babe wake up new comfort read just dropped! i finished this book in less than two hours and i loved every second of it. i've never really been that into fake dating as a trope but i loved how this book was written. i saw myself in hani as she tried to mold herself to meet her friends' expectations even if they were outright disgusting to her and smiled through it all; i saw myself in ishu as she tried desperately to live up to her parents' expectations at the cost of her social life; and i saw myself in nikhita as she tried to be the best elder sister she could be despite her and her sister's circumstances. the descriptions of desi culture made me feel warm and at home and, like adiba's debut, the henna wars, gave me a window into bengali culture and customs. as i mentioned before, i really connected to both hani and ishu and their relationships with those around them. the romance was built up really expertly and it was really cute to see the relationship bloom from both hani and ishu's perspectives. all the characters were fleshed out and their arcs beautifully crafted and written.

Spoiler

getting to see two south asian girls, one of them muslim, stay true to their cultural, religious, and personal values was something i really loved about this novel. hani and ishu truly made each other better by helping the other break out of their comfort zones while also teaching them to love the little things about themselves.

i felt so seen throughout this book and it was really the desi sapphic romcom i needed right now!

second read: yeah somehow i cried even more this time

third read: i enjoy mental stability