Adina Jaigirdar is already a smash hit in our Library and with this new Titanic inspired story, I have no doubt this love will continue. Spectacular!!

The writing in this book is great, the characters are really well developed, all have a full backstory and descriptions that bought them to life. The benefit of it being set on the Titanic was that it was something that we know so could be easily pictured and so the setting was great too.

To be honest I struggled with this book, because although the writing was fantastic and the chapters would switch between each character's point of view and actions - which broke it up nicely and gave us that detail (and also included a countdown to the sinking) - it wasn't until at least 80% of the way through that the action really started. Although we all know from the start that our four main characters were in jeopardy and likely wouldn't all survive to the end, it took a while to get to that. Apart from the sinking, it felt almost like a first of a series, really getting to know the characters and the dynamic between them all. Which did help to build those emotional ties to the girls, and so it was sad to leave them at the end of the book.

I can't fault the writing at all, and the story with strong female characters, and themes of classism, racism, sexuality and betrayal it is one that I would recommend to fans of the Titanic and historical stories with those mentioned themes, but for me the pacing was a little off. I will definitely read more from the author Adiba Jaigirdar

A story about friendship, family bonds and what happens when you’re willing to take a risk. Set against the backdrop of The Titanic’s maiden voyage, our focus is an audacious plan by four very different girls to steal a valuable book.
From the start, when we’re introduced to our four key characters, we can see that they each offer a different set of skills that could prove valuable. However, each of the girls has something in their past that has the potential to impact on their present.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, but we are quickly sucked into the scheme and the intricacies of its execution. I couldn’t help but feel that the scheme itself was lacking in detail, and I couldn’t shake from the back of my mind the fact that we would have to deal with the inevitable sinking of the ship at some point.
The relationships between the girls was the definite focal point of the story, and it was good fun. There were elements of their stories that I would have liked to see further developed, but as a YA read it certainly had enough to keep you entertained.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this prior to publication.

Ireland 1912 and Josefa, living off her wits and a lot of thieving, resides in a boarding house along with other girls of various circumstances. She has hatched a wild plan to steal a jewelled edition of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam which is being conveyed from Ireland to New York on the Titanic. Having stolen four tickets she just has to enlist the help of three acquaintances to help her with this scheme.
All four girls are hiding parts of themselves from one another, and all have their own reasons to agree to help. Plans seem to be going as smoothly as they can until Josefa comes up against the main reason they are there – an old friend, then foe, who is equally determined to win.
However, the reader knows something the girls do not and the whole book is a race against time with amazing strokes of alternate good and bad luck.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley and Hachette for an earc of this title.

Adiba Jaigirdar is slowly becoming one of my favourite authors and is listed under authors I've read all their back catalogue.

This book is quite different from her previous two novels which were both focused on coming of age, and sexual discovery. This is a historical fiction focused on a heist set on the Titanic. Two very different types of stories but both are executed perfectly by Jaigirdar.

I find setting a story based on the Titanic a very interesting choice. Simply because everyone already knows the ending and there can never be a happy ending for everyone. As a reader, you spend the whole time trying to guess how these characters are going to survive and the emotional connection feels much stronger than in other books. And the ending of this book is devastating.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was different from her previous work but it was well done. Would definitely recommend it.

I feel really bad as I enjoyed Jaigirdar's first two books immensely, but this was a big disappointment. I was trying to manage my expectations while reading this as it's YA, but I remembered there are other fantastic YA heist books such as the Gilded Wolves which do a better job.

Firstly, this book is super fast-paced which was great for me as it meant I could read it without too much time on my side, but I think this actually did it a disservice. A lot of the characterisation became a blur and despite spending 300+ pages with these characters, I legitimately did not care about what happened to them at the end. It took me 25% of the book to be able to tell them apart in my head and I struggled a lot with their backstory, motivations and how this affected them in the context of the plot.

There are some specifics I didn't like:
- Hinna: She was my favourite character, which is probably why her characterisation annoyed me the most. Is she supposed to be curvy or not? It seems like a big part of her backstory that she developed early and her parents didn't like that, but I have no idea how she feels about her body. She can also fit into small spaces and her character art is small (I know the author doesn't pick the cover, so I'm looking at you publishers) so what's with the half assed plus sized rep? It just felt poorly thought out and not explained well enough for me. I also have no idea about her culture or family - a quick google search tells me more about Karachi than this book did, and this goes for all of the character's backstories.
- The relationships: It seemed really strange to me that apart from Violet and Josefa, these girls started out as virtual strangers, but after a day of some antagonism they were describing each other as friends. By 20% through the book, Violet had gotten over her dislike of Emilie for the most part which I thought was going to be a major cause of tension.
- The dialogue: A lot of this dialogue felt like it could be pasted into 2022 and it would work fine. There's no real sense of time from the way any characters speak, and one of my major pet peeves is historical books with 2022 twitter speak.
- The setting: A cruise ship in the early twentieth century has such a wealth of descriptions to choose from. The food, the dress, the decor - none of this is described in any detail that places you in the right time and place, to the point where it almost feels like this could take place anywhere.

