vaf87's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
paulou's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
prapti's review
2.0
Hmm, no I’m think. Idk the girlie was a bit too removed from Indian society and a tad bit too hypocritical for me.
brokenrecord's review
3.0
3.5 stars. This was a really easy read, which sounds a bit like a backhanded compliment, but I mean it genuinely — I've struggled since the pandemic with sitting down and reading a book for more than a chapter at a time, and few books have been able to break through that, but this one managed to. Which in a way is especially impressive because I wasn't in love with it at any point, but I found it really easy to keep reading.
My biggest issue with this book was just that the romance didn't work for me. I wasn't convinced they were in love by the end, especially considering they only know each other for like a week and part of that time she had serious issues with his brother while also having a ton of other family/work stuff to deal with. I bought them being attracted to one another and in lust, but not love. Also, in general I'm fine with romances without many or any sex scenes (and honestly often times would prefer none, although it depends on the couple/book), but I feel like if you're going to have a line late in the book about how the characters were truly ~making love and not just having sex, you should… include a scene that depicts that rather than just referring to it after the fact? Especially since I never got that impression from any of their other scenes? I mean, I barely got the impression they liked each other very much. I don't even mean in the sense of this being enemies-to-lovers (it isn't really — more, two characters who get on each others nerves to lovers), but just that they seemed attracted to one another but not like they really enjoyed one another as human beings.
I did find Amira a bit too prickly and quick to jump to conflict at the beginning, although I grew to like her more as the book went on and I got to know her better. Conversely, I started off liking Duncan pretty well, but got annoyed by him constantly calling Amira "Princess," even after she told him repeatedly not to, and by the end I had just gotten a bit tired of him and kind of didn't want Amira to accept his apology?
That being said, I did enjoy a lot of the non-romance stuff. I found Amira's family drama interesting. I was mostly glad for how things worked out between Sameer and Travis ( was especially nice. I also liked Amira's relationship with her sister and her mom. I also enjoyed the bits with Amira getting advice from her dad on her engineering project. The family stuff was definitely what kept me engaged in this book.
I found the work stuff a little frustrating at first because it seemed so clear to me right away that
So yeah, even though I didn't like the romance, the rest of this was very enjoyable. It looks like there's a sequel featuring Reena (who I didn't mention but also really liked), so I may give that a shot and hope the romance there works better for me.
My biggest issue with this book was just that the romance didn't work for me. I wasn't convinced they were in love by the end, especially considering they only know each other for like a week and part of that time she had serious issues with his brother while also having a ton of other family/work stuff to deal with. I bought them being attracted to one another and in lust, but not love. Also, in general I'm fine with romances without many or any sex scenes (and honestly often times would prefer none, although it depends on the couple/book), but I feel like if you're going to have a line late in the book about how the characters were truly ~making love and not just having sex, you should… include a scene that depicts that rather than just referring to it after the fact? Especially since I never got that impression from any of their other scenes? I mean, I barely got the impression they liked each other very much. I don't even mean in the sense of this being enemies-to-lovers (it isn't really — more, two characters who get on each others nerves to lovers), but just that they seemed attracted to one another but not like they really enjoyed one another as human beings.
I did find Amira a bit too prickly and quick to jump to conflict at the beginning, although I grew to like her more as the book went on and I got to know her better. Conversely, I started off liking Duncan pretty well, but got annoyed by him constantly calling Amira "Princess," even after she told him repeatedly not to, and by the end I had just gotten a bit tired of him and kind of didn't want Amira to accept his apology?
That being said, I did enjoy a lot of the non-romance stuff. I found Amira's family drama interesting. I was mostly glad for how things worked out between Sameer and Travis (
Spoiler
although I'm never a fan of public proposals, particularly surprise public proposals, and especially when the characters are going from broken up to engagedSpoiler
he and Sameer break upSpoiler
I guessed from some of the hints early on that her mom's secret relationship was with a woman, but that reveal was still fun, and I loved how completely Amira supported her.I found the work stuff a little frustrating at first because it seemed so clear to me right away that
Spoiler
Raymond didn't have Amira's best interests at heart, and I was frustrated that she couldn't see it for so long, although I can also understand why. But since we don't ever actually see Raymond being a great mentor and the two of them being close, it was hard to understand her faith in him. I was glad when she finally did figure it out, though, and decided to leave the company.So yeah, even though I didn't like the romance, the rest of this was very enjoyable. It looks like there's a sequel featuring Reena (who I didn't mention but also really liked), so I may give that a shot and hope the romance there works better for me.
maria_hossain's review
5.0
Wow wow wow wow wowsers!!!
AMAZING doesn't begin to cover it. So much nuance and maturity and depth. Don't be fooled by the synopsis and the cover. Although the banters are hilarious, this book sheds so much light on intercommunity homophobia and racism and xenophobia and Islamophobia and much more. I'm so glad I picked it up. Duncan and Amira are the hottest couple. Travis and Sameer deserve the world. I love them all so MUCH.
