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Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions
“An ode to the courage it takes to live with authenticity.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
An intensely brave, beautifully honest, and wryly funny story about a gay Muslim teen who has to choose between being true to himself or his faith—and his realization that maybe they aren’t as separate as he thought.
Ramin Abbas has spent his whole life obeying his parents, his Imam, and, of course, Allah—no questions asked. But when he starts crushing on the ridiculously handsome captain of the soccer team, so many things he’d always been so sure about are becoming
1. Music is haram. But what if the Wicked soundtrack is the only thing keeping you sane because you’re being forced to play on the soccer team? With Captain Handsome?!
2. A boy crush is double haram, and Ramin’s parents will never accept it. But can he really be the only Muslim on Earth who feels this way?
3. Allah is merciful and makes no mistakes. Then isn’t Ramin just the way Allah intended him to be?
And so why should living your truth but losing everything—or living a lie and losing yourself—have to be a choice?!
An intensely brave, beautifully honest, and wryly funny story about a gay Muslim teen who has to choose between being true to himself or his faith—and his realization that maybe they aren’t as separate as he thought.
Ramin Abbas has spent his whole life obeying his parents, his Imam, and, of course, Allah—no questions asked. But when he starts crushing on the ridiculously handsome captain of the soccer team, so many things he’d always been so sure about are becoming
1. Music is haram. But what if the Wicked soundtrack is the only thing keeping you sane because you’re being forced to play on the soccer team? With Captain Handsome?!
2. A boy crush is double haram, and Ramin’s parents will never accept it. But can he really be the only Muslim on Earth who feels this way?
3. Allah is merciful and makes no mistakes. Then isn’t Ramin just the way Allah intended him to be?
And so why should living your truth but losing everything—or living a lie and losing yourself—have to be a choice?!
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First published March 3, 2026
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December 11, 2025Oh, I really hadn’t expected to DNF such an important and relevant story, and yet… If I had kept reading I probably would have given it a low rating, and I don’t want a debut to end up with that.
This story is about a senior gay Muslim teen, but the writing really feels more like middle grade and therefore quite juvenile. Add the tiny HP remark that kept swirling in my mind, and after about 20% I decided to give up.
But, like I already said, this is an important and relevant story, so if you’re interested, please check out other reviews!
Thank you, Simon Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley, for this ARC.
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This story is about a senior gay Muslim teen, but the writing really feels more like middle grade and therefore quite juvenile. Add the tiny HP remark that kept swirling in my mind, and after about 20% I decided to give up.
But, like I already said, this is an important and relevant story, so if you’re interested, please check out other reviews!
Thank you, Simon Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley, for this ARC.
Follow me on Instagram
March 4, 2026
There are books that ask you to feel something. And then there are books that crack open your ribcage and rearrange what's inside before you even realize you've been holding your breath. Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber belongs firmly in the second category — a debut novel so achingly honest, so brimming with warmth and wit, that you will find yourself laughing and tearing up within the same paragraph.
Set against the world of a conservative Muslim high school in Toronto, the story follows Ramin Noor Abbas, a Pakistani-Canadian senior who has spent his entire life colouring neatly within the lines drawn by his parents, his Imam, and Allah. He prays. He studies. He obeys. But underneath all that carefully maintained obedience, a volcano simmers — sealed, as Ramin himself puts it, with nothing sturdier than a Pringles lid. Because Ramin is gay. And in his world, that single truth threatens to burn down every pillar holding up his life.
The Plot Without the Spoilers: A Tightrope Walk Over Fire
The beauty of Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber is how it refuses to reduce Ramin's journey to a single conflict. Yes, this is a coming-of-age story about sexuality and faith. But it is also a story about immigration, family fractures, the quiet heroism of younger siblings, and the desperate, bone-deep need to be seen by at least one person on this planet.
When Ramin is involuntarily drafted onto his school's soccer team (thanks to a missing physical education credit and a principal with a fondness for micromanagement), his carefully compartmentalized life starts to unravel. There's the matter of Captain Handsome — a.k.a. Fahad, the team captain whose borrowed T-shirt Ramin can't bring himself to wash. There's Omar Saleh, whose kindness and quiet bravery slowly crack open something in Ramin he has spent years trying to seal shut. And then there's Assim Qureshi, a bully who discovers Ramin's secret and weaponizes it with chilling indifference.
What unfolds carries real stakes — not the manufactured, melodramatic kind, but the kind that sit heavy in your chest because you know these situations are playing out in real homes and real high school hallways right now.
Writing Style: A Voice You Want to Be Friends With
Ahmad Saber writes Ramin's first-person narration with a voice that feels startlingly alive. It is chatty, self-deprecating, deeply anxious, and wickedly funny — sometimes all within a single interior monologue. Saber captures the cadence of a teenager who thinks in exclamation marks and capitalised panic, who names his internal shame a "two-headed monster" and wages war against it in real time on the page. The prose toggles effortlessly between the comedic and the devastating:
One moment, Ramin is mortified that his mother accidentally dyed his soccer shorts pink. The next, he is alone in his room, reading the same Quranic verses about Lot for the hundredth time, searching for an answer that never arrives.
One scene has him attending a drag show in a moment of terrified, exhilarating rebellion. Another has him pushing away the boy he likes mid-kiss because he cannot silence the voice that says Allah will never approve.
This tonal range is Saber's greatest gift as a writer. He never lets the story tip into despair, because Ramin — for all his terror — is fundamentally hopeful. Even at his lowest, there is a part of him reaching upward, trying to reconcile rather than renounce.
Characters That Breathe Off the Page
Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber builds a supporting cast that feels lived-in rather than constructed. Zayn, Ramin's entrepreneurial younger brother who runs a samosa business at school, is a scene-stealer — all bow ties and balance sheets, yet fiercely loyal in ways that will quietly wreck you. Omar Saleh emerges as one of the most beautifully drawn love interests in recent YA, a boy whose bravery is not loud or performative but steady and warm, like a hand held in silence on a train platform.
The parental dynamics are handled with particular nuance. Ramin's father is neither a villain nor a saint — he is a man carrying the grief of immigration, the loss of his own father, and a worldview that he genuinely believes will protect his son. Saber resists the temptation to make any character a mouthpiece or a caricature, and the novel is richer for it.
Faith as a Living, Breathing Question
What elevates this book beyond a standard coming-out narrative is its deeply respectful engagement with Islam. Ramin does not want to leave his faith — he wants his faith to have room for him. He finds the recitation of the Quran as transcendent as the Wicked soundtrack. He prays extra prayers of gratitude when he is accepted to NYU. He wrestles with scripture not to reject it, but to find himself within it.
The novel threads the concept of Allah's ninety-nine names throughout, and one of the most quietly powerful arcs is how "Al-Ghaffar" — The All-Forgiving — becomes not just a theological idea but a lived emotional truth that reshapes Ramin's understanding of himself. Saber writes about Islam with the intimacy of someone who knows the texture of a prayer mat under his knees.
Where the Novel Stumbles Slightly
For all its brilliance, the novel is not without its imperfections. The pacing in the middle third occasionally sags, particularly during the soccer subplot, which — while thematically relevant — sometimes feels like it occupies more narrative real estate than it earns. The blackmail thread with Assim, though effective in raising tension, resolves a touch too neatly for the complexity it promises.
There are also moments where the novel's desire to cover every facet of Ramin's experience leads to a slight sense of overcrowding. The immigration subplot, the online forums, the hospital volunteering — each is individually compelling, but their cumulative weight occasionally stretches the narrative thin. A reader might wish for fewer threads woven more deeply.
