The Hopes and Triumphs of the Amir Sisters

Amir Sisters #3

by Nadiya Hussain

*********************************** Mae has watched as her three older sisters have gone through the process of finding their place in the world and faced the challenges of parenthood head on. Now ready to spread her wings beyond her close-knit family, Mae is ready to take the world by storm. But a series of events will shake the strong self-belief Mae has always had in herself and will leave her questioning where it is she really fits in. The Amir sisters will need to draw on all the love they have for each other, if they are going to navigate the challenges life has to throw at them and help Mae along the path to self-discovery. *********************************** ‘Absolutely amazing’ ‘A delightful and insightful story’ ‘Excellent, heartwarming family drama’ ‘I couldn’t put this book down’ ‘A beautiful story about family bonds and sisters’

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Family Drama, Contemporary

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2020

About the author

Nadiya Hussain is a British baker, columnist, author and television presenter. The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters is her debut novel.

Hussain was born to a British Bangladeshi family in Luton, where she grew up. She developed her interest in cooking while at school and largely self-educated herself in cooking by reading recipe books and watching instructional videos on YouTube. She married and moved to Leeds, where she began studying for an Open University degree. In 2015 she appeared on the BBC's The Great British Bake Off and won the contest. She was subsequently invited to produce a cake for the 90th birthday celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II and to present her own BBC documentary, The Chronicles of Nadiya.

Hussain is a columnist for The Times Magazine and Essentials magazine, has signed publishing deals with Penguin Random House, Hodder Children's Books, and Harlequin. She is also a regular reporter for The One Show and a guest panellist on Loose Women. Hussain was named by Debrett's as one of the 500 most influential people in the UK in 2016. Hussain was on BBC News' 100 Women list in 2016.

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ Heart Warming, Compelling and Poignant, A Must Read!

THE HOPES AND TRIUMPHS OF THE AMIR SISTERS is a heart warming and poignant story about family, fitting in, finding oneself, courage and the trials and tribulations of adult life.

This book is part of a series, however it is my first book and can be read as a standalone perfectly well.

In this part of the series we meet Mae, the youngest of the Amir Sisters
Mae is currently at uni and struggling to fit in and find herself.
She doesn't always feel valued or appreciated by her family, she feels like she has let them down when her choices in life don't always live up to their beliefs and expectations.

Mae decides it's time she lives her own life, but as she quickly finds out it can be really daunting and not easy. We follow Mae as she explores her sexuality, deals with her family dramas, religion, culture, beliefs, making friends, uni and finding herself.

It was wonderful to get an insight into Mae's world and her trials and tribulations, I really warmed to her character, she was kind, thoughtful, a little naive at times but that was partly to do with age.

THE HOPES AND TRIUMPHS OF THE AMIR SISTERS is a heart warming, compelling and poignant read that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
The pace flowed along beautifully, it was an easy read to get engrossed in.
I loved the characters, they was wonderfully written and believable.
There are some sensitive subjects which Nadiya handles them with the right amount of sensitivity to still make an impact.
I just also want to take a moment to mention just how much I love the book cover. It's eye catching and represents the Amir Sisters beautifully.

Would I recommend reading this Gorgeous Book..... without a doubt......Yes!
I can't wait to read the other books and get to know the rest of the Amir Sisters more!

Thank you to HQ Stories for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.




My Review is also on my Blog Website :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...

[Ivana - Diary of Difference · Rating 3 out of 5]

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The Hopes and Triumphs of the Amir Sisters by Nadiya Hussain was on my TBR, but I didn’t have the paperback version of the book yet. When I noticed there is an audiobook available from my library, I decided to go ahead and listen to it while I was solving my jigsaw puzzle.

The Hopes and Triumphs of the Amir Sister is the third book in a series that features the Amir sisters. In this book the spotlight is on Mae, the youngest sister of them all. I haven’t read the other two books, but I hope they are better than this one.

Mae was a very annoying character.

And the fact that she was the main character in this book was probably the main reason I didn’t enjoy listening to this book. She has grown up watching her sisters be in the spotlight, living their lives, getting married, having children. She has always been there to help them with everything they might need, because that is her responsibility as their sister.

When Mae heads to university, she fails to fit into any group and make friends. Whenever she goes home and tries to talk about her university life, her stories are lost to the more important stories of her sisters and their babies. Mae feels angry and upset, which leads to her making some decisions that are perhaps unlike her, and also hide some important news from the whole family.

I think the whole family had many issues as a whole, and each individual member had problems on their own.

