More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed Masood.

This book was honestly such a letdown I thought I would enjoy this book more than I did. The description made it sound so much more but, that was just a pure facade on what it would be.

The whole plot felt like it went nowhere, just in this constant loop where it got super old, throwing the entire story off. I commend the writer for a debut novel the writing was pretty good in the text. There were quotes that I did end up highlighting. I did think the inclusion of the Winston Churchill history lesson was great and was an eye-opener to how a person commemorated in modern times still is appreciated when they did terrible things. The father and son relationship between Danyal and his father was made apparent to people in other cultures and taught people what different ethnicities believe in.

For the characters, I thought there was not any development for them at all. Danyal sadly was mostly belittled for not being as intelligent as his peers and called stupid when he wasn't. I don't think the normalisation throughout the whole story was a great message. Kaval was not a great person what so ever she was horrible and did not like Danyal the way he was trying to put him in a whole different personality type. Bisma was the highlight for this book she made the story come to life and was a great person to read about and a great friend to Danyal.

Overall it was a disappointing story. I do believe the majority of people will like the novel. It would be great for a cheesy, heartwarming, holiday story.

I loved loved loved this book.

Danyal the protagonist is handsome but not particularly academic and his history teacher decides somewhat spitefully to enter him into an academic contest: his presentation has to be about Churchill. In researching Churchill he learns about the Bengal Famine and he has to decide between: trying to honour his heritage & trying not to let his father down (the subject is important but his dad doesn't think his son can do it justice...) OR just do a basic job on how Churchill is a hero, pass history, and maybe win the hand of the girl of his dreams.

Along the way he realises that the girl of his dreams is maybe just in his dreams, he has to square his developing feelings for another girl with the requirements of his Muslim faith and his family but she has a difficult past. His two best friends are also Muslim but are dealing with their faith in different ways and between the three of them they help Danyal figure out what to do but also how to connect with their faith better.

PLUS! Syed Masood, the author, is from Pakistan, a Muslim, and 100% down for calling out bullshit (that last part I added)
Why did I add the last part? Because the history teacher said to Danyal:
"We're learning about your history"
"Oh?"
"Yes, the history of India"
"I'm from Pakistan"
"Basically the same thing"
And damn if I a) didn't want to punch the teacher in the face b) wanted to high five Syed Masood so badly

I like diving into the story most of the time without reading the description. When I read the title “more than just a pretty face”, I assumed the book would be from a girl’s perspective. However, this book covers the story of a nineteen year old boy Danyan Jalani who is good looking, funny and confident but isn’t very bright academically. Generally for brown Asian kids the family and cultures are quite strict regarding the Academics, but Danyan is still in high school at nineteen and wants to be a chef. He likes one of his best friends twin sister Kaval since young age. One day Danyan meets Bhisma in a meeting arranged by their families for arrange marriage where Bhisma tells him about her secret which is considered a ‘sin’ in Muslim religion.

Danyan gets chosen to represent the history class for the Renaissance Man - a competition held in their school. Helping Danyan for the competition, Kaval eventually confesses that she also likes but she wants him to complete his college studies in Pakistan and leave his dream of being a chef. Later, Danyan starts getting more help from Bhisma so they grown on each other.

The story is something I didn’t expect as per the title. But I enjoyed the book overall. I have been reading a lot lately and this book made me cry (a good warm one) which I haven’t done in a while so it definitely is a good book for me. The book covers so much than a YA rom-com. While Danyan prepares for the Renaissance Man, the story covers white supremacy, Oppression and Winston Churchill’s history in a different light. Likewise, the Muslim culture, their traditions and ofcourse food! So yeah the book is entertaining I finished it in a day and enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

More That Just A Pretty Face is a warm and cute romance book by Syed M. Masood.

I received an ARC from NetGalley of this ebook and then a physical copy from Hodder and Stoughton for my honest opinion.