That said, these are the growing pains of a debut, not its failures.
The Debut Behind the Story
This debut novel is Saber's first, drawing from his own lived experience as a Pakistani immigrant to Canada. By day, Saber works as a rheumatologist — a detail that quietly surfaces in Ramin's dream of becoming a doctor. The six years he spent crafting this story are evident in its emotional precision and its refusal to offer easy answers.
A Note Carried by Barn Swallows
In the spirit of the novel's own beautiful chaos — where origami hearts carry confessions and barn swallows interrupt first kisses at the worst possible moments — I should note that this review arrives courtesy of an advance reader's copy that found its way to me from the good folks at Simon & Schuster, like a letter slipped into a jacket pocket on a departing train. The words, the feelings, and every MAJOR question raised here? Those are entirely my own.
Final Verdict: A Novel That Defies Gravity
There is a moment late in this novel when Ramin listens to the Quran and then, in the same breath, listens to his favourite Broadway song, and wonders why both make his soul feel the same kind of weightless. It is a small moment. And it is everything.
Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber is not a perfect novel. But it is a necessary one — brave in its vulnerability, generous in its humour, and radical in its insistence that faith and queerness can coexist in a single, beating heart. For queer Muslim teens who have never seen themselves on the page, this book is a mirror. For everyone else, it is a window worth looking through.
Set against the world of a conservative Muslim high school in Toronto, the story follows Ramin Noor Abbas, a Pakistani-Canadian senior who has spent his entire life colouring neatly within the lines drawn by his parents, his Imam, and Allah. He prays. He studies. He obeys. But underneath all that carefully maintained obedience, a volcano simmers — sealed, as Ramin himself puts it, with nothing sturdier than a Pringles lid. Because Ramin is gay. And in his world, that single truth threatens to burn down every pillar holding up his life.
The Plot Without the Spoilers: A Tightrope Walk Over Fire
The beauty of Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber is how it refuses to reduce Ramin's journey to a single conflict. Yes, this is a coming-of-age story about sexuality and faith. But it is also a story about immigration, family fractures, the quiet heroism of younger siblings, and the desperate, bone-deep need to be seen by at least one person on this planet.
When Ramin is involuntarily drafted onto his school's soccer team (thanks to a missing physical education credit and a principal with a fondness for micromanagement), his carefully compartmentalized life starts to unravel. There's the matter of Captain Handsome — a.k.a. Fahad, the team captain whose borrowed T-shirt Ramin can't bring himself to wash. There's Omar Saleh, whose kindness and quiet bravery slowly crack open something in Ramin he has spent years trying to seal shut. And then there's Assim Qureshi, a bully who discovers Ramin's secret and weaponizes it with chilling indifference.
What unfolds carries real stakes — not the manufactured, melodramatic kind, but the kind that sit heavy in your chest because you know these situations are playing out in real homes and real high school hallways right now.
Writing Style: A Voice You Want to Be Friends With
Ahmad Saber writes Ramin's first-person narration with a voice that feels startlingly alive. It is chatty, self-deprecating, deeply anxious, and wickedly funny — sometimes all within a single interior monologue. Saber captures the cadence of a teenager who thinks in exclamation marks and capitalised panic, who names his internal shame a "two-headed monster" and wages war against it in real time on the page. The prose toggles effortlessly between the comedic and the devastating:
One moment, Ramin is mortified that his mother accidentally dyed his soccer shorts pink. The next, he is alone in his room, reading the same Quranic verses about Lot for the hundredth time, searching for an answer that never arrives.
One scene has him attending a drag show in a moment of terrified, exhilarating rebellion. Another has him pushing away the boy he likes mid-kiss because he cannot silence the voice that says Allah will never approve.
This tonal range is Saber's greatest gift as a writer. He never lets the story tip into despair, because Ramin — for all his terror — is fundamentally hopeful. Even at his lowest, there is a part of him reaching upward, trying to reconcile rather than renounce.
Characters That Breathe Off the Page
Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber builds a supporting cast that feels lived-in rather than constructed. Zayn, Ramin's entrepreneurial younger brother who runs a samosa business at school, is a scene-stealer — all bow ties and balance sheets, yet fiercely loyal in ways that will quietly wreck you. Omar Saleh emerges as one of the most beautifully drawn love interests in recent YA, a boy whose bravery is not loud or performative but steady and warm, like a hand held in silence on a train platform.
The parental dynamics are handled with particular nuance. Ramin's father is neither a villain nor a saint — he is a man carrying the grief of immigration, the loss of his own father, and a worldview that he genuinely believes will protect his son. Saber resists the temptation to make any character a mouthpiece or a caricature, and the novel is richer for it.
Faith as a Living, Breathing Question
What elevates this book beyond a standard coming-out narrative is its deeply respectful engagement with Islam. Ramin does not want to leave his faith — he wants his faith to have room for him. He finds the recitation of the Quran as transcendent as the Wicked soundtrack. He prays extra prayers of gratitude when he is accepted to NYU. He wrestles with scripture not to reject it, but to find himself within it.
The novel threads the concept of Allah's ninety-nine names throughout, and one of the most quietly powerful arcs is how "Al-Ghaffar" — The All-Forgiving — becomes not just a theological idea but a lived emotional truth that reshapes Ramin's understanding of himself. Saber writes about Islam with the intimacy of someone who knows the texture of a prayer mat under his knees.
Where the Novel Stumbles Slightly
For all its brilliance, the novel is not without its imperfections. The pacing in the middle third occasionally sags, particularly during the soccer subplot, which — while thematically relevant — sometimes feels like it occupies more narrative real estate than it earns. The blackmail thread with Assim, though effective in raising tension, resolves a touch too neatly for the complexity it promises.
There are also moments where the novel's desire to cover every facet of Ramin's experience leads to a slight sense of overcrowding. The immigration subplot, the online forums, the hospital volunteering — each is individually compelling, but their cumulative weight occasionally stretches the narrative thin. A reader might wish for fewer threads woven more deeply.
That said, these are the growing pains of a debut, not its failures.
The Debut Behind the Story
This debut novel is Saber's first, drawing from his own lived experience as a Pakistani immigrant to Canada. By day, Saber works as a rheumatologist — a detail that quietly surfaces in Ramin's dream of becoming a doctor. The six years he spent crafting this story are evident in its emotional precision and its refusal to offer easy answers.
A Note Carried by Barn Swallows
In the spirit of the novel's own beautiful chaos — where origami hearts carry confessions and barn swallows interrupt first kisses at the worst possible moments — I should note that this review arrives courtesy of an advance reader's copy that found its way to me from the good folks at Simon & Schuster, like a letter slipped into a jacket pocket on a departing train. The words, the feelings, and every MAJOR question raised here? Those are entirely my own.
Final Verdict: A Novel That Defies Gravity
There is a moment late in this novel when Ramin listens to the Quran and then, in the same breath, listens to his favourite Broadway song, and wonders why both make his soul feel the same kind of weightless. It is a small moment. And it is everything.
Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber is not a perfect novel. But it is a necessary one — brave in its vulnerability, generous in its humour, and radical in its insistence that faith and queerness can coexist in a single, beating heart. For queer Muslim teens who have never seen themselves on the page, this book is a mirror. For everyone else, it is a window worth looking through.
