Scan barcode
prairiek's review
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
reads2cope's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
5.0
Uzma Jalaluddin has done it again!!! I couldn't put this down. It dropped my jaw to the floor, made me tingle with every emotion, and kick my feet and scream into my pillow. The main characters were all so lovable and real, and I want spinoff books for all of Nada's friends.
As a Jane Austen inspired romance, this absolutely nailed the tension and longing that made the original second chance Persuasion so great!
At the same time, the issues of bullying and family obligations were handled with so much depth it was at times hard to read and very emotional.
The pace of this book was perfect, slowly revealing her past with Baz kept me on the edge of my seat without losing momentum in the present storyline.
My only large gripe with the book is that I wanted to see more Nada and Baz interactions, which ~yes~ is a great sign that I love the couple. However, the ending left me feeling conflictedthat they hadn't finished a deep conversation about their goals in life, making sure they were on the same page about what being together again meant. Their breakup was horrible, but also Nada was not wrong, and Sister Rusul was right to caution her to question how Baz would support Nada's dreams when he was being so flippant about her degree and their families. Baz wasn't ready to stay in one place, and Nada had different goals six years ago. If they had been able to communicate better, they might have taken life slower, going back to long-distance, and bringing their families into their lives. While the split might have been the necessary motivation for them to arrive where they ended up in this present, I wanted to see them better resolve their miscommunications of the past. A single line about them seeking the same counseling that Haleema and Zayn received would have put me more at ease, but I'll just imagine they did this on my own.
The storyline with Firdous also felt unresolved - had Baz actually considered her as a potential romantic partner? Did she realize the error of her faith in Haneef?
The Ayesha At Last easter eggs in this book were so delightful, too. Maybe it's time to reread until Jalaluddin publishes again...
As a Jane Austen inspired romance, this absolutely nailed the tension and longing that made the original second chance Persuasion so great!
At the same time, the issues of bullying and family obligations were handled with so much depth it was at times hard to read and very emotional.
The pace of this book was perfect, slowly revealing her past with Baz kept me on the edge of my seat without losing momentum in the present storyline.
My only large gripe with the book is that I wanted to see more Nada and Baz interactions, which ~yes~ is a great sign that I love the couple. However, the ending left me feeling conflicted
The storyline with Firdous also felt unresolved - had Baz actually considered her as a potential romantic partner? Did she realize the error of her faith in Haneef?
The Ayesha At Last easter eggs in this book were so delightful, too. Maybe it's time to reread until Jalaluddin publishes again...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Minor: Hate crime, Ableism, and Gaslighting
More...