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Reasons We Break
In this contemporary romantic drama for young adults, the high-stakes gang politics of Breaking Bad meets the star-crossed romance of Romeo & Juliet.
To keep Rajan out of prison, Simran agrees to handle his former gang’s books—but when a gang war erupts, they must decide how much they’ll sacrifice for each other.
“A genre-defying masterpiece!”
—Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times best-selling author of These Violent Delights
As long as Simran has known Rajan, her immigrant community has warned her away. She knows what they call him, especially since he got out of juvie: an addict. A gangster. A killer.
But Simran can’t believe Rajan is beyond hope. She’s seen his thoughtfulness firsthand: He’s the only one who’s noticed the pressure she’s under to be perfect—and how close she is to breaking.
So when Rajan’s old gang tries to force him back in, Simran makes a desperate bargain: She’ll become their bookkeeper to clear his debts and keep him out of prison.
But Rajan won’t leave her side while she works, and their forbidden attraction is becoming harder to ignore. Worse, there’s a gang war brewing—and neither of them is likely to get through it unscathed . . . if they get through it at all.
This high-stakes forbidden romance is perfect for fans of star-crossed love and the rich themes and singing prose of Sabaa Tahir and Angie Thomas.
To keep Rajan out of prison, Simran agrees to handle his former gang’s books—but when a gang war erupts, they must decide how much they’ll sacrifice for each other.
“A genre-defying masterpiece!”
—Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times best-selling author of These Violent Delights
As long as Simran has known Rajan, her immigrant community has warned her away. She knows what they call him, especially since he got out of juvie: an addict. A gangster. A killer.
But Simran can’t believe Rajan is beyond hope. She’s seen his thoughtfulness firsthand: He’s the only one who’s noticed the pressure she’s under to be perfect—and how close she is to breaking.
So when Rajan’s old gang tries to force him back in, Simran makes a desperate bargain: She’ll become their bookkeeper to clear his debts and keep him out of prison.
But Rajan won’t leave her side while she works, and their forbidden attraction is becoming harder to ignore. Worse, there’s a gang war brewing—and neither of them is likely to get through it unscathed . . . if they get through it at all.
This high-stakes forbidden romance is perfect for fans of star-crossed love and the rich themes and singing prose of Sabaa Tahir and Angie Thomas.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published November 4, 2025
About the author
Jesmeen Kaur Deo
3 books151 followersJesmeen Kaur Deo grew up in northern British Columbia, Canada, where she spent most of her childhood daydreaming. She loves books that can make her laugh and tug at her heartstrings in the same paragraph. When not wrapped up in stories, she can be found biking, playing the harmonium, or struggling to open jars.
Her debut YA novel, TJ Powar Has Something to Prove, garnered international recognition; it was shortlisted for the German Youth Literature Prize as well as for the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award in Canada, and was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and Indie Next Pick among other honours. Her second YA novel, Reasons We Break, was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2025. Jesmeen currently resides in Ontario, where she is always working on another book.
Her debut YA novel, TJ Powar Has Something to Prove, garnered international recognition; it was shortlisted for the German Youth Literature Prize as well as for the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award in Canada, and was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and Indie Next Pick among other honours. Her second YA novel, Reasons We Break, was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2025. Jesmeen currently resides in Ontario, where she is always working on another book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
October 9, 2025
Actual rating 4.5 stars.
Angry. Lonely. Lost. But so much more, too.
This line sums up Rajan perfectly. Sometimes we forget that people, teens, even kids, who do something bad or messed up are still people. Human beings who need love and to be cared for. After reading this powerful story about a gang war, I fell in love with Rajan.
”What’s sad is only experiencing happiness in hindsight.”
Simran is a people-pleaser who wants to be in control. Not just of her own life, but also of the lives of those around her. At times, her character hit almost too close to home.
Reasons We Break is a powerful, gritty story, and I urge you to read it if you love books about flawed teens and raw emotions. It’s not a kind story, even though Rajan is such a sweet guy and Simran is a rule-follower. My heart broke several times, and got pieced back together through the way Simran saw Rajan and Rajan’s care for his younger brother.
I read this breathlessly, always on the edge of my seat. The only reason I’m not giving it five stars is because it felt a bit too telling at times. But the story itself, and the emotions it stirred, easily deserve a million stars.
Thank you, Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley, for this gorgeous and important ARC!
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Angry. Lonely. Lost. But so much more, too.
This line sums up Rajan perfectly. Sometimes we forget that people, teens, even kids, who do something bad or messed up are still people. Human beings who need love and to be cared for. After reading this powerful story about a gang war, I fell in love with Rajan.
”What’s sad is only experiencing happiness in hindsight.”
Simran is a people-pleaser who wants to be in control. Not just of her own life, but also of the lives of those around her. At times, her character hit almost too close to home.
Reasons We Break is a powerful, gritty story, and I urge you to read it if you love books about flawed teens and raw emotions. It’s not a kind story, even though Rajan is such a sweet guy and Simran is a rule-follower. My heart broke several times, and got pieced back together through the way Simran saw Rajan and Rajan’s care for his younger brother.
I read this breathlessly, always on the edge of my seat. The only reason I’m not giving it five stars is because it felt a bit too telling at times. But the story itself, and the emotions it stirred, easily deserve a million stars.
Thank you, Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley, for this gorgeous and important ARC!
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September 12, 2025
This isn’t Breaking Bad, Romeo and Juliet, or The Hate U Give.
This is contemporary Punjabi-Canadian Kaz/Inej, and I love it.
