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If You're Not the One
This funny, electric rom-com follows a teen struggling to reclaim her perfect life and the perfectly wrong guy who sees through her facade, from the acclaimed author of It All Comes Back to You.
Anisa Shirani is…well, perfect. A fact, not an opinion. Of course, it’s all a front to feed her own praise-obsessed ego. Behind closed doors, she is—some might say—a little slobbish and snobbish, and she works obsessively to maintain her God-given talents. Fate has favored her, but Ani knows better than anyone that fate is made by effort.
But she must, especially when all signs point to her being a top-notch lawyer with a top-notch education and being destined to marry Isaac, total heartthrob and eldest son of the richest family in the community. A perfect girl deserves a perfect life, and Ani’s perfect life is going exactly the way it should…
Until Ani’s parents announce they’re getting divorced.
Until Isaac shows all the signs of…cheating. Sort of.
Until she starts catching feelings for Marlow, an overly friendly weirdo she’s hated since the moment she laid eyes on him in class.
How can fate be so wrong?
Anisa Shirani is…well, perfect. A fact, not an opinion. Of course, it’s all a front to feed her own praise-obsessed ego. Behind closed doors, she is—some might say—a little slobbish and snobbish, and she works obsessively to maintain her God-given talents. Fate has favored her, but Ani knows better than anyone that fate is made by effort.
But she must, especially when all signs point to her being a top-notch lawyer with a top-notch education and being destined to marry Isaac, total heartthrob and eldest son of the richest family in the community. A perfect girl deserves a perfect life, and Ani’s perfect life is going exactly the way it should…
Until Ani’s parents announce they’re getting divorced.
Until Isaac shows all the signs of…cheating. Sort of.
Until she starts catching feelings for Marlow, an overly friendly weirdo she’s hated since the moment she laid eyes on him in class.
How can fate be so wrong?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2024
20 people are currently reading
4787 people want to read
About the author
Farah Naz Rishi
8 books615 followersFarah Naz Rishi is a Pakistani-American Muslim writer and voice actor, but in another life, she’s worked stints as a lawyer, a video game journalist, and an editorial assistant. She received her B.A. in English from Bryn Mawr College, her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, and her love of weaving stories from the Odyssey Writing Workshop. When she’s not writing, she’s probably hanging out with video game characters. You can find her at home in Philadelphia, or on Twitter at @far_ah_way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
August 19, 2025
(3.5 stars rounded up to a 4)
Farah Naz Rishi writes rom-coms with such complex female leads, and I love it.
Anisa is a perfection-obsessed college girl, and is determined that every outward appearance matches. The problem is she can’t control people. She can’t control her arranged fiancé, Isaac’s, lack of interest in her, or her parents' impending divorce. All of this sends her into a spiral to get Isaac’s attention before the news of her parents' divorce reaches his family. To do that, she enlists the help of Marlow, a walking fashion disaster she quickly becomes friends with, and possibly more.
I loved Ani from the beginning. She can be judgmental and a tad vapid, but it comes from deep-rooted insecurities, not malice. She desperately wants to be loved and praised, and will do what it takes to receive the affection she craves. Marlow might start just as a love-coach for her relationship, but he teaches her to love herself, flaws and all. She grows in her confidence and security in herself. It’s a slow and gradual process, which makes it feel believable.
I wish Marlow had had Ani’s complexity. You can’t help but love him: he’s sweet, friendly, a great communicator, and takes the time to learn about Ani’s heritage and culture. But compared to Ani’s nuances, he feels flat. His only arc has to do with hesitating to share with Ani the racism he has experienced, which is NOT wrong. He didn’t owe her any of that story, and could have kept it private if that was his boundary. Just a teeny flaw or something would have made him more realistic, but I still adored him despite wanting some more depth in his character.
I learned so much about Pakistani culture and family expectations. Ani is unapologetic about her love for her culture, which was so fun to read. The food descriptions made my mouth water multiple times. It also plays a key role in her arranged marriage and the expectations that come with it. I love to learn more about other cultures in fiction, and it’s done so well in If You’re Not the One.
The message of “every individual is complex and flawed” is pushed a tad too far, in my opinion. Ani forgives some characters (mainly her fiancé's) awful choices. The environment can inform Isaac’s poor choices, but that doesn’t justify them. I wish she had been more angry at Isaac, especially after watching Ani try to catch his attention for a long time with sweet gestures, and he treats her like a nuisance in return. She lets him and others off the hook easily, almost justifying their actions with “We all mess up!” Yes, everyone messes up, but not to the degree Isaac does.
The footnotes were not a good choice, and at times made the reading experience a chore. There are 175 footnotes in a 350-page rom-com😭 Only three or four of them felt like important context to the situation or Ani’s deeper feelings. The rest were attempts at humor through Ani’s perspective, but my word. Having to pause every other sentence to find an unnecessary footnote was so irritating. It disrupted the flow of the book to the point I almost DNFed.
Overall, this is a charming and sweet romance, with positive and uplifting messages. I recommend it if the footnotes and questionable forgiveness of side characters aren’t deterrents.
Spoiler for book that is also a trigger warning relating to the parents:
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books, for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Farah Naz Rishi writes rom-coms with such complex female leads, and I love it.
Anisa is a perfection-obsessed college girl, and is determined that every outward appearance matches. The problem is she can’t control people. She can’t control her arranged fiancé, Isaac’s, lack of interest in her, or her parents' impending divorce. All of this sends her into a spiral to get Isaac’s attention before the news of her parents' divorce reaches his family. To do that, she enlists the help of Marlow, a walking fashion disaster she quickly becomes friends with, and possibly more.
I loved Ani from the beginning. She can be judgmental and a tad vapid, but it comes from deep-rooted insecurities, not malice. She desperately wants to be loved and praised, and will do what it takes to receive the affection she craves. Marlow might start just as a love-coach for her relationship, but he teaches her to love herself, flaws and all. She grows in her confidence and security in herself. It’s a slow and gradual process, which makes it feel believable.
I wish Marlow had had Ani’s complexity. You can’t help but love him: he’s sweet, friendly, a great communicator, and takes the time to learn about Ani’s heritage and culture. But compared to Ani’s nuances, he feels flat. His only arc has to do with hesitating to share with Ani the racism he has experienced, which is NOT wrong. He didn’t owe her any of that story, and could have kept it private if that was his boundary. Just a teeny flaw or something would have made him more realistic, but I still adored him despite wanting some more depth in his character.
I learned so much about Pakistani culture and family expectations. Ani is unapologetic about her love for her culture, which was so fun to read. The food descriptions made my mouth water multiple times. It also plays a key role in her arranged marriage and the expectations that come with it. I love to learn more about other cultures in fiction, and it’s done so well in If You’re Not the One.
The message of “every individual is complex and flawed” is pushed a tad too far, in my opinion. Ani forgives some characters (mainly her fiancé's) awful choices. The environment can inform Isaac’s poor choices, but that doesn’t justify them. I wish she had been more angry at Isaac, especially after watching Ani try to catch his attention for a long time with sweet gestures, and he treats her like a nuisance in return. She lets him and others off the hook easily, almost justifying their actions with “We all mess up!” Yes, everyone messes up, but not to the degree Isaac does.
The footnotes were not a good choice, and at times made the reading experience a chore. There are 175 footnotes in a 350-page rom-com😭 Only three or four of them felt like important context to the situation or Ani’s deeper feelings. The rest were attempts at humor through Ani’s perspective, but my word. Having to pause every other sentence to find an unnecessary footnote was so irritating. It disrupted the flow of the book to the point I almost DNFed.
Overall, this is a charming and sweet romance, with positive and uplifting messages. I recommend it if the footnotes and questionable forgiveness of side characters aren’t deterrents.
Spoiler for book that is also a trigger warning relating to the parents:
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books, for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
October 1, 2024
Anisa has it all planned out: she has an image to maintain, an arranged match to follow through with, and a law degree to obtain. A boy with bright yellow crocs—a boy determined to be Anisa's friend—is not part of the plan.
If You're Not the One is more or less a fictionalised version of Rishi's own story. I read Sorry for the Inconvenience not too long ago, and as soon as I saw that Rishi had also written her story into a YA fiction format, I knew I'd have to read it. So there are two things to talk about here: If You're Not the One, and the experience of reading the two books nearly back to back.
The book itself: This is pretty classic YA romance. Anisa is in college, with her whole life planned out ahead of her; she has wrenches thrown in her way via family upheaval and just normal college figuring-things-out. Anisa has put a great deal of effort into projecting an image of perfection, and she's pretty damn insufferable about it. It works because Rishi is aware that Anisa is pretty damn insufferable, but also, Anisa does some genuine growth—and grew on me—over the course of the book. I love how hard she works at making her relationship work, too; she doesn't have great models for communication, and she's definitely still figuring things out, but she knows enough to actively try to communicate...and to know that, whatever else, she wants to be with someone who wants to be with her. (Is this a low bar? Yes. But it's too high a bar for a lot of books.) The book also carries the bonus of much of the romantic context being outside the YA norm, as Anisa is perfectly fine with the idea of an arranged marriage, and whether or not her marriage is arranged is largely beside the point throughout the book. Also, there are footnotes. So generally? I think the book is a win.
