Once Upon a Time in London

by Han Amin

Ana Ibrahim prays five times a day and observes the holy month. Outside her solitary, she has no special attachments. No friends and a family living continents away, just how she likes it. But under the seemingly innocent life lays an unforgotten past. There is someone she is quietly after, a deep-seated revenge that landed her in the theatre, a personal mission she was sure to accomplish.

Until Matthew Forster comes along and threatens to bulldoze everything.

“Am I in danger, Ms. Ibrahim?”.

When he was a child, Matthew had lost a loved one to a plane hijack. Now having met Ana he is certain he doesn’t want anything to do with her until, a discovery of her private journal turns his world upside down. As he fights to keep his family together, he uncovers the truth about the woman he vows not to like.

Once Upon a Time in London is a gripping tale of redemption, resilience, and love. Will they crash and burn, or find something worth fighting for in the wreckage?


***

Once Upon a Time in London explores clashing worlds, prejudice, and redemption as two opposites collide, challenging beliefs and discovering unexpected truths – Ilidina Mahadi, Editor

505 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2025

Reviews

[✨ sufina ✨ (thebadassreader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once Upon a Time in London walked on a very thin line regarding religious sensitivity - I wonder if they had a sensitivity reader to feedback before publication?

While I applaud Han Amin for her writing talent, which is honestly great considering this book was locally published, I found various issues that I categorised as 'problematic'. What's more unfortunate is that most of these scenes could easily be removed, as they didn't contribute to the plot.

1) Ana took off her hijab because her company told her so.
My problem was more on how the author didn't give Ana voice (inner/outer) on her struggles doing so. And at this point, there was no explanation on why Ana decided to just do it instead of resorting to resignation/etc. Why did she simply accept? What are we telling the readers as they read this - that it's okay to not put up a fight when it comes to our right wearing a hijab?

At first I thought this would be my biggest worry but as the plot progressed, Ana taking off her hijab was the least of my worry.

2) A full scene of a Muslimah being drunk.
Although, it was written as accidental, it was ridiculous since you don't accidentally drink 3 full glasses of alcohol, especially since Ana is not a young adult/teenager. She is a grown woman at a party in a western country - this is something I wish the author do more research on because it's contradicting to how Ana was described, wasn't she supposed to be intelligent?

3) Fetishing/enabling a man seeing a hijabi's hair.
There were many uncomfortable scenes where the love interest saw and described her hair vividly. He saw her sleeping in satin pajamas in her room (where he growled btw), observed her from a window without hijab and couldn't stop looking. Started seeing her beauty once he saw her hair. All these scenes weren't needed in my opinion, all these 'accidents' made me feel like the author didn't respect her own character, Ana, a hijabi. Why is she being treated this way /cries.

4) Kissing/hugging/touching scenes.
To be clear, I've read many books with bad/grey area muslim reps and I'm one of the readers who didn't mind it for as long as it was executed well, for eg, inner monologues/actions questioning the faith, still finding one's identity, etc.

However, the blurb of this book even started with 'Ana prayed 5 times a day and observed the holy month', even throughout the book Ana was portrayed as the rule book good muslim. She loved her faith, she loved wearing her hijab. But then why was she fine with being kissed, hugged, touched by him? The characterization of Ana was contradicting throughout the story.

If Ana was portrayed somewhat like Farouq from the start, I think all those scenes would be understandable. And this is coming from me who is okay with it, I know there are a lot of readers who can't even accept this kind of muslim rep.

Conclusion

Although this book was marked for mature audiences, I think it shouldn't be a ticket to get away with these scenes. It should have been given more thoughts especially when you're representing a faith, a religion and a romance with a white man who other than a racist, he also came from the land that used to colonize us. Those are very sensitive subjects to thread in a book.

[Mslvoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cover buku cun



I really thought this is a romance book like I used to read "What happens in London". But its turn out story about terrorist, racist...

