This story offers a compelling exploration of love, values, and the struggle between tradition and personal desire. Fa'iza's journey from her sheltered upbringing to the vibrant world of Toronto is beautifully depicted, capturing the tension of her emerging identity. Ahmad’s perspective adds depth, as his rejection of societal norms creates a fascinating contrast to Fa'iza’s values. The chemistry between them is palpable, making their connection feel both real and fraught with tension. However, some plot points can feel predictable, particularly the revelations that test their bond.

I absolutely loved this. I felt representation and I felt seen and that is so difficult to do! I cried, actually ugly cried through it. It was very realistic and raw. Couple of issues I had was that the pacing was a bit jumpy but I still loved it

I loved it.

The characters feel like real people and all you want to do is keep reading. Bala truly has a gift for storytelling.

I love seeing realistic portrayals of Muslims in literature as a Muslim girl myself. The idea of all Muslims being nothing but faithful with no flaws or relapses is just nonsense and almost hurtful. This had such a realistic aspect of things. No such thing as good Muslim or bad Muslim, just struggling ones and the author portrayed that beautifully.

This was a complex story set around the romance between Faiza and Ahmad. Both of the main characters are Muslim but Faiza is much more devout than Ahmad. She was raised in a family that adheres to the faith much more strictly than Ahmad’s family even though the families are close friends. As their attraction grows they both struggle to understand and work through each other’s beliefs and values. This was an interesting story with a more in-depth look at the Muslim faith than I have previously read. I also was intrigued as I have Muslim friends so I was invested in seeing where their beliefs fell. Both of the characters showed great growth throughout the book. Their relationship was at times wonderful and hopeful and at times heartbreaking. Overall a very interesting book and one that will definitely stay with me for awhile.

As many romances go, you need conflict and Broken, Not a Halal Love Story provides plenty of it.

With beautiful descriptions and layered characters, author Bala introduces readers to Fa'iza and Ahmad.

She from a conservative Muslim family, he more relaxed, but they find common ground when they meet and of course, fall in love.

But finding common ground may not be enough when navigating what's expected from your families and communities. No matter what your heart wants.

Vivid and heart pulling, I cheered for these two from the moment they met.

I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.

Faiza and Ahmad’s story lovely and painful. There are some explicit scenes. I have not read a book that necessarily involved this religion before so it was interesting to learn and see what connected the characters.

Overall I enjoyed this book and thank you NetGalley for letting me read an ARC copy of this book.

Broken. Not a halal love story is an interesting story that I found also to be educational. Fa'iza Mohammed is from a very conservative Muslim family in Africa. Ahmad Babanginda is also from a Muslim family but lives in Canada and is not as conservative as the Mohammed family.

A relationship between the two blooms and the lines are blurred between halal and haram. Unexpectedly, a decision is made by their families and their relationship ends. After five years is it too late for their love?

I think anyone who grew up in a very conservative religious family could relate to Fa'izs's struggles.

The last 20% of the book felt a little too unrealistic but otherwise it was a great story.

3 stars. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was the editing. The story was a 5 star story. The writing was clunky at times. The transitions were not good many times. There were abrupt changes in the story. I feel like a story edit could have helped overcome these weaknesses and resulted in a stronger book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchanged for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The hold this book had on me, we had like 60% of a book that was one of the cutest relationships I have ever read. The understanding, the respect. I was rooting for them the whole time. I was waiting for everything to get fixed and of rhyme to get back together.

The book was a bit slow, to me.

4.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this love story because of the religious and cultural aspects of the story. It added a depth to the story that you typically don't get in romances. I will look forward to other books by Fatima Bala.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. Broken, Not a Halal Love Story is available now.

I am always excited to learn about different communities and religions that I don’t have much knowledge on and I learnt so much about Islam and the Muslim community in this book. The author’s writing was so easy to read and understand. I absolutely adored the incorporation of the Hausa to English translations.

This was so realistic and inspiring. The author did a great job showing the conflict between Fa’iza’s desire to abide by the rules of her Muslim faith and pursuing what her heart truly longs for. It was lovely to see that her character never truly strayed from her religion and embraced both sides of herself.

I found myself rooting for the MCs and their relationship throughout the entirety of the novel and adore how perfectly they balanced each other out. They always bring out the best in each other!

What a beautiful story that I will never forget🤍

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. Although the book started slowly and it took time to get into it, I ended up really enjoying and utterly compelled by Fa'iza and Ahmad's love story. Bala brings a fresh take to the genre and skillfully wove in the impact of Fa'iza's religion on her relationship. I really rooted for the couple and.