What more can I say? The parental death and parent (surviving) cancer were shockingly easy for me to read, as someone who recently lost a parent to cancer and can’t handle cancer stories. There’s a LOT of violence, but the only sexual violence is implied and in the past. The parental alcoholism and emotional abuse/neglect landed the hardest for me, but your mileage may vary. For all its dark topics, this is very much a YA romance with a lot of fun banter and so!!! much!!! pining!!!!!!
Get your star-crossed friends to lovers hurt/comfort here.
I received a free eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Happy ending? Yes!!!!
This is contemporary Punjabi-Canadian Kaz/Inej, and I love it.
What more can I say? The parental death and parent (surviving) cancer were shockingly easy for me to read, as someone who recently lost a parent to cancer and can’t handle cancer stories. There’s a LOT of violence, but the only sexual violence is implied and in the past. The parental alcoholism and emotional abuse/neglect landed the hardest for me, but your mileage may vary. For all its dark topics, this is very much a YA romance with a lot of fun banter and so!!! much!!! pining!!!!!!
Get your star-crossed friends to lovers hurt/comfort here.
I received a free eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Happy ending? Yes!!!!
April 19, 2026
4.5
One of the most emotionally complex stories with characters that feel like real human beings. The best part of reading is when words begin to create an experience and that was exactly what this book was. I would read every single thing this author writes. I don't know how she managed to make every single character complex, but she did, resulting in a masterful and rewarding novel.
One of the most emotionally complex stories with characters that feel like real human beings. The best part of reading is when words begin to create an experience and that was exactly what this book was. I would read every single thing this author writes. I don't know how she managed to make every single character complex, but she did, resulting in a masterful and rewarding novel.
January 3, 2025
She's outdone herself folks
October 27, 2025
What a great coming-of-age novel for older YA (and those transitioning to more adult novels).
I loved the South Asian cast of characters, including how the author chose to focus on two working class teens who chose distinctly different paths in life, with Simran choosing the safer route with university and Rajan falling into the life of a low-level gang member, and especially how their lives intertwined, for better or worse.
While it was a tad bit too melodramatic for me, this was still very well-written and a great addition to contemporary YA fiction. Simran and Rajan felt like they were real young adults trying to make their way through life with the (little) knowledge and skills they have. It was very relatable to me, being brown and working class, and knowing real people like the MCs.
If you're a young adult in your late teens or early twenties, or if you're older and you can remember that period in your life, then you can definitely understand how it's a difficult and confusing time. You're expected to make adult decisions but being young, you don't have the knowledge or foresight to know whether you're making the right decision for yourself, or how that decision will affect others in your life.
As I grow older, I start to understand that no one really knows what they're doing in life. So, it's easier for me to give grace to young adults like Simran and Rajan (whether real or fictional), and books like these remind me that the turmoil of young adulthood is a universal experience.
Thank you to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for this arc.
I loved the South Asian cast of characters, including how the author chose to focus on two working class teens who chose distinctly different paths in life, with Simran choosing the safer route with university and Rajan falling into the life of a low-level gang member, and especially how their lives intertwined, for better or worse.
While it was a tad bit too melodramatic for me, this was still very well-written and a great addition to contemporary YA fiction. Simran and Rajan felt like they were real young adults trying to make their way through life with the (little) knowledge and skills they have. It was very relatable to me, being brown and working class, and knowing real people like the MCs.
If you're a young adult in your late teens or early twenties, or if you're older and you can remember that period in your life, then you can definitely understand how it's a difficult and confusing time. You're expected to make adult decisions but being young, you don't have the knowledge or foresight to know whether you're making the right decision for yourself, or how that decision will affect others in your life.
As I grow older, I start to understand that no one really knows what they're doing in life. So, it's easier for me to give grace to young adults like Simran and Rajan (whether real or fictional), and books like these remind me that the turmoil of young adulthood is a universal experience.
Thank you to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for this arc.
December 21, 2025
It’s giving Peaky Blinders, callbacks to Bollywood films (the good ones not the new stuff), and mafia movies. This is my vibe, but I wish this book was aged it up! Sometimes the material needs full exploration, and in the case of YA it felt a bit limited and stifled. There’s a well of inspiration to pull from and that’s what instantly drew me to this book. It’s fascinating. There's a dichotomy that Jesmeen quietly probes. How first generation young adults from diaspora communities acclimate in North America while still retaining cultural preservation in a generation divide. Throw in criminal enterprise and you have alluring characters and stories that are ripe with exploration. If Jesmeen wanted to write a full out series focusing on different characters established in this novel (or even some we haven't met yet) I would one hundred percent be on board.
Books like ‘Reasons We Break’ make me hopeful for young readers, and have my rapt attention.
Thank you Disney Hyperion for the digital arc!
Books like ‘Reasons We Break’ make me hopeful for young readers, and have my rapt attention.
Thank you Disney Hyperion for the digital arc!
November 16, 2025
for a book named reasons we break, this sure healed a part of me it didn’t break ☹️ (not me crying on the plane over this book lol) ((also i support all of simran’s rights AND wrongs!!!)
October 6, 2025
JESMEEN YOUR MIND >>>> Need a limited series adaptation of this book immediately thank you!
I knew I was going to be obsessed with this book considering TJ Powar Has Something to Prove is one of my all-time favorite South Asian books. Hearing that Jesmeen Kaur Deo would be pivoting to a darker book with Reasons We Break following two side characters from TJ Powar Has Something to Prove had me SO intrigued—not to mention how interesting the premise of this book sounds compared to Jesmeen’s debut romcom. Two Punjabi teens, Simran, and Rajan, get unwillingly tangled in a local gang when Simran agrees to handle the gang’s books to keep Rajan out of prison.
