Scan barcode
A review by onthesamepage
Misfit in Love by S.K. Ali
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In this much more lighthearted sequel, Janna has decided to finally tell Nuah that she likes him, too. But things get a bit muddled when two other young men suddenly pop into her life as a result of her brother's wedding. Between her feelings, the wedding, and her mother suddenly blushing at a man, Janna doesn't really know where to focus her attention.
While I enjoyed this book, it didn't impact me the way Saints and Misfits did. Janna is still a great character to follow, but the themes tackled here felt a lot more surface level compared to the first one. The author touches on racism/colourism amongst Muslims, and while Janna gets justifiably upset at this, other than a handful of brief discussions on the subject, we don't really dive very far into it.
Not to say that every book needs to be equally heavy; if you're looking for something more lighthearted, this is a good story to pick up. Most of it is about wedding preparations and Janna slowly exploring her feelings towards Nuah, Haytham and Layth. She's pretty indecisive, which was a bit frustrating to read about since she kept swinging between "I'm going to confess now!" and "nope can't do it I'm too shy". I did appreciate how the author handled the lingering trauma Janna still deals with because of the events of the first book. It's clear that she still has times where she really struggles, and I think it was good to show that it's okay to not be okay for however long it takes.
The pacing was a bit slow, and it took me a while to get into this. The Muslim representation is great, but that's always the case with S.K. Ali. And for fans of Love From A to Z, look for the cameos.
While I enjoyed this book, it didn't impact me the way Saints and Misfits did. Janna is still a great character to follow, but the themes tackled here felt a lot more surface level compared to the first one. The author touches on racism/colourism amongst Muslims, and while Janna gets justifiably upset at this, other than a handful of brief discussions on the subject, we don't really dive very far into it.
Not to say that every book needs to be equally heavy; if you're looking for something more lighthearted, this is a good story to pick up. Most of it is about wedding preparations and Janna slowly exploring her feelings towards Nuah, Haytham and Layth. She's pretty indecisive, which was a bit frustrating to read about since she kept swinging between "I'm going to confess now!" and "nope can't do it I'm too shy". I did appreciate how the author handled the lingering trauma Janna still deals with because of the events of the first book. It's clear that she still has times where she really struggles, and I think it was good to show that it's okay to not be okay for however long it takes.
The pacing was a bit slow, and it took me a while to get into this. The Muslim representation is great, but that's always the case with S.K. Ali. And for fans of Love From A to Z, look for the cameos.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism