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The Girlfriend Act
To achieve her lifelong dream, Farah needs to pretend she’s in love.
How hard could it be ...?
When aspiring actress Farah Sheikh accidentally goes viral for exposing a prejudiced theatre company, she decides to put on her own production with the Tragedies - a group of theatre kids who are similarly desperate to break into the industry.
They have the crew, all they need now is a stage ... and money.
Enter former superstar Zayan Amin.
The deal? Zayan will star in and fund the Tragedies’ play, in exchange for a publicity boost generated by a new and (fake) romance with Farah.
There’s just one problem: they can’t stand each other...
How hard could it be ...?
When aspiring actress Farah Sheikh accidentally goes viral for exposing a prejudiced theatre company, she decides to put on her own production with the Tragedies - a group of theatre kids who are similarly desperate to break into the industry.
They have the crew, all they need now is a stage ... and money.
Enter former superstar Zayan Amin.
The deal? Zayan will star in and fund the Tragedies’ play, in exchange for a publicity boost generated by a new and (fake) romance with Farah.
There’s just one problem: they can’t stand each other...
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2024
24 people are currently reading
824 people want to read
About the author
Safa Ahmed
1 book51 followersSafa Ahmed is a British-Pakistani content marketer and Psychology undergraduate. Ever since she scribbled down her first story-a mystery featuring stolen cookies and an incriminating teddy bear-it's been her dream to be a writer and publish books that celebrate joy, heartbreak, swoony love interests, fierce female characters, and everything in-between.
When she's not writing, she is usually re-reading her favourite fantasy novels, wreaking havoc in the kitchen or expanding her ever-growing TBR pile. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok as: @safaswritings
When she's not writing, she is usually re-reading her favourite fantasy novels, wreaking havoc in the kitchen or expanding her ever-growing TBR pile. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok as: @safaswritings
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
June 7, 2024
Exquisitely poignant and delightfully heartwarming. THE GIRLFRIEND ACT fiercely pushes past the confines of YA romance with its commentary on navigating the complexities of your dreams, privilege, and what it means to truly find your voice.
on another note OHMYGOD FARAH AND ZAYAN ARE SO FREAKISHLY CUTE I LOVE THEM
Thank you so much to Safa Ahmed for gifting me the eARC and finished copy! I am forever grateful.
on another note OHMYGOD FARAH AND ZAYAN ARE SO FREAKISHLY CUTE I LOVE THEM
Thank you so much to Safa Ahmed for gifting me the eARC and finished copy! I am forever grateful.
July 22, 2025
The girlfriend act ⭐️✨ 4.5/5
I’ve read The Girlfriend Act and I adored it.
I’d never heard of this book before, but I found it in a super cute bookstore in Groningen, in the remaindered book section.
It’s a young adult novel by Safa Ahmed, about falling in love, theatre, dreams, friendship, self-discovery and important topics like racism.
The story follows Farah, who dreams of becoming an actress. But during an audition, she experiences racism and gets rejected because of her skin colour and her ethnicity. After that she exposes the theatre company on twitter and suddenly ends up in a groupchat with people who’ve been through similar experiences. ,,The tragedies‘‘. Together they want to make a change and break into the industry and create their own theatre play.
And then there’s Zayan, her celebrity crush. One thing leads to another and for an exchange he’s suddenly part of the play. Their first encounter was bumpy and at first I didn’t really like him and neither did Farah, but the more I got to know him, the more I liked him.
Farah and Zayan who are fake dating, form a friendship which slowly blossoms into something more. The more time they spend together, the more butterflies I felt. I absolutely loved the chemistry between them, it felt soft, heartwarming and real. ♡ I also really loved the character development. Both made some huge steps forward. And as if I couldn’t love this book more already – it also has some Bollywood references. I mean, Farah and Zayan are compared to Shahrukh Khan and Kajol. Like, how could I not love the book at that point? I was giggling and kicking my feet.
The found family trope in this book was incredible. The friend group was so supportive, funny and adorable. The tragedies made it feel like a safe space you’d want to be part of. ★彡
The book also handles some tough topics like: racism, colourism, microaggressions and racial slurs.
This book is a beautifully written reminder that you always need to stand up for yourself and against injustices.
I’d never heard of this book before, but I found it in a super cute bookstore in Groningen, in the remaindered book section.
It’s a young adult novel by Safa Ahmed, about falling in love, theatre, dreams, friendship, self-discovery and important topics like racism.
The story follows Farah, who dreams of becoming an actress. But during an audition, she experiences racism and gets rejected because of her skin colour and her ethnicity. After that she exposes the theatre company on twitter and suddenly ends up in a groupchat with people who’ve been through similar experiences. ,,The tragedies‘‘. Together they want to make a change and break into the industry and create their own theatre play.
And then there’s Zayan, her celebrity crush. One thing leads to another and for an exchange he’s suddenly part of the play. Their first encounter was bumpy and at first I didn’t really like him and neither did Farah, but the more I got to know him, the more I liked him.
Farah and Zayan who are fake dating, form a friendship which slowly blossoms into something more. The more time they spend together, the more butterflies I felt. I absolutely loved the chemistry between them, it felt soft, heartwarming and real. ♡ I also really loved the character development. Both made some huge steps forward. And as if I couldn’t love this book more already – it also has some Bollywood references. I mean, Farah and Zayan are compared to Shahrukh Khan and Kajol. Like, how could I not love the book at that point? I was giggling and kicking my feet.
The found family trope in this book was incredible. The friend group was so supportive, funny and adorable. The tragedies made it feel like a safe space you’d want to be part of. ★彡
The book also handles some tough topics like: racism, colourism, microaggressions and racial slurs.
This book is a beautifully written reminder that you always need to stand up for yourself and against injustices.
July 1, 2024
I can just safely say that this book was not for me. 😬🫠 Reading this just reminded me of how painfully asexual I am lol.
So, this story is insanely cliché, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but, in this case, it just didn’t work for me. The romance is straight out of wattpad: girl who wants to be a famous actress ends up fake-dating her childhood celebrity crush for press, and guess what? They fall in love for real ooooooohhhh. They also have a rivals-to-lovers arc in there. Also, she ends up becoming famous and having a pretty good start to her acting career. It literally reads like those wish-fulfillment wattpad stories about Y/N 😅.
Once again, I could’ve dealt with this, but, overall, it just didn’t work for me, mainly because… I didn’t care at all about the romance. 🥲🥲🥲 I WANTED TO LOVE THIS SO BADDDDDD!!! And everybody else loved it, so I genuinely thought this’d be super cute! But I just… didn’t *feel* Farah and Zayan’s bond, you know? 😭💔
Farah was simping for Zayan from the very start, which makes sense, because she’s been obsessed with him for years, at that point. However, from the very beginning, Zayan was rude and presumptuous, and Farah barely even gave him a hard time. Idk man, I just wanted to see her standing up for herself! Don’t let this rude rich guy talk to you like that, queen! 😤 Anyways. 😪 Farah ended up accepting to fake-date Zayan reeeeally fast. I would’ve liked to see her thinking and agonizing about such a life-changing decision a bit more, but whatever.
Farah and Zayan get closer as they’re fake-dating. We quickly realize that Farah’s problem with fake-dating a guy she’s “enemies” with isn’t that it’s hard to pretend to like him. Farah’s issue is that she’s so attracted to Zayan already that she’s scared that she’ll fall in love with him… 🧍🏻 Afff… Listen, I get it, and *it makes sense*, because he was her celebrity crush. HOWEVERRRR I just didn’t have a lot of fun reading that. 🥲
Farah tells Zayan friendship between them might be hard because she finds him super attractive, and Zayan also admits he’s very attracted to Farah. I’m sorryyyyyyy 😫😭 but it just wasn’t FUN to read about 2 people who were attracted to each other to the point of NOT being able to be friends because they thought closeness would tempt them, and they didn’t want that lol. 🥴💀 Also – and maybe this is just me being too asexual –, is it really that hard to be friends with a pretty person? I was genuinely so confused. 😅
Additionally, I have to say: I didn’t really FEEL any of their connection. When they admitted their attraction to each other, they were barely even friends, in my opinion. When they started saying they love each other I was frankly just staring blankly at the page. I didn’t feel anything about their romance throughout this entire book, if I’m being honest.
