigration and identity. I loved the exploration of the pressure of familial expectations, knowing your family’s background and being proud of your heritage, and yet, having the courage to forge your own path.

Thank you @macmillan.audio for the gifted audiobook via #NetGalley narrated by Reem Edan. It was an excellent production.

Mia Almas leads a double life: buttoned-up media fact checker by day, secret stand-up comic by night. Her conservative Palestinian-American grandparents know nothing about her passion for comedy and the shine of the stage or her growing crush on her boss. Encouraged by her bold new neighbor, Mia starts taking risks in her shows and in love. But when a surprise breakthrough exposes her secret comedy career, Mia scrambles to protect her reputation and family ties. In the chaos, a long-buried family secret from the 1940s surfaces, forcing her to confront the truth. What Will People Think? is a funny, heartfelt story about identity, risk, and learning to live out loud.

4 stars!

What an interesting story and a totally unexpected dual timeline that revealed tales of the Almas family history. Life as an American Muslim woman, born and raised in New York City, Mia balances her respectable, fact-checking career in media with her secretive (and risky) stage performances as a stand up comedian. 

This novel offers an excellent perspective into a life lived in America as an Arab woman. The comments made toward her, some in casual settings and some while performing on stage, and Mia's internal and external responses create a humorous and heartfelt connection to her as the main character. 

The dual timeline with Zeina offers a peek into the women of the Almas family tree and their experiences growing up in 1940s Palestine, their culture and the expectations of love and marriage.

Some of the topics covered are current and applicable today, like immigration laws, undocumented living in the United States and the continued Arab association to 9/11.

I listened to this book entirely on audio thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley and thought that the narrator had spot on delivery. This is a story of self discovery, family and accepting your roots.

3.75 ⭐️

I’m still not sure if I fully understand who is who in this and which characters belong to which storyline. I did enjoy the back and forth between the FMC and her grandmother’s journals and the untangling of her immigrant grandparents journey to NYC. I think in my head I had this book to be a version of the show Hacks?? It’s not, the comedian plot line is not super important other than an intro to other plot lines, in my opinion. I enjoyed how the story was all brought together though and the resolution. It answered most questions!

I really enjoyed the narrator & thought she brought a lot to the story in audio form.

I am so glad I requested this audio book from NetGalley! Mia is first generation Palestinian American, raised by her grandparents since the death of her father. Her mother died when she was born and that side of the family had no interest in Mia, born of a marriage they disapproved of. Mia and her father shared a love of stand up comics. She graduated from Columbia with honors and is launched into a journalism career at Vibe, helped along by her college friend and crush who is her boss at Vibe. Mia conforms - most of the time-- to her grandparents' expectations, coming home on time, helping to cook traditional dishes, pretending she is working on the Vibe's financial columns instead of a love column about how couple's met. But she has one huge secret. For several years, she has performed at comedy clubs in New York, at the early part of the show so she can get home more or less on time. Even her closest friends no nothing about this.

A parallel story about her grandmother's unwillingness to talk about her past, the sister she is estranged from and her family weaves throughout the novel, a powerful historical tale of the late 1940s as the war was just beginning and Palestinians were forced to flee. It is moving and an interesting look at the culture of her grandmother's teenage years.

Admission: At first, the narrator, Reem Edan, seemed to portray Mia in a way that felt flat to me. But I realized it was intentional, to show us the "good" Mia. She's still the good Mia when she performs and as she breaks out of her shell, but with a little bite. Her Arabic accents are phenomenal and overall I decided she was perfect for this role. Another admission:: You won't laugh out loud at Mia's comedy even though she's a rising star. Maybe seeing it performed would make it funnier but it's merely amusing. However, that does not matter to the story. This is a lovely story of friends, family, tragedy and emergence from tragedy. I was entranced!

What will People Think
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed the book & story. It will stay with me for a while. It is a great book to dive into this summer. The Audio was really good.
Thank you NetGalley!

Engaging and immersive. A recommended purchase in all formats for collections where diverse womens fic is popular

WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK is more than a love story; it’s a layered, coming-of-age exploration of identity, culture, and womanhood.
By day, Mia is a Palestinian-American fact checker. By night, she’s a stand-up comedian, something her traditional family would never approve of. Her secret relationship with her boss? Also off-limits.

In her debut novel, Sarah Hamdan weaves together the stories of two women from different eras and different corners of the world, America and Palestine, both searching for belonging on their own terms. The result is a poignant, thought-provoking tale about family secrets, self-discovery, and the quiet rebellion of choosing your own path.

Read this if you:
-enjoy emotional love stories with depth
-like dual timelines and cultural contrasts
-are drawn to stories about identity and finding your voice

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a complimentary ALC.

WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK? by Sara Hamdan is one debut that you don’t want to miss. This new release gives us two stories for the price of one—my very favorite! In present day, the reader emphasizes with Mia, a young media fact checker living in NYC who dabbles in stand-up comedy—which she hides from her conservative Arab grandparents. When Mia has questions about her family history, her grandmother hands her an old journal to read. The journal takes us to 1940s Palestine where we meet Zeina, and many family secrets (and scandals) are revealed. My gosh, the twists, turns, and surprises are plentiful, book friends. This book was almost impossible to put down!

I absolutely loved Mia’s perspective and witnessing her growth throughout the novel. She grapples with race, identity, and belonging, as well as cultural and familial expectations. Zeina’s storyline definitely touches on the latter as well. You will easily get wrapped up in both women’s narratives—especially with the touch of romance included.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Dual timeline
- Family drama and secrets
- Sibling rivalry
- NYC setting
- Stand-up comics
- Coming-of-age stories
- Themes of identity and belonging
- Arab-American representation
- Office romance
- Female friendship
- Forbidden love

Refreshing and timely, full of heart and humor with a great blend of historical and contemporary fiction, I really can’t recommend this debut enough! 4/5 solid stars for WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK? It’s out now!

What Will People Think? by Sara Hamdan is a debut novel that artfully blends humor, cultural identity, and the complexities of self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of New York City, it follows Mia Almas, a Palestinian-American woman navigating the delicate balance between her conservative family's expectations and her own aspirations.

Mia leads a double life: by day, she works as a media fact-checker—a respectable job her grandparents approve of—and by night, she performs stand-up comedy in the city's vibrant clubs. Her secret passion for comedy becomes even more complicated when she embarks on a forbidden romance with her boss. As her comedic career gains momentum, Mia's hidden life is exposed, leading to a series of events that unravel a long-buried family secret from the 1940s. This revelation forces Mia to confront her own identity and the generational trauma that shapes her family's history.

Hamdan's novel delves into themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the pursuit of personal freedom. The narrative is enriched by interspersed chapters from a journal set in 1940s Palestine, providing historical context and deepening the emotional resonance of Mia's journey. The author's background as a journalist and editor lends authenticity to the storytelling, capturing the nuances of Mia's internal and external conflicts.

Early reviews have praised What Will People Think? for its compelling blend of genres. Readers have noted the seamless integration of family drama, coming-of-age elements, and historical fiction. The novel's exploration of Mia's growth and the unfolding family mystery has been highlighted as particularly engaging.

What Will People Think? is a poignant and humorous exploration of the complexities faced by first-generation immigrants. Mia Almas's journey of self-discovery resonates with anyone who has grappled with the tension between personal desires and familial obligations. Sara Hamdan's debut is a testament to the power of storytelling in bridging cultural divides and understanding the multifaceted nature of identity.

For those interested in narratives that intertwine personal growth with cultural heritage, What Will People Think? offers a compelling and insightful read.

I found myself a bit conflicted with What Will People Think. It's one of those books that sits right between 3 and 4 stars— I wish there were a 3.5-star option! This is a strong debut novel with so much heart and potential, but it also left me wanting just a bit more from each of its many storylines.
The book juggles quite a lot—Mia’s budding stand-up comedy career, her office romance, the generational push-and-pull between her and her traditional grandparents, the challenges faced by Muslim Americans (especially post 9/11), and her grandmother’s powerful past, told through a series of journal entries. Of all the elements, I especially loved the glimpses into her grandmother’s history. They were very interesting but unfortunately felt a little rushed, I would have loved more time in that storyline.
This multiple themes is the book’s strength and its challenge. Each thread is compelling in its own right, but fitting all of it into a relatively short novel meant that just as I was becoming fully invested in one plotline, the story would pivot to another. As a result, some parts felt underdeveloped—not for lack of quality, but simply because there wasn’t enough space.
I really enjoyed Mia is a protagonist. She’s smart, funny, and easy to root for. I could absolutely see this becoming the start of a series—there’s still so much more I’d love to know about her, her relationships, and her rise in the world of comedy. I’d also be curious to learn more about her grandfather’s past.
Despite a few pacing and structural issues, this is an impressive debut that shows great promise. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Sara Hamdan writes next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy!

