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This Is How You Fall in Love
Zara and Adnan are just friends. Always have been, always will be. Even if they have to pretend to be girlfriend and boyfriend...
Zara loves love in all forms: 90s romcoms and romance novels and grand sweeping gestures. And she's desperate to have her own great love story. Crucially, a real one. So when her best friend Adnan begs her to pretend to date him to cover up his new top-secret relationship, Zara is hesitant. This isn't the kind of thing she had in mind. But there's something in it for Zara too: making her parents, who love Adnan, happy might just stop them arguing for a while. She may not be getting her own love story, but she could save theirs.
So Zara agrees and the act begins: after all, how different can pretending to be in a relationship with your best friend be to just hanging around with them like usual? Turns out, a lot. With fake dating comes fake hand-holding and fake kissing and real feelings... And when a new boy turns up in Zara's life, things get more confusing than ever.
The course of true love never did run smooth, but Zara's love story is messier than most...
A hilarious and heartfelt romcom, told with a light touch, perfect for fans of TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE, EXCUSE ME WHILE I UGLY CRY and HANI AND ISHU'S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING.
Zara loves love in all forms: 90s romcoms and romance novels and grand sweeping gestures. And she's desperate to have her own great love story. Crucially, a real one. So when her best friend Adnan begs her to pretend to date him to cover up his new top-secret relationship, Zara is hesitant. This isn't the kind of thing she had in mind. But there's something in it for Zara too: making her parents, who love Adnan, happy might just stop them arguing for a while. She may not be getting her own love story, but she could save theirs.
So Zara agrees and the act begins: after all, how different can pretending to be in a relationship with your best friend be to just hanging around with them like usual? Turns out, a lot. With fake dating comes fake hand-holding and fake kissing and real feelings... And when a new boy turns up in Zara's life, things get more confusing than ever.
The course of true love never did run smooth, but Zara's love story is messier than most...
A hilarious and heartfelt romcom, told with a light touch, perfect for fans of TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE, EXCUSE ME WHILE I UGLY CRY and HANI AND ISHU'S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2024
69 people are currently reading
7795 people want to read
About the author
Anika Hussain
7 books107 followersAnika Hussain was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden but currently lives and writes in Bristol. She is a graduate of the Bath Spa MAWYP. Not having seen herself in the books she read as a teenager, Anika writes YA novels with South Asian characters at the heart of the story.
In her free time, Anika rewatches Love Island, listens to too many true crime podcasts, and sings pop-punk songs loudly around her apartment.
Anika is represented by Alice Sutherland-Hawes at ASH Literary.
In her free time, Anika rewatches Love Island, listens to too many true crime podcasts, and sings pop-punk songs loudly around her apartment.
Anika is represented by Alice Sutherland-Hawes at ASH Literary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews
March 29, 2023
3.5-4 ⭐️ | CAWPILE 7.2
Characters - 6:
I’m obsessed with character driven stories, but these ones kind of annoyed me. I liked Zara and Yahya, a lot actually, but Adnan and Cami annoyed the living crap out of me. They roped her into this whole fake dating situation and then we’re always getting on her for doing it wrong. They were just such jerks and honestly so immature and rude. Yahya was so genuine though, and I loved his personality. Zara was definitely motivated by her love for the people in her life, which was super relatable. Sadie was by far my favorite character, though. I also loved the family dynamic. Zara learned a lot about her parents throughout the story, which fueled their relationship in ways I didn’t expect.
Atmosphere - 5:
I HATED ALL THE POP CULTURE REFERENCES!!
I’m sorry, I know this is on par with almost every other review of this book out there, but it was just so distracting. Every time I though I was free, someone mentioned TikTok, Discord, Instagram, Pokémon Go. I’m sorry, but no one still plays Pokémon Go. That was a thing when I was in 2 grade which, mind you, was a long time ago. It didn’t ruin the book for me, but it was too distracting to ignore.
Writing - 7.5:
I actually really liked the writing style, but there were several passages that felt info-dumpy. Zara would be talking to someone and then have a random memory and spend a page or two recounting it and then would suddenly remember she was in a conversation. I don’t know, I just couldn’t quite get past it. It was interesting, though, to see British slang and stuff when that’s not a culture or language I know much about. I also really liked learning about Desi culture, and although I can’t account for its authenticity, it seemed pretty authentic to me. All that aside, though, Zara really seemed like a real person, and I’ll give Hussiain credit for that. I’m also OBSESSED with the very long passages of text messaging and Discord correspondence. It made the story flow really well and also broke up the long pages of writing.
Plot - 8:
Loved the plot. 100% loved the plot and it saved this whole book for me. It was SO refreshing to read a 100% YA romance novel. It has all the tropes, but they’re completely twisted in a way I’ve never seen before. I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started this book, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. There was plot-twist after plot-twist and it definitely kept me on my toes.
Intrigue - 9:
I read this book in pretty much one sitting. I was drawn in and simply had to know what happened next. The ending definitely caught me by surprise.
Logic - 8:
It would be higher, but there were definitely some spots at the end where I had to suspend reality in the hopes of making it make sense. But that lasted like 10 pages, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. I also didn’t really understand why Zara kept calling Adnan her best friend but then would call Sadie her best friend in the next breathe. I don’t know, man, but I guess I do that sometimes. Alsoooo, Adnan just was not acting like a best friend (or good friend) for that matter for the majority of the book. What’s up with that?
Enjoyment - 7.5:
Overall, if you’re looking for a refreshing read, this one is definitely a great option. Though I had some issues with it, a lot of that came down to personal preference, and I would definitely recommend this, as it had minimal language and was such an unexpectedly delightful read.
