Belgrave Road

by Manish Chauhan

Belgrave Road, Leicester. Mira and Tahliil, like many other lovers before, meet at work.

Mira's days are filled with duty and light on freedom. In a new country, living with a husband she barely knows - and who she fears she'll never love - Mira is desperate to discover all that her new life in England might offer.

And then there's Tahliil. The quiet, beautiful man she sees at work each day. With a depth in his eyes and a face full of questions. The first person in this new world who listens to Mira's hopes for who she yearns to become.

Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Adult Fiction, British Literature

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 13, 2026

Reviews

[Cass Chloupek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. Everything about it was captivating. I usually dislike romance books because they oftentimes wind up being cheesy and cliche but this managed to avoid that fate. My only critique would be the ending. Nothing wrong with the artisitc choice to end it that way but I feel like it neded something more definied. But I understand that that was intentional to leave the reader with the same uncertainty the characters felt and that millions of people in similar circumstances feel. I just wanted something more solid. Nice book, good writing.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual kind of read, but one that I very much enjoyed. Though having it set in a place I know certainly helped. The characters are likeable and you definitely root for them as they go about their everyday lives and dream of a happier future. A promising debut and ripe, I’d say, for a BBC adaptation.

[Victoria Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the subtitle of this book is “A Love Story”, there is so much more to this story than that and it certainly doesn’t follow a conventional romance. This story follows our two main characters, Mira and Tahliil, both immigrants to Britain who are trying to build a better life for themselves. Mira comes from India following her arranged marriage and struggles to find her place in this new strange world, while also exploring what it might mean for her to pursue something she truly wants. Tahliil comes from Somalia, carrying very heavy trauma, and is working hard to establish himself in this new place, support his family, and again, dare to consider what he really wants moving forward. Mira and Tahliil’s stories intersect well into the novel and their love threatens to upend everything they have and have built.

The alternating chapter perspectives, between our two main characters, allows our author to fully flesh their stories out and helps us know them as individuals before they first come together. I liked this structure and felt that it helped propel the story forward. Although the novel has enough plot points to propel it forward, at a reasonable pace, there are quite a few interior moments for these characters; I think the author did a great job at using these opportunities to shed light on the challenges, hardships, and traumas that immigrants face every day. She didn’t shy away from difficult topics and there were parts of this story that were very sad and heartbreaking. However, there were also uplifting, hopeful moments and had you rooting for the characters until the very end. The story does have a somewhat unresolved ending but, given the reality and nature of the situation at hand, it felt appropriate to me. This story was very well written and enjoyable to read, it was accessible and interesting from the start.

I would certainly recommend this book to literary fiction fans and contemporary fiction fans!

Thanks to NetGalley and Williams Morrow for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Faber for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

This was another book I had pre-ordered but sadly had to cancel due to money issues, and if truth be told, I wasn't completely sure what it was about, but it intrigued me - and I am a huge sucker for a beautiful or interesting cover.

I fell for Mira. She's been wed to essentially a stranger, forced to move thousands of miles to a new country where she is not fluent in the language, she has no family there, no job. I won't even pretend to say I know what an arranged marriage is like, but Manish, he's written it in such a way that feels honest and authentic, without sensationalising it, but without pretending it's all sunshine and roses.

I didn't like to Mira's new husband Rajiv. I know he was going through similar things, marrying a stranger and whatnot, but he was at least still in his own country with his family and friends, and I felt he was selfish, only thinking about himself.

I also didn't like the second storyline between Mira and Tahliil. It felt very forced and I'd have preferred just to read about Mira's new life in England, rather than have this traditional love triangle going on.

This is what I would refer to as "literary fiction" and I generally only read that genre when it's part of an award shortlist or something. I have read some good ones but I am more a fan of thrillers, fantasy, romance books, and so I did wonder if this would be too "literary" for me. If I would spend more time thinking about its importance than actually enjoying the story for what it was. But I found it quite friendly to read.

I loved the cultural differences between the Indian characters and the English, and then the Somali, that was interesting. I don't know Manesh's background or heritage and it's not my place to ask, but it'll be interesting to know what his experience of the topics raised are, as I'm sure that would help give it more depth. I have some Indian friends and so have a rough idea of culture but the Somali culture was completely new to me and so whilst I didn't overly enjoy that side of the story, it was interesting.