It is possible that I have never read about a more dysfunctional family that doesn’t work together, but pretends it does. I have seen families that just accept the fact that something is wrong. But this family just keeps going in this weird direction, and it made me uncomfortable throughout the whole journey.

The book in itself handles a lot of sensitive topics, such as sexual advances, public shaming on social media when women put makeup on the train, racism, sexuality, religion, cultural beliefs etc. I felt that this was the only bright spot in the book, to make the readers aware of what is happening, and how some characters respond to it.

Mae was the character I couldn’t relate to the most. Her thoughts and opinions, her way of seeing life was just something I did not agree with. I can understand that she might have been living in a bubble her whole life before moving to university. However, to be so unaware of the outside world and the people around it was just beyond me. I couldn’t agree with how she accepted defeat as something that comes to her by default, and how she was so uninterested to do anything that can make her happier. Refusing to improve in any way is a big character flaw, and I cannot agree with it.

Honestly, I did not enjoy The Hopes and Triumphs of the Amir Sisters.

I am not sure why, but there was so much unnecessary drama, without any real reasoning behind it. Perhaps the fact that I consumed this book as an audiobook has something to do with it as well. The narrator’s voice was really annoying and high-pitched.

The ending was average and very predictable. I didn’t feel as if the characters actually learnt anything in particular about themselves or each other. In conclusion, this book was not for me and I didn’t enjoy it.

[Dina_s · Rating 2 out of 5]

The final instalment in the trilogy, only this time focussing on the young Mae and not as feel good, and a little moralising. Mae is ready to spread her wings and fly, but is ridiculously naive, her sisters are terribly self absorbed and have no clue about Mae's struggles navigating college and relationships. Her sexual awakening is handled rather clumsily by the author, and there is a rather disturbing storyline that is written as a love interest that doesn't pan out, but in my eyes comes across as grooming and control. Weird.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of The Hopes And Triumphs Of The Amir Sisters by Nadiya Hussain.
Posted on January 23, 2020 by Sue

I didn’t realise that this book was part of a series, but that said, it is a very good stand-alone book. I didn’t feel the two previous books had to be read in order for the storyline to make sense.

This particular book centres on the youngest of the Amir sisters, Mae. Mae is coming home for the holidays, excited to see her family as she has been at University. Her brother-in-law is supposed to be picking her up, only he isn’t there when Mae exits the train.

Feeling a little deflated that her family seem to have forgotten about her, Mae does what she always does and cracks a joke about what has just happened.

The family seem to have evolved in her absence and Mae feels extremely left out. Trying to get the attention of her family whilst at home isn’t working, so Mae decides to go back to Uni early. She feels really hurt by her family’s lack of interest in her life at Uni and a few tears start to escape when she’s on the train heading back.

After her crying bout on the train she decides to put her make-up on. Her attention is drawn to a man sitting opposite her and at first she thinks he is flirting with her, but it soon becomes apparent he is acting in a creepy manner.

A few days later she discovers that the man from the train had secretly filmed her putting her make-up on and had posted the video onto social media, commenting about how women think they are entitled to do these things and so on. Mae is horrified to find that the video has gone viral and that there are so many negative comments about her.

Feeling alone and hurt she decides to go to a bar to have some fun. After having too many drinks she is dancing on the dance floor when a young man starts grinding his body against hers. Unbeknownst to Mae he has also spiked her drink.

They go outside and luckily for Mae a couple of young women save her from the potential attacker. But Mae remembers nothing of this as she has started to black out due to the drugs.

One of the young women, Ji Su takes her back to her dorm and stays with her to make sure she is OK. The next day a friendship between the two develops and they soon become inseparable. Mae hasn’t really been putting the work in for her course but with the help of her new found friend she begins to study.

By the end of the year Mae’s lack of effort for her studies is showing and it emerges that she has failed her first year. To make things worse she has also had a falling out with Ji Su. She was supposed to be moving in with Ji Su for the summer but has to go home as the two friends are not speaking.

Once home she is too ashamed to tell her family the truth about her failure. Her parents had paid for her first year at Uni and she worries what they will say when they learn of her failure. She is determined to pay them back and decides to get a job. She finds work at a local amusement park, her role is the back end of horse! In this role she meets Abdul-Raheem and they hit it off immediately. A romance blossoms but she isn’t certain where it can lead.

Abdul-Raheem is a black muslim and Mae is worried about her family’s reaction. They are Bengali and are very set in their ways. Mae keeps her relationship a secret from her family as she doesn’t want a scene. Nor does she want Abdul-Raheem to be insulted or hurt by the way her family will react to him.

