I read Adiba Jaigirdar’s previous book The Henna Wars last year and adored it. So, when I found out she had another book on the way I was excited. My excitement grew when I found out it had a fake dating trope which is one of if not my favourite trope. Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating is a joyous book with adventures, fake dating and lots of love. I absolutely adored it.

Hani and Ishu get lumped together as the same at school and throughout their life due to their race but in reality they couldn’t be more different with their personalities and cultural differences. Ishu is organised, methodical, grumpy and her sarcasm is off the charts. Hani is a literal ray of sunshine, adorable and all-round wonderful. Both of our main characters have unique and distinctive voices and personalities which is wonderful in a dual-narrative book. Even if you flipped to a random chapter and hadn’t seen the chapter heading you would easily know which character is narrating.

I adored the narrative of this book. We get to watch two completely different characters fall for one another and learn to love who they are at the same time. Hani and Ishu learn to not hide who they truly are from anyone and become more comfortable in themselves and it was truly beautiful to read.

This book has an adorable romance storyline whilst also delving into complex issues. These included biphobia, culture and familial expectations. Adiba Jaigirdar has written a note at the beginning of the book whilst lists all trigger warnings for the book which I highly appreciated. The author has done an incredible job of balancing discussion of complex issues aside a light-hearted romance storyline. Adiba Jaigirdar has done an amazing job of making this book and its cultural representation accessible to all and her writing is never condescending. I cannot review this book without mentioning the fact that it has bisexual representation which is few and far between in YA books I have found.

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating combines the need for light-hearted romance with an important look at friends, family and social issues. This book really packs a punch and is well worth a read.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something sweet that tackles complex issues at the same time. Adiba Jaigirdar is an astonishing author that writes beautiful and captivating stories. I cannot recommend this and her previous novel enough!

I was sold by the idea of a fake dating story and this is a great example. The two main characters are so different but drawn together inexplicably. I loved the way that their fake relationship allowed both Hani and Ishu to grow into themselves through the story. They both have flaws like real people but the writing never allowed that to be a bad thing. A very readable love story with a blend of different cultures and a lovely ending.

Such a delightful read with all the classic heartwarming moments!! Thoroughly enjoyed the growing relationship between Hani and Isha, as well as the familial relationships. I also loved that there wasn’t much explanation of culture - it felt like the target audience were South Asians.

Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating is a great read. It's very inclusive and deals with subjects others in YA shy away from. It's done with grace and class, It feels right for the story, rather a subject being covered for the sake of it.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I got approved for this book on its release day so I was absolutely over the moon to get a chance to read it still!

Wow, I LOVED this book. This book dealt with some very complex issues surrounding identity, sexual orientation, embracing your culture (with a focus on Bengali culture), islamophobia, friendships and parent relationships - and it did a fantastic job at approaching each issue whilst creating such a heart-warming sapphic novel. Such a great YA book with fantastic representation.

The fake dating trope was done perfectly and was very enjoyable to read. I also adored the dual perspective of Hani and Ishu, you could see their very different voices and it did not become confusing like some dual perspectives, they were very clearly separate.

Overall, a fantastic book that I would recommend to anybody! I haven’t read Jaigirdar’s debut novel The Henna Wars (though now I will be ordering a copy ASAP!) but I’ve heard nothing but good things, so this book definitely lives up to the hype surrounding this author!

This book was okay and a really easy read. I managed to read it in one day. I felt as though it was a little simplistic and that the focus was not so much on their fake relationship as it was on outside issues that perhaps should have been a better focus but I guess the book title wouldn't have been as engaging.

I was totally in support of the bisexual representation and Hani's fear of her friends disputing her bisexuality because she had never kissed a girl before. I appreciated the female/female love story and found it a refreshing take on the fake dating trope. The two main characters Ishu and Hani were well crafted however the secondary characters of Aisling and Dee were almost underdeveloped in comparison. I love reading contemporary books that are set in the U.K as it is easier for me to connect and this one being set in Dublin made me really happy.

The biphobia, homophobia, racism and disregarded for religious beliefs that featured in the novel was effectively portrayed and brought the issues to the forefront of the novel. The situation with the headteacher was incredibly infuriating to read and yet believable due to unfortunate members of society who refuse to look beyond ethnicity and sexuality.

I wanted to read more books this year that were written by POC and featured POC and LGBTQ+ characters and this book managed to work well for both of my reading goals. This being said, I found that the family dynamics of the two Bengali families were incredibly interesting to read about. I appreciated the exposure to the inner workings of these two families, the influence of religion and the impact of Nik's life choices on her relationships with her parents.

