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Rabi and Matthew
A queer retelling of Romeo & Juliet, except no one has to bury their gays.
A decades-old family rivalry is reaching a boiling point as the patriarchs vie for a seat in Congress. Democrat vs Republican, Muslim vs Christian, Hashmi vs Swain — the Midwestern town of Arbor Hills is one spark away from an explosion of violence. So when two men find themselves irresistibly drawn together at a party, only to discover they were born on opposite sides of a bloody battle line, Matthew Swain and Rabi Hashmi know they should leave well enough alone.
The pull between them is magnetic, though, and it's too strong to ignore. Unable to resist, they meet again in secret. Generations of hatred can't temper the passionate love growing between them, but two men falling for each other in the middle of a war zone can't hold back the inevitable clash.
And when decades of political, religious, and personal strife finally come to a head, there will be blood.
Word 59,800; page 237
A decades-old family rivalry is reaching a boiling point as the patriarchs vie for a seat in Congress. Democrat vs Republican, Muslim vs Christian, Hashmi vs Swain — the Midwestern town of Arbor Hills is one spark away from an explosion of violence. So when two men find themselves irresistibly drawn together at a party, only to discover they were born on opposite sides of a bloody battle line, Matthew Swain and Rabi Hashmi know they should leave well enough alone.
The pull between them is magnetic, though, and it's too strong to ignore. Unable to resist, they meet again in secret. Generations of hatred can't temper the passionate love growing between them, but two men falling for each other in the middle of a war zone can't hold back the inevitable clash.
And when decades of political, religious, and personal strife finally come to a head, there will be blood.
Word 59,800; page 237
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2018
49 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Witt
218 books2,722 followersL.A. Witt and her husband have been exiled from Spain and sent to live in Maine because rhymes are fun. She now divides her time between writing, assuring people she is aware that Maine is cold, wondering where to put her next tattoo, and trying to reason with a surly Maine coon. Rumor has it her arch nemesis, Lauren Gallagher, is also somewhere in the wilds of New England, which is why L.A. is also spending a portion of her time training a team of spec ops lobsters.
Authors Ann Gallagher and Lori A. Witt have been asked to assist in lobster training, but they "have books to write" and "need to focus on our careers" and "don't you think this rivalry has gotten a little out of hand?" They're probably just helping Lauren raise her army of squirrels trained to ride moose into battle.
Visit her website at http://www.gallagherwitt.com/.
Authors Ann Gallagher and Lori A. Witt have been asked to assist in lobster training, but they "have books to write" and "need to focus on our careers" and "don't you think this rivalry has gotten a little out of hand?" They're probably just helping Lauren raise her army of squirrels trained to ride moose into battle.
Visit her website at http://www.gallagherwitt.com/.
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September 2, 2020bro who held a gun to this chick’s head and made her write this shit
November 14, 2018
4.5 stars
Man, I've missed L.A. Witt stories. I took a break for awhile from her stories, but I couldn't pass this one up, it excited me too much (especially because it said this does NOT end like R&J does.)
This did not disappoint. Rabi and Matthew had great chemistry, and while they did fall in love quickly, that is the nature of R&J, so I didn't mind - and at least it was weeks with these two and not like one or two days.
This modern retelling, and the tension between white vs. non-white, straight vs. not-straight, Christian vs. Muslim, Democrat vs. Republic, was very very believable. So much so that it made complete sense as to why it was so forbidden for Rabi and Matthew to be together.
Rabi and Matthew leave in a conservative city - and I think, a swing state overall - and with both their father's running for the senate in their state, tensions are even higher than usual, especially between the Swains and the Hashmis, and Rabi and Matthew just happen to meet a few weeks before the election.
And ya know, for all we know there are families like this out there. Tensions are already high enough as it is in general, and there are definitely people like the Swains out there, no question. Except in reality, 9/10 they aren't going to see reason and try to broker peace like the Swains eventually do in this one.
Which, really, was going to be the only way Rabi and Matthew lived and were able to be together in the end. By the Swains backing down.
I want to be fair in things, and I will say that Rabi's brother didn't make things easy, and he did have a hand in how things went down but ultimately it was the Swains who caused everything bad in this. Rabi's brother was ultimately just trying to protect his family and ya know, in America apparently the only way to do that it to fight violence with violence. I don't blame him for wanting to protect himself and his family, though. In my personal opinion more guns don't solve things, but when you're trying to protect yourself from a very real threat (and guns aren't banned as they should be...but that's a whole other discussion), that could come and kill you at any moment...yeah, I get it.
But ultimately, the Swains were filled with hate for who the Hashmis were, not anything they ever did. The Hashmis hated the Swains for what they've done. Maybe it's a tad unfair to think the worst of all the Swains (for there were Mattew, and later other Swains call for peace too), but their anger is a lot more understandable than the Swains, hand down.
Anyway, Rabi and Matthew were great together, and sweet and adorable and hot together, passionate, and experiencing falling in love, truly, for the first time in their lives. Matthew was like "Raymond who?" (I think he actually thinks that once he sees Rabi lol) just like Romeo is about Rosalind lol. This book does keep to the general outline of R&J for the most part except for the end (and more time passing) and it was really enjoyable. And also pretty damn realistic, imo.
Maybe not the family drama, but the racial tensions, the divides between parties, the hatred, and so on. I think Witt did an excellent job incorporating that into the story and shining a light on how fucked up things are in this country (not that we didn't know, but still.)
Overall, two big thumbs up from me. Definitely recommend :)
Man, I've missed L.A. Witt stories. I took a break for awhile from her stories, but I couldn't pass this one up, it excited me too much (especially because it said this does NOT end like R&J does.)
This did not disappoint. Rabi and Matthew had great chemistry, and while they did fall in love quickly, that is the nature of R&J, so I didn't mind - and at least it was weeks with these two and not like one or two days.
This modern retelling, and the tension between white vs. non-white, straight vs. not-straight, Christian vs. Muslim, Democrat vs. Republic, was very very believable. So much so that it made complete sense as to why it was so forbidden for Rabi and Matthew to be together.
Rabi and Matthew leave in a conservative city - and I think, a swing state overall - and with both their father's running for the senate in their state, tensions are even higher than usual, especially between the Swains and the Hashmis, and Rabi and Matthew just happen to meet a few weeks before the election.
And ya know, for all we know there are families like this out there. Tensions are already high enough as it is in general, and there are definitely people like the Swains out there, no question. Except in reality, 9/10 they aren't going to see reason and try to broker peace like the Swains eventually do in this one.
Which, really, was going to be the only way Rabi and Matthew lived and were able to be together in the end. By the Swains backing down.
I want to be fair in things, and I will say that Rabi's brother didn't make things easy, and he did have a hand in how things went down but ultimately it was the Swains who caused everything bad in this. Rabi's brother was ultimately just trying to protect his family and ya know, in America apparently the only way to do that it to fight violence with violence. I don't blame him for wanting to protect himself and his family, though. In my personal opinion more guns don't solve things, but when you're trying to protect yourself from a very real threat (and guns aren't banned as they should be...but that's a whole other discussion), that could come and kill you at any moment...yeah, I get it.
But ultimately, the Swains were filled with hate for who the Hashmis were, not anything they ever did. The Hashmis hated the Swains for what they've done. Maybe it's a tad unfair to think the worst of all the Swains (for there were Mattew, and later other Swains call for peace too), but their anger is a lot more understandable than the Swains, hand down.
Anyway, Rabi and Matthew were great together, and sweet and adorable and hot together, passionate, and experiencing falling in love, truly, for the first time in their lives. Matthew was like "Raymond who?" (I think he actually thinks that once he sees Rabi lol) just like Romeo is about Rosalind lol. This book does keep to the general outline of R&J for the most part except for the end (and more time passing) and it was really enjoyable. And also pretty damn realistic, imo.