I feel really bad for this review as I rated Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating five stars, and I feel like this might be the right book for someone else (maybe readers who are new to historical books or middle grade?) but ultimately with the characters, world building and plot fell really flat for me.

Withholding my review from Goodreads and TikTok in support of the HCP Union strike as this is published by Harpercollins in the US.

An incredible concept for a novel from much-loved YA author Adiba Jaigirdar - in A Million To One, four girls from very different backgrounds step onto a ship with one goal in mind - to pull off the greatest heist maybe ever? They're stealing the jewel-encrusted Rubiyat, a book of poetry, from where it's kept on the ship. But did I mention the ship is the Titanic?

I am not sure I have ever met a better premise for a book - so naturally, Jaigirdar had a hell of a job to do to pull it off. In fairness, lots of the novel is really enjoyable - the banter between the girls, the heist plans, and the Titanic itself which looms large in luxurious detail over the narrative. I put my issues with this book down to the fact that I am almost 30 years old and that A Million To One is written largely for a younger YA audience.

The four main characters are all sweet, but blend into one another a little - it's hard to differentiate their wants, goals and personalities at times. The novel is written from each of their perspectives and while i understand why the author did this, it slowed the pace a lot for me. Absolute props to the author for her representation of diverse characters, though - it was an impressive cast.

The sinking (spoiler alert) takes up maybe 20% of the novel, and it's far and away the best 20% - pacy and thrilling, with added dread because, ultimately, we know how this one ends. So A Million To One does pick up as it goes along, but I wish there had been a lot more sinking, tbh.

A fun and diverse historical novel that I wouldn't hestitate to push into the hands of teenagers in my life.

This was my first Adiba Jaigirdar book and having heard so much praise for her and her books, I dived into this one with high expectations.
I think it is safe to say that for the most part, this met my expectations fully.
I liked the writing, it was simple and yet managed to evoke and make me feel everything that the characters were feeling.
The characters were well-written and all had their own depth and motives to be in on the heist.
The heist itself though seemed sort of low-stakes somehow, like the characters won't really lose much if they didn't manage to pull it off nor did there seem to be much consequences if they were caught. It also seemed like things were a bit too easy for these teenage girls to do and pull off. I think this could've been developed a bit better.
It also read like more of a middle grade book than a YA one. It didn't make me enjoy it any less but yeah.
I still enjoyed it overall and will recommend it to sapphic lovers, titanice retelling lovers and people looking to try out heist books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Children’s group for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: historical fiction
Minority representation: LGBTQ+ (sapphic), BIPOC (Indian and Haitian).

A heist on the titanic performed by four women sounds right up my alley. It’s such an interesting setting for a heist book that I really was optimistic for this book. Luckily, it didn’t disappoint!
The characters are all quite different from each other although they find some overlap between their situations throughout the story. The only person who I found to be introduced poorly was our main character and heist coordinator Josefa. I guess that was to make her more mysterious, but it just annoyed me, mostly.
The plot was very interesting. I imagine it was hard to write a book which primarily takes place on a ship, but it didn’t feel boring. The characters made things interesting, while the plot carried along quite nicely. The only thing that bothered me about the plot was the fact that the actual heist was this small moment, while working towards the heist was so long. I would’ve loved some more real action.
To consider all of this I did enjoy combining a heist, diverse characters and the titanic. You knew how the story would end, but not fully. The sinking of the titanic, you could tell, was written with knowledge of the events that took place. I love that. You also didn’t know who made it safely off the ship until the very end, which gave amazing suspense. I also gotten attached to the main characters, so the end was an emotional rollercoaster.
I ultimately give this book 4 stars!

Unfortunately this was a DNF at 33% for me.

That's not saying that this is a bad book (I love the authors writing style) but I just couldn't get the characters straight in my head, and by this point I would have hoped to have a clear vision who's chapter I was in at any given point but I had to keep checking back which then took me out of the story. I think this is mostly a case of "Its not you, its me" as I went in with historical fiction not generally being a genre of mine but seen as the authors previous two books were 5 star reads for me I had hoped to have my head turned but unfortunately not.

Wow, I am genuinely at a loss for words.

I first heard about this book in March 2021 and have patiently (not patiently at all) waited for it since then. Never did I think I would be lucky enough to receive an ARC copy!

Going into it I knew it would be a five star read. Not only because I have given Adiba’s previous books five stars but also because the synopsis sounded incredible. A sapphic heist novel set on the Titanic!? Sign me up!