This plot is such a roller coaster and I felt myself gripping the edges of the book while watching Simran and Rajan fight to make it out of the Lions safely. I felt my stomach drop so many times. Of course, the push and pull between Simran and Rajan also had me screaming internally—if you remember some of the unhinged moments and dialogue between TJ and Charlie in TJ Powar Has Something to Prove, you understand me when I say there are some equally unhinged lines in this book too. And don’t get me started on the subplots of Simran and Rajan’s moms, as well as Rajan’s brothers. I can’t even count the number of times I cried reading their scenes together. 😭
I’m so appreciative of Jesmeen Kaur Deo for writing such refreshing stories about the South Asian diaspora (specifically Punjabi Canadian). Simran, Rajan, TJ, Kiran, Chandani, Zohra, etc.—they’re all such complex characters with so many interesting layers and it makes me so happy to read about desi kids who aren’t stereotypes. Reasons We Break truly celebrates the Sikh community and highlights the strides second-generation South Asian immigrants are making with their parents and elders. I love that this book comments on all corners of the South Asian immigrant community—the good, the bad, and everything in between. The emphasis on community care and social work in this book made me so happy see, and I think it’s something everyone could benefit from reading about.
If you are a fan of contemporary YA dramas like All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir, high-stakes gang politics from shows like Breaking Bad, and star-crossed romances, definitely pick up Reasons We Break!
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I knew I was going to be obsessed with this book considering TJ Powar Has Something to Prove is one of my all-time favorite South Asian books. Hearing that Jesmeen Kaur Deo would be pivoting to a darker book with Reasons We Break following two side characters from TJ Powar Has Something to Prove had me SO intrigued—not to mention how interesting the premise of this book sounds compared to Jesmeen’s debut romcom. Two Punjabi teens, Simran, and Rajan, get unwillingly tangled in a local gang when Simran agrees to handle the gang’s books to keep Rajan out of prison.
This plot is such a roller coaster and I felt myself gripping the edges of the book while watching Simran and Rajan fight to make it out of the Lions safely. I felt my stomach drop so many times. Of course, the push and pull between Simran and Rajan also had me screaming internally—if you remember some of the unhinged moments and dialogue between TJ and Charlie in TJ Powar Has Something to Prove, you understand me when I say there are some equally unhinged lines in this book too. And don’t get me started on the subplots of Simran and Rajan’s moms, as well as Rajan’s brothers. I can’t even count the number of times I cried reading their scenes together. 😭
I’m so appreciative of Jesmeen Kaur Deo for writing such refreshing stories about the South Asian diaspora (specifically Punjabi Canadian). Simran, Rajan, TJ, Kiran, Chandani, Zohra, etc.—they’re all such complex characters with so many interesting layers and it makes me so happy to read about desi kids who aren’t stereotypes. Reasons We Break truly celebrates the Sikh community and highlights the strides second-generation South Asian immigrants are making with their parents and elders. I love that this book comments on all corners of the South Asian immigrant community—the good, the bad, and everything in between. The emphasis on community care and social work in this book made me so happy see, and I think it’s something everyone could benefit from reading about.
If you are a fan of contemporary YA dramas like All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir, high-stakes gang politics from shows like Breaking Bad, and star-crossed romances, definitely pick up Reasons We Break!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
September 29, 2025
⋆˙⟡ — incoherent review: ˙⊹
six whole stars. this is my new personality. simran and rajan are my babies and no one will ever say anything bad about them. everyone go pre-order this book now!! its everything you have ever wanted from a romeo and juliet retelling. and the vibes? reasons we break is bollywood meets youth cdrama in the backdrop of small town canada. also miss jesmeen?? you had no right to break me like this. and that scene?!? oh yeah u fixed smthg u didn't break, so thank you <3 BUT ALSO I NEED OFFICIAL ART AND FANART OF THEM NOW!! someone who has the art skills pls pls pls full rtc
six whole stars. this is my new personality. simran and rajan are my babies and no one will ever say anything bad about them. everyone go pre-order this book now!! its everything you have ever wanted from a romeo and juliet retelling. and the vibes? reasons we break is bollywood meets youth cdrama in the backdrop of small town canada. also miss jesmeen?? you had no right to break me like this. and that scene?!? oh yeah u fixed smthg u didn't break, so thank you <3 BUT ALSO I NEED OFFICIAL ART AND FANART OF THEM NOW!! someone who has the art skills pls pls pls full rtc
April 30, 2026
This is the best debut novel I’ve read in a long time. The writing brings you in Rajans and Simrans story immediately and it’s hard to stop reading this novel. It has beautiful cultural aspects that’s explained so well and opens your eyes to giving people second chances and grace for their mistakes. It is such a captivating book!
December 7, 2025
Sooo gooood
Read
January 12, 2026This book was absolutely motherfucking incredible no words I’m speechless full review soon I’m shook Jesmeen Kaur Deo is now one of my new favourite authors EVER the chemistry between Rajan x Simran was off the charts and I’m so glad this was my last read of 2025 because wow, WOW, what a way to end the year. Onto TJ Powar next because I’m having withdrawal now.
April 28, 2025
ONE MILLION STARS!!! finally some good fcking food!!!! read this on a plane and my heart was palpitating the way it has never palpitated before I read through this all in one sitting but had to keep taking breaks to catch my breath and hyperventilate a little. RAJAN AND SIMRAN MY BABIES!!! also TJ Charlie cameos my lomls. anyways my official blurb is more coherent:
“If you only read one book this year, let it be this book. Deo’s literary skills were apparent in her debut, but she takes craft to the next level with REASONS WE BREAK. This expertly written novel is gritty and brutal yet so hopeful and full of heart. It’s the type of book that reminds me why I love reading. Deo effortlessly weaves together complex, layered characters; a thrilling, fast paced plot; and a heart-warming romance in an utterly original and gripping way that will tug at your heartstrings and stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. An absolute knock-out!”
