A fun novel, about a young woman from India trying to make it out in Dubai in the 1990s. It was fun and adventurous, a lot lighter than I imagined it would be and the 1990s Dubai setting felt a bit like it could have been anywhere else, despite a few details to add flavour. Fun but not particularly memorable.

Let me preface this review with a confession: I’ve lived in Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar in the Gulf as an expat (after the Gulf War in 1990–1991), and I absolutely felt a connection to the protagonist, Riya, and her cohort of colleagues (Grace, Cedric Uday, Amir, Rohit, Hanna, Jette, and Freddy, et al.) at Discover Arabia as they do their best to keep all of their clients happy and navigate living life in the desert. So, my opinions about this fantastic novel are 100% biased. And although I have not lived in the UAE as an expat, I have visited and have friends who work there and have had similar experiences to Riya and her gang.

The story primarily focuses on Riya prior to the Gulf War as she works to send most of her earnings “back home” (to India) to support her mother and sister and her father who has left the three for another woman and the dream of opening a new restaurant. Riya acknowledges that all of her co-workers may have various reasons for moving to Dubai but believes that it mainly comes down to money where earnings are higher.
From the outset, it’s clear that Riya isn’t her boss’ favourite. But Simon, her boss, has her do a job for a special contact, César, and the stakes are high, especially as this story is set against the backdrop of countries in the Gulf fraught with tension as they wait to see what Iraq (Saddam Hussein) will do.

While I’m not always a fan of fiction that is more plot-heavy, what I loved about Malik’s story were the relationships between Riya and Grace, Riya and Lucy – her sister, Riya and an American, Jack – deployed with the US Military – and Riya and Freddy. Riya’s character development and her eventual confession show how much she grows during the story and how she acknowledges how others have helped her and how she has accomplished things on her own. It’s a story of strong, female autonomy, and in a country where expats are ranked based on their skin colour, it’s empowering to hear how Riya speaks to Simon at the end of the story as she advocates for Grace, her colleague, roommate, and friend.

And you can’t tell me that Malik didn’t set the scene perfectly for readers! There were moments when I was transported back in time to the hot and dry days of December when I lived in the Gulf and was thankful not to have to shovel snow that was knee high back at home in Canada! The scenes in the souk, the airport, and – of course – the desert reminded me of a life and home that always, in the weirdest ways, when I least expect it.

If you’re a fan of sojourner fiction, stories about expats, relationships, and/or personal growth and development, then this could absolutely be for you!

Many thanks to NetGalley and VERVE Books for allowing me to read an ARC of Tania Malik's "Hope You Are Satisfied"!

Hope You Are Satisfied is an exciting and comical look at 1990's Dubai for those struggling to make ends meet and provide for their families back home. When her harmless job escalates into becoming embroiled in a terrifyingly risky deal involving smuggling something through a high-security airport, our protagonist quickly realises she is in over her head. But desperate for the money to help her ailing sister, she faces little choice. When she becomes unexpectedly recruited by the CIA to intercept the package she is moving, she knows the stakes are higher than ever before. This is a really engrossing read and paints a stunning portrait of the fast growing metropolis of a city, with particular focus on it's darker underbelly and moral gray areas. I was disappointed with the ending, though I could appreciate the clever and unexpected twist to the situation. I was expecting a lot more to happen but that isn't to say the book was ruined, I truly enjoyed the novel on the whole and will definitely be recommending it.

I thought the premise of the book was compelling and I couldn’t wait to read this story of a young woman living in Dubai. However, the story never really grabbed me. Lots going on in this book, quite messy at times. The ending was good, but overall I did not find the story memorable.

Riya, a girl from India, works for Discover Arabia, a travel company in Dubai that employs mostly foreigners. We get a view of Dubai in 1990, and the background are the tensions between Iraq and Kuwait so the company sees the amount of customers dwindling. We follow Riya and her fellow expats who try to make a better life for themselves and their families back home while they dream of the big destinations such as Canada and the USA against the backdrop of moaning and silly tourists, every day life and corruption.