March 7, 2026
Ramin Abbas has been a good kid his entire life. He’s followed the teachings of his family and religion, living his life as the perfect Desi son. But he has two other identities that are causing him stress: being a gay Muslim. He has SO many questions, most importantly: how can being gay be haram when god makes no mistakes? Ramin just needs to make it through these last few months of high school before he can make a break from his family in Toronto and move to NYU for college. Maybe then he can figure out how to live a life without losing himself.
This is the Heartstopper meets Hijab Butch Blues book I never knew I needed! While Ramin’s experience may be of a Pakistani diaspora, the reconciliation of religion and orientation is deeply universal. It’s a boldly honest approach to coming out, particularly when the entire world (including your own family) seems to be at odds with your identity: even if you were born this way. This book tackles some really heavy topics for a #YA novel, but I guarantee you won’t find a teenager today who hasn’t asked the same MAJOR questions that Ramin asks himself. Ahmad Saber does a phenomenal job at making this a revolutionary story, joyfully queer even when the world tries to silence queer joy, only allows a very narrow glimpse into a certain type (i.e. white male) of queer joy. It feels so appropriate that Ramin listens to “Defying Gravity” on repeat: Ahmad Saber is through accepting limits because someone says they’re so, and as he defies gravity in this beautiful debut novel, we have been changed for good.
Reviewed as part of an #ARC from the author. Many thanks to Ahmad Saber for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read this book if you:
🧹 identify with Elphaba on a spiritual level
✨ want the cutesy aspects of Heartstopper with the poignant inner turmoil of Hijab Butch Blues
🌈 need more diverse stories, including: queer, Desi, Muslim, first-generation, low-income, Pakistani diaspora, including a shout-out to mental health in immigrant communities!
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
This is the Heartstopper meets Hijab Butch Blues book I never knew I needed! While Ramin’s experience may be of a Pakistani diaspora, the reconciliation of religion and orientation is deeply universal. It’s a boldly honest approach to coming out, particularly when the entire world (including your own family) seems to be at odds with your identity: even if you were born this way. This book tackles some really heavy topics for a #YA novel, but I guarantee you won’t find a teenager today who hasn’t asked the same MAJOR questions that Ramin asks himself. Ahmad Saber does a phenomenal job at making this a revolutionary story, joyfully queer even when the world tries to silence queer joy, only allows a very narrow glimpse into a certain type (i.e. white male) of queer joy. It feels so appropriate that Ramin listens to “Defying Gravity” on repeat: Ahmad Saber is through accepting limits because someone says they’re so, and as he defies gravity in this beautiful debut novel, we have been changed for good.
Reviewed as part of an #ARC from the author. Many thanks to Ahmad Saber for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read this book if you:
🧹 identify with Elphaba on a spiritual level
✨ want the cutesy aspects of Heartstopper with the poignant inner turmoil of Hijab Butch Blues
🌈 need more diverse stories, including: queer, Desi, Muslim, first-generation, low-income, Pakistani diaspora, including a shout-out to mental health in immigrant communities!
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
December 27, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. The main character figuring out how to accept himself and how he could exist as a queer person while staying true to his religion. While I have a different religion ultimately it felt the same, there is a deep rooted hatred towards queer people in most every religion and it’s hard accepting yourself and finding your people in life.
Ramin goes through a lot and while things didn’t go as planned for him I think things were able to finally work out for him. Finding good friends along the way.
This book was a bit slow to start but I rather liked the pacing of it after the 40% mark. The only criticism I will say there is one remark about an HP character I wasn’t a fan of. I think it’s a bit strange for LGBTQIA+ books to still be mentioning Harry Potter or its characters.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)
📚READ FOR
✓ Found Family
✓ Coming of Age
✓ Good Character Depth
✓ Angst with a Happy Ending
✓ LGBTQIA+ Muslim Main Character
POV: First Person
Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: 💧💧💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Ramin
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry
Ramin goes through a lot and while things didn’t go as planned for him I think things were able to finally work out for him. Finding good friends along the way.
This book was a bit slow to start but I rather liked the pacing of it after the 40% mark. The only criticism I will say there is one remark about an HP character I wasn’t a fan of. I think it’s a bit strange for LGBTQIA+ books to still be mentioning Harry Potter or its characters.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)
📚READ FOR
✓ Found Family
✓ Coming of Age
✓ Good Character Depth
✓ Angst with a Happy Ending
✓ LGBTQIA+ Muslim Main Character
POV: First Person
Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: 💧💧💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Ramin
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry
March 4, 2026
(4.75)
had to knock a quarter star off because there were too many (3 i think?) harry potter references for me to let it slide and those are like jeremy renner in arrival for me.
this book was so sweet but so sad at the same time, but don't let that deter you because it is SO good like wow, what a debut for ahmad saber. messy perfect is like an older sister to this, so it's really no wonder that i liked it. ramin's inner turmoil pulls so hard at you that you'll want to hug him through the pages, but it's so satisfying to see him grow into someone who is finally able to reconcile the way he was raised with the person he knows he has to be. the ending doesn't shy away from being as real as possible, things can't be tied up neatly and it's important to show a version of this story where the main character is like. overall fine but still not in a perfect place after going through so much.
ramin and omar i am affectionately squishing you in my mind. this seriously got me out of my heated rivalry induced reading slump (you too legendborn prologue) and i will be forcing it onto anyone that i can for the foreseeable future.
had to knock a quarter star off because there were too many (3 i think?) harry potter references for me to let it slide and those are like jeremy renner in arrival for me.
this book was so sweet but so sad at the same time, but don't let that deter you because it is SO good like wow, what a debut for ahmad saber. messy perfect is like an older sister to this, so it's really no wonder that i liked it. ramin's inner turmoil pulls so hard at you that you'll want to hug him through the pages, but it's so satisfying to see him grow into someone who is finally able to reconcile the way he was raised with the person he knows he has to be. the ending doesn't shy away from being as real as possible, things can't be tied up neatly and it's important to show a version of this story where the main character is like. overall fine but still not in a perfect place after going through so much.
ramin and omar i am affectionately squishing you in my mind. this seriously got me out of my heated rivalry induced reading slump (you too legendborn prologue) and i will be forcing it onto anyone that i can for the foreseeable future.
March 19, 2026
Ooh, this was really good. An angsty Muslim gay teenager grapples with his sexuality and faith while navigating the last few months of high school in Toronto. Throw in some love for all things Wicked and also origami, and this book uncovers many universal truths. A great addition to HS collections. I listened to the audio, which was very well done (except for the annoying voice of Ramin's younger brother). Hearing the Arabic words pronounced authentically definitely enhanced my listening enjoyment.
March 7, 2026
read this to booktalk in front of my colleagues and this hit a little too close to home 👁️👁️
October 27, 2025
Ramin is a devout Muslim. He makes sure not to miss any prayers. He goes to a Muslim high school, and follows all the rules. He does as his parents want. He is about to get a full ride to a New York University, where he plans to study medicine. You would think life couldn’t get any better for him.
Problem is, although he knows Allah does not make mistakes, he feels as though he is one, because he is gay. He can’t talk to his parents about it. And he certainly can’t talk to his classmates. He figures he is just going to keep his head down, and graduate, and do what he wants in New York.
But, then he is told he must take soccer the last semester because he is missing credits, so he has to play with the captain of the team, who he has a crush on. To complicate things further, one of the players has figured out he is gay, and is blackmailing him to throw the games, when he plays.
Can it get any worse?
Oh, I’m sure it could.
This sort of story, of being so far into the closet that you can’t even breathe is one of the heaviest sorts of stories, because often gay youth don't see an exit. It is the same with Ramin. Anything he does just brings life crashing down around him. Through it all, he keeps his faith, and loves Allah, no matter what.
