The Henna Wars

Adiba Jaigirdar

A YA contemporary rom-com set in Dublin about Nishat, a Bangladeshi-Irish Muslim teen who has just come out to her disapproving parents. When a school business competition has her launching a henna stall at the same time as her charming old friend (and new crush) Flávia, the two end up in direct competition—one that turns thorny when Flávia's henna business starts appropriating the very culture Nishat is trying to honor. The story balances a sweet, slow-building sapphic romance with sharper commentary on racism, cultural appropriation, and the pressure to hide parts of yourself to keep your family's approval.