Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Amazon.

This was a brilliant story based on forbidden love and tackling cultural issues

Good Intentions by Kasim Ali is a thought-provoking novel that explores themes of race, family, and identity. The story follows Nur, a Pakistani Muslim man who is in a relationship with Yasmina, a Sudanese Muslim woman. Nur is hesitant to reveal their relationship to his family, who are deeply prejudiced against Black people. As the story unfolds, Nur and Yasmina navigate the challenges of their interracial relationship, facing both internal struggles and external obstacles.

Overall, this is a well-written and engaging novel that offers a unique perspective on the complexities of race and identity in modern society. The characters are complex and relatable, and the story is both thought-provoking and heartwarming. would recommend.

I thought some parts were really interesting and ripe for more exploration – the racism/colourism, the British-Muslim experience, the conflict between living how you want to live and what your parents expect of you, how this played out differently with different characters – but overall I just felt this could have been executed better? It often felt quite on the surface and lacking depth and Nur was also a super annoying character I cannot lie x

The way this book was written did not appeal to me. I admired the writer dealing with challenges of today’s society. People don’t think they are racist but even in small ways they can be unconsciously. Discrimination is something we live with every day and it takes many forms, not just racial, and this book highlights its many forms. I wasn’t a fan but that’s my personal choice but I felt the book highlighted some things in society that need changed.

Thank you NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC!!
This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work.
Nur and Yasmina meet at University and seem to be a perfect match. He is the eldest son of a Pakistan taxi driver and she is Somalian. They are both from Muslim families. After University they move in together and appear to be very happy together. However, despite many many nudges from Yasmina, Nur has yet to tell his family about this relationship that has been ongoing for four years. This book gets close to their relationship and looks at it from within, and the issues raised by Nur's failure in communication. It is a very emotional read
Will be recommending.

This is a really cute romcom about two teenagers as they fall in love. I think the writing style is really fun. It’s energetic and it also is down to earth. It reads really fast and I definitely 100% would recommend this as it was fun and it was quick to read, but also did cover a lot of very serious subject.

An enjoyable read, well written and entertaining. Hadn't read this author before but would consider reading again.

Its New Years Eve and Nur is spending the holidays with his family but he can't relax and enjoy the festivities as he is too busy watching the clock count down to midnight when he plans on telling his family a secret he has been hiding for four years.

Nur comes from a Pakistani family and is seen as "the golden child" to them but at University he met and fell in love with Yasmina but has kept their relationship a secret from his family. Why ....... because Yasmina is black.

Nur plucks up the courage to explain his plans to spend the rest of his life with Yasmina and although he can see his parents are upset at the lies, they agree for the two families to meet.

The book is told from Nur's perspective and whilst the storyline is good, it is a bit repetitive on his thoughts and fears on how he believes his family will react and trying to keep everybody happy.

"Good Intentions" by Kasim Ali is a thought-provoking and engaging fictional novel that delves into the complexities of cultural identity, familial expectations, and interracial relationships. Set against the backdrop of modern-day Britain. One of the book's strongest aspects is its ability to navigate sensitive topics with nuance and empathy. The protagonist's inner struggle is realistically portrayed, capturing the internal conflicts he faces as he seeks to reconcile his own desires with the expectations placed upon him by his heritage, despite being often unlikeable.

The author's writing style is captivating, allowing readers to become fully immersed in the narrative. The pacing is well-balanced, maintaining a steady flow that keeps the story moving forward while also providing ample space for introspection and character development. The dialogue is authentic, giving voice to the characters' emotions and cultural experiences, further enriching the story. The book highlights the importance of open-mindedness, communication, and understanding as crucial components for fostering harmony and acceptance in such relationships.

Another notable aspect of "Good Intentions" is the rich portrayal of cultural diversity in modern Britain. The novel captures the multicultural fabric of society, shedding light on the intersectionality of identities and the beauty that emerges when people from different backgrounds come together. It prompts readers to appreciate and celebrate the richness of diversity while acknowledging the hurdles that may arise. While the book navigates important themes with finesse, it would have benefitted from a more extensive exploration of certain secondary characters and their perspectives.

