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A Novel
by Sara Hamdan
Mia's secret comedy career, forbidden office crush, and a long-guarded family secret take center stage, threatening her newfound confidence and her one shot at fame in this hilarious, heartfelt coming-of-age story perfect for fans of Curtis Sittenfeld and Etaf Rum.
Mia Almas has a secret. By day, she works at a respectable job as a media fact checker―a position her conservative, Arab grandparents approve of―and, by night, she takes to the stages of New York City comedy clubs. She holds herself back in a lot of ways, especially in the romance department, but being on stage lights her up and makes being a wallflower the rest of the time more bearable. That is, until Phaedra, her stylish and bold new neighbor, inspires Mia to take a few risks.
As Mia pursues a forbidden romance with her boss, her standup gets better and bolder, leading to a surprise spotlight that exposes her secret gig. Horrified and worried that her rebellious act could mean big consequences for her reserved Palestinian-American family, Mia frantically dives into damage control. But all of her efforts to pull back from the spotlight expose a family scandal from the 1940s that could change everything…
Equal parts funny and tender, What Will People Think? is a heart-bursting exploration of what it means to discover and embrace the hidden parts of yourself, and how love in all forms can make you whole.
"Beautifully written ... Hamdan's compelling debut will provoke thoughtful discussion and is recommended for readers who enjoyed James McBride's The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store or Etaf Rum's Evil Eye." —Library Journal (starred review)
"Hamdan balances levity with poignancy through a series of revelations, such as the reason behind Mia's father's death on 9/11, why her grandparents left Palestine, and why they remain so cautious. This will linger in readers' minds." —Publishers Weekly
"A richly drawn story of individuality, identity, and honoring your heritage, What Will People Think? will resonate with readers of romances and coming-of-age novels." —Booklist
"Sara Hamdan is an exciting new author with an original voice. What Will People Think? is a funny and moving exploration of family, roots, history and identity. Mia Almas discovers how the past has moulded her present, and must navigate how it impacts her future. Filled with heart and lessons, it's a beautiful read." ―Cecelia Ahern, New York Times bestselling author of P.S. I Love You
This information about What Will People Think? was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Sara Hamdan, a Berkeley and Columbia graduate, is a former Merrill Lynch banker, New York Times journalist, and editor at Google. After winning a Netflix short story award, she received the First Chapter: Emirates Literature Foundation Seddiqi First Chapter Writers' Fellowship for her debut novel, What Will People Think? Sara is Palestinian American, raised in Greece, and has called Dubai home for twenty years. When she's not typing away at her laptop, she loves to spend time at the beach with her husband and two kids.
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