This book will draw you in from the very first page. Every character is so endearing and fully realised. You’re attached to each of them after their first chapters. They’re all so different and yet work so well as a team. All of their backstories and personalities were so well thought out and we learned so much about them all. It is impossible not to root for them all right from the outset!

The plot was fast paced and incredibly engaging! The book was full of high stakes and exciting, tense moments. Some of the scenes had me physically gasping I was so shocked or worried! It was so intricately written and one of those books that you can’t stop thinking about when you have to take breaks from reading.

The friendships within this story also stole my heart, I am so in love with this group of women. Their connections to one another were so beautiful and I loved watching them grow closer and build each other’s trust.

Every time I remembered they were on the Titanic, it was like having ice water thrown over me. I was enjoying my time with these characters so much and falling for each of them and every time I considered they might not make it out alive, it devastated me.

And how have I gone so long without mentioning the romance? Oh my goodness, Adiba has done it again! Always creating the most beautiful sapphic love stories. I was obsessed with the love story in this novel and I think they are easily one of my favourite ships of all time (yes I have said that about each of the main ships in Adiba’s previous books but it’s true!).

Of course the ending of this book ripped my heart out and stamped on it. I couldn’t stop crying from around 90% onwards. But the actual ending was beautiful and made me so happy.

EVERYTHING about this book was perfect. The heist, the friendships, the characterisation, the romance! I loved it all. I will never stop recommending this book to people!

I knew from the moment I heard about A Million To One that it would become a new favourite but I was not prepared for just how hard I would fall for it! This is one of those reads that makes me re-evaluate what a ‘five star read’ really looks like. This is the new standard for me but I’m not sure anything will ever come close.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Hachette Childrens Group and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

I picked this up because it was described as a sapphic heist on the Titanic, thinking that sounded exactly like my thing and it really should have been. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat, but I think that’s more to do with the fact that I’m not really the target audience.

It was well written, and the cast was nicely diverse and fun. The early chapters were a lot of fun, even if it didn’t seem like everyone agreed to the mission a little too quickly. This isn’t just an ordinary heist, after all, it’s one that leaves the participants on the other side of the Atlantic at the end of it, potentially with nothing. The characters all had compelling reasons to want money, but not necessarily to uproot themselves on the whim of a girl two of them barely know.

Things started to pick up when the characters got aboard the Titanic and the heist started to unfold. I think a little too much time was spent on these early bits, though it was nice to see the girls exploring the ship and the elements of real history were well woven in. When you read a book set in history – and in well-known history – there’s always an added element of tension in that the reader knows what’s coming, but the characters don’t. I think that was woven in well, particularly as the tensions between the girls, and the romance between two of them, started to unfold. I do think a little too long was spent on the build-up though. The sinking was barely 20% of the book, and it felt the weakest part. I think, perhaps, that was because it was aimed at slightly younger teens?

There were nods to Titanic the movie, perhaps a few too many, because it did make it a little predictable in places, but it was also different enough to not feel boring.

I think the heist was the weakest element. My favourite part of a heist story was the point when you think things have gone wrong, but they haven’t. There wasn’t an element of that here and I think I missed it. It could have easily fit in with things actually going wrong, but it never really came off.

I did enjoy this, despite my grumbles. The romance was charming and the historical element enjoyable. I just hoped for more from the heist.

A Million to One is a Titanic x Oceans 8 adventure

This book is a quick and easy read that follows 4 girls whilst they try to complete a heist upon the Titanic.

It was a simplistic read which could be a downside for some people and, I do however, wish it had a little more complexity to it, but I still found it to be entertaining as it was.

I loved the way the characters all had different talents and used them to work together to complete the heist.

Loved this book and Adiba’s other work, I’ll continue to read anything she writes.

Thank you netgalley for this Arc

I've loved every one of Adiba Jaigirdar's books and this one, while a little different in tone from her contemporaries, was just as enjoyable. A heist on the Titanic with sapphic lead characters - what's not to love?

I remember at the start of the book feeling like I would find it difficult to keep four separate narrators and their characters straight in my head, but once I got a few chapters in it wasn't an issue at all. All four have their own well constructed voice and back story and read as distinct characters in their own right.

The plot ... well, set on the Titanic, everyone knows how this is going to go. The story felt a little slow in the middle, but ramped up again well after the iceberg hit and I felt the ending was handled perfectly. Realising (farily early on, for me) what the timer was counting down to was an obvious emotional hit.

A solid 4.5 stars from me

If you want a novel that will tug on your heartstrings, satisfy your inner history geek, and provide some truly lovely sapphic representation, A Million to One might just be the book for you!

