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From Fake to Forever
Love was never part of the deal...
Jiya Ahmed has a dream: she wants to complete her MBA and get a job in the city. The problem is that her parents think it's high time she put her books away and focused on becoming good wife material - but surely there's more to life than finding the right boy?
Ibrahim Saeed has a goal: he wants to avoid marriage but more specifically, he wants to avoid the arranged marriage his father has planned for him. Why would he want to end up like his (clearly unhappy) older brother with a partner of his father's choosing?
Ibrahim's cheeky brother introduces them with the perfect setup: a fake relationship to stall their parents. As they embark on their plan, the attraction they set out to fake starts feeling all too real ... but love was never part of the deal.
From Fake to Forever is a hilarious rom-com about two people who pretend to date to escape their families' expectations before sparks begin to fly...
Jiya Ahmed has a dream: she wants to complete her MBA and get a job in the city. The problem is that her parents think it's high time she put her books away and focused on becoming good wife material - but surely there's more to life than finding the right boy?
Ibrahim Saeed has a goal: he wants to avoid marriage but more specifically, he wants to avoid the arranged marriage his father has planned for him. Why would he want to end up like his (clearly unhappy) older brother with a partner of his father's choosing?
Ibrahim's cheeky brother introduces them with the perfect setup: a fake relationship to stall their parents. As they embark on their plan, the attraction they set out to fake starts feeling all too real ... but love was never part of the deal.
From Fake to Forever is a hilarious rom-com about two people who pretend to date to escape their families' expectations before sparks begin to fly...
310 pages, Paperback
Published June 13, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 18, 2022
it took me so long to get into this book at first even though it has 280+ pages only….but after the fake dating happened i enjoyed the plot and the characters interaction…very cute and i love how this book talks and shows about many things in a different culture very interesting i love it so much…the characters pls i adore them and the ending relationship got me smiling and rooting for them so hard. what just didn’t get me to give this 5 stars is how the fake dating started and the main character suddenly obsessed with each other…BUT overall i LOVED IT!!!
May 27, 2022
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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BOOK REVIEW: From Fake to Forever by Laila Rafi
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Rating: 3/5 stars
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Harry and Jiya were the only characters I actively liked and was rooting for in this book. Harry was the comic relief throughout and Jiya was the female lead who you couldn't help but root for ince she was so sweet and hardworking. The male lead, Ibrahim was okay until about 70% into the book when he made a mistake that in my opinion was unforgiveable. Jiya was too good for him. However there was an airport scene at the end of the book which was a big plus because I love a dramtic airport scene with a ridiculous declaration of love involving everyone's families for some odd reason in any rom-com. I am usually one who likes the fake dating trope, but I was kind of put off from it in this book since it was combined with the insta love trope. Insta love really isn't my thing and combined with fake dating it just didn't really make sense to me. Like why not just date then? Overall an entertaining read.
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BOOK REVIEW: From Fake to Forever by Laila Rafi
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Rating: 3/5 stars
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Harry and Jiya were the only characters I actively liked and was rooting for in this book. Harry was the comic relief throughout and Jiya was the female lead who you couldn't help but root for ince she was so sweet and hardworking. The male lead, Ibrahim was okay until about 70% into the book when he made a mistake that in my opinion was unforgiveable. Jiya was too good for him. However there was an airport scene at the end of the book which was a big plus because I love a dramtic airport scene with a ridiculous declaration of love involving everyone's families for some odd reason in any rom-com. I am usually one who likes the fake dating trope, but I was kind of put off from it in this book since it was combined with the insta love trope. Insta love really isn't my thing and combined with fake dating it just didn't really make sense to me. Like why not just date then? Overall an entertaining read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2022
What’s a woman to do when the parade of unsuitable suitors won’t stop, and the ties of an arranged marriage seem imminent? Come to a mutually beneficial arrangement with a man who’s hands are forced by the same fate of course!
Fake-dating claims its next pair of hearts in Laila Rafi’s debut, From Fake to Forever. This was a sweet and fast-paced narrative that provided a fresh take with its cultural perspective and a heavy focus on family and forging ones path. I adored Jiya’s confident strength and ambition as she fought for her dreams and defended her worth, and I loved that she was also gentle and sweet and able to acknowledge when her understandings fell short. The development with Jiya’s family and the growth and assumptions they each wrestled and conveyed was the highlight of this read for me. Her friendship with Harry was also so fun!
One of my favourite elements of the fake-dating trope is the tense chemistry that blazes between the parties involved and the sneaky transition from fake to real attraction, and unfortunately I found this was missing with Jiya and Ibrahim. The arrangement between them ended up being a little too much of an instant love setup. I personally felt that it fell short in the execution and conveyance of the blossoming romance as true feelings overpowered, almost immediately, the lie they were trying to sell. The dual POV also didn’t really work for me in that there was no clear distinction between the two characters voices, and the scenes would often switch midway without any clear indication thus creating some confusion.
That said, Rafi has presented a good debut that is an easy read with a nice dose of sweet and cheesy played out against an original backdrop, and while this wasn’t the perfect read for me, I believe this will appeal to those readers looking for a little more representation and family dynamics blended with a bit of a romantic touch.
Thank you Netgalley and Orion Dash for the advanced copy of this read. This is my honest review.
Fake-dating claims its next pair of hearts in Laila Rafi’s debut, From Fake to Forever. This was a sweet and fast-paced narrative that provided a fresh take with its cultural perspective and a heavy focus on family and forging ones path. I adored Jiya’s confident strength and ambition as she fought for her dreams and defended her worth, and I loved that she was also gentle and sweet and able to acknowledge when her understandings fell short. The development with Jiya’s family and the growth and assumptions they each wrestled and conveyed was the highlight of this read for me. Her friendship with Harry was also so fun!
One of my favourite elements of the fake-dating trope is the tense chemistry that blazes between the parties involved and the sneaky transition from fake to real attraction, and unfortunately I found this was missing with Jiya and Ibrahim. The arrangement between them ended up being a little too much of an instant love setup. I personally felt that it fell short in the execution and conveyance of the blossoming romance as true feelings overpowered, almost immediately, the lie they were trying to sell. The dual POV also didn’t really work for me in that there was no clear distinction between the two characters voices, and the scenes would often switch midway without any clear indication thus creating some confusion.
That said, Rafi has presented a good debut that is an easy read with a nice dose of sweet and cheesy played out against an original backdrop, and while this wasn’t the perfect read for me, I believe this will appeal to those readers looking for a little more representation and family dynamics blended with a bit of a romantic touch.
Thank you Netgalley and Orion Dash for the advanced copy of this read. This is my honest review.
May 24, 2023
2.5 stars!
When I read the description of this book I was hooked. I loved and still love the cultural representation it has and the plot line was very different. Fake dating to escape an arranged marriage to accomplish real dreams. However; the characters fell flat for me. I could really believe their chemistry and they didn’t have much tension. The falling out wasn’t how I thought it would or even could go. I think so many things could have happened to play out better.
Overall, it’s a very sweet, short read. I wouldn’t read it again, but don’t let that stop you from picking it up!