It is a romance, yes, in the sense that there is a new marriage and romantic undertones. But for me this was more of a look at culture differences, newness, finding yourself and a sense of belonging - the romantic elements were almost in the background.

It's not an overly uplifting book. Yes there are hopeful parts but overall it is rather heavy and serious.

The ending wasn't bad but it was open ended, which generally I don't mind but in this circumstance I'd have liked it finished. It feels in this case that Manish couldn't think of an ending so just left it. I'd have liked to have known what happened.

It is an interesting story but I think the pacing is wrong. This is going to sound bad but I don't mean it like that, but nothing really happens. There's no big twist or thrill or big action piece, it just goes on its merry way through the story and it's well written. But because it isn't building up to that big moment, it often feels a bit rigid and stuck and mundane and therefore it does have a tendence to feel a bit slow.

I believe this is his debut and, whilst not perfect, it was still an enjoyable book to read and a very promising debut. I could definitely see it being made into a TV series.

[Candy I · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet, deft, lovely and heavy.

[Lisa Robison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love story that took a turn in a different direction. It is about arranged marriages which can be a struggle itself. I found this book to be an interesting read.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mira knew this wasn’t true. Neither her being the right person for Rajiv nor the assertion that two different religions and cultures couldn’t be united in love. The former she had learned to accept. The latter she had felt in her heart.

The author originally from Leicester is now a London based Finance lawyer, and has been a very successful individual short story writer to date (winner of the Galley Beggar Prize in 2021/22 among others and shortlisted for the BBC short story award in 2024).

Set in and around the titular Leicester road famous for its Indian restaurants, sari shops and jewellers - the later such a feature that it has the nickname Golden Road although neither this or the jewellers are really referenced in the novel which is based around a lower socio-economic level – this debut novel is at a heart a rather gentle love story, told in third party sections which alternate between its two main protagonists – Mira and Tahliil - who are throw together by circumstance, but which also serves as an exploration of both the legal (via arranged marriage) and illegal (via people smuggler) immigrant community in England.

The two main characters are:

Mira – from an Indian Hindu low-caste family – the novel opens with her travelling to England in her early 20s to marry Rajiv. Her initial impressions of England are that, due to the area she is living in, it seems just like India but also that Rajiv’s family are much less well off than she and her family had believed – Rajiv’s father’s 30+ year garage business struggling and surviving by family loans. She also realises fairly quickly that Rajiv was previously in a long term relationship, but with a Muslim girl with neither family approving off that relationship – and that he is still in contact and has feelings for her. Unwilling to accept a passive life as a bride (and anyway understanding that family circumstances are not what she had expected and that her idea of a beautician business are not economically viable) she first takes English lessons and then a job working as a cook in an Indian run food mart.

Tahliil is a refugee from war-torn Somalia – trying to get across Europe to stay with his mother (who is estranged from his now second-time married father) and with his sister, they are caught up first in a tragic mediterranean dinghy crossing and then a terrible assault/rape incident which leaves his sister resentful and passive while he actively goes out to get various jobs including one as a porter in a warehouse next to the food mart.

And from there the two are drawn closer together and we read of their burgeoning relationship against the background of (among others): Rajiv’s sisters lesbian wedding; Tahliil and his sister’s trials and tribulations trying to claim legal asylum (including involvement with advisors both legitimate and scammers); Tahliil’s other job as carer for an old English man largely abandoned by his family; the struggles of Rajiv’s father and how he increasingly takes them out physically on Mira’s mother-in-law; Tahliil’s mother’s bitterness over her husband; Mira’s attempts to prevent her sister taking an arranged marriage under the same false expectations and much more.

Unusually it is perhaps if anything rather too empathetic for my tastes – almost all the characters (whether its Rajiv or the potentially racist older man or his daughter) are ultimately portrayed sympathetically in their motivations.

It also for me lacks any real sparks of inspiration in language or experimentation in style as I would look for in a genuinely literary novel. Were the author female I would think it made an idea Women’s Prize book.

But overall this is a well crafted novel which I enjoyed reading over a couple of sessions. And – after some perhaps slightly forced melodrama - the book ends in a for me impressively ambiguous ending.