The book presents a view on what expat life is like. Having studied abroad for a while, I did recognise some of the emotions and situations. What also fascinated me is that people go and do these kind of (and other jobs) to give their families a better life. That's not something I tend to encounter in my everyday life.

Riya is a loveable protaganist and I chuckled when I found out she has flaws too. I loved how she and her friends did loads of things they weren't supposed to do in Dubai. Maybe the characters could have been a bit more fleshed out, but then again: how well do you get to know people you know you will say goodbye to after a while.

The story is well written and is an easy read. Thank you NetGalley and Verve books for the ARC.

I struggled a bit with this one, but I refused to stop reading. This was because the plot was truly well done, and I wanted to know what happened. My struggled was mainly that I forgot I was reading it. Other books came my way, and that I am sorry for. But I am glad I finished it, because that ending made me gasp in all the right ways. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

A fast paced novel with a lot going on - but I really enjoyed it. From page one you're thrown into Riya's world. The narration is unique, punchy and gutsy. The novel itself is well-written and well researched, . We follow Riya during a short period of great uncertainty in her life, which is reflected (and compounded) by the instability of the Persian Gulf region on the eve of the Gulf War.
Really enjoyed the satirical and witty take on the hospitality industry, set in 1990-1991 Dubai.
Malik is a really talented writer and I can't wait to see what she does next.

The premise of the book was incredibly interesting and the main reason I requested it. The story of a South Asian woman living in the UAE was interesting and I had high expectations. However, the first couple of chapters wasn’t enough to hook me: too much was going on, and Malik’s writing wasn’t very clear. The characters weren’t very interesting to me, and so overall, this book wasn’t very memorable, and I’d give the book 3 stars.

This novel has a lot going on, and unfortunately, it feels like too much for its short length. While I was won over by the character of Riya and the unique narrative voice, the plot often feels chaotic and unfocused. Set against the backdrop of the Persian Gulf region on the eve of the Gulf War, the book touches on some interesting themes of personal growth and external conflict, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The story of a young person figuring out what they want in life is nothing new, but the setting brings a fresh layer of complexity.

Hope You Are Satisfied takes us back to 1990, immersing us in the world of twenty-five-year-old Riya, who works for Discover Arabia, a tour guide company located in the burgeoning yet chaotic landscape of Dubai. As the city stands on the brink of transformation just before the Gulf War, Riya finds herself caught in a limbo between her family in India and an uncertain future in a place that feels more like a desert purgatory than a home.

Against the backdrop of escalating political tensions, the book brilliantly captures the interplay of diverse characters—international arms dealers, American soldiers, CIA operatives, corrupt bosses, and wayward tourists—all clamouring for attention from Discover Arabia. In this high-stakes environment, Riya and her colleagues start plotting their escape strategies, contemplating their futures in a rapidly changing world.

The narrative is rich with intrigue, as Riya's journey unfolds alongside her relationships with her friends and colleagues. For a short book, the character development is commendable; Riya's bonds with her companions feel genuine and engaging, allowing readers to connect with her struggles and aspirations.

The story deftly balances the tension of impending conflict with Riya's dilemmas, exploring themes of loyalty, ambition, and the search for belonging. The author's sharp prose and vivid descriptions bring the desert landscape to life, making it a compelling read.

Overall, Hope You Are Satisfied is an insightful exploration of a pivotal moment in history, woven through the lens of personal relationships. It’s a thought-provoking and emotional journey that resonates long after the last page, making it a must-read for those interested in stories of resilience amid turmoil.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

3.5/5.

I really wanted to love this book but I couldn't get into it. I felt it was written very while the story/plot behind the writing was good the style and tone felt a bit lack lustred. The time the book was set was a really interested time and that was one thing the author did capture she managed to portray the feelings of uncertainty for the world very well. This just wasn't for me I am sorry to say but needs a lot of work has potential