Thank you NetGalley and Orion Dash for letting me have this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
When I read the description of this book I was hooked. I loved and still love the cultural representation it has and the plot line was very different. Fake dating to escape an arranged marriage to accomplish real dreams. However; the characters fell flat for me. I could really believe their chemistry and they didn’t have much tension. The falling out wasn’t how I thought it would or even could go. I think so many things could have happened to play out better.
Overall, it’s a very sweet, short read. I wouldn’t read it again, but don’t let that stop you from picking it up!
Thank you NetGalley and Orion Dash for letting me have this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
June 5, 2022
“Her hands were still at his chest and he could feel the reverberations of his own heartbeat against them. It was as though his heart was finally beating properly after its staggered staccato since she’d walked away from him.”
Many thanks to Netgalley, Orion Dash and Laila Rafi for the arc in exchange for an honest review! :)
I requested this book because I’ve always been a big fan of the fake dating-trope and the cute cover spoke to me, but this book was a bit of a letdown. I really have mixed feelings about this book.
The story is about Jiya who is a waitress and studying for her MBA while living at home, where her family doesn’t understand why she doesn’t just marry and give up on her “silly dreams” and keep introducing her to potential husbands. Ibrahim works in the family business and is trying to stop his dad from wanting him to be engaged in a month’s time. Our male lead’s younger brother and Jiya’ close friend, Harry, sets them up for a fake relationship.
There were a few comments in the book that rubbed me the wrong way, for example, the male lead, Ibrahim commented how he liked that Jiya, our female lead, had “very light make-up on rather than a face caked with it” at the very start of the book.
Also the way the dual POVs are written makes it hard to understand who speaks when, and I had to re-read certain paragraphs a couple of times.
The second half of the book made up for the first half, that’s why I’m giving it three stars instead of two. I got really close to DNF’ing this book, but the second half really did pull the story together.
(3/5 stars, only because of the second half and the ending)
Many thanks to Netgalley, Orion Dash and Laila Rafi for the arc in exchange for an honest review! :)
I requested this book because I’ve always been a big fan of the fake dating-trope and the cute cover spoke to me, but this book was a bit of a letdown. I really have mixed feelings about this book.
The story is about Jiya who is a waitress and studying for her MBA while living at home, where her family doesn’t understand why she doesn’t just marry and give up on her “silly dreams” and keep introducing her to potential husbands. Ibrahim works in the family business and is trying to stop his dad from wanting him to be engaged in a month’s time. Our male lead’s younger brother and Jiya’ close friend, Harry, sets them up for a fake relationship.
There were a few comments in the book that rubbed me the wrong way, for example, the male lead, Ibrahim commented how he liked that Jiya, our female lead, had “very light make-up on rather than a face caked with it” at the very start of the book.
Also the way the dual POVs are written makes it hard to understand who speaks when, and I had to re-read certain paragraphs a couple of times.
The second half of the book made up for the first half, that’s why I’m giving it three stars instead of two. I got really close to DNF’ing this book, but the second half really did pull the story together.
(3/5 stars, only because of the second half and the ending)
May 15, 2022
The Good:
You know who I love in this book? Harry! Can we just have Harry? He’s funny, loyal, amazing, and a total dork. He’s got me wrapped around his finger.
I love Jiya and how she stood her ground and did what she set out to do, kudos. I love it. The groveling after the third act conflict was amazingly executed. As someone who’s not a big fan of these kinds of grand gestures and it’s predictable outcomes, I’m impressed with how it played out in this story. It honestly made me smile.
The Bad:
Ibrahim definitely needed to grovel more. Payment must be made!
Also, I feel like it’s full of British idioms that I had to constantly research. Now, I feel like I need to further immerse myself with more idioms so I started looking up flights to London and whether I should get a hotel in Heathrow area or Notting Hill. It’s bad because it’s going to set me back a few thousand dollars and I’m not prepared for it. That’s uncalled for.
The Ugly:
The POV kept switching within each chapter and it wasn’t clearly labeled. I don’t know who’s talking now! So, each chapter, this book would send me to a haunted house because I’m over here wondering, “who said that?” “Who are you?” “Tap on the walls 2 times if you’re Jiya!”
It seriously gave me a mental whiplash..
Also, I feel like some of the fonts & spacings were off, so it could use more editing.
This book reads like it’s setting itself up to uncover Zaf’s insecurities and his relationship with his wife. I’m definitely here for it.
I want to be immersed in this world.
Whenever that happens, I know that I’m in for a good book hangover. I kind of wanted an Epilogue but I trust that this would be a series and that’s why I’m not in total panic mode.
I received this ARC from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
You know who I love in this book? Harry! Can we just have Harry? He’s funny, loyal, amazing, and a total dork. He’s got me wrapped around his finger.
I love Jiya and how she stood her ground and did what she set out to do, kudos. I love it. The groveling after the third act conflict was amazingly executed. As someone who’s not a big fan of these kinds of grand gestures and it’s predictable outcomes, I’m impressed with how it played out in this story. It honestly made me smile.
The Bad:
Ibrahim definitely needed to grovel more. Payment must be made!
Also, I feel like it’s full of British idioms that I had to constantly research. Now, I feel like I need to further immerse myself with more idioms so I started looking up flights to London and whether I should get a hotel in Heathrow area or Notting Hill. It’s bad because it’s going to set me back a few thousand dollars and I’m not prepared for it. That’s uncalled for.
The Ugly:
The POV kept switching within each chapter and it wasn’t clearly labeled. I don’t know who’s talking now! So, each chapter, this book would send me to a haunted house because I’m over here wondering, “who said that?” “Who are you?” “Tap on the walls 2 times if you’re Jiya!”
It seriously gave me a mental whiplash..
Also, I feel like some of the fonts & spacings were off, so it could use more editing.
This book reads like it’s setting itself up to uncover Zaf’s insecurities and his relationship with his wife. I’m definitely here for it.
I want to be immersed in this world.
Whenever that happens, I know that I’m in for a good book hangover. I kind of wanted an Epilogue but I trust that this would be a series and that’s why I’m not in total panic mode.
I received this ARC from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
November 9, 2022
Thank you NetGalley, Orion Dash, and Laila Rafi for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jiya Ahmed and Ibrahim Saeed were tired of their parents not listening to what they wanted. They didn't want to get married yet, so Harry set up his friend (Jiya) and his brother (Ibrahim) up together so they can fake date their way out of their parents' constant arranged marriage proposals.
Well, this one took me a while to get into. I was really interested in this one because it had POC given the names of the main characters are Jiya Ahmed and Ibrahim Saeed. I just love, love, love reading about characters that aren't white, okay? Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me.
I absolutely love the fake dating trope, but then there's also the insta-love trope. The insta-love trope is such a hit or miss for me. That paired with the fake dating trope? No thanks. It just didn't work well for this book.
I only liked two characters. Everyone except Jiya and Harry pretty much pissed me off. Ibrahim was okay at first but then at a later point in the book he pissed me off and had me so frustrated. So, yeah, I don't like him anymore. Although I liked the main characters in the beginning, I just couldn't connect with the book. I couldn't get invested. The writing was alright, but it didn't really leave me wanting more.