“If you only read one book this year, let it be this book. Deo’s literary skills were apparent in her debut, but she takes craft to the next level with REASONS WE BREAK. This expertly written novel is gritty and brutal yet so hopeful and full of heart. It’s the type of book that reminds me why I love reading. Deo effortlessly weaves together complex, layered characters; a thrilling, fast paced plot; and a heart-warming romance in an utterly original and gripping way that will tug at your heartstrings and stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. An absolute knock-out!”
August 19, 2025
Billed in the publisher’s synopsis as a modern day Romeo and Juliet type story, Reasons We Break is thankfully much more than that.
The two protagonists Rajan and Simran are young, they do have feelings for each other, and Simran’s family doesn’t approve of Rajan, but this is because of the things he’s done, not because there’s any bad blood between families.
They’re not wrong. Rajan has done bad things, though not as bad as everyone has been led to believe. Fresh out of juvie, he’s coerced back into the gang that got him into trouble in the first place when he was coping with his mother’s critical illness and death.
Simran, his math tutor in high school and now his mentor during his probation, has lived her own life with high expectations and trying to please her parents is now spiraling out of control with her own mother’s cancer diagnosis and desire to keep it a secret.
In convincing herself that she’s helping Rajan out, she gets sucked into the gang as their bookkeeper, because it’s one of the few things that she feels she can make better. But doing such a good job draws the attention of the wrong people in an igniting gang war and puts both her and Rajan in a perilous position.
I will confess that at times this seems to get bogged down. But it does a great job of addressing the dangers and risks of being involved in a gang, and does so from the unique perspective of a pair of Sikh teenagers in Canada. It also never makes a helpless female out of Simran, a nerdy girl according to her friends and classmates. I think just about anyone in her circumstances would be spiraling under that much pressure at her age. And yet she’s the one that may just find a way for her and Rajan to break free of the Lions for good.
This book does deal with issues that could have trigger warnings, mostly with critical illness in a parent. Despite the storyline centered around gangs the actual violence in the story is pretty minimal and shouldn’t keep readers away.
Don’t forget to read the author’s note at the end of the book!
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The two protagonists Rajan and Simran are young, they do have feelings for each other, and Simran’s family doesn’t approve of Rajan, but this is because of the things he’s done, not because there’s any bad blood between families.
They’re not wrong. Rajan has done bad things, though not as bad as everyone has been led to believe. Fresh out of juvie, he’s coerced back into the gang that got him into trouble in the first place when he was coping with his mother’s critical illness and death.
Simran, his math tutor in high school and now his mentor during his probation, has lived her own life with high expectations and trying to please her parents is now spiraling out of control with her own mother’s cancer diagnosis and desire to keep it a secret.
In convincing herself that she’s helping Rajan out, she gets sucked into the gang as their bookkeeper, because it’s one of the few things that she feels she can make better. But doing such a good job draws the attention of the wrong people in an igniting gang war and puts both her and Rajan in a perilous position.
I will confess that at times this seems to get bogged down. But it does a great job of addressing the dangers and risks of being involved in a gang, and does so from the unique perspective of a pair of Sikh teenagers in Canada. It also never makes a helpless female out of Simran, a nerdy girl according to her friends and classmates. I think just about anyone in her circumstances would be spiraling under that much pressure at her age. And yet she’s the one that may just find a way for her and Rajan to break free of the Lions for good.
This book does deal with issues that could have trigger warnings, mostly with critical illness in a parent. Despite the storyline centered around gangs the actual violence in the story is pretty minimal and shouldn’t keep readers away.
Don’t forget to read the author’s note at the end of the book!
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 23, 2026
What a refreshing story! I absolutely adored the cultural component because there are very few books about characters who look like me. I resonated with many of the stigmas and issues discussed in the Punjabi culture, especially as a woman, which made me love the characters even more. The plot did slow down a little in the middle but otherwise, what a wonderful story written by a young, new, Punjabi author.
August 28, 2025
Again- thanks for my wife- I got my hands on an advanced reader copy.
I liked the story- the concept was clever- kept me invested, and kept me reading to where I was disappointed where I actually was disappointed when I wasn't able to read and move through the story. I don't like romance much- and I didn't mind the relationship developed between the two main character. It was a solid story.
You lost me with the probation officer character.
I'm a probation officer.
You lost me on that character. It was not realistic. I agree with the PO wanting to help their clients to the best of their ability, and trying to instill faith in their client. This PO would be in serious trouble for ignoring certain things that their client did. Not only that, but the issues ignored- are harmful for the client. Not only that- but boundaries are blurred, which make it concerning as well. While the character is a fairly small character- the misrepresentation of how that character should behalf- would have some serious ramifications in the book (and I don't mean dragging their client back in front of a Judge).
Otherwise- it was a good story.
I liked the story- the concept was clever- kept me invested, and kept me reading to where I was disappointed where I actually was disappointed when I wasn't able to read and move through the story. I don't like romance much- and I didn't mind the relationship developed between the two main character. It was a solid story.
You lost me with the probation officer character.
I'm a probation officer.
You lost me on that character. It was not realistic. I agree with the PO wanting to help their clients to the best of their ability, and trying to instill faith in their client. This PO would be in serious trouble for ignoring certain things that their client did. Not only that, but the issues ignored- are harmful for the client. Not only that- but boundaries are blurred, which make it concerning as well. While the character is a fairly small character- the misrepresentation of how that character should behalf- would have some serious ramifications in the book (and I don't mean dragging their client back in front of a Judge).
