• Settling into the British slang that hasn’t been dumbed down for us Americans can be kind of tricky. I had to actually stop and think when Sofia calls a “smoke” a “fag.” Very different.
  • Sofia works for a PUBLISHING COMPANY job swoon.
  • It took a little bit of time to settle into this writing style but I kind of like it now; it’s poetic.
  • While Sofia’s sense of humor at first was witty, it is also just plain mean at times.
  • Fat jokes… *Side eye*
  • Sofia is also quite condescending. I don’t really like it.
  • Lemon puffs seems like an perfectly adorable meet-cute.
  • Sofia and Naim’s banter is the most attractive thing about this book so far.
  • I really believe, with all my heart, I could NEVER be a second wife. I don’t see eye to eye with Hannah, but you do you I guess.
  • Yes, at times when writing “count” the “o” really is necessary and an emergency when forgotten in a professional email.
  • Naim is such a baiter. OK.
  • I wish we had seen more of a conversation with Abid. He seems nice.
  • Stop. Naim, he just says the sweetest things!
  • I love Sofia’s relationships with her friends and how they meet for lunch all the time and are just so loyal and amazing.
  • Okay, I know this is a minor detail, but it’s kind of interesting for a United States English accent to get wrong. Naim is from the States. But he uses words/phrases that are distinctly not. It’s kind of amusing. For example, in the States, we don’t use “only” as “but.” We use it as a limiter.
    • 277-Naim: I think we need to speak.
      • I don’t know what people in the UK say (presumably “speak”) but in the States we say, “We need to talk.”
  • Eating disorders are not a joke to pretend you have or can just “decide” to have. OK? OK. No more of that please and thank you.
  • Who drives all the way in the snow for a cup of tea? Someone with commitment issues that’s who.
  • “Affection, affliction – same thing.” (178). Too true. Too true.
  • OK, said next door neighbor Conall is going to be part of the story. I think he’s white right? We never got a clear description of him?? (243).
  • Somewhere along the way, I started shipping Conall with Sofia and I like love them together now???? But they don’t even seem like they could be together because both are like very aloof? But I like him because he challenges her along the way. On the other hand, I understand she doesn’t want to marry outside of her faith.
  • I really hate Naim now. He was supposed to be great and he was so likeable and now I can’t even.
  • I’m confused, who is Sofia interested in?? Naim or Conall? It’s really unclear.
  • I’m really glad her father is OK. Although at the beginning I didn’t really like him, I think he’s a good guy.
  • As someone who use to work on deadlines in journalism, Sofia’s procrastination is stressing me tf out. If I was her editor I would have never survived; good thing I’m not in that line of work.
  • I feel like Sofia feels about her family how we all feel about our family. Like we love them yes, but at times can be slightly embarrassed sometimes; and the family has no flipping clue!
  • Imran’s parents are really too involved. Maybe it’s because I don’t come from a collectivistic culture but I really cannot ever see being OK with my in-laws being that open and voicing their opinions about cooking and my aspirations.
  • “What is the line between compromising, and compromising oneself?” (349)
  • Word of advice, don’t let anyone dictate your wedding. Been there, done that. It was awful. No one remembers the day but you; make it special.
  • Okay, STOP. She doesn’t like Imran. Why is this happening. PEOPLE DON’T MARRY SOMEONE IF YOU’RE NOT INTERESTED. Disservice to everyone really who’s going to benefit from this? No one. That’s who.
  • I love that Sofia is learning to box!!!
  • Afghanistan. I feel weird. Conrall is our (current) leading hero and we hardly know a thing about him. Why exactly is he going to Afghanistan? Is photography a side thing or is it his full time job? Goodness. Where is this going?
  • There’s only so much of the book left. It has to be Conrall then right??
  • Well well well, all that boxing practice really paid off. We’ve come full circle with the racist, the book can end now.
  • Wait, he never responded to said email Sofia sent? What??
  • Sean is surprisingly chummy with everyone; he really must be more friendly than Conrall.
  • HE’S HERE HE’S REALLY HERE (well there, you get the picture).
  • HAHA. YES. I’m so happy she’s happy and alls well that ends well.
  • 5/10—Altogether, I had to push through parts of it because I didn’t like Sofia as a character at times. It was mostly enjoyable, although I was more invested in the story the last third. Thoughts:
    • There were many fatphobic and abelist comments.
    • Also a few racist comments.
    • Also a couple off kilter comments about eating disorders.
    • All things considered this book didn’t do wonderfully with that.
    • On the plus side this book really normalizes Muslims and that’s important.
    • I definitely identified with Sofia on a lot of levels, like planning the (almost) wedding and she can be a bit impatient with people; like me..