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Reputation
In early noughties Trinidad, Asiyah, a young Muslim woman, embarks on a clandestine relationship with Cisco, her older, irreligious landlord. Defying her family’s warnings and expectations, she realigns her spiritual compass to be with her lover. But when her reputation is threatened by a stranger with a vendetta, and her affair becomes a difficult entanglement to escape, Asiyah must face a make-or-break reckoning to reclaim what is hers.
‘A fascinating exploration of faith, family and female independence … Thought-provoking, insightful, and relevant to contemporary debate’ – Clare Kane, author of Dragons in Shallow Waters
‘A fascinating exploration of faith, family and female independence … Thought-provoking, insightful, and relevant to contemporary debate’ – Clare Kane, author of Dragons in Shallow Waters
432 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 19, 2026
ARC review:
When I started the book it really gripped my interest, great portrayal of the Trinidadian culture. I enjoyed Asiyah’s journey as a young woman with conflict with her family about her choices.
It took me a while to read as it fell flat for me in the middle and then picked up again near the end. There were lots of unexpected twists at the end and some great dialogue on some of the struggles women face.
An insightful read.
When I started the book it really gripped my interest, great portrayal of the Trinidadian culture. I enjoyed Asiyah’s journey as a young woman with conflict with her family about her choices.
It took me a while to read as it fell flat for me in the middle and then picked up again near the end. There were lots of unexpected twists at the end and some great dialogue on some of the struggles women face.
An insightful read.
August 19, 2026
Net Gallery ARC
This book does a great job exploring the tension between patriarchy, religion, sexuality and women’s freedom while also showing how complicated family, love and societal expectations can be. Asiyah who is the FMC was such a flawed but incredibly human character. The way she navigated her faith, family, love and her personal growth into becoming her own person even when she makes choices that completely contradict her morals was what made her shatter stand out to me. Some of her decisions frustrated me but I think that is what made her character feel so real. She is not perfect, and did not have what one would call a perfect love story and that is what made this book to be about growth, consequences and finding oneself.
I would consider this a thought provoking read but also worth picking up!
This book does a great job exploring the tension between patriarchy, religion, sexuality and women’s freedom while also showing how complicated family, love and societal expectations can be. Asiyah who is the FMC was such a flawed but incredibly human character. The way she navigated her faith, family, love and her personal growth into becoming her own person even when she makes choices that completely contradict her morals was what made her shatter stand out to me. Some of her decisions frustrated me but I think that is what made her character feel so real. She is not perfect, and did not have what one would call a perfect love story and that is what made this book to be about growth, consequences and finding oneself.
I would consider this a thought provoking read but also worth picking up!
August 30, 2026
My ethnic and cultural background is what made me first reach for Reputation by Amanda Coreishy. I was curious—and maybe a little wary—about reading a novel set in my birthplace, Trinidad. Written by a UK-based, London-born, Trinidad-and-Tobago-raised writer, I wondered would it feel authentic?
Bravo to the author. It definitely felt real and contemporary.
The pacing is exemplary. Coreishy didn’t waste time setting the stakes. Early in Chapter 1, she writes: “She didn’t need her father’s permission. His fury would be waiting for her when she got back but she would deal with it then.”
Two sentences, and I immediately knew the risk Asiyah was taking, and how she chose to walk into it anyway. As someone with a Trinidadian father myself, and an independent streak, I felt clearly why Asiyah went on her “retreat” to “get out of her comfort zone” anyway.
That’s the throughline of the whole novel, really. Asiyah moving forward, anyway. Despite the consequences. It shows up in small details. She paints. She solo travels to a nearby hotel. She agrees to an early-morning photoshoot with Francisco “Cisco” Rafael, the photographer neighbor with two young daughters and a “luxurious baritone” that she bumps into on the beach.
How many times did I shake my head and warn Asiyah under my breath with a “don’t do it…” knowing full well she was going to go ahead anyway?
To me, these decisions read a little like recklessness and a lot like a woman desperate to claim small, private freedoms wherever she can find them. It’s no coincidence that a story about a woman fighting to control her own narrative is populated with so many moments of her choosing to be seen and reclaim her identity.
Coreishy portrays her multidimensional characters in relatable ways. Asiyah’s faith, her family’s expectations, the textures, flavors, and rhythms of multicultural Trinidadian life. Each character is recognizable in our own real lives—wherever we are. The ones we know. The ones we’ve fallen in love with. The ones we probably shouldn’t have. The ones who, for better or worse, chiseled us into the people we are today.
True to its slow burn read, Asiyah’s reckoning takes some patience to get to. Readers wanting the confrontation sooner and faster may feel the middle stretch a little. I didn’t mind that tension. Coreishy built it, and earned it. (And if you were reading carefully, she hinted at it from the start.)
A word on genre…
Coreishy has categorized Reputation as contemporary literary fiction, coming-of-age, women’s fiction, and multicultural. Totally fair as far as it goes. But, to me, it read as romance. Complicated romance, specifically. Black romance more specifically still, but not “African American” either, for obvious reasons. Except in a White-dominated publishing default, “romance” as a category comes with an assumed reader—largely White, largely expecting White leads. Reputation doesn’t fit that default. So instead, it is labeled “multicultural,” which for a book set in Trinidad says more about the industry than about the book itself. That’s not a knock on Coreishy’s choices. That’s more about what the industry rewards.
Readers who love emotionally messy, intersectionally-complicated, slow-burn, faith-and-desire-in-tension romance should know this book is very much for them, no matter the shelf you find it on.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reputation gets my five-star recommendation.
It’s realistic, with romance grounded in cultural, intersectional, complex, and deeply personal multidimensionality. This novel draws readers in and keeps them turning pages, whether or not Trinidad is known to them too. A debut to be celebrated.
Bravo to the author. It definitely felt real and contemporary.
The pacing is exemplary. Coreishy didn’t waste time setting the stakes. Early in Chapter 1, she writes: “She didn’t need her father’s permission. His fury would be waiting for her when she got back but she would deal with it then.”
Two sentences, and I immediately knew the risk Asiyah was taking, and how she chose to walk into it anyway. As someone with a Trinidadian father myself, and an independent streak, I felt clearly why Asiyah went on her “retreat” to “get out of her comfort zone” anyway.
That’s the throughline of the whole novel, really. Asiyah moving forward, anyway. Despite the consequences. It shows up in small details. She paints. She solo travels to a nearby hotel. She agrees to an early-morning photoshoot with Francisco “Cisco” Rafael, the photographer neighbor with two young daughters and a “luxurious baritone” that she bumps into on the beach.
How many times did I shake my head and warn Asiyah under my breath with a “don’t do it…” knowing full well she was going to go ahead anyway?
To me, these decisions read a little like recklessness and a lot like a woman desperate to claim small, private freedoms wherever she can find them. It’s no coincidence that a story about a woman fighting to control her own narrative is populated with so many moments of her choosing to be seen and reclaim her identity.
Coreishy portrays her multidimensional characters in relatable ways. Asiyah’s faith, her family’s expectations, the textures, flavors, and rhythms of multicultural Trinidadian life. Each character is recognizable in our own real lives—wherever we are. The ones we know. The ones we’ve fallen in love with. The ones we probably shouldn’t have. The ones who, for better or worse, chiseled us into the people we are today.
True to its slow burn read, Asiyah’s reckoning takes some patience to get to. Readers wanting the confrontation sooner and faster may feel the middle stretch a little. I didn’t mind that tension. Coreishy built it, and earned it. (And if you were reading carefully, she hinted at it from the start.)
A word on genre…
Coreishy has categorized Reputation as contemporary literary fiction, coming-of-age, women’s fiction, and multicultural. Totally fair as far as it goes. But, to me, it read as romance. Complicated romance, specifically. Black romance more specifically still, but not “African American” either, for obvious reasons. Except in a White-dominated publishing default, “romance” as a category comes with an assumed reader—largely White, largely expecting White leads. Reputation doesn’t fit that default. So instead, it is labeled “multicultural,” which for a book set in Trinidad says more about the industry than about the book itself. That’s not a knock on Coreishy’s choices. That’s more about what the industry rewards.
Readers who love emotionally messy, intersectionally-complicated, slow-burn, faith-and-desire-in-tension romance should know this book is very much for them, no matter the shelf you find it on.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reputation gets my five-star recommendation.
It’s realistic, with romance grounded in cultural, intersectional, complex, and deeply personal multidimensionality. This novel draws readers in and keeps them turning pages, whether or not Trinidad is known to them too. A debut to be celebrated.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Reputation is one of the best reads I’ve had this year. I was expecting that, because I’d already read 'Call It Anything But Love' (the character-portraits given as free download on the author's website), and I’d been waiting for this book to come out. I asked the author directly via email for an ARC and got one. Cheeky! Well worth it!
The characters here are complex, textured - and exasperating, just like real people. Their dilemmas, poor decisions, suffering and aspirations were recognisable, from people we’ve all known (or versions of ourselves that we have been); this pulled me right into the story.
I took 4 major aspects from this book:
A girl raised in a conservative family begins to become a woman and to find herself and her desire; or perhaps more accurately, what she imagines to be her desire? The question of authenticity, or whether this is simply an inexperienced and sheltered young woman learning her desire as she sees it refracted through an older man's desire, remains satisfyingly ambiguous.
A careful and nuanced story that lays out - in pain, joy, and much ambivalence - the ways that desire is a powerful force that makes people do reckless things and want situations / consider partners who are not necessarily the wisest or most sustainable choices. (The protagonists experience their situation as - and are careful to name it as - love; but for me, the relationship had more the flavour of infatuated desire).
Set in Trinidad, where several communities live alongside each other, and sometimes intermarry, this story also brings us into a world that may be unfamiliar to many readers. The cultural and social texture is introduced with skill, is never heavy-handed, and did not leave me feeling as though it were too much or too little. I learned enough to understand, enough to want to read and know more, but not so much that I struggled through or lost interest. Everything was relatable to me, in a human sense, while being inflected through a specific set of cultural features. The book gives interesting hints of how living in complex societies (with what sociologists call superdiversity) exposes us to other norms, other styles of living– and how we might begin to take on some of those for ourselves, or at least feel more comfortable about them.
