This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. It had everything you could want from a romance novel with the most perfect ending. Looking forward to seeing what Anika produces next! Promising new author right here!!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I will start by saying the story for this didn't go how I expected. The friendship between Zara and Adnan was cute. I didn't see why there was such a focus from the other main characters for them getting together. While the premise of fake dating was good, I feel like some of it fell flat. Some of the reasoning for her being on the dates with Cami and Adnan made no sense. And I really didn't like how Cami treated Zara after she was doing her a big favor. That being said, the premise for this book was a little too messy. While I did think the ending was unexpected and a bit refreshing. It became a bit confusing at times to keep up with all the lies.
Also, this book was oversaturated with wayyy too many cultural references. I felt like there was a new one every 2 pages. I don't know why there was Pokemon Go when it isn't really a thing anymore?
While this book fell flat, I still enjoyed my time reading it and liked how the book ended. I'm definitely excited to see what the author comes out with next.
(*2.75)

Coming from a debut author I was really impressed with the writing. It didn’t read as a debut novel to me.

From the plot to the pacing and to the writing itself I found this so enjoyable!!!!

This is how you fall in love is a fake dating story that falls slighter on the younger side of YA. it’s very much filled with pop culture references and there’s a few plot twists that aren’t easily anticipated.

My few annoyances were that it did feel a little info dumpy at times and Zahra’s inner dialogue dragged on too much at certain points.

But I really enjoyed this book and would 10/10 love to see it as a movie.

I’d rate it a solid 3.5 and rounded up for Goodreads ect. I was provided an ARC for this book in return for an honest review.

3 stars!

This was a bit of a wild ride.

A quick, entertaining read about two best friends who find themselves in a very sticky romantic situation, where fake feelings and real feelings get all mixed up.

Funny, messy, very traditional teenage rom com with teenage feelings and tendencies.

The ending was very surprising and I didn't expect the all the turns it took.

After a slow start, I could not put this book down. A lovely YA romance to help get me out of a reading slump. I loved the characters and the fake dating trope - definitely a book I'll be recommending to my students!

one of my favourite things about this book has to be the fact that it almost breaks the 4th wall and discusses book tropes (it’s one of the things i loved about book lovers by emily henry)!
this is a fun wee YA that was perfect for reading during exam season. at times i did want just a tad more development but overall a good read.

Charming YA romance, including fake dating, tangled best friendships and dancing in the rain. I found this totally charming but with one too many phases. Would make an amazing series. I hope it gets picked up. I love the characters. I love the rom-com tropes. I love the different family dynamics.

I love the fake dating trope, and this one took that trope and added a new twist, one I suppose I was hoping for but also surprised me at the same time!

Zara and Adnana are friends, and have never even considered being more than that. Their friends and classmates constantly think they’re together based on how they close they are, but things couldn’t be further from the truth. Until Adnan wants to date someone new, who doesn’t want their relationship publicised because of her relationship with her father. Instead Adnan announces to the world that he and Zara are dating, without asking her I might add, so she is forced to go along with his plan and attend their dates as a third wheel so they’re able to hang out. Even though Adnan is her best friend, he really didn’t act like that at times!

Whilst doing this, Zara misses out on some pretty big events like a concert (I would never skip a concert for a boy ever) but in doing so she also meets someone herself. Without spoiling this book, Zara has to make some difficult choices in this book so she can be true to herself and her desires. I loved that she didn’t want to just do what would please the people around her, including her family. The romance was very cute and I loved the decision Zara made in the end.

This was a cute romance, with a sprinkling of plot twists that had me glued to the page!

Whilst I enjoy romance and YA, this book was just not it for me. I could not take to any of the characters, they were honestly just annoying/immature and I could not get on board with them or their actions/decisions. The overuse of pop culture references also got very tiring.Extra star as it's a representation I've not read before.

I'm not feeling very well so wanted an easy read and this was absolutely perfect. Funny, engaging, characters that are so well described its easy to start rooting for them right away and decent story at a decent page. I thoroughly enjoyed.

This wasn't my cup of tea but my teen daughter, 17, really enjoyed it. She says its fun, sweer and relatable A good read for teens.

Thank you to Bonnier Books UK, Hot Key Books and Anika Hussain for the arc.

This book was so sweet and I cannot begin to say how much I love Zara. She honestly deserves the world!

