A Place for People Like Us

by Danila Botha

When Hannah meets Jillian, their connection is instant and addictive. Both unique and talented, but equally adrift in trying to determine and then pursue their goals, they become each other’s anchor until Jillian’s lies threaten to unravel the lives they’ve built.

In this insightful exploration of friendship and identity, Judaism and cults, and hypocrisy and family Danila Botha brings her signature empathy and nuance into worlds few are intimately familiar with, with riveting results. Poignant and moving, A Place for People Like Us is a story that will stay with you for a long time.

A Place for People Like Us was named One of CBC's 50 Fiction Books We're Excited About This Fall, and was included in All Lit Up's Fall Preview and Fall Staff Picks.

"A bold and deeply moving exploration of friendship, trust and the thin line between truth and illusion...confirm[ing]Botha's place as one of Canada's most perceptive and emotionally intelligent story tellers." Open Book

"A triumphant... weighty Bildungsroman" Foreword Reviews

" A demons[tration] of Botha's mastery in creating imperfect protagonists...[and her] gift... in creating characters with whom the reader can empathize.... Ultimately, hold[ing] up a mirror to the ways in which readers find their own place in the world"
Jewish Book Council

"Intimate, fast-paced, and full of complex, sympathetic, flawed, not-who-they-seem-to-be characters, Both a love letter to Judaism and a warning about the cult-like trappings that all forms of insularity can take"
The Seaboard Review

"Runs the entire gamut of full human emotion and experience... a page turner to be certain, one that continually intrigues and comes highly recommended."
The Ottawa Review of Books

"In A Place For People Like Us, Danila Botha brings her characters to life with verve and compassion. Desperate to redefine herself and break from a traumatic past and troubled family, Hannah confronts life-changing decisions in which romantic, religious, moral and material desires clash and intersect. In prose that is bold, warm and fearless, Botha interleaves her insights with a twisty plot that keeps us on the edge of our seats right until the end."

Catherine Bush, author of Skin and Blaze Island

​
"Like all novels that linger in the heart and mind long after they are read, A Place for People Like Us is a journey. With honesty, nuance, and empathy, Botha shares profound insights into the complexities and complications of identity, belonging, and relationships, perhaps most importantly the one we have with ourselves."

​Anita Kushwaha, author of the Secret Lives of Mothers and Daughters

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"As she prepares to convert to Judaism, Hannah, our protagonist, is so enthralled by Jillian that she ignores this early warning: “She’s the sexiest, most charming person ever, until she decides to fuck up your life.” But how could Hannah –or anyone else, really—resist this “arresting presence, like a tornado quietly building”? The link between these contrasting, complex women grows in intensity and depth as Hannah embarks on a life-changing journey that ultimately reveals the true essence of everyone around her, strips family secrets bare, and forces her to come to terms with both reality and her own self. In these more-righteous-than-thou times that we currently live in, this novel is not only important: it is necessary. John Steinbeck believed that most of our vices are nothing more than “attempted short cuts to love”, and A Place for People Like Us is Danila Botha’s poignant, razor-sharp, and courageous exploration of the lengths that some people are willing to go to satisfy their fundamental human need for
acceptance."

Martha Batiz, author of No Stars in the Sky and A Daughter's Place

​
"With this fascinating glimpse into Toronto’s Orthodox Jewish Community, Danila Botha tells the story of Hannah, a woman caught between her boyfriend’s world of tradition and security, and her girlfriend’s wild nonconformity. A gripping tale about love, belonging and betrayal. "

​Elyse Friedman, award winning author of The Opportunist

Genres: Canada, Jewish, Fiction

279 pages, Paperback

Published September 29, 2025

About the author

Danila Botha is the author of the critically acclaimed short story collections, Got No Secrets, For All the Men (and Some of the Women) I’ve Known, which was a finalist for the Trillium Book Award, The Vine Awards and the ReLit Award and most recently, Things that Cause Inappropriate Happiness. Things that Cause Inappropriate Happiness won an Indie Reader Discovery Award for Women's Issues, Fiction, and was a finalist for the Canadian Book Club Awards, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the National Indie Excellence Book Awards. She is also the author of the award-winning novel Too Much On the Inside, which was optioned for film by Pelee Entertainment. Her new novel, A Place for People Like Us will be published in Sept 2025.
Her first graphic novel, Vidal, which she wrote and illustrated will be published in 2026 by At Bay Press.
She is always working on new short fiction.