This book had me in tears, so you know I'm going to give it all the stars. Very strong character, and good friends help him. It is important to have family, even if it is found family, and not blood family. Very well done story.
Problem is, although he knows Allah does not make mistakes, he feels as though he is one, because he is gay. He can’t talk to his parents about it. And he certainly can’t talk to his classmates. He figures he is just going to keep his head down, and graduate, and do what he wants in New York.
But, then he is told he must take soccer the last semester because he is missing credits, so he has to play with the captain of the team, who he has a crush on. To complicate things further, one of the players has figured out he is gay, and is blackmailing him to throw the games, when he plays.
Can it get any worse?
Oh, I’m sure it could.
This sort of story, of being so far into the closet that you can’t even breathe is one of the heaviest sorts of stories, because often gay youth don't see an exit. It is the same with Ramin. Anything he does just brings life crashing down around him. Through it all, he keeps his faith, and loves Allah, no matter what.
This book had me in tears, so you know I'm going to give it all the stars. Very strong character, and good friends help him. It is important to have family, even if it is found family, and not blood family. Very well done story.
October 31, 2025
This story sheds light on the struggles of a young Muslim teenager grappling with self-identity and the clash between religious views and sexual orientation. Ramin's coming-out story is a poignant mix of highs and lows. As he navigates the complexities of being true to himself versus adhering to parental and community expectations, I found myself rooting for his courage and self-discovery.
January 22, 2026
This is really well done. It is a young adult book exploring the concept of homosexuality within a devout Muslim community. As a non-Muslim reader, I really appreciated the honesty of the main character and the view into the attitudes of the people around him. I thought the character was well developed and he felt so real. I look forward to hearing what my students have to say about this book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I'm going to say something controversial but not unexpected given my reputation as a queer-friendly Muslim and rabid Arsenal fan: everyone in this book has terrible taste in football teams. I was somewhat mollified by the fact that the actual football-playing scenes are really rad, tho the conceit that losing a competition would reflect poorly on the star player is a convenient nonsense that, fortunately, is not brought to any illogical conclusions here.
And that's the genius of this excellent Young Adult novel about a Pakistani Canadian teenager struggling with his sexuality and faith: none of the conclusions feel glib or unrealistic or even overly dramatic. Everything in this book feels very real. And I'm saying that not only because this book was inspired by the author's own life, but because I've lived through many similar experiences myself. I might not necessarily agree with everything our titular protagonist decides on (possibly because I come from a much less constipated school of jurisprudence than he does. Like, the prohibition on music and birthday parties made me lol, even tho I recognize that plenty of hardliners are against both,) but I do agree with him that Allah is the only one who can judge a person, and that it's better to live and let live than to police those acts that don't actually curtail others' lives, liberties and pursuits of happiness.
Anyway, this novel tells the tale of Ramin Abbas, the eldest son of immigrant parents who've enrolled him in the conservative Muslim but academically rigorous Hikma High School. He's dead set on getting into pre-med at NYU so that he can a) become a pediatrician, and b) check out shows on Broadway. His parents frown on music, and it's probably best not to talk about the way his dad freaked out when Ramin tried on one of his mother's hijabs and lipstick when he was much younger. Their family only eats halal and are all regulars at their (also) conservative mosque.
Ramin is a good God-fearing kid who just wants to keep his head down and reconcile his love of Allah with the many things he's forbidden from doing and being. Maybe once he's on his own in New York City, he'll be able to quietly explore musicals and other haram topics. In the meantime, he's happy to focus on academics and being a good Muslim son.
His path towards graduation is looking pretty sunny until Mr Jamal, the academy's headmaster, drops a bombshell. While Ramin passed the theory part of physical education, he still needs fifty hours of actual active movement to graduate. Fortunately (or otherwise,) the academy's seven a side men's football team needs a new member, especially with several important games upcoming. If Ramin plays, he'll get to graduate and eventually make his way to freedom.
Trouble is, Ramin isn't particularly athletic. Worse, the captain of the football team is incredibly hot, which makes it hard for Ramin to concentrate on his own narrow path towards graduation. When a vengeful member of the team starts threatening Ramin with exposure if he doesn't help tank the tournament, will even Ramin's burgeoning relationships with the rest of the team help him figure out how to navigate this incredibly tricky situation?
The answers aren't neat but they are, for the most part, very satisfying. And as someone who's read quite a bit of YA on the topic of nonconformity, I continue to be struck by how similar conservative movements are to one another in how they freak out over truly second-tier, if even that, topics like not being straight or not dressing "modestly". This book, like many of its predecessors, is a powerful message that it's okay to ask questions and to make your own choices, even as religion should be about faith, kindness, generosity and personal integrity. Others may not agree, but for readers desperate for answers on how to reconcile belief with cold reality, this novel is a fine place to start. Could've done with fewer HP references tho: they were unnecessary and jarring.
Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber will be published tomorrow March 3 2026 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
This review originally appeared at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
And that's the genius of this excellent Young Adult novel about a Pakistani Canadian teenager struggling with his sexuality and faith: none of the conclusions feel glib or unrealistic or even overly dramatic. Everything in this book feels very real. And I'm saying that not only because this book was inspired by the author's own life, but because I've lived through many similar experiences myself. I might not necessarily agree with everything our titular protagonist decides on (possibly because I come from a much less constipated school of jurisprudence than he does. Like, the prohibition on music and birthday parties made me lol, even tho I recognize that plenty of hardliners are against both,) but I do agree with him that Allah is the only one who can judge a person, and that it's better to live and let live than to police those acts that don't actually curtail others' lives, liberties and pursuits of happiness.
Anyway, this novel tells the tale of Ramin Abbas, the eldest son of immigrant parents who've enrolled him in the conservative Muslim but academically rigorous Hikma High School. He's dead set on getting into pre-med at NYU so that he can a) become a pediatrician, and b) check out shows on Broadway. His parents frown on music, and it's probably best not to talk about the way his dad freaked out when Ramin tried on one of his mother's hijabs and lipstick when he was much younger. Their family only eats halal and are all regulars at their (also) conservative mosque.
Ramin is a good God-fearing kid who just wants to keep his head down and reconcile his love of Allah with the many things he's forbidden from doing and being. Maybe once he's on his own in New York City, he'll be able to quietly explore musicals and other haram topics. In the meantime, he's happy to focus on academics and being a good Muslim son.
His path towards graduation is looking pretty sunny until Mr Jamal, the academy's headmaster, drops a bombshell. While Ramin passed the theory part of physical education, he still needs fifty hours of actual active movement to graduate. Fortunately (or otherwise,) the academy's seven a side men's football team needs a new member, especially with several important games upcoming. If Ramin plays, he'll get to graduate and eventually make his way to freedom.
Trouble is, Ramin isn't particularly athletic. Worse, the captain of the football team is incredibly hot, which makes it hard for Ramin to concentrate on his own narrow path towards graduation. When a vengeful member of the team starts threatening Ramin with exposure if he doesn't help tank the tournament, will even Ramin's burgeoning relationships with the rest of the team help him figure out how to navigate this incredibly tricky situation?
The answers aren't neat but they are, for the most part, very satisfying. And as someone who's read quite a bit of YA on the topic of nonconformity, I continue to be struck by how similar conservative movements are to one another in how they freak out over truly second-tier, if even that, topics like not being straight or not dressing "modestly". This book, like many of its predecessors, is a powerful message that it's okay to ask questions and to make your own choices, even as religion should be about faith, kindness, generosity and personal integrity. Others may not agree, but for readers desperate for answers on how to reconcile belief with cold reality, this novel is a fine place to start. Could've done with fewer HP references tho: they were unnecessary and jarring.
Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber will be published tomorrow March 3 2026 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
This review originally appeared at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ramin Abbas has MAJOR questions because he's (a) the devout child of conservative Muslim parents, and (b) he's gay. Oh, also he's finishing his senior year at the (conservative!) Muslim high school he attends, and his hopes of a full ride at NYU will be dashed if he doesn't make up his phys ed credit, which he's being forced to do by joining the soccer team. And he's being blackmailed. (Long story.) And his father, who has lost his job, is in the throes of clinical depression, except that apparently if you have a good relationship with Allah you cannot possibly suffer from any mental illness so meds and therapy are a no-go.
So Ramin has a lot on his plate -- even more than what I've just listed -- but his MAJOR question is, more or less, whether he can be gay without Allah smiting him. He visits a forum called Ask a Brother, which is mostly the opposite of helpful; puzzlingly, it doesn't seem to occur to him to google "organizations for LGBTQ Muslims," for example. (I just tried it! There's plenty out there, Ramin!) The dilemma will be familiar not only to queer kids in conservative Muslim families but also to queer kids in conservative Christian families, queer kids in conservative Jewish families, and, probably, queer kids in conservative atheist families only minus the potential for divine smiting since the parents will be available to substitute. In fact, not only queerness but also many broadly enjoyable things -- music, dancing, birthday parties -- are haram. Or call them sinful or un-kosher: it's all the same, a point the book doesn't make directly but that any reasonably alert reader will pick up.
I spent pretty much the entire book expecting that Ramin's parents would come around once they found out their beloved son was gay. Well, they don't. Ramin does find connection and support, most especially from his younger brother and from the liberal family of a schoolmate; but the rupture with his parents may be irreparable. His mother is speaking to him, and his father has written him a letter that attempts to heal the breach -- but neither parent is willing to see his gayness as anything other than a test from God. It would be sinful to act on his desire, and if he would only marry a nice Muslim girl he might be cured. (Kind of hard on the nice Muslim girl to have a husband who can't love her, as Ramin points out.)
I didn't put that under a spoiler cut because I doubt anyone will be reading "Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions" for the family-dynamic suspense. I imagine it providing a realistically painful form of encouragement to queer kids in conservative religious families of any stripe. For adult readers, especially irreligious ones, Ramin might seem somewhat dramatic -- but then, he is a teenager, this is a book aimed at teens, and whether he's dramatic or not I find myself thinking about him with a pang and wishing him well.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.
So Ramin has a lot on his plate -- even more than what I've just listed -- but his MAJOR question is, more or less, whether he can be gay without Allah smiting him. He visits a forum called Ask a Brother, which is mostly the opposite of helpful; puzzlingly, it doesn't seem to occur to him to google "organizations for LGBTQ Muslims," for example. (I just tried it! There's plenty out there, Ramin!) The dilemma will be familiar not only to queer kids in conservative Muslim families but also to queer kids in conservative Christian families, queer kids in conservative Jewish families, and, probably, queer kids in conservative atheist families only minus the potential for divine smiting since the parents will be available to substitute. In fact, not only queerness but also many broadly enjoyable things -- music, dancing, birthday parties -- are haram. Or call them sinful or un-kosher: it's all the same, a point the book doesn't make directly but that any reasonably alert reader will pick up.
I spent pretty much the entire book expecting that Ramin's parents would come around once they found out their beloved son was gay. Well, they don't. Ramin does find connection and support, most especially from his younger brother and from the liberal family of a schoolmate; but the rupture with his parents may be irreparable. His mother is speaking to him, and his father has written him a letter that attempts to heal the breach -- but neither parent is willing to see his gayness as anything other than a test from God. It would be sinful to act on his desire, and if he would only marry a nice Muslim girl he might be cured. (Kind of hard on the nice Muslim girl to have a husband who can't love her, as Ramin points out.)
I didn't put that under a spoiler cut because I doubt anyone will be reading "Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions" for the family-dynamic suspense. I imagine it providing a realistically painful form of encouragement to queer kids in conservative religious families of any stripe. For adult readers, especially irreligious ones, Ramin might seem somewhat dramatic -- but then, he is a teenager, this is a book aimed at teens, and whether he's dramatic or not I find myself thinking about him with a pang and wishing him well.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5/5
This was Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda but Desi, Muslim, and Canadian.
Ramin is a Wicked, Harry Potter, and Sara Bareilles -loving teenage boy who is struggling to reconcile with being both Muslim and queer. Is it possible to be both a devout Muslim and gay? Is it possible to still have a relationship with Allah if he likes boys and music? Is he the only one who feels this way? Are there other closeted Muslim kids like him out there? As the title suggests, Ramin has some MAJOR questions, but he doesn’t know where to go for answers.
As if struggling with his religion and sexual identity isn’t enough, he now needs to fulfill certain hours of physical activity in order to graduate, which means joining the school’s soccer team and working closely with his crush Fahad (aka “Captain Handsome”). But to make matters worse, he’s being blackmailed by Assim, who wants Ramin to help make the soccer team lose in the finals.
I loved Ramin and the fact that we have similar taste in books and musicals. I also loved his narrative voice, which was fun, engaging, and very conversational. Although I’m probably not the target demographic (I’m not Muslim, Desi, gay, or a teenaged boy), I still found Ramin to be likeable and relatable, and someone I would’ve happily wanted as a friend.
I also liked many of the side characters including Fahad (who seems like a genuinely nice guy), Omar and the Saleh Family (what a green flag of a person and family!) and Zayne (Ramin’s entrepreneurial brother) and really enjoyed the Muslim school setting in Toronto.
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
*** #19 of my 2026 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book about teen angst ***
___________________________
If you like the following, then you might like Ramin Abbas has MAJOR Questions or vice-versa:
This was Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda but Desi, Muslim, and Canadian.
Ramin is a Wicked, Harry Potter, and Sara Bareilles -loving teenage boy who is struggling to reconcile with being both Muslim and queer. Is it possible to be both a devout Muslim and gay? Is it possible to still have a relationship with Allah if he likes boys and music? Is he the only one who feels this way? Are there other closeted Muslim kids like him out there? As the title suggests, Ramin has some MAJOR questions, but he doesn’t know where to go for answers.
As if struggling with his religion and sexual identity isn’t enough, he now needs to fulfill certain hours of physical activity in order to graduate, which means joining the school’s soccer team and working closely with his crush Fahad (aka “Captain Handsome”). But to make matters worse, he’s being blackmailed by Assim, who wants Ramin to help make the soccer team lose in the finals.
I loved Ramin and the fact that we have similar taste in books and musicals. I also loved his narrative voice, which was fun, engaging, and very conversational. Although I’m probably not the target demographic (I’m not Muslim, Desi, gay, or a teenaged boy), I still found Ramin to be likeable and relatable, and someone I would’ve happily wanted as a friend.
I also liked many of the side characters including Fahad (who seems like a genuinely nice guy), Omar and the Saleh Family (what a green flag of a person and family!) and Zayne (Ramin’s entrepreneurial brother) and really enjoyed the Muslim school setting in Toronto.