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating was the first book I simultaneously read with my fiance, and I absolutely loved it. As a result, I will always be drawn to anything written by Adiba Jaigirdar - something I’m very grateful for! That, along with the promised LGBT characters, is what led to me picking up this story and following the tense, touching tale of four friends aboard the Titanic.

Though all four women are the narrators, Josefa stands out as the story’s main protagonist. Her wit, ambition and hidden (at least hidden from her friends!) agenda are what drive the drama and bring the girls together. They also cause conflict, especially towards the end of the story, and allow Josefa to grow and develop as both an individual and a friend.

Despite Josefa’s brilliant character arc, Violet - Josefa’s old friend - stood out immediately as my favourite character. She’s somewhat aloof, and fairly defensive, but very trusting of Josefa which I really enjoyed reading. She also has my favourite backstory out of all the characters, but they each have unique and memorable pasts that help shape their individual personalities. Hinna was my second favourite (only partly because I have a soft spot for circus performer characters), and anyone who has finished the book will understand why these things led to me bawling my eyes out as I neared the end of it.

So in conclusion, PLEASE read this book if you’re a fan of Jaigirdar’s other work. I can promise you won’t be disappointed as she has once again delivered a brilliant character-driven tale! Oh, and back to me crying: Jacqueline Wilson’s Opal Plumstead combined real-life historical events with fictional characters in such a way that I felt I could never read a book set against the backdrop of a historical tragedy again. Now I can confirm that A Million to One has done the same thing. I knew going into this story that the Titanic’s maiden voyage ended in catastrophe, but I still wasn’t prepared for the emotional upset that reading about it would cause. Make sure you read the content warnings before starting this story, then enjoy it as much as I did!

I really enjoyed A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar.
It was a really fun read!
To be honest how could it not be fun as it's a sapphic book about a heist on the titanic!
This is actually the first book I've read by this author and I'll definitely be checking out their other work.
I highly recommend it!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved HANI AND ISHU'S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING that this was an automatic must-read for me.

I loved the concept of this book - 4 girls coming together to try and pull off a heist aboard the Titanic. We all know what happened to the Titanic so that element of the story was obvious, however I still enjoyed the tense whats-going-to-happen-will-they-succeed side of the story. Each of the girls come from different walks of life and I really liked the dynamics between them.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to seeing what else this author publishes.

A Million to One proved once more why Adiba Jaigirdar is one of my auto-buy authors. She has such an exceptional talent for creating characters that you instantly take to your heart.

Spoiler alert, I was always going to adore this book. I mean, a sapphic heist story set aboard the Titanic? That’s a must read if I ever heard of one.

This is very much a character driven story. We have our four central protagonists: Josefa, a pickpocket from Spain, Emilie, a Haitian-French painter, Violet, an actress from Croatia, and Hinnah, an acrobat from 1912 India (now Pakistan). All of them have such distinctive voices and are full-realised, three-dimensional characters with unique quirks. Hinnah leaped into my heart instantly, but I fell in love with all of them. They form such a heart-warming and strong found family, with intense emotional connections and maybe feelings beyond the platonic. The found family trope is always a winner for me. Here, Jaigirdar deploys it for these four people trying to carve their own way in a world that rejects and marginalises them. It does not want to see them succeed, but they attempt to flourish anyway. The way Jaigirdar weaves in conversations about race and class is fantastic and resounds even stronger in today’s climate when these issues are still keenly felt.

While much of the book sits in its strengths with its wonderful characters, there is still plenty of intrigue and tension building up to the big heist. Character dynamics are revealed and secrets exposed, making the suspense climb ever and ever higher. Watching the Ocean’s 8 like manoeuvres of the team is fascinating and so much fun to read about. However, everything switches when the inevitable happens. Reading a Titanic set story was never going to end well and Jaigirdar does not play around. This section is one that hits hard and really emotionally resonates with me. All of that incredible character work raises the stakes even more and makes you race through the pages, hoping they all make it out.

A Million to One sets every odd against our wonderful central quartet and you will lose your heart rooting for them to beat them all. This is an emotionally fraught and fantastically thrilling read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'A Million To One' by Adiba Jaigirdar.

Adiba Jaigirdar is an author who I follow almost religiously, I love her work. When I recieved the arc for 'A Million To One' I was so prepared for the sapphic heist book more than I was excited for a new job. Words seem to fail me when I attempt to describe this book so I'll let the title and the blurb speak for itself.

Is it my favourite Adiba book? Not by a landslide. But I feel as if this book is completely different from her usual work and it is a well needed read.

this book was phenomenal the characters are to die for i adore each girl there have so much hesrt cnad charm and together the found family vibes are immaculate, the plot is so fun and entertaming and fast paced and the end brought tears to my eyes i adore this book an new favourite