I don't know if it's just me, but this book felt longer than it actually is. I mean there's only 336 pages, but it felt way longer than that.
Jiya Ahmed and Ibrahim Saeed were tired of their parents not listening to what they wanted. They didn't want to get married yet, so Harry set up his friend (Jiya) and his brother (Ibrahim) up together so they can fake date their way out of their parents' constant arranged marriage proposals.
Well, this one took me a while to get into. I was really interested in this one because it had POC given the names of the main characters are Jiya Ahmed and Ibrahim Saeed. I just love, love, love reading about characters that aren't white, okay? Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me.
I absolutely love the fake dating trope, but then there's also the insta-love trope. The insta-love trope is such a hit or miss for me. That paired with the fake dating trope? No thanks. It just didn't work well for this book.
I only liked two characters. Everyone except Jiya and Harry pretty much pissed me off. Ibrahim was okay at first but then at a later point in the book he pissed me off and had me so frustrated. So, yeah, I don't like him anymore. Although I liked the main characters in the beginning, I just couldn't connect with the book. I couldn't get invested. The writing was alright, but it didn't really leave me wanting more.
I don't know if it's just me, but this book felt longer than it actually is. I mean there's only 336 pages, but it felt way longer than that.
June 25, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Dash for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
2.5⭐️ Rounded up to 3
I don’t think this book was for me. I struggled to keep up with the story and the pacing. Sometimes it felt like I was reading from Jiya’s POV, while it was supposed to be Ibrahim’s POV (and vise versa). It felt too fast for me in the beginning, where they had this heart to heart on their first date, which seemed very oddly placed to me.
I found myself rooting for only one of the two MC’s, Jiya. I don’t usually like it when an MC says something along the lines of ‘I don’t deserve you,’ because it normally is there for the sake of the grovel, but here? I think it was true. I could not bring myself to like Ibrahim at all.
Jiya and her family were what really made this somewhat enjoyable for me. Watching her mother apologize to her, her parent’s growth, and her realistic relationship with her brother was what I really enjoyed.
2.5⭐️ Rounded up to 3
I don’t think this book was for me. I struggled to keep up with the story and the pacing. Sometimes it felt like I was reading from Jiya’s POV, while it was supposed to be Ibrahim’s POV (and vise versa). It felt too fast for me in the beginning, where they had this heart to heart on their first date, which seemed very oddly placed to me.
I found myself rooting for only one of the two MC’s, Jiya. I don’t usually like it when an MC says something along the lines of ‘I don’t deserve you,’ because it normally is there for the sake of the grovel, but here? I think it was true. I could not bring myself to like Ibrahim at all.
Jiya and her family were what really made this somewhat enjoyable for me. Watching her mother apologize to her, her parent’s growth, and her realistic relationship with her brother was what I really enjoyed.
May 22, 2022
When I read its premise, From Fake to Forever seemed like exactly the type of book I would enjoy. I'm a sucker for the fake dating trope so I was really looking forward to this, but unfortunately, I was left completely disappointed. While overall the writing style was fine and I loved the dialogues, there were places throughout I could not distinguish which character was speaking. The chapters were from the perspectives of both Jiya and Ibrahim, but there was no way you could tell who was who till you were halfway through the chapter. This only made for a stilted reading experience. Honestly, reading this felt like I was reading an unedited draft; it needs another round of editing, at least to distinguish character voices.
Thank you Orion Dash and Netgalley for my e-ARC!
Thank you Orion Dash and Netgalley for my e-ARC!
August 23, 2022
This book had the potential to be a fantastic, quick read, but unfortunately, the pacing was slow, and the characters were hard to connect with. I usually love a dual pov, but it didn't work for this book, nor did the fake dating concept.
Thank you to Netgalley & Publishers for allowing me access to this book in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to Netgalley & Publishers for allowing me access to this book in exchange for an honest review!
November 16, 2023
skip the first half and go straight to the daadi’s party cause it’s such a snooze fest. also why were the side characters more interesting than the actual couple?
May 14, 2022
****4.5 stars!****
July 4, 2022
Full review now up on the blog: https://www.thewritinggreyhound.co.uk...
From Fake to Forever is a quick romance read - the ideal accompaniment to your summer holiday!
The whole concept of this book is based on the fake-dating trope. Two people agree to pretend that they're dating each other, and of course, it's inevitable that they gradually start to develop real feelings for one another.
In this case, the two main characters are Jiya and Ibrahim. Jiya is driven, studious, and determined to put her career prospects above a potential husband and family - against her parent's wishes. Ibrahim is a successful businessman trying to escape the controlling nature of his father in order to decide his own future.
When they're introduced by Harry, Ibrahim's mischievous younger brother, the pair agree to start fake-dating to placate their families and give each other the space they need to achieve their goals. Of course, though, things don't always quite go to plan and it isn't long before the "fake" is firmly out of the equation. But do Jiya and Ibrahim get their happily ever after? You'll have to read the book to find out!
Although I enjoyed the concept of the story and loved the characters of Jiya and Harry, sadly several other aspects of the book fell flat. I struggled to see the supposed chemistry between Jiya and Ibrahim, and in fact, I didn't really rate Ibrahim's character much at all. I found him to be quite flaky and unpredictable, rather than the type of partner Jiya deserved.
Certain elements of the book also left me feeling uncomfortable, notably some of the derogatory comments made by Ibrahim and his brothers. Additionally, the implication that Jiya would be unable to get a good work placement overseas without Ibrahim's connections left a sour taste.
From Fake to Forever had an intriguing concept but unfortunately, it just wasn't right for me.
From Fake to Forever is a quick romance read - the ideal accompaniment to your summer holiday!
The whole concept of this book is based on the fake-dating trope. Two people agree to pretend that they're dating each other, and of course, it's inevitable that they gradually start to develop real feelings for one another.
In this case, the two main characters are Jiya and Ibrahim. Jiya is driven, studious, and determined to put her career prospects above a potential husband and family - against her parent's wishes. Ibrahim is a successful businessman trying to escape the controlling nature of his father in order to decide his own future.
When they're introduced by Harry, Ibrahim's mischievous younger brother, the pair agree to start fake-dating to placate their families and give each other the space they need to achieve their goals. Of course, though, things don't always quite go to plan and it isn't long before the "fake" is firmly out of the equation. But do Jiya and Ibrahim get their happily ever after? You'll have to read the book to find out!
Although I enjoyed the concept of the story and loved the characters of Jiya and Harry, sadly several other aspects of the book fell flat. I struggled to see the supposed chemistry between Jiya and Ibrahim, and in fact, I didn't really rate Ibrahim's character much at all. I found him to be quite flaky and unpredictable, rather than the type of partner Jiya deserved.
Certain elements of the book also left me feeling uncomfortable, notably some of the derogatory comments made by Ibrahim and his brothers. Additionally, the implication that Jiya would be unable to get a good work placement overseas without Ibrahim's connections left a sour taste.
From Fake to Forever had an intriguing concept but unfortunately, it just wasn't right for me.
May 29, 2022
Thanks to Netgally for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
**Quick Ratings:**
Writing: 3/5
Story: 3/5
Characters: 2/5
Chemistry: 2/5
Ending: 3/5
Would I reread this? No
Would I recommend this to someone? No - or, only if I thought they would enjoy it.