Anyways. Their attraction to each other obviously keeps growing. Zayan keeps spewing the most elaborate compliments to Farah, and they felt kinda forced (idk, I just thought no teenage boy would be saying “You’re making it hard to breathe around you.”; “I’m not sure I even have the right words to tell you how brilliant you are”; “You’re enchanting.”; “My dreams include loving you for eternity” to a girl he’s friends with and only met like, a month and a half ago lol. Maybe I’m just too jaded, though).
The part that really got to me, however, was that they fell soooo deeply in love (to the point that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together) after only knowing each other for *2 MONTHS*. 💀💀💀💀💀💀 The straights are wildingggggg omgggg what do you MEANNNN you’re deciding you’ll be together forever after knowing each other just for some weeks?? 🥴 INSANITYYYYY bro I’m definitely not straight enough for this shit 🥴🥴🥴.
All of this to say that the romance didn’t work for me, which is unfortunate, because not only is it that main thing in this *romance* book, obviously, but also because everyone else seemed to love it, so I believed I would, too. 😭💔
Regarding the rest of the book:
➤ Her friendship with the Tragedies moved too quickly and wasn’t properly developed. She met these random people 2 days ago and already trusts them so much?? Okay… 🙄
➤ It was interesting to see Farah dealing with impostor syndrome (although, let’s be real, sometimes it was warranted, because she didn’t even audition for the Heer Ranjha play; she was just offered the main role because of her fake relationship with Zayan lol). Her acting career was kinda cool to follow, but it also lowkey read as wish-fulfillment, as I already mentioned at the start.
➤ Racism and colourism were really well integrated into the story, and I liked seeing different facets of it, through different characters who have different experiences. The ending where they “defeated the bad guys” was kinda lame, but overall I enjoyed the way these issues were woven into the story.
➤ Laiba (Zayan’s ex) was really nice, and I wish we’d seen more of her.
➤ I appreciate that this is a YA book about university-aged characters.
➤ If I had a nickel for every time Farah overheard an important conversation between other people, I’d have several nickels (like, at least 3, maybe 4 or 5, idk, I lost count lol).
➤ Zayan was kinda childish and dumb at times, ngl. Like, what do you mean you’re gonna ignore Farah for days on end (negatively affecting their press-relationship and also their play) just because you’re salty she didn’t invite you to hang out with the Tragedies (after YOU SAID you’re not really friends with them)???? 🙄🙄🙄 And you’re just gonna throw your fake-dating contract on the ground in front of paparazzi and then act SHOCKED people found out about the contract??? DUMBASS 😭.
➤ I liked the Pakistani rep, and enjoyed that Farah was so close to her country’s culture.
Overall: this book wasn’t for me, but it could be for you, if the things I mentioned aren’t a problem to you.
So, this story is insanely cliché, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but, in this case, it just didn’t work for me. The romance is straight out of wattpad: girl who wants to be a famous actress ends up fake-dating her childhood celebrity crush for press, and guess what? They fall in love for real ooooooohhhh. They also have a rivals-to-lovers arc in there. Also, she ends up becoming famous and having a pretty good start to her acting career. It literally reads like those wish-fulfillment wattpad stories about Y/N 😅.
Once again, I could’ve dealt with this, but, overall, it just didn’t work for me, mainly because… I didn’t care at all about the romance. 🥲🥲🥲 I WANTED TO LOVE THIS SO BADDDDDD!!! And everybody else loved it, so I genuinely thought this’d be super cute! But I just… didn’t *feel* Farah and Zayan’s bond, you know? 😭💔
Farah was simping for Zayan from the very start, which makes sense, because she’s been obsessed with him for years, at that point. However, from the very beginning, Zayan was rude and presumptuous, and Farah barely even gave him a hard time. Idk man, I just wanted to see her standing up for herself! Don’t let this rude rich guy talk to you like that, queen! 😤 Anyways. 😪 Farah ended up accepting to fake-date Zayan reeeeally fast. I would’ve liked to see her thinking and agonizing about such a life-changing decision a bit more, but whatever.
Farah and Zayan get closer as they’re fake-dating. We quickly realize that Farah’s problem with fake-dating a guy she’s “enemies” with isn’t that it’s hard to pretend to like him. Farah’s issue is that she’s so attracted to Zayan already that she’s scared that she’ll fall in love with him… 🧍🏻 Afff… Listen, I get it, and *it makes sense*, because he was her celebrity crush. HOWEVERRRR I just didn’t have a lot of fun reading that. 🥲
Farah tells Zayan friendship between them might be hard because she finds him super attractive, and Zayan also admits he’s very attracted to Farah. I’m sorryyyyyyy 😫😭 but it just wasn’t FUN to read about 2 people who were attracted to each other to the point of NOT being able to be friends because they thought closeness would tempt them, and they didn’t want that lol. 🥴💀 Also – and maybe this is just me being too asexual –, is it really that hard to be friends with a pretty person? I was genuinely so confused. 😅
Additionally, I have to say: I didn’t really FEEL any of their connection. When they admitted their attraction to each other, they were barely even friends, in my opinion. When they started saying they love each other I was frankly just staring blankly at the page. I didn’t feel anything about their romance throughout this entire book, if I’m being honest.
Anyways. Their attraction to each other obviously keeps growing. Zayan keeps spewing the most elaborate compliments to Farah, and they felt kinda forced (idk, I just thought no teenage boy would be saying “You’re making it hard to breathe around you.”; “I’m not sure I even have the right words to tell you how brilliant you are”; “You’re enchanting.”; “My dreams include loving you for eternity” to a girl he’s friends with and only met like, a month and a half ago lol. Maybe I’m just too jaded, though).
The part that really got to me, however, was that they fell soooo deeply in love (to the point that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together) after only knowing each other for *2 MONTHS*. 💀💀💀💀💀💀 The straights are wildingggggg omgggg what do you MEANNNN you’re deciding you’ll be together forever after knowing each other just for some weeks?? 🥴 INSANITYYYYY bro I’m definitely not straight enough for this shit 🥴🥴🥴.
All of this to say that the romance didn’t work for me, which is unfortunate, because not only is it that main thing in this *romance* book, obviously, but also because everyone else seemed to love it, so I believed I would, too. 😭💔
Regarding the rest of the book:
➤ Her friendship with the Tragedies moved too quickly and wasn’t properly developed. She met these random people 2 days ago and already trusts them so much?? Okay… 🙄
➤ It was interesting to see Farah dealing with impostor syndrome (although, let’s be real, sometimes it was warranted, because she didn’t even audition for the Heer Ranjha play; she was just offered the main role because of her fake relationship with Zayan lol). Her acting career was kinda cool to follow, but it also lowkey read as wish-fulfillment, as I already mentioned at the start.
➤ Racism and colourism were really well integrated into the story, and I liked seeing different facets of it, through different characters who have different experiences. The ending where they “defeated the bad guys” was kinda lame, but overall I enjoyed the way these issues were woven into the story.
➤ Laiba (Zayan’s ex) was really nice, and I wish we’d seen more of her.
➤ I appreciate that this is a YA book about university-aged characters.