But one evening when she is babysitting for her sisters she finds she needs Abdul-Raheem’s help. He comes over and helps her with Zoya, her niece, who has been a little unwell. But unbeknownst to them Mae’s step-nephew, who has a crush on Mae, has witnessed Abdul-Raheem in the house with Mae and he blows her secret by informing the family that Mae has a man round at her sisters house.

The whole family turn up and what happens next is an ugly scene where her parents are racially abusive to Abdul-Raheem. Once he has left there is a huge argument which ends with Mae leaving and going in search of her boyfriend. He lets her spend the night, but he refuses to engage in anything physical as he is a devout Muslim and to have a sexual relationship with her would go against his religious beliefs.

The argument almost tears the family apart, their opinions of every aspect of Mae’s life are quite extreme, but none more so than how they reacted to her involvement with Abdul-Raheem.

As soon as I started reading this book I was hooked. Mae is lost. She is struggling with her feelings. Her identity. Her sexuality. Her role in life. She struggles with her feelings over what it would mean to date a black boy, and she knows that her family would never accept Abdul-Raheem.

This book is very thought provoking, especially when dealing with the issues of race, religion, class and culture. Delving into Mae’s life gives an insight into the role a young, nineteen year old Asian girl plays in the dynamics of her family. A family that is very close knit and who stay true to their traditions and way of life.

Mae doesn’t feel like she fits in anymore within the family dynamics, we see this as she explores her sexuality, her freedom, and her role in life. The troubles that ensue give the reader a glimpse into the very real struggles young Asian women are facing.

Towards the end of the book Mae finds her way and makes up with her family. Her parents eventually understand what she is trying to tell them and she goes back to University to study a new course. She finds herself and is optimistic for her future.

This book is so wonderfully written, the story flows well, the characters are likeable and their issues drive the story forward. The cultural differences are quite subtle until the major argument, but even then I found I could see all perspectives.

This is a MUST read, even as a stand alone book, but I have to say I am eager to read the other books that make up the series.

Brilliant storyline that highlights the struggles young Asian women face, and the family bonds that a close knit family share. A heartwarming story that had me gripped throughout.

Highly recommended.

[Litsplaining · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book a 3.5 stars.
Trigger Warning: mentions of disordered eating, sexual violence, predatory behavior in dating, anti-Black sentiments and racism

Finally, a story solely about Mae!

To me, Mae is the most interesting Amir sister with Bubblee following her. While the co-authors consistently use the “social media gaffe” in Mae’s storyline, this time the public shaming worked and made sense for the plot of the story. Watching Mae spiral from this event was gut wrenching, and it was only made worst by how she held it inside and never told her family until it was too late and too far gone.

What I did find odd about the direction of Mae’s story, which was hinted at in book two, was her questioning her sexuality and how this got tied up in her desire to have friends.

The problem for me in this entangled message was that the co-authors have Mae’s first friend and romantic entanglement come from her being publicly shamed online. In this episode, readers see Mae go to a bar, get sloppy drunk, and have a dangerous interaction with a man who appears to roofie her and try to date rape her. He’s intercepted by Jin Su, who becomes Mae’s only college friend. Jin Su takes Mae under her wings and basically tries to indoctrinate Mae with her ultra-feminist messages and if Mae ever tries to push back, Jin Su has this way of belittling her into submission that Mae goes along with because she just wants a friend.

This relationship morphs into Jin Su subtly coming onto Mae in the way she lingers with hand holding, hugs, and complimenting Mae. And in her confusion and desire to be liked, Mae begins to mix her platonic feelings and gratefulness of Jin Su’s friendship with her being in love with Jin Su. This leads to an awkward kiss where Mae learns quickly in that moment that she doesn’t share in her feelings with Jin Su who then shuns Mae. This scene felt predatory to me because Jin Su latched onto Mae after she sees her almost get date raped. She love bombs Mae and in that vulnerable state Mae understandably sees Jin Su as a savior and Jin Su latches onto this opening in their friendship. But, when Mae can’t differentiate and immediately pulls back from seeing her as a love interest, Jin Su lambasts Mae and makes her feel small and immature.

This continued path of lambasting Mae and making her appear immature seems to be a favorite pastime for the people in her life.

That is until Abdul enters the pocture.

Abdul is Mae’s second friend and love interest in this book. The pair can easily communicate. They get along and work well together. And they even have some shared interests. The only problem? Abdul is a Ghanaian Muslim.