Otherwise- it was a good story.
November 5, 2025
okay ?!?!?!?? this was nothing i imagined, a full package of romance, thrill and impeccable desi representation !
trigger warnings : death, violence, drug abuse, mention of illness, parental death
i have read and lovved the author's debut t j powar has something to prove but nothing could've prepared me for this an epic romeo-juliet-esque romance set in modern world where rajan the troubled kid freshly out of juvi gets roped in his old life again and so does simran, the people pleaser, the genius girl.
”What’s sad is only experiencing happiness in hindsight.”
the book had my heart beating so far at each twist, i was so scared in throughout the middle of the book but oh god the end, i don't think there could've been a better ending to the book !! The romance is so well written that you feel their tension and chemistry right from the prologue.
and rajan calling simran "sahiba" each time AAAAAAAAAAA
this is for everyone who loves
✦ desi romeo juliet
✦ kanej vibes
✦ romantic thriller
26/10
i think everyone needs to add this to their tbr NOW
trigger warnings : death, violence, drug abuse, mention of illness, parental death
i have read and lovved the author's debut t j powar has something to prove but nothing could've prepared me for this an epic romeo-juliet-esque romance set in modern world where rajan the troubled kid freshly out of juvi gets roped in his old life again and so does simran, the people pleaser, the genius girl.
”What’s sad is only experiencing happiness in hindsight.”
the book had my heart beating so far at each twist, i was so scared in throughout the middle of the book but oh god the end, i don't think there could've been a better ending to the book !! The romance is so well written that you feel their tension and chemistry right from the prologue.
and rajan calling simran "sahiba" each time AAAAAAAAAAA
this is for everyone who loves
✦ desi romeo juliet
✦ kanej vibes
✦ romantic thriller
26/10
i think everyone needs to add this to their tbr NOW
August 23, 2025
Will read (and love) anything this woman writes
January 25, 2026
i haven’t liked a book like i have for this one for ages!!!! not a conventional YA book and i clearly couldn’t put it down. loved it😋
March 25, 2026
4.5 Really enjoyed the tension (both dramatic and romantic).
Did Not Finish
April 5, 2026Too violent.
December 8, 2025
So much fun to read. thanks Rachna
March 26, 2026
I was so into this in the beginning. But it was honestly starting to get boring towards the end. The stakes just weren’t there for me. Nice to read something different tho.
November 3, 2025
Thank you Net Galley and the Author for giving me the opportunity to read this before its release. My rating for this is 4.25. I adored the overall development for each character. Both the MMC and the FMC were deeply flawed and had a lot of insecurities they had to work through. I loved how they worked on it together and separately. I also adored their relationship and seeing the lengths they would go to protect one another. Also the plot of the story and side characters *chef kiss*. I definitely would recommend this and for people to give this a shot,
December 17, 2025
oh miss jesmeen kaur deo you have done it again. this is so good what the fuck!!!
November 10, 2025
3.5? 4? 4.5?
FOR NOW IDC ITS 6 54 MORNING AND I READ THIS BOOK IN 5HR 54M BECAUSE I WAS WAITING FOR IT BADLY
(review later? maybe idk im off to sleep for now)
FOR NOW IDC ITS 6 54 MORNING AND I READ THIS BOOK IN 5HR 54M BECAUSE I WAS WAITING FOR IT BADLY
(review later? maybe idk im off to sleep for now)
January 27, 2026
╚»★«╝ 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 of 'Reasons We Break' ╚»★«╝
➴ 4.8 stars
sometimes it's good we judge books from their covers because i wouldn't have stumbled upon this one... Jasmeen Kaur Deo, you have me officialy hooked with your writing.
[Spoilers ahead]
⁀જ➣ 𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒕 & 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆
two teenagers. south asian origin; a straight-A, golden girl and a troubled, gang-involved boy. this is starting to look interesting, right?? there's probation and bad grades, family drama and drug addiction and endless struggles... but also, an undeniable connection between the two characters, a forbidden love.
this book was my first contact with Jesmeen Kaur Deo's writing style and i liked it a lot. she doesn't write complicated yet her language is rich. I loved the punjabi words that add that cultural depth in the book. She also describes the characters so lively, i felt like i met them.
⁀જ➣ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
• ℛ𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒏 •
Rajan had the personality that puzzled me the most. Mainly because it changed depending on the circumstances.
He finds himself in the chaos of self-doubt, chased by past mistakes and guilt. I really undestood why he found an escpae on the LS gang. His teenage years were rough but the LS offered him 'stability' and attention.
Jesmeen Kaur Deo perfectly pictures his relapse and agony.
He finds himself in a need to protect his brothers, showing to the readers that human side he hides. i fell in a love with that Rajan. The one who cares, who shows his sweet side, who is hopeful and believes in a second chance.
In a way it looks like he has two personalities; the reckless, uncaring one he unleashes in the gang and the soft, thoughful side he shows with Simran.
• 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒓𝒂𝒏 •
Simran's character is the typical one all top students have.