➤ If I had a nickel for every time Farah overheard an important conversation between other people, I’d have several nickels (like, at least 3, maybe 4 or 5, idk, I lost count lol).
➤ Zayan was kinda childish and dumb at times, ngl. Like, what do you mean you’re gonna ignore Farah for days on end (negatively affecting their press-relationship and also their play) just because you’re salty she didn’t invite you to hang out with the Tragedies (after YOU SAID you’re not really friends with them)???? 🙄🙄🙄 And you’re just gonna throw your fake-dating contract on the ground in front of paparazzi and then act SHOCKED people found out about the contract??? DUMBASS 😭.
➤ I liked the Pakistani rep, and enjoyed that Farah was so close to her country’s culture.
Overall: this book wasn’t for me, but it could be for you, if the things I mentioned aren’t a problem to you.
July 23, 2024
If I could rate The Girlfriend Act more than 5 stars, I would. Because oh my god, what a delightful read this was!! As someone who reads a lot of YA, this might be one of the cutest YA romances that I have read in such a long time. Safa Ahmed's writing is so captivating; I could not put this book down. Seriously, I read the entirety of it in one go. This is the kind of book that younger me would have immediately fallen in love with (and read a thousand times) and I know, the present me is going to do the same.
Farah and Zayan were so incredibly cute and gave me so many feels ahh!!! Literally could not stop smiling because of them. I also really enjoyed how we get to see both of them grow over the course of the story, as they put together the play with the Tragedies, discover their feelings for each other, giving us such stunning character growth, as the two learn what they really want.
The Girlfriend Act is the YA romance of my heart (and yours, I hope) with some incredible commentary on finding yourself, recognizing your privilege and giving yourself the space to grow. I cannot wait for more books from Safa Ahmed!!!!
Thank you Penguin UK for providing me an e-ARC!
Farah and Zayan were so incredibly cute and gave me so many feels ahh!!! Literally could not stop smiling because of them. I also really enjoyed how we get to see both of them grow over the course of the story, as they put together the play with the Tragedies, discover their feelings for each other, giving us such stunning character growth, as the two learn what they really want.
The Girlfriend Act is the YA romance of my heart (and yours, I hope) with some incredible commentary on finding yourself, recognizing your privilege and giving yourself the space to grow. I cannot wait for more books from Safa Ahmed!!!!
Thank you Penguin UK for providing me an e-ARC!
May 24, 2024
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I DID NOT expect this novel to have me sobbing!!! I went into this novel excited to read about brown character rep in a romcom but didn’t expect that some of my deepest insecurities about my cultural identity would be so beautifully articulated on the page. This book truly made me laugh and cry in turn as it explored the complexities of racism and colourism alongside a really fun romance. Now that I’ve finished the book, I feel as if I can trace the path the scenes took to take me on one incredible and emotional ride.
The Girlfriend Act follows Farah Sheikh and the whirlwind that becomes her life after she is unceremoniously rejected and dismissed at an audition for Romeo and Juliet by veiled racist comments. Determined to combat the prejudiced theatre company, she decides to put on her own production alongside the Tragedies – a group of students who were similarly rejected. Whilst getting their production underway, they meet former superstar Zayan Amin. The Tragedies need funding for their production and Zayan needs a publicity boost in the form of a fake romance with Farah.
I really loved following the main characters Zayan and Farah as they grew closer together, the trope fake dating drawing that out so wonderfully until the angst was physically painful to read. I also really loved the found family trope with The Tragedies. They were playful and fun, yet complex. The friendship between them all was never linear, but bumpy and messy. Yet when it came to the most important moments, they were always there for one another.
There were so many moments in this book where I felt seen and heard. I’m a British-Indian, not a British Pakistani, but there were things like chai, cake rusks and gulab jamun that just made me really happy to see being represented. There were moments like these so often, but I wanted to cherish them all and clasp them tightly in my palms.
As a writer myself, I think it’s so difficult to so clearly portray the complexities of racism and colourism but Safa Ahmed has done it wonderfully. I love that Farah – who is light-skinned enough to pass as white – was given a voice. Her moments of realisation really pulled at my heart chords – even just thinking about it makes me emotional! This is one of my favourite quotes:
‘Carving a sense of not belonging anywhere into me. I’m not light-skinned enough to be considered white, and not brown enough to be considered Pakistani – so where do I fit? Will I ever be enough for either side?’
It was as if someone had lifted the words in my heart, that feeling of being on the fringes or the periphery of belonging and never being enough. They spoke to my soul.
What’s perfect about The Girlfriend Act that it doesn’t just stop at Farah’s voice but gives voice to so many different experiences. It explores identity and aspirations alongside such a fun romance! I am just hopelessly in love with it.
Thank you again to the author, publisher and Netgalley for giving me this wonderful book to read in exchange for an honest review.
I DID NOT expect this novel to have me sobbing!!! I went into this novel excited to read about brown character rep in a romcom but didn’t expect that some of my deepest insecurities about my cultural identity would be so beautifully articulated on the page. This book truly made me laugh and cry in turn as it explored the complexities of racism and colourism alongside a really fun romance. Now that I’ve finished the book, I feel as if I can trace the path the scenes took to take me on one incredible and emotional ride.
The Girlfriend Act follows Farah Sheikh and the whirlwind that becomes her life after she is unceremoniously rejected and dismissed at an audition for Romeo and Juliet by veiled racist comments. Determined to combat the prejudiced theatre company, she decides to put on her own production alongside the Tragedies – a group of students who were similarly rejected. Whilst getting their production underway, they meet former superstar Zayan Amin. The Tragedies need funding for their production and Zayan needs a publicity boost in the form of a fake romance with Farah.
I really loved following the main characters Zayan and Farah as they grew closer together, the trope fake dating drawing that out so wonderfully until the angst was physically painful to read. I also really loved the found family trope with The Tragedies. They were playful and fun, yet complex. The friendship between them all was never linear, but bumpy and messy. Yet when it came to the most important moments, they were always there for one another.
There were so many moments in this book where I felt seen and heard. I’m a British-Indian, not a British Pakistani, but there were things like chai, cake rusks and gulab jamun that just made me really happy to see being represented. There were moments like these so often, but I wanted to cherish them all and clasp them tightly in my palms.
As a writer myself, I think it’s so difficult to so clearly portray the complexities of racism and colourism but Safa Ahmed has done it wonderfully. I love that Farah – who is light-skinned enough to pass as white – was given a voice. Her moments of realisation really pulled at my heart chords – even just thinking about it makes me emotional! This is one of my favourite quotes:
‘Carving a sense of not belonging anywhere into me. I’m not light-skinned enough to be considered white, and not brown enough to be considered Pakistani – so where do I fit? Will I ever be enough for either side?’
It was as if someone had lifted the words in my heart, that feeling of being on the fringes or the periphery of belonging and never being enough. They spoke to my soul.
What’s perfect about The Girlfriend Act that it doesn’t just stop at Farah’s voice but gives voice to so many different experiences. It explores identity and aspirations alongside such a fun romance! I am just hopelessly in love with it.
Thank you again to the author, publisher and Netgalley for giving me this wonderful book to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2024
Whilst I have rated this 4 stars, I rounded up for goodreads as I likely would have rated this 3.5-3.75 stars. This is by no means a bad rating.
It has been a while since I last read a YA contemporary novel (probably I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Ann Liang back in January/February and even longer before that). I have stopped reading YA novels as it is an age group that I grew out of long ago, but also was finding that a lot of the recent releases apart from a handful of authors were too young for me which is understandable. The Girlfriend Act was one of the few new YA contemporaries that I was really excited to read and it definitely delivered what we were promised. This book may be a romance book but at the heart of it, it also explores the importance of community and friendship as well as growing up and understanding yourself as a person. There are lots of discussions on the issues of racism but also colourism which I feel isn't something I've seen a lot of in YA books, and I am so glad that I've started to see more of. It's something that people of all backgrounds should learn about and understand more as they move through the world, regardless of your race.