Maybe not the family drama, but the racial tensions, the divides between parties, the hatred, and so on. I think Witt did an excellent job incorporating that into the story and shining a light on how fucked up things are in this country (not that we didn't know, but still.)
Overall, two big thumbs up from me. Definitely recommend :)
November 23, 2019
NOTE: I received an advance reader copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinions or the way I talk about the book.
I held out so much hope for Rabi and Matthew. I really, really wanted this to be something I could gush about and tell everyone to go read, because a queer Romeo & Juliet where the star-crossed lovers don’t meet a fatal ending? Damn, these marketers really know what the people want. It’s just a shame they didn’t actually give it to us.
I think what bothered me the most was the characters. Not a single one of them felt like a real person; they all felt like characters. I didn’t see any depth in any of them. We learn who Rabi and Matthew are based on their interactions with each other, and that’s it. Okay, so maybe that’s not quite it. Matthew has sooo much white guilt. He’s constantly apologizing without really doing anything and I kept cringing from second-hand embarrassment.
Outside of the title characters, we have Matthew’s friend Jude who’s the token black character. He pops up at convenient times to tell Matthew what’s up (including a point at the end of the book where Jude calls around the local motels looking to get a hold of Matthew?? How would that be effective in real life?) On Rabi’s end, he has his brother Eshaan, whose entire character is written to warn Rabi that the Swains and the Hashmis have this generations-long rivalry and he needs to stay away from Matthew.
Speaking of the rivalry, that’s what 90% of the book’s dialogue and narration is about. “But Ben, that’s what the book is about. Why are you being so ridiculous?” I’m glad you asked. It wouldn’t be so bad if the dialogue surrounding the absolute most major-est plot point wasn’t so repetitive. There was no back story to this rivalry. There is no progress in it (for better nor for worse) until the very end when both sides suddenly realize they should stop fighting because “Oh wait, shit, people I care about died. Let’s… back up.” I really hope this isn’t a metaphor for the US political system because oh my gosh, that’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works.
I have one more very specific complaint before I cut myself off. (I could go on so much longer picking out what I didn’t like about Rabi and Matthew.) You could add the word count of both death scenes and it still wouldn’t equal to half as long as one of the sex scenes. I know it’s a romance, and I am certainly not complaining about the sex scenes’ presence. BUT, if you’re creating a retelling of a tragedy, then your death and tragic scenes should be pretty strong, right? Well, these were almost laughably weak.
Although, I must say there have to be some redeemable qualities in this book. I’m just not sure how to explain them. Something kept me reading this even though I wanted to DNF it, set it down, and never think about it again. But no, this was a real trainwreck—I couldn’t look away as much as I wanted to. I’ve already complained about the writing, but the plot was also wild. It stays pretty true to the original plot, just with modern elements. Honestly, I was impressed by how much I could draw back to the original. Usually, retellings of works this old are so watered down, but Witt pulled actually pulled quite a few scenes from Shakespeare’s play.
Final thought: Witt was definitely going for a timely, political, queer romance with this one, but it really didn’t hit the mark. If that’s what you came here looking for, then go pick up Red, White & Royal Blue instead. You can thank me later.
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I held out so much hope for Rabi and Matthew. I really, really wanted this to be something I could gush about and tell everyone to go read, because a queer Romeo & Juliet where the star-crossed lovers don’t meet a fatal ending? Damn, these marketers really know what the people want. It’s just a shame they didn’t actually give it to us.
I think what bothered me the most was the characters. Not a single one of them felt like a real person; they all felt like characters. I didn’t see any depth in any of them. We learn who Rabi and Matthew are based on their interactions with each other, and that’s it. Okay, so maybe that’s not quite it. Matthew has sooo much white guilt. He’s constantly apologizing without really doing anything and I kept cringing from second-hand embarrassment.
Outside of the title characters, we have Matthew’s friend Jude who’s the token black character. He pops up at convenient times to tell Matthew what’s up (including a point at the end of the book where Jude calls around the local motels looking to get a hold of Matthew?? How would that be effective in real life?) On Rabi’s end, he has his brother Eshaan, whose entire character is written to warn Rabi that the Swains and the Hashmis have this generations-long rivalry and he needs to stay away from Matthew.
Speaking of the rivalry, that’s what 90% of the book’s dialogue and narration is about. “But Ben, that’s what the book is about. Why are you being so ridiculous?” I’m glad you asked. It wouldn’t be so bad if the dialogue surrounding the absolute most major-est plot point wasn’t so repetitive. There was no back story to this rivalry. There is no progress in it (for better nor for worse) until the very end when both sides suddenly realize they should stop fighting because “Oh wait, shit, people I care about died. Let’s… back up.” I really hope this isn’t a metaphor for the US political system because oh my gosh, that’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works.
I have one more very specific complaint before I cut myself off. (I could go on so much longer picking out what I didn’t like about Rabi and Matthew.) You could add the word count of both death scenes and it still wouldn’t equal to half as long as one of the sex scenes. I know it’s a romance, and I am certainly not complaining about the sex scenes’ presence. BUT, if you’re creating a retelling of a tragedy, then your death and tragic scenes should be pretty strong, right? Well, these were almost laughably weak.
Although, I must say there have to be some redeemable qualities in this book. I’m just not sure how to explain them. Something kept me reading this even though I wanted to DNF it, set it down, and never think about it again. But no, this was a real trainwreck—I couldn’t look away as much as I wanted to. I’ve already complained about the writing, but the plot was also wild. It stays pretty true to the original plot, just with modern elements. Honestly, I was impressed by how much I could draw back to the original. Usually, retellings of works this old are so watered down, but Witt pulled actually pulled quite a few scenes from Shakespeare’s play.
Final thought: Witt was definitely going for a timely, political, queer romance with this one, but it really didn’t hit the mark. If that’s what you came here looking for, then go pick up Red, White & Royal Blue instead. You can thank me later.
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November 21, 2018
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
*4.5 stars*
A long-term family rivalry between the Hashmis and the Swains forms the crux of this story. They are Democrat vs Republican, Muslim vs Christian, and when Rabi Hashmi falls head-over-heels for Matthew Swain, and vice-versa, readers know there’s going to be heartache and strife. They meet at a frat party and have to hide every moment together—from their first kiss to their eventual trip to a hotel.
What makes their love dangerous is that the strong family rivalry started years ago and erupted into violence in the past. Now that their fathers are running for a single Senate seat, it’s so much worse. Though Matthew’s father is likely to pull the votes from their small, predominately white, homophobic town, Rabi’s father stands a good chance of winning the rest of the state.
The early part of the story features the slow buildup of their relationship with both boys expressing a desire to remain virgins. Later, their feelings deepened and they made love amidst the chaos of trying to keep their relationship secret, even after the election. Actually, it’s more important then because emotions were running hot and heavy between the two families and their supporters. It’s a recipe for disaster, and when Matthew’s brothers head out to hunt for Rabi after Matthew’s father finds out and disowns him, readers will find it hard to put the book down.
I enjoyed the early part of the story when the boys were meeting in cornfields and deserted locations, but I was, nevertheless, anxious, and I kept expecting they’d be interrupted and one of them lynched during the romance scenes. That didn’t happen, thankfully, but what did happen carried the second half of the story and that was truly hair-raising and painful to witness. Exciting, frightening, interesting, scary, and emotional are just a few of the words I’d use. The author wrapped me up in the insanity and didn’t let go. The ending is not the traditional Romeo and Juliet tragic ending, and an author’s note explains why. In this instance, there’s a positive outcome—in more ways than one.
If you love a story with star-crossed lovers, family feuds, homophobia, tension, and ulcer-inducing drama, then you should definitely like this one. One word of caution in case these things are triggers: there is violence, death of a secondary character, and suicidal ideation in this story.
*4.5 stars*
A long-term family rivalry between the Hashmis and the Swains forms the crux of this story. They are Democrat vs Republican, Muslim vs Christian, and when Rabi Hashmi falls head-over-heels for Matthew Swain, and vice-versa, readers know there’s going to be heartache and strife. They meet at a frat party and have to hide every moment together—from their first kiss to their eventual trip to a hotel.