AMAZING doesn't begin to cover it. So much nuance and maturity and depth. Don't be fooled by the synopsis and the cover. Although the banters are hilarious, this book sheds so much light on intercommunity homophobia and racism and xenophobia and Islamophobia and much more. I'm so glad I picked it up. Duncan and Amira are the hottest couple. Travis and Sameer deserve the world. I love them all so MUCH.
limonurse's review
4.0
This was a great debut novel. Dealt with a lot of social and cultural issues with care. Loved seeing the character development
kblincoln's review
4.0
I actually read the second book in this series first, and possibly enjoyed it a bit more. This one features Amira and Duncan-- one is an Ismaili Indian and the other a red-headed, flannel wearing small town musician. (This is set in Toronto, Canada)
Amira is a bit...hot-headed. She seems willing to believe the worst of people on one hand, but then completely ignores her work-mentor's issues on the other hand. She has a racial-profiling incident at an airport in her past that has caused her to be less willing to be a vocal and visible presence standing up for immigrant and Muslim rights, but has just finished grad school and is back living with her divorced mom, little sister, and grandmother as her work-leave ends.
Only things don't go as planned. First of all, her the culture at her work place has taken a turn for the worse--in the form of a an older white Englishman who calls her "pretty little thing."
Also her grandmother has rented the basement rooms to of all things, a barbershop quartet in town for a competition.
Heron's portrayal of family ties (one of the barbershop boys is a family Ismaili friend who is gay and not out to his extended family) impacting relationships, the foods, the clothing, and Amira's feelings as a visible minority are a perspective that makes this romance really interesting for me to read on one hand, and sad on the other.
Amira is definitely political, and some of the characters in this book portrayed as racist or sexist are a bit stereotyped themselves, including Duncan's brother who does have a bit of nuance but ultimately is defined by his racist beliefs.
That is a small quibble, however, because Amira's Barbershop boys are all kind of fun in their own ways, and while the steam level is confined to "low" for kissing and a bit of petting (all the fun stuff is left out off the pages, although Duncan tying himself up with his own suspenders does imply quite more than sweet romance) it is still quite a satisfying romance of "opposites attract."
Very cute romance with some of the family-centered relationship emphasis I enjoy firmly centered in Toronto culture.
Amira is a bit...hot-headed. She seems willing to believe the worst of people on one hand, but then completely ignores her work-mentor's issues on the other hand. She has a racial-profiling incident at an airport in her past that has caused her to be less willing to be a vocal and visible presence standing up for immigrant and Muslim rights, but has just finished grad school and is back living with her divorced mom, little sister, and grandmother as her work-leave ends.
Only things don't go as planned. First of all, her the culture at her work place has taken a turn for the worse--in the form of a an older white Englishman who calls her "pretty little thing."
Also her grandmother has rented the basement rooms to of all things, a barbershop quartet in town for a competition.
Heron's portrayal of family ties (one of the barbershop boys is a family Ismaili friend who is gay and not out to his extended family) impacting relationships, the foods, the clothing, and Amira's feelings as a visible minority are a perspective that makes this romance really interesting for me to read on one hand, and sad on the other.
Amira is definitely political, and some of the characters in this book portrayed as racist or sexist are a bit stereotyped themselves, including Duncan's brother who does have a bit of nuance but ultimately is defined by his racist beliefs.
That is a small quibble, however, because Amira's Barbershop boys are all kind of fun in their own ways, and while the steam level is confined to "low" for kissing and a bit of petting (all the fun stuff is left out off the pages, although Duncan tying himself up with his own suspenders does imply quite more than sweet romance) it is still quite a satisfying romance of "opposites attract."
Very cute romance with some of the family-centered relationship emphasis I enjoy firmly centered in Toronto culture.
mxnuelx's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sandlynn's review
4.0
The Chai Factor is Farah Heron’s debut novel, and although mostly well done, I think it shows signs of being the author’s first book.
The Chai Factor is set in and around Toronto Canada. It focuses on thirty year old Amira Khan, an engineer who is ethnically Indian as well as Muslim and is proud of both. That being said, Amira is not strict in her practices and her immediate family is fairly liberal, which has garnered some criticism from their community. Still, Amira has stood up for her heritage and her faith in a vocal manner until the day she found herself racially profiled during a trip across the Canadian-U.S. border. After that horrific incident, Amira has put up walls between herself and those she doesn’t know, becoming more defensive and judgmental. It is during this time that she meets Duncan Galahad, a white, small town, musician and music teacher. Amira has been attending a university outside of Toronto to earn her Master’s degree in order to secure a promotion at work. Duncan is traveling to Toronto to meet up with the other members of his barbershop quartet in preparation for a competition held in the city. As their train experiences a breakdown, Amira is pestered by a guy who is coming onto her. Duncan aka Sir Galahad comes to the rescue, claiming her as his girlfriend and chasing the guy away. After some verbal barbs are tossed back and forth, Amira and Duncan part ways. Fast forward to Amira’s grandmother’s home where her divorced mother and baby sister also live and where she resides when in Toronto. Thinking she’s going to have peace and quiet in the basement apartment so she can finish up her Master’s project, Amira is shocked to find that her grandmother has rented out part of the apartment to a barbershop quartet – worst yet, Duncan’s barbershop quartet.