TGA also talked about the subject of culture and diaspora, whether you're a first or second generation immigrant living in a country that more often than not is unwelcoming to those not from there. It touched on the fear of not feeling as though you're not in touch with your culture enough, especially when you're isolated from your family or don't have a tight-knit community of those from the same background as you, and also feeling as though you have to assimilate as a result. I appreciated how such important themes were really embedded into the story all throughout the book and not just thrown in there at the last minute or every so often.
The cast was so diverse, coming from different backgrounds in terms of race, culture and religion and each character truly felt like their own person. It made the book all the more welcoming. The chemistry between our lead Farah and Zayan was amazing from the moment they met and I loved every scene they shared, every time we got to see their relationship develop and the angst that came with it.
The reason why this wasn't a 4 or 5 star read for me was due to a couple of reasons. Firstly, this book is aimed at a teenage audience, aged 13/14 in particular and I haven't been that age in almost a decade now so the writing was a little younger than I would have preferred. It didn't mean that it wasn't able to explore mature themes, just not to the extent I would have liked to have seen. The idea of Farah not wanting to be in a relationship until she married was something I couldn't relate to and this was a personal decision on her behalf. It could have just been the way it was written, but it did feel a little childish at times when we saw her discuss it. Especially since she was only 18/19, and so it did make the thing that was stopping her and Zayan from being together feel a little lacklustre to me. There was also a case of repetition when it came to her talking about her roommates and the relationship that one of them was in. It grated on me a little as it really only needed to be talked about once, twice at most. However, it seemed every time they were on page that she would tell us how they met/their dynamic even though we already knew and it kept taking me out of the story. I also did find the random argument/possible romance between two of the members of The Tragedies unnecessary. It came out of nowhere and didn't do anything to further the plot, especially since it was never acknowledged again and they never ended up together anyway.
Other than those few things, I had a great time reading The Girlfriend. Act. Every time I picked it up, I wouldn't, or rather couldn't stop reading and once I did, I would notice that I'd read a minimum of about 60-90 pages.
It has been a while since I last read a YA contemporary novel (probably I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Ann Liang back in January/February and even longer before that). I have stopped reading YA novels as it is an age group that I grew out of long ago, but also was finding that a lot of the recent releases apart from a handful of authors were too young for me which is understandable. The Girlfriend Act was one of the few new YA contemporaries that I was really excited to read and it definitely delivered what we were promised. This book may be a romance book but at the heart of it, it also explores the importance of community and friendship as well as growing up and understanding yourself as a person. There are lots of discussions on the issues of racism but also colourism which I feel isn't something I've seen a lot of in YA books, and I am so glad that I've started to see more of. It's something that people of all backgrounds should learn about and understand more as they move through the world, regardless of your race.
TGA also talked about the subject of culture and diaspora, whether you're a first or second generation immigrant living in a country that more often than not is unwelcoming to those not from there. It touched on the fear of not feeling as though you're not in touch with your culture enough, especially when you're isolated from your family or don't have a tight-knit community of those from the same background as you, and also feeling as though you have to assimilate as a result. I appreciated how such important themes were really embedded into the story all throughout the book and not just thrown in there at the last minute or every so often.
The cast was so diverse, coming from different backgrounds in terms of race, culture and religion and each character truly felt like their own person. It made the book all the more welcoming. The chemistry between our lead Farah and Zayan was amazing from the moment they met and I loved every scene they shared, every time we got to see their relationship develop and the angst that came with it.
The reason why this wasn't a 4 or 5 star read for me was due to a couple of reasons. Firstly, this book is aimed at a teenage audience, aged 13/14 in particular and I haven't been that age in almost a decade now so the writing was a little younger than I would have preferred. It didn't mean that it wasn't able to explore mature themes, just not to the extent I would have liked to have seen. The idea of Farah not wanting to be in a relationship until she married was something I couldn't relate to and this was a personal decision on her behalf. It could have just been the way it was written, but it did feel a little childish at times when we saw her discuss it. Especially since she was only 18/19, and so it did make the thing that was stopping her and Zayan from being together feel a little lacklustre to me. There was also a case of repetition when it came to her talking about her roommates and the relationship that one of them was in. It grated on me a little as it really only needed to be talked about once, twice at most. However, it seemed every time they were on page that she would tell us how they met/their dynamic even though we already knew and it kept taking me out of the story. I also did find the random argument/possible romance between two of the members of The Tragedies unnecessary. It came out of nowhere and didn't do anything to further the plot, especially since it was never acknowledged again and they never ended up together anyway.
Other than those few things, I had a great time reading The Girlfriend. Act. Every time I picked it up, I wouldn't, or rather couldn't stop reading and once I did, I would notice that I'd read a minimum of about 60-90 pages.
November 9, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is a YA contemporary romance that's sweet and lovely, but also comes with an emotional depth and commentary on community, racism and colourism, a mix that I really enjoyed. Farah was an easy main character to like, strong and proud and able to stand up for herself, and I was fully invested in her. Zayan as a love interest felt a little... lackluster to me; he just felt a bit bland, especially compared to Farah. The plot felt well written and, unfortunately, VERY realistic, so I loved that the author shone a light on these issues in the world of theatre and acting. I'm excited to see what Safa Ahmed brings out next!
This is a YA contemporary romance that's sweet and lovely, but also comes with an emotional depth and commentary on community, racism and colourism, a mix that I really enjoyed. Farah was an easy main character to like, strong and proud and able to stand up for herself, and I was fully invested in her. Zayan as a love interest felt a little... lackluster to me; he just felt a bit bland, especially compared to Farah. The plot felt well written and, unfortunately, VERY realistic, so I loved that the author shone a light on these issues in the world of theatre and acting. I'm excited to see what Safa Ahmed brings out next!
September 23, 2024
tw - (blatant) racism
i had so much fun following the TRAGEDIES. Farah is a very strong and endearing young lady who's proud of ethnicity and origins. she stands for herself and what she likes. i liked her a lot.
i had so much fun following the TRAGEDIES. Farah is a very strong and endearing young lady who's proud of ethnicity and origins. she stands for herself and what she likes. i liked her a lot.
September 29, 2024
4.5
screaming!!!
screaming!!!
November 7, 2024
4.25 stars rounded up!
June 13, 2024
I loved The Girlfriend Act so much!! It was romantic, it was scandalous, it was sweet, it was dramatic and it was such a good read!! Honestly my camera roll is screenshot central — there were so many amazing hard hitting lines that had me like damn, I need to remember this.
The book really takes on the question: how much of yourself will you sacrifice to others to be able to achieve your dreams?
I really liked how this book took a look at representation and identity, and forced the characters to take a look at themselves — and the audience — on why we feel the need and the right to say somebody is not x enough, or that they don’t relate to that as part of their experience so it’s not correct. The book pulled down the monolith so many people hold themselves by.
I really liked how this book highlighted rhe racism and prejudice in the theatre community, especially when it came to casting POC in to “white” roles. We have seen this happen over and over in real time, such as with Ariel. Ahmed takes a look at this and examines this idea all throughout the book and I thought it was really well done.
I also like how this book said move over Shakespeare, you’re not the only worthwhile playwright in the house and showcased Pakistani stories.
I rally loved the MC Farah, and often found myself feeling angry when she was angry, sad when she was sad. I was fully invested in her story and ready to go to the ends of the Earth for her. I really loved Zayan too, and how we (and him!) got to see beneath the mask of his celebrity and discover why he made the decisions he did and what really made him happy.