Reading the two books not quite together: Now, I'm not here to spoil either If You're Not the One or Sorry for the Inconvenience, so I'll tread carefully here. The inspiration is clear as day, and there's a lot of overlap, but there are also substantial plot and character differences. In particular, the romantic interest of the novel gets a bit more backstory than the real-life love interest; the one who was Not Meant to Be is allowed to be more complex in the novel; certain adults are allowed a softer (if less complex) side in the novel; Anisa's sibling's story is not Rishi's sibling's story. (I'm guessing, also, that Rishi was rather less insufferable than Anisa in college...?) The novel also covers a significantly shorter time period.
I'm more likely to reread the memoir than the YA novel, partly because the story in the memoir is simply more complex and partly because as much as I enjoy YA I really, really love memoir—but they serve different purposes. And maybe someday I'll get to teach a class on paired literature...? These would be a great fit.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
If You're Not the One is more or less a fictionalised version of Rishi's own story. I read Sorry for the Inconvenience not too long ago, and as soon as I saw that Rishi had also written her story into a YA fiction format, I knew I'd have to read it. So there are two things to talk about here: If You're Not the One, and the experience of reading the two books nearly back to back.
The book itself: This is pretty classic YA romance. Anisa is in college, with her whole life planned out ahead of her; she has wrenches thrown in her way via family upheaval and just normal college figuring-things-out. Anisa has put a great deal of effort into projecting an image of perfection, and she's pretty damn insufferable about it. It works because Rishi is aware that Anisa is pretty damn insufferable, but also, Anisa does some genuine growth—and grew on me—over the course of the book. I love how hard she works at making her relationship work, too; she doesn't have great models for communication, and she's definitely still figuring things out, but she knows enough to actively try to communicate...and to know that, whatever else, she wants to be with someone who wants to be with her. (Is this a low bar? Yes. But it's too high a bar for a lot of books.) The book also carries the bonus of much of the romantic context being outside the YA norm, as Anisa is perfectly fine with the idea of an arranged marriage, and whether or not her marriage is arranged is largely beside the point throughout the book. Also, there are footnotes. So generally? I think the book is a win.
Reading the two books not quite together: Now, I'm not here to spoil either If You're Not the One or Sorry for the Inconvenience, so I'll tread carefully here. The inspiration is clear as day, and there's a lot of overlap, but there are also substantial plot and character differences. In particular, the romantic interest of the novel gets a bit more backstory than the real-life love interest; the one who was Not Meant to Be is allowed to be more complex in the novel; certain adults are allowed a softer (if less complex) side in the novel; Anisa's sibling's story is not Rishi's sibling's story. (I'm guessing, also, that Rishi was rather less insufferable than Anisa in college...?) The novel also covers a significantly shorter time period.
I'm more likely to reread the memoir than the YA novel, partly because the story in the memoir is simply more complex and partly because as much as I enjoy YA I really, really love memoir—but they serve different purposes. And maybe someday I'll get to teach a class on paired literature...? These would be a great fit.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
September 27, 2025
❥•°❀°•༢ I’m not a fast reader but wow, this book is such an underrated gem! I finished it in 4 days. I wasn’t expecting to fall completely in love with and relate to the story as much as I did, but I’m super grateful that this book found me 💘
❥•°❀°•༢ If You’re Not the One, follows Anisa Shirani, who has been planning her future for as long as she can remember. Coming from a traditional Pakistani family and community, she and Isaac, have been intended to be marry ever since they were children with their families planning every meticulous detail of their futures. When she finds that she and Isaac have been growing distant, she enlists the help of her annoying class partner, Marlow Greene, to act as her love coach and provide guidance to help save their relationship. Through her friendship with Marlow, she discovers that the right people will not make her feel like she has to hide two different sides to the beautiful person she truly is inside and out 🪞
❥•°❀°•༢ I thought Anisa had great character development throughout the story. She reminds me a lot of Cher Horowitz from "Clueless" where she initially comes off superficially fashion-forward, snobbish and judgmental but does have good intentions in her heart and thinks more deeply than she lets on. I love that Anisa never showed that although her culture's expectations become very demanding, she never belittles or looks down on her upbringing or her familys roots. Coming from a traditional Filipino family, I understood Anisa's pressure with having to work tirelessly to make her family proud and make sure that her family has something to be proud of in front of other relatives and members of their community.
❥•°❀°•༢ I like that the story also showed how fashion and make-up started out as a way for her to look picture perfect in front of others, but that it eventually grew into something that empowered her and gave her confidence. People like to preach out make-up and fashion being unnecessary for well-written characters in media, but it was very refreshing to see how that side of her was only just a part of the bigger picture of who she was on the inside. It made her feel good to dress up and fix her make-up, but it also made her feel good to be laid-back in her tracksuits makeup-free 💄
❥•°❀°•༢ I was reading through some of the reviews and noticed that people were calling Anisa very naive for being so particular and heartbroken over her relationship with Isaac as her future betrothed when they weren't officially dating. In a way, I did understand her. For starters, in most Asian countries, it's the general mindset of more traditional families that you are dating to marry and not just to discover what you want in relationships. It's mostly looked down on by more conservative people to date just for the sake of dating and not for a near future together so I think that's something to keep in mind if anyone is reading this and they don't belong to those kinds of cultures! 🕰️
❥•°❀°•༢ When your entire future planned out by those around you and not being able to feel like you can make your own choice, you can't blame someone for being naive if that's the only thing that they've become familiar with. Your world as you know it has been flipped 180 derees, and sometimes you can't think rationally even if you know in your heart that's what you need to do. I really felt for her and feel like she lost a part of her innocence in losing Isaac as almost like a first love, but I really liked that she learns to overcome it. I never liked Isaac's character much and I do think that Anisa for sure took the higher road and was more emotionally mature than him but if anything, it was Isaac's character and actions that propelled Anisa on her self-discovery journey 💭
❥•°❀°•༢ Marlow was an adorable golden-retriever-type love interest. I loved that he was so friendly, outgoing, and bold enough to admit to Anisa that he did have a little crush on her at the beginning. I thought it was super interesting that he was willing to help her out with her situation with Isaac out of his little crush and respect that he had for her already. His backstory was very heartbreaking and made me want to reach out and give him a hug. His past relationship definitely brings a lot of issues to light in our society including racism, microaggressions, and stereotypes that paint him out to be the villain instead of the true victim 🗣️
❥•°❀°•༢ The fact that if he does or doesn't speak up, it will paint him in a bad light no matter what is so reminiscent of struggles that people of colour can endure in toxic relationships. But I think what speaks to me the most about his character is that despite all the struggles that he's experienced just by being himself, he still chooses to be kind and selfless. He's funny, thoughtful, protective and cares both outwardly and inwardly about his loved ones whether he is with them or not ❣️
❥•°❀°•༢ I get so giddy reading about person A being a love coach to person B, only for them to fall in love with each other. Anisa and Marlow were no exception. I love the scenes of them bonding over food and rom-coms, plus Marlow giving Anisa tips on how to win Isaac over. It felt very natural to see how they began to see the vulnerable sides to each other and when they’re hurting. I could understand Anisa’s conflict on wondering why Marlow wasn’t sharing much of his past as much as he knew about Anisa’s secrets, but I also understood how Marlow was scared of people viewing him negatively without getting to know who he was first. I liked that they both grew together ❤️
❥•°❀°•༢ This book was filled with so many interesting dynamics. There was Anisa’s relationship with her mom, who was vicariously trying to live out a stable relationship through her daughter to ensure a good future for her. There was Anisa’s relationship with her dad, who she was never quite close with but they loved each other dearly. There was Anisa’s relationship with her younger sister Zaina, and how sometimes it can be hard to confide in family about your own struggles. There was Anisa and Ellie’s relationship regarding Isaac. So many thought-provoking relationship dynamics focusing on family, relationships, and siblings that made the story even more well-rounded 📝
❥•°❀°•༢ I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good slow-burn romance, feels like they’re hiding parts of themselves from the world, feels overwhelmed with life and love, and wants to discover what it’s like to be your own person regardless of the achievements and relationships that we make. Definitely would re-read this just for the soul-searching themes and the adorable friendship and romance between the MCs 🌺
What to expect:
- Friends-to-lovers, slow-burn 💓
- Love coach MMC x relationship mentee FMC 💌
- Pakistani-American FMC x Jamaican-Indian MMC 🇵🇰🇯🇲🇮🇳
- Coming-of-age 💭
- College setting 📝
- Closed-door/no-spice romance 🚪
- Desi culture and traditions
- Arranged marriage
- Themes of perfectionism, upholding expectations and honour
❥•°❀°•༢ If You’re Not the One, follows Anisa Shirani, who has been planning her future for as long as she can remember. Coming from a traditional Pakistani family and community, she and Isaac, have been intended to be marry ever since they were children with their families planning every meticulous detail of their futures. When she finds that she and Isaac have been growing distant, she enlists the help of her annoying class partner, Marlow Greene, to act as her love coach and provide guidance to help save their relationship. Through her friendship with Marlow, she discovers that the right people will not make her feel like she has to hide two different sides to the beautiful person she truly is inside and out 🪞
❥•°❀°•༢ I thought Anisa had great character development throughout the story. She reminds me a lot of Cher Horowitz from "Clueless" where she initially comes off superficially fashion-forward, snobbish and judgmental but does have good intentions in her heart and thinks more deeply than she lets on. I love that Anisa never showed that although her culture's expectations become very demanding, she never belittles or looks down on her upbringing or her familys roots. Coming from a traditional Filipino family, I understood Anisa's pressure with having to work tirelessly to make her family proud and make sure that her family has something to be proud of in front of other relatives and members of their community.
