What a brave adventure and so inspiring to read this biography. It was super insightful to me having never lived there.

I had to DFN this book around 40%. While the writing itself is interesting, the views that the author sound a little detached from what I was expecting (involving the day-to-day life of regular people, the culture, etc). It did mention some aspects that but more about the rich people living there and her job/her husband's job.
Not at all appealing to me, I'm afraid.

This story is told by Sabeeha Rehman. She goes from living in New Jersey where she can live her life freely and on her terms. She relocates to Saudi Arabia with her husband for his job as an oncologist. While living there she is fearful of the social norms of her new country. The social norms are restrictive and strict. But, while there she discovers an underground of the world of women within this country. This story is a stunning account of a world where most people never experience. The author brings the reader into her world. Astonishing storytelling.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing, Arcade for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was such an informative read. I really enjoyed the author, the way she described things. She talks a lot about what she was going through, as well as her emotions, feelings, how she and other's like her was treated after 9/11, going through menopause and her life and family in general. She thoroughly explained a lot of things and it was a very educational and informative read.

I received a copy of the book via NetGalley from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions.

I really enjoyed this book! As a white Canadian woman, this book introduced me to the nuances of life in a Muslim faith, but also in a strict Muslim country where women do not have much choice or say.

Both hopeful and devastating, this book was a wonderful insight into life in Saudi Arabia, the lasting patriarchy, the morality police, the hardships of autonomy as a woman. Very honest, very informative, very emotional - a great read

An interesting insight with some great moments and good pacing. I enjoyed the story overall. I felt some things were anachronistic but it didn't take away from the whole story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow, this book really surprised me! First off, the cover design, which makes it look like a contemporary romance, is a little misleading regarding the subject matter. That said, I really enjoyed this book, and the author is a wonderful storyteller! She injects humor into a subject that could be heavy and/or dry at times. She is clearly a very intelligent person, and I would love to read more books by her.

An absolutely fascinating account that differed vastly from the things (mostly critical) other ex-pats have shared. Quick and easy to read, the book left me wanting more stories and sketches.

Incredible read. I loved everything about this book and the powerful Messages Of it. I can’t wait to read what this author writes next.

I find other cultures, especially one's so distinctly different from my own, so fascinating and I've always been curious about the experience of expats in Saudi Arabia. And Rehman gives us just that - a very matter of fact, interesting recounting of her 6 years living in Saudi Arabia as an American and a Muslim. But the majority of the book is told by her old emails sent to family and friends almost daily during her life there and I hate to say I found them a bit cringey to read. It just felt very bubbly and over the top. But again, still interesting. She did lose me when she wrote about their pilgrimage to Meca and Medina - it was very long winded, impossible to keep the facts straight, and felt repetitive. The last part of the book was my favourite, writing wise. This is where Rehman actually writes that part of the book instead of using her emails to recount her experience. She really is a good writer! I do think, as a non Muslim myself, it would be even more interesting to read about how a non Muslim expat experiences living and working in Saudi Arabia since so much of the day is centered around prayer. I was hoping for an account on this from a friend or acquaintance even.

This book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the pacing was a little too slow and I never found myself eager to pick the book back up. It wasn’t the writing that I didn’t care for but the development of the story.

I found the format interesting, it was written in the form of emails to friends and family. I agree with other reviewers that there is only a focus on Rehman’s experience - it would have been interesting to get other perspectives.

This is easily one of my favourite books of the year. The writing was phenomenal. I cannot wait to recommend this to all of my Muslim and non-Muslim friends. A great read for all. I cannot wait to recommend this to all of my Muslim and non-Muslim friends. A great read for

I love Sabeeha Rehman’s intimate and often witty account, written as emails to family and friends, of her six years of working in Saudi Arabia. Even though she is a devout Muslim, she still encountered instances of culture shock. Some of that was eased by living in a compound that was free of the restraints upon dress and social interactions. While she was often frustrated by the insular patriarchal society, the friendliness and helpfulness of the people enabled her to enjoy her time there.

I loved her explanations of how their religion shapes their day-to-day lives. I enjoyed reading about the culture of Saudi Arabia and the lifestyles of the people. She writes of her experience of participating in the hajj. During her six years there, two significant historical events happened – 9/11 and the death of King Fahd. (Did you know that beekeepers go to each beehive to tell them the king has died and announces the new king? They recently did that with the death of Queen Elizabeth.)

Rehman provides a refreshing glimpse into the lives of the women living in Saudi Arabia. While Saudi women are often portrayed as being oppressed, Sabeeha tells of the importance of women in the workforce there. She also tells of her experiences with the morality police – how frightening! And you may be surprised to hear that some women find the wearing of the abaya to be freeing.

This is the third of Rehman’s books I have read. Her beautiful writing is.

I highly recommend this book. It will shatter the impressions you may have of the country, negative impressions drilled into us by our media.

I received an advance copy of the book. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

An interesting take on living in Saudi Arabia as an American woman. It is told as emails sent back to friends and family at home, so we discover it as she is discovering it. I like the style of the book. It was fairly interesting, though very narrowly focused on her experience only. As this is really based on something she wrote back in letters, I understand why it doesn't have more info on the culture outside her own experience, but I would have liked a bit more than just her perspective.

I find reading about Islamic cultures fascinating especially how women are treated . The author's acceptance of another culture was enviable but the complete acceptance of the morality police bothered me enough that I did not want to finish the book.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for honest review! I really enjoyed this perspective about life in Saudi Arabia, especially through the lens of different world events. Sabeeha is an engaging writer, and this memoir filled with essays, reflections, emails & letters is uniquely formatted and great to read! If you are looking to have your perceptions change about life in Middle Eastern countries, read this!

It's always fascinating to read about the lives of ex-pats and Rehman has written of her life in Saudi Arabia with her husband. They have a very insular life there as employees of a hospital. Rehman is able to experience things differently from other expats due to her own ethnic background and religion. All in all, she has a very positive view of life in Saudi Arabia and she was able to overcome some challenges when it came to her career. I enjoyed the format of the book which includes letters and/or emails that she sent home; this keeps the experience very fresh.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

Sabeeha Rehman, a US citizen who is a Muslim woman, relocates to Saudi Arabia for her husband’s job at a prestigious hospital. A supposed stay of two years turned into six and in her recounting of her time there, Sabeeha delves into her everyday life in a patriarchal society, highlighting the pros and cons that kept her family there beyond their intended stay, as well as offering the perspective of an independent, free thinking woman who has suddenly lost some of the ‘privileges’ she enjoyed in the states. Her description of the expat commune painted a picture of two separate worlds existing on the same plain, one world where the expats adhere to the host country’s rules and societal appearances, but also a world that replicates the microcosm that is the expat community. Moving between both these worlds on a day to day basis with Sabeeha was a lesson in cultural anthropology that I am still reflecting on.

Overall, I found this book to be a fascinating read for those who wonder, “How can a Western woman tolerate living in a religious leaning patriarchal society beyond a vacation stay?”