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
*** #19 of my 2026 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book about teen angst ***
___________________________
If you like the following, then you might like Ramin Abbas has MAJOR Questions or vice-versa:
April 2, 2026
Ramin is THISCLOSE to exchanging Toronto and his Muslim high school and the father he can never please for NYU...but apparently sitting in the bleachers during PE doesn't get you PE credit, and now it's spring, and the only way he can graduate is to earn the credits by joining the soccer team. Ramin hasn't played soccer since he was a kid, he doesn't like sports, he is, in fact, terrible at sports, and worst of all--he has a terrible, and terribly haram, crush on the team captain. Ramin is seriously struggling in his relationship with his faith. He has a deep belief, but is so confused why the music he loves is haram, and why something he cannot change about himself--his sexuality--is also haram. Everywhere he turns he just gets the same answer--this is his challenge, marry a woman, don't argue with Allah, etc. But if Allah makes no mistakes, then Ramin was meant to be the way he is, right? Ugh, it's so confusing and terrifying! And it doesn't help that someone on the team is blackmailing Ramin to try to spoil their chances at winning state, or that his father keeps threatening to move them all back to Pakistan, or that his father thinks Ramin is useless. Where's a brother to turn?
Ouch, this was so painful--poor Ramin! His struggles were so honest and heartbreaking, and the answers he finds that he can live with are believable if not perfect. I expect many teens in his position will see themselves and their struggles, and will appreciate someone wanting to be true to his religion and also himself. The characters were all believable and memorable and imperfect, and some don't redeem themselves by the end, which is also believable. The world-building was excellent, though I'm not a soccer fan so I kind of skipped through the play-by-plays. I really liked Ramin's relationship with his salty little brother, who was forgiving and understanding as often as as he was annoyed and grumpy. I'm glad that Ramin had somewhat of a deus-ex-machina to save him from suspension or expulsion after an incident when he couldn't take the cruelty of the oft-quoted Koran passages on homosexuality anymore--perhaps more of a guardian angel. Anyways, highly recommended. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
Ouch, this was so painful--poor Ramin! His struggles were so honest and heartbreaking, and the answers he finds that he can live with are believable if not perfect. I expect many teens in his position will see themselves and their struggles, and will appreciate someone wanting to be true to his religion and also himself. The characters were all believable and memorable and imperfect, and some don't redeem themselves by the end, which is also believable. The world-building was excellent, though I'm not a soccer fan so I kind of skipped through the play-by-plays. I really liked Ramin's relationship with his salty little brother, who was forgiving and understanding as often as as he was annoyed and grumpy. I'm glad that Ramin had somewhat of a deus-ex-machina to save him from suspension or expulsion after an incident when he couldn't take the cruelty of the oft-quoted Koran passages on homosexuality anymore--perhaps more of a guardian angel. Anyways, highly recommended. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This debut novel is a coming-out story based to some extent on the author's own experiences. The basic trope is familiar: the plight of a closeted gay high student raised in an extremely conservative religious family and community, who is finding it harder and harder to deny that part of himself that is deeply in conflict with religious dictates. The issues are familiar. He is bullied by classmates, at odds with his parents, attracted to a cute boy. Like similar stories with Mormons Fundamentalist Christians and Orthodox Jews, the teen hero has to go through many difficult moments to achieve a sense of inner self-worth and self-acceptance. That is the path followed here by the hero, Ramin Abbas, (who, like the author, is destined to be a doctor) a very bright senior attending a strict Muslim high school in Toronto. The book covers Ramin's journey, including confrontations, dark nights of the soul, temptations, and finally, to an extent, reconciliation. So the book follows a well-worn path.
A couple things set this book above many others in the genre--for the most part the author captures the voice, heart, and mind of his teenage hero. The plotting is solid and the writing is good--though I'm not sure why he slips in a "wanna" or a "gotta" or an "ain't" in otherwise grammatical speech. They pulled me out of the story. Otherwise, I empathized with Ramin. The secondary characters, including his brother, father and mother, Fahad, Assim and the Salehs were all well-drawn. This journey is also darker and the stakes higher than many stories in this sub-genre which gives it more depth and a greater sense of realism. I learned alot about conservative Muslim culture. I found myself rooting for Ramin--especially when the author avoided alot of the easier ways to tie everything up in an overly optimistic way. The bittersweet ending is upbeat but also realistic.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
A couple things set this book above many others in the genre--for the most part the author captures the voice, heart, and mind of his teenage hero. The plotting is solid and the writing is good--though I'm not sure why he slips in a "wanna" or a "gotta" or an "ain't" in otherwise grammatical speech. They pulled me out of the story. Otherwise, I empathized with Ramin. The secondary characters, including his brother, father and mother, Fahad, Assim and the Salehs were all well-drawn. This journey is also darker and the stakes higher than many stories in this sub-genre which gives it more depth and a greater sense of realism. I learned alot about conservative Muslim culture. I found myself rooting for Ramin--especially when the author avoided alot of the easier ways to tie everything up in an overly optimistic way. The bittersweet ending is upbeat but also realistic.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
March 6, 2026
I can’t say enough about this fantastic debut YA novel (targeted for ages 14 and up) by British Columbia-based rheumatologist by day, and now novelist Ahmad Saber. I stayed up very late last night to finish the book because I couldn’t put it down. It’s clear that Saber has put his heart and soul into this book, and it shows.
We’re introduced to main character Ramin, a grade-12 student at conservative Muslim school Hikma High in Toronto, where he heads the Origami Club (members: 1, including Ramin), studies hard to get good grades and volunteers, all in aid of his application to NYU for pre-med. He also fights a daily battle with his two-headed monster of guilt and shame for his attraction to boys. Ramin has a major crush on the captain of the soccer team Fahad. When he has to join the team in order to satisfy the phys-ed requirement for graduation, things get weird for Ramin.
The central struggle for Ramin is the tension between his true, authentic identity, and his understanding of his Islamic faith. I appreciated the reminder that though Ramin’s parents and imam are particularly conservative, the Muslim faith isn’t a monolith, as exemplified by the Saleh family in the book, who take a more forgiving and joyous interpretation of the faith to the way they live their lives. Of course, the themes in Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions can be translated for other people, and to other faiths.
Also, there’s a bit of romance, which was very sweet, there’s blackmail and intrigue, a big soccer tournament, and one touching scene featuring a Desi drag queen. What more could you want?
I hope this book gets bought by all the public libraries and featured prominently. It should be in school libraries too. I hope lots of teens will feel seen by this novel, and that they will feel less alone with their struggle.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for a gifted copy.
We’re introduced to main character Ramin, a grade-12 student at conservative Muslim school Hikma High in Toronto, where he heads the Origami Club (members: 1, including Ramin), studies hard to get good grades and volunteers, all in aid of his application to NYU for pre-med. He also fights a daily battle with his two-headed monster of guilt and shame for his attraction to boys. Ramin has a major crush on the captain of the soccer team Fahad. When he has to join the team in order to satisfy the phys-ed requirement for graduation, things get weird for Ramin.
The central struggle for Ramin is the tension between his true, authentic identity, and his understanding of his Islamic faith. I appreciated the reminder that though Ramin’s parents and imam are particularly conservative, the Muslim faith isn’t a monolith, as exemplified by the Saleh family in the book, who take a more forgiving and joyous interpretation of the faith to the way they live their lives. Of course, the themes in Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions can be translated for other people, and to other faiths.
Also, there’s a bit of romance, which was very sweet, there’s blackmail and intrigue, a big soccer tournament, and one touching scene featuring a Desi drag queen. What more could you want?
