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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
couldn't get over how insufferably cruel and immature the mcs are to each other
emotional
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was cute and everything wrapped up so neatly. But in doing so it was almost too neat. There wasn't any big picture analysis of the experience of Muslims in the US. And there was only one brief aside like oh yeah Muslim communities can be racist too, but without any actual discussion or action thereof. I also wished the story didn't include the Timi subplot. For something so emotional it didn't really move the plot forward and wasn't really addressed with nuance.
cute, but the muslim representation wasn't great (it was good in terms of culture and race, i suppose). the whole 'islamic centre will be demolished to build apartments' made no sense. it was a quick read, not much character depth. far too much miscommunication for my liking.
I received a copy of this book from my sister-in-law several months ago, and I decided to wait until Ramadan to read it. And I’m glad I did, because it was worth the wait for reasons I’ll name shortly.
Once I started reading, I was endeared to Said and Tiwa pretty quickly. I loved the banter they had, and as I continued, I was rooting for them and their passions. Seeing them work together and rebuilding their friendship and relationship in the process gave me warm and fuzzy feelings.
The story as a whole was flowy and easy to read. The pacing was excellent, and the more I read, the more I wanted to know. I had to make myself slow down and savor the story.
One of my favorite parts was the strong sense of community. The Muslim community working together to save what mattered was another source of those warm and fuzzy feelings I mentioned. Books like this one are what I’m looking for. Ones that focus on the characters building a relationship with Islam, another way I can feel connected with it as well.
Lastly, I myself felt so invested in the mission as if I was involved in it somehow. I hated the mayor, and wanted to see my fellow Muslims succeed in fighting for their right to have a voice.
TW: grief, fire
Once I started reading, I was endeared to Said and Tiwa pretty quickly. I loved the banter they had, and as I continued, I was rooting for them and their passions. Seeing them work together and rebuilding their friendship and relationship in the process gave me warm and fuzzy feelings.
The story as a whole was flowy and easy to read. The pacing was excellent, and the more I read, the more I wanted to know. I had to make myself slow down and savor the story.
One of my favorite parts was the strong sense of community. The Muslim community working together to save what mattered was another source of those warm and fuzzy feelings I mentioned. Books like this one are what I’m looking for. Ones that focus on the characters building a relationship with Islam, another way I can feel connected with it as well.
Lastly, I myself felt so invested in the mission as if I was involved in it somehow. I hated the mayor, and wanted to see my fellow Muslims succeed in fighting for their right to have a voice.
TW: grief, fire
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved it !! It was cute love letter to the Muslim community including the black Nigerian Muslim community. The romance of it all was very light maybe a bit too light to be a rom com I think but just for the representation and relatability , I’ll give it 3 stars
emotional
lighthearted
slow-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
Four Eids and a Funeral offers some truly meaningful representation, and it’s refreshing to see more diverse characters taking center stage in popular books. The story felt authentic, especially in how it centered religion and culture through the effort to save the Islamic Center. That narrative choice felt especially powerful given the ongoing rise in violence toward Muslims and Arabs—it’s a poignant reminder of how vital safe, welcoming community spaces are.
I also appreciated the smaller, personal conflicts woven throughout the story. Tiwa’s grief over her younger brother and the impact of her father’s divorce added emotional depth, while Said’s struggle to pursue a different career path without disappointing his parents fit well alongside it, not making the book too heavy.
Said himself is such a sweetheart—definitely golden retriever energy, paired with Tiwa’s more black cat vibe. While the enemies-to-lovers angle leaned pretty one-sided, that actually worked for me, especially since I’ve grown a little tired of that trope lately. That said, the romance was very much a slow burn. Most of the romantic tension played out through internal thoughts, which made it drag a bit for me. There wasn’t quite enough chemistry to feel the heat of enemies-to-lovers, nor was it cozy enough to fully satisfy fans of best-friends-to-lovers. I found myself getting a little bored at times.
One major issue I had was a reveal near the end involving two characters who did something I found fairly egregious. The main characters were quick to forgive, but for me, it was jarring and left a bad taste in my mouth.
Overall, it was a solid read—slower than I typically prefer in my romances, but still a strong, heartfelt story if this kind of pacing and dynamic appeals to you.