This is an absolutely unabrasive read, technically. I mention this because, in these days of KU and 99p novels, there are plenty of books out there that fall short. This novel has clearly benefited from structural editing for plot and character development (author's website also demonstrates this); copy editing and line edits have all been handled with professionalism; formatting is perfect. It’s understandable that many current books don't reach this standard, but very welcome to have a reading experience where serious amounts of time and expertise have been given to editorial work. Seamless, smooth reading.
Beyond these four main points, I’d point out that there's as many readers as there are reactions, and my feelings will not reflect all reader experiences. I'm an older reader, and queer, so I did not get caught up in the romance or the passion here, but I feel sure that this is a positionality issue. I could imagine many young cishet women readers reading this as (a somewhat tragic) gripping romance. In the end, though, the most interesting story is this young woman’s coming-of-age.
The characters here are complex, textured - and exasperating, just like real people. Their dilemmas, poor decisions, suffering and aspirations were recognisable, from people we’ve all known (or versions of ourselves that we have been); this pulled me right into the story.
I took 4 major aspects from this book:
A girl raised in a conservative family begins to become a woman and to find herself and her desire; or perhaps more accurately, what she imagines to be her desire? The question of authenticity, or whether this is simply an inexperienced and sheltered young woman learning her desire as she sees it refracted through an older man's desire, remains satisfyingly ambiguous.
A careful and nuanced story that lays out - in pain, joy, and much ambivalence - the ways that desire is a powerful force that makes people do reckless things and want situations / consider partners who are not necessarily the wisest or most sustainable choices. (The protagonists experience their situation as - and are careful to name it as - love; but for me, the relationship had more the flavour of infatuated desire).
Set in Trinidad, where several communities live alongside each other, and sometimes intermarry, this story also brings us into a world that may be unfamiliar to many readers. The cultural and social texture is introduced with skill, is never heavy-handed, and did not leave me feeling as though it were too much or too little. I learned enough to understand, enough to want to read and know more, but not so much that I struggled through or lost interest. Everything was relatable to me, in a human sense, while being inflected through a specific set of cultural features. The book gives interesting hints of how living in complex societies (with what sociologists call superdiversity) exposes us to other norms, other styles of living– and how we might begin to take on some of those for ourselves, or at least feel more comfortable about them.
This is an absolutely unabrasive read, technically. I mention this because, in these days of KU and 99p novels, there are plenty of books out there that fall short. This novel has clearly benefited from structural editing for plot and character development (author's website also demonstrates this); copy editing and line edits have all been handled with professionalism; formatting is perfect. It’s understandable that many current books don't reach this standard, but very welcome to have a reading experience where serious amounts of time and expertise have been given to editorial work. Seamless, smooth reading.
Beyond these four main points, I’d point out that there's as many readers as there are reactions, and my feelings will not reflect all reader experiences. I'm an older reader, and queer, so I did not get caught up in the romance or the passion here, but I feel sure that this is a positionality issue. I could imagine many young cishet women readers reading this as (a somewhat tragic) gripping romance. In the end, though, the most interesting story is this young woman’s coming-of-age.
Review of advance copy received from Author
When I finally finished Reputation by Amanda Coreishy, I called my best friend and burst into tears. Unexpected, deep-belly, hyperventilating-until-I-couldn’t-speak tears. Gasping for breath, I had to tell her how this book had impacted me. I got no warning that this was how I was going to respond at the end of the book. This was just what happened.
This book tells the story of a young Muslim woman of faith, navigating her faith, her family, her young budding career, and a relationship that was unexpected but was very real to her. I watched this woman find her voice, make choices, oppose patriarchy, and find an authenticity in her faith that went beyond anything any of the humans around her were modeling. I saw her find a deep relationship with God that did not require an intermediary.
I identified with so much of this story, although I was never Muslim, that I was overcome emotionally by the time the whole story was done.
This is the first time I’ve truly enjoyed West Indian writing because—I don’t know why—I was completely enchanted by hearing places described that I can identify with. I felt like I was on the journey, like I was seeing this woman in her natural habitat because I’ve lived in her natural habitat. Even though some places were fictionalized, they were so well described, and so similar to reality, that it was seamless between the places that truly exist and the places that didn’t.
The emotions were so well described for each character that I was blown away by how believable each character was. Everybody stayed true to their role. I hate when a character is shown to have one personality and then does something completely out of character that cannot possibly be logically explained. It makes me feel like I’ve been dropped out of the book. I had none of that happening in this story. So I remained completely engrossed throughout.
Full disclosure: I have not read a novel front to back in under three days in several, several years. I’ve listened to audiobooks, but I have not held a book in my hand and read it front to back in several years. I did not expect to be unable to put this book down when I picked it up. I’d given myself a month to finish the book, and it was done in three days.
It would be remiss of me not to mention that there’s a dramatic plot twist somewhere in the story where you feel like you’re suddenly dropped into a different world. In the moment, it was disorienting. But the more I read, the more it made total sense why that moment had to abruptly interrupt my happy place. It actually shifted my emotions to match the story that I was reading.
My emotions were so alive throughout this story. I was feeling anger, disappointment, suspense, anticipation. Sometimes I was speaking to the characters—“What are you doing?”—as if I could shake them out of the nonsense in the moment.
This was good. Really good writing.