Reviews

[Stephanielikesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Place for People Like Us is an interesting read about identity, self-doubt, belonging, family dysfunction and trauma. Set largely in Toronto, Canada (with scenes in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv), I liked that the story touched on mental health and LGBT representation, and I found it so interesting to learn about Orthodox Judaism culture.

The main characters are two complicated, flawed young women who are trying to find their way amid societal and cultural expectations while dealing with their respective pasts and trauma. Their friendship, replete with secrets and betrayal, reflects Hannah’s journey to find stability and a secure future through marriage to a respectable man, all while fighting the rebellious, unconventional parts of herself that Jillian awakens. I loved this line: “I knew that in some way I wanted them both, the excitement of someone I couldn’t predict, and the stability of someone who would always be there.”

I thought the author did a good job weaving the various thematic elements throughout the story, leading to an unexpected ending, leaving the reader with the question of how much one is willing to sacrifice to feel a sense of belonging.

Those looking for an interesting look at self-identity and trying to find one’s place in the world, should definitely pick this one up.

Thanks to the author for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

[Whatithinkaboutthisbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Place For People Like Us by Danila Botha

An engrossing and emotionally resonant novel that captivates with its portrayal of complicated, flawed characters all yearning for approval, connection, belonging and identity.

Botha offers a powerful exploration of Orthodox Judaism, examining how its rituals and traditions can provide comfort, structure and a sense of belonging and community; while also exploring members hypocrisy and the constraints and restrictions that come with belonging on sexuality and the place of women.

At the heart of the novel is Hannah, raised in an abusive cult, now trying to rebuild her life through education and sobriety. Yet despite her efforts, she remains uncertain of who she is and who she wants to be. What she longs for most is the safety, security and stability she lacked growing up. Her world shifts dramatically when she meets Jillian and Naftali - two very different figures who anchor her in completely different ways. Jillian offers intensity, unconventionality, confidence and radical acceptance while Naftali brings a sense of safety that allows Hannah to be vulnerable. Both provide a link to Judaism.

This is a deeply layered novel that delves into the complexities of relationships, identity and sexuality. It Explores love, marriage and friendship in all their forms - fueled by passion and connection, but sometimes shaped by necessity. The intricate tangle of relationships propels the story forward, allowing for a broad and nuanced examination of emotions and the human experience.

As the novel unfolds, it builds in emotional intensity, offering unexpected twists and poignant moments that keep you fully invested. Botha has crafted a unique and unforgettable narrative.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Place for People Like Us by Danila Botha is a compelling narrative about Hannah, a young woman in search of her true self after a childhood of trauma. Through her relationship with Jillian, her best friend, and her new love Naftali, Hannah becomes pulled between two opposite ways of life: a wild life of partying, excitement, and independence, or a deepening of her relationship with Naftali, which means exploring her roots and converting to Orthodox Judaism.

Multi-layered and told with great compassion and sensitivity, the novel twists in unexpected ways, creating a satisfying story about friendship, love, betrayal, and self-discovery. The story kept me hooked right until the final page, and it’s one I won’t soon forget.

Huge thanks to Danila Botha for my copy of this fabulous novel coming out in late September 2025 and available now for pre-order.

[Amelia Storck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Place for People Like Us by Danila Botha is a riveting exploration of friendship, identity, and the search for belonging. With remarkable empathy and nuance, Botha immerses readers in the intertwined lives of Hannah and Jillian two complex, talented, and equally adrift women whose instant connection becomes both anchor and catalyst for self-discovery. As Jillian’s lies threaten to unravel the world they’ve built together, the novel delves into themes of trust, family, and the delicate balance between truth and illusion.

