Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating
By Nayanika Kapoor,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Cute, socially aware romance of queer South Asian teens.
Add your rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
What's the Story?
In HANI AND ISHU'S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING, Hani and Ishu realize that they need each other. Hani, or Humaira, is a well-liked, peace-making Muslim, Irish, and Bengali girl, who just came out to her best friends… and they didn't believe her. Ishu, or Ishita, is at the top of her class, and didn't think she needed (or wanted) any friends to graduate and go to the best university and become a doctor. When Hani blurts out to her friends that she's dating Ishu, a lie, in an attempt to prove that her bisexuality isn't a trendy phase, these two girls who have always avoided each other are brought together. Ishu realizes that Hani is her only ticket to becoming more popular, becoming Head Girl, and getting into a top university like her sister. They write "Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating": the rules that will get them both what they need. Together, they navigate cultural differences, mean girls at school, Instagram, and so much more.
Is It Any Good?
This heartwarming book has a lot of positive messages about exploring identity, standing up for what's right, and being queer and South Asian in a predominantly White community. Fans of romance will like the sweet buildup of their feelings, and how they bring out the best in each other. The characters are both flawed and likable, and readers will find themselves rooting for their romance from the beginning. Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating is a good introduction into more complex topics such as personal relationships with religion, as well as racism and homophobia, and the book makes these topics accessible rather than overwhelming. However, sometimes it can feel like they touch on more difficult topics without fully explaining the context of these concepts. This novel is best for readers who have some exposure to social justice topics and are interested in learning more, but enjoy lighter romance reads.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Hani and Ishu have very different relationships to being queer in Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating. How might people have different experiences with coming out? How can you support your friends who are part of the LGBTQ+ community?
Hani often has to stand up to Aisling and Dee, even though they've been friends since they were kids. How have your friendships changed? How do you stay friends with someone, even while going through different things?
Hani and Ishu both are very integrated into the Bengali community, and have a lot of cultural traditions that are very important to them. What traditions are important to you?
Book Details
- Author: Adiba Jaigirdar
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Activism , Brothers and Sisters , Great Girl Role Models , High School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Page Street Kids
- Publication date: May 25, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 17
- Number of pages: 353
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 1, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
The Radical Monarchs Founders' Picks: Coming-of-Age Books by Women of Color
Teen Romance Novels
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate