Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This story was intense but I felt that I had read this many a times before and felt that I knew how it was going to pan out.

If you are into books set in other countries and talk of other cultures and the struggles and want to widen your knowledge then this book is good for this.

But for me, I feel this kind of storyline has been used alot.

Interesting subject but the treatment feels very predictable and the writing style is more like journalism than fiction. DNF

Having seen this book mentioned favourably on Twitter I was very much looking forward to reading it, so I was delighted to be given the opportunity to do so. I always enjoy books that open doors to different countries and cultures and The Pact We Made did not disappoint in this sense, giving me a real insight into what life is like for young single women (and men!) in Kuwait

This book read very much like a YA novel and at first I found this to be a bit disconcerting as Dahlia, our narrator, is a 29 year old woman. However as I got further into the story and realised what a restricted and sheltered life Dahlia was leading, it made more sense.

I enjoyed the way the story unfolded, going back and forth between Dahlia’s youth and teenage years and the present day. I was left feeling sad for her but also with hope that the future might be brighter.

This is a well written debit novel. I’m very grateful to Netgalley and to the publishers, Harper Collins, for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished this glorious book. I love its dissimilarity (for me) from all other books I've read before. I love how it let's me dive into another culture, another life, another fate. The writing is poetic, clear and passionate. A great read!

Wow, this was such a good read. I am amazed and very impressed that this is debut novel. Set in Kuwait, this is the story of Dahlia who is rapidly approaching her thirtieth birthday and, to the chagrin of her mother, remains unmarried. Dahlia is struggling to reconcile being a modern woman, with the cultural expectations of her family and country. She is caught between two worlds and needs to make a choice as to where her future lies.

This is a beautifully written novel with acute and poignant observations of the position of women in Kuwaiti society. Dahlia’s struggle with her own anxiety, familial relationships and societal expectancies are deftly described and I was completely absorbed by the story. It is a very truthful and courageous work. Bravo Layla AlAmmar; this is one of my books of the year.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher, Harper Collins, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

This novel is has a really unique structure. Told in first person by the narrator, it explores the concept of the arranged marriage and 'spinster' in Muslim and Arab cultures as well as the position of women within these places. There are a lot of philosophical, internal thoughts that paint themselves as metaphors, and after a while, you get bored by just reading about this one person's emotions. The author tends to go off into a tangent during descriptions, integrating flashbacks and entire events within a singular scene. It's difficult to follow the story on occasion and basically, by the time you get to about a quarter of the way through, you're not sure what's even going on. I think there's a more efficient way of telling this story, but it's a good attempt.