My thanks to Faber for an ARC via NetGalley

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel describes the immigrant experience from two quite different points of view. It begins with Mira's arrival from India to make a new life in Leicester with her husband. She's twenty-three, and this is an arranged marriage. In itself this would be fascinating for a reader from a culture where arranged marriages, apart from those on reality TV, don't really happen. What can it be like to suddenly share a bed, a home, a life with someone you hardly know? Mira has to remain married to Rajiv for five years to stay in England, if that's what she wants. Somehow you get the feeling though, there's no turning back - that she could never face returning home to India to be a disappointment to her parents.

Mira had hoped she could use her beauty therapy diploma to start her own business - she's bright and ambitious - but beauty therapists are a dime a dozen in this part of Leicester, an area that is surprisingly full of Indian people, Indian shops, Indian food outlets. It could even be a lot like home, if only it wasn't so cold. An opportunity arises for Mira to work in the kitchens of a sweet shop, where she makes friends with the other workers and where, across the yard, she first sees Tahliil.

Tahliil is a young man who has recently had a harrowing journey from Somalia with his sister and lives with his mother in a tiny flat. He's not legally allowed to work, has not even registered as an asylum seeker when we first meet him, but picks up several part-time jobs, paid in cash, no questions asked. He's diligent and well-mannered, so is kept on. It's at the cash-and-carry where he shifts stock, sometimes delivering grocery items to the sweet shop next door, where he meets Mira.

Mira begins to question her marriage. Rajiv is older and has a history with a woman who secretly texts him, and friends he sees without Mira. So it's easy to fall into a friendship, and then something more with Tahliil. The story includes Tahliil's struggles as an asylum seeker, the lengthy wait for his paperwork to go through, the worry that he could be sent home. The fact that he's Muslim means any relationship with Mira would be unacceptable to his family.

This is such a compelling novel, beautifully written, with its two very different characters, who find themselves in desperate situations. Perhaps an older version of themselves would think twice, but when you're in your twenties it's so easy to let your heart hold sway. And why wouldn't they? They've both travelled so far. Why would they settle for anything less than a life lived on their own terms? As a reader you can't help thinking of the roadblocks, and whether each has the fortitude for the journey ahead of them if they want to be together. This drives the story and keeps you engrossed to the end.

Other characters have their struggles too. Mira's mother-in-law seems to be eternally optimistic rather than seeing the reality of what's going on with her family, with her marriage. Rajiv's cousin Rupal is in a same-sex relationship she's completely committed to, but struggles to formalise before her family. Tahliil works for an old man who hardly ever sees his daughter, and is estranged from his son.

I found the setting of Leicester, with its huge immigrant population, quite fascinating, a place that must seem cold and physically inhospitable to those from warmer climates, and yet which offers opportunities and safety. Belgrave Road is a brilliant story, and Manish Chauhan really gets into the heads of his characters, making their lives believable. If you want to understand what makes people leave their country for new beginnings in the West and the struggles they face, this is well worth reading - a five-star read from me.

I read Belgrave Road courtesy of Netgalley and Faber & Faber (UK). The book is due for release on 29 January.

[Aoife Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Belgrave Road is an accomplished, thought-provoking debut novel that drew me in early and didn't let me go. I found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading it.

I've seen a couple of different covers for this novel, one of which says "a love story" on the cover. Yes there is a love story in here, but I probably found that to be the least compelling aspect of this novel. Really, this is a novel about two people from very different backgrounds - Mira from India and Tahliil from Somalia - both of whom end up living in Leicester, England, attempting to forge a new life for themselves in very difficult circumstances.

Mira lives with her husband Rajiv and his parents, after she enters into an arranged marriage and moves to Leicester to be with her new husband. Rajiv is in love with someone else however, and Mira's mother in law lives a life in denial of all that is wrong under her family's roof.

Tahliil is a Somali asylum seeker, who made a traumatic and dangerous journey by boat from Libya to Europe with his sister, to be reunited with their mother in Leicester.

Mira and Tahliil meet at work and form an almost instant connection which grows stronger over time. In alternating sections told from the perspective of each of them, we get to know them, their hopes and fears, their innermost thoughts and how their formative journeys have brought them to this moment. The prose is spare and not in any way embellished, but this isn't a straightforward read - the crispness of the words chosen by the author hides a depth of emotion, particularly as the story reaches its climax.

I tend to find myself drawn to books like this - books that reminds the reader we are all human, with complex emotions and vulnerabilities, and if we live happy, settled, comfortable lives, it is mostly by accident of birth that we are afforded such luck. Profound, moving and ultimately sad, this is one debut I won't forget in a hurry. Recommend. 4-4.5/5 stars

*Many thanks to the author, publisher Faber Books and Netgalley for the advance review e-copy in exchange for an honest review. Belgrave Road was published on 29 January 2026.