Botha’s narrative is both intimate and wide-ranging, examining Judaism, cults, and the sometimes hypocritical structures that shape human behavior. The story navigates love, moral dilemmas, and personal growth with boldness and emotional intelligence, making it impossible to put down. Her characters are flawed, compelling, and unforgettable each reflecting universal struggles with identity, desire, and acceptance.

Poignant and moving, A Place for People Like Us lingers long after the last page, offering a profound meditation on relationship with others and with oneself and the courage required to redefine one’s life and values.

Readers who enjoy literary fiction, Canadian literature, and stories of complex, psychologically rich characters will find Botha’s novel both gripping and thought-provoking. Its exploration of belonging, betrayal, and self-discovery resonates deeply in today’s world, making it a necessary and timely read.

[Allison Snelgrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing this character-driven novel, I felt I had come to know Hannah and Jillian as if they were real people. They are at points charming, and at other points deeply-flawed. Botha's portrayal of two young women searching for meaning, at points finding, and at other points losing, one another, is as authentic as it gets.

With a knack for compelling dialogue and a plot that keeps you glued to the page, I'm incredibly glad I picked up this moving book, and sped through it in only a few sittings.

There are a lot of themes here: friendship, coming-of-age, drug abuse, mental health, struggles in religious faith and fraught romantic relationships. It's a contemporary novel, to be sure-where huge, life-altering truths are revealed in short pithy text messages; where the urge to party and the urge to connect with a higher power exist in Hannah almost simultaneously.

Oh, Jillian. So enigmatic. So troubled. She is a literary character I won't soon forget. This book will stay with you, long after you read the last page.

My sincere thanks to the author for gifting me a copy of this novel before it's release. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and are genuine.

[Leah Eichler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danila Botha captures one of the most intriguing love triangles in recent memory in “A Place for People Like Us.” The novel touches on the desperation to fit in, the complexity of young love, faith, and how to move past a damaging childhood. It really took me back to my 20s, when that mixture of love and lust seems so overwhelming that it threatens to destroy you. The book also offers a frank exploration of faith, and of Orthodox Judaism in particular. It asks tough questions, ones that you don’t often see in novels, about what it means to truly belong. I won’t forget the characters anytime soon. Music, sex and faith -- what more can you ask for? Normally, Botha writes short fiction but what a treat to get this novel.

[Anne Baldo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Place for People Like Us is the story of Hannah, who is looking for a way to heal from her past, and Jilliann, a charming, messy, reckless artist. Hannah is a business student, which is fitting: what I remember most from the one business class I took was the discussion of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and what Hannah wants deeply is to belong, to attain a peace and fulfilment which eludes her throughout the novel. I loved the tangled, tricky relationship between these two women, and the ending, which is both melancholic and hopeful.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