**Review:**
To start, I’m haven’t read many e-arcs, so I am not sure if this is a normal issue or if it was just for this book, but the formatting was very poor which definitely impacted how I read it, as well as quite a few grammatical errors. This was most prevalent with one of my main issues around the changing perspectives of the characters. The character perspective would change within the chapter without any indication and made me confused a lot and I had to go back to make sure I didn’t miss anything - by the end I found this very frustrating. Additionally with this, it resulted in a lot of scenes being repeated and having to re read the scenes from both Ibrahim and Jiya’s perspective.
This formatting (or lack of) also confused me a few times when they were speaking of something happening in a few days, but then the next line it was happening, almost immediately.
There were a few comments I wasn’t a fan on as a women, for example, the main character, Ibrahim commented how he liked how Jiya had “very light make-up on rather than a face caked with it” and Ibrahim and his brothers refer to another female character as a bitch. Additionally, at one point Ibrahim comments how he is speeding while riding a motorbike, which isn’t a good thing to do.
In relation to the story, I didn’t mind the concept but didn’t really feel very connected to the characters or that they had much chemistry at all. I feel like this story could have happened if Ibrahim did just accept someone his father set him up with and he might have fallen in love with her after getting to know her, like he did with Jiya. I feel like the book really hit a low for me after the engagement was announced and Ibrahim just acted awful, I was glad when Jiya left but then was disappointed again when they said that Ibrahim had given Carter her resume - even if they said it had nothing to do with her getting the job, it was obviously used as a way to make her like him again and I think it took away from her own achievements. All the other family issues was a good way to round out the characters but I struggle to see how a few conversations between Jiya and her mum would have resolved everything Jiya had to go through and felt like it was just swept under the rug.
Overall, it is a great achievement to write a book but I feel like this story just didn’t work for me and as I kept reading I found myself enjoying it less. I hope others have better luck than me.
**Quick Ratings:**
Writing: 3/5
Story: 3/5
Characters: 2/5
Chemistry: 2/5
Ending: 3/5
Would I reread this? No
Would I recommend this to someone? No - or, only if I thought they would enjoy it.
**Review:**
To start, I’m haven’t read many e-arcs, so I am not sure if this is a normal issue or if it was just for this book, but the formatting was very poor which definitely impacted how I read it, as well as quite a few grammatical errors. This was most prevalent with one of my main issues around the changing perspectives of the characters. The character perspective would change within the chapter without any indication and made me confused a lot and I had to go back to make sure I didn’t miss anything - by the end I found this very frustrating. Additionally with this, it resulted in a lot of scenes being repeated and having to re read the scenes from both Ibrahim and Jiya’s perspective.
This formatting (or lack of) also confused me a few times when they were speaking of something happening in a few days, but then the next line it was happening, almost immediately.
There were a few comments I wasn’t a fan on as a women, for example, the main character, Ibrahim commented how he liked how Jiya had “very light make-up on rather than a face caked with it” and Ibrahim and his brothers refer to another female character as a bitch. Additionally, at one point Ibrahim comments how he is speeding while riding a motorbike, which isn’t a good thing to do.
In relation to the story, I didn’t mind the concept but didn’t really feel very connected to the characters or that they had much chemistry at all. I feel like this story could have happened if Ibrahim did just accept someone his father set him up with and he might have fallen in love with her after getting to know her, like he did with Jiya. I feel like the book really hit a low for me after the engagement was announced and Ibrahim just acted awful, I was glad when Jiya left but then was disappointed again when they said that Ibrahim had given Carter her resume - even if they said it had nothing to do with her getting the job, it was obviously used as a way to make her like him again and I think it took away from her own achievements. All the other family issues was a good way to round out the characters but I struggle to see how a few conversations between Jiya and her mum would have resolved everything Jiya had to go through and felt like it was just swept under the rug.
Overall, it is a great achievement to write a book but I feel like this story just didn’t work for me and as I kept reading I found myself enjoying it less. I hope others have better luck than me.
June 14, 2022
I love the premise of this book and definitely want to see more stories featuring BIPOC characters and told by BIPOC writers so this is a step in the right direction for the publisher. I really wanted to love this book and ended up enjoying many parts of it but I was too annoyed at the hero to really root for him in the end. Let's start with the good first. I loved how the relationship between Jiya and her family was developed throughout the story. This was actually my favourite part of the book. I enjoyed reading about how her assumptions were challenged and dealt with within the cultural context. I also enjoyed Jiya's character in general. She was likeable, vulnerable, and strong at the same time which was lovely to see. Harry was also one of my favourite characters. I was actually wondering why the romantic relationship wasn't between Jiya and Harry since they seemed to have more chemistry. I wasn't really sure why Jiya was attracted to Ibrahim over Harry and assumed it must have been a physical thing. One of the main things that annoyed me about Ibrahim, and I understand this could just be personal preference, but I find it incredibly irritating if a man is condescending towards me and calls me "sweetheart" when I am not his "sweetheart". Both Ibrahim and Harry do this with Jiya, calling her "Shortcake", "Sweetheart", etc towards the beginning when their relationship has not yet developed and Jiya didn't seem to take any offense. At one stage Ibrahim and his brothers refer to another woman as a "bitch", and there was an annoying comment about a woman's make-up which when taken together didn't sit well with me. So, perhaps that affected my view of the rest of the story and it would take a whole lot more groveling on Ibrahim's part, especially after the crisis point in this story, for me to start feeling some of the love towards him. But maybe that's just me and my overactive feminist tendencies which can be triggered whenever I read romance. Read this story if you are looking for something a little different from the usual romance book; if you are after BIPOC characters finding love while negotiating elements of culture.
June 18, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this book, on one hand I couldn't stop reading it until the end and at the same time I couldn't get hooked on the story
.
.
Jiya comes from a very traditional humble family, who believe that it is time to get her a husband and fulfill her role as a good wife, but Jiya has another idea, her dream is to finish her mba and get a job abroad, she is very far from thinking about men and even less about a husband, so when there are a few months left to achieve the first of her goals, her parents begin to bring possible suitors to her house
.
When Jiya tells her dilemma to her friend Haroon, aka Harry, he has the wonderful idea of introducing her parents to a fake boyfriend and he has the perfect candidate, his older brother Ibrahim
.
Ibrahim also comes from a traditional family where his father decides that they should study and where they should work and whom they should marry. When his father decides to give him an ultimatum and present him with the wife he chose, Ibrahim finds in his brother's proposal the only solution to continue with his career.
.
Jiya and Ibrahim come to terms and begin to get to know each other as they spend time together discovering a new attraction and feelings
.
.
I'm a fan of the fake relationship trope, and I'm missing a little more chemistry between the two, I felt that some moments were shortened and others accelerated
.
Although there are two points of view, they are a bit mixed in the chapters and I had a hard time finding words that were in the familiar colloquial and are presented together with the others
.
