Tiwa and Said had been best friends since they were kids but now she hates him, and the feeling's mutual. With Said away at boarding school, they've managed to mostly avoid each other over the years, with only a few Eid-related disasters.

Now it's summer in New Crosshaven and Said is back from school to attend the funeral of the beloved librarian Ms Barnes, which is unfortunately on the same day as the Islamic centre burns down. Tiwa is devastated that this has happened so close to Eid, and enlists the help of her best friend Safiyah - Saids' sister - to help...but then she realises that she really can't manage this without Saids' help also....and since Ms Barnes left them her cat Laddoo with joint custody anyway, he's always hanging around... Can they manage to stop fighting long enough to save the centre, not kill the cat or each other AND sort out their university applications?

It's told from Tiwa and Saids' perspectives, with some present day and flashback chapters. It's utterly charming, I thoroughly enjoyed it but spent most of the time hungry as the characters were constantly eating the most delicious sounding meals and snacks!!

Review also posted to Goodreads but unable to link account.

This book is so cute! It was such a nice book to read. It's funny, heartbreaking, and has so much love in it. The characters are all well-rounded and true to their age. There is a lot of representation in those book which is great because that is very important.

Enemies to lovers- it has culture it has substance. I loved the representation in the book being a Muslim myself- I read this right before eid so it also put me in the spirit for eid.

Adored the writing and the character development. It was honestly such a heartwarming cute read. Loved the side characters which sometimes in rom coms are overlooked.

Highly recommend

Said and Tiwa were best friends once upon a time, that was till Said got into a prestigious boys boarding school and their friendship took the biggest hit. After the death of their favourite librarian Mrs Barnes, Said returns home early for funeral and the start of the summer break.

After the much loved Islamic centre catches fire, Tiwa and Said have to try and put their differences aside as they work together to save the Islamic centre especially when the mayor announces he’s going to demolish the Islamic centre completely.

Can they save the Islamic centre and resolve their differences?

This was a decent read, I’m still not sure what happened to cause the rift between Said and Tiwa other than a couple of factors that contributed. The part about Tiwa’s brother and what happened to him was a bit random and didn’t quite fit into the story or wasn’t explained well enough. What I enjoyed was that it was a story about Eid and Muslims.

A great friends-enemies-lovers story centred around two teens trying to save their Islamic Centre after it was burnt down in a fire. I loved the way their relationship was impacted by the person whose funeral it was at the beginning of the story, and there was a real sense of community throughout the story. It was a little formulaic and predictable, but that didn't necessarily take anything away from my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, a lovely read that I'll definitely be getting in the library for my students.

Ex-best friends, Tiwa and Said, must work together to save their Islamic Center from demolition, in this romantic story of rekindling and rebuilding by award-winning authors Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé & Adiba Jaigirdar! These days, Said Hossain spends most of his time away at boarding school. But when his favourite hometown librarian Ms. Barnes dies, he must return home to New Crosshaven for her funeral and for the summer. Too bad being home makes it a lot harder to avoid facing his ex-best friend, Tiwa Olatunji, or facing the daunting task of telling his Bangladeshi parents that he would rather be an artist than a doctor. Tiwa doesn’t understand what made Said start ignoring her, but it’s probably that fancy boarding school of his. Though he’s unexpectedly staying through the summer, she’s determined to take a page from him and pretend he doesn’t exist. Besides, she has more than enough going on, between grieving her broken family and helping her mother throw the upcoming Eid celebration at the Islamic Centre—a place that means so much to Tiwa. But when the Islamic Centre accidentally catches fire, it turns out the Mayor plans to demolish the centre entirely. Things are still tense between the ex-friends but Tiwa needs Said’s help if there’s any hope of changing the mayor’s mind, and Said needs a project to submit to art school (unbeknownst to anyone). Will all their efforts be enough to save the Islamic Centre, save Eid, and maybe save their relationship?