In A Place for People Like Us by Danela Botha, 21-year-old Toronto business student Hannah, still in the process of finding herself and figuring out what she wants from life, is drawn into two wildly contrasting worlds. At a nightclub she meets Jillian, a singer/songwriter whose dark and dangerous beauty, rebellious tendencies, casual drug use and impulsive risk-taking behaviour Hannah finds impossible to resist. Shortly after their acquaintance begins Hannah moves into Jillian’s flat, and the two become intimate (though not exclusively so). But then Hannah meets Mark, a young Jewish man—whose Hebrew name is Naftali—and is almost instantly smitten. Mark, insanely attractive (tall, blond hair, blue eyes) has been raised by his wealthy and strictly Orthodox family to be honest, upstanding, straight-as-an-arrow. Very quickly, Hannah finds herself straddling a sharply drawn line between rule-breaker Jillian and rule-follower Mark. Complicating matters is Hannah’s own extraordinarily messed-up past. Newly clean and sober, the daughter of parents who are no longer together, she was raised in a cult (‘The Tribe’) led by her polygamous, pedophile father, whom she helped put in jail by testifying against him in court. As the story progresses, Hannah, attracted to two seemingly incompatible lifestyles, seeks a middle ground: remaining friends with Jillian while allowing herself to be pulled deeper into her relationship with Mark, eventually agreeing to embark on a rigorous multi-stage process to convert to Orthodox Judaism so they can get married. Botha’s novel goes into fascinating detail regarding this process and the demands it places on the individual undergoing conversion. For Hannah, it’s not all smooth sailing. This is because after her disastrous childhood, she is slow to trust and has never really felt at home anywhere. And so, there are times when she doubts her ability to follow through on the commitments she’s made, even suspecting that some of Mark’s relatives are less than enthusiastic about accepting her into the family. The novel ends with a tragic revelation that upends a part of Hannah’s life that had come to feel like solid ground. A Place for People Like Us is an absorbing, fast-paced novel about choices and repercussions that charts Hannah’s growth from young woman struggling to find a path forward, to a more confident version of herself equipped to weather disappointments and setbacks who is able, finally, to believe in herself.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting!

[Lucy Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Place for People Like Us by Danila Botha is a layered narrative about identity and how much each of us is willing to surrender in order to belong. When we first meet Hannah, she is on the fringes of a peer group, but after befriending Jillian, finds herself swept into a consuming and intimate relationship that gives her confidence and feeds her creativity. Later, when she meets and falls in love with the Orthodox Naftali, she explores her Judaic roots and finds deep meaning in many aspects of Judaism. Her newfound faith also provides unexpected healing from childhood trauma in addition to a sense of belonging. Not everything is as it appears, however, and when Jillian begins to unravel, Hannah questions her own life choices. A sensitive and moving exploration written with an assured and fresh voice. Recommended.

[HeatherH · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Place for People Like Us is a slow read at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s multi-layered characters and learning more about the Orthodox Judaism culture and its traditions.

Hannah is a young woman in conflict about who she is after growing up and escaping from an abusive cult. She has overcome addiction and wants to remain clean until she meets Jillian, a troubled, complex woman, with whom she shares an instant and addictive connection that awakens sexual desires and a rebellious nature she had not known existed within herself.

Their friendship contrasts with the relationship Hannah forges with Naftali and his traditional Orthodox Jewish family, which provides the kind of stability, comfort, and sense of community she longs for. If they are to share a future, Hannah must choose whether or not to convert to Judaism, a religion that reminds her of the father she escaped from, who is half Jewish.

This beautifully crafted story explores the important themes of friendship, family, marriage, sexuality, self-identity, the complexities of spiritual connection, and what it means to belong. It had an unexpected ending that I am still thinking about today. 

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. 

[Meg Richman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in a single day; I literally couldn't put it down.
It provides a fascinating window into an Orthodox Jewish community. But it is the relationships between the main characters that give it a driving tension throughout. There is a sense that things aren't going to turn out well all the way to the surprising, disturbing end.
The book suggests that we are not only haunted by the past, but by each other in the present as well.

[Kaitlyn Vaden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED it!! Refreshing and real. Heartbreaking and Honest. I need a second book... NOW . Beautiful work!!

[Diane Bracuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

“She is the sexiest, most charming person ever, until she decides to fuck up your life.”

Who hasn’t had a friend like this in their twenties, that confusing, flighty, transitional stage when we’re finally free of our family, but still struggling to shed the old skins that shaped us?

As she did in her in her acclaimed short story collection, Things That Cause Inappropriate Happiness, Botha once again explores the nuances of Jewish identity in her new novel A Place for People like Us. At its core lies the complex relationship between Jillian, a reckless wild child intent on mocking the status quo and the protagonist Hannah—who revels in her friend’s defiant, bad-girl energy even as she secretly yearns for a sense of belonging.