[Hannah Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told from two perspectives, we first meet Mira in an airport having just landed in the UK from India, she is young and newly married to Rajiv, their’s is a marriage built on practicality more than romance, and leaves her feeling untethered, both to her new husband and to the life she thought she was beginning in Leicester. She is intelligent, hopeful and sometimes awkward. She is nervous and unsure, about a lot of things, but she is determined to carve out a place for herself within her new family and her new country, learning skills and making friends, building a real life for herself.

And Tahliil, a Somali asylum seeker navigating the daily uncertainties of complicated paperwork, cash-in-hand jobs, and a traumatic past he would rather forget. He, like Mira, has bravery and determination that have not been dimmed, no matter what struggles he has faced, and continues to face. However, he is not dramatic in the slightest, he is matter-of-fact, soft and calm in nature, which made the bureaucratic hoops we see him have to jump through more frustrating.

They meet on Belgrave Road, the Leicester street bustling with shops and vibrant with culture, which feels almost like a third protagonist, anchoring their individual stories (and those of the various side characters) with its rhythms, its smells and its crowded pavements. Their connection grows in the everyday things, in conversations that jump between small talk and deeply personal experiences.

The story doesn’t just stay tightly focused on these two though… Mira’s mother-in-law and Rajiv’s cousin challenge stereotypes and add richness and depth. Tahliil’s family and Mr Stevens too, show us that life here isn’t neat and tidy, it’s layered and sometimes surprising. I really liked how the story expanded outside of their little bubble.

More than just a ‘love story’, it doesn’t shy away from the loneliness, the anxieties around visa status and what it means to belong somewhere. But these are all written about as lived realities, they are complicated and human. I really cared about ALL of the characters... without any spoilers, I cried my eyes out in the final few chapters!

[Diana Clough · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Love itself is never complicated, Tahliil. It’s everything that surrounds love that’s complicated.”

Mira has left India for the first time to live with her husband and his parents in Leicester. Encouraged to pursue the daunting prospect of gaining independence, she must first improve her English and find work. However, she discovers that she’s not the only one unhappy in their arranged marriage.

Meanwhile, Tahliil has been in the UK six months since leaving Somalia under frightening circumstances. He’s picking up as much cash-in-hand work as he can, while keeping under the radar from the Home Office until he is granted asylum.

A complicated love story between the pair begins after they meet at work, as they battle language barriers, religious and cultural differences, and in Tahliil’s case his own family’s refusal to accept their relationship. Chauhan writes about the reality of immigrants in the UK with such compassion without glossing over the casual cruelty so many are subjected to. The ending in particular is not one you see coming, nor is it one you want to happen, but depicts reality all too well.

Despite that, there are innumerable uplifting moments. We witness Mira grow in confidence and in changing her outlook to accept a gay family member, which could have only been possible thanks to the friends she has made since finding independence in the UK. It also shows her that love can usurp norms and traditions, and a future with Tahliil isn’t impossible.

All the characters are excellently written that I can already picture this book being adapted for screen. Plus, I love that the book is set in Leicester with so many iconic roads mentioned that I remember frequenting while I lived there as a uni student.

Big thanks to the publisher for an early copy!

[Renu S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Belgrave Road, the debut novel by Manish Chauhan. The novel centers on Mira and Tahlil. Mira, an Indian immigrant living in Leicester, England, is trapped in a loveless marriage while trying to adjust to life in a new country. Her world shifts when she forms a forbidden relationship with Tahliil, an undocumented Somali refugee also struggling to survive on the margins of British society. Set against the vibrant yet complex backdrop of a multicultural city, the story explores themes of love, duty, identity, and belonging. As Mira and Tahliil navigate cultural divides, family expectations, and the constant pressures of immigration status and social judgment, Belgrave Road offers a poignant and compassionate portrayal of immigrant life in Britain.

The writing is assured and emotionally resonant, drawing the reader in from the very first pages. One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its use of multiple perspectives, which adds depth and nuance to the story and allows the characters to feel fully realized. Through this approach, I truly felt immersed in the main characters’ journeys, as though I were walking alongside them through their moments of hope, fear, and longing.