Her story really highlights the importance of balance in life. her, entering the gang allowed her to feel free and escape from people's expectations, something she hadn't done before.
her real self is amazing though, as she's loyal, she loves unconditionally and values friendships. Simran was really my fav of the book :)
• 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒓𝒂𝒏'𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 •
probably the most annoying character of the book. i really really really tried to justify her behaviour but couldn't. i understand that she's been through a lot. she gave up her future to move to Canada and raise her children with all the things she didn't have, but she used that against Simran and Kiran. Personally, i think she guilt-tripped the girls, made them feel like they owed her a great and succesful future. in a way, i think she tried to 'use' them into achieving all the things she didn't have the chance to. additionally, the way she handled her cancer, hiding it from everyone really shows how she doesn't want to 'stain' her family's name. she doesn't want to be seen vulnerable and i get it, but her actions affected the enitre family...
she doesn't want her kids to make mistakes so she implicitly controls their decisions. (not the best parenting here...)
undoubtedly, she loves her daughters but the way she does is a little... messed up (to me)
• ℛ𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒏'𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 •
yeah yeah i get it we barely had a chance to see them in the book but its clear that both Sukha and Yash love Rajan. Sukha and Yash are kids who didn't grow up having a normal childhood. they endured their mother's sickness and had to see their brother become a drug addict, but they didn't lose their ties.
Jesmeen Kaur Deo perfectly pictures how childhood trauma has a long-lasting impact on kids lives and how it shapes them later as adults.
⁀જ➣ 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑
Jesmeen Kaur Deo makes their relationship so human, so realistic, so down-to-earth. their romance builds slowly out of a shared sence of danger and struggles. it's not perfect at any means. It also challenges the idea that a "perfect on paper" match (Jassa and Simran) isn't always 'perfect'.
i think the author wants to highlight the struggles of many young adults from minorities who are forced to date and marry inside this circle, following the rules of their culture.
⁀જ➣ 𝑰𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒆 & 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒎𝒂
The book vividly portrays the suffocating pressure of community gossip as well as stigma not as a loud shout, but as a heavy, quiet weight. Simran's mother keeps her cancer as a secret to prevent ruining her image. Simran herself must keep her relationship with Rajan a secret too because 'what will people think when they see the golden girl with the troubled boy???' her actions and choices immediately affect her parents' standing in the Punjabi community.
information travels thorugh an "Auntie Network", the characters feel watched all the times. in a small community like this there's no room for lies and hidden mistakes.
⁀જ➣ 𝑮𝒂𝒏𝒈 & 𝑫𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒔
i liked how Jesmeen Kaur Deo doesn't romanticize the criminal underworld. her book is a reminder that gangs are not just some organizations for illegal activities but a whole system of ruthless and relentless people who use vulnerable children. she handles the topic gently, never once leaving the YA concept.
same goes for the use of drugs.
Rajan gets clean but relapses again. he knows he should stop yet he can't. the struggle for sobriety and the threat of relapse have such a strong impact on him. the book doesn't shy away from the fact that drug trafficking is the financial engine for the gangs Rajan is trying to escape, making his exit both a moral and a physical challenge.
⁀જ➣ 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 & 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
this line really 'broke' me.
this book is a rare one. the plot keeps you glued, the characters are perfect with all their imperfections and it covers so many current problems that many many teenagers find themselves tangled in. this is isn't just drama or romance or mafia. this is a pure story about navigating the modern world, surviving trauma and finding hope again.
to Jesmeen Kaur Deo, thank you! this book is incredible in so many ways.
to the readers, go read it now. NOW!
-------------------------------
if you made it this far, thanks! xoxo
➴ 4.8 stars
sometimes it's good we judge books from their covers because i wouldn't have stumbled upon this one... Jasmeen Kaur Deo, you have me officialy hooked with your writing.
[Spoilers ahead]
⁀જ➣ 𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒕 & 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆
two teenagers. south asian origin; a straight-A, golden girl and a troubled, gang-involved boy. this is starting to look interesting, right?? there's probation and bad grades, family drama and drug addiction and endless struggles... but also, an undeniable connection between the two characters, a forbidden love.
this book was my first contact with Jesmeen Kaur Deo's writing style and i liked it a lot. she doesn't write complicated yet her language is rich. I loved the punjabi words that add that cultural depth in the book. She also describes the characters so lively, i felt like i met them.
⁀જ➣ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
• ℛ𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒏 •
Rajan had the personality that puzzled me the most. Mainly because it changed depending on the circumstances.
He’s never thought of himself as the lucky one, not until right now. But maybe in some ways he was. He, unlike his brothers, got a taste of normal childhood.
He finds himself in the chaos of self-doubt, chased by past mistakes and guilt. I really undestood why he found an escpae on the LS gang. His teenage years were rough but the LS offered him 'stability' and attention.
Jesmeen Kaur Deo perfectly pictures his relapse and agony.
Trying to set a good example for Sukha? That’s already failed. So who the hell is he suffering for?
He finds himself in a need to protect his brothers, showing to the readers that human side he hides. i fell in a love with that Rajan. The one who cares, who shows his sweet side, who is hopeful and believes in a second chance.
In a way it looks like he has two personalities; the reckless, uncaring one he unleashes in the gang and the soft, thoughful side he shows with Simran.
• 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒓𝒂𝒏 •
Simran's character is the typical one all top students have.
You need to find the point where doing what other people want makes you more sad for yourself than happy for them.
So you go looking for something else you can solve. And if you can solve it, you can’t leave it alone. You need everyone to know you can do it.” He laughs again, softly. “It’s about your pride. Maybe you really are one of us, after all.
Her story really highlights the importance of balance in life. her, entering the gang allowed her to feel free and escape from people's expectations, something she hadn't done before.
her real self is amazing though, as she's loyal, she loves unconditionally and values friendships. Simran was really my fav of the book :)
• 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒓𝒂𝒏'𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 •
probably the most annoying character of the book. i really really really tried to justify her behaviour but couldn't. i understand that she's been through a lot. she gave up her future to move to Canada and raise her children with all the things she didn't have, but she used that against Simran and Kiran. Personally, i think she guilt-tripped the girls, made them feel like they owed her a great and succesful future. in a way, i think she tried to 'use' them into achieving all the things she didn't have the chance to. additionally, the way she handled her cancer, hiding it from everyone really shows how she doesn't want to 'stain' her family's name. she doesn't want to be seen vulnerable and i get it, but her actions affected the enitre family...