❥•°❀°•༢ I like that the story also showed how fashion and make-up started out as a way for her to look picture perfect in front of others, but that it eventually grew into something that empowered her and gave her confidence. People like to preach out make-up and fashion being unnecessary for well-written characters in media, but it was very refreshing to see how that side of her was only just a part of the bigger picture of who she was on the inside. It made her feel good to dress up and fix her make-up, but it also made her feel good to be laid-back in her tracksuits makeup-free 💄
❥•°❀°•༢ I was reading through some of the reviews and noticed that people were calling Anisa very naive for being so particular and heartbroken over her relationship with Isaac as her future betrothed when they weren't officially dating. In a way, I did understand her. For starters, in most Asian countries, it's the general mindset of more traditional families that you are dating to marry and not just to discover what you want in relationships. It's mostly looked down on by more conservative people to date just for the sake of dating and not for a near future together so I think that's something to keep in mind if anyone is reading this and they don't belong to those kinds of cultures! 🕰️
❥•°❀°•༢ When your entire future planned out by those around you and not being able to feel like you can make your own choice, you can't blame someone for being naive if that's the only thing that they've become familiar with. Your world as you know it has been flipped 180 derees, and sometimes you can't think rationally even if you know in your heart that's what you need to do. I really felt for her and feel like she lost a part of her innocence in losing Isaac as almost like a first love, but I really liked that she learns to overcome it. I never liked Isaac's character much and I do think that Anisa for sure took the higher road and was more emotionally mature than him but if anything, it was Isaac's character and actions that propelled Anisa on her self-discovery journey 💭
❥•°❀°•༢ Marlow was an adorable golden-retriever-type love interest. I loved that he was so friendly, outgoing, and bold enough to admit to Anisa that he did have a little crush on her at the beginning. I thought it was super interesting that he was willing to help her out with her situation with Isaac out of his little crush and respect that he had for her already. His backstory was very heartbreaking and made me want to reach out and give him a hug. His past relationship definitely brings a lot of issues to light in our society including racism, microaggressions, and stereotypes that paint him out to be the villain instead of the true victim 🗣️
❥•°❀°•༢ The fact that if he does or doesn't speak up, it will paint him in a bad light no matter what is so reminiscent of struggles that people of colour can endure in toxic relationships. But I think what speaks to me the most about his character is that despite all the struggles that he's experienced just by being himself, he still chooses to be kind and selfless. He's funny, thoughtful, protective and cares both outwardly and inwardly about his loved ones whether he is with them or not ❣️
❥•°❀°•༢ I get so giddy reading about person A being a love coach to person B, only for them to fall in love with each other. Anisa and Marlow were no exception. I love the scenes of them bonding over food and rom-coms, plus Marlow giving Anisa tips on how to win Isaac over. It felt very natural to see how they began to see the vulnerable sides to each other and when they’re hurting. I could understand Anisa’s conflict on wondering why Marlow wasn’t sharing much of his past as much as he knew about Anisa’s secrets, but I also understood how Marlow was scared of people viewing him negatively without getting to know who he was first. I liked that they both grew together ❤️
❥•°❀°•༢ This book was filled with so many interesting dynamics. There was Anisa’s relationship with her mom, who was vicariously trying to live out a stable relationship through her daughter to ensure a good future for her. There was Anisa’s relationship with her dad, who she was never quite close with but they loved each other dearly. There was Anisa’s relationship with her younger sister Zaina, and how sometimes it can be hard to confide in family about your own struggles. There was Anisa and Ellie’s relationship regarding Isaac. So many thought-provoking relationship dynamics focusing on family, relationships, and siblings that made the story even more well-rounded 📝
❥•°❀°•༢ I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good slow-burn romance, feels like they’re hiding parts of themselves from the world, feels overwhelmed with life and love, and wants to discover what it’s like to be your own person regardless of the achievements and relationships that we make. Definitely would re-read this just for the soul-searching themes and the adorable friendship and romance between the MCs 🌺
What to expect:
- Friends-to-lovers, slow-burn 💓
- Love coach MMC x relationship mentee FMC 💌
- Pakistani-American FMC x Jamaican-Indian MMC 🇵🇰🇯🇲🇮🇳
- Coming-of-age 💭
- College setting 📝
- Closed-door/no-spice romance 🚪
- Desi culture and traditions
- Arranged marriage
- Themes of perfectionism, upholding expectations and honour
October 16, 2024
2024 reads: 281/250
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
to everyone else, anisa shirani is perfect. her makeup, outfits, and personality all stay impeccable. she even has the perfect fiancé-to-be, isaac. behind closed doors, though, she’s a bit of a slob. her designer outfits become tracksuits, and she has hobbies she’d be mortified for anyone to find out about. she has no trouble keeping these two sides of her separate…until her life begins falling apart. her parents are getting a divorce, isaac seems interested in someone else, and she finds herself falling for someone she never would have pictured herself with.
overall, this was a nice story. i liked seeing ani become more comfortable with herself and giving herself grace for not always being perfect. with this, she also became more accepting of others, which was great to see. i also enjoyed her friendship with marlow grow!
something i really didn’t like were the footnotes. i’m sure these would be less disruptive in a physical format, or if there had been far less of them, but they were just a pain in the digital format, which is how i read this book. they also didn’t feel necessary because the contents of the footnotes could have easily been woven into the narrative. i honestly just stopped reading them about 1/3 through, and i don’t feel like i missed out on much.
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
to everyone else, anisa shirani is perfect. her makeup, outfits, and personality all stay impeccable. she even has the perfect fiancé-to-be, isaac. behind closed doors, though, she’s a bit of a slob. her designer outfits become tracksuits, and she has hobbies she’d be mortified for anyone to find out about. she has no trouble keeping these two sides of her separate…until her life begins falling apart. her parents are getting a divorce, isaac seems interested in someone else, and she finds herself falling for someone she never would have pictured herself with.
overall, this was a nice story. i liked seeing ani become more comfortable with herself and giving herself grace for not always being perfect. with this, she also became more accepting of others, which was great to see. i also enjoyed her friendship with marlow grow!
something i really didn’t like were the footnotes. i’m sure these would be less disruptive in a physical format, or if there had been far less of them, but they were just a pain in the digital format, which is how i read this book. they also didn’t feel necessary because the contents of the footnotes could have easily been woven into the narrative. i honestly just stopped reading them about 1/3 through, and i don’t feel like i missed out on much.
November 14, 2024
Many thanks to Harper360YA for the digital review copy.
I went in expecting a fairly straightforward YA romance, but this book does so much more than that. It genuinely is an adorable romance. I think Marlow deserves an award for YA book boyfriend of the year, he is so precious. But it's also a book about learning to respect yourself and learn that you deserve to be treated with respect. Anisa goes through so much growth in this story in the way she relates to her family, friends and community.
Having recently read Rishi's memoir, which also came out this year, really enhanced my reading experience. It quickly became clear to me that this story draws from their own experiences a lot and is very personal, and it was interesting to see the similarities and to also see where this YA romance diverged.
I've seen other reviewers mention that the book has footnotes, but those weren't present in the audiobook, so I'm unsure how these worked.
I went in expecting a fairly straightforward YA romance, but this book does so much more than that. It genuinely is an adorable romance. I think Marlow deserves an award for YA book boyfriend of the year, he is so precious. But it's also a book about learning to respect yourself and learn that you deserve to be treated with respect. Anisa goes through so much growth in this story in the way she relates to her family, friends and community.
Having recently read Rishi's memoir, which also came out this year, really enhanced my reading experience. It quickly became clear to me that this story draws from their own experiences a lot and is very personal, and it was interesting to see the similarities and to also see where this YA romance diverged.
I've seen other reviewers mention that the book has footnotes, but those weren't present in the audiobook, so I'm unsure how these worked.
October 30, 2024
This was a really cute YA romcom about a Pakistani American Muslim teen girl in her first year of college who is struggling to connect with the boy she's supposed to marry one day and the classmate turned friend who tries to help her with her love life. After having listened to the author's recent memoir, I can tell a lot of this book is based on her own life and I really felt how heartfelt and honest it was. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Farah Heron and Tashie Bhuiyan.
November 22, 2024
If You're Not the One is just one of those books that finds its way to your heart. I knew I was going to end up loving this book and trust me, I did. This is such a beautiful story, and the kind of book I would have loved to read in high school, as I do now. Not gonna lie, this book hits a little too close to home. Anisa's need to be perfect, to stay in the good graces of her parents (and her future in-laws) felt a little too reflective. And Marlow, his kindness, warmth and humor made him so utterly likeable - I think he and I would be good friends.
Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down and ended up finishing the whole thing in one go. I also really loved the footnotes - they add another layer to the story and you get to love Anisa even more because of them. Some of my favourite parts of the story were Anisa and Marlow's budding friendship. They don't get along at the start, at least in Anisa's case, but once Marlow becomes Anisa's 'love coach', their friendship continues to grow and their banter is even more fun. I loved how, over the course of the story, Anisa learns to lighten the burden she puts on herself and learns to relax and really enjoy things. And if you're a fan of otome games as I am, you will love the scenes where Anisa gets introduced to her first otome game (once you start, you don't stop at all). Throughout the story, you really get to see Anisa's character development, as she starts to question many things in her life, including her relationship with her so-called betrothed Isaac and if she is limiting herself.
