An interesting and emotional story of family and sibling love. These three mean more to each another than they know- and it shows as they band together to help one another, Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc. A good read.

Three siblings. Three promises. Three lifetimes of saying all the wrong things…

Since their mother’s death, siblings Imran, Sumaya and Majid have drifted in three very different directions, trying to live up to the last promises they each made to her. But when a viral news piece throws an unwanted spotlight on the family, they’re drawn back into each other’s lives for the first time in years.

With the media attention exposing the cracks in Imran’s already fragile marriage, he begs Sumaya to return from New York to help—but living under the same roof again after all this time brings up all the secrets they’d both thought long-buried. And now nothing can stop the truth from coming out…

With the promises they once made in tatters, is this a chance for the siblings to finally live the lives they’ve always wanted and rebuild the bond they once had? Or has too much already been said?

I thought this story was sheer perfection. It hit home on so many levels.

A quick but explosive read. Gripping from page 1 right up until the ending. One to recommend. 5* from me. My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

Several years ago three siblings made their mother promises on her deathbed. Now, 7 years later they are still upholding those promises, but were they really in their best interests?

Eldest brother Imran has settled down with a wife and job, and takes life very seriously. After his wild teenage years he is keen to impress upon his younger siblings their responsibilites and their place in the family.
Middle child, daughter Sumaya, moved away to America after their mother passed away and has only returned once, briefly, for their father's funeral in the years since. She works in TV production and is focussed on enjoying life with her fiance and her friends.
Youngest brother Majid is of a different generation, 10 years younger than his siblings he is less shackeled by the family expectations and is happy to live his life at university going with the flow.
After they are brought back together after Imran's wife is subjected to a racist attack, will they be able to put their differences aside or will they be torn apart forever?

This is the second book I have read by Tufayel Ahmed, and again I was interested in the family dynamics of a traditional Bangladeshi Muslim family which is very different from my own white, Christian upbringing. As an elder millennial I could understand how the older siblings don't have the same relaxed attitudes as younger brother Majid. I I really liked him and his friends and their easy-going outlook on life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

After their father's death, three siblings are brought together again and forced to work out their differences. Each sibling has their own individual issues which they work to rectify, sometimes with the assistance of the siblings they thought they weren't all that close to.

This was quite a quick read, which I enjoyed. It wasn't a wow book but it flowed well and I was invested enough to keep reading just one more chapter each time I picked it up.

Better Left Unsaid is the latest release from Tufayel Ahmed, and as a big fan of his debut release "This Way Out" I was excited to get my hands on an early copy. I am pleased to say that it did not disappoint, I devoured the book in one sitting because I cared so much about the characters and wanted nothing but the best for them.
The book is the story of three siblings and the secrets they keep from each other, the things that are better left unsaid. Since their parents died the siblings have gone their own ways and grown increasingly distant from one another, but in a time of crisis they are drawn back together, and if they can finally be honest with each other they have a chance to rebuild their relationships.
Eldest brother Imran calls on his sister Sumaya for help when his wife is subjected to a racist attack that goes viral online and is widely reported in the media. She has become withdrawn and barely leaves her bedroom and he is desperately worried about her mental and physical health. Despite the frosty relationship between himself and Sumaya he knows that the two women are close and asking Sumaya to return home from America is the only thing he can think of. Sumaya in turn is shocked to learn of the attack and drops everything to return home, the fact that it gives her an convenient excuse to avoid answering her boyfriend's proposal is just another good reason to go. She is struggling with her feelings because she is still in love with her ex girlfriend, but none of her family know she is bisexual. Youngest brother Majid is probably the best adjusted of the gang, living his best student life, and in a way he gives Sumaya the strength to confront the truth about herself and her relationships,
This is a really powerful and emotional read, The characters are so well crafted and their family dynamics are completely believable and it was a great insight into another culture and the racism and micro aggressions that they face on a daily basis. It is a lot to pack into a relatively short book, and I would not have minded had it been a little longer to allow a more in depth exploration of the issues, but if the worst criticism of a book is that I wanted more, I think that says it all.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher ,all opinions are my own