Danyal Jilani doesn't lack confidence, and while he isn't the smartest boy in the room, he's a good chef. Kaval, Danyal's long term crush, is all that matters, but even he knows he's less than desirable as her arranged marriage proposal, something his mother also knows. But, when his mother brings a new girl into his life and his teacher selects him for a school-wide championship, everything will remain the same, right?

I rated this book 4 stars out of 5. I really liked so much about this book. The representation (although, being white I can't comment on it's accuracy) and the way in which it spoke of love in such a positive way. Danyal was so easy to root for, to fall for and wish for a happy ending for. He's funny, confident and doesn't shy away from not being the smartest bulb in the box. Something I actually really admired about his characterisation, and while his growth in the book is dependant on him grasping his history work for the championship, the author doesn't change Danyal over the course of his learning.

Danyal accepts help, he opens his eyes, but still remains the same loveable guy we first meet, just with an interest in his education.

I loved Bisma. Her life before she meets Danyal sounds so sad, that I was rooting for her throughout (and secretly them). I really liked the book touching on the 'sin' of what she does, but allows Danyal's character to blossom in how he handles it, showing compassion we don't get a lot from male leads.

The writing was easy, the pacing was comfortable, and overall it was a quick but enjoyable read.

While I did use Google, it would have been nice to have a glossary of the words used in the book that were non-english, more so for pronunciation purposes, but this doesn't take anything away from the book.

The things stopping me from loving this book is that on occasion, it was too easy of a read. There didn't seem to be much at stake for the character, and it became clear through the characters point of view of his changing feelings and what he was going to do. While this was refreshing, it didn't built up much up in sense of plot, so felt a little lacklustre when the book boiled down to its final chapters.

I was happy with the ending, and would recommend it to friends, and overall found myself invested in finishing the book, which all in all, is the reason I rated it four stars out of five.

3.5 stars

This book follows a Pakistani-American Muslim teen who is trying to prove that he is brighter than people give him credit for. Though the writing style was quite juvenile and corny, I didn't mind much because I still found the book humorous. Danyal's witty commentary on the 'brown' community especially made me laugh. It was also quite fast-paced, making it easier for me to fly through it.

I wouldn't say that the romance is exactly 'Halal' but I'll give the book credit for acknowledging this, and it did a better job than most Muslim love stories I've read. I've seen some reviews say this is a negative thing however it is important to note that many young Muslims today understand what is permissible and what isn't in a relationship, but that doesn't mean that they will follow the rules all the time. It is quite realistic in that aspect since they are still human and make decisions which an adult may disapprove of.

That being said, I did find the romance between Bisma and Danyal very adorable. I especially liked how their feelings grew over a period of time from a genuine friendship, rather than Danyal's infatuation with Kaval. Bisma herself was an interesting character and I do think it would have been nice to learn more about her beyond her scandal and her assisting Danyal.

One of my favourite aspects of the book was the Pakistani culture, particularly the food. It was so exciting to see Danyal talk about shami kebabs in the very first chapter, something which I'd never expected to see in a book before. It goes to show the importance of ownvoices novels and representation so everyone can see themselves in media. I appreciated the spectrum of Muslims in this book, from non-practising to almost on a scholarly level, though I will say that Sohrab was given quite a negative portrayal because he was so religious. Though there may be people who act like that and don't know how to balance religion and life, this seemed exaggerated; I know some very religious people and they still know how to have fun. In addition, there were some disparaging comments made about Islam which were meant to be in jest but came off more harmful.

Overall, this was a cute contemporary book about, yes, love, but also politics, colonialism and culture. I would recommend it to anyone in need of a quick but enjoyable read.

This was way more than what I was expecting from a YA contemporary! This story, unlike many other contemporaries, felt so unique and powerful. Not only did it represent minorities within America, but it also delved into topics that are often unheard of in this genre.