Though I’m a Boomer, I found Botha’s millennial characters wholly relatable, brought to life in sharp, concise prose that makes them feel like people you’ve always known, whatever your age. Describing Hannah’s instant, unsettling attraction to Jillian, Botha writes:

“I never knew quite what we were: if we were friends or lovers, or artists in a situationship, or each other’s biggest support systems, but the future felt more real and more exciting than anything I’d let myself even dream about before.”

The old keep-’em-guessing game keeps Hannah hooked—for a while. But when she meets and falls in love with Naftali, a nice, Jewish boy who clearly adores her, she finds herself torn between chaos and the traditional, old-fashioned world of community Jillian scorns.

“I knew that in some way I wanted them both, the excitement of someone I couldn’t predict and the stability of someone who would always be there.”

To be with Naftali means embracing Orthodox Judaism, a strict observance that initially seems at odds with Hannah’s independent nature. Yet, as the story unfolds, the very rituals that once felt restrictive begin to offer an unexpected comfort—roots, order and a long elusive sense of belonging. Jillian, unsettled by the shift and sensing her influence slip away, bristles at what she sees as the subjugation of women.

“I thought this was an experiment, “she said. “I had no idea you planned to go through with becoming Orthodox, and I thought I could be supportive, but I can’t. The Jewish community is great if you want people to tell you exactly how to live our life down to the most minute detail, but if you’re weird and unique like us, it’s wrong. It’s not a place for people like us.”

No spoilers—so I won’t reveal any clues to what Hannah eventually chooses. But I can say the novel kept me guessing with plot twists I didn’t see until the very end. In Botha’s capable hands, A Place for People like Us is a beautifully crafted story of the roads we take—and sometimes reluctantly abandon—in our search for love, identity and a place to call our own.

Many thanks to Danila Botha for my copy of this wonderful novel coming out in September, 2025. Be sure to pre-order.

[Arianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

"A Place for People Like Us" follows the story of Hannah, a young college student that has a strained relationship with her mother, estranged from her father, and due to past trauma she does not know her own identity yet. Hannah meets Jillian inside one of her elective classes and Jillian becomes a very important part in her life. In one of her major classes, she meets Mark, a Jewish male who starts introducing Hannah into the Judaism lifestyle. It becomes a book heavily set on Judaism, identity, found family, addiction, and learning to heal from previous trauma.

I would recommend this book to people who are wanting a quick read and maybe a book geared towards Judaism and learning a little bit about the entire religion, culture, and the lifestyle that it entails while involving the struggles of addiction, the conversion to the religion, and typical college perils.

This was honestly a whirlwind that left me very confused by the characters and left me in a very agitated state by the end. At the beginning, it felt like I was picking up a short novel about finding identity, exploring the sexuality and trauma of Hannah, and discussing the struggles of college. The plot shifts into being heavily focused on Judaism halfway through the book with our FMC not making many decisions for herself and instead just going along with what everyone is saying to her and planning for her. At some point we completely stop seeing Hannah going to college or reflecting on her identity and instead see her constantly speculating on her past and not considering the choices of her actions.

I didn't like most of the characters mentioned due to their behaviors and hypocritical tendencies, nor how rushed it seemed just to fit it into a smaller book. What is laid out as being something that takes months - almost a year - of decision making and changing of one's self feels almost like it is done within the time span of a few weeks and it felt very hastily decided. Hannah internally describes her past as being so traumatic that she doesn't want to explain it to anyone or be attached to it, yet these two people she meets, she states it all up front within moments of meeting them which seems odd. After everything she endures throughout the book and the changes to better her life, the ending just goes off the rails almost and doesn't fit with this new identity Hannah has formed; it does make sense if you consider how little input she has given into all these decisions leading up to the end though.

I read this book as an ARC from Netgalley but the review was my honest opinion. Thank you for the opportunity to read it early!

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

To Hannah, Jillian is everything that is cool—not always stable, and not always kind, but magnetic. They're friends and they're lovers and then they're friends again, especially as Hannah dives deep into a new relationship that will ultimately ask her to change just about everything about herself. But, well, not everything is as it seems.