What makes their love dangerous is that the strong family rivalry started years ago and erupted into violence in the past. Now that their fathers are running for a single Senate seat, it’s so much worse. Though Matthew’s father is likely to pull the votes from their small, predominately white, homophobic town, Rabi’s father stands a good chance of winning the rest of the state.
The early part of the story features the slow buildup of their relationship with both boys expressing a desire to remain virgins. Later, their feelings deepened and they made love amidst the chaos of trying to keep their relationship secret, even after the election. Actually, it’s more important then because emotions were running hot and heavy between the two families and their supporters. It’s a recipe for disaster, and when Matthew’s brothers head out to hunt for Rabi after Matthew’s father finds out and disowns him, readers will find it hard to put the book down.
I enjoyed the early part of the story when the boys were meeting in cornfields and deserted locations, but I was, nevertheless, anxious, and I kept expecting they’d be interrupted and one of them lynched during the romance scenes. That didn’t happen, thankfully, but what did happen carried the second half of the story and that was truly hair-raising and painful to witness. Exciting, frightening, interesting, scary, and emotional are just a few of the words I’d use. The author wrapped me up in the insanity and didn’t let go. The ending is not the traditional Romeo and Juliet tragic ending, and an author’s note explains why. In this instance, there’s a positive outcome—in more ways than one.
If you love a story with star-crossed lovers, family feuds, homophobia, tension, and ulcer-inducing drama, then you should definitely like this one. One word of caution in case these things are triggers: there is violence, death of a secondary character, and suicidal ideation in this story.
January 24, 2021
This is definitely the best retelling of Romeo and Juliet I've read.
Why is it that if I have yet to have a mediocre book by LA Witt (I keep on getting them precisely because of that) is it that I constantly procrastinate reading them? I seriously enjoyed how the modern setting makes the feud even more clear. The gay twist is written in such a way in which the Romeo events intertwine with the Juliet events, which adds a bit more suspense to the events of the story and avoids the nailing either character as their Shakespearean counterparts.
Most importantly, the gays don't die people.
Why is it that if I have yet to have a mediocre book by LA Witt (I keep on getting them precisely because of that) is it that I constantly procrastinate reading them? I seriously enjoyed how the modern setting makes the feud even more clear. The gay twist is written in such a way in which the Romeo events intertwine with the Juliet events, which adds a bit more suspense to the events of the story and avoids the nailing either character as their Shakespearean counterparts.
Most importantly, the gays don't die people.
Read
October 9, 2018Available Nov 5.
November 14, 2018
Read the full review on my new blog: https://bookishtreats.wordpress.com/2...
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Riptide Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
WHAT I LIKED:
-The story deals with hate in general. Things like homophobia, xenophobia, and discrimination, things that we face every day in every part of the world. I like the fact that the book makes you think about these things. We live so surrounded by hate that sometimes it is easy to forget to fight against it. The story does let you get out from your bubble for a moment and realize how abnormal hate is and how the world would be different if people simply realized that. The political tone was lacking since the story focuses more on Rabi and Matthew’s relationship, but it was present.
-The writing was good. It was descriptive without being too detailed and it made the story fast-paced.
-The whole idea of a queer retelling of Romeo & Juliet was appealing to me. Come on, a Christian boy falling in love with a Muslim boy, whose families happen to be sworn, enemies? I was sold since I read the description.
-Rabi and Matthew’s scenes. <3<3<3 They were just so fuzzy and cute.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
-The characters lacked depth. There were no scenes where you could see how Rabi’s life was without Matthew or vice-versa, what they thought or felt other than “I love him but this is wrong but let’s do it.” Real people have a million issues all at once. They have a special someone, but they also have friends and family and school and work and a whole lot of other things that don’t revolve around that person. I don’t really know who Rabi and Matthew are. I don’t know what makes them blush (other than each other) or what they like to watch on T.V. or their favorite authors or their fears, their routines, their aspirations. Nothing other than what it has to do with their family’s quarrel. I would have liked to get to know them as human beings and not only as two people that are in a relationship.
-Which brings me to the fact that I also didn’t feel like they knew each other well. Everything in the plot moved around the fact that them being together was wrong, and it steals momentum from the story too, because when we get to the climax it is not clear why they cannot give each other up other than the fact that they say so. They say they love each other (pretty instantaneously if you ask me), but the fact that they are saying it doesn’t mean we buy it. That connection reader-character and reader-feelings were missing.
-Too repetitive. There were at least 50 pages where both characters talked about how wrong it is for them to be together, how guilty they feel, but how much they want to keep doing it. I think that space could have been used to show us meaningful scenes about their lives. We understand their relationship is forbidden. We understand without the need to read it three thousand times. Tell us more about them!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I liked this book, I think it deserves to be read just for the topics it deals with. I also read it very quickly. If you like romance, drama and diverse characters, I encourage you to read this book!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Riptide Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
WHAT I LIKED:
-The story deals with hate in general. Things like homophobia, xenophobia, and discrimination, things that we face every day in every part of the world. I like the fact that the book makes you think about these things. We live so surrounded by hate that sometimes it is easy to forget to fight against it. The story does let you get out from your bubble for a moment and realize how abnormal hate is and how the world would be different if people simply realized that. The political tone was lacking since the story focuses more on Rabi and Matthew’s relationship, but it was present.
-The writing was good. It was descriptive without being too detailed and it made the story fast-paced.
-The whole idea of a queer retelling of Romeo & Juliet was appealing to me. Come on, a Christian boy falling in love with a Muslim boy, whose families happen to be sworn, enemies? I was sold since I read the description.
-Rabi and Matthew’s scenes. <3<3<3 They were just so fuzzy and cute.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
-The characters lacked depth. There were no scenes where you could see how Rabi’s life was without Matthew or vice-versa, what they thought or felt other than “I love him but this is wrong but let’s do it.” Real people have a million issues all at once. They have a special someone, but they also have friends and family and school and work and a whole lot of other things that don’t revolve around that person. I don’t really know who Rabi and Matthew are. I don’t know what makes them blush (other than each other) or what they like to watch on T.V. or their favorite authors or their fears, their routines, their aspirations. Nothing other than what it has to do with their family’s quarrel. I would have liked to get to know them as human beings and not only as two people that are in a relationship.
-Which brings me to the fact that I also didn’t feel like they knew each other well. Everything in the plot moved around the fact that them being together was wrong, and it steals momentum from the story too, because when we get to the climax it is not clear why they cannot give each other up other than the fact that they say so. They say they love each other (pretty instantaneously if you ask me), but the fact that they are saying it doesn’t mean we buy it. That connection reader-character and reader-feelings were missing.
-Too repetitive. There were at least 50 pages where both characters talked about how wrong it is for them to be together, how guilty they feel, but how much they want to keep doing it. I think that space could have been used to show us meaningful scenes about their lives. We understand their relationship is forbidden. We understand without the need to read it three thousand times. Tell us more about them!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I liked this book, I think it deserves to be read just for the topics it deals with. I also read it very quickly. If you like romance, drama and diverse characters, I encourage you to read this book!
