A Show for Two Hardcover – May 10, 2022

This book has so many of my favorite tropes in it: celebrity/regular person, two people who can’t stand each other forced to work together and grudgingly become friends but oh wait maybe I like-like you?!, and quick! We need to hide, kiss me!But beyond the tropes, it is a simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming exploration of showing up for the people who care about you, navigating what it means to not live up to your parent’s expectations, and finding your own path in the world.A Show for Two had me laughing, crying, and cheering for Mina and Emmitt. And I loved the Easter egg name drops of book titles as movie names.

I knew I would enjoy this book after reading Tashie’s debut and finding out the inspiration for this book was Tom Holland. The first chapter was a slightly slow start, but after that I couldn’t stop reading. I can’t wait to read what’s next. Tashie has a bright future ahead.

A Show for Two by Tashie Bhuiyan is a young adult contemporary romance about Mina Rahman, whose deepest desire is to win the Golden Ivy student film competition that will all but guarantee her a way out of New York City. So when indie film star Emmitt Ramos enrolls at her school under a secret identity to research a role, Mina does whatever she can to have him star in her film. Emmitt is game — so long as she serves as his tour guide in the city. Inspired by Bhuiyan’s real-life experiences when Tom Holland enrolled at her school under similar circumstances, this long-awaited novel doesn’t disappoint!Much like Bhuiyan’s debut, Counting Down with You, this novel features a Bangladeshi-American protagonist grappling with relatable and decidedly American coming-of-age milestones involving friends, love lives, and decisions about the future. Mina’s South Asian parents have worked hard to provide her with a plethora of wonderful opportunities, but Mina’s ambitions simply don’t align with her parents’ expectations. It results in a deeply fraught relationship with her parents, and watching Mina (and her younger sister) struggle with it was both distressing and cathartic for me. Growing up in a diaspora community presents so many unique challenges that mainstream media absolutely fails to address at this time, so it was incredibly validating to read about a character with complicated, messy feelings that also fail to align with most depictions of young adult stories but are no less valid.As much as this novel is about Mina and Emmitt falling for each other, I would argue the true romance is between Mina and New York City. She’s desperate to get away from the familial conflict and generational trauma she deals with on a daily basis, so she incorrectly holds her beloved city — “the city that loved me, even when I didn’t love it” — responsible for her grief. But seeing the five boroughs through Emmitt’s eyes reminds her how New York City has helped to nurture and grow her when other influences in her life have failed to measure up.My favorite aspect of this novel is how Mina’s forced to grapple with the fact that her experiences aren’t the same as her immigrant parents’, and they really aren’t comparable to her friends’ either. Her relationship fumbles are especially frustrating for readers due to her struggle to choose a side, so to speak. She isn’t American enough, nor is she Bangladeshi enough, and she feels judgement from both sides for attempting to walk the hazy line blurring the two defining cultures in her life. However, she leads a hybrid existence created where two cultures converged to form something new, and — as she slowly learns — something uniquely hers. Once she accepts that as her power, she’s able to redefine her dreams in relation to her own hopes and values. It liberates her from many perceived familial and societal expectations that confine her character growth for much of the novel.I also enjoyed watching Mina and Emmitt be passionate about their artistic pursuits, and I appreciated that Bhuiyan placed value in the arts as both hobby and career — a distinction often mistakenly presented as a dichotomy.Initially, it was difficult for me to like Mina, but upon reflection, I think it’s because I saw way too much of my own teenage self in her! Counting Down with You is much easier to read because it takes place while Katrina’s parents are out of the country. It’s a monthlong, borderline fantasy experience that is as charming and light as it is largely because Katrina deals with familial and cultural issues through internal monologues instead of difficult conversations and experiences with her own family in real-time. And that’s really what makes A Show for Two such a beautiful journey of self-discovery. It validates the most challenging experiences and allows us to watch Mina find beauty and power in her own circumstances.A Show for Two is a heartwarming and bittersweet read that represents a unique perspective on familiar growing pains. It will soothe your inner child and remind you to be proud of the experiences that have helped to shape you into the person you are today.