4/5

Three siblings. Three promises. Three lifetimes of saying all the wrong things…

Since their mothers death, siblings Imran, Sumaya and Majid have drifted in three different directions, trying to live up to the last promises they each made to her. But when a viral news piece throws an unwanted spotlight on the family, they are drawn back into each other’s lives for the first time in years.
With the media attention exposing the cracks in Imran’s already fragile marriage, he begs Sumaya to return from New York to help- but living under the same roof again after all this time brings up all the secrets they’d both thought long-buried. Now nothing can stop the truth from coming out… with promises they once made in tatters, is this a chance for the siblings to finally live the lives they have always wanted and rebuild the bong they all once had? Or has too much already been said?

Phew this was an emotional read. It’s about three British Bangladeshi muslims who are trying to live their perfect lives after the passing of both of their parents. We are able to follow the struggles, the complexity of family relationships, and insecurities.
I think the author did a really good job of being able to create characters that are relatable who have these flaws and aren’t perfect, and each sibling is dealing with their own issues… I could definitely feel the pain and relate to some aspects within this book.
I do however wish that the author focused a bit more on Majid who's the youngest sibling as I would have loved to read about him a bit more and I felt that the second half was maybe a bit too rushed.
It was a good read… emotional? Yes. I’m looking forward to reading more books from this author.

Thank you to Amazon publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC. Better left unsaid by Tufayel Ahmed comes out September 20th 2023.

Three siblings separated by emotional and physical distance come together when tragedy strikes. Better Left Unsaid is the story of three siblings, Imran, Sumaya and Majid. Each had made promises to their dying mother years ago and have lived their lives separately, growing apart and holding on to secrets and resentments. The exploration of Islamophobia, which initially drew me in, did not receive the attention it deserved. The second half of the book was a bit rushed, and the conflicts resolved a little too easily. Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to more by this author. #netgalley #betterleftunsaid

*Title: Better Left Unsaid-a standalone

*Release date: 9/20/23, read: 8/6/23

*Author: Tufayel Ahmed, 1st time read author

*Book cover: bold colors and POC- yes please!

*Page Count: 250

POV: multiple Imran, Sumaya, and Sultana

*Setting: London and NY

*Genre: Adult Fic/Contemporary, Queer

*Tropes:
✅LGBTQIA+
✅ Family Saga
✅ Intercultural- British/ Bangladeshi/Muslim

Look out for:
⚠️ grief/loss of parents, racism in the workplace, abortion(past), miscarriage(past), hate crime, toxic masculinity, hidden sexuality, Mental Health

*Synopsis: Three siblings (Imran, Sumaya, and Majid) reunite after 7 years when a hate crime is committed against one of their own. They are still mourning the passing of both their parents and trying to live up to the promises they made to their mother Sultana before she died.

Characters:
Imran-(34) the oldest, works at a car dealership (Celeritas) with a racist boss. Married for 10 years to Fahima, but at a loss how to help her after she is attacked. In-laws hate him because they think he can't provide financially for Fahima because she grew up well off. He took care of his ailing father up until his death. His brother Majid lived w/ him after parents died.

Sumaya-(31) Bisexual. Moved to NY 7 years ago to reinvent herself. Was a tv producer, now documentary film maker. Agrees to help estranged brother with sister-in-law feeling very ashamed and violated.

Majid-(21) the youngest. A university student, enjoying his life hanging w/friends, very lowkey.

Sultana-Their mother. Had an arranged marriage w/ their father. Married @ 18, moved to another country w/ no family or friends and a stranger for a husband. Had a stroke 7 years ago.

Abdul-Their father got very depressed and sick following wife's death. Died of heart attack 3 years ago.

Fahima-Imran's wife, a devout Muslim, believed women should be silent and follow your husband until she is attacked by a white man who grabbed her hijab off in public at a bus stop.

Jonathan-Sumaya's bf in NY. They lived together for 5 years. He just proposed and Sumaya's not sure what to do.

Neha-Sumaya's 1st love, a closeted queer Muslim woman, now married w/ 2 kids of her own.