What I admired so much about this book is the conversation around South Asian beauty standards and how you often feel like you're not as pretty as your white counterparts and not as desired when it comes to dating. This is also something that feels a little too relatable and again reiterating the same thing, this would have been incredible to read in high school (as it is now). I also enjoyed reading about Anisa's love for makeup which started as a way of meeting certain beauty standards but evolved into something much more as she learned to adapt it for herself and for herself only.
There are so many scenes that are my favourite, but I loved the scene towards the end where Anisa finally realises what she feels towards Marlow and raced to find him. It really showed how far she had come from the first chapter. I was already a fan of Farah Naz Rishi's writing but after reading this book, I am so in love with it and I cannot wait to read more of what she writes.
If You're Not the One is the perfect YA book if you find yourself struggling under the weight of expectations from everyone around you. It is a story of love and friendship and allowing yourself the room to grow to become the person you truly want to be. Highly highly recommend this book!
Thank you Harper360YA for the e-ARC!
Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down and ended up finishing the whole thing in one go. I also really loved the footnotes - they add another layer to the story and you get to love Anisa even more because of them. Some of my favourite parts of the story were Anisa and Marlow's budding friendship. They don't get along at the start, at least in Anisa's case, but once Marlow becomes Anisa's 'love coach', their friendship continues to grow and their banter is even more fun. I loved how, over the course of the story, Anisa learns to lighten the burden she puts on herself and learns to relax and really enjoy things. And if you're a fan of otome games as I am, you will love the scenes where Anisa gets introduced to her first otome game (once you start, you don't stop at all). Throughout the story, you really get to see Anisa's character development, as she starts to question many things in her life, including her relationship with her so-called betrothed Isaac and if she is limiting herself.
What I admired so much about this book is the conversation around South Asian beauty standards and how you often feel like you're not as pretty as your white counterparts and not as desired when it comes to dating. This is also something that feels a little too relatable and again reiterating the same thing, this would have been incredible to read in high school (as it is now). I also enjoyed reading about Anisa's love for makeup which started as a way of meeting certain beauty standards but evolved into something much more as she learned to adapt it for herself and for herself only.
There are so many scenes that are my favourite, but I loved the scene towards the end where Anisa finally realises what she feels towards Marlow and raced to find him. It really showed how far she had come from the first chapter. I was already a fan of Farah Naz Rishi's writing but after reading this book, I am so in love with it and I cannot wait to read more of what she writes.
If You're Not the One is the perfect YA book if you find yourself struggling under the weight of expectations from everyone around you. It is a story of love and friendship and allowing yourself the room to grow to become the person you truly want to be. Highly highly recommend this book!
Thank you Harper360YA for the e-ARC!
September 12, 2024
2.5
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this.
it’s always a sad day for me when i have to give a negative rating on an arc review. this book was just missing something for me. the mc and her love interest were to supposed to not like each other but she was blushing at his messages less than 20% of the way through. i honestly don’t have much to say about this one because it felt unwritten/half done. this wasn’t a bad book but i don’t think i would recommend it simply because the main characters weren’t very compelling and the romance wasn’t very believable ( at least to me) so go out and try this for yourself if you are interested.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this.
it’s always a sad day for me when i have to give a negative rating on an arc review. this book was just missing something for me. the mc and her love interest were to supposed to not like each other but she was blushing at his messages less than 20% of the way through. i honestly don’t have much to say about this one because it felt unwritten/half done. this wasn’t a bad book but i don’t think i would recommend it simply because the main characters weren’t very compelling and the romance wasn’t very believable ( at least to me) so go out and try this for yourself if you are interested.
October 15, 2024
4.5*
So full disclosure, when the book started, I loathed main character Anisa. And I was so sad that I was not going to enjoy this one, when I have really enjoyed everything else the author has written. But I shouldn't have worried, because friends, this delivered on the character growth! When we first meet Anisa, she's basically... look, I hate to say she's vapid, but she's kind of vapid. She's borderline obsessed with appearances, and how she is going to live this "perfect" life with her quasi-fiance (it's an arranged marriage but it is super clear that he's far less sure about this faux-future than she is), and our girl was making me mad, frankly.
But suffice it to say, subtle shifts start to take place in Anisa's life. Maybe things do not actually have to be perfect- outwardly or otherwise- to be good. I feel like a lot of the lessons Anisa learns can apply to literally any one of us. Who among us hasn't, at some point in our lives, gotten caught up in the "shoulds"- we should do a certain job, or follow a certain path, or look a certain way, or enjoy a certain type of activity. And when you add social media to the mix, and it looks on the surface that everyone else has it all together... you get the idea.
So Anisa grows. How, you ask? Well that is for you to read about! But I promise the journey is worth it. Farah Naz Rishi hasn't steered me wrong so far! Bonus points for therapy positive rep, the wonderfully detailed cover (iykyk), and just the entire character of Marlow.
Bottom Line: Another hit from Farah Naz Rishi- with my sincerest apologies for ever doubting that this was going to be another banger!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
So full disclosure, when the book started, I loathed main character Anisa. And I was so sad that I was not going to enjoy this one, when I have really enjoyed everything else the author has written. But I shouldn't have worried, because friends, this delivered on the character growth! When we first meet Anisa, she's basically... look, I hate to say she's vapid, but she's kind of vapid. She's borderline obsessed with appearances, and how she is going to live this "perfect" life with her quasi-fiance (it's an arranged marriage but it is super clear that he's far less sure about this faux-future than she is), and our girl was making me mad, frankly.
But suffice it to say, subtle shifts start to take place in Anisa's life. Maybe things do not actually have to be perfect- outwardly or otherwise- to be good. I feel like a lot of the lessons Anisa learns can apply to literally any one of us. Who among us hasn't, at some point in our lives, gotten caught up in the "shoulds"- we should do a certain job, or follow a certain path, or look a certain way, or enjoy a certain type of activity. And when you add social media to the mix, and it looks on the surface that everyone else has it all together... you get the idea.
So Anisa grows. How, you ask? Well that is for you to read about! But I promise the journey is worth it. Farah Naz Rishi hasn't steered me wrong so far! Bonus points for therapy positive rep, the wonderfully detailed cover (iykyk), and just the entire character of Marlow.
Bottom Line: Another hit from Farah Naz Rishi- with my sincerest apologies for ever doubting that this was going to be another banger!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
August 23, 2025
soooooo cute
is it a masterpiece? no. did i have a fun time listening to it? yes.
is it a masterpiece? no. did i have a fun time listening to it? yes.
March 11, 2025
everyone needs a Marlow Green in their life
September 25, 2024
Thank you so much to HarperCollins Children's Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
If You're Not the One is another beautiful YA novel from Farah Naz Rishi! I've enjoyed her previous works so far, and as a fan of their humorous dialogue, relatable second-gen immigrant themes, and swoon-worthy romance, I was super excited to read this book. If you have read Farah's memoir, Sorry for the Inconvenience, some of the themes of this story will seem familiar with you, but this book honestly felt like a warm hug after reading her memoir!
I loved Anisa and Marlow's friendship first and foremost. It was so special seeing Marlow care for Anisa as a friend through all of her hardships with Isaac, her family, and more. It was also very cute seeing their relationship progress into something more. The trope of the extroverted MMC giving dating and relationship advice to the more "inexperienced" FMC will always hit in teen romance, The jealousy and confrontation scenes with Marlow, Anisa, and Isaac were also soooo juicy and I lived for the drama LOL. I was also a huge fan of all the ski trip scenes, and it gave me so many throwbacks to To All The Boys I Loved Before.
Some of my favorite themes in this book definitely include the idea that many brown girls are often an afterthought among men when it comes to beauty standards, dating, and desirability. I found myself relating to Anisa as she often compared herself to her white peers. The exploration of parental expectations and the often unrealistic standards first-gen immigrant parents hold their children too was also very relatable. I really appreciated all of Anisa's thoughts on these topics in her inner monologue and footnotes, as I really could have used this validation as a teenager.
I can't wait to see what incredible stories Farah creates next! I'd rate this book 4.5 stars rounded up.
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
If You're Not the One is another beautiful YA novel from Farah Naz Rishi! I've enjoyed her previous works so far, and as a fan of their humorous dialogue, relatable second-gen immigrant themes, and swoon-worthy romance, I was super excited to read this book. If you have read Farah's memoir, Sorry for the Inconvenience, some of the themes of this story will seem familiar with you, but this book honestly felt like a warm hug after reading her memoir!
I loved Anisa and Marlow's friendship first and foremost. It was so special seeing Marlow care for Anisa as a friend through all of her hardships with Isaac, her family, and more. It was also very cute seeing their relationship progress into something more. The trope of the extroverted MMC giving dating and relationship advice to the more "inexperienced" FMC will always hit in teen romance, The jealousy and confrontation scenes with Marlow, Anisa, and Isaac were also soooo juicy and I lived for the drama LOL. I was also a huge fan of all the ski trip scenes, and it gave me so many throwbacks to To All The Boys I Loved Before.
Some of my favorite themes in this book definitely include the idea that many brown girls are often an afterthought among men when it comes to beauty standards, dating, and desirability. I found myself relating to Anisa as she often compared herself to her white peers. The exploration of parental expectations and the often unrealistic standards first-gen immigrant parents hold their children too was also very relatable. I really appreciated all of Anisa's thoughts on these topics in her inner monologue and footnotes, as I really could have used this validation as a teenager.
I can't wait to see what incredible stories Farah creates next! I'd rate this book 4.5 stars rounded up.
