Reviews with content warning for Rape - Love Marriage

To be honest, this was as frustrating to read as it was compulsively readable. 😅 It’s one of those where you want to SHAKE all of the characters for being self-absorbed jerks…but you’re secretly praying for their evolution, growth, and redemption. By the end, I was celebrating little victories, mourning endings (even if they were inevitable), and crossing my fingers for the future. Despite a stray, awkward sentence or two, I think this was very well-done.

Note: TW for abuse (domestic, sexual, emotional). This is called “a riveting social comedy” but it isn’t. Not really. It’s about families, which means that it has its share of tenderness and ribbing but the trauma and struggle, for me, felt a lot more prevalent — even alongside the love. Despite the author’s clear wit, I don’t think this can properly be called a “comedy” without conveying a half-truth about tone.

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rworrall78's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It took me too long to get into the characters. It was very London. But I did stick with it and I loved the ending, in the last 70 pages I finally found myself really wanting to pick it up and not want to put it down.

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jennikreads's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

4.5

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lhodgson26's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This was a very intense book to read with a lot of conplex character history all entangled in two families. Yasmin and Joe were first protrayed to be this perfect junior doctor couple heading into marriage but that soon shattered when Joe admitted his infidelity and then Yasmin did it first out of revenge but then multiple times again. It was then revealed that Joe had more serious problems with his relationship with sex and his mother. Finally in the end it was revealed his mother had been sexually abused by her own father which played some role in her relationship with her son. On Yasmins side there were more deep rooted issues with her mothers sexual assault being revealed at the end and the deal her father had done to marry her mother. Added in the complexity of Flame and her Father's infidelity and disapproval of her brothers relationship and child. In addition to improtant themes of race, identity and gender being discussed this book really had everything. Although it almost felt like too much at points and I was disappointed that it seemed to be left open that she may eventually get back with Joe rather then both move on as they clearly weren't right for each other.

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kirstym25's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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ukponge's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

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bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I struggled to rate this because, by and large, I did enjoy it. Ali has crafted a family saga for the ages, her characters distinctly drawn, their overlapping stories and struggles compelling. (I recall reading a review that compared it to a Dickens novel, which feels apt!) But I also found it incredibly slow to read -- the pace isn't entirely there, and I don't think the story warrants five hundred pages. Make of that what you will.

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