Now, being a Black woman raised in the Western world, I was fully prepared for the cliched Interracial version of the Romeo & Juliet storyline the co-authors gave us with Abdul and Mae’s relationship. But, where I drew the line was having the Amir family’s anti-Black and racist sentiments be used as a catalyst for Mae’s growth.

The co-authors were doing so well with this plot, I was excited for Mae to finally have someone she could talk to. However, when the family meets Abdul and the father tells Mae to think about her traditions, all I could think is “Sir! You’re more accepting of your daughter marrying a first cousin than a Black man?????????” How???????!!!!!!!!

And because Abdul’s character, like many of the males is this series was one-dimensional, there was no understanding that he is a real person. Instead, we get a caricature of Blackness to be used to show that Abdul’s a bad man because he had a hard life and did some bad things (which are never specified) that got him sent him to jail where he converts to Islam because of Malcolm X (insert me flailing in Diasporic agony for this cliche).This choice by the co-authors to not even make Abdul fully fleshed out made my skin itch because even with Jae, Mae’s ghost of a brother who gets seen maybe once or twice a book in the physical across the series, we at least get a detailed back story for him. With Abdul, he is only used as a plot device to bring Mae into her maturity. And this bothered me because it meant his Black body was simply there to undergo verbal and racial abuse just to elevate another person, which I detest in literature.

And while a part of me tried to rationalize that none of the other characters, even Jin Su, are ever really offered a detailed backstory, Abdul’s storyline felt even crazier because why even mention he was an ex-convict when there are actual Muslims in Ghana who practice from birth as a part of their culture?! Furthermore, it’s a known fact that Asians aren't necessarily accepting of their kids dating date Black people the world over (which is pointed out in the story), so why throw in Abdul being a convict so that he then has a scene where he gets humiliated by Mae’s parents? And all the while, Abdul is made into this magnanimous character who readily forgives injustices and slights to himself because he is that benevolent. These choices by the co-authors was disheartening being one would assume that Nadiya Hussain being a Brown woman knows what it feels like to be ostracized by her color based on stereotypes and prejudices. So, why make these choices????

With this in mind, I’d say that the thing that I equal part love and hate about this series is that the drama and writing is consistently so well done in each book, but it then always gets brought down by that one oversight in the plot or by the co-authors’ writing choices that leaves me baffled. With these missteps, the books go from being a 4/5 star review to a 3/3.5 star rating.

In the next addition to the series, I would suggest adding a sensitivity reader and an additional eye to check for inconsistencies in the plot to really add that extra element of thoroughness. This series’s potential is next level as far as I’m concerned in terms of chick lit for Black and Brown women. However, it needs a little more TLC from the co-authors.

TLDR:I do recommend this series and this third book is my absolute favorite. But, beware of the trigger warnings if you are sensitive to any of those topics.

I can’t wait for the next installment in this book series!

[Zeinab · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had an absolutely wonderful ending. Mae finally discovers her calling and takes responsibility for her life. I think the ending saved the book. A great novel full of complexities.

The main character Mae was quite irritating throughout the first half of the book and I found her quite unlikeable as a main character.