March 3, 2022
This is a really good Romeo and Juliet retelling. I love the choice to not bury the gays and reframe the ending as a HEA. I was worried at first that it would be a lot of "both sides are bad" politics but it goes out of it's way to really show how Matthew's family's beliefs are completely terrible. My only gripe is that I wish that there were some stronger consequences for Matthew's family's prejudice. They are given a chance to "grow" by the end without really confronting the consequences of the shit they spewed as public figures and that left me a little unsettled. I also had a bit of a challenge believing that both Rabi's and Matthew's families came around so suddenly and permanently by the ending. Both sides were going through an enormous emotional trauma to be able make a monumental proclamation like "I will get over my internalized homophobia and embrace my queer son who is in love with my enemies son" and stick with it. Also Matthew's brother coming clean about Rabi's brother's death - I can't imagine any real life racist homophobic ignorant asshat doing something like that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
As a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet, the MCs here are, of course, head over in heels in love within a week or so, but Witt does a great job making it sweet and believable. Rabi and Matthew are two kindred spirits whose devotion to and love for their familial and religious beliefs leaves them isolated and alone as gay men, and even more so when they fall in love with “the enemy.” Their joy in talking and spending time together, the fact that they have both been waiting to have sex, and their chemistry and innocent enthusiasm in holding hands and kissing is lovely and provides an even bigger contrast to the unwarranted hostility in their environment. Because they are meeting in secret and due to the extreme reactions Matthew’s family might have, the MCs are fairly isolated in their interactions with people throughout the story. When they are not together, they are mostly fending of the suspicions of Eshaan and Matthew’s parents, which becomes a bit of a repetitious loop until about halfway through the book when the action kicks into high gear. While I personally would have liked a bit more of Jude and Rabi having pleasant interactions with anyone other than Matthew, between the highly volatile atmosphere and the source material, it doesn’t detract much from the story.
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
As a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet, the MCs here are, of course, head over in heels in love within a week or so, but Witt does a great job making it sweet and believable. Rabi and Matthew are two kindred spirits whose devotion to and love for their familial and religious beliefs leaves them isolated and alone as gay men, and even more so when they fall in love with “the enemy.” Their joy in talking and spending time together, the fact that they have both been waiting to have sex, and their chemistry and innocent enthusiasm in holding hands and kissing is lovely and provides an even bigger contrast to the unwarranted hostility in their environment. Because they are meeting in secret and due to the extreme reactions Matthew’s family might have, the MCs are fairly isolated in their interactions with people throughout the story. When they are not together, they are mostly fending of the suspicions of Eshaan and Matthew’s parents, which becomes a bit of a repetitious loop until about halfway through the book when the action kicks into high gear. While I personally would have liked a bit more of Jude and Rabi having pleasant interactions with anyone other than Matthew, between the highly volatile atmosphere and the source material, it doesn’t detract much from the story.
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
November 12, 2018
I’d give this book 3.5 to 3.8 stars! Starting off, books that aren’t completely based on white characters slash white culture come few & far between so I just want to give props to the authors for including a bunch of brown boys & girls in this story. Some of the characters even had non European names & the author wrote moments about embracing different cultures. That was pretty damn cool to read. I typically despise insta-love stories BUT the author describes this book as “a queer modern retelling of Romeo & Juliet” so I went into this book expecting over the top drama & romance & insta-love characters. The insta love didn’t sneak up on me, I knew what I was getting. Rabi and Matthew are this books Romeo and Juliet and a major issue that gets in the way of them being together is the homophobia and especially the racism found in the town they live in and Matthews family is just chalk full of bigots. This book attempts to tackle those issues throughout the storyline while telling a love story. It was pretty engaging and the ending is very very emotional. (Btw this isn’t a spoiler its in the synopsis but the author promises a HEA) A complaint I have about this book is that the writing seemed repetitive. Rabi’s family and Matthews family hate each other & there were many chapters with characters just saying “we hate them” “we hate them” or the author continually telling me that they hate each other. Ok so create situations where I can see the hatred. Have better dialogue etc show me don’t just tell. it felt like the characters and or author was saying the exact same thing over and over again but worded differently each time. Regardless this is a good 2018 m/m about tolerance, intolerance, and diversity. Especially in today’s world
December 30, 2018
https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/12/...
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — This was a diverse read that felt like it was there for more than just face value. We weren’t just told that Rabi was Muslim and Pakistani, we got to see a bit of his life and some of his traditions (such as prayer on Fridays). I really appreciated that. Sometimes I worry that the diversity will be just thrown in, but not given its due, and that was not the case in this book (at least in my straight white girl opinion, take from that what you will).
I actually really enjoyed this take on Romeo & Juliet. At first I was trying to figure out which one was which, but in the end I think the different pieces of Romeo and Juliet were split between Rabi & Matthew, so that neither one was strictly Romeo or strictly Juliet. Which was kind of fun actually, and it definitely kept me on my toes! As with the original tragedy, we really don’t get to know either of our characters super well outside of their romance, which is kind of a shame. That’s one area where I wouldn’t have minded if the author had deviated. I really couldn’t tell you much about what each of them were like outside of each other. But they were both sweet boys, just trying to survive in the chaos of their families.
The romance was pretty adorable. It was definitely quick, again just like the original, but I appreciated that the author tried to spread out their courtship over a longer period. It gave the readers time to believe in the development from crush to love. I also adored how they fumbled with each other in the steamy scenes, and how things weren’t perfect…but it didn’t matter. It was just so sweet and fun and refreshing.
As for the surrounding war between the Hashmi’s and the Swain’s? That was hard to watch. There is a lot of homophobic and Islamophobic slurs in this story, so be prepared if sensitive. I also had a hard time with all the guns in this book…but that might be my Canadianness coming out. I realize that aspects of violence would need to be present in the story, but I will never understand the whole “carry a gun to feel safe” thing. Which is neither here nor there, just a personal belief. What I did appreciate was that while I didn’t always understand the changes in attitudes at the end, they were much more gradual and not complete than I was anticipating…in other words the author really tried to make it authentic. It was a shaky truce of attempted tolerance, and given how the rest of the story played out, I appreciated that it wasn’t all wrapped up in a bow. Did I believe all of it? Eh…but I definitely believed it more than I expected to!
One other thing, I loved the note at the end of the story from the author. I was okay with her change in the ending, and was expecting it given the blurb, but it was nice to have insight into why she made the decisions she made, you know?
So yeah…solid retelling with deviations. Would have liked a bit more character depth, but I did love the sweet romance.
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — This was a diverse read that felt like it was there for more than just face value. We weren’t just told that Rabi was Muslim and Pakistani, we got to see a bit of his life and some of his traditions (such as prayer on Fridays). I really appreciated that. Sometimes I worry that the diversity will be just thrown in, but not given its due, and that was not the case in this book (at least in my straight white girl opinion, take from that what you will).
I actually really enjoyed this take on Romeo & Juliet. At first I was trying to figure out which one was which, but in the end I think the different pieces of Romeo and Juliet were split between Rabi & Matthew, so that neither one was strictly Romeo or strictly Juliet. Which was kind of fun actually, and it definitely kept me on my toes! As with the original tragedy, we really don’t get to know either of our characters super well outside of their romance, which is kind of a shame. That’s one area where I wouldn’t have minded if the author had deviated. I really couldn’t tell you much about what each of them were like outside of each other. But they were both sweet boys, just trying to survive in the chaos of their families.
The romance was pretty adorable. It was definitely quick, again just like the original, but I appreciated that the author tried to spread out their courtship over a longer period. It gave the readers time to believe in the development from crush to love. I also adored how they fumbled with each other in the steamy scenes, and how things weren’t perfect…but it didn’t matter. It was just so sweet and fun and refreshing.
As for the surrounding war between the Hashmi’s and the Swain’s? That was hard to watch. There is a lot of homophobic and Islamophobic slurs in this story, so be prepared if sensitive. I also had a hard time with all the guns in this book…but that might be my Canadianness coming out. I realize that aspects of violence would need to be present in the story, but I will never understand the whole “carry a gun to feel safe” thing. Which is neither here nor there, just a personal belief. What I did appreciate was that while I didn’t always understand the changes in attitudes at the end, they were much more gradual and not complete than I was anticipating…in other words the author really tried to make it authentic. It was a shaky truce of attempted tolerance, and given how the rest of the story played out, I appreciated that it wasn’t all wrapped up in a bow. Did I believe all of it? Eh…but I definitely believed it more than I expected to!
One other thing, I loved the note at the end of the story from the author. I was okay with her change in the ending, and was expecting it given the blurb, but it was nice to have insight into why she made the decisions she made, you know?