For the first part of the book I didn't know where the story took place or what culture both families belonged to, I had to guess based on the food and the words, I would have greatly appreciated if it was more differentiated in the book. But again, I really enjoyed the book and there is a lot of potential in the secondary characters, especially in their brothers and I would like to read more about them and their stories
.
.
.
Thanks to Laila Rafi and Orion Dash for give me this book in exchange for my honest opinion
.
.
Jiya comes from a very traditional humble family, who believe that it is time to get her a husband and fulfill her role as a good wife, but Jiya has another idea, her dream is to finish her mba and get a job abroad, she is very far from thinking about men and even less about a husband, so when there are a few months left to achieve the first of her goals, her parents begin to bring possible suitors to her house
.
When Jiya tells her dilemma to her friend Haroon, aka Harry, he has the wonderful idea of introducing her parents to a fake boyfriend and he has the perfect candidate, his older brother Ibrahim
.
Ibrahim also comes from a traditional family where his father decides that they should study and where they should work and whom they should marry. When his father decides to give him an ultimatum and present him with the wife he chose, Ibrahim finds in his brother's proposal the only solution to continue with his career.
.
Jiya and Ibrahim come to terms and begin to get to know each other as they spend time together discovering a new attraction and feelings
.
.
I'm a fan of the fake relationship trope, and I'm missing a little more chemistry between the two, I felt that some moments were shortened and others accelerated
.
Although there are two points of view, they are a bit mixed in the chapters and I had a hard time finding words that were in the familiar colloquial and are presented together with the others
.
For the first part of the book I didn't know where the story took place or what culture both families belonged to, I had to guess based on the food and the words, I would have greatly appreciated if it was more differentiated in the book. But again, I really enjoyed the book and there is a lot of potential in the secondary characters, especially in their brothers and I would like to read more about them and their stories
.
.
.
Thanks to Laila Rafi and Orion Dash for give me this book in exchange for my honest opinion
June 25, 2022
Ibrahim has a problem - his father wants him to settle down, but Ibrahim fears ending up in a loveless arranged marriage like his older brother. Enter Jiya, whose own family also think it’s time for her to settle down and put her career on the backburner. The two of them come up with a plan: they’ll pretend to date to get their parents off their backs. Unfortunately for them, though, their ruse is too convincing, and their family start to take it seriously - and that’s not to mention the fact they’re both developing actual feelings for each other.
I started out this book finding it a little bit slow and the writing a bit stilted, but once I got past the first couple of chapters, I was all in. I was thoroughly charmed by this book. Ultimately it was really engaging with some good writing, and I thought the characters were all very distinct and well-drawn. Jiya, in particular, was a strong character - I loved her determination and how she stood up for herself.
The romance between Ibrahim and Jiya was lovely, for the most part; they had really good chemistry, fun banter, some sweet moments, and their couple of kisses were quite steamy. The book just tripped along nicely and was super easy to read - it was very warm and escapist.
I will say the final conflict between them felt quite forced and it didn’t quite work for me - it was definitely a misunderstanding for the sake of it and I think that something else could have been worked in to drive them apart. But the actual fallout from their separation was good and angsty and worked well for me, and the book as a whole was quite fluffy and cute. I’d happily read more from Laila Rafi and I really hope that Ibrahim’s brothers get their own stories. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light and fun fake relationship romance. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. ll thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Fake relationship.
Warnings:
I started out this book finding it a little bit slow and the writing a bit stilted, but once I got past the first couple of chapters, I was all in. I was thoroughly charmed by this book. Ultimately it was really engaging with some good writing, and I thought the characters were all very distinct and well-drawn. Jiya, in particular, was a strong character - I loved her determination and how she stood up for herself.
The romance between Ibrahim and Jiya was lovely, for the most part; they had really good chemistry, fun banter, some sweet moments, and their couple of kisses were quite steamy. The book just tripped along nicely and was super easy to read - it was very warm and escapist.
I will say the final conflict between them felt quite forced and it didn’t quite work for me - it was definitely a misunderstanding for the sake of it and I think that something else could have been worked in to drive them apart. But the actual fallout from their separation was good and angsty and worked well for me, and the book as a whole was quite fluffy and cute. I’d happily read more from Laila Rafi and I really hope that Ibrahim’s brothers get their own stories. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light and fun fake relationship romance. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. ll thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Fake relationship.
Warnings:
Read
June 29, 2022As an asian woman I appreciated Jiya's attitude as she is right work and uni are seen as a luxury and privilege to women but not men in our society. The author was accurate in parents views on relationships, boys, family and especially the role men play in our society. Although the personality shifts in the parents was weird.
I hated Ibby's character. He is completely disrespectful to women and about women and thinks he can take what he wants. It was all about Ibby and I didn't like that take. I was extremely disappointed that we do not get to explore how Reshma felt about her marriage to Zaf as when we think we are going to hear it the writer moves the story back to Ibby. I really disliked his attitude to Reshma as it's not her fault the marriage was arranged and who knew if she had a choice. Just cause you think your brother's a catch doesn't mean the world does.
Jiya was a nice character, I wish they had went more with the strong, independent woman narrative than have her basically fall over herself for Ibby so quickly.
Ibby is actually awful for assuming Jiya is to blame for the announcement of his father. I'm glad Jiya spoke up against Ibby as she deserved better and he was awful with his worse. I have never wanted a couple not to be together like them after Ibby treated her. Their chemistry felt forced and I didn't want them to end up together. In addition, the relationship moved way too quickly and it didn't feel like there was any development.
The daadi was unbelievable as it didn't fit the narrative of the family but was nonetheless a bit of humor.
Honestly the book should have been about Jiya and Harry as they had more chemistry and more of a relationship that looked like it could develop well.
The format of the book was confusing as the point of view changes mid chapter in the same event. This completely ruined the flow of the story. Due to the format of the book honestly I would have dnf it but I really had hope for this book as an asian woman but unfortunately it missed the mark.
I hated Ibby's character. He is completely disrespectful to women and about women and thinks he can take what he wants. It was all about Ibby and I didn't like that take. I was extremely disappointed that we do not get to explore how Reshma felt about her marriage to Zaf as when we think we are going to hear it the writer moves the story back to Ibby. I really disliked his attitude to Reshma as it's not her fault the marriage was arranged and who knew if she had a choice. Just cause you think your brother's a catch doesn't mean the world does.
Jiya was a nice character, I wish they had went more with the strong, independent woman narrative than have her basically fall over herself for Ibby so quickly.
Ibby is actually awful for assuming Jiya is to blame for the announcement of his father. I'm glad Jiya spoke up against Ibby as she deserved better and he was awful with his worse. I have never wanted a couple not to be together like them after Ibby treated her. Their chemistry felt forced and I didn't want them to end up together. In addition, the relationship moved way too quickly and it didn't feel like there was any development.
The daadi was unbelievable as it didn't fit the narrative of the family but was nonetheless a bit of humor.
Honestly the book should have been about Jiya and Harry as they had more chemistry and more of a relationship that looked like it could develop well.
The format of the book was confusing as the point of view changes mid chapter in the same event. This completely ruined the flow of the story. Due to the format of the book honestly I would have dnf it but I really had hope for this book as an asian woman but unfortunately it missed the mark.