Giles-Imran's boss. Monitors him closely, gives him more work, very critical.

Hakeem- in business w/ Imran through the dealership and considers him a brother.

*Review: I learned a lot, had to look up a lot but I have always been curious about the Muslim faith. I had a hard time believing it was anything other than a misogynist society. I've watched girls in high school in garb and wondered what it meant. This book opened a world of faith, duty, and family that I've never known. I realized the commitment it takes to live a certain way that others may not understand. To believe in family, to have traditions was a foreign concept for me, as I do not subscribe to any faith/religion. Highly informative and relatable sibling rivalry.

Rating: 5/5⭐

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC🖤! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book, I did find it a bit long in places. However, it was emotional and told a story that more people need to be aware of, something that undoubtedly women who wear hijab's would be afraid of happening to them, and it was great to learn the pain that is from something like this happening.

It was a nice story but felt quite juvenile. The writing didn't stand out but flowed very nicely. Whilst the ending was nice, felt like it was a bit too wrapped up neatly but yeah

Now, you know me. I love a book centred around culture, and especially those books with Desi culture at its roots, so reading the blurb for Tufayel Ahmed's Better Left Unsaid made me hit that 'request' button.
Three siblings, British Bangladeshi Muslims, and the fallout in their lives after losing both parents and suffering further upset after one of their own is targetted by a hate crime against women wearing a hijab.
Imran, Sumaya and Majid are brothers and sisters; however, all three have very different outlooks on life.
Imran, being the eldest, feels a sense of responsibility for his family since his parents died.
Sumaya broke the shackles of familial expectations and moved to a different country.
Majid is the youngest, seemingly unaffected by life and his family's woes because he is so much younger.
The thing is, nothing is ever that simple.
Imran is in danger of losing his wife and job and already losing hold of the family left in his care.
Sumaya has been handed secrets and a huge promise to fulfil by her mother on her deathbed.
Majid - well, in many ways, he's the only one living life as he should.
There is a lot to unpack in this novel. Cultural expectations, that 'what will others say' mentality that is embedded in the fabric of Asian society, gender-related expectations, the inability to just talk and be honest with one another...
I have to say I did not like Imran. But I am glad he had a change of heart by the end of the book.
Sumaya has her own difficulties, and yet, she does overcome them in a roundabout way.
I just feel that Majid needed more of a starring role. We don't really get to know much about him until much later in the book, and considering I felt he was the catalyst for the shift in thinking, I wish we had learned more about him.
There is plenty of lamenting about being the one who had to look after parents and younger siblings by the older two, but there are so many other issues that could have held more importance.
Hidden sexualities, hate crimes, racism in workplaces.
It was a good read, though I feel there could have been a little more depth.
Many thanks to NetGAlley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC.

A story of three siblings (Imran, Sumaya, and Majid) and the promises they made to their mother on her deathbed. Since the death of their mother, the siblings had led very different lives. When Imran's wife is the victim of an assault he contacts his sister hoping that she would be able to help, but this only leads to secrets resurfacing and them having to reflect on the lives they have led up until this point.

Loved the family dynamics set out in this book- very close to life portrayal of difficult situations within a South Asian family. Sumaya's obvious disconnect from her brother Imran's dominant nature is understandable and relatable. Their secrets come as a shock and then it's no secret why they drift apart. Majid, in my opinion, was the one least flushed out but the most interesting character of them all- confident in his own skin and passively defiant of his brother, he's the one I'd like to have read more of. While this book tackles a lot of issues faced by South Asian immigrants, I felt like it leaned a bit much on racism- a few spaces where the rants went on a little too long. Particularly from Imran's perspective.

Interesting and nuanced, I really enjoyed following the characters and their development throughout the book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.

A story of grief, regret and hope: three siblings are left adrift after the death of their parents. Traditional older brother Imran, adventurous sister Sumaya and liberal younger brother Majid are living separate lives until a traumatic event unites them. I found this a beautifully-written and compelling read. Tufayel Ahmed creates space for his characters to be flawed and vulnerable, prompting a powerful discussion around race, religion and expectations around sexuality and gender stereotypes.