Thank you so much again for the ARC! I really enjoyed this book :)

A cute story. Not quite what I normally read, but it was well written.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the author for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

When I got approved to read This is How You Fall In Love on Netgalley, I dropped in and out of reading the first few chapters (slow readers club 😂). But yesterday I decided to properly sit down and read it - I devoured it in basically one sitting which never happens for me!

I went into this book expecting the usual fake dating trope between Zara and her best friend Adnan. OMG I got so much more than that. Plot twist after plot twist after plot twist!! Zara is such a strong main character, but she seems swayed by other people and there is such a pressure on her to conform to what everyone else wants. Even Adnan has this pressure, with the two being shipped by literally anyone that knows them. Both are in this struggle between what is 'right' and what they want to do. But eventually, it takes the courage of Zara to follow her own heart and find out what she truly desires. Side note - I absolutely love the love of romcoms in this book. Anika Hussain is a complete queen for giving a little mention to top tier romcom Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.

So while on the surface it seems to be about Zara, fake dating her best friend Adnan, it turns out to be so much more than that. This book highlights everything important in life - family, friendship, love (every type) and always following your heart. Highlyyy recommend!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hot Key Books for allowing me to read an ARC of This Is How You Fall In Love!

This was quite a cute little romance story but I can’t give it more than 3 stars (and t9 be honest this is thinking positively) because all the way through I was almost saying aloud, you just wouldn’t do that! I also felt there was one particular key part of the story which was hinted at throughout and when the big reveal came out it was all a bit of an anti climax. Thoughtful ending though,

This book was a love letter to love. Romantic love, platonic love, friendship and family, it leaves no kind of love out. The ending really touched me a lot with how positive it was a about friendships and familial love.

It amused me a lot that she met the new boy playing Pokemon Go. As a Pokemon Go player myself I really appreciated the references, but I'm not sure if it would be too technical for people who don't play. It really endeared me towards Yahya though. I really liked him a lot.

I do feel though that it was maybe a bit predictable because of which characters were fleshed out and which weren't. Although I was fearful that she would get together with the wrong boy at the end, I kind of felt like I knew how it would end.

I really, really enjoyed it though and I hope you do too.

It's a really cute story. I liked the family settings and the view into a culture that I didn't know intimately. I think a YA audience will enjoyed it.

I feel awful because I really love fake dating, it is literally my favourite trope but unfortunately for me, This is How You Fall in Love fell flat.

I feel like we didn’t really get to know the the characters very much or in depth. Though there isn’t too many characters so it it quite easy to keep up with who’s who, especially since the fake dating is to hide another relationship, but it kinda turns into a love square- but it was still easy to keep up.


I don’t think the reasons for why Adnan and Cami have to keep their relationship secret was well explained and I honestly felt bad for Sades who was kept out of the loop, despite being Zara’s closest friend. I also felt bad for Cami as I definitely think Zara and Adnan went too far with the fake dating. I do like the fact that Zara realises what she wants, and she gets back in touch with Yahya who I actually liked as a character, and I liked his interactions with Zara. I also liked the fact that Pokemon plays a part in this story!

Having read other books with Muslim rep, I feel like this one didn’t quite show the fundamentals of Islam. I won’t comment much on this but I think that there are definitely better books for Muslim rep.

I think this book was written in a way that was pretty easy to understand and I did fly through it.

Overall, This is How You Fall in Love is a pretty quick and easy read, but I just don’t think it was particularly for me, and I feel a little let down with the fake dating. I am giving this book 2.5 stars.

Zara and Adnan have been friends since they were young. Every one they know has, at some point, suggested they would make a perfect couple. They have always mocked the suggestion…but when Adnan falls for Cami, the new girl with a protective father, the pair decide to pretend to be in a relationship to keep the truth hidden.
So much of the drama here could have been avoided if people talked. I’m not convinced anyone in real life makes things that complicated. However, the story wouldn’t have been as entertaining!
When Zara finds herself in her own potential love story, things get a lot more complicated. Determined to try and keep her side of the bargain, things get very messy.
From start to finish it’s hard not to find these two so endearing. Though their actions may have been crazy, they were carried out with good intentions. Problems arise, but welcome to see the importance of being true to yourself and not being over concerned with keeping others happy.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.