By the end of the novel, I was left hoping that this would not be my last encounter with Chauhan’s characters or his storytelling voice. The emotional depth and thoughtful exploration of complex social issues make Belgrave Road a memorable debut, and I would be eager to read a sequel or any future novels by Manish Chauhan. His ability to blend intimate personal stories with broader cultural themes suggests a promising and compelling literary career ahead.

Note: Received an ARC via Netgalley.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a full on love story, not one of my usual lol romantic comedies but a book oodling with love, love and more love ( for example Mira prefers Tahliil to eat his Aero than share it because she gets more pleasure watching him eat than her eating it herself, that full on heady giddy love )

But yep Mira and Tahliil meet and fall in love, however Mira is Indian and ends up in Leicester ( from India ) via an arranged marriage, stuck in a loveless life and living with her in laws,Tahliil is Somalian and living hand to mouth with his domineering Mum and Sister ( who has her own trauma re their journey via Libya to the UK )

And basically ne’er the 2 should meet, but they do and they want to be together

Sigh, I wanted them to be together, I was convinced by their love and passion but so much was ‘in the way’

The book is very honest and truthful and not an exercise in preaching re Refugee status but more of an insight into the problems this brings with a helping of dark and poignant remarks and thoughts and insights

My only mini grumble would be the rushed ending as had invested in their lives, it didn’t spoil the book but wish had been more conclusive

Very different again for me but immensely readable and chosen as liked the cover and hadn’t even read the blurb, so was surprising on many levels

[Fiona Barnett · Rating 2 out of 5]

The novel begins when Mira arrives from India to begin her life in Leicester with her husband Rajiv, whom she married some months before in an arranged marriage. Mira moves in to Rajiv’s home, where he lives with his parents. Life begins, but it proves to be a hard life in so many ways: her husband remains emotionally attached to a previous girlfriend, her English is poor, money is tight in the family, there is unaddressed domestic violence in the home between her in laws.

Then, she meets Tahliil, a Somali asylum seeker who has escaped his horrific life in Somalia and, after a shocking journey to the UK with his sister, settled here with their mother. Life for Tahliil is also very tough. He needs to seek asylum, earn and save money, suffer and endure the constant setbacks and prejudice.

Tahliil and Mira fall in love and plan a future together…

Unfortunately, I was not a fan of this novel. I found it dull, notwithstanding the subject matter. Sub plots were “thrown in”, such as the domestic violence between Mira’s in laws, her mother in law’s mental health issues, a gay marriage. These sub plots felt gratuitous somehow and I also did not sense the passion between Mira and Tahliil. The ending was abrupt, leaving too many important unanaswered questions.

I’m sorry to say I was glad to get to the end ☹️

[Nimrit Rajasansi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mira has arrived in Leicester as a newlywed 23-year-old, but she had an arranged marriage, and the more time she spends with her husband Rajiv and his family, the more she realises they lied about a lot of things. For one, he is in love with someone else, also the family are not as wealthy as they said they were when they saw Mira in India before their wedding. Now Mira will need a job to have some independence, good thing she can cook.

Tahliil has had a harder journey to Leicester, living as an illegal immigrant who is seeking asylum, having had a perilous journey from Somalia with his sister. Tahliil just wants to work hard to earn enough money for a good life, for himself and his mum and sister. When he manages to find an off-the-books job at a cash & carry, Tahliil feels one step closer to the life he wants. Then he spots Mira over the fence at work. Thus blossoms a love between two souls who feel so out of place in this heaving multi-cultural city…Leicester.

I know what you are thinking, but Mira is already married – yes I am aware, and I would never condone having an affair however, their love is innocent, beautiful, raw and emotional, a love story for the generations, but it didn’t feel like the cheesy, cliched romances, merely the soft, emotional and real deep love. Where two souls meet across race, background and boundaries.

The narrative flips between the two of them, so you really live in their shoes and understand their backgrounds and motivations in life. You feel their feelings alongside them, the heartbreak, betrayal, the surprising friendships they build. You also understand how they feel in a new country and how they feel about being “foreign” ….a true look at the immigrant experience.

One of my favourite things about this novel is the relationship between Mira and her Mother-in-Law – forever in Indian culture the dreaded MIL rears her ugly head, abusing, gaslighting and interfering in her son and DIL’s relationship. So, to read this story and see a MIL and DIL have genuine affection for each other was something special to read. The author did an amazing job in smashing this stereotype right down and giving us a different spin on this classic relationship in Indian culture. This felt so relatable to me, as I have an amazing relationship with my own MIL, so I know these relationships are real and can be achieved!