Recommend: 7/10
Movie rating: PG (THIS SHOULD BE A NETFLIX ROMCOM!!)
Fake dating recs I liked more than this one:
Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel
Characters - 6:
I’m obsessed with character driven stories, but these ones kind of annoyed me. I liked Zara and Yahya, a lot actually, but Adnan and Cami annoyed the living crap out of me. They roped her into this whole fake dating situation and then we’re always getting on her for doing it wrong. They were just such jerks and honestly so immature and rude. Yahya was so genuine though, and I loved his personality. Zara was definitely motivated by her love for the people in her life, which was super relatable. Sadie was by far my favorite character, though. I also loved the family dynamic. Zara learned a lot about her parents throughout the story, which fueled their relationship in ways I didn’t expect.
Atmosphere - 5:
I HATED ALL THE POP CULTURE REFERENCES!!
I’m sorry, I know this is on par with almost every other review of this book out there, but it was just so distracting. Every time I though I was free, someone mentioned TikTok, Discord, Instagram, Pokémon Go. I’m sorry, but no one still plays Pokémon Go. That was a thing when I was in 2 grade which, mind you, was a long time ago. It didn’t ruin the book for me, but it was too distracting to ignore.
Writing - 7.5:
I actually really liked the writing style, but there were several passages that felt info-dumpy. Zara would be talking to someone and then have a random memory and spend a page or two recounting it and then would suddenly remember she was in a conversation. I don’t know, I just couldn’t quite get past it. It was interesting, though, to see British slang and stuff when that’s not a culture or language I know much about. I also really liked learning about Desi culture, and although I can’t account for its authenticity, it seemed pretty authentic to me. All that aside, though, Zara really seemed like a real person, and I’ll give Hussiain credit for that. I’m also OBSESSED with the very long passages of text messaging and Discord correspondence. It made the story flow really well and also broke up the long pages of writing.
Plot - 8:
Loved the plot. 100% loved the plot and it saved this whole book for me. It was SO refreshing to read a 100% YA romance novel. It has all the tropes, but they’re completely twisted in a way I’ve never seen before. I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started this book, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. There was plot-twist after plot-twist and it definitely kept me on my toes.
Intrigue - 9:
I read this book in pretty much one sitting. I was drawn in and simply had to know what happened next. The ending definitely caught me by surprise.
Logic - 8:
It would be higher, but there were definitely some spots at the end where I had to suspend reality in the hopes of making it make sense. But that lasted like 10 pages, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. I also didn’t really understand why Zara kept calling Adnan her best friend but then would call Sadie her best friend in the next breathe. I don’t know, man, but I guess I do that sometimes. Alsoooo, Adnan just was not acting like a best friend (or good friend) for that matter for the majority of the book. What’s up with that?
Enjoyment - 7.5:
Overall, if you’re looking for a refreshing read, this one is definitely a great option. Though I had some issues with it, a lot of that came down to personal preference, and I would definitely recommend this, as it had minimal language and was such an unexpectedly delightful read.
Recommend: 7/10
Movie rating: PG (THIS SHOULD BE A NETFLIX ROMCOM!!)
Fake dating recs I liked more than this one:
Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel
March 12, 2023
Trope-loving, hopeless romantics rejoice!
Anika Hussain’s debut follows two British-Bangladeshi teens, who inadvertently test the bonds of their friendship by deciding to fake date in this brilliantly heartfelt and humour-filled YA rom-com that explores their unconventional path to dating, friendship and romance.
I absolutely LOVED THIS! And love how Hussain cleverly explores the complex and often unpredictable nature of relationships whilst perfectly capturing the essence of love in all its many forms.
Full disclosure, having spent the past few months reading soo many romance books back to back I was beginning to get a little fatigued and had put reading this off. But, having finished a pretty intense read recently I’m actually soo mad that I didn’t pick it up sooner!
With 90s and early 00s rom-coms as inspiration (both 10 Things I Hate About You and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging are name checked by our romance loving protagonist)
Hussain perfectly captures the very essence of what makes a good teen rom-com; a healthy dose angst, quirky meet cutes, lashings of humour and a host of well meaning but nosey loved ones (friends and family) who may or may not be a little too invested in the protagonist’s relationship.
It’s a formula that seems full proof, but has produced some pretty lack-luster results in recent years. So it was great to finally see someone exploring and breathing a fresh (and fabulously diverse) new life into the genre—even if it’s only on paper…for now.
The writing was wonderfully compelling and the characters well developed and full of depth. I particularly loved Zara, our adorable, rom-com loving bookworm and protagonist. She’s such a sweet, compassionate and loyal friend whose commitment to helping the people she cares about is beyond words. I mean she literally embodies the mates before dates mantra—even when doing so hinders her own plans or happiness.
Though I liked Adnan and thought his friendship with Zara was super sweet, I was a little let down by some of the choices he makes—especially in terms of at his laissez-faire attitude to sharing (or not sharing) need to know info with Zara which was vital to make their relationship believable. Thankfully he does eventually redeem himself later on and owns up to his mistakes—in fact all arguments and disagreements that crop up are handled exceptionally well by the characters. And it was great seeing characters take responsibility and finding solutions to their problems without it resorting to too much drama.
I also really enjoyed exploring Zara’s family relationships, and loved that unlike most YA novels, her parents were just present enough in the narrative to know they existed (and there to support her if necessary) without being too involved to make their inclusion seem unrealistic. I also really liked their positive and rather candid approach to sex (and the ‘sex talk’).