So yeah…solid retelling with deviations. Would have liked a bit more character depth, but I did love the sweet romance.
October 24, 2018
3.5 Stars
I hate you, LA Witt. You made cry!!!
I’m kidding of course. Witt portrayed a raw, sweet, convincing, yet chilling new adult romance in this classics queered retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Frankly, the classic was not among my favorite story - not fond of tragedy in my reading - but this author never let me down before so I dove in. And once again, she delivered!
“Rabi and Matthew” set in midwestern town of Arbor Hills, a majorly Red neighborhoods, in the middle of heated Democratic vs Republic race for Senate between two family rivalries, a Moslem Pakistan-descent Hashmi and a White Christian Swain. It was an old and bloody rivalries that reached to a boiling point. When Rabi and Matthew met in a Halloween frat party, they were drawn to each other not knowing each was the member of the rival family. What followed was a series of stolen moments, secret meetings between two young men who despite the odds fell deeply to one another.
I really felt for both Rabi and Matthew and their turmoil. For Matthew, it must have been hard to live among such hatred, racism, and bigotry and loving a man targeted by that vitriol. As a Moslem, I could relate to most of what Rabi felt here, how alone he felt among his loved ones when he couldn’t live as himself. Using the young men’s POV alternately to follow the route to the inevitable tragedy, Witt deftly maneuvered through these opposing yet similar situation, cleverly played with reader’s emotion on - as in: me - on when and where things would hit the roof.
There is an issue that I felt worked for Rabi and Matthew’s predicament, yet some sort of niggle for me. For someone as young as these two MCs, they practically had no close friend to confide things. Matthew got a best friend, though he didn’t feel like sharing his deepest secret with Jude. This friend seem to blip in and out of the scene, appearing on a needed base. As for Rabi, other than the opening scene with a cousin, he didn’t seem close to anyone. The only person who pay close attention to him was his older brother Eshaan (which made the overall situation more gut-wrenching). The story so focusing on their secret affair that there were almost no other nuances here to get better sense of these guys.
Having said that, the emotional roller coaster this book brought, especially once it got to the peak of conflict... Man, I should’ve been more prepared. A box of tissue. A quiet nook to read (and sniffle). A darkened room to hide until you (as in: me) could show up sans puffy eyes. In essence, I thought Witt captured a blunt climate of hostility in current America, albeit in dramatized manner, and it was rather chilling. It was up to the rising generation to stand up and refuse the wrong norm and initiate the change. The not-fully-closed ending - while promising a long and slow healing cum beginning - could mean anything to this Arbor Hills setting story; say, a sequel or a spin-off. I wouldn’t say no to either options.
Advanced copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The last twenty-four hours had been hellish, but he’d always heard it was darkest before dawn. Maybe the sun was rising. Maybe the darkness was receding.
I hate you, LA Witt. You made cry!!!
I’m kidding of course. Witt portrayed a raw, sweet, convincing, yet chilling new adult romance in this classics queered retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Frankly, the classic was not among my favorite story - not fond of tragedy in my reading - but this author never let me down before so I dove in. And once again, she delivered!
“Rabi and Matthew” set in midwestern town of Arbor Hills, a majorly Red neighborhoods, in the middle of heated Democratic vs Republic race for Senate between two family rivalries, a Moslem Pakistan-descent Hashmi and a White Christian Swain. It was an old and bloody rivalries that reached to a boiling point. When Rabi and Matthew met in a Halloween frat party, they were drawn to each other not knowing each was the member of the rival family. What followed was a series of stolen moments, secret meetings between two young men who despite the odds fell deeply to one another.
I really felt for both Rabi and Matthew and their turmoil. For Matthew, it must have been hard to live among such hatred, racism, and bigotry and loving a man targeted by that vitriol. As a Moslem, I could relate to most of what Rabi felt here, how alone he felt among his loved ones when he couldn’t live as himself. Using the young men’s POV alternately to follow the route to the inevitable tragedy, Witt deftly maneuvered through these opposing yet similar situation, cleverly played with reader’s emotion on - as in: me - on when and where things would hit the roof.
There is an issue that I felt worked for Rabi and Matthew’s predicament, yet some sort of niggle for me. For someone as young as these two MCs, they practically had no close friend to confide things. Matthew got a best friend, though he didn’t feel like sharing his deepest secret with Jude. This friend seem to blip in and out of the scene, appearing on a needed base. As for Rabi, other than the opening scene with a cousin, he didn’t seem close to anyone. The only person who pay close attention to him was his older brother Eshaan (which made the overall situation more gut-wrenching). The story so focusing on their secret affair that there were almost no other nuances here to get better sense of these guys.
Having said that, the emotional roller coaster this book brought, especially once it got to the peak of conflict... Man, I should’ve been more prepared. A box of tissue. A quiet nook to read (and sniffle). A darkened room to hide until you (as in: me) could show up sans puffy eyes. In essence, I thought Witt captured a blunt climate of hostility in current America, albeit in dramatized manner, and it was rather chilling. It was up to the rising generation to stand up and refuse the wrong norm and initiate the change. The not-fully-closed ending - while promising a long and slow healing cum beginning - could mean anything to this Arbor Hills setting story; say, a sequel or a spin-off. I wouldn’t say no to either options.
Advanced copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2018
"Enough queer lovers have died on the page and on the screen.
But not today."
-LA Witt
I love that!
Here's a "modern day" "Romeo and Juliet" story, only it's also not. We all (at least I hope we all do) know the ending of that tragedy that was R&J... The author took the idea, but gave this queer couple a happy ending.
This story is very political and just like the old story, very violent, there's even a costume party! :) That's really all the two have in common though.
I loved Rabi and Matthew together. The entire time I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. You just knew something bad was going to happen because it was going SO good. The only part that kind of threw me off was, it seemed like Matthew's family changed their tune rather quickly. You don't go from a lifetime of hatred and bigotry to an afternoon of violence that suddenly changes your mind. Granted, it was pretty violent, and maybe IRL it would, but it is also fiction, so I have to keep that in mind.
Going into this knowing it is a form of a retelling with a twist, you'll be prepared for the situations that happen. If you've never read or seen R&J, then I'd suggest maybe at least watching the Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes version for some background (I personally am not a Shakespeare reader and that movie was my jam when I was like 13..and now I want to watch it)
3.5* for Rabi & Matthew
But not today."
-LA Witt
I love that!
Here's a "modern day" "Romeo and Juliet" story, only it's also not. We all (at least I hope we all do) know the ending of that tragedy that was R&J... The author took the idea, but gave this queer couple a happy ending.
This story is very political and just like the old story, very violent, there's even a costume party! :) That's really all the two have in common though.
I loved Rabi and Matthew together. The entire time I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. You just knew something bad was going to happen because it was going SO good. The only part that kind of threw me off was, it seemed like Matthew's family changed their tune rather quickly. You don't go from a lifetime of hatred and bigotry to an afternoon of violence that suddenly changes your mind. Granted, it was pretty violent, and maybe IRL it would, but it is also fiction, so I have to keep that in mind.
Going into this knowing it is a form of a retelling with a twist, you'll be prepared for the situations that happen. If you've never read or seen R&J, then I'd suggest maybe at least watching the Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes version for some background (I personally am not a Shakespeare reader and that movie was my jam when I was like 13..and now I want to watch it)
3.5* for Rabi & Matthew
June 3, 2023
If you like Romeo and Juliet and make it queer, with well not the same ending.
Then this is the book for you!
Honestly? This was just...so good. I don`t know. Holy heckin' heck, alot happend at the 60% mark, and made me hold my breath. I was so close to getting mad at the author because they promised a different ending, but boy. Phew! This bookworm is a happy bookworm!
I don`t really know what to say.. it was just.. so good? Like we got to understand and get to know both Rabi and Matthew, their families and how their lives was - and how hard they fell for each other as well.