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
October 14, 2024
4,5*
Super süßes Jugendbuch mit toller Repräsentation! Marlow als Love Interest war super erfrischend und ich hab ihn bis zur letzten Seite geliebt. 😍
Super süßes Jugendbuch mit toller Repräsentation! Marlow als Love Interest war super erfrischend und ich hab ihn bis zur letzten Seite geliebt. 😍
October 3, 2024
Anisa has her whole life planned out, or at least, she thought she did. That's until the guy she and her entire family expected her to eventually marry becomes distant. Teamed up with a stranger in class, they decide that he will also be her communication/love coach as Anisa tries to get closer to the guy she feels like she is losing. Marlow is such a cinnamon roll, sometimes to his detriment in the past. He takes Anisa just as she is and hopes for her to get what she wants out of life. She works to overcome her familial and cultural expectations as Marlow tries to move past a bad breakup.
If You're Not the One is a true YA; do not expect spice. Overall, I enjoyed it a ton! There is a ton of humor, but also deeper themes of overcoming familial/cultural expectations, self-doubt, and rumors. I imagine I'll like anything that Farah writes.
Thanks to Harper Collins Children's Books - Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.
If You're Not the One is a true YA; do not expect spice. Overall, I enjoyed it a ton! There is a ton of humor, but also deeper themes of overcoming familial/cultural expectations, self-doubt, and rumors. I imagine I'll like anything that Farah writes.
Thanks to Harper Collins Children's Books - Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.
October 18, 2024
It’s not exactly an arranged marriage, but everyone in their tight-knit Pakistani-American community knows that Isaac and Anisa will end up together. His parents are delighted that he’s headed for med school and will take over their practice. Anisa assures her parents she will study law. Isaac is starting his sophomore year of college when Ani arrives for her first year at a neighboring university but instead of proximity bringing them closer, Isaac is ignoring her texts and never seems to have time for her. When Marlow is assigned as her class project partner and wants to get to know Ani better, she surprised herself by confessing that things aren’t going well with the Isaac, so Marlow offers to be her “love coach” even though he seems to be keeping some relationship secrets of his own. A charming rom-com. EARC from Edelweiss.
September 10, 2025
very cute, touched on some important topics, was a bit messy plot and scene-wise in some ways but not too much to ignore. also a couple grammar errors that surprised me in a published book, but just a repeated or missing word.
December 18, 2024
Cute college romance!
September 3, 2024
A 4 star rating signals that I liked this book, and honestly it was just ok, but I really liked parts of it. The protagonist is Muslim, it isn't something that guides her view of the world or dictates her actions, but she is unapologetic, and it is not something she is grappling with. She prays, makes duas, it mentions a hadith, so I appreciate that it is there and always just below the surface. The "romance" might not be halal, halal, but it definitely isn't raunchy and stays close to the line even when it crosses it. The male and female character are very close friends, and spend a lot of time alone together even before SPOILER there is hugging and a kiss, it is a rom-com after all. I loved the annotations, especially reading an e-version flipping to the protagonists commentary of her thoughts and then flipping back was easy and fun. I think my favorite line in a long time in the book is her translating rice to chawal (see images). My biggest frustration though, with the book is how close it mirrors the author's biography, Sorry for the Inconvenience, which I read just over a month ago. Truly, it was like the biography was the book and this was the movie adaptation. Sure the younger brother was switched out for a younger sister, and this wasn't as gritty or traumatic, but the romantic literary beats were all more or less the same: childhood betrothed, falling for a friend who made a bad first impression, dad being sick, parents and their on again off again divorce, medical diagnosis, it really is two versions of the same story, which meant I was never invested in the fictionalized characters, or on the edge of my seat to see what would happen next. When you have seen the behind the scenes inside scoop so to speak, it is hard to get on board with the faded carbon copy. Add in the consistent lack of communication, telling instead of showing, unlikability of the protagonist, and the non existent foundation of any of the relationships, and it made it hard to get lost in the fluff of the moment.
Side note: I had a whole paragraph rant about the cover, but when I went to post my review on Goodreads (still banned from Amazon) I saw that there is a newer cover with Marlow wearing yellow crocs. I have no idea why the illustrator and publisher would have arcs with the male lead in flip flops, but I think by now it is common knowledge there is often a lack of communication between authors and illustrators. sigh.
SYNOPSIS:
Anisa is in college, she has worked hard to get in to the all girl's school near where her almost fiancé Isaac is already enrolled. When she takes a class on Isaac's campus she meets Marlow, who makes a poor first impression on the very "perfect" Anisa. When Marlow and Anisa get paired up for a class paper, Marlow also offers his services as a "love coach" to help Anisa reconnect with a drifting away Isaac. The more time Anisa and Marlow spend together, and the more Anisa learns about Isaac , the more she ultimately learns about herself and what she wants out of a partner.
WHY I LIKE IT: (SPOILERS)
I've read a few of the author's books, so I know she can write, which irritated me even more that this book felt so flat. Anisa and Isaac have been "together" for over six years, but know nothing about each other, don't talk or text, and as much as the book wants to make it seem like it is an all of the sudden thing, it provides no real tangible suggestion that they have ever had any sort of connection. So why did they decide to be potentially engaged???? All the parents are on board, but how did the two of them set this into motion? With the exception of Isaac visiting her one late night before he went to school, there is so little for the reader to be emotionally invested in. Anisa has terrible communication with every character in the book, not just Isaac, even with Marlow and her family, the side characters all keep in touch just fine, and it is never addressed as a quirk, it just is accepted. If your dad was sick, or your parents divorcing, wouldn't you be texting them periodically, or non stop? And text between characters are shown on the page, so how is Anisa texting Marlow throughout the 352 pages, but then goes MIA the last 20? It didn't work for me clearly.
Additionally, I was so tired about hearing how perfect Anisa is, when it never seemed to show it, sure the duplicity with her outward appearance and home appearance was well done, but it never really shows up in any other facet of her life. She is unorganized, has few friends, doesn't seem to be a very present daughter and sister, the repetitive telling and lack of showing, gave the book no foundation. I know romance-y type books often have to fudge common sense at times, but with no foundation at all, it was hard to be invested in any twists or swooning gestures. I think I just didn't really like Anisa, and I weirdly feel guilty about it, because she so closes mirrors the author, and I liked the author's self portrayal in her earlier memoir.
FLAGS:
Close male/female friendships, hugging, kissing, lying, "cheating," talk of titillating role playing video games (otome) not details so much as shaming and teasing about Anisa playing them (the word porn is tossed in a few times).
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I think I'd shelve this book in an Islamic school library for high school students. I don't think I would promote it, but I think those romance loving high school girls will enjoy and be able to handle this story. It won't work for a book club, but it does make clear that Anisa "dates" with intent to marry, there is reassurance that she wants to marry a Muslim, that Marlow has been reading about Islam, but that Anisa isn't going to force him, and that societal expectations and appearances aren't impossible to push back on- which I think are good considerations for 16 and up readers to see fleshed out.
Side note: I had a whole paragraph rant about the cover, but when I went to post my review on Goodreads (still banned from Amazon) I saw that there is a newer cover with Marlow wearing yellow crocs. I have no idea why the illustrator and publisher would have arcs with the male lead in flip flops, but I think by now it is common knowledge there is often a lack of communication between authors and illustrators. sigh.
SYNOPSIS:
Anisa is in college, she has worked hard to get in to the all girl's school near where her almost fiancé Isaac is already enrolled. When she takes a class on Isaac's campus she meets Marlow, who makes a poor first impression on the very "perfect" Anisa. When Marlow and Anisa get paired up for a class paper, Marlow also offers his services as a "love coach" to help Anisa reconnect with a drifting away Isaac. The more time Anisa and Marlow spend together, and the more Anisa learns about Isaac , the more she ultimately learns about herself and what she wants out of a partner.
WHY I LIKE IT: (SPOILERS)
I've read a few of the author's books, so I know she can write, which irritated me even more that this book felt so flat. Anisa and Isaac have been "together" for over six years, but know nothing about each other, don't talk or text, and as much as the book wants to make it seem like it is an all of the sudden thing, it provides no real tangible suggestion that they have ever had any sort of connection. So why did they decide to be potentially engaged???? All the parents are on board, but how did the two of them set this into motion? With the exception of Isaac visiting her one late night before he went to school, there is so little for the reader to be emotionally invested in. Anisa has terrible communication with every character in the book, not just Isaac, even with Marlow and her family, the side characters all keep in touch just fine, and it is never addressed as a quirk, it just is accepted. If your dad was sick, or your parents divorcing, wouldn't you be texting them periodically, or non stop? And text between characters are shown on the page, so how is Anisa texting Marlow throughout the 352 pages, but then goes MIA the last 20? It didn't work for me clearly.
Additionally, I was so tired about hearing how perfect Anisa is, when it never seemed to show it, sure the duplicity with her outward appearance and home appearance was well done, but it never really shows up in any other facet of her life. She is unorganized, has few friends, doesn't seem to be a very present daughter and sister, the repetitive telling and lack of showing, gave the book no foundation. I know romance-y type books often have to fudge common sense at times, but with no foundation at all, it was hard to be invested in any twists or swooning gestures. I think I just didn't really like Anisa, and I weirdly feel guilty about it, because she so closes mirrors the author, and I liked the author's self portrayal in her earlier memoir.
