Book Review: A Show for Two by Tashie Bhuiyan

Recently I have been wanting to read some happier books that I knew would have happy endings because in the midst of the pandemic reading has offered a lot of comfort. Naturally, this has led me to more romantic books, the most recent one being A Show for Two by Tashie Bhuiyan; however, this book offered insight into a lot more than just romance, so much so that my favorite part of the book wasn’t even the romance.

In this book, the main character, Mina, wishes to attend film school, but she faces a lot of criticism from her unsupportive parents. In fact, her parents are unsupportive of most everything she does, and this leads to a lot of mental health issues for Mina because she just wants to go through the day without feeling like a disappointment. I feel like this is something that a lot of people struggle with. We all want some sort of validation from the people who are a part of our lives, and sometimes we just don’t get what we need emotionally.

This rift between her and her parents though actually leads to a stronger relationship between her and her sister, which is often the reason that Mina is able to stay strong in the face of her parents overwhelming disapproval. Their sibling relationship was really beautiful to read about because they just understood each other and supported each other.

Mina also had a lot of outside support as well from her best friend and the film club that she was a part of. The idea of found family has always been one of my favorite things to read about in books because it’s so comforting to know that there will always be somewhere out there who is on your side and wants to see you be happy in life. This book definitely delivered on this front and provided such a warm environment in the film club that Mina was lacking when she was with her parents.

Then, the aspect of the romance comes into the story. I think this book handled the romance very well because the romance felt real. There was no love at first sight, in fact the two people actually started off very poorly, but there was a growing feeling of connection. The two bonded through shared experiences and a support for each other’s passions. They had rough patches, but they worked through them together and forgave each other. Their connection is what kept me rooting for them to end up together.

This book is definitely worth the read for more than just the romance. The found family and important friendships were a great way to boost my mood, and I hope I get to read another book like it soon.

Publisher’s Book Description:

Mina Rahman has a plan for her future:
• Finally win the Golden Ivy student film competition
• Get into her dream school across the country
• Leave New York City behind once and for all

Mina’s ticket to winning the competition falls into her lap when indie film star—and known heartbreaker—Emmitt Ramos enrolls in her high school under a secret identity to research his next role. When Mina sets out to persuade Emmitt to join her cause, he offers her a deal instead: he’ll be in her short film…if she acts as a tour guide to help him with a photography contest.

As Mina ventures across the five boroughs with Emmitt by her side, the city she grew up in starts to look different and more like home than it ever has before. With the competition deadline looming, Mina’s dreams—which once seemed impenetrable—begin to crumble, and she’s forced to ask herself: Is winning worth losing everything?

Coming May 10th

Filed under: Book Reviews, Teen Fiction