I read this partly for the friendship side of things (I love books about friendship) and partly for the complicated religion side of things (...ditto). The religion side of things is fascinating, if sad: Hannah, who grew up in a cult (here I should note that there are some graphic depictions of CSA within her memories of that experience), falls for Naftali, who is an Orthodox Jew, and it becomes clear that the relationship can only progress if she converts. Naftali is happy with a conversion on paper, but it quickly becomes clear that his family is more complicated, and no matter what Hannah does she's going to be giving part of herself up.

The friendship side of things opens the book, loses some focus as Hannah dives deeper into Judaism and her relationship, and then comes back in full force later in the book—because Jillian is not well, and Hannah and Naftali represent one of the more reliable parts of her life. I wasn't entirely sure what to make of that plot line; it's clear for much of the book that there are things that Jillian isn't saying, but Hannah can't or doesn't want to hear it anyway. By then the book is moving faster through time, months passing where days might have before, and Hannah's life is so detached from what it was at the beginning of the book that it's hard to recognize.

The writing was a little hit-or-miss for me. There's a lot of exposition through dialogue, in a way that didn't feel very natural to me. I think I also wanted to see...mm, I'm not quite sure how to put this, but I'm not sure if Hannah ever really considers the consequences of what she's deciding throughout the book. She gets on one train and then another, and if she ever stops to wonder whether she might be able to choose her destination, I'm not sure we see it. The climax of the book comes late, with a hiss and a crash, and if one thing is clear it's that she'll have to find a new train. I do love how messy it gets (there comes a point when Hannah simply doesn't have a lot of good options, and it's also clear that her upbringing hasn't left her with all that many good options), and I'd love to see what Botha might do with either a less dialogue-heavy book or perhaps a script written for the stage.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

[Neeral Morzaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read and is a combination of raw and deeply human.

I found myself quickly immersed in the world that Hannah (the main character) lived in. Her story centres around grappling with identity, surviving childhood trauma, and dealing with the complicated emotions that come with growing up in a cult, all while trying to find her place in the world (the title).

Danila's book explores the impact of Hannah's relationship with her dad who was abusive in her early life, is absent in later life, and who is tied to the faith (Judaism) she later wants to (re) connect with. The book also explores mental health and the trauma that came with Hannah's upbringing (and Danila nicely 'navigated' between past and present in her writing - a style of writing I've really appreciated in a few books I have read recently). At times, this made for conflicted feelings (not sure if that's the right term) - likely a necessary discomfort though because it allows readers who may have lived through similar traumatic experiences to feel seen.

'A Place For People Like Us' also dives into Hannah’s 'journey' with newer people in her life including the messy loving relationship she builds with her roommate Jillian, as well as her relationship with her boyfriend Naftali (plus the decision to convert to Judaism to marry him).

An added bonus is that the book is based in Toronto (with some scenes abroad) which created a sense of familiarity for me (but wouldn't take away from the book if readers were not from the area).

I'd highly recommend reading this book!

[Briann Shear · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Place for People Like Us is a haunting and rich novel. The characters are complex and the author portrays each as a complete and individual soul searching for themselves and their place within their multiple relationships. Questions of identity and belonging, as well as dealing with family trauma and mental illness are all addressed in facets of the characters. But there are also questions of morality, truth, and deception, making the reader ask questions of themselves. Does living as an observant believer make a person “good” or is there a more basic key to being a moral person? What does it mean to be true to yourself and your own moral code? The author sets the stage beautifully and forces the reader to do more than just observe the actions of the characters but to look deeply into their core.

[Suzanne Craig-Whytock · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Danila Botha's short stories, I was excited to read this novel, and it didn't disappoint! Strong, memorable characters set against a backdrop of Orthodox Judaism--I was fascinated and intrigued. Botha takes the reader into a complex and engaging world, with an honest, powerful exploration of human relationships. I loved it!

[Naomi]

Got a signed copy <3