For me, the discussions of racism, colonialism, and the whitewashing of history was so powerful and needed in a novel such as this. Too often, the experiences of minority voices and their struggles are overlooked in contemporary works, and Masood so beautifully brings in these powerful topics whilst also keeping the book humorous and fun. Masood brought together elements of life that people go through every day and entwined them to not only showcase the experience of a second-generation Pakistani Muslim man living in America but to demonstrate the lasting legacies of history.

The most interesting aspect to me was the way in which religion and family expectations played into the romance of the novel. Again, this was a unique experience to me as I don’t often find contemporaries that focus around the religious expectations of love and relationships. Whilst it may not have been an extremely accurate representation of these expectations, as they often break them without much thought, it was still a significant aspect of the story that added more depth. There were also times that some comments were made about other areas of the world that seemed incorrect or unfair, but as I am not a history expert I don’t know whether those parts were direct quotes from Winston Churchill or just added in by the author.

Overall, this novel was entertaining to read, and I flew through it. I loved the multicultural and diverse representation within this novel and also the way in which it discussed poignant and difficult subjects whilst still maintaining the sweet romance between Danyal and Bisma.

This was such a cute book! I enjoyed it so much.

This was my first book by a Pakistani author, who now lives in the USA, and I absolutely loved it. It tells the story of Danyal, a young Muslim man who is in his final year of high school. He’s never been particularly good at school, but is known for being handsome and charming. When he is picked to take part in an academic competition called The Renaissance Man, his family and friends are surprised.

The book also focuses on arranged marriages and the involvement of Muslim parents in the courting of potential future partnerships. Danyal’s parents introduce him to Bisma as a potential future wife, but Bisma has a secret - she was betrayed and there is a video of her having pre-martial sex.

Danyal was such a brilliant character - so likeable and entertaining. And Bisma was so lovely! She was nerdy and cute and I rooted for her so much. Their relationship blossomed so beautifully and there was nothing toxic between them. Bisma helps Danyal realise that he is enough just as he is, and is worthy of everything he wants in life.

Danyal, for his Renaissance Man Project, decides to tell some home truths about Winston Churchill - the man responsible for the Bengal famine which killed 3 million Indians. This part of the plot, plus the focus on the morals of Islam and the role of women in the religion, definitely contributed to my love for this book.

Romance books can get a bad rep, but they are the best and can still deal with some more serious topics! This one handled its harder topics so well and talks about the role of people to stand up for injustices. As Danyal puts so well:
“If we’re silent in the face of injustice, then we’re unjust too”.

If you’re looking for an inclusive and fun romance, definitely pick this one up!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton publishing for this early release copy in exchange for an honest review.

More Than Just A Pretty Face is a cute and quick read which follows the main character through issues with his love life and what to do with his new role in competing for Renaissance Man.

I did like the main character, he is charming and a fun narrator for the book which helps as the book has some complicated characters and deals with some serious stuff. I liked the various side characters and because Danyal tries to be non-judgmental, we see various sides to some characters which I thought was nice. For example, Kaval although she says some stuck up stuff, Danyal also points out she is entitled to her feelings and that he did put her on a pedestal.

I liked the writing style and the pace of the book although there were parts of the book that were too wordy and I did feel like the book could have been shorter as towards the ending things did get a bit repetitive.

I did find the romance cute, I really liked both Danyal and Bisma and their slowly build up relationship.

3/5

More Than Just a Pretty Face was a pretty cute YA story. It follows Danyal, a funny and charming, or at least that's what he thinks. Unfortunately, Kaval the girl of his dreams doesn't seem to see that. Danyal isn't the best when it comes to academics, but he finds himself elected for Renaissance Man, an acclaimed school-wide contest for which only the smartest seniors are selected. He's determined to show that he's smarter than he seems, so he gets Bisma - a girl totally uninterested in Danyal - to help him succeed. His heart belongs to Kaval, but the more time he spends with Bisma, the more his interests start to change.

