A Love That Disturbs Author: Medeia Sharif
Pages: 224 (Paperback)
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Release Date: June 15 2016
Source: For Review
Purchase: Amazon•TBD (affiliate link)
Maysa Mazari is alarmed by her mother’s talk about arranged marriage. As a hijab-wearing Pakistani-American, she wants to find love on her own. Her judgmental Muslim clique has protected her from racist taunts, although the leader is turning on her as Maysa strays from the group because of her attraction to Haydee.
Haydee Gomez is a former gang member and juvenile detention student. Now living with a clean-cut aunt, she wants to turn her life around, even though one person will never let her forget her roots—Rafe, her abusive pimp. Haydee attempts to pull away from a life of prostitution when she develops feelings for Maysa, although Rafe isn’t willing to give her up too easily.
Finding themselves in danger from Maysa’s friends and Haydee’s pimp, it’s apparent their love disturbs everyone around them as they fight to stay together.
A Love That Disturbs was a lot more intense than I was expecting. Maysa and Haydee both feel trapped, but for very different reasons. Maysa is part of a small clique of Muslim girls. She feels protected having this group that understands exactly what it’s like, but no one else is allowed to get close to them. Haydee has just transferred to Maysa’s school after moving in with her aunt. She wants a fresh start, but her pimp doesn’t want to let her go. Meeting Maysa makes Haydee try harder to leave that life behind, and Maysa finally starts standing up for herself to her supposed friends.
At its core, A Love That Disturbs is a Romance. I really liked the lingering glances and wondering that happened between them in the beginning. Neither girl has thought about being a lesbian before. Haydee regularly has sex with men, although it’s for money and not her own choice. Meanwhile, it’s against Maysa’s religion. But these girls find each other and find something special. The moment they act on their feelings is super rushed and came out of nowhere though. I would have liked more development there, but once they were together, I really liked them as a couple.
As for the intensity, A Love That Disturbs really goes there near the end. Along the way we see Haydee working as a prostitute, which was rough. But there’s also some serious focus on hate crimes. I honestly never ever saw that coming at all. I was shocked and appalled that these characters would do this to Maysa and Haydee. It’s awful and sickening. But, yes there’s a but, there’s not a tragic ending. I was actually really proud of how Maysa and Haydee went on after that happened. The ending is hopeful.
A Love That Disturbs is a hard story to stomach at times. Haydee’s life is not sunshine and rainbows, and what happens to Maysa is super awful. But to me, it was all about finding the best version of yourself and living the life that you want. These girls are up against a lot of adversity, but they find a way to be together anyway.
The post Review: A Love That Disturbs by Medeia Sharif appeared first on Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.