The character Matthew is indeed racist. Moreover, I dislike his attitude. Theres no chemistry

Again Im sorry author.. I feel that your writing can be accepted if you does not include Islamic elements. And Im sorry I cant accepted when Ana need to remove her hijab if she still want to work there.

Why is she not speaking up? She has been
wearing the hijab since the age of 16, and that
is her choice.

I am sorry author. This story is not very appealing to me and its rather slow. I had a hard time to finish your story. Yes I do admit I skimmed alot.

Ps: budak kecik please dont buy ya. Not suitable for you

[Elvina Zafril · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once Upon a Time in London by Han Anim just didn’t work for me. The book tackles big themes like faith, identity, and prejudice. They are important topics. It's just that the way they were handled felt surface-level and at times frustrating.

The biggest issue for me was how Ana’s decision to remove her hijab was portrayed. Faith struggles are personal and complex, but the book leaned into the overused idea that taking off the hijab equals freedom without really exploring the deeper emotional or religious aspects of that choice. I have no issue with characters questioning their beliefs, but when the decision is influenced by others rather than genuine self-reflection, it doesn’t feel like much of a struggle—it feels like giving up control. And instead of offering a meaningful lesson or insight, the book just had Ana justifying her choice without much depth.

Then there’s Matthew. His racism was so extreme and one-note that it was hard to take him seriously as a character. He lacked depth, and his development felt rushed, making his role in Ana’s journey feel unconvincing. If his character had been written with more nuance, it could have made for a much stronger story.

What I Did Like:
✅ The cover design
✅ The book tries to explore faith, prejudice, and self-identity, which are important conversations.
✅ The theatre setting was pretty cool and added a fresh backdrop to Ana’s story.

That said, the pacing felt rushed and I struggled to connect with the characters. I kept waiting for a moment of emotional weight, but it never really came.

Overall, this book had potential, but it didn’t deliver the depth or nuance I was hoping for. If you’re looking for a meaningful exploration of faith and self-discovery, this one might leave you feeling a bit underwhelmed.

[Umi Najihah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like an unlicensed detective because I kept asking what did Sebastion do?? I'm sure everyone has their own experience reading this. But the fact that Han Amin is able to catch and retain my attention for the plot is what i love about this book.

Ana is such a broken soul with an understandable motive towards Sebastian, though I hate the fact that Sebastian wasn't caught because of what he did to Ana & Cassie, instead because of something else. If I put myself in Ana's shoes, I would tremble as well (this is not commendable of course) in the wake of the terrorist attack back in London.

The author perfectly portrays a Muslim woman's struggle in the western countries especially where Islamophobia is at all time high. One cannot be perfect, but one can have conscience and choose the correct path.

Matthew on the other hand, his past also made him realistically the way that he is. I believe everyone subconsciously need a faith in themselves whether they believe it or not.

I love love love their banter and how both of them are hard-headed!! hahaha never back down ayy. The side characters are also making me easily attached to them emotionally.

The ending is chef's kiss, I'm GLAD the author didn't rush through certain immense decision and make the book very realistic♥️

[Gadisbaca · Rating 1 out of 5]

Putting this as a 1 star because:

1. I DNF-ed this book twice.
2. Slow pace? Is fine. But this is ultra slow.
3. Lack of character depth, hence I got bored.
4. Grammar past tense and present tense bercampur aduk.
5. Kenapa I rasa mcm manuscript ni tak diedit?
6. Poorly written which made me lose interest.
7. The English isn't bad but it isn't good either. Could have been better honestly and there's a lot of room for improvement tbh.
8. Hope to see a more improved and better works from the author.

Regardless I habis reading the book or not, it's a dnf for a reason.

[Mohamad Nasrul · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, this book carries huge issues regarding self discovery of a Muslim women and terrorism that happened first hand in Ana's life. Meanwhile, Matthew lost his father to a plane hijack. But when their life intertwined, the fate brought them nearer as much as they hate each other.

