Describing this book is hard. It’s got everything. A strong but almost broken at the start protagonist. This sets a society that’s broken. Ring a bell? Yep.
It’s fast paced and it’s compelling. Great debut. Look forward to more.

Having just finished this read, Priya Guns has crafted a challenging and very real narrative that immerses the reader in Damani's world. An environment rife with intersectional oppression, the modern-day trudge, and constriction that is capitalism in the West, and the personal struggles around loss, longing, and hope. Being South Asian myself and from a Western society (UK), much of the book resonated with me as a reader, which is not always a common occurrence given the makeup of many protagonists in popular literature. Beyond that, I also got to experience other characters who transiently enter Damani's daily life and their unique experience of life (the good, the bad, and the indeterminable).

The story is well-written, in an effort to explore the human condition and build the characters' depth, not only through description but also in the style of writing and how it changes as the protagonist's experience, mental state, and emotions change. This was refreshing for me in a modern book.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its ability to expose the themes of gender, race, and sexuality, so as to weave into the modern-day human condition. It provides a voice not only to those who are a cog in an oppressive system but also to those who are often most overlooked

This was unfortunately a DNF for me.

I love the concept but while unlikeable characters are usually my bag, I just could not connect with our protagonist and we’re with her throughout the entire book. Nobody cares how much weight you can bench!

It’s really hard for me to DNF a book but this one was just not for me. I felt too disconnected and I didn’t care enough about the plot to keep going.

I was drawn to this book by the front cover and it didn't disappoint . It is well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters that I loved. I really enjoyed it.

I finished Your Driver is Waiting weeks ago, and I did enjoy it very much, so here are my thoughts, with very mild spoilers.

What I liked:
- The sarcasm / dark sense of humour / bluntness of the narrator. Damani is an Indian American taxi driver who uses an app called RideShare (basically Uber) and she did a great job at picking apart all the issues of that line of work.
- The interactions with her clients which were often hilarious
- The commentary on class, racism, sexism and performative activism. The background of protests, whilst Damani is trying to make enough money to survive and provide for her and her mum who is mentally ill.
- The bi rep. Damaging is unapologetically sexual and doesn't discriminate based on gender. Yet even with her self-confidence, she falls for someone who I personally found obnoxious - but that's one of the points of the story!

What could have been better:
- I actually would have liked a longer book with more POVs.
- There are quite vulgar/explicit parts which won't be for everyone (I actually didn't mind it myself)
- The book is hard to put into one genre. There's a bit of romance, sex, action, activism, some poetic/literary passages… Again I enjoyed that, but it might be disconcerting for some.

All in all, this would make a good TV series/movie. Apparently this is a retelling of Taxi Driver, but I never watched it, so it didn't really have an impact on my reading experience. I haven't seen this much on Bookstagram, and reviews are mixed. I'm keen to know why. Is this one on anybody's radar?

I'd give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A good choice for both #aapimonth and #pridemonth!

Thank you @NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Activism taken to a whole new level and a hot, lesbian romance. Plus, the exploration of racism, the repercussions of misunderstandings between different backgrounds and a huge dose of obsession that made the ending memorable for me.

Your Driver is Waiting is a vibrant exploration of contemporary issues, ranging from racism, sexuality, grief, class and wealth. Damani is working all possible hours to make a living as a private hire taxi driver (think Uber), exploited by the corporation and spiralling costs, she is pushed to the limits to support her grieving mother. As a strong independent woman Damani takes control of the aspects of her life that society allows. She is proud of her strong athletic physique and takes pride in her car to ensure that she maximises her tips.

Guns has created a contradictory protagonist in Damani who's anger and actions makes her a flawed and often unsympathetic character, but all too human.

A chance encounter with the beautiful Jolene allows Guns to explore the white saviour trope as Damani challenges the assumptions of her 'hip' new friend.

With some beautiful explorations of loyalty - familial, friendship and acquaintance - Your Driver is Waiting will take you on an unforgettable journey.

An interesting and engaging read.

This started out really well - although, depressingly, the satire wasn't even that satirical considering the way the world is currently headed... I was quite into it in the beginning, but it floundered towards the end for me. The plot (which is loose to begin with) lost momentum and the characters slipped further into absurdity. Which I suspect the author's intention, and I know I don't get on too well with that kind of theme, but it served to disengage me and as I neared the conclusion I was just looking forward to finishing. It did make me laugh out loud on a few occasions though, which I find to be a rarity with books, so points for that! I also enjoyed the ambiguity of the protagonist's gender identity.

Your Driver is Waiting is a vibrant exploration of contemporary issues, ranging from racism, sexuality, grief, class and wealth. Damani is working all possible hours to make a living as a private hire taxi driver (think Uber), exploited by the corporation and spiralling costs, she is pushed to the limits to support her grieving mother. As a strong independent woman Damani takes control of the aspects of her life that society allows. She is proud of her strong athletic physique and takes pride in her car to ensure that she maximises her tips.

Guns has created a contradictory protagonist in Damani who's anger and actions makes her a flawed and often unsympathetic character, but all too human.

A chance encounter with the beautiful Jolene allows Guns to explore the white saviour trope as Damani challenges the assumptions of her 'hip' new friend.

With some beautiful explorations of loyalty - familial, friendship and acquaintance - Your Driver is Waiting will take you on an unforgettable journey.



An interesting and engaging read.

This was a slow burn of a read, but I did enjoy the tension that was building throughout the book with the protests and ongoing political action that was mentioned. What made this a 4-star read was that one scene in the Doo Wop with the clash of Damani’s friends and Jolene regarding activism that works and the fallout that comes after this, it was really interesting to see how truly tone-deaf people can be and how they only want to look good supporting a cause in a very selfish way. I would definitely be interested in reading more by Priya Guns.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the arc.

I really enjoyed my time reading this! I was already loving the character dynamics, Damani's job as a taxi driver, the wider social commentaries on the city, the protests, the leftist politics, Damani's back and forth on a certain someone, and then the momentum picked up halfway and I was having a wild time it was so fun and frustrating! Priya Guns nailed that one coversation in 'Doo Wop' about activism, I was cackling at how real it was and also wanting to rip my hair out bc I knew the fallout would be a punch in the heart. Damani was my favourite kind of narrator; down on her luck, trying her best, prone to doing things that make you say 'what the hell is she on', yes I do have a crush on her.

Overall, there were small moments that took me out of the novel and I'm still undecided about certain conflict resolutons shall we say, but this is such a strong debut novel, I deffo will be doing a reread and looking out for Priya Guns' next work!

(And I havent watched Taxi Driver)

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

Ok. Where to start with this book?

A book that mixes the first generation immigration experience with with the queer experience and a lot of unconscious bias. Within this book is the portrayal of how hard some first generations have to work, the concurrent experience of looking after the older generation, and the journey to find one's self in a society where you may not be quite accepted.

What is particularly interesting about this book is the protagonists location within her car; as a taxi driver we see her with one foot in society, one foot out of society. The social commentary that stems from the inclusion of the taxi as a vehicle for the story is something so different but so visceral.

The plot also explores lust and love and the difficulties that can come about when two cultures do not understand each other and assumptions are made. The main awful consequence within this book comes about from this assuming, and shows that there is still a long way to go with not stereotyping those who are not the same colour as you.

The tension, the relatability and the journey within this book are exquisite.

If you are first generation, brown, queer, or just feel like you don't quite fit in this society I think you'll find a lot within this book that you'll think "huh, that makes sense."

Damani, a bisexual Sri Lankan woman, works for an app called RideShare, pocketing only a small amount of the fares the app charges her customers, while trying to care for her housebound mother who's devastated after her father's death. She observes the frequent protests in her American city ('Tech Companies Demand The End of Climate Change', 'Jesus had two dads!', 'O-KKK BOOMER') more as an obstruction that causes her to change her routes rather than as anything that might make her life better, preferring to hang out at the Doo Wop cafe with friends Steph, Toni and Shereef. Her two comforts are listening to online guru Dr Thelma Hermin Hesse and lifting weights: 'people don't treat me as they would someone who can lift a hundred pounds on a shitty day. They should treat me better.' Damani is a funny, sharply indvidual and memorable narrator, and the first third of this book showcases her brilliantly.

It's frustrating that the rest of Priya Guns's Your Driver Is Waiting is a bit of a mess. The narrative intensifies with the arrival of beautiful blonde Jolene, a white 'ally' who is clearly trouble from the start. Damani seems to be so blinded by lust that she can't see this, but their relationship basically consists of having sex; it's not clear why Damani is drawn to Jolene beyond this connection. Guns only gives them a few scenes together before Jolene does something unforgivable, as flagged in the blurb. This was a relief (because I wanted rid of Jolene) but means that her betrayal doesn't really land with real emotional weight, because it was so obvious and we have no investment in their relationship. In short, the pacing is really off, and this feels like a chaotic early draft rather than a finished novel. Having said that, though, it's still so much more memorable and engaging than many finished novels I've read - I loved the image of Damani chasing Jolene down in her taxi as Jolene clutches a We Need Love sign! I just wanted it to be even more because it had such potential. 3.5 stars.

This had all the makings to be a favourite of mine but for some reason I just couldn’t click with it, but on the whole I’d say definitely one worth picking up!
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Thank you to the publisher for the arc in return for an honest review

Your Driver is Waiting is a razor sharp and darkly comic vision of a contemporary city, viewed through our RideShare driver Damani’s eyes as she cruises through it, its inhabitants’ lives flashing before her. This unnamed city is heaving with people, simmering with an undercurrent of threat, and wracked with protests and riots. Driving long hours for little pay in between caring for her sick and cantankerous mother, and drowning in unpaid bills, Damani is just trying to make it from one day to the next, while her friends rally on the frontlines of the protests. When Damani, who is Tamil, meets Jolene - a beautiful rich white social worker and activist who proclaims herself an ally of the oppressed - the chemistry is instantaneous; but as their fire burns a little too bright, and Jolene’s real personal life and social pastimes come to light, Damani is forced to confront what lies behind this vision of perfection and promise of a new future, until a climatic event that upends everything.