For the few moments where I was like, “What just happened?” I guess I could understand why the author didn’t go deeper into those confusing moments, because it would have distracted from the main story to have given more context for some things. So I wouldn’t even make that a complaint. I’ll just mention that there were those moments, but they completely did not remove one single fraction of a star representing how delighted I was by this book, start to finish.
I am actually going to read this whole book again because I enjoyed it that much.
This book tells the story of a young Muslim woman of faith, navigating her faith, her family, her young budding career, and a relationship that was unexpected but was very real to her. I watched this woman find her voice, make choices, oppose patriarchy, and find an authenticity in her faith that went beyond anything any of the humans around her were modeling. I saw her find a deep relationship with God that did not require an intermediary.
I identified with so much of this story, although I was never Muslim, that I was overcome emotionally by the time the whole story was done.
This is the first time I’ve truly enjoyed West Indian writing because—I don’t know why—I was completely enchanted by hearing places described that I can identify with. I felt like I was on the journey, like I was seeing this woman in her natural habitat because I’ve lived in her natural habitat. Even though some places were fictionalized, they were so well described, and so similar to reality, that it was seamless between the places that truly exist and the places that didn’t.
The emotions were so well described for each character that I was blown away by how believable each character was. Everybody stayed true to their role. I hate when a character is shown to have one personality and then does something completely out of character that cannot possibly be logically explained. It makes me feel like I’ve been dropped out of the book. I had none of that happening in this story. So I remained completely engrossed throughout.
Full disclosure: I have not read a novel front to back in under three days in several, several years. I’ve listened to audiobooks, but I have not held a book in my hand and read it front to back in several years. I did not expect to be unable to put this book down when I picked it up. I’d given myself a month to finish the book, and it was done in three days.
It would be remiss of me not to mention that there’s a dramatic plot twist somewhere in the story where you feel like you’re suddenly dropped into a different world. In the moment, it was disorienting. But the more I read, the more it made total sense why that moment had to abruptly interrupt my happy place. It actually shifted my emotions to match the story that I was reading.
My emotions were so alive throughout this story. I was feeling anger, disappointment, suspense, anticipation. Sometimes I was speaking to the characters—“What are you doing?”—as if I could shake them out of the nonsense in the moment.
This was good. Really good writing.
For the few moments where I was like, “What just happened?” I guess I could understand why the author didn’t go deeper into those confusing moments, because it would have distracted from the main story to have given more context for some things. So I wouldn’t even make that a complaint. I’ll just mention that there were those moments, but they completely did not remove one single fraction of a star representing how delighted I was by this book, start to finish.
I am actually going to read this whole book again because I enjoyed it that much.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Arc review -
Imma say this in BIG this book isn't for everyone!!
It touches on religion [islam] a bit of sexuality and the consequences of actions giving us a reputation that perceives or don't.
Coreishy gives the readers a glimpse into the world of what it means to be a young practicing muslim woman trying navigate into her identity who faces scrutiny from society as well as her family based on her actions and decisions to get involved with an older man named Cisco. This story also showcases outside characters who have their own agenda to destory someone's own goodwill for their own gain.
This book has hit home for me as someone who has grown up practicing the faith navigating an Islamic identity is sometimes tough from a global climate (which Coreishy managed to perfectly highlight).
Futhermore, as this story is told from a Trinidadian setting your harshest critic would sometimes be muslims who judge you at the highest degree in the form of hypocrisy, insults or bullying.
Ps - the author doesn't shy away from the sexuality of her character as well as delivering spicy scenes to her readers.
While it is bit of a taboo topic of conversation to openly bout sex there should be an open conversation on Sex Education as the author also highlighted in her book.
Another, beautiful dynamic i would've of like to see was the budding relationship between her and her step brother Suhail. If you have read 'Call it anything but love' you would have read about Asiyah's story taking care of her ailing mother and her feelings towards her father taking a second wife and resorting to resentment towards her that still follows in this story.
I would also like to further add I knew Cisco was going to break Asiyah's heart from the get go. MEN LIKE HIM EXIST. He just took what was in front of him because she allowed him too because she didn't have much experience.
I mean some might dislike his housekeeper Carmencita for probably breaking up the love birds but there was no love there. I think Cisco just wanted companionship for a little while. Also I felt like he didn't have that much of an interest in learning about Islam especially as Carmencita mentioned if he had a solid plan for her if he planned to carry her to America.
Imma say this in BIG this book isn't for everyone!!
It touches on religion [islam] a bit of sexuality and the consequences of actions giving us a reputation that perceives or don't.
Coreishy gives the readers a glimpse into the world of what it means to be a young practicing muslim woman trying navigate into her identity who faces scrutiny from society as well as her family based on her actions and decisions to get involved with an older man named Cisco. This story also showcases outside characters who have their own agenda to destory someone's own goodwill for their own gain.
This book has hit home for me as someone who has grown up practicing the faith navigating an Islamic identity is sometimes tough from a global climate (which Coreishy managed to perfectly highlight).
Futhermore, as this story is told from a Trinidadian setting your harshest critic would sometimes be muslims who judge you at the highest degree in the form of hypocrisy, insults or bullying.
Ps - the author doesn't shy away from the sexuality of her character as well as delivering spicy scenes to her readers.
While it is bit of a taboo topic of conversation to openly bout sex there should be an open conversation on Sex Education as the author also highlighted in her book.
