4.5 stars

CW: homophobia, colorism, emotional and physical abuse, implied rape and sexual assault, hate crimes (Specifically, a gay side character is beaten and killed.)

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali is a sapphic story I had high hopes for, and it didn’t let me down. This novel took me by surprise; I read it in a matter of hours and I loved it more than I ever could’ve hoped. It was honestly impossible to put down.

Let me start by saying that Sandhya Menon’s blurb on the front cover, “This book will break your heart and then piece it back together again,” is 100% accurate. If not for my significant emotional investment, this likely would’ve been a four star novel. But I became so attached in so little time and that never wavered, so I’m increasing my rating by a half star.

Rukhsana was a remarkably strong protagonist, determined to forge her own path and follow her heart, no matter what. I admired this part of her and how it didn’t interfere with her love and consideration for those important to her, even in the roughest of situations. However, she didn’t feel like a dynamic character. The novel is about her family accepting her sexuality and her friends and girlfriend understanding her culture, rather than any personal growth on Rukhsana’s part. While I do like Rukhsana and applaud her choices, I believe she could’ve been fleshed out more.

Perhaps my favorite part of the story was Rukhsana and Ariana’s relationship. They begin the novel already dating, something I appreciated, and although they have more than their fair share of obstacles, they come back to each other in the end. They’re an innocent couple, but they’re passionate. They complement each other so well, and the fact that they did get a happy ending made me really happy. In stories such as this one, that’s not always the case, so I was especially grateful that Khan made this decision.

I’m white and not religious, so I can’t speak for the Bangladeshi or Muslim rep. However, both were intricately woven into the story, and I liked the elaborate, frequent descriptions of the former’s food and clothing.

I have to applaud Khan on the way she wrote Rukhsana’s large, incredibly complex family. The dynamic changes between different members, and everything was very well-done. I loved Shaila’s supportive, enthusiastic personality, and I appreciate the inclusion of such a close relationship with a cousin. Both her and Aamir, Rukhsana’s younger brother, were present, dynamic, and played a large part in Rukhsana’s happy ending. I also liked Nani, Rukhsana’s maternal grandmother. She was so sweet and wise, and I think she demonstrates that close-mindedness is individual, not generational. When Rukhsana came out and Nani was nothing but supportive, my heart grew three sizes.

In relation to my last point, I think Rukhsana’s parents were written really well. They did despicable things, but they still thought they were helping their daughter. They weren’t evil, only misguided, and the fact that they redeemed themselves, as did Aunty Meena, is another indication of Khan’s literary prowess. The support group and the birthday party were two of the best scenes in the novel, for varying reasons. You’ll understand if you’ve read it.

To be honest, I think the only reason I’m not giving this novel a full five stars is because of one personal issue I have. It’s possible that this is simply me being difficult, but I found a few scenes and conversations to be a bit too far-fetched or, in some cases, cheesy. While these were few and far between and didn’t affect my aforementioned emotional attachment, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes when I came across one.

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali is full of heavy topics, but they’re handled with care and, alongside other aspects, make for a poignant sapphic novel. If you can handle the content, I highly recommend you pick this up. I can’t wait to see what Khan does in the future.