I thought the plot was well done and again, very realistic. It unfortunately wasn’t hard to think of scenarios where this could, and has, happened. I also really loved how the fake date trope worked out, it’s one of my favourites!
Thank you to Penguin Random House UK Children's | Penguin for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review
The book really takes on the question: how much of yourself will you sacrifice to others to be able to achieve your dreams?
I really liked how this book took a look at representation and identity, and forced the characters to take a look at themselves — and the audience — on why we feel the need and the right to say somebody is not x enough, or that they don’t relate to that as part of their experience so it’s not correct. The book pulled down the monolith so many people hold themselves by.
I really liked how this book highlighted rhe racism and prejudice in the theatre community, especially when it came to casting POC in to “white” roles. We have seen this happen over and over in real time, such as with Ariel. Ahmed takes a look at this and examines this idea all throughout the book and I thought it was really well done.
I also like how this book said move over Shakespeare, you’re not the only worthwhile playwright in the house and showcased Pakistani stories.
I rally loved the MC Farah, and often found myself feeling angry when she was angry, sad when she was sad. I was fully invested in her story and ready to go to the ends of the Earth for her. I really loved Zayan too, and how we (and him!) got to see beneath the mask of his celebrity and discover why he made the decisions he did and what really made him happy.
I thought the plot was well done and again, very realistic. It unfortunately wasn’t hard to think of scenarios where this could, and has, happened. I also really loved how the fake date trope worked out, it’s one of my favourites!
Thank you to Penguin Random House UK Children's | Penguin for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review
Want to read
October 14, 2023"I fell in love at eighteen. Not with a person, but with a feeling. This feeling."
I have been waiting for this book for so long
I have been waiting for this book for so long
June 16, 2024
amazing showstopping brilliant incredible never been done before five full luminous starzzz
it’s 1am and my brain hurts but what does that matter when zayan and farah! like what do you mean i need to sleep this book just injected me with zarah swoon of the highest quality and that is literally better?
reading this was like being wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket of pakestani culture, and yes i got extremely hungry thank you for the stellar food descriptions i don’t know if i needed quite that much detail when there was NOTHING in my fridge to help me through it but anyways. anyways. i’m not pakestani but what i am is incredibly stupid so a lot of the terms were unfamiliar to me, if you see DUPATTA PAKISTAN OUTFIT in my pinterest search history literally mind your own business.
as well as being funny and romantic and hunger-inducing this book is so important. it’s an intimate look into a pakestani baddie’s experience with racism and colourism, but more than that, it’s a look at the myriad of experiences baddies of all skin tones face, from micro aggressions to macro aggressions to grappling with your cultural identity in a space that doesn’t encourage or even allow for unabashed brown-ness.
this book taught me that racism is bad 🩷
(for legal reasons this is a hilarious joke)
the main takeaway is this: zayan, whose name is almost that of a bro of mine, and farah, whose name is spot-on that of my old english teacher, thanks for making me giggle, twirl my hair, blush, kick my feet back and forth, hold the book to my chest and squeal, fan myself, etc, etc, at the ripe old age of twenty. you are both certified top-tier pookies.
it’s 1am and my brain hurts but what does that matter when zayan and farah! like what do you mean i need to sleep this book just injected me with zarah swoon of the highest quality and that is literally better?
reading this was like being wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket of pakestani culture, and yes i got extremely hungry thank you for the stellar food descriptions i don’t know if i needed quite that much detail when there was NOTHING in my fridge to help me through it but anyways. anyways. i’m not pakestani but what i am is incredibly stupid so a lot of the terms were unfamiliar to me, if you see DUPATTA PAKISTAN OUTFIT in my pinterest search history literally mind your own business.
as well as being funny and romantic and hunger-inducing this book is so important. it’s an intimate look into a pakestani baddie’s experience with racism and colourism, but more than that, it’s a look at the myriad of experiences baddies of all skin tones face, from micro aggressions to macro aggressions to grappling with your cultural identity in a space that doesn’t encourage or even allow for unabashed brown-ness.
this book taught me that racism is bad 🩷
(for legal reasons this is a hilarious joke)
the main takeaway is this: zayan, whose name is almost that of a bro of mine, and farah, whose name is spot-on that of my old english teacher, thanks for making me giggle, twirl my hair, blush, kick my feet back and forth, hold the book to my chest and squeal, fan myself, etc, etc, at the ripe old age of twenty. you are both certified top-tier pookies.
July 11, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The Girlfriend Act" by Safa Ahmed is a really enjoyable journey into the world of theater, ambition, and unexpected love. The story is built around the classic idea of enemies becoming lovers, and it's a great mix of humor, heart, and commentary on the biases in the industry. Safa Ahmed does an awesome job of showing Farah's determination and strength, making her a character you'll love and support from the start.
The tension and chemistry between Farah and Zayan are so real, and their journey from dislike to love is exciting to read. Safa's writing is amazing, especially when she describes the theater world and the passion, struggles, and friendships of the actors.
The diverse cast of supporting characters adds so much depth and richness to the story, each with their own unique personality and backstory.
While the book has plenty of funny moments and charming scenes, it also tackles important issues like discrimination in the arts, representation, racism, colorism, and the power of community. Safa balances these heavy topics with lighthearted conversations and romantic tension, making it a well-rounded and enjoyable read.
"The Girlfriend Act" by Safa Ahmed is a really enjoyable journey into the world of theater, ambition, and unexpected love. The story is built around the classic idea of enemies becoming lovers, and it's a great mix of humor, heart, and commentary on the biases in the industry. Safa Ahmed does an awesome job of showing Farah's determination and strength, making her a character you'll love and support from the start.
The tension and chemistry between Farah and Zayan are so real, and their journey from dislike to love is exciting to read. Safa's writing is amazing, especially when she describes the theater world and the passion, struggles, and friendships of the actors.
The diverse cast of supporting characters adds so much depth and richness to the story, each with their own unique personality and backstory.
While the book has plenty of funny moments and charming scenes, it also tackles important issues like discrimination in the arts, representation, racism, colorism, and the power of community. Safa balances these heavy topics with lighthearted conversations and romantic tension, making it a well-rounded and enjoyable read.
September 29, 2024
reread ~
read it for the second time and i still it the same, if not more !!!!!
first read ~
saw the email with the eARC at 5 in the morning, started reading it at 6 and finished at 11, you can very well tell i was hooked and feeling all the feels, now excuse me while i scream into the void
read it for the second time and i still it the same, if not more !!!!!
first read ~
saw the email with the eARC at 5 in the morning, started reading it at 6 and finished at 11, you can very well tell i was hooked and feeling all the feels, now excuse me while i scream into the void
May 19, 2024
“I fell in love at eighteen. Not with a person, but with a feeling. This feeling.”
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When aspiring actress Farah Sheikh accidentally goes viral for exposing a prejudiced theatre company, she decides to put on her own production with the Tragedies - a group of theatre kids who are similarly desperate to break into the industry. They have the crew, all they need now is a stage ... and money. Enter former superstar Zayan Amin. The deal? Zayan will star in and fund the Tragedies’ play, in exchange for a publicity boost generated by a new and (fake) romance with Farah. There’s just one problem: they can’t stand each other...
Farah is determined to follow her dreams, however she also has a tendency to second guess herself and her abilities, leaving her hesitant and unsure. She’s a great character, incredibly considerate of others and wanting the best for them. I really enjoyed seeing her push forward, making new friends and joining them in the fight to make a difference. She also takes no crap from anyone which is perfect when she has to deal with her grumpy costar! Farah is an all around great character!