There’s not much else I can say without spoiling the plot but, if you love a good rom-com and are looking for a lighthearted, throughly engaging read with loveable (and wonderfully diverse) characters then I definitely recommend picking this up
Also huge thank you to Readers First and Hot Key Books for the physical copy.
Anika Hussain’s debut follows two British-Bangladeshi teens, who inadvertently test the bonds of their friendship by deciding to fake date in this brilliantly heartfelt and humour-filled YA rom-com that explores their unconventional path to dating, friendship and romance.
I absolutely LOVED THIS! And love how Hussain cleverly explores the complex and often unpredictable nature of relationships whilst perfectly capturing the essence of love in all its many forms.
Full disclosure, having spent the past few months reading soo many romance books back to back I was beginning to get a little fatigued and had put reading this off. But, having finished a pretty intense read recently I’m actually soo mad that I didn’t pick it up sooner!
With 90s and early 00s rom-coms as inspiration (both 10 Things I Hate About You and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging are name checked by our romance loving protagonist)
Hussain perfectly captures the very essence of what makes a good teen rom-com; a healthy dose angst, quirky meet cutes, lashings of humour and a host of well meaning but nosey loved ones (friends and family) who may or may not be a little too invested in the protagonist’s relationship.
It’s a formula that seems full proof, but has produced some pretty lack-luster results in recent years. So it was great to finally see someone exploring and breathing a fresh (and fabulously diverse) new life into the genre—even if it’s only on paper…for now.
The writing was wonderfully compelling and the characters well developed and full of depth. I particularly loved Zara, our adorable, rom-com loving bookworm and protagonist. She’s such a sweet, compassionate and loyal friend whose commitment to helping the people she cares about is beyond words. I mean she literally embodies the mates before dates mantra—even when doing so hinders her own plans or happiness.
Though I liked Adnan and thought his friendship with Zara was super sweet, I was a little let down by some of the choices he makes—especially in terms of at his laissez-faire attitude to sharing (or not sharing) need to know info with Zara which was vital to make their relationship believable. Thankfully he does eventually redeem himself later on and owns up to his mistakes—in fact all arguments and disagreements that crop up are handled exceptionally well by the characters. And it was great seeing characters take responsibility and finding solutions to their problems without it resorting to too much drama.
I also really enjoyed exploring Zara’s family relationships, and loved that unlike most YA novels, her parents were just present enough in the narrative to know they existed (and there to support her if necessary) without being too involved to make their inclusion seem unrealistic. I also really liked their positive and rather candid approach to sex (and the ‘sex talk’).
There’s not much else I can say without spoiling the plot but, if you love a good rom-com and are looking for a lighthearted, throughly engaging read with loveable (and wonderfully diverse) characters then I definitely recommend picking this up
Also huge thank you to Readers First and Hot Key Books for the physical copy.
December 7, 2024
I wrote it... and I love it
December 4, 2022
I loved this. Funny, raw, kinda sexy and very cool, it kept me guessing throughout and I really fell for the characters - especially Zara’s wonderful family and friends. A clever and self aware examination of the lure of fictional romance and the pressure of expectation! Can’t wait to see what author Anika Hussain does next.
March 15, 2025
⭐️ 3.5
If ‘Better Than The Movies’ by Lynn Painter and Netflix’s
‘Never Have I Ever’ had a child, this book would be it!
If ‘Better Than The Movies’ by Lynn Painter and Netflix’s
‘Never Have I Ever’ had a child, this book would be it!
January 14, 2024
not a great guide would not recommend
February 18, 2023
3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
What I really enjoyed about this book was that it felt very fresh - it was a new take on the fake dating trope and that was really fun to see. You expect this book to follow the typical storylines of a YA romance, but it mixes it up by the end and that was so refreshing!
However, the characters annoyed the HELL out of me. Every single one of them. Especially Adnan and Cami, who, despite asking Zara to do this massive favour for them so they could be together in secret, had the audacity to be mad at her for not doing that quite right. There were parts where I was pretty confused about - like, why couldn't they just hang out without Zara there, especially somewhere not in public? I didn't quite understand all of that. It felt like Cami and Zara were just being pitted against each other for drama's sake and I think it would've been a better message for that not to happen.
I did really enjoy the family aspect in this book, and the way Zara navigates her relationship with her parents; it was really sweet and lovely, and I wish we'd had even more scenes with her parents in. I also really loved the representation of Desi culture - while I can't comment on the accuracy of the book as I am not South Asian myself, it did feel really authentic and I loved reading about it.
My biggest gripe with the book, aside from the ridiculousness of some of the side characters, is the sheer amount of pop culture references. It felt like there was one on every page, and they are ALREADY aging the book. This book is coming out, what, SEVEN years after the craze of Pokemon Go, and yet it plays a big part in this plot? Literally nobody I know, and especially no teenagers I know, are playing Pokemon Go that seriously, if at all, anymore. There were also a few references to a certain celebrity couple who Adnan and Zara kept being compared to.... but we now know that that celebrity couple have split up and there was abuse involved..... Just please stop including pop culture references in your books, authors, please, I am literally begging you.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
What I really enjoyed about this book was that it felt very fresh - it was a new take on the fake dating trope and that was really fun to see. You expect this book to follow the typical storylines of a YA romance, but it mixes it up by the end and that was so refreshing!