Alot of it was cheesy, but there was also racism, death, tension, drama... it was so much...it broke my heart a few times too.
Then this is the book for you!
Honestly? This was just...so good. I don`t know. Holy heckin' heck, alot happend at the 60% mark, and made me hold my breath. I was so close to getting mad at the author because they promised a different ending, but boy. Phew! This bookworm is a happy bookworm!
I don`t really know what to say.. it was just.. so good? Like we got to understand and get to know both Rabi and Matthew, their families and how their lives was - and how hard they fell for each other as well.
Alot of it was cheesy, but there was also racism, death, tension, drama... it was so much...it broke my heart a few times too.
January 6, 2019
I was instantly intrigued by the idea of a contemporary version of Romeo and Juliet, especially one that was a romance and not a tragedy. Of course, I also knew Miss Witt would make her characters work for their happy ending. Overall, I really enjoyed Rabi and Matthew. The writing was crisp, the plot interesting and timely, and the building tension between the two families palpable. I was especially impressed with how raw the moments of conflict left me, proving just how much emotion the author wrung out of the story.
From a romantic standpoint, I didn’t quite feel as much of a connection as I typically do with this author’s work. I’m not sure if that comes from the story featuring relatively innocent new adults, or if it was that the aggressive energy coming from other parts of the story minimized their love connection. Young adult/ new adult is generally not a favorite trope of mine because the wide-eyed innocence often frustrates me. The author definitely captured that and moved the romance- especially physically- along to reflect their inexperience. However, Rabi and Matthew was such a pertinent story highlighting the senseless clash of religion and races and the harm those prejudices can create long-term, that I’m glad I didn’t pass this one up.
*eARC provided via Netgalley. The author and publisher had no influence over this review*
From a romantic standpoint, I didn’t quite feel as much of a connection as I typically do with this author’s work. I’m not sure if that comes from the story featuring relatively innocent new adults, or if it was that the aggressive energy coming from other parts of the story minimized their love connection. Young adult/ new adult is generally not a favorite trope of mine because the wide-eyed innocence often frustrates me. The author definitely captured that and moved the romance- especially physically- along to reflect their inexperience. However, Rabi and Matthew was such a pertinent story highlighting the senseless clash of religion and races and the harm those prejudices can create long-term, that I’m glad I didn’t pass this one up.
*eARC provided via Netgalley. The author and publisher had no influence over this review*
October 28, 2018
A retelling of Romeo & Juliet, Rabi and Matthew is a m/m emotional, raw story. The struggle is real, the characters portrayal is convincing and the storyline compelling. I enjoyed this rendition and this author is fast becoming a must read for me with her unique take and portrayal of her stories and characters
September 22, 2021
Was not a fan of that Disney-esque resolution. It just didn't feel believable that people with so much deep rooted prejudice and hate in them would change their minds that quickly. But overall it was an okay read (listen).
January 2, 2025
I enjoyed L.A. Witt's retelling of Romeo and Juliet in Rabi and Matthew. They've updated the story for the modern times, and there's a hopeful note at the end.
The audio version of Rabi and Matthew is beautifully narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo. He delivers an emotional performance.
The audio version of Rabi and Matthew is beautifully narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo. He delivers an emotional performance.
Want to read
October 14, 2018Yeah...
I'm totally going to read this.
I'm totally going to read this.
November 26, 2018
I can honestly say, since the year's almost over, that Rabi and Matthew is one of the hardest books I've read this year. My initial reaction when I finished... "Gotta admit... this was NOT an easy one to read, but there are also a LOT of people I'd love to recommend it to. <3 " For the record, that opinion still stands.
Although there were elements of prejudice on both sides in Rabi and Matthew, Matthew's family set the bar for way too many people in the community. Matthew saw beyond the hate that his family lived by and not just for the obvious reasons. He was way more enlightened than the rest of his family. No one really knew him except for his best friend and they protected each other's secrets. Even so, his friend didn't understand the attraction to Rabi of all people. It was a dangerous attraction, but love is love and the hate had to end somewhere.
There was a price to pay though and it took something drastic to make everyone come to their collective senses. The only real issue I had with this book at all was how things kind of wrapped themselves up at the end. I'm not complaining though. I spent most of the book just waiting for the worst to happen... Rabi and Matthew didn't exactly end with a perfect HEA, but it was close. In the end there was hope for the next generation between these families...
I received Rabi and Matthew in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Although there were elements of prejudice on both sides in Rabi and Matthew, Matthew's family set the bar for way too many people in the community. Matthew saw beyond the hate that his family lived by and not just for the obvious reasons. He was way more enlightened than the rest of his family. No one really knew him except for his best friend and they protected each other's secrets. Even so, his friend didn't understand the attraction to Rabi of all people. It was a dangerous attraction, but love is love and the hate had to end somewhere.
There was a price to pay though and it took something drastic to make everyone come to their collective senses. The only real issue I had with this book at all was how things kind of wrapped themselves up at the end. I'm not complaining though. I spent most of the book just waiting for the worst to happen... Rabi and Matthew didn't exactly end with a perfect HEA, but it was close. In the end there was hope for the next generation between these families...
I received Rabi and Matthew in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 8, 2020
This book had surprisingly little depth. The characters were just that: characters. There wasn't any reason given for the fued, Rabi and Matthew's love was so quick we didn't even really see what they saw in each other.
Also, at the end, when Matthew's family was spouting racist BS, I was rolling my eyes at how contrived it was. Also, the big final confrontation just felt so...over the top.
Also, at the end, when Matthew's family was spouting racist BS, I was rolling my eyes at how contrived it was. Also, the big final confrontation just felt so...over the top.
December 20, 2020
Such a disappointment the was no development of this love story I did not feel or really care for the story because that.
January 31, 2019
The Story
This novel follows Rabi Hashmi and Matthew Swain who meet one night at a party and end up falling in love. Simple enough story. Well, not really. What makes this story interesting is the decades-old rivalry between the two families as their two fathers run against each other in the election for a seat in Congress. What we have here is Democrat vs. Republican, Muslim vs. Christian and years and years of mistrust and hatred between the families.
Rabi and Matthew know that their love will not be without its challenges, that falling in love with each other in the middle of a war that has the potential of turning bloody is probably not the wisest thing. But they can’t resist the attraction and the feelings that grow between them and decide to take a chance. They meet in secret, often heading out of town in order to lower the risk of running into someone who could report back to their families.
Little did they know, however, that the pot had reached its boiling point, and hatred along with escalating racial tensions now threaten everything they hold dear…and not everyone may end up a happily ever after.
A Queer Romeo & Juliet
I loved the entire premise of a queer telling of Romeo & Juliet, with a white Christian boy from a racist Republican family falling in love with a Pakistani Muslim boy from a Democrat family, with both families obsessed with their hatred. The author expertly handled the storyline, and I was impressed with the clever parallels with Romeo & Juliet.
I also give the author extra points for not stereotyping our main characters as either Romeo or Juliet. Neither one of them fit those roles, for which I was grateful. Now I will say that there is definitely some Insta-Love going on here, but given that it’s a retelling of the classic Romeo and Juliet, I could overlook it. I thought their whirlwind romance was tender and sweet, with there being a powerful chemistry between them. It was a joy seeing the two of them fall deeper in love with each other, in spite of the dangers from everyone around there.
A Plethora of Themes
There are so many interesting themes that run through this novel: racism, hatred, gun violence, violence in general, xenophobia (particularly Islamophobia), homophobia, and politics to name a few. There are some scenes in the book that are absolute insanity, with the hatred, bigotry, and violence overtaking all semblance of reason.
So that being said, this story had plenty of edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting drama that gripped me and held me until the emotional ending. This is the kind of book that takes your heart, tosses it into a blender and then slowly puts it back together at the end; though I will say that the journey was exhilarating.