It's a fairly entertaining read. Danyal is slightly arrogant and a little one-track minded, but it made him an enjoyable character for the most part. He did get a bit annoying to the end when his perspective became very judgemental and preachy based on his religious views. The writing was good, though I did find some of the dialogue a little cringey and some of the humour went straight over my head. Also, some of the jokes seemed a little distasteful, however I'm not sure I'm the right person to comment upon that, and the representation this book shares. My favourite part of the book was definitely the romance. I liked how it progressed throughout, and I'm not normally one to get invested in the romances in YA books. The book does have its flaws, but even so, it was enjoyable to read.

Thank you to NetGalley UK and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me an advance reader copy in exchange of an honest review.

Solid 4.5 stars for me.

I was looking for something easygoing to get me through the lockdown, but with an emotional core that still connected and "More Than Just a Pretty Face" definitely matched my expectations.

Danyal Jilani is nineteen-year old is in the last year of high school, although education is far from his mind, as he dreams of a culinary future as a chef and the romantic culmination of years-old crush on Kaval Sabsvari, the twin sister of one of his best friends, Sohrab. Despite "groundless confidence being one of (his) special skills", Danyal isn't valued very highly by anyone except his mother and his other best friend Intezar or Zar. That is until Danyal is picked by his history teacher to participate in the prestigious Renaissance Man academic challenge and for the first time, Danyal is forced to pick up a book or too. But that might not be the only reason his parents are receiving reports of him spending his days in the library!

Danyal's journey to fulfill his dreams of wooing the beautiful Kaval who is ready to shoot hoops (is that the right term? I know nothing about any sport other than cricket!) even in a shalwar kameez and full face of makeup, and doing justice to the victims of the Bengal Famine in a speech meant to impress a history teacher who reveres Sir Winston Churchil, while also making sure that he passes high school and working towards his goal of becoming a chef forms the rest of the book. Along the way, we see Danyal grow a little and have him grow on us a lot.

Firstly, a huge thank you for bringing us this #ownvoices story about a young adult with everyday struggles. While stories of striving against oppression is important, it is refreshing to see a group brown/South Asian characters just being normal young people with normal problems - love, school, parents, future plans, changing friendships and so on. This book is powerful in just being itself, and not trying to be more than it needs to be.

I would definitely recommend this for a summer read, especially as it balances emotions and history with an unique, fresh voice (I can't remember the last time I read a YA romance from a male perspective). I love that the writer, Syed M Masood, represents a whole spectrum of Muslims within the story, all with their own different levels of devotion and religious commitment - we need more stories like this which represent the diversity within the Muslim experience.

When I started reading it, I was skeptical, because the school corridor opening didn't ground me into the age and background of the story, but it soon picked up, with a "rishta" - arranged marriage - proposal waiting for him at home, while Danyal stuffs his face. "Danyal Biryani" he introduces himself as to Bisma, the profoundly sad yet enigmatic potential match. Their conversation outside the coffee place made me sit up straight, and I knew this was going to be a good ride.

Early on in the book, Danyal's father remarks that the only reason someone might want to marry their daughter to him is because "he'll make lovely babies!", before making a comparison to eighteenth-century gender roles - marriages made of "the boy's education and the girl's good looks". Given that Danyal's passion for food is derided by many a character in the story, this role reversal comment stayed with me for a long time.

Credit goes to the writer for fulfilling the titular message of his novel much more eloquently throughout the story. Danyal may be disinterested in academic education, but is diligent and dedicated to his passion, and the scenes where he is cooking, be it for friends or for customers at his part-time job at a French restaurant under the watchful eyes of the formidable yet insightful Chef Brodeur, are my favourite moments from the book. The vivid description pairs well with whatever storm brews within our lead character's life and mind.