Loved this book! Really good story that is super relevant to the 21st century. It had a lot of interesting thematic work too that was handled v well.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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When I first saw, 'not a halal story' in the title, I was turned off, but I was still interested in the book. So, I went to check reviews on Goodreads and I requested for it. I'm so so glad my request got approved, I didn't even know the author was Nigerian.
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The storyline was perfect and I really learnt a lot religion-wise and I didn't even expect this. What I liked most was that even when the MCs did bad things, the author clearly said what they did was not allowed in Islam instead of just changing Islam rules to fit her narrative.
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I enjoyed reading about the realities and vulnerabilities of the MCs and their character development especially, Ahmad's. I liked that they were imperfect, they admitted their mistakes and got better.
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I loved the side characters too except from Afreen and Zafar, I hated their relationship. It was like a Diana-Charles-Camilla triangle and she was Camilla. I liked the rest of the characters.
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I also enjoyed learning about Hausa culture, I might be Nigerian, but I'm not really aware of the innings of other culture.
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Finally, the relationship of Fa'iza and Ahmad was beautiful, understandable and realistic. I really liked this book and I'd love to read more by the author.
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Although the title has 'not a halal love story' it's not because of what you're thinking, it's just a book of flawed Muslims who fell in love, made mistakes and sought forgiveness from AllahSWT. Aka just like us al

Faiza Mohammed has lived a very sheltered life in her conservative Muslim community. When she goes off to university, she fights to stay true to her faith and beliefs and to find a man who has ideas and beliefs that align with hers.

Ahmad Babangida is a religious rebel, in his own way. He believes that everything in society and religion are simply constructs meant to condition and control people. When Faiza and Ahmad meet, Faiza tries desperately to fight her feelings for him.

This slow burn love story shows real, flawed characters. I loved watching their love blossom. These two are beautifully written. I also really loved the philosophical conversation around religion.

I am always looking for books written by (and about) people who are different from me. It's how we learn and grow as people. It's how we understand people who are different from us and learn to navigate the world in an empathetic and understanding way. Books like Broken by Fatima Bala are so important in giving others a peek into a culture many of us are not familiar with. It's also important for people who are familiar with it, because it's vital that we can all see representations of ourselves and people like us in literature and art.

This was an beautiful story, poignantly written. I definitely recommend it if you enjoy romance, especially if you are looking for something different! ❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am so happy I was given the opportunity to enjoy this book. The love story was truthful, and while Ahmed sounded too good to be true, I still enjoyed him as a character. I like how smart and strong the Fa'iza is. Her strength and ability to not be an over-dramatic priss was a nice change from other romance novels. I hope there will be more books by this author.

From the very first page, I was hooked by the electrifying chemistry between Fa'iza and Ahmad. Their magnetic connection defies societal norms and challenges the beliefs ingrained in them from a young age. The author's skillful storytelling and compelling characters makes this story a gripping read that will keep you turning the pages.

An enthralling story that delves into the complexities of love, faith, and redemption. Fa'iza, a young woman raised in a conservative Muslim home, is thrown into turmoil when she falls for Ahmad, who embodies a completely different set of values. Their undeniable connection and chemistry challenge the boundaries set by their respective upbringings. This book expertly explores the clash between tradition and personal desires, raising thought-provoking questions about the blurred lines between halal and haram.

I don't normally cry while reading.... but this book made me cry so many times.

It is so beautifully written and I absolutely adore the way you can also have a peek at another culture and learn some things from that culture. That is also a reason why this book stood out to me, because I have never read a romance book that was connected to a different culture and religion.

Fatima Bala did a wonderfull job by building a relationship between Faiza and Ahmad where they balance each other so amazingly in a way I have not yet seen in a romance book before.

In conclusion I 100% recommend this book for someone who needs an amazing love story to cry about.

One of the reasons I joined the Bookstagram/Netgalley community was to highlight books written by or about under-represented voices. Growing up as a Muslim woman, I either never saw myself in media or saw my culture wrongfully represented in the worst possible light. Broken by Fatima Bala shines a light on what it means to be a Muslim, unmarried woman. She does a wonderful job of infusing culture and religion into Faiza's story. Young, unmarried Muslim girls are told to stay away from haram relationships, but that's easier said than done in this society. This story is real and raw, building a relationship from distant acquaintances into friends into soulmates. Every interaction between Faiza and Ahmad snowballs, demonstrating how these two balance one another. Bala does a wonderful job of highlighting societal expectations, clashing values, and conflict within what is ultimately a love story. From the compelling characters to the beautiful prose, this thought-provoking novel of self-discovery is one you shouldn't miss.