Overall, it was a well written novel with an easy story line, there is always a tendency for predictability with this trope and genre however that does not take away from this particular novel. I feel as though this book has been really hyped up on social media and therefore it did not live up to expectations. But I did find it a nice read, I would give it 2.5 stars but that's not an option.

💗 Hani And Ishu ' s Guide to Fake Dating 💙

*Check Trigger Warning before reading please 🙏*

I literally screamed when I heard i got accepted for the arc even though I knew j was getting accepted 😎

4/5

I loved this book so much! First of all the cover, how gorgeous it is , secondly- the formatting inside the book and thenthe content- hani and ishu both were Likable protagonist , but still hani sometimes could be annoying in a good way lol . The dual pov was really one of the best part as how both them thought about their fake dates and their reactions and conversations. The side characters were the one who made the plot more interesting and how they were reacting to their dates . This book had so many relatable things and pop culture references and was the cutest thing ever 😍

What i didn't liked -
Sometimes it seemed super long and boring to continue and I wished it could be shorter but as it was an arc , there will be many changes in it!

Do I recommend this ? Heck yes go buy yourself a copy , your bookshelf craves it

Thank you so much @netgalley and hachette group of publishing for an arc of it

Headlines:
Bisexual fake dating trope
Parental pressures
Toxic friendships
Prejudice

This book, and Hani & Ishu as characters in particular, secured my interest in this story very quickly. Adiba Jaigirdar once again set this story in Ireland with the backdrop of a Bengali heritage, cultures and traditions.

Hani and Ishu brought some stark differences to one another as well as some similarities. I enjoyed the spikey-ness of Ishu alongside Hani's open and generous nature. Ishu was from an Indian heritage with no faith in the background while Hani was from a Bengali muslim family. Seeing these two cultures intersect without clashing was really superb storytelling; differences don't have to be polarised.

These two were high schoolers, 16 and 17 years old, one out to her family and the other not. They felt somewhat set apart from their peers at school but there were some really toxic friendships afoot that took time to be revealed. There were also some slices of family problems, parental pressures and drama. The fake dating trope was pretty sweet and solidified a friendship with chemistry.

Hani declares she's going to drop me home like we're some antiquated heterosexual couple and not two queer teens who don't even have access to a car.

These two stole my heart with a delightful but real story.

Please check out some own voices reviewers on bisexuality and Bengali perspectives. There are also a number of triggers in this story, so please look for those if you need to or DM me for more info.

This was a great YA and a necessary addition to the genre featuring queer Bengali Irish girls in a fake dating scheme! Very quick and easy read, though I did struggle with how irredeemably awful Aisling was - it was so unclear why she and Hani were ever friends, and I wished there was more resolution and that she faced more consequences for being the worst person ever.

Hani and Ishu had a lot to live up to following THE HENNA WARS, one of my favourite YA contemporary books in years. And actually—I think I liked this one more! This is a sapphic romance between two Bengali girls, set in modern-day Dublin, and Jaigirdar absolutely nails the fluffy, romantic elements.

The fake dating trope is one I usually avoid, but I loved how it was done in this book. Usually it feels sort of... shoehorned in? But in HANI AND ISHU’S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING, it just feels like a flawlessly smooth part of the plot. I also loved the way Jaigirdar explored friendships in this novel, to some extent giving the topic more thought than romance. There’s a very toxic and realistic friendship explored on the page, done with absolute courage and care, and without the drama or glamorisation of some books.

Hani and Ishu’s families were a huge part of this story too, and they made the book feel like part of a very fleshed-out universe. Hani and Ishu are part of separate units but also one large, connected community, and Adiba handles this so well! I loved the discussion of their differences too, especially in their religious backgrounds, and I thought it was handled really well (but as a Catholic Irish person, I’m not the authority on this, so check other reviews for more detailed discussion of religion in this book).

All in all, I think this book is a powerful achievement by Jaigirdar. Fun, sparkling, and heartwarming to read, this is one I’ll cheerfully recommend to anyone who’ll listen.

Adiba Jairgirdar’s books are just like rays of sunshine. They have this special quality to them that just makes your heart glow and sparkle. Seeing representation like this on the shelves makes me feel so happy and I know her work is going to change so many lives.

Jaigirdar’s work always hits that sweet spot between softly adorable romance and poignant exploration of familial and societal issues. This was a book that filled my heart with joy, but also slowly crushed it at points. It really delves into issues about cultural clashes, pressurising expectations and toxic relationships with both friends and family. The dialogue around the biphobia and how it is unpacked on page really hit home for me.

Adiba tackles issues that are extremely relevant in a nuanced and accessible way in a way that just means that so many people will see themselves reflected on the page. She never patronises her teenage readers, instead treating them with the respect they deserve. I loved how this contemporary was full of adorable romance, but also doesn’t shy away from tackling tough issues. The complexity of these issues is addressed, with an ending that isn’t completely happy because life is never that straight-forward. There’s hope and joy left on the page though.

Every page is filled with chemistry, character and heart. Adiba creates these three-dimensional characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. Both Hani and Ishu are not perfect, but they’re just trying. I loved the use of the fake dating dynamic and the grumpy and sunshine romance combination. Their dialogue made me laugh out loud and it was just sparkling. The chemistry is also crackling between them, with their relationship dynamic believably growing on page. You just want everything to work out for these two amazing girls.

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating is a heart-warming, romantic and sweet contemporary novel that also delves into tough topics through a realistic and complex lens. It just re-affirms that Adiba is an auto-buy author for me.

Sapphic romance - need I say more?

Honestly, LGBTQ+ reads are all I want to read at the moment. This book ticked so many boxes for me.
1) I absolutely love the fake dating trope. I loved that Hani and Ishu started their relationship from scratch, only knowing the bare minimum about each other. The development of their relationship was sweet and gradual.
2) Hani's parents were so lovely. All the family dynamics were done really well in this book. I thought they were realistic. The competitive relationship between Ishu and Nik was so relatable.
3) The inclusion of cultural and religious representation. I loved that Hani pursued her own beliefs despite her parents not being involved much. The Bengali gatherings sound so amazing; food, family, and friendship; what more could you want?

There were some bits that I disliked.
1) Aisling and Deirdre never got punished! Why? I needed this to happen. I was furious with how they acted and treated Hani. Then they go and get away with almost destroying a fellow student's reputation and future. They just got away with everything.
2) The headteacher! Again someone who got off without any repercussions for her actions. She was clearly racist and corrupt. Why didn't Ishu's parents do something? Why didn't Nik? Clearly, she had a history with this woman.
3) The abrupt ending. There were so many things that I felt should have been addressed. Does Ishu tell her parents about her relationship with Hani? Do Ishu's parents forgive Nik and attend the wedding? I wanted to go to the wedding. I got to the last page and I was sure my Kindle had malfunctioned.

I loved the pacing of this book. It kept me interested all the way through. I adored Hani and Ishu as characters. It has really inspired me to look into the Bengali culture. The clothes and food were so prominent in this book that I couldn't help looking on google for photos and recipes. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves learning about other cultures, books that highlight difficult topics such as racism and homophobia, and slow-burn romance.

https://www.tiktok.com/@theb.ooksiread/video/6966205849979112709?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6959490805028718086&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0

I absolutely adored this book, so much so that I finished reading it in one sitting.

Hani and Ishu's guide to Fake Dating is a brilliantly executed novel that uses one of my favourite tropes ever, fake dating - the ULTIMATE yearning based romance trope. The novel follows two queer Bengali girls at a catholic school in Ireland as they 'decide' to start fake dating; one for clout to win a head girl election and her parents approval, the other to prove her friends wrong.

I honestly wish this book was available to me when I was still in school because I felt so validated and seen in the way that the author handled the bisexual character's struggles. Every minor criticism or invalidation regarding Hani's sexuality felt like something I'd heard and experienced myself, and to see that explored with such realistic tenderness AND to have her romantic interest be burningly passionate about seeing her treated better? I died. This is exactly the kind of representation the community needs and I'd love to see more of it.
Both protagonists are fully realised characters with completely different personalities and motivations, but you get to see them grow and support one another in a relationship that isn't threatened by the world ending or anything crazy, but by jealousy and prejudice.

The story beautifully navigated sensitive topics including prejudice in many of it's ugly forms and had a central message focussed on the resilience and grit it takes to face ignorance and when it's important to stand up for yourself. I also loved that it didn't demonise setting up boundaries for who the characters felt comfortable being out to.

It was a both empowering and fluffy queer love story that made me so so happy to read and I'd absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a new wlw read.