However, the characters annoyed the HELL out of me. Every single one of them. Especially Adnan and Cami, who, despite asking Zara to do this massive favour for them so they could be together in secret, had the audacity to be mad at her for not doing that quite right. There were parts where I was pretty confused about - like, why couldn't they just hang out without Zara there, especially somewhere not in public? I didn't quite understand all of that. It felt like Cami and Zara were just being pitted against each other for drama's sake and I think it would've been a better message for that not to happen.
I did really enjoy the family aspect in this book, and the way Zara navigates her relationship with her parents; it was really sweet and lovely, and I wish we'd had even more scenes with her parents in. I also really loved the representation of Desi culture - while I can't comment on the accuracy of the book as I am not South Asian myself, it did feel really authentic and I loved reading about it.
My biggest gripe with the book, aside from the ridiculousness of some of the side characters, is the sheer amount of pop culture references. It felt like there was one on every page, and they are ALREADY aging the book. This book is coming out, what, SEVEN years after the craze of Pokemon Go, and yet it plays a big part in this plot? Literally nobody I know, and especially no teenagers I know, are playing Pokemon Go that seriously, if at all, anymore. There were also a few references to a certain celebrity couple who Adnan and Zara kept being compared to.... but we now know that that celebrity couple have split up and there was abuse involved..... Just please stop including pop culture references in your books, authors, please, I am literally begging you.
September 27, 2023
3,75/5☆
"Czyli je uwielbiasz, ale się nie przyznasz" - taki właśnie jest humor tej książki, którego jest pełna - trochę głupiutki, nie podchodzący zawsze. do tego jest pełna flirtu, romantyzmu i wielkich gestów. do tego mamy naprawdę fajnie poprowadzone udawane randkowanie, któremu towarzyszą te standardowe podekscytowanie ze strony bliskich i znajomych. mamy przeurocze friends to lovers między dwójką osób, które znają się na wylot i wiedzą o sobie wszystko. do tego mamy coś rzadko występującego (nawet mamy o tym wspominkę w książce), czyli bohaterowie z Indii i kulturę z tamtego rejonu, a wyobraźnia ukazuje piękne, ludowe stroje, rodzinną atmosferę i pyszne dania. bohaterowie mocno ze sobą kontrastują, zdania czytelnika zmieniają się co do nich niekiedy diametralnie, a główna bohaterka była bardzo przyjemna i z ciekawością śledziłam jej losy.
jednak miałam też z tą książką kilka nieprzyjemności. na przykład, choć obiecano mi tu klimat lat 90., ani trochę go nie odczułam. może poza kilkoma tytułami filmów czy piosenek (myślę że maksymalnie pięcioma) z tamtych lat tak naprawdę nie ma tu nic, co by nadawało ten klimat. dodatkowo jeśli te kilka szczegółów, a może dodatkowo jeszcze silent disco pozwoliłoby wam na ten nastrój, od razu brutalnie skreśla go m a s a nawiązań do popkultury. i rozumiecie - z jednej strony korzystanie z Instagrama, Messengera, Snapchata czy Discorda są totalnie czymś "nastoletnim", ale z drugiej? odniesienia do mediów społecznych w książkach jakoś dziwnie mi nie podchodzą. do tego dość dużą rolę odgrywa tutaj gra Pokemon Go - nie znam ani jednej osoby, która jeszcze by w to grała, więc pomóżcie mi znaleźć całą grupę która by w to grała i spotkała się na rozgrywkę na środku pola.
do tego nie wiem, czy to kwestia tłumaczenia, czy tak jest też oryginalnie, jednak było tutaj mnóstwo tekstów, które były po prostu żenujące, których używało się albo już dawno albo wcale, albo tylko w pisaniu z kimś przez Internet. tak samo z wieloma dziwnymi skrótami, czy powiedzonkami. mam wrażenie, że to faktycznie mogła być kwestia tłumaczenia, bo książka jest tłumaczona przez 2 osoby - i ta druga część, choć mogła to być kwestia akurat doboru części tekstu, wydawała się być lepsza.
trochę żałowałam tego, jak mało było ukazane w książce, tylko raczej we wspomnieniach i opowieściach głównej bohaterki prawdziwej przyjaźni naszych głównych bohaterów. ciężko mi kibicować im decyzjom czy cieszyć się ich interakcjami gdy w ogóle nie rozumiem i nie mam podstaw do widzenia takiej więzi, jakie łączą tą dwójkę.
to było przede wszystkim coś oryginalnego, i bardzo mi się to podobało. bardzo często w romcomach, w których pojawia się fake dating, wszystko jest kolorowe i proste, to, co trzeba udawać, nieznaczące i zazwyczaj przybierające dobry obrót. w tej książce zdecydowanie mamy właśnie tą niedobrą i trochę bardziej realną (umówmy się, w realnym życiu fake dating nigdy nie skończyłby się dobrze) stronę takiego zabiegu. wszystko się plącze, wali i sypie. friends to lovers nie do końca jest friends to lovers, ale jak to się dokładnie kończy? musicie dowiedzieć się sami.