I found it a little stereotypical to make the only Black Muslim character an ex-convict who converted to Islam whilst in jail after reading Malcolm X, it’s just so cliche. Mae’s (Bengali) family bursting into the door assuming her black boyfriend was a burglar was just another one of those ridiculous moments. I think that the writers could have done more to research how to write a Black character authentically without perpetuating so many stereotypes.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a little confession to make. Yes another one. Although I have Nadiya's other books in the series on my huge and ever increasing 'to be read' mountain, I haven't actually read one yet. However now I realise just how fabulous 'The Amir Sisters' series is, I can certainly say that they won't be on that 'TBR' mountain for very much longer. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Hopes & Triumphs Of The Amir Sisters' but more about that in a bit.
This episode of the series is told mainly from the point of view of Mae, who is the youngest of the sisters. I found it easy to warm to Mae from the start and I felt rather protective of her throughout. Mae is unsure of who she is at the moment. She is the youngest of the siblings and she hasn't got any children, unlike her sisters. Mae is a student at university but she isn't finding living away from home all that easy. Mae and her siblings were inter reliant on each other and so Mae hasn't felt the need to form friendships outside the family home. In the Amir household there's always something happening or babies to be looked after. Mae has led such a sheltered life up to now and university life is a shock to her. I suppose in a way she has fear of the unknown. Eventually Mae decides that she needs to live her life, have new experiences and make new friends. Her attempts don't always have the best results but I kept everything crossed that things would work out for her in the end. Mae is just lovely, she is a bit naïve, she is initially very low in self esteem but she is extremely kind and very compassionate.
I must be honest and say that it took me a little while to get into this book, which has more to do with the fact that I was tired and in pain when I started to read and finding it hard to concentrate and cannot be taken as a criticism of the author. Once I got into the story, that was it- I just couldn't put the book down for any length of time. I totally immersed myself in the lives of the Amir family and I felt right at home with them. Reading 'The Hopes & Triumphs Of The Amir Sisters' became an addiction. I would pick the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I would still be sat there reading four or five chapters later. It didn't take me long at all to get through this story, which I had mixed feelings about. Don't get me wrong I was pleased to finish because it meant that I knew how this episode of the series ended but I was enjoying the author's writing style, the characters and the storylines so much that I just didn't want the book to end, so I was disappointed to say a temporary goodbye to the Amir family. I soon cheered up though when I realised that I had the other books in the series to catch up on.
'The Hopes & Triumphs Of the Amir Sisters' is well written. In the Amir family, the author has created characters that you won't fail to warm to. She describes the characters so well that they seemed to spring to life and jump off the page as it were. They seemed just as real as you and I. The author has a familiar writing style which grabs your attention and draws you into the story. Reading this book felt more like a discussion between friends than a written book. In other words reading this book felt like a pleasure and not a chore. I hope that makes sense. The author uses such vivid and realistic descriptions that I did feel as though I was part of the story myself.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Hopes & Triumphs Of The Amir Sisters' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of this author's work- in fact as soon as I get a moment I will be reading the first books in the series. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Natalie Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5
This book first appealed to me when I spotted the cover, its so pretty in the illustrated style that I love. The story also sounded just my cup of tea too as I love books that have a big family at the centre. I then discovered it was the third book in a series, which was exciting as it meant i had two whole books to explore. I read books one and two in quick succession and completly fell in love with the four sisters, their world and travelling along their personal journeys with them.
In book one we are introduced to the four Amir sisters, Fatima, Bubblee, Farah and Mae. We are offered a real insight into each of their lives, with all of them are facing their own struggles. Book two allows us to catch up with the girls but has slightly more of a focus on Farah and her journey. Throughout both books the sisters face some real ups and downs with some quite sad and shocking events being thrown at them. Despite this and the occasional falling out they are however both peppered with a sense of love and togetherness that this family feel for each other.

In this book we focus a little more on Mae, the youngest sister’s and her journey. Having finished books one and two and knowing Mae from these stories I was a little hesitant going into this book because if I am honest, Mae was my least favourite character in the previous books. However, I always find it interesting to read a story focused on a character who isn’t my favourite as it is nice to get more of an insight and see if my opinion of them changes.

I loved this book! It just had so many elements that I love in a story. I think my favourite part was the beginning which is set at a UK university and following Maes life whilst there. Universities are one of my buzz settings in books, especially when the characters are living on site. This is an experience I never had so I always enjoy seeing what it may have been like to live away from home. However Mae’s experiences are not the positive ones you often see portrayed and I really liked that it explored how lonely university life can be if you don’t immediately make friends and ‘fit in’. I really empathised with Mae’s experience as I remember my first year of university feeling incredibly lonely. You can suddenly be hit with so many changes and feel like a big fish in a small pond and this book really captured that feeling.

Throughout this book we also saw Mae navigate relationships, explore her sexuality, battle feelings of being lost as her family evolve whilst she is away, not knowing her place and feeling like she doesn’t fit in and how this can impact on your education and lead to possible dangers. This book also offers an interesting insight into how it may feel to be a teenager walking the line between honouring your culture, traditions and family beliefs whilst trying to carve your own path. It was also great catching up with the rest of the family I have come to love from the prior books and experience the mix of happy, sad and funny moments.

Overall I think this is a thoughtful, well crafted and paced story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I cannot decide if this book or book one is my favourite now. It was great getting to know Mae better and seeing her more vulnerable side compared to the bubbly silly sister of previous books. I am sad I am now up to date with this series and hope there will be more books to come from the Amir sisters in the future.

Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Mae, youngest of the Amir sisters. She has managed to spread her wings and move to university, but the experiment is not going well. Readers of the other two Amir sisters books will know why - a complicated arrangement of sisters and babies means that her already close family has become a demanding one as well. This book works well as a standalone novel, as I had not read the previous two. Mae’s issues with finding friendship and support at university are a common problem; her family problems are universally recognisable. This contemporary novel is written with affection and compassion, and with great skill. This is a narrative of the small things, the funny things, the completely confusing things in today’s world. This book cleverly focuses on Mae within the context of her family and though her eyes. It is an honest account of being nineteen and trying to emerge from a demanding family. I found it an engaging and honest book, and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review it.