*I was sent an arc of Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Hachette Children's Group and Adiba Jaigirdar.*

Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating was a heartfelt and real read. As much as we all may love the fake dating trope it is not used in a cliche way here. Hani pretends to start dating Ishu because her friends refuse to believe that she is bisexual. The use of the faking dating trope was so important to this story and was executed extremely well.

Unless it was clearly stated it was easy to forget that this trope is what the book centres around. The chemistry between Hani and Ishu was so palpable that you forget they are not really dating.

I absolutely loved both characters and there was a clear difference in narrative. Often when you have books from split perspectives it’s hard to differentiate whose point of view you are reading from. However, the difference between Hani and Ishu was very easy to tell.

One of my favourite parts of this book was reading about Bengali culture and the differences in both characters' family dynamics and religious beliefs. The latter being portrayed extremely well.

It was great seeing how even though Hani and Ishu had different religious beliefs they didn’t discount the other's views. Hani felt like she could open up to Ishu about being Muslim and even felt comfortable enough to pray in her room. Comparing this to how Hani’s oldest friends would react to any showing of religion it was refreshing to read.

The handling of themes such as racism and homophobia was done extremely well and showcased the issues that can be faced surrounding these in a way that feels very timely right now. Adiba Jaigirdar never allowed characters that thought this way their redemption without them fully earning it.

By tackling these issues our main characters were able to grow and learn so much about themselves. Both Hani and Ishu helped the other to come to terms with the problems they were facing and they taught each other how a real friend should act.

Watching the connection build between Hani and Ishu was wonderful to read and I really feel like their story is not yet finished. Without giving away the ending of the book, I do feel like some parts were very rushed and I would love to see a sequel where we get flashbacks to those moments. Although this seems like it isn’t going to happen it is something I will hope for.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I loved loved LOVED this book. It was so refreshing, funny and cute. I've not read the Henna Wars but will go back and find it now because I can't wait to read more of Jaigirdar's writing. Hani and Ishu's situations were so realistic and I really enjoyed (maybe not the right word) the toxic friendship element to the story because I think it's so important to confront that.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating is a slow burn YA romance that was refreshing and charming. It cut across many topics such as relationships, race, love and addressed some of the current issues that queer teens face. The romance aspect wasn’t too exaggerated and felt real. I was rooting for Ishu and Hani from the beginning and I’m glad how everything tied up in the end. Each character had something to offer to the reader, making this book more likable and pleasant. This book is perfect for To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before fans and those who enjoy reading fake dating tropes.

(Thanks to Hodder Children’s Books, NetGalley, and the author for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.)

I fell in love with Hani & Ishu from the start, this one was such a binge worthy read and i didn't want to put it down.

There are many important topics explored here that were handled in such a painfully real way, set in school and shows many struggles of being a teen. All of the fears of failure, wanting to belong and friendships - emotions, challenges and growth throughout.

"People aren't always who they seem to be."

Hani & Ishu learn so much from each other, as they show support and work together to reach their goals. Of course it gets complicated though as both develop feelings and i loved their relationship so much. They're such opposites, yet they fit so well and its so sweet to see their feelings grow.

There is many soft moments as they interact and get to know each other, outside of their presumptions and build a connection. All of their little moments as they compliment one another, is beautfiul and i adore how they find strength in each other.

"We all need to fit in, or need to be loved, or need approval. You and Hani aren't that different, if you think about it."

Hani is scared to lose her friends, despite their lack of understanding and always pushing her thoughts to the side. I loved that Ishu recognised what they did and always stood up for Hani, tried to support her but show at the same time that what they did was wrong.

While Ishu is very focused on her studies and not social, Hani really brings her out of her shell. Their dates, the walks together, holding hands, all of the longing and care they showed was amazing.

Both of us are smiling- grinning, actually - and clutching each others hands like they're lifelines and if we let go we will drown.

Oh and of course, their guide to fake dating was adorable - i liked the photos and how captured their memories, as they were falling for each other. There are layers to this story with various plot lines that intertwine towards their fake relationship, through Ishu's family and Hani's friends.

Overall i enjoyed this read a lot and it provided all of the feels i wanted, with plenty of sweet scenes and an incredible story all round. While the end is a little abrupt, i think its fitting to their story. Very cute, i adore Hani & Ishu 💕

I highly recommend checking out ownvoice reviews!

This is the brown girl rep that I was looking for!

I personally love opposites attract and fake dating trope and this book did it in such a good way.