mimo kilku niedociągnięć to była pozycja wywołująca rumieńce, od której zagryza się wargi, a końcówka to istny rollercoaster i właściwie do ostatniej strony nie wiadomo, jak wszystko się zakończy. rozstrzygnięcie bardzo mi się podobało - trochę otwarte, jednak to otwarcie jest absolutnie uzasadnione. słodka, urocza i zabawna, idealna na odpoczynek po cięższej lekturze i gdy chcecie przeżyć idealną historię miłosną, prosto jak z książkowego romansu🫶
"Czyli je uwielbiasz, ale się nie przyznasz" - taki właśnie jest humor tej książki, którego jest pełna - trochę głupiutki, nie podchodzący zawsze. do tego jest pełna flirtu, romantyzmu i wielkich gestów. do tego mamy naprawdę fajnie poprowadzone udawane randkowanie, któremu towarzyszą te standardowe podekscytowanie ze strony bliskich i znajomych. mamy przeurocze friends to lovers między dwójką osób, które znają się na wylot i wiedzą o sobie wszystko. do tego mamy coś rzadko występującego (nawet mamy o tym wspominkę w książce), czyli bohaterowie z Indii i kulturę z tamtego rejonu, a wyobraźnia ukazuje piękne, ludowe stroje, rodzinną atmosferę i pyszne dania. bohaterowie mocno ze sobą kontrastują, zdania czytelnika zmieniają się co do nich niekiedy diametralnie, a główna bohaterka była bardzo przyjemna i z ciekawością śledziłam jej losy.
jednak miałam też z tą książką kilka nieprzyjemności. na przykład, choć obiecano mi tu klimat lat 90., ani trochę go nie odczułam. może poza kilkoma tytułami filmów czy piosenek (myślę że maksymalnie pięcioma) z tamtych lat tak naprawdę nie ma tu nic, co by nadawało ten klimat. dodatkowo jeśli te kilka szczegółów, a może dodatkowo jeszcze silent disco pozwoliłoby wam na ten nastrój, od razu brutalnie skreśla go m a s a nawiązań do popkultury. i rozumiecie - z jednej strony korzystanie z Instagrama, Messengera, Snapchata czy Discorda są totalnie czymś "nastoletnim", ale z drugiej? odniesienia do mediów społecznych w książkach jakoś dziwnie mi nie podchodzą. do tego dość dużą rolę odgrywa tutaj gra Pokemon Go - nie znam ani jednej osoby, która jeszcze by w to grała, więc pomóżcie mi znaleźć całą grupę która by w to grała i spotkała się na rozgrywkę na środku pola.
do tego nie wiem, czy to kwestia tłumaczenia, czy tak jest też oryginalnie, jednak było tutaj mnóstwo tekstów, które były po prostu żenujące, których używało się albo już dawno albo wcale, albo tylko w pisaniu z kimś przez Internet. tak samo z wieloma dziwnymi skrótami, czy powiedzonkami. mam wrażenie, że to faktycznie mogła być kwestia tłumaczenia, bo książka jest tłumaczona przez 2 osoby - i ta druga część, choć mogła to być kwestia akurat doboru części tekstu, wydawała się być lepsza.
trochę żałowałam tego, jak mało było ukazane w książce, tylko raczej we wspomnieniach i opowieściach głównej bohaterki prawdziwej przyjaźni naszych głównych bohaterów. ciężko mi kibicować im decyzjom czy cieszyć się ich interakcjami gdy w ogóle nie rozumiem i nie mam podstaw do widzenia takiej więzi, jakie łączą tą dwójkę.
to było przede wszystkim coś oryginalnego, i bardzo mi się to podobało. bardzo często w romcomach, w których pojawia się fake dating, wszystko jest kolorowe i proste, to, co trzeba udawać, nieznaczące i zazwyczaj przybierające dobry obrót. w tej książce zdecydowanie mamy właśnie tą niedobrą i trochę bardziej realną (umówmy się, w realnym życiu fake dating nigdy nie skończyłby się dobrze) stronę takiego zabiegu. wszystko się plącze, wali i sypie. friends to lovers nie do końca jest friends to lovers, ale jak to się dokładnie kończy? musicie dowiedzieć się sami.
mimo kilku niedociągnięć to była pozycja wywołująca rumieńce, od której zagryza się wargi, a końcówka to istny rollercoaster i właściwie do ostatniej strony nie wiadomo, jak wszystko się zakończy. rozstrzygnięcie bardzo mi się podobało - trochę otwarte, jednak to otwarcie jest absolutnie uzasadnione. słodka, urocza i zabawna, idealna na odpoczynek po cięższej lekturze i gdy chcecie przeżyć idealną historię miłosną, prosto jak z książkowego romansu🫶
November 7, 2022
'This is How You Fall in Love' by Anika Hussain was a delightful read. Adnan and Zara have been best friends since forever. Their families spend Sunday dinners, holidays to Bangladesh and every other major life event together. When Adnan falls for new girl Cami, he stumbles across a big problem - they need to keep their relationship a secret due to Cami's overprotective family. Enter a classic fake dating scenario which challenges the boundaries of Adnan and Zara's relationship. Is the love they feel for each other actually like siblings or something more?
I loved lots about this novel. Zara and Sadie's friendship and obsession with romcoms was great. I enjoyed the self-aware labelling of every trope going, with Hussain purposely trying to disrupt and subvert our expectations of what it means to be in love. I am also hugely into Pokemon Go so Zara's quest for legendary pokemon, raiding, and checking Leekduck had my nerdy soul singing. Such a niche nerd area of life but I felt very seen! (ha)
Overall, Hussain avoids predictability and I enjoyed the plotline. I did sometimes have anger towards how Adnan and Cami treat Zara but everything is addressed with refreshing candid honesty. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved lots about this novel. Zara and Sadie's friendship and obsession with romcoms was great. I enjoyed the self-aware labelling of every trope going, with Hussain purposely trying to disrupt and subvert our expectations of what it means to be in love. I am also hugely into Pokemon Go so Zara's quest for legendary pokemon, raiding, and checking Leekduck had my nerdy soul singing. Such a niche nerd area of life but I felt very seen! (ha)
Overall, Hussain avoids predictability and I enjoyed the plotline. I did sometimes have anger towards how Adnan and Cami treat Zara but everything is addressed with refreshing candid honesty. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2024
DNF at 33% 117 pages…i’m so sorry but i could not deal any longer…there was too much british talk and slang for me (as a brit myself), the way this book tried to go around the plot was ridiculous and made me cringe and feel sympathetic for the main character as she had no control over anything happening in her life. was not a fan of the writing style and this book wasn’t for me. however give it a go if you like young adult brits navigating sixth form, romance, and family dynamics.
