4 stars
As far as the fake-dating trope goes, this one was pretty good. I’m not usually a fan of the trope because of the predetermined trajectory of the relationship. Because of that, it took me a bit to get into this book. But there were also enough other things going on to keep me engaged.
Don’t get me wrong, by the end, Hani and Ishu’s relationship was adorable and I was all for it. I just like that it wasn’t the entire book. It’s nice to see characters having other things going on such a family struggles, fights with friends, academic drama, and figuring out what one wants in life.
Good writing and details. A lot comes up in the story in terms of identity, culture, coming out, friendship, misconceptions, honesty, and preconceived notions. And I think there are a lot of good messages in the text. They are worked in very naturally and don’t feel overly morale-of-the-story.
I enjoyed the other relationships and elements at play such as family support of one’s identity and decisions, the ideal of true friends fully accepting each other, and feelings of being an outsider. There’s so much more than just a fake-dating story in this book, which I appreciated. Hani and Ishu are both dealing with their own struggles and I loved seeing how they grew together through them.
An entertaining read that is both affirming and adorable, empowering and fun. It promotes speaking up for yourself and being true to who you are. A great message and good read.