I adored the brown/Muslim representation in this book - within the cultural/religious references, dialogue and atmosphere and build up towards Eid celebrations and the union of the community/bringing people together to mark the occasion was wonderful - everything felt alive and really resonated with me personally as a reader. Within that, as a British woman of Indian descent, I definitely could also relate to Said's worries that his choice for pursuing/prioritising Art in his life over academics would disappoint his parents. Similarly, there were many microaggressions surrounding gender - the mention of (TW) Timi and the importance of a son over a daughter, by the aunt towards the end of the book was particularly well handled. I loved queer representation and Safiyah and Ishra's romance was cute - The banter and fun/friendships portrayed by Saf and Julian generally was fun and generally was a breath of fresh air - this was a sloooowburn in terms of Said and Tiwa's story with the strangers to friends to enemies to lovers trope, and brought together by a common objective- also miscommunication trope is BIG here so if you are not a fan, you might not enjoy this. Said is calm, controlled and generally composed all the time which is charming, he expresses more through his art/heart and it really packed an emotional punch in the gut with his quiet gestures and understanding. Put him before Tiwa who is a complete polar opposite and you have the perfect equation - Tiwa who is confident, opinionated, sarcastic and fearless - lots of oneliners/inner monologue from her had me chuckling away and I really did enjoy reading Tiwa's POV in the book, there are just so many shades to this character and so many mature emotions/situations she has to deal with - strong FMC for sure.

The plot was fast paced and the story was well developed - the gradual build up was pleasant, with some flashback scenes to show the before and after of how pivotal moments in the lives of the protagonists led them to where they are today - I was consumed by this book, there was not a single moment that dragged for me. The only points to note for me was - I wish more had been done to explore the acceptance of Tiwa as a Black Muslim (as opposed to Said who is a South Asian/Bangladeshi Muslim) I laud that this was touched on in the start of the book but it was not revisited again/with no conclusion which was a shame. Also, the situation with the letters felt abrupt - and could have been dealt with/edited into the story better. It wasn't as "shock/horror" as it was meant to be as a plot twist/and kind of felt anti climatic. Otherwise though, highly recommend this book and for the target audience it is perfect. Definitely was one of my favourite YA books this year - I have not read anything by these authors yet but I can tell that is soon to change!

Thank you Netgalley and Usborne Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest, unedited review!

OMG

I really loved this book! The story and characters are so well done.

I really felt the chemistry and tension between Tiwa and Said, how even if they don't like each other, they care (and low-key love) for each other and you can see and feel that. I LOVED IT!

However, I think it was all resolved very easily and the reason why they start to hate each other makes sense, but I don't know if I fully believed it, I don't know, I was expecting something else.

Overall, it's a really cute and funny story and I 100% recommend it.

What a book! There are so many things to love - alternating POVs, flashbacks, friendships, tensions, forced proximity, it's got it all!

First things first, I had to stop reading via the spoken content on my phone, because she was just pronouncing Said's name as said (like sed, like spoke), and I'm imagining it should've been pronounced more like Sayeed? Either way, that was confusing!

I really loved the ex-bestfriends-to-lovers vibe! Gives so much more than friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers. That shared past, especially seen in the flashbacks, connecting them despite their want or need to keep distance. It definitely gave a bit of forced proximity due to Tiwa and Safiyah's friendship, community events etc, but on reflection, that "forced proximity" was giving a lot more "I want to spend time with you". The alternating POVs were great, seeing how each felt, their dislike of each other slowly melting away, seeing that in reality, their dislike for each other was more based on their thinking that the other disliked/abandoned them.

The one bit that I wasn't totally thrilled by was the love confession. It felt FAR too rushed for me! I really liked the growing connection, them both realising their old feelings were still there, coming back to life, Tiwa's butterflies and heart fluttering, Said's non-stop thinking about her, "you're the only person I wanted to show" etc., but just out of no where throwing a "I love you" into a conversation didn't feel right. It didn't feel like the time, and also from reading the dual perspectives, I genuinely don't think that either of them genuinely felt love for each other.