The plot is well written and I like how the author put the truth little by little, and only towards the end, the author revealed exactly what was happening. I was curious to know what really happened to Cassie and also Sebastian's involvement in the tragedy.

As much as I despised her choice after the new policy at theatre, I totally understand her reasonings. For me, her spiritual journey from there until the end of the story developed even better and better. Although some of the hiccups in her journey in the middle of the story, her resilience to push through is what I admired most from Ana Ibrahim.

The love story of Ana and Matthew was not as romantic as you want it to be, but from enemy to lover, they developed strong feelings towards one another throughout the novel. Their banter was fun to read. I love how each of them brought out their deepest trauma but still, cared for each other so much.

The scene I love most is when Ana and Matthew visited Cassie's mom. Here, the author wrapped it so well of what happened in the past regarding Cassie and Ana. The remorseful feeling that pent up inside Ana's heart, seemed to ease after years. This scene really touched my heart.

I wanted to know more on what really happened to Sebastian. Then only I will feel satisfied. The ending is so lovely and I thanked author for not rushing things for Ana and Matthew.

Last but not least, if you're looking for full romance in this novel, totally it is not for you. But if you want to understand life from different perspectives, this will make you ponder after finished reading the book.

[Iza B. Aziz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ramai tegur saya untuk tidak usah campur lagi dengan bacaan seperti novel popular begini. Ada yang mengatakan ia sesuatu perkara yang membuang masa dan duit. Saya setuju dan kadangkalanya tidak. Saya makhkluk universal dan curios, selagi saya mahu baca bacaan begitu atau begini saya akan cuba baca. Begitulah yang terjadi dengan novel Once Upon A Time In London. Saya tahu dan rasa ingin baca novel ini setelah mendengar dan membaca ‘kontroversi’ yang melibatkan tentang sensitiviti agama dari pembaca yang lain.

Babak Ana mengambil keputusan untuk tidak memakai tudung kerana polisi tempat dia bekerja, sejujurnya bagi saya amat memerlukan interior monologue dan place setting untuk menjelaskan lagi peribadinya. Saya faham kerana keadaan tidak selamat selepas kejadian serangan pengganas dan agenda tersendiri Ana. Malah bila saya perhatikan, Ana sendiri isolated dari rakan seagama dan kalau ada pun watak Farouq yang memberi pengaruh sewajarnya dengan apa yang terjadi. Tetapi ia tetap perlu ditonjolkan dengan lebih kemas sebagai contoh hal suasana dan mood yang boleh menambah nuansa pada keputusan Ana.

Babak-babak kontroversi yang lain seperti terminum arak dan Ana dicium oleh Matthew. Bahagian ini saya faham tetapi saya masih tidak boleh terima. Ia tidak perlu dijadikan satu pergerakan cerita untuk menghubungkan Ana dan Matthew. Saya pernah baca cerita yang ditulis penulis Melayu Islam yang lebih teruk dari ini. Tapi penulis-penulis begini kebanyakan sudah ada ‘nama’ dan ‘kepercayaan’ dari pembaca mereka. Malah mereka juga menerbitkan menggunakan tiket penerbit yang bersesuaian dengan plot cerita mereka. Saya tidaklah menyokong dengan cerita-cerita begini, menurut Kassim Ahmad, “seks, jenayah dan keganasan” adalah hiburan murah. Jadi beringatlah.

Bagi saya, penulis seorang yang berani dan amat mempercayai karyanya terutamanya sebagai penulis debut. Dan saya juga difahamkan, penulis mengambil masa empat tahun untuk menyiapkan novel ini. Sayang bagi saya kerana isu-isu di atas melenyapkan kredibiliti penulis yang cuba mencungkil tentang masalah perkauman, agama, politik dan ekonomi. Penulis seorang yang dapat memberikan gambaran kehidupan sosial yang realiti kepada pembaca. Cuma ia disabotaj dengan plot kisah cinta cliche dan penulisan babak kontroversi yang tidak kemas menjadikan hal-hal sebenar tersisa.