Damani is such a multi-layered and well-drawn character, as resilient and tough as she is vulnerable and romantic, and we find ourselves really rooting for her. One minute she’s pumping iron and reviewing the weapons in her boot - because you just never know when you’re a female driver in a city on edge - the next minute she’s lost in romantic fantasies of a future with Jolene. Yet we also see a more sombre and introspective side to her in her life weariness, and her meditations on how she might achieve more than basic survival in this city. Jolene is a character of extremes, as beautiful and captivating as she is misdirected and dangerous, while Damani’s friendship with one of her regular passengers, the mischievous old Mrs Patrice, is a delight.

Social commentary is strong in this one, unfolding through the eyes of someone who sees all the city, and through her friends, who are on the ground, passionate, involved and at the heart of things. I loved the dynamic in Damani’s tight group of friends, giving the author a great platform for exploring both solid and supportive friendships in difficult times, as well as the question of authenticity in activism, and of fundamentally understanding what is being addressed and protested.

The writing style is sharp, fierce and full of dark humour that suits our no-nonsense narrator. Yet she’s also a very good and caring person; we see this in the relationships she has with her friends, the way she cares for her difficult mother, and the way she responds to community prejudice towards her. Short snappy chapters serve to build suspense, and echo the flashing vignettes we see out the window through our narrator’s eyes, as we hurtle towards an inevitable explosion.

Exploring themes of politics, class and civil action, of queer love and messy infatuations, of identity and culture, this is one ride well worth taking.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC.

Billed as a social satire and a " gender flipped reboot of the iconic 70's film Taxi Driver" this really piqued my interest.
Your Driver is Waiting tells the story of Sri Lankan RideShare ( uber esque) driver who is teetering on the edge. Damani is grieving for her father and trying t support her mother. She works hard and is barely surviving financially or emotionally and if you have seen Taxi Driver you are waiting for Damani to snap from the opening chapters.

There was lots I enjoyed in this one , the social commentary in particular. Damani was an interesting protagonist and the authors writing style was original however the pacing felt a bit off and at times I felt like I was reading a different book to the one I began reading. However, it was very readable and I needed to know what happened and enjoyed the conclusion. The romance element let the book down a little but overall a good read, a little messy, sometimes funny other times surprising and I would read more from Priya Guns.

I really tried to stick it out but the pacing was weird and the story wasn’t engaging. at all. The premise had all the components that i’d love but somehow it just didn’t connect with me. I wanted more from it.

This was a slow burn for me because not much really happens in terms of the plot, but there wasn't much action on the character development front either. Damani's routine is largely the same day to day so it felt like there was a lot of unnecessary repetition of the pick-up jobs (although some of the fares were funny). Damani has a tough shell that she uses to protect herself, however it felt like hard work to find anything really likeable about her (which seems to be a theme in contemporary female protagonists). I felt really sorry for her mother, who just needed to have some proper time to connect with her daughter and recreate the bond that was broken when her husband died. That said, it was an interesting novel covering a range of themes including race, politics, sexuality and gender and grief/loss.

3.5 stars
This is billed as a bit of a satire on Taxi Driver which is so good a film I don't really think anything could really work as such. But to be honest I didn't find much evidence to support this claim so that's that! Make your own mind up though...
Damani is having a bit of a bad time of late. Her father recently died, leaving her and her mother financially struggling. Her mother is also more or less a recluse, depending on Damani for money and well, practically everything else. Damani is just about keeping it all together with her job as a RideShare driver, but is sick of the cut the "App" takes from her hard earned. There are protests but the big man is always crushing the little and nothing really changes...
And then she picks up Jolene, and her world simply explodes... And that's all I'm saying as you really need to discover all the rest yourself. I will just say that I found the contents of Damani's boot to be a fascinating reflection of the perils and pitfalls of her job!
I loved the beginning and the end of this book. The middle notsomuch. It's hard to describe why as I can't find a way to do this without spoilers. I can say that I was not a fan of the over-sugary romantic stuff contained herein and I do think it could have been a bit toned down and the story still work. It's also a bit on the tell rather than show side of things and I found that a bit disjointed.
And I didn't really get on with Damani, which didn't help.
But I did love some of the banter with her customers, some of which had me howling. So there's that!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

a more than fantastic premise is let down by relatively simplistic characters. i swear this is yet another example of making the baddy into a character who can easily be labelled as such. i just found that character grating, and as if they was clearly there to make a point. which fair enough but maybe don't waste so much page time on them and focus more on your protag.