February 9, 2023
Oh my god, that ending!! I kept trying to turn the page not realising it was finished!
I loved this book, the life lessons learned, the relationships found and the relationships built upon. It was such a beautiful, messy story of young adults finding their way.
I loved this book, the life lessons learned, the relationships found and the relationships built upon. It was such a beautiful, messy story of young adults finding their way.
February 18, 2023
This is a very unpopular opinion, but I didn't love the South Asian representation of this one.
RTC
RTC
May 4, 2024
2⭐️
this book was addictive and good ish. until page 300.
i got into this book thinking it was an ACTUAL ROMANCE. instead i got stuck with characters who didn’t understand the meaning of NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!! and being a girls girl. like seriously this book rubbed me the wrong way.
basically if you change the whole story i would’ve enjoyed it :)
💐🫶📚
this book was addictive and good ish. until page 300.
i got into this book thinking it was an ACTUAL ROMANCE. instead i got stuck with characters who didn’t understand the meaning of NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!! and being a girls girl. like seriously this book rubbed me the wrong way.
basically if you change the whole story i would’ve enjoyed it :)
💐🫶📚
July 2, 2025
wiecie co, takie nie wiem, na maxa średnie XD
March 29, 2023
Not what I expected going into it as a YA fake dating rom-com, but I appreicated that the book, while calling out the tropes and being semi self aware, does a good job at breaking the mold. The negatives for me were at times how clinical the prose was for the book, where I would have moments where I was taken out of the story. On another point, everyone in the book and even Zara and Adnan make a point to remind folks that they are best friends for each other, but I honestly didn't see it, at least from Adnan.
All in all, not a bad read, and I did appreciate reading about two Bangladeshi British teens who did not hate their families or the culture that they came from.
All in all, not a bad read, and I did appreciate reading about two Bangladeshi British teens who did not hate their families or the culture that they came from.
April 17, 2023
1.5 stars. I really didn’t like this, I don’t think I liked the ending much either? I don’t know if this was just because it was a romance and I’m not a big fan of romance but I did not like this. Also, I don’t think I have ever cringed so much at a book as I did this one.
February 15, 2023
Ridiculous storyline full of awful characters who treat each other terribly except for the last 10% where everything is magically resolved and there are no consequences of the first 90% …
January 18, 2023
wow! okay i really enjoyed this book. it had such a great flow between the plot and the characters and everything in between.
Zara is such a sweetheart. she’s an avid bookworm and romcom enjoyer (like myself) who wants to have her own experience with the type of love she reads about and sees everyday. she’s very real and is in no way perfect but i think that is what i like the most about her. she cares so much about the people in her life and would do anything to make them happy (even if it puts her own happiness at risk) her relationship with her parents was so beautiful and i loved reading about them and watching their relationship grow together.
Adnan was also a sweetie who had so much love and care for all the people in his life as-well. he had a great sense of humour and he was the perfect friend that Zara needed in her life. i loved the dynamic between the two and how they could always count on each-other to be there when they needed them.
this book was trope centre. everything you could want in a book and more was in this story, but it mainly revolves around fake dating! (i mean who isn’t a sucker when it comes to this!?!?) i loved all of the characters, especially Sadie who wasn’t afraid to hold the people in her life accountable! it discusses how pressure from friends and family and even people you don’t know can affect people deeply, and the way that Zara navigated this to ultimately fall in love with herself was just so worth the read.
i thought i would of been able to predict the way the book was going but the plot twist threw me for a loop and i really enjoyed how that made this book differentiate from others. the desi representation was so enlightening and inspiring too.
overall, i feel this book is a really fun contemporary YA novel that has really relatable and enjoyable/ likeable characters. it’s a great story and i would definitely recommend!
I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.
Zara is such a sweetheart. she’s an avid bookworm and romcom enjoyer (like myself) who wants to have her own experience with the type of love she reads about and sees everyday. she’s very real and is in no way perfect but i think that is what i like the most about her. she cares so much about the people in her life and would do anything to make them happy (even if it puts her own happiness at risk) her relationship with her parents was so beautiful and i loved reading about them and watching their relationship grow together.
Adnan was also a sweetie who had so much love and care for all the people in his life as-well. he had a great sense of humour and he was the perfect friend that Zara needed in her life. i loved the dynamic between the two and how they could always count on each-other to be there when they needed them.
this book was trope centre. everything you could want in a book and more was in this story, but it mainly revolves around fake dating! (i mean who isn’t a sucker when it comes to this!?!?) i loved all of the characters, especially Sadie who wasn’t afraid to hold the people in her life accountable! it discusses how pressure from friends and family and even people you don’t know can affect people deeply, and the way that Zara navigated this to ultimately fall in love with herself was just so worth the read.
i thought i would of been able to predict the way the book was going but the plot twist threw me for a loop and i really enjoyed how that made this book differentiate from others. the desi representation was so enlightening and inspiring too.
overall, i feel this book is a really fun contemporary YA novel that has really relatable and enjoyable/ likeable characters. it’s a great story and i would definitely recommend!