Perkara yang buat saya suka dengan cerita ini, penulis melepaskan Ana dan Matthew dengan keputusan mereka sendiri. Ya, saya sudah katakan penulis seorang yang berani. Kemudian saya sendiri boleh rasa sebak dan ketawa geli hati dengan beberapa adegan. Jadi itu sudah kadar memadai menjadikan ini sebuah novel yang enjoy untuk dibaca.

Benarkan saya untuk memberi pendapat tentang penerbit walaupun ini review berkenaan buku. Identiti penerbit Manes dan audiens sebenarnya kurang sesuai dengan OUATIL. Saya tidak kata Manes, penulis dibawahnya dan pembacanya tidak layak membikin/membaca cerita sebegini. Saya ulang; tidak sesuai. Jika tekad dan mahu membuat suatu revolusi penceritaan, mulakan dengan aktiviti pemasaran yang tepat sebab pihak Manes lebih tahu siapa audiens mereka. Sekadar label Matured di sampul buku tidak cukup. Jika tidak ia hanya terlihat sebagai filler untuk romansa. Sebenarnya kalau pihak development editor boleh nampak, cerita ini lebih sesuai kepada konsep misteri-thriller begitu.

Akhir kata, saya lebih risau dengan Ana kerana hasratnya untuk mati dan bukan kerana tudungnya. Dan saya berharap penulis tidak berhenti menulis kerana saya tahu penulis amat berpontensi dan dapat memilih penerbit yang lebih sesuai dengan karya yang akan datang. Ikutlah apa kalian nak anggap review saya ini. Mungkin ini hanya saya sekadar memandai-mandai.

[callareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once Upon a Time in London by Han Amin

4.3/5 🌟

tw: Violence, Suicide, Islamophobia, domestic abuse

I went into this book with no expectations, but as I read it, I was genuinely surprised by the writing style, it felt like something from an international English novel. And to think this is the author’s debut novel? WOW I truly applaud her efforts and deeply impressed by her talent ✨

Set in London in 2016, where Islamophobia was on rise even till today, you can see on the news how Muslims in the West got attacked everyday simply by existing. Reading through Ana’s struggles to be seen while ensuring her safety by conforming to the West’s standards are truly disheartening. Some of her actions may seem questionable and not the right choices but given her circumstances, you’ll slowly understand.

As I often heard from my older sister who studied in the USA has shared quite similar experiences with Ana, I can empathise with her struggles. It’s deeply horrifying to face constant scrutiny and even threats simply for having a different belief, all while struggling to hold onto your faith. In such circumstances, you may find yourself doing things you once promised never to do. There are times when we feel unwavering in our beliefs but there are also moments of deep vulnerability and it’s much more challenging in a country where we are the minority and being different means facing shame and isolation.

I think what makes Ana’s character so compelling is her imperfections, she never claims to be pious. even at times, she judges Farouq for engaging in haram activities, she later struggles with her own hypocrisy when she finds herself doing the same things, its something we somehow can relate.

I also appreciate how the author portrayed Ana’s journey in finding her true self amidst her pursuit of justice for her friend’s death in such a raw and realistic way. Although she may stray away at times, she eventually finds her way back to her roots and continues to be kind as that’s what she feels truly her.

At first, I found Matthew difficult to like but over time, I began to understand where he was coming from. The trauma of losing his father in an extremist attack had shaped his resentment and clouded his judgment. and through his encounters with Ana, he gradually unlearns his prejudice and coming to realise that the action of extremists does not represent an entire religion. From how he shows his discomfort at Sebastian’s disturbing remarks about a muslim family to his acceptance of Ana, its when I see theres still kindness in him, he was never inherently hateful but just someone haunted by past trauma and learning to see beyond it.

