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The Things We See in the Light

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The Things We See in the Light

By: Amal Awad
Narrated by: Randa Sayed
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About this listen

In the cafe, I watch as a woman takes a photo of her plate - an impressive glossy lime-coloured dessert with shards of chocolate perched on top. I want to feel that ease and confidence, too. Like this is my city again and I know my way around it.

Eight years ago, Sahar pursued her happily-ever-after when she married Khaled and followed him to Jordan, leaving behind her family, her friends and a thriving cake business. But married life didn’t go as planned, and, haunted by secrets, Sahar has returned home to Sydney without telling her husband.

With the help of her childhood friends, Sahar hits the reset button on her life. She takes a job at a local patisserie run by Maggie, a strong but kind manager who guides Sahar in sweets and life.

But as she tentatively gets to know her colleagues, Sahar faces a whole new set of challenges. There’s Kat and Inez, who are determined that Sahar try new experiences. Then there’s Luke, a talented chocolatier and a bundle of contradictions.

As Sahar embraces the new, she reinvents herself, trying things once forbidden to her. But just when she is finally starting to find her feet, her past finds its way back to her.

©2021 Amal Awad (P)2021 W F Howes Contemporary Contemporary Romance Fiction Romance Women's Fiction

Critic Reviews

"This book is delicious: sweet, warm and unexpected." (Alice Pung)

"A sparkling new voice in Australian fiction." (Nikki Gemmell)

"I loved everything about this book." (Tess Woods)
All stars
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I could not stop listening. Coming from Kazakhstan, I could relate to this story a lot.

Cultural, well-written, addictive

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I liked the the concept, the themes and key events. The characters and writing were not my favourite

Interesting concept

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If this has been described as a romance pulp fiction I would NEVER have wasted all that time! I only listened to the whole thing so I could warn future readers to RUN AWAY! It is a story in which NOTHING HAPPENS except for a bunch of patronizing friends who feel the need to take charge of a “damsel in distress”. Also complete with the CLICHE of “the troubled cranky man who she (our damsel) is OBVIOUSLY going to fall in love with. GROAN. It reminds me of a Seinfeld episode where Elaine goes to see a movie she hates (The English Patient), and then has to go and see it again “just die already”.

All the characters were paint-by-numbers, very one dimensional, and very unlikeable - especially the breathless damsel who seems incapable of doing ANYTHING for herself. God it’s so awful.

The narration is well done - she captures the CHEESY breathless, schmoopy, cringy love scenes with her breathy whispery “omg I want to die in your arms” vomity descriptions.

All in all it gets MINUS three stars for wasting my time, but apparently I have to give a token star before I can submit this.

9 hours I will never get back!

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