Zayan is quite the grump and extremely guarded and closed off when we’re introduced to him. Floundering after a massive mistake, he is trying to find his feet once more in a life that was thrown upside down. Zayan is quite a complex character because there are so many sides and faces to him that initially it is difficult to suss him out and understand his motives. However, as the book progresses we get to know him more and what a character he is! We learn he is cautious and vulnerable and incredibly caring. I really liked seeing his softer side and I felt he only got better and better as we went along.
The fake dating trope is one of my favourites so when I saw the blurb for this book, I was immediately intrigued and knew I needed to jump in. The plot was pretty good overall. I found myself swept away in the story, scarcely noticing time passing which was excellent. The flow was brilliant too, going from event to event seamlessly and without issue. I think tackling such big issues like racism and colourism can be very tricky to handle sensitively but also pack a punch. However, Ahmed handles this flawlessly. The content was having me consider things I’d never thought of before - and had me challenging my unconscious bias which is brilliant. The characters felt all very well rounded and exciting to read. Some remained more in the background whilst others remained further on the reader’s radar but this worked for me. It ensured that the cast never felt too overwhelming to remember and take in. Romance wise, it was very angst heavy. There were exceeding amounts of yearning and denial of attraction - which is perfect for a fake dating/enemies to lovers situation - so I was rather happy! I do think the snippets of romance we did get were great too! The ending was super cute and perfectly wrapped up this wonderful story. Ahmed, you are brilliant!
Overall, The Girlfriend Act is another fabulous book to add to the fake dating trope!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you again to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When aspiring actress Farah Sheikh accidentally goes viral for exposing a prejudiced theatre company, she decides to put on her own production with the Tragedies - a group of theatre kids who are similarly desperate to break into the industry. They have the crew, all they need now is a stage ... and money. Enter former superstar Zayan Amin. The deal? Zayan will star in and fund the Tragedies’ play, in exchange for a publicity boost generated by a new and (fake) romance with Farah. There’s just one problem: they can’t stand each other...
Farah is determined to follow her dreams, however she also has a tendency to second guess herself and her abilities, leaving her hesitant and unsure. She’s a great character, incredibly considerate of others and wanting the best for them. I really enjoyed seeing her push forward, making new friends and joining them in the fight to make a difference. She also takes no crap from anyone which is perfect when she has to deal with her grumpy costar! Farah is an all around great character!
Zayan is quite the grump and extremely guarded and closed off when we’re introduced to him. Floundering after a massive mistake, he is trying to find his feet once more in a life that was thrown upside down. Zayan is quite a complex character because there are so many sides and faces to him that initially it is difficult to suss him out and understand his motives. However, as the book progresses we get to know him more and what a character he is! We learn he is cautious and vulnerable and incredibly caring. I really liked seeing his softer side and I felt he only got better and better as we went along.
The fake dating trope is one of my favourites so when I saw the blurb for this book, I was immediately intrigued and knew I needed to jump in. The plot was pretty good overall. I found myself swept away in the story, scarcely noticing time passing which was excellent. The flow was brilliant too, going from event to event seamlessly and without issue. I think tackling such big issues like racism and colourism can be very tricky to handle sensitively but also pack a punch. However, Ahmed handles this flawlessly. The content was having me consider things I’d never thought of before - and had me challenging my unconscious bias which is brilliant. The characters felt all very well rounded and exciting to read. Some remained more in the background whilst others remained further on the reader’s radar but this worked for me. It ensured that the cast never felt too overwhelming to remember and take in. Romance wise, it was very angst heavy. There were exceeding amounts of yearning and denial of attraction - which is perfect for a fake dating/enemies to lovers situation - so I was rather happy! I do think the snippets of romance we did get were great too! The ending was super cute and perfectly wrapped up this wonderful story. Ahmed, you are brilliant!
Overall, The Girlfriend Act is another fabulous book to add to the fake dating trope!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you again to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy of this book.
May 28, 2024
I loved this! This follows Farah, an aspiring actor who auditions at a local London theatre only to be rejected for being Pakistani. After she rants her frustrations on Twitter, a group called The Tragedies find her with similar experiences to her own. From there, they decide to start up their own theatre production. Alongside that, Farah meets Zayan, a successful actor who recently got caught up in controversy when he stars in a racist TV show, and the two fake date as a way to get both publicity for the production and for Zayan to get a better public image.
I really loved this, it was so cute with wholesome friendships. The writing was really engaging and kept me hooked the whole time. It managed to balance wholesome and adorable with meaningful, important conversations.
One major theme of the book was how Farah is lighter. She is frequently confused on how she is on the receiving end of racism, while holding privilege, and how she navigates that with the help of her friends.
I also loved the emphasis on how the relationship can’t and shouldn’t be Farah’s whole life. She prioritises the people and things she cares about.
This felt like a love letter to theatre while criticising it for how it could do better to be a welcoming and open space for everyone, not just for a few.
There were some minor, minor issues I had with this (I’m not sure how they managed to pay for the production or where the talent came from for costume design, how they managed to get a stage, etc, although I did read this over a period of a few days so it’s possible it was mentioned and I forgot. As an example of very minor issues that might just be my fault, anyways!)
I highly recommend this and I’ll be looking out for this author in future.
I really loved this, it was so cute with wholesome friendships. The writing was really engaging and kept me hooked the whole time. It managed to balance wholesome and adorable with meaningful, important conversations.
One major theme of the book was how Farah is lighter. She is frequently confused on how she is on the receiving end of racism, while holding privilege, and how she navigates that with the help of her friends.
I also loved the emphasis on how the relationship can’t and shouldn’t be Farah’s whole life. She prioritises the people and things she cares about.
This felt like a love letter to theatre while criticising it for how it could do better to be a welcoming and open space for everyone, not just for a few.
There were some minor, minor issues I had with this (I’m not sure how they managed to pay for the production or where the talent came from for costume design, how they managed to get a stage, etc, although I did read this over a period of a few days so it’s possible it was mentioned and I forgot. As an example of very minor issues that might just be my fault, anyways!)
I highly recommend this and I’ll be looking out for this author in future.
March 8, 2025
AAAAAA I just know if I read this when I was younger I would’ve cried. As a Pakistani who’s longed for representation and more silly romance stories, this is everything. I love how the fake dating is a metaphor for imposter syndrome and cultural integrity in this book, and the way the collective is highlighted. Even though this is a romance first and foremost, it’s also a raw and wonderful story about cultural solidarity and being who you are regardless of oppressive institutions- and that’s something every younger Pakistani child needs to hear.
Make no mistake though, the romance in this is also INSANELY good. I’m so used to fake-dating and enemies to lovers being a bit rushed - or at the very least, the transition from ‘enemies’ to ‘lovers’ not making much sense to me. But Zayan and Farah’s connection is so electric and natural in this book. I really appreciate Ahmed for taking her time with their dynamic, for the first third of the book they don’t even like each other and it’s really refreshing. Both of them are so natural together and equally well-fleshed out. We may not get to read from Zayan’s POV, but I felt like I understood him completely by the time we reached the halfway point. I won’t go into detail to avoid spoilers, but it also made me genuinely happy to see how realistic these guys are too. Don’t get me wrong, I love me a tragic backstory, but it’s nice to read about ordinary backgrounds for once in a while, and how the issues of those people are just as valid.
The only thing that is keeping me from giving this 5/5 is one, quite frankly, aggravating usage of the misunderstanding trope halfway through this book. Everything was so natural up to that point and it completely took me out….but other than that, must read especially if you’re south Asian!