FLAGS:
Close male/female friendships, hugging, kissing, lying, "cheating," talk of titillating role playing video games (otome) not details so much as shaming and teasing about Anisa playing them (the word porn is tossed in a few times).
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I think I'd shelve this book in an Islamic school library for high school students. I don't think I would promote it, but I think those romance loving high school girls will enjoy and be able to handle this story. It won't work for a book club, but it does make clear that Anisa "dates" with intent to marry, there is reassurance that she wants to marry a Muslim, that Marlow has been reading about Islam, but that Anisa isn't going to force him, and that societal expectations and appearances aren't impossible to push back on- which I think are good considerations for 16 and up readers to see fleshed out.
October 5, 2024
“What a waste it would have been to live by the standards of other people for the rest of my life. I could’ve missed out on this.”
Anisa Shirani is on track to have the perfect life. She’s destined to become a successful lawyer, marry Isaac, the son of the neighborhood’s most influential family, and be the perfect eldest daughter for her parents. Putting up a front with a carefully cultivated image is essential if she wants the life of her dreams. However, at home she’s a completely different person, and Anisa refuses to let anyone, even Isaac, see her when she’s not looking her best. But, the perfect life she’s worked so hard for is put in danger as her parents teeter on the verge of divorce and Isaac avoids her to spend time with another girl. When she starts catching feelings for Marlow, the guy she’s begrudgingly let help her win Isaac back, Anisa doesn’t know what to think. Everything is changing, and her once set-in-stone future is now uncertain.
If You’re Not the One was a fun, entertaining romcom that also tackled the heavy weight of a parent’s expectations on a young college student. As a young Pakistani-American woman, Anisa had her life mapped out for her, right down to the man she would one day marry. As the novel progressed however, she learned that she might not want everything that perfect life has to offer her. Anisa found herself paired up with an infuriating guy in her class named Marlow to work on a paper, and I loved the dynamic between them. While he committed himself to helping her reconnect with Isaac, he was also honest about his feelings for her from the start. As they spent more time together, she was able to open up to Marlow and feel content with herself around him. I love when two characters help each other grow, and that was exactly what Marlow and Anisa did for each other. They were perfectly imperfect together. The situation between Isaac and Anisa was quite complicated, but I thought that Rishi handled it beautifully. While Isaac was still at fault for what he put Anisa through, she also acknowledged the pressure he was drowning under to follow his parent’s plans for his future. This book was made for all of the first-born daughters stuck under the weight of external and internal expectations. Sometimes it’s okay if things don’t go to plan because you just might find love where you least expect it.
If You’re Not the One releases on October 8th, 2024.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
Anisa Shirani is on track to have the perfect life. She’s destined to become a successful lawyer, marry Isaac, the son of the neighborhood’s most influential family, and be the perfect eldest daughter for her parents. Putting up a front with a carefully cultivated image is essential if she wants the life of her dreams. However, at home she’s a completely different person, and Anisa refuses to let anyone, even Isaac, see her when she’s not looking her best. But, the perfect life she’s worked so hard for is put in danger as her parents teeter on the verge of divorce and Isaac avoids her to spend time with another girl. When she starts catching feelings for Marlow, the guy she’s begrudgingly let help her win Isaac back, Anisa doesn’t know what to think. Everything is changing, and her once set-in-stone future is now uncertain.
If You’re Not the One was a fun, entertaining romcom that also tackled the heavy weight of a parent’s expectations on a young college student. As a young Pakistani-American woman, Anisa had her life mapped out for her, right down to the man she would one day marry. As the novel progressed however, she learned that she might not want everything that perfect life has to offer her. Anisa found herself paired up with an infuriating guy in her class named Marlow to work on a paper, and I loved the dynamic between them. While he committed himself to helping her reconnect with Isaac, he was also honest about his feelings for her from the start. As they spent more time together, she was able to open up to Marlow and feel content with herself around him. I love when two characters help each other grow, and that was exactly what Marlow and Anisa did for each other. They were perfectly imperfect together. The situation between Isaac and Anisa was quite complicated, but I thought that Rishi handled it beautifully. While Isaac was still at fault for what he put Anisa through, she also acknowledged the pressure he was drowning under to follow his parent’s plans for his future. This book was made for all of the first-born daughters stuck under the weight of external and internal expectations. Sometimes it’s okay if things don’t go to plan because you just might find love where you least expect it.
If You’re Not the One releases on October 8th, 2024.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
October 20, 2024
“Sometimes, loving someone means letting them go, because holding on too tightly can suffocate the very thing you cherished.”
Full-Throttle Review of If You’re Not the One by Jemma Forte:
If You’re Not the One takes readers on a unique journey of self-discovery, exploring the tantalizing question: What if? This novel brilliantly blends romance, speculative fiction, and life’s tough realities to craft an emotionally charged narrative. The protagonist, Jennifer Wright, is a woman seemingly stuck in the mundane realities of married life. When an unexpected accident plunges her into an alternate world of “what-could-have-beens,” she is offered glimpses of the other lives she could have lived had she chosen a different path.
The story thrives on its universal premise: what if you had chosen a different lover, career, or life? Jemma Forte cleverly plays with these alternate realities, each one crafted with its own unique emotional highs and lows. The beauty of this book lies in its raw honesty—these alternative lives aren’t perfect, and Jennifer discovers that every choice comes with its own challenges and heartbreaks.
Forte’s writing is emotionally rich, weaving humor and heartache into Jennifer’s exploration. The character work is exceptional, with Jennifer being both relatable and complex. Readers will find themselves reflecting on their own decisions, questioning their pasts, and maybe even their futures.
The pacing is sharp, though at times it may feel a little repetitive as Jennifer navigates similar themes across her alternate lives. But the strength of the emotional journey keeps readers hooked, eager to see how her understanding of love, happiness, and self-worth evolves.
In its essence, If You’re Not the One is more than just a “what if” novel; it’s a meditation on love, choice, and identity. It captures the bittersweetness of life’s alternate paths while reminding us that perfection doesn’t exist, only different shades of happiness and regret.
For fans of Sliding Doors or those intrigued by life’s fork-in-the-road moments, this book is a must-read. It’s heartfelt, thought-provoking, and packs an emotional punch, leaving you with the lingering question: “Am I living the life I truly want?”
Rating: 4.5/5
Full-Throttle Review of If You’re Not the One by Jemma Forte:
If You’re Not the One takes readers on a unique journey of self-discovery, exploring the tantalizing question: What if? This novel brilliantly blends romance, speculative fiction, and life’s tough realities to craft an emotionally charged narrative. The protagonist, Jennifer Wright, is a woman seemingly stuck in the mundane realities of married life. When an unexpected accident plunges her into an alternate world of “what-could-have-beens,” she is offered glimpses of the other lives she could have lived had she chosen a different path.
The story thrives on its universal premise: what if you had chosen a different lover, career, or life? Jemma Forte cleverly plays with these alternate realities, each one crafted with its own unique emotional highs and lows. The beauty of this book lies in its raw honesty—these alternative lives aren’t perfect, and Jennifer discovers that every choice comes with its own challenges and heartbreaks.
Forte’s writing is emotionally rich, weaving humor and heartache into Jennifer’s exploration. The character work is exceptional, with Jennifer being both relatable and complex. Readers will find themselves reflecting on their own decisions, questioning their pasts, and maybe even their futures.
The pacing is sharp, though at times it may feel a little repetitive as Jennifer navigates similar themes across her alternate lives. But the strength of the emotional journey keeps readers hooked, eager to see how her understanding of love, happiness, and self-worth evolves.
In its essence, If You’re Not the One is more than just a “what if” novel; it’s a meditation on love, choice, and identity. It captures the bittersweetness of life’s alternate paths while reminding us that perfection doesn’t exist, only different shades of happiness and regret.
For fans of Sliding Doors or those intrigued by life’s fork-in-the-road moments, this book is a must-read. It’s heartfelt, thought-provoking, and packs an emotional punch, leaving you with the lingering question: “Am I living the life I truly want?”
Rating: 4.5/5
March 29, 2025
“And the thing is, I want to see you at your worst. The same way I also want to see you at your best. I want to see you all the time… every day… in every state.”
Anisa Shirani is determined to be perfect and live out her perfect life. All the signs in her life direct her towards becoming a top-notch lawyer with the best education and to marry Isaac, total heartthrob and eldest son of the richest family in the community. Everything is going well–until her parents announce their divorce, until Isaac shows signs of cheating (sort of), and until she starts developing feelings for Marlow, her over-friendly classmate…
Farah Naz Rishi does it again–aka, made me leap with joy and cry and then laugh. I’ve loved Rishi since It All Comes Back to You (one of my absolutely fave YA contemporaries) nd she comes back with a shining new contemporary (I didn’t realize it was set in college but I was pleasantly surprised). Having read Rishi’s memoir, Sorry for the Inconvenience, you’ll see the elements of her real life that heavily inspired this novel, but there are many aspects that are fictionalized.
I immediately fell for Anisa, a messy girl who does her best to maintain this image of herself (also loved her passion for fashion), because well, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I spent my early 20s trying to maintain a certain image to people, even among my closest friends. I care less now. As Marlow says to Anisa, people who truly love will want to see you at your best and worst, at any state you are (okay, brb, weeping).