Not to forget, CELESTE, my precious girl! She’s easily my favorite character in this book. CELESTE is truly the epitome of a girl’s girl. Despite how rebellious she can be, she never blames Ana for everything that happened to her family or judging her for coming from a different background. She just radiates so much joy whenever she’s with Ana and thats the reason I absolutely adore her! 🤍

My only critique is that the book could have been better without the unnecessary skinship scenes as I personally don’t think they added much to Matthew and Ana’s relationship development. I found their deep conversations far more interesting, those moments alone were enough to show how their relationship has evolved from hatred to affection. That said, I came to appreciate the story as a whole journey of flawed individuals struggling to find themselves through kindness and love in a world that is already filled with hatred, anger, and resentment.

It’s definitely a good read that will challenges your inner thoughts and let you experience different perspectives of one’s struggles to fit in a world that treats you like an outsider (even worse-as terorrist) and the struggles to overcome past traumas.

But an important note, reader’s discretion is highly advised, you must be mentally prepared before digesting such heavy topics and do read it with an open mind and heart.

[Sue Oshin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ana Ibrahim seorang muslimah yang berpegang teguh kepada agamanya tetapi menyimpan dendam terhadap seseorang dari masa lalunya, Sebastian. Perjalanan hidupnya berubah apabila dia bertemu dengan Matthew Forster, seorang lelaki yang pada awalnya tidak mahu ada kaitan dengannya, tetapi kemudian terjebak dalam konflik perasaan dan identiti setelah menemui diari Ana.

Novel ini menggambarkan cabaran yang dihadapi seorang muslimah di luar negara, termasuk dilema berkaitan pemakaian hijab dan larangan agama seperti alkohol. Ana digambarkan sebagai seorang yang taat tetapi kemudian free hair atas tekanan kerja. Selain itu, terdapat adegan di mana Ana secara tidak sengaja meminum alkohol dalam jumlah yang tidak realistik bagi seseorang yang sudah matang dan memahami batasan agamanya. Sama juga halnya dengan Farouq yang merupakan seorang anak kepada seorang imam.

Tiba-tiba saya teringatkan tentang kisah Nabi Yusuf di mana adik-beradiknya sanggup mengkhianati keluarga sendiri dan mahu membunuh baginda. Jadi, bila difikirkan kembali… iman seseorang itu tidak dapat diwarisi meskipun lahir dari ibu bapa yang taat pada agama apatah lagi jika bergelar manusia biasa, maka iman itu ada naik turunnya.

Bila baca novel ni, banyak benda yang bermain dalam fikiran saya. Bukan baca hanya sekadar baca tapi menilai dari sudut tertentu. Teringat ketika zaman study dulu di KL. Apabila remaja berada di tempat baharu, mereka akan rasa tertekan untuk menyesuaikan diri agar diterima. Berapa banyak rakan-rakan saya yang berasal dari kampung pada asalnya, tiba-tiba sahaja free-hair, merokok apalagi mula memasuki kelab malam dan mabuk.

Jika persekitaran baru lebih terbuka, maka mereka ni lebih terdorong untuk ikut supaya tak terasa terasing/berbeza dari orang lain. Semua ni terjadi sebab culture-shock. Jika sebelum ni mereka mengamalkan agama hanya pada persekitaran dan keluarga, so that nahhh mereka ni mungkin akan cuba sesuatu yang baru untuk memahami siapa diri mereka (identity conflict).

Tapi, tak semua rakan-rakan saya yang mengalami culture-shock. Ada yang berpegang teguh pada prinsip agama meski berbeza persekitaran. Biasanya, mereka yg ada kefahaman agama yang kukuh, sokongan rakan2 yang tak mudah terpengaruh (bijak pilih rakan) akan mudah kekalkan identiti mereka sebagai muslim & muslimah.

So, kesimpulan saya untuk novel ni… jika seseorang membuka hijab atau minum arak, ini bukan bermakna mereka menolak agama sepenuhnya, tp lebih kpd satu fasa dlm proses memahami dunia dan diri sendiri. Ada yg akhirnya berpegang pd agama kembali setelah melalui pengalaman ni, dan ada yg mgkin lebih memilih jalan hidup berbeza.