As the book opens Mae is at university, struggling to make sense of her course and the other students around her. She feels unable to communicate with them in a lighthearted way, or indeed at all. She decides to go home, despite the fact that her communication with her family has been mainly obsessed with the two babies, Adam and Zoya. Mae is disregarded by all, except when wanted for babysitting and other help. Her beloved parents have changed and ignore her in favour of her brother. Her return to university gets her involved in various problems, and it does not take long for her to reach a crisis point.What happens next is confusing, challenging and a little bewildering, and involves Mae in a lot of family, cultural and other issues.

This book is a clever construct of plot and setting. It shows real insight into family life, where the needs of some are ignored in favour of those that shout the loudest. The challenges involved in looking after small babies, stepchildren and others are clearly shown, as part of the general stresses of family life. Mae’s individual struggles go right to the heart of her identity, as she tries to work out her place at university in all senses, her place in a family which seems to ignore her, and what she truly wants from life. The humour of this book runs throughout, as well as the very real challenges that Mae faces. Apart from the normal problems of growing up in today’s world, Mae has to face the facts of the world outside her family, and it is a struggle. Her problems are well explored and this is not a predictable novel in many ways. I thoroughly enjoyed this insight into a young woman’s life and times, and recommend it to all readers of contemporary fiction who appreciate a lighthearted element to their reading, with a strong narrative flow.

[Fraser's Fun House · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mae has had a tough year. Having left the family fold to brave University she soon realised she was a fish out of water without the support of her family to lean on. Alone and friendless she has limped along until the end of the year appeared over the horizon before deciding to give it one last go at putting herself out there and living her Uni life to the full.

Unfortunately things don’t go as planned, kick starting a series of upsetting and traumatic events that see the end of her first year collapsing around her ears. Hurt and humiliated Mae retreats to the safety of her family home where she knows that with her siblings support she can get through anything. But things have changed since she moved out, life has moved on and Mae feels cast out, unable to slot back into her comfortable ‘little sister’ slot.

Unable to discuss her problems with her family, Mae needs to do some real soul searching to find out who she is, what she wants and where things went wrong, but will a romantic interlude help or hinder her journey?

This book is a heartwarming easy read filled with interesting, engaging characters that flows with perfect ease. I finished it in a couple of sittings unable to put it down! Initially I thought this would novel would play out like your run of the mill Romance/Women’s Fiction genre books, full of fluff and happily ever after, but Nadiya’s story has so much more substance. She has perfectly blended the Bengali Muslim culture with modern day issues including online trolling and date rape, giving a realistic overview of the issues facing young people of every background.

It’s obvious she has drawn on her own family culture and dynamics whilst writing these characters which I feel made them much more realistic and interesting. I felt the Muslim faith and cultural expectations were represented really well in this novel and I really enjoyed reading about them alongside the family dynamics.

Although this is the third book in a series following the Amir sisters it is the first I have read and I had no problem following the story. I feel that significant events in their timeline are covered sufficiently to allow me to read without confusion. Having said that I have already added the previous books to my TBR list as I have fallen in love with both the characters and Nadiya’s writing style.

The Hopes and Triumphs of the Amir Sisters is a coming of age story of family, friendship, loyalty, self discovery and love that had me reeled in from the very first page. I loved every second of my reading experience and I’d highly recommend.

*TRIGGER WARNING: Online Trolling & Date Rape

[SalScamander · Rating 4 out of 5]

So we come to the end of the Amir sister's trilogy. I can't exactly remember how I felt about this book as I finished it a month ago. But I do know that even after the end of the series, I don't really think I liked the characters at all. I love Nadiya's writing style and the way she writes her book. The words flow beautifully and she definitely has skills. The story line itself was interesting enough, and she does write about interesting topics, it's just the way she goes about it. I hated all the characters. They were selfish, not really all that nice. I expected the youngest, who's story we followed in this book to be slightly better than the others, but actually she's so self centered and just me, me, me!! I didn't like her attention seeking attitude. She was the worst out of the lot, because she wanted more attention than the babies and didn't like that the babies were getting more attention than her. She was a complete bratt. Sorry not my idea of a good character. None of the other sisters made much progress in development either. They all just continued to be selfish. I thought Babbly or whatever her name is would have calmed down a little, ok she did a bit, but not really by much. She still ended up being all about her career and nothing else.