Overall, "Good Intentions" by Kasim Ali is a captivating and timely novel that tackles relevant themes with sensitivity and authenticity. It serves as a reminder of the power of love and the significance of embracing diversity in today's world. Ali's storytelling prowess and his ability to shed light on complex familial and cultural dynamics make this book a valuable addition to contemporary fiction.

I really, really liked this novel. It was so refreshing to read a book about the complexities of relationships, and the often unexplored corners of race, faith, sexuality and love within those relationships. This story is unique but still engaging and relatable. It is emotionally charged in its exploration of a hidden romance and a choice between familial obligation and who the protagonist really is, and what he wants in the future. The timeline moves between past and present as it unfolds, and while this might not be appealing to everyone, I really enjoy that kind of narrative. This is an impressive debut novel and I would be happy to recommend it to other readers.

I found this to be beautifully written, thought-provoking and engaging. Highly recommended. I'll be waiting to see what this author writes next.

A beautiful story reflecting on the difficulties of balancing family expectations with one’s own desires: Nur’s struggle will be incredibly relatable to the children of parents that wish to place them on a pedestal without allowing them personal choice on the matter.

I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately I could not enjoy it at all. I found myself skipping chapters and only reading the most recent timeline, I'm not a fan of the timelines switching and I think this was the biggest issue for me.

Nur a young Pakistani boy at university has met Yasmina a black Somalian girl, following their relationship through four years this book has humour, sadness and love a really good read.

I had good intentions. I had great expectations. Neither amounted to much.

This book should have been absolutely perfect for me but it wasn't. I found it deeply disappointing. I wanted to shake Nur and tell him to get on with telling his family. Can you really be in love if you aren't brave enough to tell your family? How about if it takes you FOUR YEARS to tell them?

The book flits back and forth to different times in Nur's relationship with Yasmina but I just felt nothing much was happening and I didn't care about either of the protagonists.

Sorry but this was a solid miss for me.

A promising debut but I didn't feel fully invested unfortunately. I really liked Kasim's writing, and will be intrigued to see what he writes next. I liked the changing timeline, so we were able to see how their relationship developed and how it ended in the difficulties they are currently facing. I did feel like the characters could have been a little more fleshed out, especially Yasmina.

Overall, a good debut but I didn't feel like a cared enough for the characters or their relationship to properly get into it. Great writing though so I'm intrigued about the author.

One man's journey to face the existing prejudices and the troubled emotions in his life. I loved read this book, it was heart -rendering and emotionally charged love story and I felt to be a part of it. I really would recommend this book to everyone. Thank you publisher for the e-arc.

I chose this book because I thought it would give a different perspective on racism between Asian and black communities but I think it was more about one man’s struggle with his own prejudices. Sadly I didn’t get much flavour of British Pakistani home life and scant details of how Sudanese immigrants live in the uk. It all seemed a bit shallow.

Good Intentions is a love story between two people from different backgrounds - can their families accept their love and the differences between their races? Nur is British Pakistani, his family have always assumed he will marry a Pakistani woman; but he meets Yasmina at university and the spark between them is instant. She is Black Sudanese. The story starts at the point that Nur decides to tell his parents about the relationship after the couple have been together for four years - his parents can't accept it at first, whilst we know that Yasmina's parents have been more accepting. Nur's parents' reaction threatens to drive a wedge between the couple, can they make it work between them despite Nur's parents' unwelcome attitude
Told in a non-linear way, from Nur and Yasmina's first meeting to the present day, we learn more about what makes both of them click and what draws them to each other
It was a well enough told story - quite similar to other 'love across the divide' stories that I have read before but that's what makes them readable.

A well written poignant and thought provoking read, where due to the assumptions of his family's racsism Nur keeps his relationship with Yasmina secret from his family.

Although a love story which has lots of lighter moments, this is very far from chick lit - it's a study in the complexities of cultural racism, familial expectations and keeping up appearances, friendship, acceptence, disappointment and ultimately familial versus romantic love and the consequences of actions or inactions.

I really enjoyed the writing style, the characters were complex and wonderfully portrayed and the issues covered were immersive and gave a me an insight into modern life for young British Muslims.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.