I adore the characters in this book - each fleshed out and with their own narrative, I could easily read a book each following the narratives of Intezar (and his obsession with the predictions of Pakistani holy man -"Pir saab"), Bisma's annoyingly endearing potty-mouthed sister Suraiya "Suri", the awkward chemistry between Danyal's parents, and of course, somber Sohrab - he is so precious - he came comes across as a bit too intense and cardboard-y at the start, but as Danyal reconnects with his old friend, the layers peel away and Sohrab's genuine warmth and remarkable wisdom really makes him one of my favourite character arcs from the book. My notes say "Sohrab needs his own book" multiple times (in case the author and publisher are listening!)

Without spoiling too much, the book will serve fans of slow burn romances - the later half has a number of moments that are adorable and heartwarming, even without the decadent Asian (Indian/Pakistani) meals Danyal cooks up whenever he can find his friends' kitchens to himself. The ending also is not the cliche i expected, and that in itself was a win for me.

I received a free ARC of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

In between barely-passing his final year at school, and trying to engineer his parents' approval of an arranged marriage between him and popular rich girl Kaval, Danyal Jilani is nominated to speak in the school-wide Renaissance Man competition, where he must give a talk on a history subject and write a dissertation on his chosen subject. After his parents' attempt at an arranged marriage goes awry, Danyal finds himself writing the dissertation with the help of Bisma, a young girl who - much like Danyal - is more than a pretty face.

I really loved this book. Danyal and Bisma are thoroughly likeable; Danyal is not book-smart but is intelligent and headstrong, and you root for his journey of becoming a chef, while Bisma is ultra-cool and your heart really breaks at her treatment thus far.

As a non-Muslim, I had no issues with this book, though practising Muslims may disagree with characterisations etc.

I definitely squeaked and punched the air at various points in the book - if you're up for this sort of extreme intense emotion, then pick up this book!

I was looking forward to reading this new YA story featuring two Muslim main characters, but I have to say that I expected a little more from it.

At first I couldn't really vibe with Danyal, the main character whose POV we follow for the whole book. He isn't very much interested in school, but he's a charming and funny boy. My issue was that sometimes it felt like he was trying a bit too hard to be liked by other people. Also, he sometimes made fun of some Muslim traditions and rules and I believe some people might get upset by this kind of behavior. I didn't particularly enjoy it when he made jokes about religion, he was always repeating himself and it wasn't as funny as the author probably hoped it was all going to be.

Bisma as a love interest came a bit late into the picture in my opinion. I would have liked to see Danyal develop feelings for her a bit sooner. Also, she seems like such an interesting girl, but I feel like we only got a glimpse of that. Even though I loved how supportive she was of Danyal, I would have liked to see more of her personality shine through the pages of the book.

This YA novel tackles some political aspects too, which I found very interesting. I enjoyed reading about Winston Churchill and how the perception most of the people have of him is only a part of the man he truly was. He did some horrible things and I'm glad this book put the focus on them and gave Danyal the chance to talk about this topic in front of the whole school.

It was an enjoyable read with some interesting aspects, but I overall expected more from it.

Netgalley and the publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for letting me read More Than Just A Pretty Face.

More Than Just A Pretty Face tells the story of Danyal Jilani, a boy who wants nothing more than to become a chef, despite his father’s disapproval. When he ends up having to compete in a school competition, he gets help from Bisma, a kind-hearted, honest girl. Together, they form a plan to win the competition while their feelings for each other start to grow.

I highly recommend reading reviews of #OwnVoices readers, especially if you want to know more about the Muslim representation in this book and the way its culture has been represented.

The romance is cute, timely and overall enjoyable. Bisma was my favourite character in the book. She was just so sweet and careful and a cinnamon roll, who could definitely fight you if she wanted. I enjoyed how she and Danyal interacted with each other, and how it was often over food (my favourite thing in the entire world). Bisma's external and internal struggles truly broke my heart. Sometimes I wish social media didn't exist at all.