Farah I could understand her frustrations and so her I didn't mind. And Fatti I kind of was glad her character was the nice one again. She's the only decent one, and the only one I actually liked throughout most of the series. Didn't like her much in book 2, and the end of book one I think. But she was alright in this one. But despite all that, I definitely liked all three books and found the story interesting enough to keep going and wanting to find out how it would play out and end. I was actually looking forward to this one after reading book 2, so when I heard it had been published, I made sure my library bought the digital version on overdrive. And I don't regret it at all.

I definitely would love to see more of Nadiya's books should she choose to continue writing fictional things. She has a knack for this kind of thing. Is there anything she can't do? Lol!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hopes And Triumphs Of The Amir Sisters by Nadiya Hussain is a contemporary novel continuing to follow the relationships between the sisters. This book focuses on Mae, the youngest sister at nineteen years old. It is a confusing time as she teeters on the brink of adulthood but as the youngest sister, everyone still treats her as a child. The reader delights in watching Mae find her way in the world.
Nadiya Hussain has painted a realistic and likable character in Mae. We feel empathy for her as we can remember a time when we were hovering on the edge of adulthood with all the fears, insecurities and frustrations that brings.
The world can be a scary place. There will always be those who try to take advantage and others who will step in with aid. Sometimes it is our own family who will put upon us and then it is more difficult to say ‘no.’
The novel shows that sooner or later there will come a time when we have to be brave, take responsibility and step out on our own.
Once again Nadiya Hussain has shown the complicated dynamics of family life and the shifting relationships between the sisters with adjustments needed on all sides. There were some light hearted moments too where I literally laughed out loud. And who can forget the horrendous bathroom scene with the baby?
I found The Hopes And Triumphs Of The Amir Sisters an engaging read and perfectly delightful for a miserable winter’s day.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

[Rashida · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep getting dragged back into these books and I always feel like I have to reason with myself, because this is not my usual cup of tea, but to hell with that, sometimes something cozy and sugary can be nice.

I was a bit nervous about this sequel as it focuses on Mae, the youngest sister, who came across as pretty annoying in the previous books. However, she was a sympathetic, rounded character here and you couldn't help but feel for her.

It was quite unusual for me that so many of the situations in Mae's life are things that I can personally relate to: the loneliness during the first year of uni, feeling like a failure and getting overwhelmed by the world of academia, the lack of control and independence and being seen as a child by your Bengali family, questioning faith and sexuality, even the tension that comes when someone dates outside the culture and having to acknowledge your family's prejudices.

The other sisters were boring, and Bubblee seemed to have a total different personality to the previous books. As I have said in my last review, having babies is not something I particularly want for myself or want to read about, so I really felt Mae's frustration with the family's obsession and how she felt pushed to the side. But also, being used for free babysitting! Argh!

All in all, these books are very basically written; there's no lyricism or magic to the prose, plot is thin and sometimes contrived. But still something about them speaks to me. Dare I say it, I feel seen?

I'm sure I'll read the next one if there is one!

[Jenn Webley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to HQ Stories and Jessica Lee for the opportunity to read and review this charming read. I must admit I didn’t realise this was part of a series at first and generally I always try to read books in order but my enjoyment or understanding of this book was hindered by this. There was enough backstory included throughout that added context where needed.
I really felt for Mae for most of the time, even if she verged on being a little selfish at times. Clearly surrounded by people who have a lot going on, the family is busy and chaotic, but they love each other and are all just trying to find their way through their lives the best they can.
Being 19 and unsure of where you fit in can be hard and this book delicately shows how it might not always go right, but you must push through, fight the battles and make the choices you need to in order to find your own way.
This is a lovely read, nothing too intense or that will leave you with many questions. I enjoyed how we gently navigated themes of family, love, sexuality and cultural traditions. It is well written with characters that are likeable and entertaining.
I’ll definitely recommend this book for fans of the author and those looking for a warm, funny read.

[Lel Budge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the usual genre I read, but every now and then I do like something other than a thriller. I have to say this is such a charming tale of family and love.

Mae is 19 and in her first year at uni, she’s lonely and feeling a bit lost. She has a really bad day and heads for a bar….now this girl doesn’t touch alcohol normally, but ends up just a bit worse for wear and a guy tries to take advantage of her. She is rescued and taken home by Ji Su…..

Mae and Ji Su become close friends, but one night a shared kiss changes things. They stop speaking and then Mae fails her first year and heads home.