Behind the main love story between Mira and Tahliil, there was a background love story happening… between the author and Leicester. As my mum is from Leicester and I have a lot of family there, I could relate to the places referenced and felt a genuine love for the multi-cultural and booming city.

What a beautiful debut and I look forward to more from this author!

Favourite Quote:

“In the end, he put it down to the fact that they were both strangers in a foreign land. United in their foreignness and in their bravery, the world having cast itself anew once more for their benefit, to be felt and understood as if for the first time.”

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own..

Oooo this was an impressive debut. The writing style was evocative and emotional, the characters were fleshed out and provided substance to the story, and the plot itself was heartbreaking. I loved Mira as a character, her pain and fear felt so real as I was reading her parts of the story. Tahliil was similarly full of depth and his portions felt difficult to get through at an emotional level. I think that the depth and empathy for the characters did go a little bit too far, as even the antagonists were people that you felt for. I love that the subtitle was “A Love Story” because reading it, the actual on-page romance doesn’t feel too important, until you think about it deeper. There were so many different types of love shown within this book, and I think the slower pace allowed for the introspection to come to that conclusion. I will definitely be reading more of Manish Chauhan’s books as he releases more. This was a beautiful debut.

[Luv2TrvlLuvBks · Rating 3 out of 5]

“That's what fiction is for. It's for getting at the truth when the truth isn't sufficient for the truth.”

Mira and Tahliil's fictional story releases so many truths that reality too often avoids. There's the discrimination ethnic communities possess for other communities. Or, the preying on an already vulnerable population seeking to gain a foothold in their adopted country, only to be scammed. There's also the domestic violence in immigrant households that takes a backseat to financial stability.

These are just a few of the many topics exposed in this novel. The author weaves these stories in well but the writing style is a bit stilted. The prose read like a woodpecker pecking away in short bursts rather than an eagle gliding in the wind. The latter is what reduced this reader's rating from a four star to a three star.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, William Morrow via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#BelgraveRoad #NetGalley

[Chris Chanona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fairly straightforward with story of a girl who arrives from India to live with a man she has married having only met once. She is plunged into a different world and yet there are similarities. Sometimes she comments on the similarities between this road in Leicester and the Indian town where she has lived. Her name is Mira and gradually she begins to blossom. Her husband Rajeev is British Indian and has lots of British friends. He still leads a life where he meets his friends regularly without Mira.
I found the story fairly predictable, especially when a second main character is introduced, a young male from Somalia. The ending was a bit harsh and in the realms of fantasy I think. A bit of a stretch to compare the writing with Colm Toibin.

I read an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publishers. My views on my own .

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manish Chauhan’s debut novel was a great novel however it’s being marketed as a romance novel when it is much more than a romance. Although the book does have romance in it I think the themes of identity, sorrow, and culture are more apparent. Romance is a small part of the larger story that details Taahlil and Mira’s lives. Mira and Taahlil have recently moved to England and Manish’s novel details their lives and how they differ from the ones they led in India and Somalia as well as the ones they thought they would lead post moving to England. I’m not usually a fan of books that don’t wrap everything up at the end, I felt this was a great ending for this book.

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and HarperCollins for allowing me to read this book prior to its release. I love reading with characters I can identify with culturally.

[Debesbooknookwit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books explores immigration, identity, and a love shaped by circumstance rather than convenience. The writing is beautiful, giving equal care to the characters and their lives. The writer alters perspectives, providing the reader time to settle into the rhythms, hopes, and fears of each character. This is a story about finding connection while navigating borders, paperwork, faith, language, and the constant weight of uncertainty. The love story is not omanticized.it is imperfect, fragile, hard won, and deeply human.

The unconventiaonal ending left me wanting more, closure I guess, because I wanted to see how the characters worked through the issues...this occurs when you build a connection with characters as I did with this book. I recommend this work of literary fiction be read and give it 4.25 stars.

[April Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with a copy of the ARC.

This book was an interesting glimpse into other cultures, immigration, and arranged marriages, and I really appreciated the depth with which these complex issues that I rarely get to read about was explored. The pacing was slow for me, which made it hard to stick to, but it was still a beautiful story. My only complaint is the ending. It seemed very abrupt and didn't really provide any closure to the story after sticking with it for so long.