Another, beautiful dynamic i would've of like to see was the budding relationship between her and her step brother Suhail. If you have read 'Call it anything but love' you would have read about Asiyah's story taking care of her ailing mother and her feelings towards her father taking a second wife and resorting to resentment towards her that still follows in this story.
I would also like to further add I knew Cisco was going to break Asiyah's heart from the get go. MEN LIKE HIM EXIST. He just took what was in front of him because she allowed him too because she didn't have much experience.
I mean some might dislike his housekeeper Carmencita for probably breaking up the love birds but there was no love there. I think Cisco just wanted companionship for a little while. Also I felt like he didn't have that much of an interest in learning about Islam especially as Carmencita mentioned if he had a solid plan for her if he planned to carry her to America.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
NetGalley eARC — Reputation follows the coming-of-adulthood of Asiyah, a young Muslim woman living in her own in Trinidad. She dreams to be a painter, wants to live freely from the control of her family, and wrestles with her attraction to her much older and non-Muslim landlord. The story takes on a whole host of issues: it asks questions about the boundaries of love, faith, & sexuality, about what society expects of women vs. what women may actually want. It speaks to young desires and paternalism, and engages with different interpretations of Islam and the Quran.
While the heart of the story and its events were interesting, I found it to be a difficult read. Maybe it was more due to my frustrations as a reader, having to read chapter after chapter of the protagonist contradict herself, distort her religion, and be blind to the manipulation. It’s also difficult to see her family and their society openly judge so harshly on how women must behave. I suppose this frustration is purposeful by the author, but writing-wise I felt that it went on for too long where I was unsure of where the book was headed and what it was trying to teach us.
Things become more complex down the line, and the third act more exciting, when the pieces start moving and people are forced to confront reality. How do you balance reputation with self-expression, desire and curiosity? In a world where everyone has an opinion on how a “good woman” is to behave, how do you navigate this with safety and without blinders? Throughout the book, everyone is telling Asiyah what to do, think or feel. What I appreciate the most is that she gets to decide her own truth and be at peace with it.
While the heart of the story and its events were interesting, I found it to be a difficult read. Maybe it was more due to my frustrations as a reader, having to read chapter after chapter of the protagonist contradict herself, distort her religion, and be blind to the manipulation. It’s also difficult to see her family and their society openly judge so harshly on how women must behave. I suppose this frustration is purposeful by the author, but writing-wise I felt that it went on for too long where I was unsure of where the book was headed and what it was trying to teach us.
Things become more complex down the line, and the third act more exciting, when the pieces start moving and people are forced to confront reality. How do you balance reputation with self-expression, desire and curiosity? In a world where everyone has an opinion on how a “good woman” is to behave, how do you navigate this with safety and without blinders? Throughout the book, everyone is telling Asiyah what to do, think or feel. What I appreciate the most is that she gets to decide her own truth and be at peace with it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Reputation pulls you straight into Asiyah's world and does not let go. Her dynamic with Cisco begins as a boundary-pushing dance, and the tension shifts in a compelling direction once he realizes he stands to lose her. What carries the story is Asiyah's internal struggle: the effort to reconcile her choices with her faith and her family, and the way that tension never resolves into something easy or convenient.
The supporting cast earns their place. Nadira, Suhail, Cisco, and even Asiyah's father's friend each leave a mark on her path, sometimes without her realizing it. The contrast between the Catholic and Muslim maids was one of the more fascinating threads in the book, a study in how belief shapes behavior, and not always for the better.
My one wish was for more. After the breakup, I wanted to follow Asiyah more closely into her shift toward a staunch practice, to understand how she and her husband came together, and to get a clearer read on the dynamic with her stepbrother. Those threads felt like they had more to give.
That said, I read this in one sitting. Reputation is a gripping, character-driven story that rewards readers who love emotional complexity, faith as lived experience, and relationships that resist easy resolution. I am genuinely excited to see what this author does next.
I've ordered a copy of the book and am eager to read it again (and again) when it is published.
Reputation pulls you straight into Asiyah's world and does not let go. Her dynamic with Cisco begins as a boundary-pushing dance, and the tension shifts in a compelling direction once he realizes he stands to lose her. What carries the story is Asiyah's internal struggle: the effort to reconcile her choices with her faith and her family, and the way that tension never resolves into something easy or convenient.
The supporting cast earns their place. Nadira, Suhail, Cisco, and even Asiyah's father's friend each leave a mark on her path, sometimes without her realizing it. The contrast between the Catholic and Muslim maids was one of the more fascinating threads in the book, a study in how belief shapes behavior, and not always for the better.
My one wish was for more. After the breakup, I wanted to follow Asiyah more closely into her shift toward a staunch practice, to understand how she and her husband came together, and to get a clearer read on the dynamic with her stepbrother. Those threads felt like they had more to give.
That said, I read this in one sitting. Reputation is a gripping, character-driven story that rewards readers who love emotional complexity, faith as lived experience, and relationships that resist easy resolution. I am genuinely excited to see what this author does next.
I've ordered a copy of the book and am eager to read it again (and again) when it is published.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel.
Reputation put me through the wringer. My emotions were all over the place about Asiyah’s journey. From her relationship (if we can even call it one) with Cisco to her complicated family issues, I just wanted to shake her at times. Then I wanted to grab her and hug her.
The Muslim representation throughout the story showcased its beauty while allowing the reader to form their own ideas about the flaws that all religions face. I loved that aspect of the story, especially as Asiyah finally came into her own and started questioning the people closest to her.
The journey we went on with Asiyah was an amazing one to witness, and by the end, I understood her so much better as a character. She needed that initial air of “I’m grown” and “I don’t want to hear what you have to say” because her experiences ultimately shaped the woman she became.
I love a book that makes me question myself and my original thoughts. I also love when an author gives their characters the space to grow and reveal different sides of themselves. Cisco, Majeed, and even Adam each surprised me in different ways, and I appreciated seeing the ways they expressed their care towards the people they loved, even when it wasn’t necessarily in the ways I’d expect.
A great debut novel by Amanda Coreishy!
Reputation put me through the wringer. My emotions were all over the place about Asiyah’s journey. From her relationship (if we can even call it one) with Cisco to her complicated family issues, I just wanted to shake her at times. Then I wanted to grab her and hug her.
The Muslim representation throughout the story showcased its beauty while allowing the reader to form their own ideas about the flaws that all religions face. I loved that aspect of the story, especially as Asiyah finally came into her own and started questioning the people closest to her.
The journey we went on with Asiyah was an amazing one to witness, and by the end, I understood her so much better as a character. She needed that initial air of “I’m grown” and “I don’t want to hear what you have to say” because her experiences ultimately shaped the woman she became.
I love a book that makes me question myself and my original thoughts. I also love when an author gives their characters the space to grow and reveal different sides of themselves. Cisco, Majeed, and even Adam each surprised me in different ways, and I appreciated seeing the ways they expressed their care towards the people they loved, even when it wasn’t necessarily in the ways I’d expect.
A great debut novel by Amanda Coreishy!
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August 20, 2026Reputation was gripping from page one!
I received an advance copy of Reputation from the author and was genuinely moved by the story. It felt deeply rooted in Trinidadian society and culture. It is an authentic, captivating read that draws your heart toward the protagonist, Asiyah.
There were many captivating themes, the most prominent being that of a young woman trying to merge her Muslim faith with that of contemporary society. A task that is plagued with all the nuisances of family, community and being a young woman exploring her sexuality and creativity. The challenge of patriarchal dominance also having its impact on the choices of young women in society is captured by Coreishy.
I look forward to other advancements, particularly fulfilling the gaps or dare I say the curiosity of how the relationship developed between Asiyah and her husband. Also to explore the relationship between Asiyah and her stepbrother.
I read this book with anticipation and truly enjoyed this character-fixated story that encompassed the complexity of love, sexuality, family bonds, faith, culture and society. I am anxiously awaiting what comes next!
I received an advance copy of Reputation from the author and was genuinely moved by the story. It felt deeply rooted in Trinidadian society and culture. It is an authentic, captivating read that draws your heart toward the protagonist, Asiyah.
There were many captivating themes, the most prominent being that of a young woman trying to merge her Muslim faith with that of contemporary society. A task that is plagued with all the nuisances of family, community and being a young woman exploring her sexuality and creativity. The challenge of patriarchal dominance also having its impact on the choices of young women in society is captured by Coreishy.
I look forward to other advancements, particularly fulfilling the gaps or dare I say the curiosity of how the relationship developed between Asiyah and her husband. Also to explore the relationship between Asiyah and her stepbrother.
I read this book with anticipation and truly enjoyed this character-fixated story that encompassed the complexity of love, sexuality, family bonds, faith, culture and society. I am anxiously awaiting what comes next!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Synopsis:
Set in early-2000s Trinidad, this follows Asiyah, a young Muslim woman who falls into a secret relationship with her older, irreligious landlord, Cisco. As her choices begin to clash with her faith and family expectations, things get even messier when a stranger threatens her reputation. This is a story about love, faith, family, secrets, and what happens when reclaiming your life comes at a cost.
My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Coreishy's debut novel "Reputation".The author shines a light on generational culture differences, modern feminism in a patriarchal society, and difficult relationships with family. The writing flowed well and I was able to visualize what everything looked like, which is really my favorite part of reading a good novel! While this book is categorized as Contemporary Literary Fiction, there was romance (and some sizzling scenes if you know what I mean 🌶) but I would describe it as "Realistic Romance". I definitely look forward to reading future novels from this author.
Thank you to the pubisher for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Set in early-2000s Trinidad, this follows Asiyah, a young Muslim woman who falls into a secret relationship with her older, irreligious landlord, Cisco. As her choices begin to clash with her faith and family expectations, things get even messier when a stranger threatens her reputation. This is a story about love, faith, family, secrets, and what happens when reclaiming your life comes at a cost.
My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Coreishy's debut novel "Reputation".The author shines a light on generational culture differences, modern feminism in a patriarchal society, and difficult relationships with family. The writing flowed well and I was able to visualize what everything looked like, which is really my favorite part of reading a good novel! While this book is categorized as Contemporary Literary Fiction, there was romance (and some sizzling scenes if you know what I mean 🌶) but I would describe it as "Realistic Romance". I definitely look forward to reading future novels from this author.