Here, family chaos with babies and sisters, she feels invisible.

She gets a summer job and meets a lovely, kind man, Abdul-Raheem….a possible relationship her family would just not understand or accept.

Will Mae make the right decision for herself?

A beautifully written tale of family, sexuality, faith, acceptance and growing up.. A funny, warm hug of a read. I loved every minute.

Thank you to Jess at HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this lovely book for free. This is my honest and unbiased review.

[Amy West · Rating 4 out of 5]

When i started reading this book I did not realise it was a 2nd in a series, which led me to struggle getting my head around which characters were being addressed. However after a couple of chapters I fell completely into this book! It was heartwarming with real characters all of which i feel i could learn something from. A very nice finding your own path story which i feel many young adults would benefit from reading. If there are to be more in this series i would be sure to pick up!.
Thankyou to Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[Premala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book as I have been following the Amir sisters all the way. Especially for Mae's character - its quite relatable to my daughter as well. So I kind of enjoyed it as it really shows the values and cultures of Asians. I am really now looking forward for another sequel to this - maybe focusing more on Mae and her life in the Uni and if she has any love life; as well as what happens to Bubblee and Farah - are they really going to be cooped up together as parents? these thoughts are running and so I would definitely would like to see some end to that. Thank you.

[Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story we are following younger sister Mae as she faces major life changes as she embarks on University but realises during her first year that she has always been the younger sister and doesn’t feel she has her own identity.
I found this a refreshing and informative insight into the turmoil and potential racism that can be experienced. Mae was from a very traditional family which meant she had never had a boyfriend and was used to spending most of her time with her family and had never had a large friendship group which meant Uni was a massive culture shock.
A lovely light hearted read that helps highlight the multiculturalism within society and how Mae learns to adapt and how her parents react to Mae breaking away from tradition.
I loved this book and devoured it in just a few sittings. I missed reading about Mae and her sisters after finishing it and am keen to see if there will be a fourth book as she was really finding her feet and discovering who she was as a person rather than just being the youngest Amir sister.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful heartwarming story, full of lovely characters, real relationships, family, friendship and love. This book is what I always think of as a look after yourself book, the type I read when I need a smile or a hug. It’s guaranteed to make you feel a bit less alone and more positive. Truly lovely story and warm writing

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[Emily Ralph · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn’t relate to the mae character. She was just so unwilling to do anything to make her life better and seemed to want everyone else to fix it for her but she didn’t really. I cannot understand how a 19 year old has no concept of the world and the things that go on in it. Ending very predictable and I felt that it was written as the reader would want it to end but that none of the characters actual changed at all.

[Shagufta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third book in the Amir Sisters series and this one is about Mae, the youngest of the family. It’s about boundaries, finding purpose, family, anti-Black racism, harassment, growing up, and faith and while parts of this book are good, like the others it’s just not very well written, and there is something about the characters that falls flat. Also - all the fuss in the book about Mae gaining weight was frankly boring.

[Rachel Warn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly readable over a long week. A heartwarming tale of growing up and finding your place in the world. Mae has been brought up as the youngest of 5 in a traditional Muslim family. Her first year away at university leads her to question who she is and where she fits

[Chivon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author definitely captured the UK university experience, living amongst a large family. A lovely young adult book. 3.6/5 as I’m mature.

[Jenna Coyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoy this series so much

[Sharlene Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read and interesting to hear about cultural racism. I enjoyed how the story panned out

[Saar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everyone was so insufferable.. I'm sorry but damn

[miss s jabin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this, wasn't a rich enough story, lacked any depth

[Jennifer Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

More tales ftom the Amir sisters
Mae's turn for the spotlight.
All I can say is that she is obsessed with kebabs!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so sad that I’m now finished with the third and last book of the series.

This book focussed on the youngest of the sisters as she starts university. There are themes of racism, religion, friendship and family. As with the others I loved it, maybe not as much as I loved the others but that’s just because I’m not a fan of YA in general. This is not YA though; there’s just this one young woman. Still rated it 5🌟 - it is fantastic on audio so I recommend you start with the first one and enjoy them in order.

If you want to add more writers of colour to your reading, and if you enjoyed Erotic Stories of Punjabi Widows or the Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, then you will probably love this series 👍🏻

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read all the books in order, but I'm leaving a review for this one first. After finishing this one, I'm hoping Nadiya writes another one. I can't get enough of the Amir sisters! I love how Nadiya is tackling hard subject after hard subject in each of her books. It was nice to see Mae grow in this book.