Congrats untuk penulis! Jarang saya dapat baca sesuatu yang berlainan macam ni; i read it from lensa realism. Team Manes berjaya pilih mss ni sebagai novel yang lebih mengetengahkan and issue islamophobia dalam ni.

[Thea (HereTheThea) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have beef, HALAL BEEF to be exact. How to start this in-depth review...

I am just gonna say this, I get the story & the message behind the book. A Muslim woman decided to move overseas, had lost herself due to an incident happened in London & facing a lot of prejudice & racism as a minority living in a country that is predominantly white. Okay I got that. Cool! Regardless of who you are, Muslim or other religions, Asian or other ethnicities, when you decided to move to a different country, expect to be a minority over there & know that you'll be facing prejudice.

Now then, me reading the book at the half way point, I noticed that the plot flow is VERY SLOW. There's nothing interesting going on than just knowing Ana & Matthew's backstory & reasonings of why they behaved like that towards each, different political views etc. I get the gist, let's cut to the chase! Such a pity because there was too much background dump of each character that can be easily cut into a couple of chapters.

Speaking of cutting into a couple of chapters, I have problems with the formating style of the book & the storyline flow overall. Here's what I have discovered from my reading:

1. The book itself can be easily cut & properly edited from an almost 500 page to 200 - 300 pages. There were some fillers that I deemed unnecessary to be added in the storyline. Some lines I read felt like, "Am I reading a 1st person POV thoughts or a 3rd person POV thoughts?"

2. The storyline flow can be easily split into parts. The distinction of each sub stories were very confusing at times. Part 1 can be the introduction of how Ana & Matthew met with the inclusion of SOME background story of each characters. Part 2 can be the incident that Ana experienced & got traumatized by then decided to get the proper justice. Part 3 can be the conclusion, the love story or whatever.

3. Some minor & common mistakes such as spelling & spacing were glossed over. Made my reading experience very disappointing at times but hey, humans made mistakes.

Commenting about the formatting and all felt kinda useless so let's move on to the characters.

First up, we have Ana. Oh boi... Girly pop, I know you have lost yourself due to the incident happened in the tube in London but to jeopardize your faith & belief as a Muslim because of an attack happened in another country is a bit much, no? I might be a non-Muslim but the depiction of Ana & her character development in the story kinda pisses me off. Yes, we do have flaws but there were some I deemed very problematic & it might tick off some readers.

And here's Matthew out here being a racist & Islamophobic but his hatred towards the minorities especially the Muslims felt a bit one sided. Very unfortunate, there's more potential to develop Matthew as a character overall with his background story & interaction with Ana. Matthew's change of heart after seeing how Ana interacts with strangers & all felt very meh. Yeah, people can change but in a span of months? I have no further comment on that. That's for you to judge.

Overall reading experience, some parts pisses me off, some parts were slow & no plot developments going on. The message of the book was there but unfortunately it didn't hit me good with the overall storyline.

[faitasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

ahhh this book almost got 5 stars from me. To be honest, when i say i love slow burn romance, this is exactly what i mean. The slow-burn romance was done so well! It unfolds with tension, raw emotion, and just the right amount of hesitation, which kept me completely hooked. Love it!

But

some parts left me conflicted. Ana is introduced as a strong Muslim character, yet there are moments where her actions contradict that image, making her character feel inconsistent. She touched him and didn’t seem to mind when he kissed her? At the very least, she could have been upset or resisted…

I appreciate how the author shows the reality of being a Muslim in a country where practicing Islam isn’t always easy. The book shows the struggles and challenges of staying true to Islam in a society that doesn’t always understand it.

even though there were scenes that made me pause and reflect, there were also moments that felt warm, tender, and full of hope. It’s the kind of book that stays with you even after you’ve finished reading.

I finished it in just two days btw hehe :p

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once Upon A Time In London by Han Amin

Once Upon a Time In London follows Ana Ibrahim, a devout Muslim woman seeking revenge while working in the theater. Her life changes when she meets Matthew Forster, a man haunted by a childhood loss. As they connect, they confront their pasts, exploring themes of redemption, love, and personal struggle.