Such a cute, sweet story! I totally enjoyed it!

A SHOW FOR TWO is a consuming and delightful YA contemporary romance that celebrates dreams, film, and sisters. Mina has a plan for her life - she wants to win the Golden Ivy student film competition and go to USC to get away from her parents and pursue her dream of screenwriting. Mina is hyper-focused and will do anything to reach her goals, even talk to the rude celebrity undercover at her high school, Emmitt Ramos.After a particularly terrible meet-cute, Mina would love nothing more than to avoid Emmitt, but it seems the only way to win a Golden Ivy is to have a celebrity cameo. Although he is equally reluctant to work with her, Emmitt agrees to be in the film in exchange for Mina's help with a photography contest. Using different themes, he needs to take a photo each week, and being from London, he needs a city expert (Mina) to pick locations and help him get there. As they spend time together and begin to get to know each other, they find that they are maybe not so different after all.What I loved: Bjuiyan really has a gift with words. Much like her first book, this one is unputdownable and so compulsively readable with all the feels. Mina's story is emotional and gripping, with moments that will have readers laughing and others that will leave them bereft. With an ultimately happy ending, this is a journey of self-discovery and following your dreams that will leave readers cheering (and with a book hangover - it is that good).Beyond the compelling writing, the characters are also gripping, with Mina and Emmitt stealing the show and hearts. Other characters also really came to life, such as Mina's sister and her BFF. Mina has a lot of missteps in navigating these relationships. She has become really prickly, in part due to her parents' deep criticism, but she often lashes out at those around her. She is not always a likable character, and this makes her feel more genuine. Eventually, she does begin to see what the reader sees and understand where she has gone too far and change her behavior, and, as per real life, this is not smooth sailing but shows a lot of growth. Learning is always a bumpy road, and Mina is definitely finding herself and beginning to understand herself better, particularly through her close relationships. Her goals are consuming her, and Mina is working to find her own balance.Themes around family, strained parent-child relationships, safely reaching for your goals, the power of the arts/film, self-discovery, and balance make this a really thought-provoking read that will resonate with YA readers. Beyond Mina's own journey and complex relationships, Emmitt is also struggling with self-discovery, parental expectations, and how to navigate where he is to where he wants to be. Their parallel journeys are certainly different, but complement to make for a stronger discussion of these important themes. This is a really powerful read for YA readers who may be struggling with similar situations and trying to define themselves and their independence.Final verdict: A riveting and compelling YA contemporary romance, A SHOW FOR TWO will captivate and consume readers through a beautiful, emotional, and heartfelt journey that leaves them with powerful and hope-filled messages. Highly recommend picking up this fantastic book!Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

I stumbled upon this book through tiktok - and knowing that Tom Holland going to an American high school inspired this story was the selling point for me.I expected a romance book. What I got was a beautifully written story about a young woman finding herself and learning to accept her true home.Coming from a rather difficult relationship with my parents myself, this book resonated deeply with me and made me more emotional than I expected.The story between Emmitt and Mina is one of a kind and the dynamic between the two is amazing, especially if you love the 'enemies to lovers' trope.I LOVED the Twitter Usernames and their pop culture references and the epilogue just made me happy.Thank you Tashie for this amazing book!

This was such a wonderful book! I loved the NYC vibes especially, and I really loved our two main characters - who were flawed and imperfect. All the side characters were delightful too and felt really three dimensional.This was based on the author's own experience when Tom Holland went undercover at her school - yep, you heard me right!I looooved the relationship, how it blossomed oh so slowly, and the build up with the little glances, the very gentle touch.A lot of people have a gripe with how many mini storylines are going on but I actually thought it was super realistic with an 18 year olds life and problems.I loved the ending too.Although I’m not Bangladeshi, I really related to the fractured familial relationship here - the conditional love, disappointment and gaslighting.I do wish the author had delved more into Mina’s depression.And also just a PSA to American writers - British people very very rarely say love as a term of affection or as a pet name. Emmitt used it constantly on Mina and it felt like the author was constantly being like LOOK, HE’S BRITISH!! When really, it wasn’t true to life.