Thank you to the pubisher for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
September 1, 2026
Reputation worked on me like a love affair.
It started as innocent curiosity, a bit of flirtation, grew irresistible, one thing led to another, and then came the conflicts—oh, the conflicts! Coreishy paints such deep portraits of these characters that you'll find yourself agreeing with them while begging them to "come to their senses" and… what? Stay together? Break up? The book rides that line brilliantly. And the external forces at play are formidable: family, society, religion… blackmail?!
I'm lucky enough to have read Coreishy's short story collection Call It Anything But Love, which further develops all of the key and supporting players from this novel, and which beautifully complicates my feelings about them. Each book stands strong on its own, but Coreishy's specialty is interpersonal, familial, and cultural dramatic tension, and each book gives us different perspectives on similar themes, deepening the emotional impact of the stories.
I highly recommend either book to start, and if you enjoy that one you won't be able to resist reading the other.
It started as innocent curiosity, a bit of flirtation, grew irresistible, one thing led to another, and then came the conflicts—oh, the conflicts! Coreishy paints such deep portraits of these characters that you'll find yourself agreeing with them while begging them to "come to their senses" and… what? Stay together? Break up? The book rides that line brilliantly. And the external forces at play are formidable: family, society, religion… blackmail?!
I'm lucky enough to have read Coreishy's short story collection Call It Anything But Love, which further develops all of the key and supporting players from this novel, and which beautifully complicates my feelings about them. Each book stands strong on its own, but Coreishy's specialty is interpersonal, familial, and cultural dramatic tension, and each book gives us different perspectives on similar themes, deepening the emotional impact of the stories.
I highly recommend either book to start, and if you enjoy that one you won't be able to resist reading the other.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advanced reader copy of Reputation from the author and, genuinely, sometimes had to put it down and walk away for a bit, so authentic did I find the story. It captures Trinidadian society in all its beauty and horror. It’s a dip into a cross-section of Caribbean life too seldom explored in contemporary fiction — a really compelling story of one woman’s attempt to reconcile her deeply-held Muslim faith with her desire to engage fully with contemporary society. Coreishy offers a loving critique of a society in which patriarchal values still too often dictate women’s choices. It’s hard not to root for Asiyah as she fights to grasp all of the gifts of modern femininity — not only personal agency but the freedom to explore creative and sexual pleasure. I was with her all the way to the novel’s brave, empowering ending. I found Reputation as seductive as it is horrifying. You may sometimes want to look away but you won’t be able to stop reading!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved Reputation!
There’s a letter near the end of this book that arrested me mid-page. Asiyah writes to her husband after a gossip tabloid weaponizes her private photographs, shatters her marriage, and turns her community against her. She doesn’t apologize her way back into his favor. She names what she lost, what she deserves, what she will not settle for. Then she leaves it to him.
That kind of female character, clear-eyed, unbowed, claiming her own dignity after everything arrayed against her, is harder to write than it looks. Amanda Coreishy pulls it off in a debut novel where the Trinidadian setting is lived-in rather than decorative, and reputation operates as both social currency and personal wound. The ending doesn’t rescue Asiyah. She rescues herself.
There’s a letter near the end of this book that arrested me mid-page. Asiyah writes to her husband after a gossip tabloid weaponizes her private photographs, shatters her marriage, and turns her community against her. She doesn’t apologize her way back into his favor. She names what she lost, what she deserves, what she will not settle for. Then she leaves it to him.
That kind of female character, clear-eyed, unbowed, claiming her own dignity after everything arrayed against her, is harder to write than it looks. Amanda Coreishy pulls it off in a debut novel where the Trinidadian setting is lived-in rather than decorative, and reputation operates as both social currency and personal wound. The ending doesn’t rescue Asiyah. She rescues herself.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wonderful book.
I received an advanced cold of this book by the author.
Reputation is a wonderful coming-of-age novel that puts faith, reputation and the female protagonist centre read.
Set in Trinidad in the early 2000s, it evokes the sights, smell and feel of it all. It tells the story of Asiyah, a young Muslim woman who falls into a push - pull relationship with Cisco.
The book was real and intimate and you could feel Asiyahs dilemma as she navigates her new relationship, the weight of expectations, society and her own spiritual compass. The author exercises the pull of desire and connection vs. community expectations.
This is a slow-burn, character-driven story, thoughtful, emotionally grounded novel about the weight of growing up and owning your own choices.
I received an advanced cold of this book by the author.
Reputation is a wonderful coming-of-age novel that puts faith, reputation and the female protagonist centre read.
Set in Trinidad in the early 2000s, it evokes the sights, smell and feel of it all. It tells the story of Asiyah, a young Muslim woman who falls into a push - pull relationship with Cisco.
The book was real and intimate and you could feel Asiyahs dilemma as she navigates her new relationship, the weight of expectations, society and her own spiritual compass. The author exercises the pull of desire and connection vs. community expectations.
This is a slow-burn, character-driven story, thoughtful, emotionally grounded novel about the weight of growing up and owning your own choices.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!
The premise for this book immediately got my attention and had me curious for the world that Amanda Coreishy proposed. While a promising debut, there were pacing issues and themes were delivered like an after-school special, as opposed to an actual character coming-of-age.