𝑴𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: ⭐⭐
𝑴𝒚 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌: 😑😑🤗🥱🥱🤔🤨🤐🥰


In all honesty, my expectations for this book centered around a compelling exploration of Islamophobia and its consequences. I was alos excited for the inclusion of Desi characters. However, the storyline fell short, failing to provide the depth I had hoped for. Imran's side of the narrative, which appeared to be the central plot according to the premise, proved to be the more engaging aspect, while Sumayya's character dominated the majority of the book, leaving me wanting.
Sumayya's character was difficult to comprehend and relate to, leaving me disconnected from her journey. Additionally, the role of Majid felt ill-fitting within the family dynamics, lacking the necessary depth to integrate seamlessly.
Around the halfway mark, I found myself resorting to skimming, seeking solace in the fragments of Imran's narrative that sparked my interest. Unfortunately, this imbalance in focus hindered my overall reading experience.
While personal preferences and expectations may vary, this particular book failed to capture my interest. The exploration of Islamophobia, which initially drew me in, did not receive the attention it deserved. However, it's worth considering that different readers may find enjoyment in its nuances and unique perspectives.

In conclusion, this book did not resonate with me on a personal level, lacking the depth and balance I had anticipated.


Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Better Left Unsaid" by Tufayel Ahmed is a thought-provoking read of understanding with it means to be a minority.

The story follows three siblings, Imran, Sumaya, and Majid, who are all living separate lives since their mother died. They made promises to her on her death bed which became detrimental to the two older siblings. The story explores sexual orientation and traditional expectations.

I enjoyed the story, there was a lot going on, but I felt it was told in a way that held my interest right until the end.

"The individual pain over the loss of a loved one was so unique, but grief was a shared human experienced that touched everyone."

Better Left Unsaid is an incisive exploration into the cracks that form between families and how they can either keep breaking or come back together again.

This tender and authentic story explores all the little things that beautifully weave together to create our identity - loss, love, tradition, race, family, gender, culture, sexuality - all through a thoughtful and contemporary lens. I was touched by the insightful looks into sexuality and masculinity and how these things change in a traditional Muslim culture or family. It was deeply absorbing and emotional but also had time for some witty and humorous observations about modern life.

The prose was delicate and almost poetic in places, switching between quiet metaphors and imagery and an easy conversational tone. As we switch between the perspectives of different family members, we quickly get to know them, and it’s clear they’re much more honest and open with the reader than each other so we’re left seeing the gaps between them and hoping something that can close it again. It was definitely interesting to see the different ways every person interpreted a conversation or an event, showing us every single person experiences their story in a different way — any person could be a hero, villain or bystander depending on who’s telling the story.

Each person has their own story that plays out, their own struggles and flaws but they slowly merge, finding their common threads to reveal a complex tapestry of relationships and people that was something very special. The story was propelled by not only each individual journey of self-discovery and the breaking of generational and cultural toxicity, but the discovery of the different things family can mean at different times in life.

A powerful story about family — and what that really means from an equally powerful voice.

Set in Bow, East London, Tufayel Ahmed’s Better Left Unsaid is the story of a Bangladeshi immigrant family. High on emotions, this family drama addresses faith, belief, racism, trauma, love, family dynamics, and sibling bond.

The strong point of this novel is the detailed characterization. The characters are flawed and believable. Unlike the older generation, youngsters smoke, drink, visit pubs, even explore physical relations, and have varied sexual preferences. I liked the manner in which Ahmed portrays them–so sure of themselves, and yet vulnerable and seeking approval. It was refreshing to see them break societal norms and not succumb to pressure.

The complex family dynamics and the strained relationship between the siblings are well-depicted. Ahmed provides decent resolutions to the problems faced by the siblings.

I would have enjoyed the book more if not for Sumaya’s and Imran’s constant whining about being a caretaker and taking care of their dying parents. While caregiving is definitely a challenging task, the constant ‘martyr’ spirit was too much to take.

Wordsopedia Rating 3.4/5