Will they crash and burn, or find something worth fighting for in the wreckage?

"𝑾𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔." -Ana
______________________________

It took me a whole week to finish reading this book. To be honest, for the first few chapters it just seems like I didn't get what this story all about. But as I digged it along the way, I understand what the author trying to convey.

One of the major issues I found in this book is the mistreatment of women who wear the hijab in a non-Muslim country. This is exactly what Ana faced—to the point where she had to take off her hijab to avoid being targeted as a terrorist and to protect those around her. It’s not that she wanted to, but she was helpless and had no other choice.

I truly understand her inner struggles- being a Muslim woman in a western country. There's terrorist, racist, and islamophobia together with her grief of losing a best friend and her past. Of course she felt overwhelmed, lost, and trapped between her faith and the harsh reality surrounding her. The fear of being judged, the pressure to conform, and the pain of her past all weighed heavily on her. It’s no surprise that she struggled to find her place while trying to hold on to her identity.

If you're expecting a lovely and fluffy romance kinda book, this isn't what you're expecting for. The romance in this book is very subtle, and it is slow burn. As the story unfolded, their connection deepened. I loved how they opened up about their deepest traumas while still showing care and understanding for each other even though they're enemy from the beginning. 

However, there are a few scenes that I think shouldn’t be in this book, such as the one where Ana accidentally drinks alcohol, being touch by other man who are not her mahram, the scene where she invited Matthew to her apartment  and she even accidentally kisses him. As a Muslim woman, I don’t think this is how she should be portrayed. She should against these kind of behaviours but from what I read, she seems fine with of all. 

Overall, If you’re looking for a light read, this isn’t it. But if you want a novel that challenges your perspective and makes you feel deeply, Once Upon a Time in London is worth picking up and the writing itself is so beautifully written. ❤️

[A far place · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me break out of my reading slump in 2025. I finished it in a ‘single’ sitting throughout the entire day!

Despite the profound, ponderous themes and messages portrayed, there are so many other elements that made this book a stronger and compelling read. Every characters, plots, settings, and special scenes truly stood out to me, and I felt deeply attached to the story because of their authenticity, uniqueness, and depth. There are many thought provoking issues and elements that could be discussed meaningfully but here are some of the beautiful ones that make this story still lingers in my mind. (Wanted to add more actually but lets save that first :p)

1. Ana’s family visiting London: This scene reminded me of a dear friend staying in Germany who longs for visits from her Malay relatives, especially with all the delicious food involved. The way Ana’s aunties tease Matthew and share stories about Nasi Lemak felt like a raw, heartwarming conversation between two different cultures. It captured the beauty of cultural exchange.

2. Ana and Cassie’s friendship: Their relationship is a beautiful portrayal of how true friendship can transcend religion and racial boundaries. It felt authentic and deeply moving.

3. Matthew, Celeste, Ramon, Felicia, and the theater crews: These characters highlight the reality that good people exist in every race and background. Their interactions gave the story a hopeful, human touch.

4. The conversation between Ana and Matthew’s family’s at dining table: This scene was particularly poignant. It shed light on the complex dynamics within families, revealing the subtleties of relationships and the challenges that come with them.

5. Sebastian’s portrayal: Sebastian’s character was a stark and honest reflection of white bigotry in the West. The way the book addresses this topic opens up an important conversation about systemic issues.

6. Farouq’s character: Despite his flaws, I found myself empathizing with Farouq. His story felt raw and real.

7. The evolving interaction between Ana and Matthew was one of the key elements that kept me engaged until the very end—whether it was their moments by the lake, in the plant house, or even exchanging emails. Every scene felt meaningful, deepening their connection and drawing me in further.

8. The setting, with its backdrop of a theater in London, offers a unique perspective on the experience of a Muslim worker juggling faith and personal life in an industry filled with trends and challenges. The book masterfully explores the challenges of navigating these spaces, particularly in a society and profession that often test one’s beliefs.

