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lolwuuut's review
4.0
A roller coaster that tackles Islamophobia, xenophobia, homophobia, sexism, generational harm....and romantic comedy...
ccmata's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Islamophobia
Moderate: Sexism and Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual harassment
satsumabug's review
4.0
I loved this book so much! It felt very real in the best way. I used to want thoroughly escapist romances (and I still do, sometimes), but as the world looks increasingly like the proverbial dumpster fire, I get irritated if my fiction doesn't give at least a nod to the difficulties real people face. This book does more than nod, but it feels right, and Heron doesn't make light of the characters' problems (or the other characters' attempts to address them). And yet the book is still delightful and enjoyable. In fact, the happy endings (more than one) feel that much more earned, because the characters have gone through so much real shit to get there. I read the whole book in one sitting, in spite of knowing I needed to get to bed earlier... I was just loving the time I was spending with these characters, and I wanted to see them happy before I could go to sleep. :)
(I filed it as Asian American, but of course it's not, it's Asian Canadian!)
(I filed it as Asian American, but of course it's not, it's Asian Canadian!)
latad_books's review against another edition
4.0
This romance had extra depth to it as it had so much to say about:
-islamophobia (as I write this, I struggle to understand how a white man in London, Ontario could deliberately drive his vehicle into a Muslim family walking in the evening, of whom he killed four members).
-how liberal-minded people think they’re automatically more progressive and better people because they don’t obviously actively mistreat the marginalized. Main character Amira Khan has legitimate anger and serious concerns about Canadian society, but more particularly how insensitive Duncan was exposing her and his black team member, then later her and her eleven-year old sister, to the hatred of his racist, misogynistic and Islamophobic friend and family.
-how South Asian families and communities don’t often support their members who are women, or darker-skinned, or queer, or suffering from a mental illness In fact, there’s often tremendous shame and pressure to not be these things, or hide them, and I liked how Farrah Heron shows characters grappling with this type of conflict while still trying to be part of their family and community.
-the sometimes misogynistic and/or homophobic behaviour within STEM professions of male colleagues to their female and others colleagues.
I liked this book a lot, and plan to read this author’s next book.
-islamophobia (as I write this, I struggle to understand how a white man in London, Ontario could deliberately drive his vehicle into a Muslim family walking in the evening, of whom he killed four members).
-how liberal-minded people think they’re automatically more progressive and better people because they don’t obviously actively mistreat the marginalized. Main character Amira Khan has legitimate anger and serious concerns about Canadian society, but more particularly how insensitive Duncan was exposing her and his black team member, then later her and her eleven-year old sister, to the hatred of his racist, misogynistic and Islamophobic friend and family.
-how South Asian families and communities don’t often support their members who are women, or darker-skinned, or queer, or suffering from a mental illness In fact, there’s often tremendous shame and pressure to not be these things, or hide them, and I liked how Farrah Heron shows characters grappling with this type of conflict while still trying to be part of their family and community.
-the sometimes misogynistic and/or homophobic behaviour within STEM professions of male colleagues to their female and others colleagues.
I liked this book a lot, and plan to read this author’s next book.
randomcarpediem's review
1.0
I gave this book a chance, but it is stiff and does not flow and is so predictable.
eileenfisher's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
njw13's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mandrea's review
3.0
This book was fine. I think maybe one more round of revisions would have made it better - it didn't really sparkle. Honestly, the only character I had a problem with was the romantic lead. I don't want to yuck anyone's yum, so I won't go into all the things I didn't like about him here, but it just didn't work for me. But otherwise, I liked Amira and all the supporting characters, and the conflicts were realistic with solid pacing.