Nothing against the book, this is a personal thing, but very annoying that the word 'mural' was mentioned so often because I genuinely cannot pronounce it to save my life!

It did feel a tad slow and took me a long time to really get into it, so I'm knocking 1 star off for that, but overall, I really did love the book - go read it!

thank you to netgalley and publisher for the arc!!!

HAPPY RELEASE DAY (+1) TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE ROMCOMS EVER <33333 exam season is finally over for me so! time to unleash all of my thoughts and feelings and those “asjskskskshshs” moments i had when i read the book a few months ago :D<3

(before we start this descend to madness though, can i just mention real quick that i read this fresh after eid too and ohh!!! the feeling was THERE!!!!!!!)

i love love love this book so much. i still remember finishing it at 12 am and then almost cried because THEY ARE SO BELOVED TO ME. THEY ARE EVERYTHING TO ME. childhood friends to enemies to lovers?????? and they’re muslim???? and the main goal they were trying to achive together. despite hating each other, that brought them closer again was saving the islamic centre?????? SIGN ME UP.

this is my first book from both Adiba Jaigirdar and Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé but TRUST it won’t be the last. if you think the title is genius (which, it is!! i mean, ‘four eids and a funeral’?????? probably my favorite use of iconic romcom titles in a romance novel ever), wait til you see the chapter titles because they’re SO. ‘shaitan himself’ ‘muffin sluts’ and other witty words put together await!

⤷ ’i’m more than upset. i’m ready to commot multiple crimes against humanity, but i won’t because that would be haram and i’m not risking hell for him.’

this book is so so effortlessly funny. just like a romcom should be. i found myself actually laughing at some parts because why are they so silly and unserious 🤧🤧 i love them, i miss them, they’re soo loveable. this novel felt like a comfort bubble to me at the time and i love it so much because of that.

it’s funny, comical, and charming. the writing, in my opinion, is pretty simple and straightforward but the moments!! oh the moments! they read to me like scenes from a really old but loved sitcom that i just can’t help but highlight so many of them. it’s dual pov and so to witness a falling out from two side of the story, from two conflicting perspectives of these two kids (only allegedly mature adults) was so so so interesting. i loved seeing them navigating through their feelings and seeing them realizing that the longing and affection are still there!!! that they were never gone in the first place!!!

i LOVE TIWA OLATUNJI. she’s so sarcastic and hilarious (in burning said down) and her remarks are on! point! that quote up there? yes that was hers, one and only. we got to explore her grief and trauma, plus her difficulty of fitting in in her muslim community as a black woman. the way this book was written, building up to all of the revelation of the past, makes her story feels so much more heartbreaking. because we had to see her deal with this loss— bits by bits, never too much, but always there— not knowing what it actually was about until more flashbacks were revealed and we got to piece it together ourselves. she’s so strong and very opinionated and would fight for whatever she believes is right and for her cause, and she’s such such an admirable character for that. i love her, she’s so so beloved to me <3

⤷ tiwa : ‘you’re such a muffin slut’ — said : ‘i’m proud to be a muffin slut’

now. SAID HOSSAIN is also soooo beloved to me. his sarcasm, and playful manner and funny jokes have captivated me. not going to lie, he’s giving soo much loverboy energy it’s actually soooooo. charms and everything else aside, i love how we got to see him feel closer to islam the more he was back home. seeing him reconnecting with his faith again after praying jamaah, and after reuniting with his muslim neighbors and community was so heartwarming. and him being passionate about art and seeing him strugglinh and fighting to take control of his dream was also! i love him.

