I love Abigail Yardimci’s writing. Her Life Is Yours trilogy is such a beautiful and uplifting read, that I was really looking forward to her fourth novel – My Little Ramadan. This does follow on from the trilogy, but can easily be read as a standalone. I am also interested in learning about different cultures and religions and I love it when novels also teach you something, which I knew this one would do.
As Abi explains, this book is based on her own experiences. She is married to a Turkish man who is a Muslim. This book is based on the time she joined him in fasting for the holy month of Ramadan, though a fictionalised version.
The prologue is set in Turkey in 2007 when the main character Jess meets her Turkish partner Mesut’s mother. This chapter is so beautiful, really well-described and full of heart and warmth – which sums up Abi’s writing style overall. It’s such a special opening to the book.
The story then moves to Scotland in 2010. The novel is written in blog posts, so we follow the month from Jess’s point of view and see how she copes fasting while looking after her two-year-old son Baki. Being a mother myself, I could really relate to Jess’s experience with a toddler (the “Beast-Child”) and I love the realism and authenticity of motherhood that comes across. She adores her son, but acknowledges the difficult, exhausting things that come with the job of raising a child. She’d like to be a Super-Mum but knows she isn’t, that no-one can be, and really, that’s okay.
Jess’s friend Ella comes over to stay for a while. Anyone who has read the Life Is Yours trilogy will remember Ella from those books and it was a joy to catch up with her, now the mother of little Dotty. We also get to meet Gillie and Oliver again, so it’s a real reunion for some of the biggest and best characters from the previous books. But there are also great new characters to meet and fall in love with like Mona and Bernie.
Abigail Yardimci is a skilled writer. I love her descriptions, they are so beautiful. As an example, she writes about a scene where her toddler is painting and says “his lovely, chubby body spattered and kissed in colour” – just gorgeous and a scene we can picture so well.
Abigail’s books are quite different to anything else I’ve read – and only in a positive way. The warmth radiates from her words, she presents life as it is – highs and lows, not picture perfect – and each book is like a great big snuggly hug.
Highly recommended!
Book Details:
Book Title: My Little Ramadan
Author: Abigail Yardimci
Cover Reveal: 11th January 2023
Release Date: 23rd March 2023
Available at: Amazon / to order in stores
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Feel-good fiction
Print ISBN: 978-1-9168986-7-7
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-9168986-8-4
Print Price: TBC
Ebook Price: £0.99 (increasing to £2.99 after launch)
Page Count: 428
Publisher: Soft Rebel Publishing
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abigail Yardimci is an author of feel-good contemporary fiction with a little bit of romance and a whole lot of soul. She enjoys creating down-to-earth characters and scratching the surface of her own everyday life to find the underlying magic that connects us all.
Abigail is a Geordie girl living by the sea in Devon with her Turkish husband and two terrifying kids. She gets her kicks through mindful parenting styles, creative living and chocolate.
Contacting Abigail:
Email: info@abigailyardimci.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AbigailYardimci
Instagram: @abigailyardimciauthor
Twitter: @AbigailYardimci
TikTok: @abigailyardimci_author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19568338.Abigail_Yardimci
BLURB
One moody Turkish husband, one screaming toddler, thirty days to find true happiness . . .
After marrying Mesut, the man of her dreams, having an adorable little boy and moving to a beautiful Scottish seaside town, Jess knows she should feel more grateful. But motherhood is so tough and the cultural gap between her and her husband is starting to show.
As Mesut prepares for the Islamic month of Ramadan, Jess figures she should support him. She decides to go nil-by-mouth from sunrise to sunset for thirty days, hoping that some spirituality might rub off on her, especially if she records it all on her blog.
When the blog becomes the talk of the town, Mesut objects to his faith being made public. But Jess is certain Ramadan will make her a better person as well as a better mum. With thirty belly-growling days to get through and thirty blog posts to write, could divine intervention be just around the corner? Or will it tear apart everything she loves?
My Little Ramadan can be read as a stand-alone book, but is also a sequel to the uplifting and inspirational Life Is Yours Trilogy.
A humorous, heartwarming read with real depth and charm, My Little Ramadan is perfect for fans of Elizabeth Gilbert, Jojo Moyes and Beth O’Leary.
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