At 380 pages, this story is chockfull of family, friends, co-workers, distant relatives, and their various problems. I actually started tallying them:
Amira and Duncan’s relationship
Sameer and Travis’s relationship
Amira’s issues with her workplace and master’s project.
Amira’s relationship with her grandmother, mother and sister
Duncan’s relationship with his brother, niece and parents
Reena’s relationship to her family
Sameer’s relationship to his family
Amira’s sister and Duncan’s niece’s relationship
Duncan’s career issues
The barbershop quartet’s competition
As I mentioned earlier, this is Ms. Heron’s debut novel and the story probably could’ve used some editing to focus more on Amira and Duncan’s romantic relationship, eliminating some of these extraneous storylines, especially those that don’t get resolved. However, as a book that’s more about Amira and her personal growth – i.e., not a romance – it’s more successful. Granted, we still could’ve edited a few of these out (although someone from my book group concluded, they are probably a set up to the next novel). But, frankly, there was so much here, you could’ve written two books, easily!
Another issue I had with the book was my initial impression of Amira. It took time for me to warm up to her because when she is introduced, she’s been through a bad incident and has become prickly and almost mean-spirited. When we eventually see Amira interacting with her family, that impression changes. But, I have to think, if the reader had been shown flashbacks or there had been some scenes involving the profiling incident, the reader could’ve been right there with Amira from the beginning, seeing the world as she did after such an event, feeling sympathy for her, rather than impatience or dislike.
All of the above being said, I *did* enjoy this book. I felt totally immersed in another culture. The various characters and their problems kept the action moving. By the end, I felt that Amira had learned more about herself, about her family and friends, and had healed, to an extent. I can’t say whether her relationship with Duncan will succeed, considering some of the issues still out there involving his bigoted family, but maybe that’ll be addressed in the next book. This book was a solid B+. Maybe an A-.
The Chai Factor is set in and around Toronto Canada. It focuses on thirty year old Amira Khan, an engineer who is ethnically Indian as well as Muslim and is proud of both. That being said, Amira is not strict in her practices and her immediate family is fairly liberal, which has garnered some criticism from their community. Still, Amira has stood up for her heritage and her faith in a vocal manner until the day she found herself racially profiled during a trip across the Canadian-U.S. border. After that horrific incident, Amira has put up walls between herself and those she doesn’t know, becoming more defensive and judgmental. It is during this time that she meets Duncan Galahad, a white, small town, musician and music teacher. Amira has been attending a university outside of Toronto to earn her Master’s degree in order to secure a promotion at work. Duncan is traveling to Toronto to meet up with the other members of his barbershop quartet in preparation for a competition held in the city. As their train experiences a breakdown, Amira is pestered by a guy who is coming onto her. Duncan aka Sir Galahad comes to the rescue, claiming her as his girlfriend and chasing the guy away. After some verbal barbs are tossed back and forth, Amira and Duncan part ways. Fast forward to Amira’s grandmother’s home where her divorced mother and baby sister also live and where she resides when in Toronto. Thinking she’s going to have peace and quiet in the basement apartment so she can finish up her Master’s project, Amira is shocked to find that her grandmother has rented out part of the apartment to a barbershop quartet – worst yet, Duncan’s barbershop quartet.
At 380 pages, this story is chockfull of family, friends, co-workers, distant relatives, and their various problems. I actually started tallying them:
Amira and Duncan’s relationship
Sameer and Travis’s relationship
Amira’s issues with her workplace and master’s project.
Amira’s relationship with her grandmother, mother and sister
Duncan’s relationship with his brother, niece and parents
Reena’s relationship to her family
Sameer’s relationship to his family
Amira’s sister and Duncan’s niece’s relationship
Duncan’s career issues
The barbershop quartet’s competition
As I mentioned earlier, this is Ms. Heron’s debut novel and the story probably could’ve used some editing to focus more on Amira and Duncan’s romantic relationship, eliminating some of these extraneous storylines, especially those that don’t get resolved. However, as a book that’s more about Amira and her personal growth – i.e., not a romance – it’s more successful. Granted, we still could’ve edited a few of these out (although someone from my book group concluded, they are probably a set up to the next novel). But, frankly, there was so much here, you could’ve written two books, easily!
Another issue I had with the book was my initial impression of Amira. It took time for me to warm up to her because when she is introduced, she’s been through a bad incident and has become prickly and almost mean-spirited. When we eventually see Amira interacting with her family, that impression changes. But, I have to think, if the reader had been shown flashbacks or there had been some scenes involving the profiling incident, the reader could’ve been right there with Amira from the beginning, seeing the world as she did after such an event, feeling sympathy for her, rather than impatience or dislike.
All of the above being said, I *did* enjoy this book. I felt totally immersed in another culture. The various characters and their problems kept the action moving. By the end, I felt that Amira had learned more about herself, about her family and friends, and had healed, to an extent. I can’t say whether her relationship with Duncan will succeed, considering some of the issues still out there involving his bigoted family, but maybe that’ll be addressed in the next book. This book was a solid B+. Maybe an A-.