The torrid affair described in the book is the most interesting part, especially due to the age gap and power dynamics at play. However, the second half of the book does lose steam, where cartoonish villains emerge, and melodrama takes center stage. I'm not against melodrama on principle - however, there was something still hollow at the other end of the story.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.0
The premise for this book immediately got my attention and had me curious for the world that Amanda Coreishy proposed. While a promising debut, there were pacing issues and themes were delivered like an after-school special, as opposed to an actual character coming-of-age.
The torrid affair described in the book is the most interesting part, especially due to the age gap and power dynamics at play. However, the second half of the book does lose steam, where cartoonish villains emerge, and melodrama takes center stage. I'm not against melodrama on principle - however, there was something still hollow at the other end of the story.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.0
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Roots and Shoots Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. I always wanted to read these books because their multicultural themes make it interesting to see what has happened. This is a good coming-of-age story that showcases how the character Asiyah navigates differences in family, love, and society, which help her grow up. She would often make choices that went against everything she had known and had been taught in her family. This is not a perfect story, and Asiyah is not a perfect character and is deeply flawed. But this is worth picking up the book and reading because she goes through a lot while growing up.
September 19, 2026
‘Reputation’ is a compelling debut that explores identity, faith, family expectations, and a woman’s right to choose her own path. Asiyah’s journey was emotional and sometimes frustrating, but her growth made it worth following. I especially appreciated the thoughtful Muslim representation and the way the story examined generational differences and patriarchal expectations without portraying faith as one dimensional. With complicated relationships, realistic romance, and a touch of spice, this was an engaging and thought provoking read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A great book.
Coreishy weaves together a story that asks the question: What determines a woman’s worth, and who gets to decide? The questions are familiar, but I loved getting to see the beautiful Trinidad setting and Islamic culture woven into the canvas of the story.
The main character, Asiyah, is portrayed in a very real, very raw way that so many women can relate to. By the end, you feel as if you’ve gotten to know her whole family and the town as well.
I received a complimentary early copy of the book for review.
Coreishy weaves together a story that asks the question: What determines a woman’s worth, and who gets to decide? The questions are familiar, but I loved getting to see the beautiful Trinidad setting and Islamic culture woven into the canvas of the story.
The main character, Asiyah, is portrayed in a very real, very raw way that so many women can relate to. By the end, you feel as if you’ve gotten to know her whole family and the town as well.
I received a complimentary early copy of the book for review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was thoroughly impressed by this coming of age story. So much of Asiyah's exploration of her Muslim faith and the patriarchal influences from all sides was so famiiar to my deconstruction journey from evangelical Christianity. This is not a "religion is bad" book...but rather a more nuanced take calling out the problematic patriarchal influences across religions and cultures. The solution isn't in modesty or promiscuity, but rather in women gaining agency over their own decisions.
September 5, 2026
This complex story set in Trinidad involves Asiyah, a young Muslim woman, who is torn between her own wishes and the expectation of her family and community. Her relationship with Cisco, her non-Muslim landlord, is difficult to observe, as many of her choices are frustrating. However, this makes her seem more realistic. Further developments are unexpected and well portrayed, as is the setting.
I received an ARC from the author, but my opinion is given voluntarily.
I received an ARC from the author, but my opinion is given voluntarily.
September 15, 2026
First: Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an advanced reader's copy.
Second: This book pissed me off so much. It's well-written, vivid, and relatable in ways that made me so mad at every character.
Third: And then the book just ended, just like that.
Second: This book pissed me off so much. It's well-written, vivid, and relatable in ways that made me so mad at every character.
Third: And then the book just ended, just like that.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a read!
I finished this book in one sitting in a few hours. From the first page, you are drawn into the story and the characters lives.
The more the story unfolded, I was increasingly annoyed by Cisco, and though I didn’t know how the story would play out- I was not and am not a fan of Cisco.
I found that Aisiyah grew up over the course of the story and started to believe in herself.
The issues that Reputation discusses are quite hard hitting and profound. I think I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come. I have taken off a star as I was so invested in the story and the characters lives , that the ending was a tad unsatisfying but I really enjoyed this book.
I hope that there is more to come from Amanda Coreishy.
I finished this book in one sitting in a few hours. From the first page, you are drawn into the story and the characters lives.
The more the story unfolded, I was increasingly annoyed by Cisco, and though I didn’t know how the story would play out- I was not and am not a fan of Cisco.
I found that Aisiyah grew up over the course of the story and started to believe in herself.
The issues that Reputation discusses are quite hard hitting and profound. I think I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come. I have taken off a star as I was so invested in the story and the characters lives , that the ending was a tad unsatisfying but I really enjoyed this book.
I hope that there is more to come from Amanda Coreishy.
Review of advance copy
Reputation, by Amanda Coreishy was an interatrial romance between Asiyah, a twenty-three year old young Muslim lady and Cisco, a much older, catholic man with two little girls. He pursued her relentlessly, then seduced her, convincing her to giving everything up for him, while but giving nothing in return. Asiyah wouldn't listen to the advice anyone gave her, including family, or heeded and of the warnings signs. I tried to understand Asiyah's actions, due to her sheltered upbringing and naivety, but it was difficult. Cisco was an unrepentant, narcissist, mess, but he met his match with Asiyah and deserved everything he received.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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