That said, it was still a really well-written book and I think if you like slow paced, more introspective reads without the typical "romance novel" ending, this would be a great book to pick up.

[Kate]

Star-crossed lovers. A story as old as time. This time the main characters are immigrants who have arrived in Leicester, Great Britain, by different routes and from completely different origins.
The characters are nicely developed. The reader is privy to their inner thoughts as well as their actions.
As a possessor of a very stable, secure life in rural America, I was fascinated with the daily lives of the characters and the descriptions of the societies and communities along Belgrave Road. Flax Street is real and visible on Google Maps enabling me to get an even better idea of the environment.
I recommend this book. It’s well-written, very few annoying typos, and it portrays a way of life foreign to me and immensely interesting.
I received an advance digital copy.

[Brenda Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this on Audible as soon as released having seen it mentioned in a bookshop magazine. At its heart it is about forbidden love but there is much more to it. It is filled with poignant descriptions of immigrant life in Leicester, one central character being Indian and one Somali.
Very thought provoking in parts, putting together a very real seeming human story which draws you in. Cliches and stereotypes mostly avoided.
There is rich detail on the culture and complex family relationships including the loving relationship between Mira and her mother in law which contrasts with Mira’s loveless arranged marriage.
Lots of hope and optimism alongside despair and misery. Could see this making a good drama for television.

[Fatima · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know that on the cover it says that this is a love story but i disagree. Aside from the book feeling unfinished, i think the story would’ve been so much more impactful without the romance!! It could’ve simply been a story about 2 immigrants who cross path!
We are meant to believe that the main characters are in love but the important moments where they fell in love was off-page.

I think the story lacked a lot of depth and the pacing was off and the ending was unsatisfactory! The book could’ve had a couple more chapters and completely different ending! I didn’t expect to have a happy ending but anything could’ve been better than what we got!

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant debut novel exploring contemporary immigration to the UK through the lives and experiences of an asylum seeker and as a result of an arranged marriage. Written across the two POVs of our main protagonists, Belgrave Road is well-written with strong character development. I was really rooting for Mira and Tahliil. Through lived experience, I really appreciated and related to a lot of the discussions regarding what/where home is and what you leave of yourself back in your homeland once you migrate.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

An evocative exploration of arranged marriages and asylum. Myra is sent half way ar0und the world to marry a man she has barely met only to discover he holds a candle for someone else. She has to navigate a new language; a new country and also tries to gain/keep some independence by getting her own job and a circle of friends. Then there's Tahliil - a refugee from Somalia also living in Leicester with his sister and mother. As the story progresses we learn of the unspeakable things the siblings had to endure to reach England as well as how the asylum application process is thwart with endless paperwork and rules. When Myra and Tahliil meet it is as if their cultural; religious and language differences fade away but all against the backdrop of reality - can their love survive in the real world? I really enjoyed this book and the characters will stay with me. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced read.

[carly boltin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
This was a very different type of “romance” than I typically gravitate toward, but I found it both thought-provoking and engaging. The characters felt real—like I could imagine someone sitting across from me and telling me their story. They were relatable and fully dimensional, which made the emotional moments land even more strongly.

I would recommend this book, but readers should be aware that it explores some sensitive topics.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

[Raheel Shaharyar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not really sure why this is being marketed as a romance novel. It is so much more than that and marketing it as such really gives it a disservice. The romance feels like such a minor part of the story. This is a story of identity, loss and connection. The ending felt a little strange to me. Like I can see why the author chose to go down that path, but it felt very disjointed from the rest of the story.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was asked to review this book by NetGalley.

An interesting window into different cultures, arranged marriages and immigration.

I have to say prior to reading this book, I knew little of this. The author writes so well nd although these are complex in nature I really enjoyed this book.

This is about love, loss and connection.

I found the ending a little surprising but will leave this up to the readers

Readers do not have long to wait- due for publication January 29 2026.

[Yumna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for ARC eBook!

Chauhan's writing is beautiful, and I loved reading about the main characters' individual lives and stories. The writer chose to end this... unconventionally and I didn't particularly like it. Which is fine! I just would have liked a little more closure and see some of the problems that were developed actually be solved or, again, have some closure. Overall, three and a half stars and I would still recommend that you give this one a go!