I hope this book gets bought by all the public libraries and featured prominently. It should be in school libraries too. I hope lots of teens will feel seen by this novel, and that they will feel less alone with their struggle.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for a gifted copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is not my typical read, but I love books and needed to give this one a try. I have previously worked with the author of this book during his day job; he is a really great doctor, absolutely lovely to work with. When I found out he was writing a book, I greedily offered (maybe possibly demanded) to read it immediately.
Admittedly it takes me a second to get my read on and get into the book, but once I hit that quarter mark in this book, oh my lanta, I kid you not I couldnt put it down I finished it within 2 days! I needed to know what Ramin was as thinking, what he felt, how was he going to work through the issues he faced & at times I wanted to defend him! Ramin is faced to choose who he truly is or his beliefs, he is faced to fight a war within himself by himself. Does he stay true to who he truly is but does he even know who he is and what he wants? Does he keep his mask on, can he accept himself? Through his own personal trials and tribulations he eventually clues in and finds his path, which was already laid out for him ; but he couldn’t see it, he needed to open his own mind.
This book is a great feels good book, I hope this book finds its way to those who can really use the encouragement, the advice and the love they can not find in their own. There is always someone in the world who knows how you are feeling, or similar. I hope this book is a stepping stone to help more people open their minds and be accepting of all human beings. Sometimes hitting rock bottom and feeling like you have no place to go and no where to hide ; this is when you’ll notice the little light amidst all the darkness.
We all need a shining light to guide us or maybe we all just need an Omar.
Admittedly it takes me a second to get my read on and get into the book, but once I hit that quarter mark in this book, oh my lanta, I kid you not I couldnt put it down I finished it within 2 days! I needed to know what Ramin was as thinking, what he felt, how was he going to work through the issues he faced & at times I wanted to defend him! Ramin is faced to choose who he truly is or his beliefs, he is faced to fight a war within himself by himself. Does he stay true to who he truly is but does he even know who he is and what he wants? Does he keep his mask on, can he accept himself? Through his own personal trials and tribulations he eventually clues in and finds his path, which was already laid out for him ; but he couldn’t see it, he needed to open his own mind.
This book is a great feels good book, I hope this book finds its way to those who can really use the encouragement, the advice and the love they can not find in their own. There is always someone in the world who knows how you are feeling, or similar. I hope this book is a stepping stone to help more people open their minds and be accepting of all human beings. Sometimes hitting rock bottom and feeling like you have no place to go and no where to hide ; this is when you’ll notice the little light amidst all the darkness.
We all need a shining light to guide us or maybe we all just need an Omar.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🏳️🌈 Ramin Abbas Has Major Questions by Ahmad Saber
📌 Pub Date: Mar 3/26
A charming coming of age YA novel following Ramin in his final year of high school as he grapples with his devotion to Allah, his faith and his sexuality.
Ramin’s voice reminded me of Felix Ever After - charmingly naive, earnest and sweet.
Saber thoughtfully examines the challenges of being gay within a tight knit religious and cultural community, where a significant proportion view homosexuality as sinful. The novel offers a nuanced exploration of the teachings of the Quran, the openness or rigidity of its interpretation and the possibility of finding acceptance within religious tenets.
Ramin’s isolation is painful and heartbreaking, he feels he has no one with whom he can share his fears or feelings without judgment. I appreciated his devoutness and the emotional rollercoaster he experiences as he vacillates between seeing Allah as loving and forgiving, or Allah as vengeful and punitive. The story strategically introduces characters who represent differing religious perspectives, providing thoughtful and realistic discussions rather than simple answers.
I especially loved how soccer is used to provide Ramin with community and friendship, reducing his isolation and giving him the confidence to begin accepting his identity and finding his authentic self.
I really enjoyed this reflective and compassionate novel. Its an important book for young people to have access to and one that adults will also find meaningful and engaging.
📌 Pub Date: Mar 3/26
A charming coming of age YA novel following Ramin in his final year of high school as he grapples with his devotion to Allah, his faith and his sexuality.
Ramin’s voice reminded me of Felix Ever After - charmingly naive, earnest and sweet.
Saber thoughtfully examines the challenges of being gay within a tight knit religious and cultural community, where a significant proportion view homosexuality as sinful. The novel offers a nuanced exploration of the teachings of the Quran, the openness or rigidity of its interpretation and the possibility of finding acceptance within religious tenets.
Ramin’s isolation is painful and heartbreaking, he feels he has no one with whom he can share his fears or feelings without judgment. I appreciated his devoutness and the emotional rollercoaster he experiences as he vacillates between seeing Allah as loving and forgiving, or Allah as vengeful and punitive. The story strategically introduces characters who represent differing religious perspectives, providing thoughtful and realistic discussions rather than simple answers.
I especially loved how soccer is used to provide Ramin with community and friendship, reducing his isolation and giving him the confidence to begin accepting his identity and finding his authentic self.
I really enjoyed this reflective and compassionate novel. Its an important book for young people to have access to and one that adults will also find meaningful and engaging.
Read
March 22, 2026*AUTHOR NOTE ON HARRY POTTER MENTIONS IN THE BOOK*
Hi. I’m the author of this book. Thank you so much for taking the time to read Ramin’s story. I wanted to address HP mentions that some readers have brought to my attention. To the best of my knowledge, there are 4 altogether, and they appear on page 3, page 53, page 330, and page 388 of the hardcover edition. To the readers who felt hurt or excluded by them, or caught off guard: I am sorry. I wrote this novel before the pandemic and it has been on a long and complex journey to publication. Due to my demanding schedule as a doctor, I spend much of my time offline and only recently became aware of the full extent of the harm caused by HP's creator (including their support for anti-trans legislation.) As a queer person myself, the trans community is my community, and I stand with them. Ramin's story is about love, acceptance, and feeling included, and it was not my intention to make any reader, (especially those who might identify as both trans and Muslim, or trans and religious) feel unwelcome. I have contacted my publisher and we plan to remove these references in all future printings of the book. In the meantime, for readers who would prefer to avoid them, I hope the trigger warning with the page numbers above can help. For audiobook listeners, the corresponding chapters are: Prologue ("Before"), Chapter 7, Chapter 37, Epilogue ("After")
Thank you again to everyone who has shown love and support for Ramin’s story!
—Ahmad Saber
Hi. I’m the author of this book. Thank you so much for taking the time to read Ramin’s story. I wanted to address HP mentions that some readers have brought to my attention. To the best of my knowledge, there are 4 altogether, and they appear on page 3, page 53, page 330, and page 388 of the hardcover edition. To the readers who felt hurt or excluded by them, or caught off guard: I am sorry. I wrote this novel before the pandemic and it has been on a long and complex journey to publication. Due to my demanding schedule as a doctor, I spend much of my time offline and only recently became aware of the full extent of the harm caused by HP's creator (including their support for anti-trans legislation.) As a queer person myself, the trans community is my community, and I stand with them. Ramin's story is about love, acceptance, and feeling included, and it was not my intention to make any reader, (especially those who might identify as both trans and Muslim, or trans and religious) feel unwelcome. I have contacted my publisher and we plan to remove these references in all future printings of the book. In the meantime, for readers who would prefer to avoid them, I hope the trigger warning with the page numbers above can help. For audiobook listeners, the corresponding chapters are: Prologue ("Before"), Chapter 7, Chapter 37, Epilogue ("After")
Thank you again to everyone who has shown love and support for Ramin’s story!
—Ahmad Saber
March 6, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for an eARC to read and review.