First, thank you to Netgally and MacMillian Audio for this ARC. This is my honest opinion of the audio book.
I wanted to love this debut by Sarah Hamdan. Unfortunately, it felt like she tried to pack too many plots into one story. In face, I think she could have written two different novels: one focusing on Mia and her modern-day journey, and another set in 1940s Palestine, centered on her grandmother’s life. I especially wanted more from the historical storyline. I love historical fiction, and this part had so much potential to be a powerful standalone book.
Even in the present day timeline, there was a lot going on: Mia’s relationship with Jackson, Mia’s comedy adventures (which this book surprisingly lacked humour), Mia’s grandparents trying to arrange a set up for her (with a man who is asexual please for give me if I am not using the correct terminology on this one), and finally Mia’s grandparents being undocumented. It just felt like too many storylines were competing for space, and as a result none of them were fully developed.
That said, I did enjoy the book overall. It had strong moments, and I did appreciate the cultural depth and the ambition. I just feel like it could have been a great book if the focus was on fewer themes in more depth.
#mcmillianaudio #netgally #sarahamdan #whatwillpwoplethinkbook #aprilsbookishadventures #audiobooksarebooks

Not exactly the book I was expecting (thought it would be funnier given the main character's interest in stand-up). More of a longitudinal study of the social pressures on women in certain communities. Which is great, just not the book I was expecting.

Audiobook was well narrated and a delight to listen to.

This story has so much heart and I found the main character, Mia, to be really relatable. She is a fact checker for a NYC publication by day and a secret standup comedian at night. She is struggling with her heritage and who she wants to be as she is being raised by her traditional Arab Grandparents. You get kind of a dual timeline of Mia’s perspective and her Grandmother's journals and I really, really enjoyed that. There is a beautiful balance between more difficult topics like immigration and racism with lighter ones like self discovery and hope. This book did start off a little slow for me and it may for you too but I highly recommend you push through! You’ll get sucked in and enjoy this one! I also did an immersive read of this one thanks to @macmillanaudio and really, really enjoyed Reem Edan’s narration!

This was a very different kind of read!

It deals with current situations/dilemmas, as well as delving into some old ones…dating back to the times of Mia’s Mom and grandparents as they made their way to America.

Mia is Arabic, and although she LOVES and respects her family, and their traditions and ways, she also, at times, doesn’t want any part of them…

She was basically raised by her grandparents after losing her Dad at a young age. She has a respectable job in NYC during the day, but also secretly HOPES to hit it big at some point with her comedian antics at night. But this whole thing is definitely done on the down low, as she doesn’t want her family to find out she’s doing this, or expose the fact that they exist… as everything does not appear to be ‘kosher’ in their lives…

At work she is very shy and reserved…

When a new neighbor moves into their building, one of Arabic descent, who is NOT quiet, shy or vanilla in any way, Mia starts to pay attention. And, this might just be the best thing that has ever happened to her!

I’m going to 🛑🛑 STOP right here🛑🛑. If this sounds like something you might like, please look 👀 for it on shelves now!!

#WhatWillPeopleThink by #SaraHamdan and narrated nicely by #ReemEdan.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
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What Will People Think? is a story about a Palestinian family living in the USA. The FMC works by day as a fact checker and is a stand up comedian by night...not a traditional role for her! Mia is grappling with the traditions in her family, her secret love interest and her grandmother's secret. This was more depth to this story than you might expect. There are many current themes and issues explored through this story e.g., undocumented loved ones, family secrets, and living as a third generation Palestinian woman.

Listening to the audiobook was enjoyable as the narration was easy to listen to and pleasing to the ear.

Thank you Net Galley, Sara Hamdan and Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions expressed are my own.
What Will People Think? is expected to be released May 20, 2025.

I liked the first half of this so much (and excellent narration) but the latter half became a bit monotonous and full of self-pity. It was almost too much but I liked the ending. Still worth reading for sure and can't wait for more from this author!

What Will People Think? comes out tomorrow on May 20, 2025 and you can purchase HERE.

"You're on in five," said the man with
the goatee.
In the darkness backstage, I switched off my phone. I needed to stop endlessly scrolling through Jackson's social media posts instead of rehearsing my opening. A private, airless ritual. By actively telling myself not to think about him, that was all I did.
Breathing in slowly, with my eyes closed, I listened to the emcee tell the audience about the exits, toilets, and absolutely-no-recording rule.
My mind wandered back to Jackson, picturing him in the audience having come straight from work, with a loosened collar and a navy blazer flung on the chair next to him. A slow smile spread over my face, imagining the shock light up his eyes at seeing me work the stage. Maybe one day, when I was ready, I'd have the courage to invite him to a show.
I'll obsess over him later with a tub of ice cream, I thought, shaking nervous energy off my hands. Right now, it's time to shine.

I had trouble engaging with this book, maybe in part because I was expecting it to be a good deal more humorous than it is. There is a lot going on in the novel, between Mia's coming of age in a comedy career, her romance, and her grandmother's history. I think fitting all of that into a short book just left me with a shallower look at all of it than I would have liked. While this book was not a home run for me, it's a strong voice for a debut and I respect the book's overall theme of finding yourself amidst cultural expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sara Hamdan for an advance copy for honest review.