Danyal’s relationship with cooking melted my heart. You could tell how passionate he was about his career choice and the food he was making. The encounters with his chef constantly made me giggle. There was so much snark and so much confusion from Danyal’s side it was hard not to smile.

The way the author used Danyl’s school project to convey the information about Churchill was great, in my opinion. He did it in a way that engaged the reader and made me really interested to know more about the famine and what Churchill did. It was intriguing to read it from an #OwnVoices PoV and see the way in which it affected the generations afterwards. It broke my heart to see Danyal so torn between doing what would possibly give him a good grade and what he felt was the right thing to do.

The plot of the story was strong, easy to follow and truly exciting. The way Danyal kept battling the external forces wanting him to change his course and scrap his career as a chef brought me deeper into the story. His internal battle, torn between Kaval, a girl he’s yearned for since forever, and Bisma, a girl he just recently met, who’s everything he’d never thought he’d want, was lovely and sweet.

Thought I enjoyed the plot, romance and Danyal’s internal/external battles, there were certain traits I struggled with. The beginning of the novel bothered me in the sense that Danyal came off as a little bit offensive in his way of thinking and dialogue towards Kaval and Bisma. He does grow in the story and walks away from the way he regarded women in the beginning, but it still sat with me after the story.

Kaval, the girl Danyal likes at the beginning, starts out as a head-strong, smart girl who’s set on her way. But, the moment Bisma is introduced in the story, Kaval becomes shallow and quite frankly, unkind and nasty. I think there could have been another way to ensure Danyal’s relationship with Bisma, than pushing Kaval to become something she didn’t start out as in the beginning.

Other than that, the story was an easy read which we all need in these difficult times. Danyal’s personal growth is what brings the story to a higher level. An overall fun read and good debut from the author!

a fun, light-hearted book that also deals with heavy topics. It is a chill romance with quite likeable characters.

Okay. So I'm not sure how I'm going to get through this review without shouting my words in excitement. If I could stand on a rooftop this very minute and sing to all below (bear in mind my singing voice is not up to par but lets continue for the sake of emphasis) with the greatest 70s pop song it would still not show how good this book is. But one thing that it will show is that I am now angry at not being able to experience the same joy that I did for the very first time that I was able to read it. Just imagine now, I am in my hermit hole crying my eyes out because I am not sure how I am meant to carry on with life, let alone read another book.

I think that we might just have a hopeless romantic on our hands. Danyal is undeniably a down-to-earth guy who unfortunately needs a little push in the right direction. However, he can also be seen to be a guy who is too good to be true. Almost like how a star might shoot over the night sky, but can easily be missed if your not in time to see it. Danyal can also be seen as being a very relatable character. He's real, he's breathing, he has real life problems, he doesn't have some stupid fantastical power that makes him the main character because he is more than that. I kind of wish that he is my friend too. But now that I have closed the final chapter, he feels more like a good old friend that I used to know but still appreciate. Like a fine wine I guess.

The main storyline is set in The Renaissance Man contest that happens every year at Danyal's school. This is where it is widely understood that the people who are chosen to compete in this contest is through the nominations of the teachers from various departments throughout the school are the brightest and the most gifted. Danyal comes to learn what it means to follow your own dreams and the dreams that are placed upon you. He also comes to realise that maybe it's good to question what is seen to be right, when obviously, there are times where we must show that even the biggest heroes are not all good as they are said to be. Even in the most hardest of times when things don't seem like they are going right, it doesn't mean that you can't be happy or optimistic. Because when all fails, we all have the joy of food to give us the feeling that everything will be ok.

Some of the characters are fun and quirky. I loved Bisma and Danyal's mother who always made me laugh nearly every time that she entered the room. Suri, oh don't get me started on Suri she is sweet yet hilarious in the same way and I wish there was more of her to be honest. What can I say, this was a perfect book with some perfect characters. I just loved them all in their own ways. This book seems like one you can't get enough of, even if you have read it for the fifth time. It's just brilliant.