Tropes/Themes: Religion, Queerness, Coming Out, Sports, Complicated Family Dynamics, Mental Health, Bullying
This book was like a warm hug and let me live through the eyes of a high school boy who is struggling with his queerness and how his religion views it. I feel like this book was so relateable for HS students and people in general, not feeling like you belong and what you are willing to do to make sure your secrets stay hidden.
Ramin has a lot going on, he's queer, he's Muslim, he really wants to go to NYU, and now he has to play soccer in order to graduate with the cutest guy in school as the captain.
Ramin and his brother's relationship really warmed my heart. I really loved how they supported each other and were truly a strong support system even if their parents weren't. I also really liked the twins and Ramin's relationship. Their friendship really supported Ramin's growth during this story.
This was a deep yet heartwarming coming of age story, and yes I cried at the end...
Tropes/Themes: Religion, Queerness, Coming Out, Sports, Complicated Family Dynamics, Mental Health, Bullying
This book was like a warm hug and let me live through the eyes of a high school boy who is struggling with his queerness and how his religion views it. I feel like this book was so relateable for HS students and people in general, not feeling like you belong and what you are willing to do to make sure your secrets stay hidden.
Ramin has a lot going on, he's queer, he's Muslim, he really wants to go to NYU, and now he has to play soccer in order to graduate with the cutest guy in school as the captain.
Ramin and his brother's relationship really warmed my heart. I really loved how they supported each other and were truly a strong support system even if their parents weren't. I also really liked the twins and Ramin's relationship. Their friendship really supported Ramin's growth during this story.
This was a deep yet heartwarming coming of age story, and yes I cried at the end...
March 11, 2026
This book was the perfect mix of heartbreaking and hilarious. The humor in this novel created an excellent tone as we accompany Ramin in his journey balancing his Muslim and Queer identities. I thought Ramin’s character was very lovable and incredibly self aware for being seventeen!
I appreciated the authenticity with which themes of queer, immigrant, and Muslim identities are handled in this story. There were no monolith projections and all of Ramin’s experiences were authentically his.
Food plays a major role in this book so be prepared to be craving biryani and jalebi by the end of the book!
“As I’m splashing my face with cold water, all I can think is this: If there’s not a single mosque left for me in this world as a gay Muslim, that’s quite okay. Because I can always go to the little mosque in my heart, where my Allah will always be waiting to welcome me.“
I appreciated the authenticity with which themes of queer, immigrant, and Muslim identities are handled in this story. There were no monolith projections and all of Ramin’s experiences were authentically his.
Food plays a major role in this book so be prepared to be craving biryani and jalebi by the end of the book!
“As I’m splashing my face with cold water, all I can think is this: If there’s not a single mosque left for me in this world as a gay Muslim, that’s quite okay. Because I can always go to the little mosque in my heart, where my Allah will always be waiting to welcome me.“
February 19, 2026
💕 This was a truly fantastic read. The author manages to delve into a very serious topic with humour, without ever making light of the subject. That is a rare talent.
The book is told from Ramin’s POV. A devout Muslim in a Muslim school, about ready to graduate and move on in the world. Oh, and he’s gay. He knows he’s gay. He’s accepted that he’s gay. The problem? How do you reconcile this knowledge with the Holy teachings?
Ramin, bookish and a great lover of pop music, somehow ends up on the school soccer team, gets blackmailed and comes face to face with his crush. There are so many things that happen and throughout it all, he is plagued with the secret of his sexuality.
He seeks guidance from multiple sources, trying to understand how God can be both merciful and vengeful. How God does not make mistakes but that homosexuality is a sin. Ramin knows being gay is not a choice; that marrying a girl and having children will not fix him. So how is he to move forward?
On top of this, there is his family dynamic. His father’s own issues that ultimately affect him. His brother is a gem and a great side character. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend it!
The book is told from Ramin’s POV. A devout Muslim in a Muslim school, about ready to graduate and move on in the world. Oh, and he’s gay. He knows he’s gay. He’s accepted that he’s gay. The problem? How do you reconcile this knowledge with the Holy teachings?
Ramin, bookish and a great lover of pop music, somehow ends up on the school soccer team, gets blackmailed and comes face to face with his crush. There are so many things that happen and throughout it all, he is plagued with the secret of his sexuality.
He seeks guidance from multiple sources, trying to understand how God can be both merciful and vengeful. How God does not make mistakes but that homosexuality is a sin. Ramin knows being gay is not a choice; that marrying a girl and having children will not fix him. So how is he to move forward?
On top of this, there is his family dynamic. His father’s own issues that ultimately affect him. His brother is a gem and a great side character. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend it!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Simon Teen for the ARC.
Ramin Abbas is trying to navigate being both a devout Muslim and gay. And he has so many questions. He turns to his local Imam and to online forums. And he tries to navigate his own identity and his place in his family.
This is a coming-of-age novel It intentionally tackles tough questions about the Muslim faith and being gay. It was quite thoughtful and applicable to a variety of religions. Because so much of it focused on Ramin's thoughts, I found the pacing fairly slow. But it also brought in teen drama with new friends, soccer tournaments, and blackmail. Long lists of food made my mouth water, as I wanted to try each food mentioned.
I found this well written for a debut novel.
3.5 stars rounded up
March 31, 2026
This book is deeply beautiful but also deeply painful. Ramin struggles a lot with his sexuality and religious guilt. Each time he mentally anguished, I felt so bad. As someone who isn’t religious at all, I couldn’t imagine that pain of feeling like you’re letting down the person you love most in the world. In this, I appreciate the raw honesty in this book. And I’m so happy Ramin finds joy and acceptance because queer folks deserve joy too. And while I wish it ended on a happier note, it is still happy.
My main qualm is the EEEEE and SQUEEE writing style. It feels very high school, which makes sense, but dear goodness did it grate on me.
My main qualm is the EEEEE and SQUEEE writing style. It feels very high school, which makes sense, but dear goodness did it grate on me.
October 22, 2025
Queer Muslim stories sometimes shy away from talking about characters' relationships to religion in a deep capacity but I'm really glad that this one didn't! It wonderfully encapsulates that struggle between loving God and loving your religion, but then struggling to love yourself as a result of what you feel religion and God wants you to be. I also loved the setting of the Muslim school, and the diversity of thoughts and beliefs when it came to all the Muslim characters. A really wonderful, thought-provoking read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
really gorgeous coming-of-age story. the writing style was superbly effective and the main character, Ramin, was super fun. the overall plotting was really effective as well. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
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November 30, 2025
This story follows Ramin a young man who is gay and also deeply faithful. The author does a good job of showing the readers this characters struggle. I think many gay people from religious families face the same fears that Ramin did. It is a very long novel so I did start skimming pages towards the end.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Guys. I really liked this. It was so sweet and genuine. Ramin struggles with serious issues, but he is generally a really good kid who loves Allah and his family and wants to honor both and be true to himself. I would have read this book in one sitting, but I made myself stop because it was a school night. (I’m an adult-I had work the next day.) I highly recommend this.
March 24, 2026
☆ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: Available now!
2.5 stars
Although this book contained very important subject matter, I just found it a bit hard to read. This was due to the writing feeling more for middle school age.
There was some light and humorous moments among heavy and important topics!
Thank you NetGalley, the author and Simon & Schuster Canada for an advanced copy.
Publication date: Available now!
2.5 stars
Although this book contained very important subject matter, I just found it a bit hard to read. This was due to the writing feeling more for middle school age.
There was some light and humorous moments among heavy and important topics!
Thank you NetGalley, the author and Simon & Schuster Canada for an advanced copy.
Did not finish
November 7, 2025Won via goodreads giveaways,all my opinions are my own.
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