To Han Amin, Kudos for successfully crafting a debut story rich in profound plots and captivating elements that transcend into a truly meaningful narrative. Your storytelling reflects remarkable depth and creativity, paving the way for an exciting literary journey ahead.

[Ika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did not expect this to be a rollercoaster read. A rollercoaster of emotion but a perfect read for this week 😘 I believe all books has its own timing when it is ready to be read.

First, this is not a standard halal rom-com & I assumed the reason why some think the publisher had failed with this book. I consider this a brave effort ☺️

Its an enjoyable read, I am able to identify with Ana’s challenges & Matthew’s discrimination, hate, its typical.

A definite page turner, did not rush to finish it cause some sensitive issues between the pages that one need to understand the how’s & why’s. The issues made sense by the way and every page gets you closer to what actually happened, it was not draggy either.

People complained that Malay authors are cliche, repetitive plots etc. Here is something different to consider.

The ending was 💀 cause how I assumed the ending was wrong and cause of that, I laughed at the end. Like cis! Didn’t see that coming!

It’s 5/5 read for me cause I laughed, felt emotional, happy, sad. Everything.

[Bella Chu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the writing style and how the book shows the real struggles of a Muslim woman trying to hold onto her faith. I've met women like Ana Ibrahim, even here in Malaysia. The story isn’t mainly about romance. It’s about people carrying trauma and baggage.

Ana feels like a typical Muslim woman facing peer pressure, influence from her surroundings, and still figuring herself out. She’s been a victim of Islamophobia and hate crimes, and while she stands up for Islam, she’s not exactly a role model. It's like how some Muslim celebrities in the West speak up for Islam and Palestine, but their personal practice is lacking, but at least they pray, you know?

P.S. : I disagreed with some of Ana’s choices, but her character feels real. I appreciate how the book reminds us that praying and fasting are not acts of piety but the bare minimum for Muslims, and Ana is doing bare minimum.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay I might as well confused on how this book gonna work considering Matthew is racist. I get what the author trying to do but as someone who hated someone who are racist esp towards muslim people, I quite sensitive about it. (I resent them to extend I cut them off) I can't even deny that what Ana been through in that book is quite extreme and been happened in real life but I can't quite comprehend that she would fall for the guy who make racist remark about her. If I were Ana, I would never ever fall for that type of guy but I guess love is blind and he hasn't done nothing worst to her except kissing her out of blue. Yeah I get he change but still doesn't sit right to me. But anyways I love the story progress of storytelling how muslim that lives in foreign country they might change their appearance to extend they do something against the religion like what happened in the book. I couldn't deny it happened to the majorities of muslim when they started to adapt to the society there. Ana is such a strong character that i admire. Her comeback at the last dinner at Matthew house were brilliant because I would answered the same if I were her. anyways those who wanted to try this book just don't culture shocked on what happened because this book did such a great job picturing and creating narratives from real world. trust me, you may judge them in the book but in reality u might come across them. anyways just dislike how Sebastian case just ended like that lol. I need more of what happened to him tbh. he pissed me so much but he's a great representation of how islamophobia treated muslim people especially muslim women and also how easily they got away even they are not big name but they have white privilege.

[Fatini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book reminds me of a friend who experienced the same thing as Ana Ibrahim. It may not exactly be the same experience as the character, but the struggle she experienced during her studies in India and how oppressive they are towards the Muslims. I suppose this is a good effort from the author to acknowledge the readers, this is realistically happening to some of those who in Ana's shoe.

[Rabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I had zero expectations. I bought it because I've been dreaming of going to London so anything with 'London' in the title? Immediate yes 😂 &&&, it turns out to be so so good! The story is really well written. As for the ending, it's not what I expected (& low-key hope haha) but it is still satisfying. But it got me hoping for a sequel hahah 👀

[sadeliphium · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[hyul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great writing, ehh plot and representation..