I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.
July 28, 2023
2.5*
**SPOILER**
I cannot express the amount of agony this book put me under. I loved the concept of the best-friends to lovers troupe but THEY DON’T WORK OUT!!😭 It’s a back and forth between Adnan and Zara fake dating, dating, breaking up and whatsoever. I really hate most of the characters in this book apart from Jo and Sadie. The storyline was awkward and the two main characters didn’t work out together and I’m acc mad she ended up with the b side guy, but I quite like him so it’s okay.
**SPOILER**
I cannot express the amount of agony this book put me under. I loved the concept of the best-friends to lovers troupe but THEY DON’T WORK OUT!!😭 It’s a back and forth between Adnan and Zara fake dating, dating, breaking up and whatsoever. I really hate most of the characters in this book apart from Jo and Sadie. The storyline was awkward and the two main characters didn’t work out together and I’m acc mad she ended up with the b side guy, but I quite like him so it’s okay.
July 31, 2024
Zara and Adnan are best friends and both families love them each and want them to be dating as they seem to be perfect for eachother. A new girl student; Cami joins Zara and Adnans school and Adnan has a crush on her which leads to them dating. Cami doesn't want her family especially her Dad and Cousin to find out that she's dating Adnan due to a bad relationship she had last time. Therefore to cover their relationship Adnan begs his best friend Zara to pretend to be in a relationship with him. Zara wants her parents to stop fighting and agrees to Adnans request. Whilst this happens they end up falling in love with eachother and happen to learn and grow as a couple and understand what eachother needs and wants at the end of their fake pretense of a relationship.
Not really a quote but a conversation I liked from the book:
VelasY74: “Why SolusZ26?"
SolusZ26: "I got really into reading romance novels when I was like 11 and when I started signing up for things online, like fanfic forums and whatnot, I bought into the whole 'readers are deep and mysterious and lonely' persona".
VelasY74: "You didn't".
SolusY74: "So I googled what lonely is in Latin. Since obviously only serious people use Latin".
VelasY74: "Obviously".
SolusZ26: "And it was solus. And then since I was a word need and I had figured out from my extensive reading that there are 26 letters in the alphabet, mine being the last, I thought: If this isn't super deep and mysterious I don't know what is".
Not really a quote but a conversation I liked from the book:
VelasY74: “Why SolusZ26?"
SolusZ26: "I got really into reading romance novels when I was like 11 and when I started signing up for things online, like fanfic forums and whatnot, I bought into the whole 'readers are deep and mysterious and lonely' persona".
VelasY74: "You didn't".
SolusY74: "So I googled what lonely is in Latin. Since obviously only serious people use Latin".
VelasY74: "Obviously".
SolusZ26: "And it was solus. And then since I was a word need and I had figured out from my extensive reading that there are 26 letters in the alphabet, mine being the last, I thought: If this isn't super deep and mysterious I don't know what is".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2023
This book was really great and I actually loved it a lot more than I thought I would. While Zara was my favourite character her tolerance and patience was just not it for me! I understand where she was coming from in being so thoughtful and caring of her loved ones feelings like her parents but Adnan really was mocking it! How could he think of treating his best friend like after the amount of time they were best friends for. I will not lie I did not like Cami from the moment Adnan dragged Zara into the whole fake dating scheme. But by chapter 19 I really did hate Cami with a passion because how was she even treating Zara like this after all she was keeping her secret for her. I genuinely thought Yahya and Zara were so cute together and if there was a follow up of this book I would hope they would be together. Even at the end I still did not rate Cami because of how she treated Zara. But I am so glad Zara stood up for herself and got out of the relationship with Adnan, her parents understanding and love was just the most heart melting when they was reassuring her about their relationship not being her responsibility. I can't lie I loved Sadie she was the friend every girl wishes for ... ferociously loyal and forever a hype girl no matter what has happened between her and Zara, so I'm glad they made up in the end because the atoryline for how these two became besties was just too adorable. I genuinely wish that could be because I'm romcom OBSESSED & ADDICTED lol. My favourite thing about this book is that I did not want to put it down because it kept me engrossed. The plot twists really were giving and I'm glad this book was more realistic and did not end like every fake dating trope book where they fall in love. This is definitely a book I would recommend to read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2023
Zara and Adnan have been friends since they were young. Every one they know has, at some point, suggested they would make a perfect couple. They have always mocked the suggestion…but when Adnan falls for Cami, the new girl with a protective father, the pair decide to pretend to be in a relationship to keep the truth hidden.
So much of the drama here could have been avoided if people talked. I’m not convinced anyone in real life makes things that complicated. However, the story wouldn’t have been as entertaining!
When Zara finds herself in her own potential love story, things get a lot more complicated. Determined to try and keep her side of the bargain, things get very messy.
From start to finish it’s hard not to find these two so endearing. Though their actions may have been crazy, they were carried out with good intentions. Problems arise, but welcome to see the importance of being true to yourself and not being over concerned with keeping others happy.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.
So much of the drama here could have been avoided if people talked. I’m not convinced anyone in real life makes things that complicated. However, the story wouldn’t have been as entertaining!
When Zara finds herself in her own potential love story, things get a lot more complicated. Determined to try and keep her side of the bargain, things get very messy.
From start to finish it’s hard not to find these two so endearing. Though their actions may have been crazy, they were carried out with good intentions. Problems arise, but welcome to see the importance of being true to yourself and not being over concerned with keeping others happy.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.