Humaira is a sweet, bubbly, friendly girl and Ishita is..not any of that. She is direct, practical and a no-nonsense girl. Other girls at their school expect them to be friends cz "they both are brown". In reality, these two cannot be more different than each other.

But crazy expectations from friends and family push them to get into a fake relationship. And thats where the fun and sweetness and craziness begins! Hani and Ishu are so precious, I feel like wrapping them up in cotton candy and protecting them forever! (I personally love Ishita more).

We not only see the friendship, and in time, love, blossom between Hani and Ishu, but we also get to see the realities of many relationships. We see the stressful expectations of Ishu's family and the heartwarming love of Hani's family and the bitterness caused due to prejudices amongst friends.

While this book highlights many important topics, the one that affected me the most the message that we should never feel ashamed for standing up for ourselves. Hani and Ishu both have to face social ostracization on many occasions for no fault of their own. They are singled out and even directly ridiculed at times for their skin colour, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation.

Its not selfish to speak up against racism and stereotypes, and the author has made this point very nicely in this story. If someone is repeatedly being unsupportive and forcing you to be/do something you don't want to, then its ok to voice your opinion and state your boundaries. It's ok to distance ourselves from toxic people in our life.

There are in-depth conversations about the various issues faced by immigrants and these discussions were so touching.

The author has given clear content warnings in the foreword and I was so impressed by that. I haven't seen many authors do that and I really appreciated it.

On a lighter note, there were references to bollywood in the book and that made desi self so happy!

All in all, this is a must read book.

I don’t know why but the idea of ‘fake dating’ made me expect a 00's rom com with lots of accidental slip ups and almost getting caught out for not really being together.

I’m thinking The Proposal with Sandra Bullock where she convinces Ryan Reynolds to marry her so she doesn’t get deported. This is nothing like that!

Instead, it was something much more real and rewarding. A Sapphic story starring two Bengali girls in Ireland, one girl’s battle with her biphobic friends and another girl's quest for her parents' approval.

When Humaira ‘Hani’ Khan comes out to her friends they respond with disbelief saying ‘how can you know you’re bisexual if you’ve never kissed a girl?’ In a panicked attempt not to have her identity invalidated she lies and says she is in fact dating a girl – Ishita Dey.

Ishita ‘Ishu,’ Dey, who doesn’t particularly like Hani or anybody for that matter, goes along with the lie that they are an item because she thinks it will help her chances at being head girl, something she hopes to achieve to make her parents proud of her. Hani has friends and if Ishu can get them to like her perhaps they will vote in her favour.

Does it go to plan? No. Do they develop real feelings for each other? Yes. Is it complicated? Of course! But that’s what makes for a good story.

Each girl has their own struggles at home and at school and that is what makes the book so relatable. They experience their fair share of injustice and prejudice and it is told in a way that feels very real and makes me wonder if Jaigirdar is writing from personal experience. There is good character development throughout the story and it brings more to the table than just romance and fake relationship tropes. Its message, in part, is to stop trying to fit into other people’s boxes. Stop putting yourself on mute to keep other people happy, whether it be your sexuality, your race or culture. Be loud and be yourself.

This folllows Hani and Ishu, two teenage girls who are polar opposites in many ways but realise they can help each other out. Hani is popular and likeable with a supportive family but her friends don't really get it when she tells them she's bisexual. Ishu is stand-offish and doesn't get along with people at school but she wants to become Head Girl to impress her parents. The solution to their problems? The best trope: fake dating.

First off, I didn't realise before picking this up that it's set in Dublin and there's something particularly lovely about reading a book like this set at home. I grew up around the Muslim community in South Dublin that Hani is part of but I've never seen it written about in this kind of book. So it's a big personal plus for that.

There's so much great stuff going on here. It does a really good job as showing the issues Hani and Ishu both run into as queer Bengali girls trying to navigate everything that comes with being a teen. The dynamic between them is also particularly enjoyable to read. Watching their relationship blossom as they try to work out their fake-dating charade had me reading it all at once. They're so different and they butt heads a lot but that only adds to the fun.

Everything about how they got into the set up and how it plays out rang true, which can be an issue with this kind of story. Plus I was rooting for them which isn't always a given. If I had any critique, it would just be that some of the stuff with their friends and family seems rushed or under-explained. But that didn't bother me enough influence my rating.

It's a really cute YA novel, and definitely one for anyone who's a fan of slow burn romance or fake-dating stories. Thanks so much to Hachette for the ARC.