Counting Down with You

 

Hello everyone!  Today, I will be reviewing Tashie Bhuiyan's debut novel, Counting Down with You.  Here is the synopsis:

Karina Ahmed has a plan. Keep her head down, get through high school without a fuss, and follow her parents’ rules—even if it means sacrificing her dreams. When her parents go abroad to Bangladesh for four weeks, Karina expects some peace and quiet. Instead, one simple lie unravels everything.

Karina is my girlfriend.

Tutoring the school’s resident bad boy was already crossing a line. Pretending to date him? Out of the question. But Ace Clyde does everything right—he brings her coffee in the mornings, impresses her friends without trying, and even promises to buy her a dozen books (a week) if she goes along with his fake-dating facade. Though Karina agrees, she can’t help but start counting down the days until her parents come back.

T-minus twenty-eight days until everything returns to normal—but what if Karina no longer wants it to?

Counting Down with You was a fun and cute read.  I have always had a special place in my heart for books that include fake dating.  The whole "will they/won't they" situation is what I live for.  

Karina Ahmed is your typical good girl.  She always follows the strict rules that her Bangladeshi parents have for her.  Despite this, she desires to become a writer, not the doctor her parents want her to be.  When her parents leave the country for a month, Karina has the opportunity to live a little.  However, her quiet existence is shattered when she is asked to tutor the school's bad boy, Ace Clyde.

Alistair "Ace" Clyde is the complete opposite of Karina.  He's known for skipping school, cussing out teachers, and just being a hellion in general.  He and Karina couldn't be more different.  When Ace lies to his parents and claims that Karina is his girlfriend, they are

As their fake dating scheme goes on, Karina is convinced that this thing will end as soon as it started.  However, as Karina gets to know Ace, she wonders if she wants everything to return to normal.

I think we can all agree that fictional men are better than real men.  No one quite fits this description like Alistair.  He has set the standard for romance incredibly high.  He bought Karina twelve hardcover books every week, respected her boundaries, and even made a mixtape for her.  He's the perfect man.  When I get myself an Ace Clyde, it's over for everyone 😉.

Something I particularly loved was Karina's autonomy.  This is a romance story, but it's so much more than that.  For the longest time, Karina's parents have denied so much from their daughter.  Ace is just one of the few things that Karina has to herself.

I highly encourage you to read Counting Down with You if you haven't already.  This was a promising debut for Bhuiyan.  I can't wait to see what more she has in store.

XOXO, Michaela