May 10, 2023
Maybe I am biased because I had the chance to co-exist with Anika in Facebook groupchats and club bathrooms and uni accommodation pre-drinks.
But also maybe this book is really beautiful. It's funny and simply subverted my expectations. The book is so much more than a love story, it's a story about family, friendship and choosing yourself. It's love for your culture, a celebration of food and the truth about how it is, not to fall in love, but to stay in love - to choose your people.
A definitely enjoyable read for young adult audiences with healthy depictions of love and the expectations that come with it.
Anika's voice is clear throughout the series and you see fragments of her own relationships in her characters.
She also does something beautiful, she gives brown girls and Desi culture, a simply heart-melting love story.
But also maybe this book is really beautiful. It's funny and simply subverted my expectations. The book is so much more than a love story, it's a story about family, friendship and choosing yourself. It's love for your culture, a celebration of food and the truth about how it is, not to fall in love, but to stay in love - to choose your people.
A definitely enjoyable read for young adult audiences with healthy depictions of love and the expectations that come with it.
Anika's voice is clear throughout the series and you see fragments of her own relationships in her characters.
She also does something beautiful, she gives brown girls and Desi culture, a simply heart-melting love story.
December 8, 2022
This is How you Fall in Love is an interesting story about personal growth with a dash of romance that was fun to read.
I loved that this book took me on a journey with Zara while she discovered what being in love meant to her. It also delivered a twist I was not expecting and appreciated; it was not a classic friends to lovers story.
The characters were entertaining, relatable and 3D. I especially liked that the main characters were Asian and I got to experience some of their culture and food while reading.
This was not a typical romance however, as a romance reader, I enjoyed Zara and Sadie's obsession with romance and how different tropes were discussed in the book. Overall, this was an enjoyable read.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved that this book took me on a journey with Zara while she discovered what being in love meant to her. It also delivered a twist I was not expecting and appreciated; it was not a classic friends to lovers story.
The characters were entertaining, relatable and 3D. I especially liked that the main characters were Asian and I got to experience some of their culture and food while reading.
This was not a typical romance however, as a romance reader, I enjoyed Zara and Sadie's obsession with romance and how different tropes were discussed in the book. Overall, this was an enjoyable read.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 24, 2024
Two Desi best friends fake date in order to help protect different relationships only to find themselves contemplating maybe they're meant for each other. I really enjoyed this YA British romcom debut! Perfect for fans of Sajni Patel and Farah Heron and good on audio too narrated by Aysha Kala. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
dnf
October 1, 2024Not even 40 pages in but I can't stand it
May 2, 2025
very illogical in almost every way
May 19, 2023
Really loved this book! The story didn’t go like I thought it would and that was really fun! Till the end I was interested in the story 😍
April 2, 2023
I enjoyed this book more than I expected to. No, I'm not just saying that because the main character and I share the same name. The book was decent!
Yes, the writing and story was a bit cringey at times, with Tiktok and Instagram mentions cropping up like cardamom in biryani (and at times almost spiralled out of control🫣)– but I knew what I was getting into by reading a contemporary romance, and, internet references aside, the story was cute.
I also quite liked the Desi rep. Coming from a more traditional Muslim family, the whole my-parents-want-me-to-date isn't quite what I'm familiar with, but I like that the author's idea is to give a different view of Desi stereotypes and dating culture.
This is How You Fall In Love is a lighthearted and quick read that works wonders at getting you out of a reading slump.
Thank you to the publisher & to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Yes, the writing and story was a bit cringey at times, with Tiktok and Instagram mentions cropping up like cardamom in biryani (and at times almost spiralled out of control🫣)– but I knew what I was getting into by reading a contemporary romance, and, internet references aside, the story was cute.
I also quite liked the Desi rep. Coming from a more traditional Muslim family, the whole my-parents-want-me-to-date isn't quite what I'm familiar with, but I like that the author's idea is to give a different view of Desi stereotypes and dating culture.
This is How You Fall In Love is a lighthearted and quick read that works wonders at getting you out of a reading slump.
Thank you to the publisher & to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 19, 2023
Je vais être méchante mais la seule utilité du roman c’est de dire que l’amour arrive sous toutes ses formes et qu’il ne faut pas le forcer et c’est clairement pas assez pour en faire un roman. Le fake dating avec sa meilleure amie parce que sa copine veut pas avouer a son père qu’elle est en couple ? C’est un grand non !! Surtout quand Cami devient jalouse alors que cette situation est en partie de sa faute !! Et puis après quand Zara et Adnan se mettent en couple c’est n’importe quoi !
Franchement il y a pas une seule partie du plot que j’ai aimé/ qui était logique ! Rien n’est crédible, Cami et Adnan m’énervaient. J’ai bien aimé Zara mais bon comment elle a pu accepter d’être dans une telle situation, même pour son meilleur ami ?
Le seul point positif c’est que j’ai bien aimé l’écriture de l’autrice, c’était fluide et simple mais ça fonctionnait ! Pourtant je suis pas sure que ça suffise pour que je tente un autre romain de l’autrice… sorry not sorry
Franchement il y a pas une seule partie du plot que j’ai aimé/ qui était logique ! Rien n’est crédible, Cami et Adnan m’énervaient. J’ai bien aimé Zara mais bon comment elle a pu accepter d’être dans une telle situation, même pour son meilleur ami ?
Le seul point positif c’est que j’ai bien aimé l’écriture de l’autrice, c’était fluide et simple mais ça fonctionnait ! Pourtant je suis pas sure que ça suffise pour que je tente un autre romain de l’autrice… sorry not sorry
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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