So I've decided to stop waffling and give this book five stars because it cannot be described in the best way possible without reading the book yourself. Take the leap. You won't be disappointed.

Danyal Jilani isn’t the best student–his grades definitely could be better, and he may be failing history for the second time in a row. But he doesn’t mind that much: not lacking in either looks or confidence, he is much more interested in convincing his crush–the absolutely-perfect Kaval–that he is marriage material despite his unusual career choice of wanting to become a chef. When his history teacher unexpectedly nominates him for the school’s yearly essay competition, he sees his chance to convince her that he is more than just a pretty face. But when the kind of nerdy, definitely-not-interested-in-him Bisma starts helping him with the project, he starts to realize that happiness may be closer than he thinks.

Oh my GOD I loved this book. It is so good. I will start this review off by saying: if the concept appeals to you, just stop reading and buy the book. I promise you, you will not regret it! If you need some more convincing, do keep reading!

Danyal is such an amazing, incredibly likeable main character! He keeps on following his dream of becoming a chef, even though his father is (quite vocally) against it. He has been told so many times that his self-worth is defined by his academic success that he has started to believe it, which is absolutely heartbreaking to read. His entire character arc throughout the story is so satisfying, and the ending just put the biggest smile on my face!!

Bisma is no less fantastic! Her life is being overshadowed by a mistake she made in the past, that neither her family no society will ever let her forget about. The sheer unfairness of it really sets your teeth on edge. She is smart and supportive and kind, even after all she’s been through. The way her and Danyal’s relationship develops is clutch-your-heart adorable and so incredibly heartwarming.

Honestly, I would give this book 500 stars if I could. It is a fantastic, funny and heartwarming romcom, with a powerful and affirming message of love and support. And at the same time it discusses the impact of social media on the way history is written, how most white people ignore (or are unaware) of just how much of a racist Churchill was, and the necessity of challenging white supremacy and systemic racism every day. My jaw was on the FLOOR. I could not recommend this book more!!

More than Just a Pretty Face follows Danyal as he tries to navigate life despite of his lack of self-confidence. He enters a competition and rescruits Bisma to help him, and the two start to realise they may have more in common than thy think.

This novel was surprising as I was expecting a light-hearted rom-com for young adult readers but it does touch on some sensitive issues that, although written respectfully, some readers may find upsetting. This didn't detract me from absolutely loving this novel. Quite the contrary, I thought it was so refreshing, especially since it is told from a male point of view.

All in all, a delightful read.

Disclosure: I'd like to thank the publisher for my advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

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This book was out of what I normally read, but I'm so glad I had the chance to read it. It was such a sweet YA romance and I loved the story and the characters. I also loved how it wasn't only sweet - it discussed many issues like race, gender, politics, class, religion, etc but in a way that still blended together really well with the story.

It was also really refreshing to have a character, Danyal, that is quite confident, especially when it comes to flirting with his unrequited-love interest Kaval. It was also really interesting to see him torn between following the expectations of his family and his teacher versus what he thinks is right and telling the truth, particularly when it comes to the project on Winston Churchill, who I've recently learned was racist and responsible for a lot of problems and deaths in India.

This book definitely makes you think about the world we live in and a lot of its issues, while still being a swoon-worthy and sweet romance. There's a lot of representation in here about Pakistani-American culture that I wasn't even aware of which I have realised recently is a problem.

I highly recommend this for someone who enjoys sweet romances, amazing and complex characters, and themes that include dealing with intense expectations. I overall enjoyed this book and while I don't think it's the most beautifully written story or the most incredible book, it was important and sweet and enjoyable.

Sometimes, all you want to read is a fun YA romance so thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Syed M. Masood for providing me with this proof at the perfect time in exchange for an honest review.