Marlow is such a sweetheart–he’s a wholesome, truly kind friend. Perhaps some will be skeptical such a person exists, but I’ve known enough people to know to know that this kindness really exists. <3
Besides the slowly building friends-to-lovers, I also really enjoyed the book for its complex family dynamics, especially familial expectations and how our families appear in the community (lol, classic Asian things…?) The relationship between Anisa and her father warmed my cold heart. And even Isaac, who does Anisa wrong, has fully fleshed out complexities, which was also great to see from a craft perspective. In the end, we’re all trying to figure it out, right?
Simply put, this was a delight to read.
(also Rishi wrote in her acknowledgements that this was going to be last book, but I'm glad it also seems that this book fueled her creativity <3 I hope to read more from her in the future <3)
Anisa Shirani is determined to be perfect and live out her perfect life. All the signs in her life direct her towards becoming a top-notch lawyer with the best education and to marry Isaac, total heartthrob and eldest son of the richest family in the community. Everything is going well–until her parents announce their divorce, until Isaac shows signs of cheating (sort of), and until she starts developing feelings for Marlow, her over-friendly classmate…
Farah Naz Rishi does it again–aka, made me leap with joy and cry and then laugh. I’ve loved Rishi since It All Comes Back to You (one of my absolutely fave YA contemporaries) nd she comes back with a shining new contemporary (I didn’t realize it was set in college but I was pleasantly surprised). Having read Rishi’s memoir, Sorry for the Inconvenience, you’ll see the elements of her real life that heavily inspired this novel, but there are many aspects that are fictionalized.
I immediately fell for Anisa, a messy girl who does her best to maintain this image of herself (also loved her passion for fashion), because well, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I spent my early 20s trying to maintain a certain image to people, even among my closest friends. I care less now. As Marlow says to Anisa, people who truly love will want to see you at your best and worst, at any state you are (okay, brb, weeping).
Marlow is such a sweetheart–he’s a wholesome, truly kind friend. Perhaps some will be skeptical such a person exists, but I’ve known enough people to know to know that this kindness really exists. <3
Besides the slowly building friends-to-lovers, I also really enjoyed the book for its complex family dynamics, especially familial expectations and how our families appear in the community (lol, classic Asian things…?) The relationship between Anisa and her father warmed my cold heart. And even Isaac, who does Anisa wrong, has fully fleshed out complexities, which was also great to see from a craft perspective. In the end, we’re all trying to figure it out, right?
Simply put, this was a delight to read.
(also Rishi wrote in her acknowledgements that this was going to be last book, but I'm glad it also seems that this book fueled her creativity <3 I hope to read more from her in the future <3)
October 11, 2024
This was a really cute book that had me swooning. Watching Anisa grow was wonderful, truly the heart of this story. As someone who struggles with keeping my walls too high and letting others in, I found her to be very relatable. There was a line in the acknowledgements about how joyful and optimistic this story is, and that really stuck out to me. This really is a love story that shines so much light on optimism and letting yourself just be in the moment, not freaking out about the future. It will all be handled, it will all be okay.
I was definitely swooning at multiple times during this book. Dare I say I was even kicking my feet and giggling. Marlow and Anisa had such a fun dynamic, I love how playful they were with each other. My favorite part is how genuine Marlow was too. He just wanted Anisa to be happy, even if he was falling in love with her, he still had her happiness as a priority. The college setting being split between two campuses was really cool as well, I've never heard of the joint campus situation they have going on.
The biggest issues I had with the book was that it did take me a little bit to get into the story, and that I thought the ending kinda dragged. It makes sense in context because there were so many subplots to wrap up, but at the same time I wish there was less of a gap between the ending of the main conflict and the ending of the book. At the end of the day, this was a book with so much heart. Having Anisa discover herself, what she actually wants, and grappling with family problems and expectations culminated in a book that was definitely a love story, but is so much more than that at the same time.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers, HarperCollins, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I was definitely swooning at multiple times during this book. Dare I say I was even kicking my feet and giggling. Marlow and Anisa had such a fun dynamic, I love how playful they were with each other. My favorite part is how genuine Marlow was too. He just wanted Anisa to be happy, even if he was falling in love with her, he still had her happiness as a priority. The college setting being split between two campuses was really cool as well, I've never heard of the joint campus situation they have going on.
The biggest issues I had with the book was that it did take me a little bit to get into the story, and that I thought the ending kinda dragged. It makes sense in context because there were so many subplots to wrap up, but at the same time I wish there was less of a gap between the ending of the main conflict and the ending of the book. At the end of the day, this was a book with so much heart. Having Anisa discover herself, what she actually wants, and grappling with family problems and expectations culminated in a book that was definitely a love story, but is so much more than that at the same time.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers, HarperCollins, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
November 11, 2024
Anisa is absolutely perfect, a Pakistani-American freshman at Marion, a highly selective women’s college that conveniently abuts Halcyon College, which her betrothed and also perfect pre-med partner Isaac attends. They’re destined to be together but with Isaac increasingly AWOL, Anisa starts to panic. Meanwhile, she gets paired with empathetic Marlow for a group project and he volunteers to be her love coach, supporting her efforts to reconnect with Isaac. The romance element of the story balances in interesting ways with Anisa’s family drama. Her parents married for love, but are now headed for divorce, a scandal in their traditional Muslim community. Under Marlow’s tutelage, Anisa begins to reckon with the lack of honesty in her relationship with her parents and their inability to communicate with each other. Although I initially found Anisa a tough character to warm up to (consumed with her popular make-up tutorials and her Instagram feed on vintage shopping but painfully unaware of her aloofness), over the course of the novel she grew on me as she became more unsure of herself. Of course, experienced romance readers will pick up on the matchmaker crush trope way ahead of Anisa, but it’s sweet nonetheless and the book is often surprisingly funny. The inside look at a moderately religious Muslim teen, with her life circumscribed by gender expectations and parental pressure, felt authentic and heartfelt and focusing the action on freshman year of college made the high-stakes romance more believable. Most characters in the book are Pakistani-American, with Anisa’s Korean-American roommate and Marlow (Jamaican/East Asian) as exceptions. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
December 27, 2024
📚 If you’re not the One
🖌️Author: Farah Naz Rishi
🖋️ Publication: @harper360ya
📝Pages: 352
🗂️Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
5/ ⭐️
📌Summary:
Anisa Shirani is…well, perfect. A fact, not an opinion. Of course, it’s all a front to feed her own praise-obsessed ego. Behind closed doors, she is—some might say—a little slobbish and snobbish, and she works obsessively to maintain her God-given talents. Fate has favored her, but Ani knows better than anyone that fate is made by effort.
But she must, especially when all signs point to her being a top-notch lawyer with a top-notch education and being destined to marry Isaac, total heartthrob and eldest son of the richest family in the community. A perfect girl deserves a perfect life, and Ani’s perfect life is going exactly the way it should…
Until Ani’s parents announce they’re getting divorced.
Until Isaac shows all the signs of…cheating. Sort of.
Until she starts catching feelings for Marlow, an overly friendly weirdo she’s hated since the moment she laid eyes on him in class.
📌Review:
This book was quite different from that I expected but in a good way, a very good way.
It showcases the struggle of the struggle a young girl faces in the first year of collage to maintain the perfect image and how much weight is put on her shoulders.
I really loved seeing her being kinder to herself as the book progressed.
📌Thoughts:
It’s a book that stays with you and you think about it for a long time after.
I would like to thank @harper360ya for the copy.
🖌️Author: Farah Naz Rishi
🖋️ Publication: @harper360ya
📝Pages: 352
🗂️Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
5/ ⭐️
📌Summary:
Anisa Shirani is…well, perfect. A fact, not an opinion. Of course, it’s all a front to feed her own praise-obsessed ego. Behind closed doors, she is—some might say—a little slobbish and snobbish, and she works obsessively to maintain her God-given talents. Fate has favored her, but Ani knows better than anyone that fate is made by effort.
But she must, especially when all signs point to her being a top-notch lawyer with a top-notch education and being destined to marry Isaac, total heartthrob and eldest son of the richest family in the community. A perfect girl deserves a perfect life, and Ani’s perfect life is going exactly the way it should…
Until Ani’s parents announce they’re getting divorced.
Until Isaac shows all the signs of…cheating. Sort of.
Until she starts catching feelings for Marlow, an overly friendly weirdo she’s hated since the moment she laid eyes on him in class.
📌Review:
This book was quite different from that I expected but in a good way, a very good way.
It showcases the struggle of the struggle a young girl faces in the first year of collage to maintain the perfect image and how much weight is put on her shoulders.
I really loved seeing her being kinder to herself as the book progressed.
📌Thoughts:
It’s a book that stays with you and you think about it for a long time after.
I would like to thank @harper360ya for the copy.
March 3, 2025
4.5 stars!!
Aww this one is super cute! It gives True Beauty vibes if Jugyeong was super on top of everything and Type A vibing and Seojun was the guy who your parents set you up with that doesn’t actually like you <3
It all comes back to the Crocs. Our main character, Anisa (or Ani if you still like Isaac by the end hehe) has determined that Crocs are an insult to humanity & surely anyone who wears them is dull, boring, and stupid. Until she meets Marlowe. Who is objectively amazing, thoughtful, and cute, but she thinks he's an insult to humanity at first and then some. I really loved how the characters were developed and their personalities. Marlowe basically half confesses not even halfway through (YESSS)
It was super fun to see their banter, and to see how Marlowe made this helped Anisa feel comfortable in her true self, away from the perfect bland projection she likes to hide behind. Marlowe is also like the nicest guy ever. Seriously. He wanted her to be happy, no matter what - he was totally fine (ish) w Anisa w Isaac, and even told her so and tried to help her, being a being w Isaac love coach and all. He deserves the world and all the sunshine & rainbow sparkles.