Remember…It’s A Love Story
Now, it’s important to remember that this novel, though it may not seem like it at times, is a romance and not a tragedy like Romeo and Juliet. That’s not to say that horrible things don’t happen in the story, because they do. But ultimately, this is a love story, and though the characters don’t end up with perhaps an ideal happily-ever-after, the ending is perfect in light of the events that take place in the book, so in this way, it was a satisfying conclusion.
Verdict
Rabi and Matthew was one heck of a rollercoaster ride, one for which you might want to have a tissue nearby. There are a lot of intense scenes and heavy topics in the book, and at times, it is difficult to read. But ultimately, I ended up loving this emotionally satisfying story, and I found myself tearfully be rooting for our two heroes as chaos erupted all around them. I thought the novel was well-crafted and deeply engaging, with even a twist or two to keep things interesting. Recommended!
My full review is posted on my blog at rogersreads.com
This novel follows Rabi Hashmi and Matthew Swain who meet one night at a party and end up falling in love. Simple enough story. Well, not really. What makes this story interesting is the decades-old rivalry between the two families as their two fathers run against each other in the election for a seat in Congress. What we have here is Democrat vs. Republican, Muslim vs. Christian and years and years of mistrust and hatred between the families.
Rabi and Matthew know that their love will not be without its challenges, that falling in love with each other in the middle of a war that has the potential of turning bloody is probably not the wisest thing. But they can’t resist the attraction and the feelings that grow between them and decide to take a chance. They meet in secret, often heading out of town in order to lower the risk of running into someone who could report back to their families.
Little did they know, however, that the pot had reached its boiling point, and hatred along with escalating racial tensions now threaten everything they hold dear…and not everyone may end up a happily ever after.
A Queer Romeo & Juliet
I loved the entire premise of a queer telling of Romeo & Juliet, with a white Christian boy from a racist Republican family falling in love with a Pakistani Muslim boy from a Democrat family, with both families obsessed with their hatred. The author expertly handled the storyline, and I was impressed with the clever parallels with Romeo & Juliet.
I also give the author extra points for not stereotyping our main characters as either Romeo or Juliet. Neither one of them fit those roles, for which I was grateful. Now I will say that there is definitely some Insta-Love going on here, but given that it’s a retelling of the classic Romeo and Juliet, I could overlook it. I thought their whirlwind romance was tender and sweet, with there being a powerful chemistry between them. It was a joy seeing the two of them fall deeper in love with each other, in spite of the dangers from everyone around there.
A Plethora of Themes
There are so many interesting themes that run through this novel: racism, hatred, gun violence, violence in general, xenophobia (particularly Islamophobia), homophobia, and politics to name a few. There are some scenes in the book that are absolute insanity, with the hatred, bigotry, and violence overtaking all semblance of reason.
So that being said, this story had plenty of edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting drama that gripped me and held me until the emotional ending. This is the kind of book that takes your heart, tosses it into a blender and then slowly puts it back together at the end; though I will say that the journey was exhilarating.
Remember…It’s A Love Story
Now, it’s important to remember that this novel, though it may not seem like it at times, is a romance and not a tragedy like Romeo and Juliet. That’s not to say that horrible things don’t happen in the story, because they do. But ultimately, this is a love story, and though the characters don’t end up with perhaps an ideal happily-ever-after, the ending is perfect in light of the events that take place in the book, so in this way, it was a satisfying conclusion.
Verdict
Rabi and Matthew was one heck of a rollercoaster ride, one for which you might want to have a tissue nearby. There are a lot of intense scenes and heavy topics in the book, and at times, it is difficult to read. But ultimately, I ended up loving this emotionally satisfying story, and I found myself tearfully be rooting for our two heroes as chaos erupted all around them. I thought the novel was well-crafted and deeply engaging, with even a twist or two to keep things interesting. Recommended!
My full review is posted on my blog at rogersreads.com
November 5, 2018
Since I saw the gorgeous cover and got blurbed this as queer retelling of Romeo and Juliet with huge possibility for ending that won't rip my heart out, I was ready for it. Rabi and Matthew surely delivers that; contemporary retelling with decades long conflict between warring families and tragic events, but no burying the gays.
Rabi and Matthew has the same fast paced, addicting, and captivating feel as the movie has. The difference is that this dives into more the families and makes the feud very contemporary and very American; it's Democrat versus Republican, Muslim versus Christian. It's very polarizing, which I didn't mind because it fits the storyline and adds tension and drama. It's easy to get lost in Rabi and Matthew, the whirlwind romance, secrets and hiding, and dreaming of better tomorrow. The main characters are also very likable: Matthew wants to escape his family's racism and hate and he's kind and tender where his family is obnoxious and loud in their hate. Rabi wants to escape the small town that's so full on hate for him just because who he is. They both have the ability to see past their surnames and past decades of feud that started before either one was born. And Jude, Matthew's friend, is absolutely hilarious. I certainly wished there'd been more of him.
Rabi and Matthew is an addicting and captivating story, and it's a fast read. It's interesting to see Witt's take on Romeo and Juliet, although the end notes acknowledge that the original play wasn't romance like the retelling is. There are plenty of differences, but it's only a good thing and worked for the story. I do think that Rabi and Matthew could have been a bit longer, just to flesh out things more and spend more time building Rabi and Matthew's relationship. As it is, it's very much definition for whirlwind and while that's alright, it could have been improved.
In any way, if you're looking for a fast paced romance or a good retelling, I recommend this one.
(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)
Rabi and Matthew has the same fast paced, addicting, and captivating feel as the movie has. The difference is that this dives into more the families and makes the feud very contemporary and very American; it's Democrat versus Republican, Muslim versus Christian. It's very polarizing, which I didn't mind because it fits the storyline and adds tension and drama. It's easy to get lost in Rabi and Matthew, the whirlwind romance, secrets and hiding, and dreaming of better tomorrow. The main characters are also very likable: Matthew wants to escape his family's racism and hate and he's kind and tender where his family is obnoxious and loud in their hate. Rabi wants to escape the small town that's so full on hate for him just because who he is. They both have the ability to see past their surnames and past decades of feud that started before either one was born. And Jude, Matthew's friend, is absolutely hilarious. I certainly wished there'd been more of him.
Rabi and Matthew is an addicting and captivating story, and it's a fast read. It's interesting to see Witt's take on Romeo and Juliet, although the end notes acknowledge that the original play wasn't romance like the retelling is. There are plenty of differences, but it's only a good thing and worked for the story. I do think that Rabi and Matthew could have been a bit longer, just to flesh out things more and spend more time building Rabi and Matthew's relationship. As it is, it's very much definition for whirlwind and while that's alright, it could have been improved.
In any way, if you're looking for a fast paced romance or a good retelling, I recommend this one.
(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)
June 3, 2020
Rabi and Matthew is a modern queer retelling of Rome an Julia. Already in the description you get to know that the main characters will survive though, because enough gays have been buried in books and on the screen.
That information doesn’t take away from the suspense though because I got still pretty scared for their safety.
So, there are two families Hashmi and Swain who are in a decade long rivalry but now the tension is rising up as the two fathers are running against each other for a seat in Congress.
After meeting at a party Rabi and Matthew are falling in love instantly but need to keep seeing each other in secret because if their families found out it would lead to violence.
Although it was cute and all it was pretty plain for the most chunk of the book because except for worrying about their families they don’t talk about much so they seem pretty two dimensional.
What I really liked though was their first-time having sex. They don’t want to rush into it so they agree to wait. And when they do it’s all awkward and funny at first, till they find each other. That was quite charming. Their second time having sex was weird for me.
The best part of this book was how it dealt with hate. Racism, homophobia and islamophobia. It shows you how much this deep-rooted hate can ruin families and communities and what is possible if we start to stand up against it.
That information doesn’t take away from the suspense though because I got still pretty scared for their safety.
So, there are two families Hashmi and Swain who are in a decade long rivalry but now the tension is rising up as the two fathers are running against each other for a seat in Congress.
After meeting at a party Rabi and Matthew are falling in love instantly but need to keep seeing each other in secret because if their families found out it would lead to violence.
