A retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma set in a Pakistani-Muslim context, If I Loved You Less had the potential to be a refreshing and culturally rich romantic comedy. Unfortunately, the execution fell far short of expectations.

Let’s start with the protagonist, Humaira Mirza. From the beginning, she comes across as toxic and entitled. Her tendency to meddle in others’ lives and her apparent unhappiness at others’ success or joy makes her an unlikable lead. Instead of showing growth or self-awareness, her behavior often feels repetitive and grating, which made it difficult to connect with her or root for her journey.

The writing style leans heavily on “telling” rather than “showing,” leaving little room for readers to engage with the characters or immerse themselves in the story. The narrative is bogged down by unnecessary explanations—whether it’s about religion, cultural norms, or brand-name-dropping (both Pakistani and international)—that detract from the flow of the story.

The romance, which should have been the heart of the novel, felt underwhelming. There’s a surprising lack of interaction or chemistry between Humaira and Fawad Sheikh (the male lead). The story is so centered on Humaira’s perspective that Fawad’s presence feels almost irrelevant. Had he been removed from the narrative entirely, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.

The preachiness of the book was another major drawback. While I appreciate clean romances and stories that incorporate cultural and religious elements, the constant reiteration of boundaries and what’s “allowed” felt excessive and, frankly, tedious. Instead of feeling organic, these moments came across as heavy-handed and moralizing, which detracted from the joy and lightness one would expect from a romantic comedy.

I’ll admit that the only reason I didn’t DNF (Did Not Finish) this book was because I was reading it as part of a reading challenge. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it past the halfway mark.

If I Loved You Less missed the mark for me. Its unlikable protagonist, lackluster romance, and overly didactic tone made it a frustrating read. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging or enjoyable romantic comedy.

I don’t read many romances but two things stuck out for me about @aamna_qureshi’s IF I LOVED YOU LESS. The first is that it’s a Muslim love story written by a Muslim author. Second is that it’s a retelling of EMMA by Jane Austen, one of my favorite classics!

I read EMMA a few times in college in different English courses. And I loved it each time. And the movie Clueless (which is also a retelling of the classic book) is one of my favorite movies.

The main character, Humaira, is spoiled, clueless, materialistic, but she’s also caring and well-intentioned. She’s amazing with her lonely father and admirably hides her pain so as to not worry her loved ones. But she’s terribly lonely and refuses to give up on the idea of finding love.

I’d highly recommend IF I LOVED YOU LESS if you:

- Love classic retelling, particularly of EMMA
- Want to read a halal romance (no spice!)
- Like stories where the hijabi doesn’t take off her headscarf for a guy
- Want a cozy, wintery romance
- Love books about close knit families
- Love reading books with a lot of social gatherings (they were honestly so fun to read about and made me miss my own family gatherings and parties back in New York!)

There were just two things I would change if I could. Humaira and some of the male characters spoke in “proper” English at times - like think of dialogues from classic books like EMMA - and so it was jarring at times to read some modern slang coming from her. It didn’t seem to fit her. But that’s just a personal quirk for me.

The second thing is I would have loved to see more of the happily ever after for Humaira and her fiancée at the end. We as the reader see so many of the parties and get together thrown for her family and friends and I really wanted to see those parties, if not the wedding at least, for Humaira and her husband-to-be!

All in all, a fun read and I’d def recommend it to readers who love the romance genre, esp Muslim readers looking for no spice in their book. 💕

This was absolutely lovely. Dare I say I enjoyed it more than the original Emma? Maybe that's a step too far - but this did do the thing I love most in a retelling/adaptation, which is to draw out aspects that are present in the original but aren't necessarily emphasised.

In this case those aspects are Humaira's relationship with her father and her grief over her mother's death: I loved that we got to see more about how important her family is to her, and more about her and feel so deeply why she feels she can't leave. I also really appreciated the characterisation of Humaira as feeling so trapped in other people's perceptions of her, and feeling she needs to make herself useful in order to be loved.

There are two main reasons why I could see someone bouncing off this: one is the writing style. The narration uses a very particular diction that falls somewhere between English as spoken by someone whose first language is Urdu, and AO3 fanfiction author attempting to do Regency - and to a modern Anglophone reader it registers as not quite idiomatic. Personally I felt it suited Humaira's characterisation and I didn't have a problem with it, but I can see why it's been a barrier to some readers.