This book touched on family relationships, academic (career expectations, and sudden/terminal illness (probably my least favorite trope, see: Your Lie in April, I want to eat your pancreas, etc.). From my perspective, it seemed like these were handled well! Highly recommended for any one looking for a temporarily unrequited love fluffy cute rom-com !
Aww this one is super cute! It gives True Beauty vibes if Jugyeong was super on top of everything and Type A vibing and Seojun was the guy who your parents set you up with that doesn’t actually like you <3
It all comes back to the Crocs. Our main character, Anisa (or Ani if you still like Isaac by the end hehe) has determined that Crocs are an insult to humanity & surely anyone who wears them is dull, boring, and stupid. Until she meets Marlowe. Who is objectively amazing, thoughtful, and cute, but she thinks he's an insult to humanity at first and then some. I really loved how the characters were developed and their personalities. Marlowe basically half confesses not even halfway through (YESSS)
It was super fun to see their banter, and to see how Marlowe made this helped Anisa feel comfortable in her true self, away from the perfect bland projection she likes to hide behind. Marlowe is also like the nicest guy ever. Seriously. He wanted her to be happy, no matter what - he was totally fine (ish) w Anisa w Isaac, and even told her so and tried to help her, being a being w Isaac love coach and all. He deserves the world and all the sunshine & rainbow sparkles.
This book touched on family relationships, academic (career expectations, and sudden/terminal illness (probably my least favorite trope, see: Your Lie in April, I want to eat your pancreas, etc.). From my perspective, it seemed like these were handled well! Highly recommended for any one looking for a temporarily unrequited love fluffy cute rom-com !
September 20, 2024
3.5 ✨
Absolutely gorgeous cover, which is what drew me in immediately to this story.
This is a cute young adult coming of age romance involving an interracial couple, with the female lead being Pakistani in an unofficial arranged marriage with another character and the male lead being half black and half Indian. I don't know too much about Muslim culture, so I can't say whether things talked about in the book were accurate, but I enjoyed reading the representation that was given.
I mostly enjoyed this story. The romance was cute, and I loved Marlow. As for Anisa, she definitely had some character growth, but she is very insufferable for about 30-40% of the book. She is a perfectionist who is very judgmental of others and very set in stone about her relationship and how it should work in her mind. I do appreciate that as the story continues, you see her thoughts change on certain subjects and see her letting down her walls and becoming comfortable with her friends and family, but for me it was difficult to keep reading past the beginning because of how insufferable she was. In the end, the writing style for me was good, and the romance was cute, and I can see myself recommending this to younger readers.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.
Absolutely gorgeous cover, which is what drew me in immediately to this story.
This is a cute young adult coming of age romance involving an interracial couple, with the female lead being Pakistani in an unofficial arranged marriage with another character and the male lead being half black and half Indian. I don't know too much about Muslim culture, so I can't say whether things talked about in the book were accurate, but I enjoyed reading the representation that was given.
I mostly enjoyed this story. The romance was cute, and I loved Marlow. As for Anisa, she definitely had some character growth, but she is very insufferable for about 30-40% of the book. She is a perfectionist who is very judgmental of others and very set in stone about her relationship and how it should work in her mind. I do appreciate that as the story continues, you see her thoughts change on certain subjects and see her letting down her walls and becoming comfortable with her friends and family, but for me it was difficult to keep reading past the beginning because of how insufferable she was. In the end, the writing style for me was good, and the romance was cute, and I can see myself recommending this to younger readers.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.
November 2, 2024
Anisa is excited starting college. She can now finally start being around her bethroted to-be! Her perfect man, Isaac! That means she has to keep her relaxed self a secret because she has to be perfect like him. But when Isaac did not show up to the class they talked about registering together, Anisa is realizing, things are not as perfect as it seems. Good thing Marlow is more than happy to be her love coach.
This was quite adorable. As we go through the story, Anisa is starting to learn more about herself. new interests, new hobbies, new friendships. It honestly feels like we're Anisa's friends as well because we navigate through her thoughts thoroughly. The addition of footnotes just added a way to look what's going on her brain. They're so quirky, funny, and mundane that adds to the reading experience.
The story itself was really good. You can't help but root for Anisa even though you have a clear idea of where the story was heading. This book also made me realize about red flags and green flags with people.
Though this book is romantic comedy, you really get to see so much more about Anisa than the romance part. I also really like how we navigate through friendships, family, culture , and school life.
This book was just really fun to read and heartbreaking at some parts too.
* I received an eARC of this book
This was quite adorable. As we go through the story, Anisa is starting to learn more about herself. new interests, new hobbies, new friendships. It honestly feels like we're Anisa's friends as well because we navigate through her thoughts thoroughly. The addition of footnotes just added a way to look what's going on her brain. They're so quirky, funny, and mundane that adds to the reading experience.
The story itself was really good. You can't help but root for Anisa even though you have a clear idea of where the story was heading. This book also made me realize about red flags and green flags with people.
Though this book is romantic comedy, you really get to see so much more about Anisa than the romance part. I also really like how we navigate through friendships, family, culture , and school life.
This book was just really fun to read and heartbreaking at some parts too.
* I received an eARC of this book
October 11, 2024
I had such high hopes for If You're Not the One -- look at that cover!
For some reason, I could not connect with Anisa, the main character. It felt like there was a lot of "tell" in this book (she's the smartest person with a huge Instagram following, but she is also awkward around people in real life) and a large emphasis on her life on campus -- at least for the first two-thirds. I wish we had been able to spend more time with her at home, seeing her with friends and her religious community.
Isaac should have communicated better, but I don't like the way that he was painted as a villain for being interested in someone else. If anything, Ani should have understood what it was like to have to live up to the unrealistic expectations of their parents!
I wonder who the intended audience of this book really is -- it seems like the writing style and main character would appeal to younger readers, but there's also a lot of swearing and references to p0rn...so, I was really confused.
Bumping up my rating an extra star for the confrontation scene at the end that felt a lot like Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice.
(I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
For some reason, I could not connect with Anisa, the main character. It felt like there was a lot of "tell" in this book (she's the smartest person with a huge Instagram following, but she is also awkward around people in real life) and a large emphasis on her life on campus -- at least for the first two-thirds. I wish we had been able to spend more time with her at home, seeing her with friends and her religious community.
Isaac should have communicated better, but I don't like the way that he was painted as a villain for being interested in someone else. If anything, Ani should have understood what it was like to have to live up to the unrealistic expectations of their parents!
I wonder who the intended audience of this book really is -- it seems like the writing style and main character would appeal to younger readers, but there's also a lot of swearing and references to p0rn...so, I was really confused.
Bumping up my rating an extra star for the confrontation scene at the end that felt a lot like Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice.
(I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
November 12, 2024
eARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley
Rating - 2.5⭐️
Sadly, I didn't love this as much as I expected to but I do have some things that I liked about this book. A main theme of this was generational trauma and I think it was executed very well and realistic with the experiences of both Anisa, Zaina and Isaac as the children of south asian parents. There was also some focus of the parents as well and as much as I hated the parents I could understand why they were the way they were and it was very sad to see how they impacted their children's lives.
On a totally different note, Marlow as a character and love interest... forget green flag, he was a whole green forest. I was so touched with everything he did for Anisa. My favourite thing he did in this whole book was that he asked Anisa's little sister for book recs about Islam so he could read them and OMG that moment will forever stay in my mind.
My rating is really low because I didn't love the plot and how Anisa was chasing after Isaac for the majority of the book. And I absolutely detested Isaac, he deserves a good hard slap in the face for everything he did. I found myself skimming through most of the book because I was tired of Anisa constantly chasing after him.
Rating - 2.5⭐️
Sadly, I didn't love this as much as I expected to but I do have some things that I liked about this book. A main theme of this was generational trauma and I think it was executed very well and realistic with the experiences of both Anisa, Zaina and Isaac as the children of south asian parents. There was also some focus of the parents as well and as much as I hated the parents I could understand why they were the way they were and it was very sad to see how they impacted their children's lives.
On a totally different note, Marlow as a character and love interest... forget green flag, he was a whole green forest. I was so touched with everything he did for Anisa. My favourite thing he did in this whole book was that he asked Anisa's little sister for book recs about Islam so he could read them and OMG that moment will forever stay in my mind.
My rating is really low because I didn't love the plot and how Anisa was chasing after Isaac for the majority of the book. And I absolutely detested Isaac, he deserves a good hard slap in the face for everything he did. I found myself skimming through most of the book because I was tired of Anisa constantly chasing after him.
October 10, 2024
I love the characters in this story. Anisa's character showed real "coming of age" skill when she moved on from outward perfection to honing her inward self. I love that she learned (from Marlow) how healthy relationships should be reciprocal. Parts of the story seemed too outlandish to be practical for me. Isaac was clearly weird from day one, which makes Anisa delusional from day one. Her obsession with the idea of an arranged marriage vs. love marriage seemed trite to the storyline. Her intended betrothed was someone she'd known throughout her life. On another note, I understand that the book is YA but I had a hard time reconciling their true age with their maturity age. It seemed totally irrational to me that a college student made an elementary-aged care package: painted pastel blue and covered with glitter...? Overall, an entertaining read with arguable faults. 3.5 stars rounded up
Thanks netgalley and publisher for this ARC.
Thanks netgalley and publisher for this ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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