Although it was cute and all it was pretty plain for the most chunk of the book because except for worrying about their families they don’t talk about much so they seem pretty two dimensional.
What I really liked though was their first-time having sex. They don’t want to rush into it so they agree to wait. And when they do it’s all awkward and funny at first, till they find each other. That was quite charming. Their second time having sex was weird for me.
He couldn’t hate a Hashmi when it was so easy to love one.
The best part of this book was how it dealt with hate. Racism, homophobia and islamophobia. It shows you how much this deep-rooted hate can ruin families and communities and what is possible if we start to stand up against it.
November 4, 2018
4 Stars
Review by Lisa
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
In this M/M retelling of the classic, Romeo and Juliet, L. A. Witt has a twist. I love this author's unexpected take with this story line. There is so much that goes along with it. Families at war, politics, religion, racism, small mindedness and small town business. It is a lot for two people finding each other and trying to figure life out. It is so well written that you can't help but root for Rabi and Matthew. However, as your read, you just know things are not going to be easy and you wait for that moment in the story that will happen and alter it.
I don't want to give too much away with this story. I feel like if I mention outside the caption/heading it will give away the story.. So I'm not going to divulge anything from the actual story line.
That being said, I did enjoy this story. In the end, the twists that come are well done. The conflicts of life are written tastefully and as result, you will be ok with all that stuff that comes along with "talking" politics/religion.
***ARC received in exchange for an honest review ***
Review by Lisa
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
In this M/M retelling of the classic, Romeo and Juliet, L. A. Witt has a twist. I love this author's unexpected take with this story line. There is so much that goes along with it. Families at war, politics, religion, racism, small mindedness and small town business. It is a lot for two people finding each other and trying to figure life out. It is so well written that you can't help but root for Rabi and Matthew. However, as your read, you just know things are not going to be easy and you wait for that moment in the story that will happen and alter it.
I don't want to give too much away with this story. I feel like if I mention outside the caption/heading it will give away the story.. So I'm not going to divulge anything from the actual story line.
That being said, I did enjoy this story. In the end, the twists that come are well done. The conflicts of life are written tastefully and as result, you will be ok with all that stuff that comes along with "talking" politics/religion.
***ARC received in exchange for an honest review ***
July 21, 2019
Well, this is one of those books where you are always waiting for the hammer to fall.
In the start we hear lots of bigoted thoughts, comments and deeds - mostly and most intensely from the Swains. This is quite disturbing in itself and in the fact that people think this way still.
Matthew and Rabi are at college and meet at a party but soon manage to forge time together.
Jude is a good friend but also reckless. They all need to leave town!!!!
The fathers campaigns form another early backdrop and the result does raise issues of repercusiions. And this is where the hammer drops. More inciting comments from Swain senior sets off a horrible chain of events. I could feel the frustration of the Hashmi’s as whatever and whoever started it, no fair handling was ever going to take place.
Ultimately the love of Rabi and Matthew remains strong and they do end up taking a stand for calm, decency and themselves - though not without consequences.
I did enjoy, though this was largely tinged with frustration about the bigotry, it did make me annoyed with circumstances and it did get me teary.
In the start we hear lots of bigoted thoughts, comments and deeds - mostly and most intensely from the Swains. This is quite disturbing in itself and in the fact that people think this way still.
Matthew and Rabi are at college and meet at a party but soon manage to forge time together.
Jude is a good friend but also reckless. They all need to leave town!!!!
The fathers campaigns form another early backdrop and the result does raise issues of repercusiions. And this is where the hammer drops. More inciting comments from Swain senior sets off a horrible chain of events. I could feel the frustration of the Hashmi’s as whatever and whoever started it, no fair handling was ever going to take place.
Ultimately the love of Rabi and Matthew remains strong and they do end up taking a stand for calm, decency and themselves - though not without consequences.
I did enjoy, though this was largely tinged with frustration about the bigotry, it did make me annoyed with circumstances and it did get me teary.
April 19, 2020
Okay so a queer retelling of Shakespeare should be entirely up my alley since 1. queer, 2. Shakespeare. However, this book leaves a lot to be desired. My main issue is the characters, I have no idea who they are, what drives they have, or what interests they have. The only thing I know about Rabi is that he is 1. Muslim, 2. a Hashmi, 3. loves Matthew. That is it! And the same goes for Matthew: 1. Christian, 2. a Swain, 3. loves Rabi. THIS IS IT.
I think this book has great potential to get 5 stars but the possessiveness of the relationship and characterization of them makes it only a 2 star read. There are also two deaths in this book and I don't know the characters well enough to be affected by their death scenes. I think if L. A. Witt had successfully given the characters personalities to make us as readers know who they are, this issue would be fixed. But as it is, the characters are flat, the only drives are either 1. love (Rabi and Matthew) or 2. Maintain the rivalry (the rest of the Hashmis and Swains) which brings me to my next issue: the rivalry. What started the rivalry? Why are they still rivals? I need more than "Hashmis are Muslims and Swains are racists."
I think this book has great potential to get 5 stars but the possessiveness of the relationship and characterization of them makes it only a 2 star read. There are also two deaths in this book and I don't know the characters well enough to be affected by their death scenes. I think if L. A. Witt had successfully given the characters personalities to make us as readers know who they are, this issue would be fixed. But as it is, the characters are flat, the only drives are either 1. love (Rabi and Matthew) or 2. Maintain the rivalry (the rest of the Hashmis and Swains) which brings me to my next issue: the rivalry. What started the rivalry? Why are they still rivals? I need more than "Hashmis are Muslims and Swains are racists."
November 26, 2020
Rabi and Matthew are, for all intents & purposes, two people who really shouldn’t be together, with regards to their family backgrounds. However, it seems that despite their families & differences, they have a lot more in common than one would think.
I found it really difficult to see their connection in their initial meeting... I went back & reread this part a couple of times & I just didn’t see it. Their next meeting, though, that felt real.
They end up getting together until it becomes quite serious, despite how this would betray each of their families, & how this actually puts them in danger (because of events that happened in the past).
I have read many stories by this author & I know how it generally pans out. While I saw all the events unfolding here, there was a lot more violence than usual which made me wonder how it would end. It pushed the boundaries of how she usually writes.
I loved the author’s note at the end, describing how this story was similar yet different from the Romeo & Juliet story. I agree...
“Enough queer people have died on page & on screen. But not today.”
<3
I found it really difficult to see their connection in their initial meeting... I went back & reread this part a couple of times & I just didn’t see it. Their next meeting, though, that felt real.
They end up getting together until it becomes quite serious, despite how this would betray each of their families, & how this actually puts them in danger (because of events that happened in the past).
I have read many stories by this author & I know how it generally pans out. While I saw all the events unfolding here, there was a lot more violence than usual which made me wonder how it would end. It pushed the boundaries of how she usually writes.
I loved the author’s note at the end, describing how this story was similar yet different from the Romeo & Juliet story. I agree...
“Enough queer people have died on page & on screen. But not today.”
<3
July 11, 2019
I really love L. A. Witt for taking this subject and being so honest about it. It is sensitive and political issue but never once while reading the book did I think that she was biased. AND she did her research well done. The names were right, the language was right, everything was right.
Rabi and Mathew were good together. Yes, the characters lacked depth. But that's not my issue.
I only think that people who have so much hate within them can't change just like that. If someone hates every minority including gays and Muslims, they just don't change because of a speech. I could have taken Nate, but not all of them. I realize that it was meant to be a happy ending and I really love them, but it was not realistic how they all saw the light.
Rabi and Mathew were good together. Yes, the characters lacked depth. But that's not my issue.
I only think that people who have so much hate within them can't change just like that. If someone hates every minority including gays and Muslims, they just don't change because of a speech. I could have taken Nate, but not all of them. I realize that it was meant to be a happy ending and I really love them, but it was not realistic how they all saw the light.
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