The second reason is Humaira's extreme class privilege, and her tendency to namedrop luxury brands in every second sentence. At first I found it kind of endearing in establishing her character, as it really did remind me of some of my wealthy Pakistani relatives, but it does get wearing quite fast, especially because Humaira is so un-self-aware about it throughout pretty much the entire book.

For me, the elements I enjoyed far outweighed the above gripes. I really appreciated the book's focus on Islam as something that brings comfort and structure to Humaira's life - and especially the section which explicitly deals with why it's important to her to wear hijab! (Even if I did raise my eyebrows a bit at some of the casual touching between her and Fawad in what is supposedly a halal romance.)

Casual touching-aside, the romance was super cute. As with Emma and Mr Knightley, I really enjoyed Fawad and appreciated how he isn't afraid to call Humaira out when she's being ridiculous, and how he really sees who she is, even through the faux-cheerful facade she tries so hard to maintain.

Overall I really enjoyed this, and I'm excited to read more from Aamna Qureshi now!

I felt like the main character was really annoying in the first half, but honestly since it’s supposed to be an Emma retelling, that tracks so I don’t think it was a bad thing. Overall this was a pretty cute romcom but nothing super remarkable.

2,5⭐
She's giving astronomical pick me vibes I can't stand the writing.

Namedropping brands, written as unnecessarily annoying (I don't mind flawed characters, but at least make her has some other personalities. If that make sense(?)), it doesn't help with the plot, there's really nothing going on that could add up the value this book has.

First person pov made it worse bcs we're in her head and it's very shallow...
Girl u could do a lot better.

The slow burn and the couple dynamic is good 👌🏾 predictable but yeah since we're going very light, non distressful story so that's okay. Oh wait this book is actually adult romance. It doesn't feel that way. Probably bcs rich ppl don't really have problems🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️

Since there's nothing else offered on the table, the catch is in the love story. Does is well-written? Not really.

I really want to love this book but it's definitely not for me.

But I can see how the others may like it. Bcs it gets a little better in later part of the book but I have had enough and my interest and care 6ft under the ground.

If you're into halal romance, little to no conflict, ms perfect it made her imperfect, and Emma (bcs turned out this book is the retelling. My bad for not finding out about it sooner), give it a go and good luck🤞🏾

Thanks so much for the arc in exchange for honest review 🩷

Set in Long Island, this novel follows Humaira Mirza, a spirited 23-year-old with a passion for matchmaking. After successfully pairing her aunt and sister, she turns her attention to herself, setting her sights on the charming Rizwan Ali. However, things get complicated with the interference of Fawad Sheikh, a family friend who has known her forever.

The novel features engaging characters and playful dynamics, particularly between Humaira and Fawad. .𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 I appreciate the cultural setting and the witty dialogue, which added an extra layer of charm to the story. Truly an idiots to lovers with some mutual pining and angst, lol

𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

If I Loved You Less is a modern retelling of one of my top 10 favorite books of all time-- Emma by Jane Austen. This version follows the matchmaking misadventures of Humaira who ultimately falls for the man she least expects.

I really enjoyed the romance in this one. Qureshi amps up the tension between Humaira and Fawad in a way that should satisfy most modern rom-com fans, whether they are familiar with source material or not. I did think that at times the humor was a miss for me. I loved the Pakistani Muslim specificity throughout the novel, but I thought that Humaira could have had a little more complexity to her toward the beginning.

Overall, I recommend this to any Jane Austen superfans and anyone looking for a rom-com with a Muslim FMC/MMC.

Rather than reading Emma, I watched it as Aisha, a new age Interpretation of Emma. I loved the movie, but I must say it was a bit bold. I wanted something traditional filled with more values, and guess what when I came across the blurb of this book, I jumped on it, being a halal romance was an added plus, because cue more slow burn, cue old age romance which I really like.

But I was caught by surprise as soon as I started reading. The book was filled with layers, especially of Humaira, our MC. Her love for family made me fall for her right away, a girl of my own heart, lonely due to her mother passing away due to Cancer. She is very traditional but head filled with romance ideas *wink*.