June 5, 2022
From Fake To Forever
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 6/13/22
Author: Laila Rafi
Publisher: Orion Dash
Pages: 310
Goodreads Rating: 3.10
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Dash for providing a digital advanced readers copy of the book for me to read for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: Jiya Ahmed has a dream: she wants to complete her MBA and get a job in the city. The problem is that her parents think it's high time she put her books away and focused on becoming good wife material. Ibrahim Saeed has a goal: he wants to avoid marriage but more specifically, he wants to avoid the arranged marriage his father has planned for him. Ibrahim's cheeky brother introduces them with the perfect setup: a fake relationship to stall their parents. As they embark on their plan, the attraction they set out to fake starts feeling all too real ... but love was never part of the deal.
My Thoughts: The story was narrated by Jiya and Ibrahim, from their own perspective, and each chapter was a different character and it was not clearly labeled, so it was confusing, if this was corrected, it would be more clearer and be a better reading experience. I generally love the fake dating trope, one of my favorites but it did not work in this book. I think the focus should have been on the insta love trope and it would have been a better set up. The book seem not complete in the editing department and that could be due to this being a ARC. It just made the book a little harder to read. The characters were well developed and had depth, it just took a long time to achieve it but there was no chemistry between our two MCs. I felt connected to Jiya, but no one else. I had a great disdain for Ibrahim, something about his character just didn’t click. However, overall, I did enjoy the story and the writing concept was cool.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 6/13/22
Author: Laila Rafi
Publisher: Orion Dash
Pages: 310
Goodreads Rating: 3.10
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Dash for providing a digital advanced readers copy of the book for me to read for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: Jiya Ahmed has a dream: she wants to complete her MBA and get a job in the city. The problem is that her parents think it's high time she put her books away and focused on becoming good wife material. Ibrahim Saeed has a goal: he wants to avoid marriage but more specifically, he wants to avoid the arranged marriage his father has planned for him. Ibrahim's cheeky brother introduces them with the perfect setup: a fake relationship to stall their parents. As they embark on their plan, the attraction they set out to fake starts feeling all too real ... but love was never part of the deal.
My Thoughts: The story was narrated by Jiya and Ibrahim, from their own perspective, and each chapter was a different character and it was not clearly labeled, so it was confusing, if this was corrected, it would be more clearer and be a better reading experience. I generally love the fake dating trope, one of my favorites but it did not work in this book. I think the focus should have been on the insta love trope and it would have been a better set up. The book seem not complete in the editing department and that could be due to this being a ARC. It just made the book a little harder to read. The characters were well developed and had depth, it just took a long time to achieve it but there was no chemistry between our two MCs. I felt connected to Jiya, but no one else. I had a great disdain for Ibrahim, something about his character just didn’t click. However, overall, I did enjoy the story and the writing concept was cool.
May 28, 2022
I would like to start by thanking NetGalley, the author – Laila Rafi, and the publisher – Orion Dash, for allowing me early access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
“From fake to forever” brings us the story of a young couple that starts fake dating to avoid their parents’ pressure to marry other people. As you can imagine by this, they will later fall in love with each other.
I’ve been liking the fake dating trope lately, so I requested this book. I feel this trope works better in an enemies to lovers kind of situation, which was not the case in here. I just think it gives rise to funnier interactions than the ones taking place in this book. Still, it was a cute story, but, the way it’s laid out, I think it might have worked better if it was an historical romance. I just didn’t find that much believable that the parents would arrange marriages nowadays.
Nevertheless, I could overlook the “unbelievable” part of it. What I can’t overlook is the very slow pacing, with the story going on and on in circles on how this is just a relationship for appearances. We only start to get some depth regarding the characters feelings way over half of the book, and I think it could have happened sooner. Additionally, I didn’t feel that much chemistry between the main characters, which was a downside for me. I wasn’t rooting for them to end up together, which should have been the objective.
I always like to end on a positive note, so I would like to say that I loved our female main character – she is the first female in her family to pursue a higher education and I’m all in for women empowerment and fighting for one’s dreams. The dual POV was a good addition to the story, I just felt the characters feelings could have been better explored from earlier on.
“From fake to forever” brings us the story of a young couple that starts fake dating to avoid their parents’ pressure to marry other people. As you can imagine by this, they will later fall in love with each other.
I’ve been liking the fake dating trope lately, so I requested this book. I feel this trope works better in an enemies to lovers kind of situation, which was not the case in here. I just think it gives rise to funnier interactions than the ones taking place in this book. Still, it was a cute story, but, the way it’s laid out, I think it might have worked better if it was an historical romance. I just didn’t find that much believable that the parents would arrange marriages nowadays.
Nevertheless, I could overlook the “unbelievable” part of it. What I can’t overlook is the very slow pacing, with the story going on and on in circles on how this is just a relationship for appearances. We only start to get some depth regarding the characters feelings way over half of the book, and I think it could have happened sooner. Additionally, I didn’t feel that much chemistry between the main characters, which was a downside for me. I wasn’t rooting for them to end up together, which should have been the objective.
I always like to end on a positive note, so I would like to say that I loved our female main character – she is the first female in her family to pursue a higher education and I’m all in for women empowerment and fighting for one’s dreams. The dual POV was a good addition to the story, I just felt the characters feelings could have been better explored from earlier on.
September 4, 2022
From the description, From Fake to Forever should have been great. I love a fake dating trope and especially love a meddling family. However, the writing was strange for me; I couldn’t pinpoint why exactly.
There were a few oddities that did stand out. There was no description of the characters' appearances nor mention of what Ibrahim’s job was. A few chapters had the wrong name at the top, but both Ibrahim and Jiya had distinct voices, so it was easy to tell whose POV I was reading. I should mention that I received an ARC of this book, so that may not be the case in the published version.
For the most part, I did enjoy this book. The plot was fun, and I enjoyed Ibrahim and Jiya getting to know each other and slowly falling in love. What I didn’t enjoy was Ibrahim's older brother spreading vitriol on an already fraught situation, leading to Ibrahim believing something of Jiya that was entirely out of character for her. I feel like the whole misunderstanding was there just for a third-act breakup.
One character I loved was Reshma, a side character in an arranged marriage to Ibrahim's oldest brother Zafar. Throughout most of the book, she’s either ignored, subject to the family's passive-aggressive behaviour, or getting some serious shade. All because she agreed to marry Zafar. The treatment of Reshma by the rest of the characters brought this book down for me, and it was only towards the end that Ibrahim spoke to her like she was a human being, and the others started to accept her.
Overall, From Fake to Forever was an easy read, but some flaws brought the rating down for me.
There were a few oddities that did stand out. There was no description of the characters' appearances nor mention of what Ibrahim’s job was. A few chapters had the wrong name at the top, but both Ibrahim and Jiya had distinct voices, so it was easy to tell whose POV I was reading. I should mention that I received an ARC of this book, so that may not be the case in the published version.
For the most part, I did enjoy this book. The plot was fun, and I enjoyed Ibrahim and Jiya getting to know each other and slowly falling in love. What I didn’t enjoy was Ibrahim's older brother spreading vitriol on an already fraught situation, leading to Ibrahim believing something of Jiya that was entirely out of character for her. I feel like the whole misunderstanding was there just for a third-act breakup.