It’s been a long time since I read a YA contemporary romance that I had forgotten how easy and quick they are to blast through. I picked up this novel because it sounded cute and I’m trying to be more proactive about reading more diversely. Danyal knows he’s not the best at school, but he is attractive, funny, likeable, and he wants to be a chef anyway. But when he gets chosen for his school’s high profile academic competition, everyone else sees it as a chance for him to prove himself, pull himself into a passing grade, and become a viable suitor for his long time crush. He’s supposed to present a paper on Churchill and everyone knows his teacher loves Churchill. But when Danyal looks more into the history of him, he decides to show Churchill and history in a light that would definitely make sure he fails the class, but he can’t let it go. So he enlists the help of Bisma, a nerdy girl with a past she’d rather forget, and learns that maybe what he wants in love, isn’t what he really needs.

This novel was overall enjoyable, fun and surprisingly had some really deep points about Churchill, history, and the Bengal Famine. I really enjoyed the conversations the characters had about how whitewashed the history we are taught is, and how important it is to see the flaws and speak about them. This was one of the strongest points of the novel for me.

The one aspect I thoroughly enjoyed without much issue was Danyal, he was an easy character to like, though a few of the things he said did have me cringing, he was overall compelling, funny, and endearing. I loved the way he treated Bisma and her past, their relationship actually felt like one built on mutual respect and trust. It was also nice to see their romance grow, and how much they enjoyed each other’s company. I thought it was very believable and organic. Bisma herself was also a character that was easy to like, strong but also when she was ‘weak’ it didn’t make her lesser, it was clearly stated that she was struggling but it didn’t diminish her. All the characters are interesting and honestly probably the strongest thing about this novel was how distinct and individual they all were.

While it was highly enjoyable, the writing was choppy and often jumped from scene to scene before I’d even noticed what was happening. There were some moments where Masood’s writing talents really shone, Danyal Speech at the Renaissance Man, whenever the topic of history came up, and the dialogue (especially between Bimsa and Danyal) were all really easy to read and enjoy. But I don’t think it was as consistent as it could have been, it was just too disjointed. If the novel had been much longer I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed it as much as the style would’ve bugged me too much; I wanted longer scenes between the characters and often felt parts were unfinished because there were such sudden stops even when characters were mid-conversation.

I would like to state that I am in no way knowledgeable enough to comment on the representation of the Muslim faith in this novel in detail. Although I could see certain inconsistencies within the novel. I was concerned that it was the devout religious friend that had to learn to have fun and stop being so morose, instead of everyone compromising and learning from each other to reach a mutual understanding: I feel like this could’ve been handled better so show that being deeply religious doesn’t take away from the rest of your personality. There is much that definitely went over my head because I’m still educating myself, I recommend looking at the own voices reviews of this novel on Goodreads, which is what I have been doing. They explore this factor in more detail, and discusses some things about that rep that I didn’t notice as easily.

Overall this book was fun, it was easy to read and went by fast. It definitely had it’s issues, but as a YA romance it certainly had a relationship I looked forward to reading more about.

I really enjoyed this book. More Than Just a Pretty Face follows nineteen-year-old Danyal who is trying to finish high school and figure out who is he and what he wants to do with his life. However, there are many expectations placed on him by his family, friends and even the girl he is crushing on. When his family arrange for him to meet Bisma in the hope of an arranged marriage, the two become friends.

Straight away, I found Danyal to be such a likeable and relatable character.He wants to please everyone which he soon learns is impossible. There were so many times that I wanted to reach through the screen (I was reading the ebook) and hug him because he keeps being told that he doesn't have many life prospects and its 'a good job he is good looking'. I think overall, Danyal as a character and the journey he goes on in accepting who he is and trying to prove people wrong that he isn't just a 'pretty face' is a strong message and a memorable one. I really liked the relationship between Danyal and Bisma and how he tries to prove people wrong by working on this essay and how this links to the overall plot.

This is a really thought-provoking, sweet romance and this book is so much more than 'just a pretty cover'.