Make no mistake though, the romance in this is also INSANELY good. I’m so used to fake-dating and enemies to lovers being a bit rushed - or at the very least, the transition from ‘enemies’ to ‘lovers’ not making much sense to me. But Zayan and Farah’s connection is so electric and natural in this book. I really appreciate Ahmed for taking her time with their dynamic, for the first third of the book they don’t even like each other and it’s really refreshing. Both of them are so natural together and equally well-fleshed out. We may not get to read from Zayan’s POV, but I felt like I understood him completely by the time we reached the halfway point. I won’t go into detail to avoid spoilers, but it also made me genuinely happy to see how realistic these guys are too. Don’t get me wrong, I love me a tragic backstory, but it’s nice to read about ordinary backgrounds for once in a while, and how the issues of those people are just as valid.
The only thing that is keeping me from giving this 5/5 is one, quite frankly, aggravating usage of the misunderstanding trope halfway through this book. Everything was so natural up to that point and it completely took me out….but other than that, must read especially if you’re south Asian!
December 19, 2024
I loved this so much! It’s swoon-worthy and such a delightful read. The romance between Farah and Zayan was absolutely adorable and gave me so many feels, I couldn’t stop smiling because of them. Their growth over the course of the story, as they worked on the play with the Tragedies and discovered what they truly wanted, was stunning.
And the Tragedies! Found family always gets me, and the group dynamics were perfection. The friendships were so heartwarming, with everyone being so supportive and understanding. Lastly, the ending was so satisfying and the perfect way to wrap up the story!
And the Tragedies! Found family always gets me, and the group dynamics were perfection. The friendships were so heartwarming, with everyone being so supportive and understanding. Lastly, the ending was so satisfying and the perfect way to wrap up the story!
January 28, 2025
Uhh I hate to go under 4 stars on this one but I had to. I heavily relate to the main characters struggles of racism and microagressions and it was beautiful to read something touching on the lightskin-but-still-not-white-enough racism and how a protagonist navigates that. I really enjoyed the cultural parts, the embrace of diversity and the love for theatre that this story vibrates.
But uhhh the romance left me wanting things.
First of all, the back of the book saying „they cant stand each other“ is a lie bc that animosity lasted for approximately three seconds. And with actually all the friendships in this book, it felt super rushed. I longed for more tender moments, not only between Farah and Zayan but with all her friends. So much was just said and never shown and I get that this is just like a standalone (as far as I could tell?) but like 100 pages more of relationship building would have made this a lot more solid in my opinion.
Still cute.
Just not as up to my expectations as I would have liked.
But uhhh the romance left me wanting things.
First of all, the back of the book saying „they cant stand each other“ is a lie bc that animosity lasted for approximately three seconds. And with actually all the friendships in this book, it felt super rushed. I longed for more tender moments, not only between Farah and Zayan but with all her friends. So much was just said and never shown and I get that this is just like a standalone (as far as I could tell?) but like 100 pages more of relationship building would have made this a lot more solid in my opinion.
Still cute.
Just not as up to my expectations as I would have liked.
May 28, 2024
ahhhhh okay I LOVED this, review to come in a couple of days !!!!!!!
June 8, 2024
THEEE swooniest story.
August 2, 2024
lovely book that tackles so many important so many difficult themes. it’s nice to know teenagers get to see themselves in books, and watch two brown people fall in love. not in the background but fully in the spotlight
July 19, 2024
3.75 ⭐️
February 20, 2025
5/5 ⭐️💫✨🌟⭐️
Cinematic fake dating college romance that feels like watching a comfort rom com movie. This was cute, I loved The Tragedies and their little found family, the theatre is the perfect place to form one isn’t it? I’ve also realized that I do, in fact, enjoy celebrity romances a lot. Farah and Zayan’s romance feels so very Bollywood. There are also some great discussions going on here as well, one of the main plot points centres around racism in art and media, but there’s also a look into colourism, particularly in South Asian communities, from the perspective of someone who benefits from it. I also loved Farah’s appreciation for cultural fashion and that she casually wears kurtis and dupattas. Perfect for fans of the Bollywood movies ‘Om Shanti Om’ and ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, or This Time It’s Real by Ann Liang. This is a clean romance.
Cinematic fake dating college romance that feels like watching a comfort rom com movie. This was cute, I loved The Tragedies and their little found family, the theatre is the perfect place to form one isn’t it? I’ve also realized that I do, in fact, enjoy celebrity romances a lot. Farah and Zayan’s romance feels so very Bollywood. There are also some great discussions going on here as well, one of the main plot points centres around racism in art and media, but there’s also a look into colourism, particularly in South Asian communities, from the perspective of someone who benefits from it. I also loved Farah’s appreciation for cultural fashion and that she casually wears kurtis and dupattas. Perfect for fans of the Bollywood movies ‘Om Shanti Om’ and ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, or This Time It’s Real by Ann Liang. This is a clean romance.
June 26, 2024
“and it's only then, when you've loved a passion, a person and yourself, that you can be a star and share your light.”
as a british-pakistani this book made me feel seen in a way that is very rare in YA romance books. i absolutely adored this book, i was hooked from the first few lines and new i would fall in love with these characters and their stories.
farah is me. i am farah. she was such a real and relatable character and at times it felt like i was reading about myself on page, from her internal struggles with racism and not feeling good enough, to everything in between, and seeing her character grow and become more confident in her own voice and skin was such an amazing thing to read about.
i loved zayan, and although i slightly disliked him at the beginning of the book he definitely grew on me and is one of my favourite characters in the book. the more we learned about him and his own internal struggles with feeling connected to his culture and his identity after everything that happened just made me love him even more.
the diversity of all the side characters was so nice to read about and reading about their own struggles and their lives and how they overcame that was so nice to see. at its core this book explored the themes on racism, self confidence and the feelings of inferiority poc face in a majority white community. i felt so seen and connected to this story and absolutely adored it.
as a british-pakistani this book made me feel seen in a way that is very rare in YA romance books. i absolutely adored this book, i was hooked from the first few lines and new i would fall in love with these characters and their stories.
farah is me. i am farah. she was such a real and relatable character and at times it felt like i was reading about myself on page, from her internal struggles with racism and not feeling good enough, to everything in between, and seeing her character grow and become more confident in her own voice and skin was such an amazing thing to read about.
i loved zayan, and although i slightly disliked him at the beginning of the book he definitely grew on me and is one of my favourite characters in the book. the more we learned about him and his own internal struggles with feeling connected to his culture and his identity after everything that happened just made me love him even more.
the diversity of all the side characters was so nice to read about and reading about their own struggles and their lives and how they overcame that was so nice to see. at its core this book explored the themes on racism, self confidence and the feelings of inferiority poc face in a majority white community. i felt so seen and connected to this story and absolutely adored it.
December 4, 2024
I tried to like this book I really did it just… was not romancey enough for me? By the way this is from the perspective of a trashy romance teenager so take this with a grain of a salt, or from that perspective, and remember, this is strictly my point of view.
This book put me in a massive reading slump. It was advertised as a romance but there is definitely more talk of racial injustice and found family rather than a romance. It felt like the book lacked consistency as well, the characters would switch their personalities but still stick to the same flat, lacking dimension personality because there was no profound sincerity I felt written into the words, like it tried but you could tell it was forced.
The romance is enemies to lovers, and I’m usually a vivid enjoyer of such material. The enemies part was good. After they kind of became friends it just became boring and the romance fell as flat as the characters. The writing is half of a good romance book. Sure, you write about how they talk and all that but it the writing around how they felt around each other was sincerely lacking, making it even more shocking when she says she’s in love with him, because of the lack of impact that should have been written when she realized this. Additionally, the only ever descriptions of their interactions was ‘he said this then she blushed and said this’. The relationship conflict was also not so well done for me due to how there was only ever external conflict affecting their relationship and their relationship was too smooth sailing and had absolutely no problems inside the relationship, I wish there was more angst or if they could’ve written like them having some kind of conflict within their relationship the book could have been better. And the conflict that was written was passed off as we’re literally SPOILER never told about Laiba (I think the MMC’s ex) until the very end and even then he straight up never tells her and the book moves on because she finds out and then everyone’s just like ‘okay’. END OF SPOILER
Adding on, it’s also like that for the entire plotline as well, instead of using vivid descriptions all you get is a series of action one step after another and another, with little to no time to break and talk about how the characters feel internally about their feelings on a situation that just happened.