⤷ ‘but when i see him, all of that just fades away and i want to desperately make him smile. it’s the most infuriating thing. i can’t quite shake off the impulse to be his best friend, or see him as anything but mine.’

i love love how their story was structured. how we got bits and pieces of their fall out in and out, and flashbacks chapters in between, while we reconcile those with these feelings they both were experiencing upon seeing each other again. the anger and spite on the front, but still with apparent longing and yearning and grief for what they have lost in translation. especially in the setting of small town, where all remnants of their sweet childhood past echoed back to them everywhere they went. their story have held such a special place in my heart because of that and unfortunately i just couldn’t help but think of them as long lost friends with whom i have once picked apples in the orchard or whatever.

i don’t know, but these two silly kids remind me sooo much of annabeth chase and percy jackson. not just their dynamic and their banter, but their respective personalities too. it’s like seeing them in another happier universe sometimes and ohhhh i love them with all my heart!! <3

and OBVIOUSLY, not to mention the fact that this is a muslim love story! as one myself, seeing so many parts of our islamic culture laced within a wholesome story felt so much like a home. of course, they don’t have the same traditions as mine who lives in different part of the world, but everything else was just 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽 from eid adha, prayer jumaah, the islamic centre, etc. getting to know more about their culture and how they personally celebrate eid was also so so wonderful. i love knowing more about it because there’s always more to know. reading this made me wish i hadn’t cut ties with my own neighborhood community but all was done. (although, “cut ties” is a bit dramatic. i was simply 12 and was unfortunately too lazy to continue my Quran lessons and going outside altogether).

this is a heartwarming love story as a whole, but it didn’t try to erase the difficulties many face even within their own community. i appreciate how they explored the racism and how scornful one community can be (most especially to a woman ekhem) despite the fact that we are told to respect one another, and especially to your muslim “brothers and sisters.” this novel shed light on different sides of a muslim community that i’m both aware of (simply because that type of hell is everywhere here too) and not. and i’m happy it did because it needed to be said and addressed!

that aside, the side characters are HILARIOUS. i’m telling you! this reads like a sitcom!! the dialogues are quick and humorous and with a good comedic timing…… i can see it all so clear in my head. while i think some moments are a bit anticlimactic, what’s lacking in that was made up for with this. i love this book so muchh.

so. bottom line : I LOVE THIS BOOK (woah no way really?) ITS WHOLESOME, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL, CHARMING, and i hope ALLL of you ya romance lovers decide to experience it for yourself and read. it ‼️ totally planning to get the physical copy once it’s available on the nearest local bookstore!

5/5 STARS i just love said and tiwa too much i’m afraid <3333

I was so incredibly happy when I got the eARC for this, I can't even tell and rightfully so! This book was just as good as I hoped for. The romance was perfect because I'm such a fan of enemies to lovers. Also, Much Ado About Nothing will always be one of my favourite plays and so much of this reminded me of that.

The writing was flawless. The cultural aspect gave everything what I hoped for. The characters were fun and relatable and I don't only mean the main characters but also the side ones!

I really enjoyed this and recommend with all my heart.

I was really looking forward to this one, as someone who celebrates Eid! However, it was a big miss for me.

I found a lot of the story was lacking action and nothing was happening. Instead, it was a lot of description. I was bored at points.

The overall plot concept is great and I feel it had such potential.

Also, the romance was almost non existent. I really wish we had more of it. This is more contemporary fiction, than romance.

Finally, Saf's reason for why she hid the letters and for years, observed her brother and her best friend arguing, just was not realistic to me. I cannot fathom her allowing the two closest people to her become so miserable, over a period of years, for the reason that was mentioned in the story.

There were parts of the story I really enjoyed, just not enough for me to give a higher rating.