When she starts for the door again, her mother adds, “But I won’t speak to you anymore.”
she doesn't want her kids to make mistakes so she implicitly controls their decisions. (not the best parenting here...)
A misguided love, maybe. An overwhelming love that she lacks the words to explain in all its complexity. But love. Simran’s never doubted that.
undoubtedly, she loves her daughters but the way she does is a little... messed up (to me)
• ℛ𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒏'𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 •
yeah yeah i get it we barely had a chance to see them in the book but its clear that both Sukha and Yash love Rajan. Sukha and Yash are kids who didn't grow up having a normal childhood. they endured their mother's sickness and had to see their brother become a drug addict, but they didn't lose their ties.
Jesmeen Kaur Deo perfectly pictures how childhood trauma has a long-lasting impact on kids lives and how it shapes them later as adults.
⁀જ➣ 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑
Sahiba, there is nobody on earth who could replace you.
Jesmeen Kaur Deo makes their relationship so human, so realistic, so down-to-earth. their romance builds slowly out of a shared sence of danger and struggles. it's not perfect at any means. It also challenges the idea that a "perfect on paper" match (Jassa and Simran) isn't always 'perfect'.
She feels like he cares not only about her body, or her brain, but about her soul.
i think the author wants to highlight the struggles of many young adults from minorities who are forced to date and marry inside this circle, following the rules of their culture.
⁀જ➣ 𝑰𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒆 & 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒎𝒂
The book vividly portrays the suffocating pressure of community gossip as well as stigma not as a loud shout, but as a heavy, quiet weight. Simran's mother keeps her cancer as a secret to prevent ruining her image. Simran herself must keep her relationship with Rajan a secret too because 'what will people think when they see the golden girl with the troubled boy???' her actions and choices immediately affect her parents' standing in the Punjabi community.
she deserves someone at her level. Someone with her intelligence, a promising future, not a criminal with no career aspirations and a drug problem
information travels thorugh an "Auntie Network", the characters feel watched all the times. in a small community like this there's no room for lies and hidden mistakes.
Rajan went to juvie, got all sorts of labels that will stick to him for life, for something he didn’t do. What if they’d tried him as an adult?
⁀જ➣ 𝑮𝒂𝒏𝒈 & 𝑫𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒔
i liked how Jesmeen Kaur Deo doesn't romanticize the criminal underworld. her book is a reminder that gangs are not just some organizations for illegal activities but a whole system of ruthless and relentless people who use vulnerable children. she handles the topic gently, never once leaving the YA concept.
same goes for the use of drugs.
That’s what addiction does to you, dude,” he says blandly. “It derails your life. You do things that don’t make sense.
Rajan gets clean but relapses again. he knows he should stop yet he can't. the struggle for sobriety and the threat of relapse have such a strong impact on him. the book doesn't shy away from the fact that drug trafficking is the financial engine for the gangs Rajan is trying to escape, making his exit both a moral and a physical challenge.
⁀જ➣ 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 & 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
Call me an addict. I am one, okay? I am one.
this line really 'broke' me.
this book is a rare one. the plot keeps you glued, the characters are perfect with all their imperfections and it covers so many current problems that many many teenagers find themselves tangled in. this is isn't just drama or romance or mafia. this is a pure story about navigating the modern world, surviving trauma and finding hope again.
to Jesmeen Kaur Deo, thank you! this book is incredible in so many ways.
to the readers, go read it now. NOW!
-------------------------------
if you made it this far, thanks! xoxo
January 7, 2026
Y'all, how am I supposed to return to good society and live life as a normal human being after that masterpiece? Like, please, this book has ruined me for all other books. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FUNCTION????
Rajan Randhawa has a stellar track-record—of getting in trouble: shoplifting, drugs, assault, and murder, he knows he's not exactly what the aunties in his community would call a good Indian boy. After his release from juvie, he's required to participate in community service under a mentor as a condition of his probation. Enter his only successful high school math tutor: Simran Aujla. Simran is intelligent, gentle, and responsible—the perfect Indian girl. At least, on the surface. Inside, she's crumbling from the weight of the expectations heaped upon her and trying to hold her struggling family together. However, when she meets Rajan again, something of their familiar spark reignites. Despite what everyone in her community says, she wants him. But so do the Lions, his old gang. Desperate to keep Rajan from slipping back into his former lifestyle, Simran agrees to balance the Lions' books in exchange for Rajan's freedom. Soon, Rajan and Simran find themselves spiraling dangerously fast, lost in the sea of lies they've constructed to protect those they love. But all it takes is one match to burn it all down.
I think we've seen the market saturated with so many dark romance novels involving the mafia and the mob as of late, that the criminal underworld has become romanticized. The environment JKD has created is a sobering reminder that these are not cutesy little gangs, but ruthless organizations that designate the bulk of their work to young, vulnerable children. They prey on their insecurities and offer a place of belonging to those lacking attention in their own homes. I really appreciate the author's depiction of the dangers of the criminal underworld in the end because it's just so important at a time like right now.
I think Simran and Rajan's humanity in this book was truly beautiful. I loved how Simran never judged Rajan, even when everyone else had already made their assumptions about him, and how Rajan looked out for Kat, even at detriment to himself. Their ability to express empathy for others even at their lowest moments, shone through, and it felt like JKD was tearing out fragments of my heart and stitching them onto the page to drown in her characters' grief.