One character I loved was Reshma, a side character in an arranged marriage to Ibrahim's oldest brother Zafar. Throughout most of the book, she’s either ignored, subject to the family's passive-aggressive behaviour, or getting some serious shade. All because she agreed to marry Zafar. The treatment of Reshma by the rest of the characters brought this book down for me, and it was only towards the end that Ibrahim spoke to her like she was a human being, and the others started to accept her.
Overall, From Fake to Forever was an easy read, but some flaws brought the rating down for me.
June 4, 2022
3.5⭐️ An enjoyable romcom with all the drama you’d expect from a Fake Dating Trope
Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Books tor an ARC in return for an honest review.
This was a fun read about Jiya and Ibrahim, who agree to fake a relationship to avoid the arranged marriages their parents are trying to push them into- perfect for fans of Dating Dr Dil!
I loved that Jiya was strong and ambitious and her friendship was Harry was super cute! I’d loved to have known more about the beginnings of the friendship - I think the author was setting up for further books, especially about the Saeed brothers ( particularly Zaf and his wife) so I really hope Harry gets one and we see a lot more of him! I’m intrigued to know what made Ashar so bitter (annoyingly it wasn’t mentioned I don’t think) but currently i’m still mad at him causing drama- he has some grovelling to do!!
Jiya and Ibrahim were very cute together, and I really liked their attraction/them discovering they were in love with each other.
I was less keen on how the writing switched between their povs quite flippantly- I love dual pov but this does switch a lot, even in the middle of chapters which could be a little disorientating. I also got a bit frustrated and felt like the issues could easily be resolved especially if Jiya and Ib communicated more - I was so annoyed that Ibrahim so easily slipped into doubting Jiya and being an arse because it seemed out of character for him!
Overall I did enjoy this and it was nice to read all the britishisms and actually read a british set romance book🥰
Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Books tor an ARC in return for an honest review.
This was a fun read about Jiya and Ibrahim, who agree to fake a relationship to avoid the arranged marriages their parents are trying to push them into- perfect for fans of Dating Dr Dil!
I loved that Jiya was strong and ambitious and her friendship was Harry was super cute! I’d loved to have known more about the beginnings of the friendship - I think the author was setting up for further books, especially about the Saeed brothers ( particularly Zaf and his wife) so I really hope Harry gets one and we see a lot more of him! I’m intrigued to know what made Ashar so bitter (annoyingly it wasn’t mentioned I don’t think) but currently i’m still mad at him causing drama- he has some grovelling to do!!
Jiya and Ibrahim were very cute together, and I really liked their attraction/them discovering they were in love with each other.
I was less keen on how the writing switched between their povs quite flippantly- I love dual pov but this does switch a lot, even in the middle of chapters which could be a little disorientating. I also got a bit frustrated and felt like the issues could easily be resolved especially if Jiya and Ib communicated more - I was so annoyed that Ibrahim so easily slipped into doubting Jiya and being an arse because it seemed out of character for him!
Overall I did enjoy this and it was nice to read all the britishisms and actually read a british set romance book🥰
June 2, 2022
3.5 Stars.
This book is a light-hearted, fake-dating romance that will make you smile.
I love the cultural representation this book has and the differences in expectations from both a gendered and a class aspect. And the development of the relationship between Jiya and Ibrahim and their instant attraction to one another is written perfectly. This book taught me so many interesting things relating to South Asian culture, both historically and present day, and offers minorities to be the centre of the story. The dates in London between the couple continued to make me smile seeing their feelings progress was truly a wonderful thing to read.
The brothers are also so interesting to read about and I would love if we got to see their stories develop. I would love to see how Harry would be in a relationship. His comedy was a delight and I think seeing him fall in love would be amazing.
However, I wish that there had been an epilogue and that we could have seen the future between Jiya and Ibrahim but hopefully, this will become a series so we can continue to see them in other books.
Thank you to Orion Dash and NetGallery for an eARC of From Fake to Forever in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a light-hearted, fake-dating romance that will make you smile.
I love the cultural representation this book has and the differences in expectations from both a gendered and a class aspect. And the development of the relationship between Jiya and Ibrahim and their instant attraction to one another is written perfectly. This book taught me so many interesting things relating to South Asian culture, both historically and present day, and offers minorities to be the centre of the story. The dates in London between the couple continued to make me smile seeing their feelings progress was truly a wonderful thing to read.
The brothers are also so interesting to read about and I would love if we got to see their stories develop. I would love to see how Harry would be in a relationship. His comedy was a delight and I think seeing him fall in love would be amazing.
However, I wish that there had been an epilogue and that we could have seen the future between Jiya and Ibrahim but hopefully, this will become a series so we can continue to see them in other books.
Thank you to Orion Dash and NetGallery for an eARC of From Fake to Forever in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2022
3.5/5 for From Fake to Forever by Laila Rafi
Ibrahim has no interest in marriage, especially an arrange one. His older brother is clearly a victim of such construct. But to get his father off his back, he decides to start a fake relationship.
Jiya wants to actually do something with her life, not just be a glorified housewife. Her parents have another idea and what their only daughter settled down, but weren't they the ones who encouraged her to do well in school?
The two enter in a lucrative deal, but the lines blur easy between fake and real. Will they keep their developing feelings at check, or will all fall?
This contemporary romance is just the right mix between love, angst and humor!
Boy did this feel like real life! I'm too young (right now) do deal with this, but my older cousins have gone through the same parental hoarding Jiya and Ibrahim are going through. They start with education and then if revolves to all parts of life. Parents know no boundaries (but gotta love them anyway).
The face pace of the book was great. We got to cover quite a bit of time and events without it feeling like it was dragging. Always applaud an author that can ride that line FLAWLESSLY.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy, this is my honest opinion.
Ibrahim has no interest in marriage, especially an arrange one. His older brother is clearly a victim of such construct. But to get his father off his back, he decides to start a fake relationship.
Jiya wants to actually do something with her life, not just be a glorified housewife. Her parents have another idea and what their only daughter settled down, but weren't they the ones who encouraged her to do well in school?
The two enter in a lucrative deal, but the lines blur easy between fake and real. Will they keep their developing feelings at check, or will all fall?
This contemporary romance is just the right mix between love, angst and humor!
Boy did this feel like real life! I'm too young (right now) do deal with this, but my older cousins have gone through the same parental hoarding Jiya and Ibrahim are going through. They start with education and then if revolves to all parts of life. Parents know no boundaries (but gotta love them anyway).
The face pace of the book was great. We got to cover quite a bit of time and events without it feeling like it was dragging. Always applaud an author that can ride that line FLAWLESSLY.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy, this is my honest opinion.
June 21, 2022
This is the first book by Laila Rafi that I have read. In fact, From Fake to Forever is actually her debut novel. Already, I can’t wait to read more from Laila.
This was such a good book. I am a huge fan of the fake relationship trope, and this book used this trope amazingly. It was such a unique concept of avoiding an arranged marriage in the modern times. It was also really cool to read about characters whose culture is completely different to mine, even though our worlds are very similar.