She also has like three different people(s) she says she goes to often, but only ever goes to go to hang out with her acting troupe, The Tragedies, for the entire book and it irked me so much. In the beginning, it claims she’s ‘close’ with her flatmates and then the book never actually showing them hanging out but jumps right into her finding The Tragedies and then avoiding her so called ‘flatmates who are basically her BFFS’ and then in the end SLIGHT SPOILER you’re supposed to feel sympathy for these poor flatmates and their relationship with the MC but the things is, you don’t even get told much of how much shes feeling when shes avoiding her flatmates other than she feels bad for it, because thats granted if she too were trying to avoid a classmate so in the end the flatmates/best friends fell flat? END OF SPOILER She did not have a personality for the entirety of the book and just went with whatever thing was thrown her way and she reacted in a way everyone should react to the situations she was given.
Overall, the entire book just fell flat and boring to me. If you want a book discussing the racial injustice in British drama society, this is for you. But if you’re coming here hoping to read a fluffy romance novel, this might not be it.
This book put me in a massive reading slump. It was advertised as a romance but there is definitely more talk of racial injustice and found family rather than a romance. It felt like the book lacked consistency as well, the characters would switch their personalities but still stick to the same flat, lacking dimension personality because there was no profound sincerity I felt written into the words, like it tried but you could tell it was forced.
The romance is enemies to lovers, and I’m usually a vivid enjoyer of such material. The enemies part was good. After they kind of became friends it just became boring and the romance fell as flat as the characters. The writing is half of a good romance book. Sure, you write about how they talk and all that but it the writing around how they felt around each other was sincerely lacking, making it even more shocking when she says she’s in love with him, because of the lack of impact that should have been written when she realized this. Additionally, the only ever descriptions of their interactions was ‘he said this then she blushed and said this’. The relationship conflict was also not so well done for me due to how there was only ever external conflict affecting their relationship and their relationship was too smooth sailing and had absolutely no problems inside the relationship, I wish there was more angst or if they could’ve written like them having some kind of conflict within their relationship the book could have been better. And the conflict that was written was passed off as we’re literally SPOILER never told about Laiba (I think the MMC’s ex) until the very end and even then he straight up never tells her and the book moves on because she finds out and then everyone’s just like ‘okay’. END OF SPOILER
Adding on, it’s also like that for the entire plotline as well, instead of using vivid descriptions all you get is a series of action one step after another and another, with little to no time to break and talk about how the characters feel internally about their feelings on a situation that just happened.
She also has like three different people(s) she says she goes to often, but only ever goes to go to hang out with her acting troupe, The Tragedies, for the entire book and it irked me so much. In the beginning, it claims she’s ‘close’ with her flatmates and then the book never actually showing them hanging out but jumps right into her finding The Tragedies and then avoiding her so called ‘flatmates who are basically her BFFS’ and then in the end SLIGHT SPOILER you’re supposed to feel sympathy for these poor flatmates and their relationship with the MC but the things is, you don’t even get told much of how much shes feeling when shes avoiding her flatmates other than she feels bad for it, because thats granted if she too were trying to avoid a classmate so in the end the flatmates/best friends fell flat? END OF SPOILER She did not have a personality for the entirety of the book and just went with whatever thing was thrown her way and she reacted in a way everyone should react to the situations she was given.
Overall, the entire book just fell flat and boring to me. If you want a book discussing the racial injustice in British drama society, this is for you. But if you’re coming here hoping to read a fluffy romance novel, this might not be it.
June 25, 2024
At first glance "The girlfriend Act" seems like a sweet YA romantic comedy, which it is, but this book is also sooo much more than that. I was literally laughing out out loud at some of parts while other scenes were sweet, heartwarming, heartbreaking, moving, touching, romantic and also inspirational. Surprising in a good way!
Farah the main female lead is a talented girl who loves the theatre and takes to social media to vent after her dream of acting is crushed when she is rejected at an audition just because of her colour, not realizing how many lives she would touch with one late night rant. She meets a group calling themselves "the Tragedies" who all suffered similar setbacks and they decide to do their own rival play where anyone is welcome. Zayan (who is a famous actor) gets involved with the play (reluctantly to begin with) because he recently made a bad career choice and lost his famous girlfriend at the same time. With his popularity plummeting this is his chance to save his career as he promotes the play and he and Farah test their acting abilities as they fake date while loathing each other. None of the group have any idea just how much they are about to change each other's lives for the better.
Safa Ahmed has written a gorgeously romantic and hilarious debut book, that got me into the story from the first page, but this is way more than frothy sweetness, it deals with many subjects ranging from self-discovery, confronting your fears, self-worth, learning to be happy with who you are and where you fit in the world, culture, identity, family, and friendship, to the more serious subjects of racism, colourism, privilege, and not giving up but being brave enough to admit your insecurities or when you're wrong and gaining the courage to keep going when life gives you setbacks - there is a beautiful message shining through not to give up following your dreams. The characters are all well written. They aren't perfect, they're realistic and relatable. Farah and Zayan especially have good growth throughout the story. The Pakistani heritage and food/culture references were great, I enjoyed the choice of play the friendships that grow are heartwarming, and the end was awesome. It also proves you can still have a modern, relevant and thoroughly enjoyable story with a strong female lead that doesn't need f-bombs or steamy scenes to carry it, just good storytelling. I could say a lot more but I don't want to spoil this story for you. All I will say is just read it! A heartwarming, romantic, funny and moving page turner. I loved it from start to finish and I'm looking forward to the Author's next book. (I'd happily read more about the group of characters from this one too!)
Farah the main female lead is a talented girl who loves the theatre and takes to social media to vent after her dream of acting is crushed when she is rejected at an audition just because of her colour, not realizing how many lives she would touch with one late night rant. She meets a group calling themselves "the Tragedies" who all suffered similar setbacks and they decide to do their own rival play where anyone is welcome. Zayan (who is a famous actor) gets involved with the play (reluctantly to begin with) because he recently made a bad career choice and lost his famous girlfriend at the same time. With his popularity plummeting this is his chance to save his career as he promotes the play and he and Farah test their acting abilities as they fake date while loathing each other. None of the group have any idea just how much they are about to change each other's lives for the better.
Safa Ahmed has written a gorgeously romantic and hilarious debut book, that got me into the story from the first page, but this is way more than frothy sweetness, it deals with many subjects ranging from self-discovery, confronting your fears, self-worth, learning to be happy with who you are and where you fit in the world, culture, identity, family, and friendship, to the more serious subjects of racism, colourism, privilege, and not giving up but being brave enough to admit your insecurities or when you're wrong and gaining the courage to keep going when life gives you setbacks - there is a beautiful message shining through not to give up following your dreams. The characters are all well written. They aren't perfect, they're realistic and relatable. Farah and Zayan especially have good growth throughout the story. The Pakistani heritage and food/culture references were great, I enjoyed the choice of play the friendships that grow are heartwarming, and the end was awesome. It also proves you can still have a modern, relevant and thoroughly enjoyable story with a strong female lead that doesn't need f-bombs or steamy scenes to carry it, just good storytelling. I could say a lot more but I don't want to spoil this story for you. All I will say is just read it! A heartwarming, romantic, funny and moving page turner. I loved it from start to finish and I'm looking forward to the Author's next book. (I'd happily read more about the group of characters from this one too!)
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