This book wasn't just reasons Rajan and Simran broke, but reasons I broke, man. Tell me why I was thinking to myself " we must be at the climax of the story because it can't possibly get any worse than this and I glanced at the little percentage meter at the bottom and I was at 33 PERCENT." Like these poor kids, they're just kids and they're killing themselves to protect each other.
On a less depressing note (there are some goofy moments in there, believe it or not), let's talk about Rajan's game :0 bc my guy had it going for him. Every time he said the words Simran Sahiba, an angel gained its wings, and I lost my damn mind. So did Simran, I think, although she's more loath to admit it than I. The little endearment of Simran Auntie was so cute as well
Thank you to Jesmeen Kaur Deo and Disney-Hyperion for an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
One million stars <3
Rajan Randhawa has a stellar track-record—of getting in trouble: shoplifting, drugs, assault, and murder, he knows he's not exactly what the aunties in his community would call a good Indian boy. After his release from juvie, he's required to participate in community service under a mentor as a condition of his probation. Enter his only successful high school math tutor: Simran Aujla. Simran is intelligent, gentle, and responsible—the perfect Indian girl. At least, on the surface. Inside, she's crumbling from the weight of the expectations heaped upon her and trying to hold her struggling family together. However, when she meets Rajan again, something of their familiar spark reignites. Despite what everyone in her community says, she wants him. But so do the Lions, his old gang. Desperate to keep Rajan from slipping back into his former lifestyle, Simran agrees to balance the Lions' books in exchange for Rajan's freedom. Soon, Rajan and Simran find themselves spiraling dangerously fast, lost in the sea of lies they've constructed to protect those they love. But all it takes is one match to burn it all down.
I think we've seen the market saturated with so many dark romance novels involving the mafia and the mob as of late, that the criminal underworld has become romanticized. The environment JKD has created is a sobering reminder that these are not cutesy little gangs, but ruthless organizations that designate the bulk of their work to young, vulnerable children. They prey on their insecurities and offer a place of belonging to those lacking attention in their own homes. I really appreciate the author's depiction of the dangers of the criminal underworld in the end because it's just so important at a time like right now.
I think Simran and Rajan's humanity in this book was truly beautiful. I loved how Simran never judged Rajan, even when everyone else had already made their assumptions about him, and how Rajan looked out for Kat, even at detriment to himself. Their ability to express empathy for others even at their lowest moments, shone through, and it felt like JKD was tearing out fragments of my heart and stitching them onto the page to drown in her characters' grief.
This book wasn't just reasons Rajan and Simran broke, but reasons I broke, man. Tell me why I was thinking to myself " we must be at the climax of the story because it can't possibly get any worse than this and I glanced at the little percentage meter at the bottom and I was at 33 PERCENT." Like these poor kids, they're just kids and they're killing themselves to protect each other.
On a less depressing note (there are some goofy moments in there, believe it or not), let's talk about Rajan's game :0 bc my guy had it going for him. Every time he said the words Simran Sahiba, an angel gained its wings, and I lost my damn mind. So did Simran, I think, although she's more loath to admit it than I. The little endearment of Simran Auntie was so cute as well
Thank you to Jesmeen Kaur Deo and Disney-Hyperion for an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
One million stars <3
November 23, 2025
I would just like to say this before I get into the review, nothing makes me more happier than South Asian representation and this one is incredibly close to me. Thank you Jesmeen for giving me the representation I never had before. Reading punjabi words in books still feels surreal.
Reasons We Break follows Rajan, fresh out of Juvie , and Simran, the exceptional student who is crumbling under the pressure to be perfect. Rajan and Simran have known each other since high school, Simran is sure that Rajan is not beyond hope. So when Rajan’s old gang members try to force him back in, Simran makes a desperate bargain with the gang to help Rajan clear his debts and keep him out of prison.
Reasons We Break is unlike anything I’ve read. The plot kept me glued to the book. I felt quite tensed while reading this book , so much so I wanted to put the book down but I couldn’t do that because I needed to know what happened next.
Simran and Rajan are written incredibly well, you can clearly see the effort put into creating these three dimensional characters. The romance was also brilliant and it added a lot to the plot. The novel is a Romeo and Juliet retelling , so I was praying that they somehow stay safe and nothing bad happens to them while reading every single page.
If you like Romeo and Juliet, Twelve Letters (cdrama) and Bollywood, I think you will love Reasons We Break.
Reasons We Break follows Rajan, fresh out of Juvie , and Simran, the exceptional student who is crumbling under the pressure to be perfect. Rajan and Simran have known each other since high school, Simran is sure that Rajan is not beyond hope. So when Rajan’s old gang members try to force him back in, Simran makes a desperate bargain with the gang to help Rajan clear his debts and keep him out of prison.
Reasons We Break is unlike anything I’ve read. The plot kept me glued to the book. I felt quite tensed while reading this book , so much so I wanted to put the book down but I couldn’t do that because I needed to know what happened next.
Simran and Rajan are written incredibly well, you can clearly see the effort put into creating these three dimensional characters. The romance was also brilliant and it added a lot to the plot. The novel is a Romeo and Juliet retelling , so I was praying that they somehow stay safe and nothing bad happens to them while reading every single page.
If you like Romeo and Juliet, Twelve Letters (cdrama) and Bollywood, I think you will love Reasons We Break.
December 9, 2025
Solid 4.5 stars rounded down. Meant for the young adult but covers more adult themes than you’d expect. The two main characters have strong voices. It’s billed as a “Romeo and Juliet star-crossed lovers” book but I wouldn’t have thought to describe it as that. This book deals with coming-of-age identity issues, parental cancer and loss, incarceration, gang activity, a little romance, and code breaking!
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