Four Eids and a Funeral is a charming and very cute romance from two talented authors - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar.
Former best friends Said and Tiwa haven't been close in years , not since Said left for boarding school and they didn't stay in touch, a situation made worse by an embarrassing incident at the local Eid party. It's a little awkward given that Said's sister is Tiwa's new best friend, but when a favourite librarian from their childhood dies, they know they will have to put their differences aside to attend the funeral. It seems that she wants them to repair their friendship given that she gives them joint custody of her cat in her will. As if that is not enough tragedy the local Islamic centre, the heart of their community burns down, something that is especially devastating for Tiwa. Reluctantly they agree to work together to try to save the centre and the upcoming Eid party, but working with your sworn enemy is never an easy prospect.
This was a really cute book, but also one with quite a lot of emotional depth, incorporating issues like grief and trauma as well as divisions within the Muslim community . I loved the celebration of community and faith within the story and who doesn't like to see a second chance romance? A sweet book that is perfect for teens.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I reviewed this book on my BookTube channel as part of my April Reading Wrap Up https://youtu.be/xSovZsszcvo

Having Bengali and Nigerian American Muslim main characters gave the book a good slice of interest and multiculturalism which added to its interest. Some points of Islamic faith practices and terms were explained and some not, which I found a bit odd, not sure who the audience was considered to be or maybe some explanations were added later. Anyway, hopefully it will a) show people something different but understandable and relatable b) show people like Said and Tiwa that they can be seen in books, too. Maybe for the younger YA audience, and nice to see two well-known writers working together on this one.

Firstly, can we talk about this cover? It's stunning!

I've read books by both Faridah and Adiba before, and so when I saw they were combining forces for this I was super excited to give it a read. It's a perfect book for summer, and I loved how much it navigated love and loss and everything in between. I really liked both Said and Tiwa so enjoyed the mix of POVs, and it was just a wholesome, feel good YA romance that also tackled some of the difficulties Muslim youths may go through. I grew up in a largely Islamic community and seeing the rep that wasn't necessarily there 15 years ago when I was a teen is so lovely!

Such a beautiful love story i want expecting! Romance stories without some element of fantasy are usually not my thing UNLESS they have a specific niche I'm interested in and this was exactly that! Tiwa and Said's love story overth course of years was beautiful. There was love, comedy and just a wholesome vibe to the story and relationship where the characters just flowed perfectly in their dynamic. I loved Said as a protagonist especially because he's so different compared to other characters due to the Muslim boy perspective we get which is very rare in literature so it was something really special. Overall, this was the perfect slice of life story. 4.5 stars!

dnf @ <50%

i honestly did not care for these characters, and i share a name with one of them so that's really saying something. the story felt like it was trying too hard to cover too many social issues at once, which just gave the book a messy and cluttered appearance. i might have enjoyed this more if i was younger, due to the juvenile impression it left on me.

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Headlines:
Super cute
Friends to enemies to more
Fighting for the community

There was nothing not to love about Four Eids and a Funeral and it's lead characters Twia and Said. Of the two, Said was laid back and consistent, while Twia was a little more hot headed and judgemental but she was fierce and commited to her community.

This story focused on broken friendships, families, a fire, the local muslim community and meddling siblings and friends. It was a rich plot and I didn't see the reason for the friendship breakdown in advance, but things dropped nicely into place when that was revealed. I appreciated that this story didn't labour misunderstandings.

The book was narrated mostly in the contemporary but there was the odd period flashing back into past Eids that the MCs had experienced together. The past elements were brief and slotted in well.

Overall, a cute and quick read and enjoyable that these two authors wrote this together.

Thank you Usbourne for the review copy.

Thoroughly enjoyed the 'will they, won't they' in this long time coming romance. The dual narrative from Tiwa and Said helps you get inside their heads and understand where things have gone great / wrong in the past and how their hurt feelings have affected their behaviour. This is set against a fraught situation in their home town, that Said has distanced himself from and Tiwa is passionately trying to oppose. I loved Safiyah's Q&A session at the end, which ties up a lot of loose ends, like who set fire to the Islamic Centre...

this book is such a lovely summer read. said and tiwa are so brilliantly frustrating and stubborn in their own ways but in the end, they’re just two doofuses in love.

i learnt a lot about islamic culture and prayer when reading four eids and a funeral which was a really nice surprise for myself.