Jiya and Ibrahaim had sparks flying off the page from the moment they met. I love all of their interactions and the way they invested in their fake relationship as more than just a way to get their families to leave them alone.
The family dynamics were intriguing and I loved the relationship between Ibrahaim and his brothers. I hope that the rest of his brothers’ have their stories told.
If you love unique family relationships, and fake relationships, then this is the book for you. I really enjoyed it and I’m sure you will do.
This is a closed-door (does not even mention sex) romance with some mild explicit language.
This was such a good book. I am a huge fan of the fake relationship trope, and this book used this trope amazingly. It was such a unique concept of avoiding an arranged marriage in the modern times. It was also really cool to read about characters whose culture is completely different to mine, even though our worlds are very similar.
Jiya and Ibrahaim had sparks flying off the page from the moment they met. I love all of their interactions and the way they invested in their fake relationship as more than just a way to get their families to leave them alone.
The family dynamics were intriguing and I loved the relationship between Ibrahaim and his brothers. I hope that the rest of his brothers’ have their stories told.
If you love unique family relationships, and fake relationships, then this is the book for you. I really enjoyed it and I’m sure you will do.
This is a closed-door (does not even mention sex) romance with some mild explicit language.
June 4, 2024
2.5ish stars
I love read books that give me a peek into another culture. British-Pakistani culture is not something I know much about, so that was interesting. I enjoyed the push and pull between the older traditional way of doing things and the modern way; as a first-generation daughter of an immigrant myself, I get it. Jiya has a sweet heart, and I appreciated her frustration over how things other people could take for granted—like going out, working, going to school—were given to her like they were “luxuries.”
That said, there was a lot here that made me grit my teeth.
I love read books that give me a peek into another culture. British-Pakistani culture is not something I know much about, so that was interesting. I enjoyed the push and pull between the older traditional way of doing things and the modern way; as a first-generation daughter of an immigrant myself, I get it. Jiya has a sweet heart, and I appreciated her frustration over how things other people could take for granted—like going out, working, going to school—were given to her like they were “luxuries.”
That said, there was a lot here that made me grit my teeth.
May 24, 2022
This was a great debut novel by Ms. Rafi. Fake relationships are always a fun trope and each author has their own way of evolving the relationship from fake to real and this was a fun and light-hearted take on it. Jiya and Ibrahim both enter into a fake relationship to avoid arranged marriages, but it doesn't take long for the real sparks to fly. Both Ibrahim and Jiya were great characters and I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom and grow. These two were so wonderful together and just had the sweetest most amazing chemistry. The only drawback for me was knowing whose POV I was reading. It wasn't always clear, and that made it a little difficult to follow. But other than that, I found this to be a really entertaining and enjoyable story and am glad I had the opportunity to read it. I'm hoping to read Reshma and Zafar's story in an upcoming novel!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
May 24, 2022
I requested this book because I liked the description (and loved the cover). I was really excited to read it but unfortunately it was a bit of a letdown. I wanted to love this book, I really did, but while it wasn’t an awful book, unfortunately nothing stood out to me; not the plot, not the characters and even the romance was a bit lacklustre, which was a shame. I was close to DNFing the book on a multiple occasions.
I love dual POV; I think most books are better because of it but the way way this book changed POVs without a single warning was frustrating and confusing at times; it made me stop countless times and go back to understand what was going on and whose POV it was, which obviously isn’t great. I hope this is fixed before the book comes out, as it makes it hard to enjoy the story.
While I didn’t love this book, I reckon some of the side characters’ storylines have some potential and will keep an eye out for their stories.
I love dual POV; I think most books are better because of it but the way way this book changed POVs without a single warning was frustrating and confusing at times; it made me stop countless times and go back to understand what was going on and whose POV it was, which obviously isn’t great. I hope this is fixed before the book comes out, as it makes it hard to enjoy the story.
While I didn’t love this book, I reckon some of the side characters’ storylines have some potential and will keep an eye out for their stories.
July 12, 2022
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
2.5 stars, rounded up.
While there were some great aspects to this book, such as MC Jiya being the first woman in her family to pursue a master's degree (and working as a waitress to pay for it), overall this book was not my favorite. I normally enjoy a dual POV, but with this one it was really hard to distinguish when the narrators changed, which threw me off.
It also did not make sense to me that Jiya's parents were upset when she announced she was dating Ibrahim because she was not supposed to be around men....yet her best friend was Harry? And that had never been brought up as a problem?
The fake dating trope did not work well here, in my opinion. The whole reasoning was to get their families to stop trying to set them up with potential spouses, yet they were totally *SURPRISE PIKACHU FACE* when they introduce their parents who immediately want them to be engaged?! HOW IS THAT SURPRISING???
I did like Jiya's character, and I really loved the heart to heart she had with her mom late in the book. Harry was great comic relief. But I was not a huge fan of Ibrahim, which made it difficult to root for the love story.
2.5 stars, rounded up.
While there were some great aspects to this book, such as MC Jiya being the first woman in her family to pursue a master's degree (and working as a waitress to pay for it), overall this book was not my favorite. I normally enjoy a dual POV, but with this one it was really hard to distinguish when the narrators changed, which threw me off.
It also did not make sense to me that Jiya's parents were upset when she announced she was dating Ibrahim because she was not supposed to be around men....yet her best friend was Harry? And that had never been brought up as a problem?
The fake dating trope did not work well here, in my opinion. The whole reasoning was to get their families to stop trying to set them up with potential spouses, yet they were totally *SURPRISE PIKACHU FACE* when they introduce their parents who immediately want them to be engaged?! HOW IS THAT SURPRISING???
I did like Jiya's character, and I really loved the heart to heart she had with her mom late in the book. Harry was great comic relief. But I was not a huge fan of Ibrahim, which made it difficult to root for the love story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley, Orion Dash and Laila Rafi for the Arc!
This book sounded like everything I love in a good old, romance. The fake dating, the diversity and culture, and the feelings that were not supposed to develop but eventually did. Unfortunately, the book didn't live up to my expectations. I'm not sure if it was the unedited parts of the book, the mysterious of who was actually talking (it's dual POV but gets so confusing trying to figure out who's POV it is) and the fact that Ibrahim was not the romance hero I wanted, he actually kind of pissed me off at times. Also, the fact that the characters have very much Muslim names but their religion is barely mentioned was weird. The plot was fine, it was cliche and cute and Jiya really was such a cool character and I loved Ibrahim's brothers, especially Haroon, but the book definitely fell short for me.
This book sounded like everything I love in a good old, romance. The fake dating, the diversity and culture, and the feelings that were not supposed to develop but eventually did. Unfortunately, the book didn't live up to my expectations. I'm not sure if it was the unedited parts of the book, the mysterious of who was actually talking (it's dual POV but gets so confusing trying to figure out who's POV it is) and the fact that Ibrahim was not the romance hero I wanted, he actually kind of pissed me off at times. Also, the fact that the characters have very much Muslim names but their religion is barely mentioned was weird. The plot was fine, it was cliche and cute and Jiya really was such a cool character and I loved Ibrahim's brothers, especially Haroon, but the book definitely fell short for me.
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