Coming to Fawad, the other MC, gorgeous according to Humaira's eyes, but has a cute love hate relationship which has boundaries that made the reading experience very satisfying. I really loved the traditional slow burn romance between them. It made the connection more substantiated, which was a big plus. Both being readers was another added plus, Fawad was so sweet to Humaira.

The Matchmaker angle was cute, added its own fun elements to the story, making me laugh with its sweetness. Each part of the story had its own special place - matchmaking, new love, family which made the whole book a really enjoyable read, likewise every character had their own sweet part to play.

I enjoyed reading this one. I am gonna be on the lookout for the author's next works.

An absolutely delightful romantic comedy, riffing on Jane Austen’s Emma and numerous romcom classics, but with the backdrop of Muslim American culture.

A huge appeal for me was that I’ve never read anything like this and I discovered so much about the life of well to do Pakistani immigrants to the USA. It’s a world of privilege, of close family ties and I absolutely adored learning about it through the eyes of rather spoilt Humaira, a young professional woman who believes absolutely in love, and that ‘the one’ is just around the corner. Or maybe, even, a few doors down the street.

A fresh take on a classic trope. Thoroughly recommended.

This was not what I expected but was a ton of fun. Down to earth and funny, this is a great read for anyone who likes rom com.

If I loved You Less is a modern day retelling of Austen’s Emma with a twist. I love Emma so when I saw this I couldn’t wait to read it.
For Long Island native Humaira Mirza, love is her specialty, and her successful matchmaking for her aunt and sister proves it. At twenty-three, she’s ready for romance herself, eyeing the charming Rizwan Ali as the perfect match. However, her attempts are met with disapproval from family friend Fawad Sheikh. As her matchmaking leads to unexpected chaos, Humaira begins to realize she might actually care about Fawad’s opinion.
This is a light hearted, charming and funny halal romance and I really enjoyed it. If you have read Emma then you know how it goes pretty much and Humaira and Fawad are delightful leads.
I received an advanced review copy from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you so much to Colored Pages Book Tour and Aamna Qureshi for the finished e-book of this lovely book!

Absolutely adored this Emma retelling with Pakistani culture is integrated well and the family dynamics healed by broken heart from reading Monday Isn't Coming. IYKYK.

Humaira and Fawad were THE cutest hopless romantics, exactly what the doctor ordered after the heavy topics I read in September. and the angst! I love Aamna's writing style. I have never read Jane Austen's Emma (as a lover of all Austen I have read to date, this is a crime), that did not take away how much I enjoyed reading this book. Humaira was truly a hot mess but that's also why I was so invested in her! Fawad was grumpy at times but he was written with a great balance, he saw Humaira for who she truly was and didn't back down when others would have. The mutual pining and angst in this book was done so well. It's important to note that this is a halal romance, so there was no depictions of PDA but it did not take away how romantic and swoony this book was.

PS. HE ANNOTATES HER FAVORITE BOOK. Another reason IRL men cannot compare to fictional ones.

This was one of the cutest romances I've read in a while. I enjoyed reading about the main characters, and the antics they had to deal with from family and friends. It kept me laughing, entertained and rooting for love. Now I know a lot of people have said it's a retelling of a Jane Austin story, and TBH, I've never read a Jane Austin book ( although I've heard of her, they were not something that I wanted to read), so as far as that aspect, I can't say that it is or is not accurate, but what I will say is that I loved this story and couldn't put it down until I was completely done with it. This is definitely an author that I will look for future works from.

a hopeless romantic plays matchmaker and meddles in others' lives while trying to find her person. will she find him?

thank you so much to colored pages book tours for having me and to the publisher and author for the eARC!

you should definitely read this book if you love:
💗 slow burn romance
🦢 pakistani mcs
🌟 desi family chaos
🫖 period romances
💌 classical retellings with a desi twist

OMG, THIS BOOK?!? ngl when i started this book, i had no love for humaira, cause girl couldn't stop meddling at all!! i was like, please stop 😭 but once you read more further and get to know the real her, you realize that's all a front covering her real self 🥺💔

this is an emma retelling, and i have never read the original, but i dont think i want to anymore cause this is the new classic. the writing in this was an elegant masterpiece!! it gave me strong classic vibes (miss aamna even used the word demure, even before it was a trend! 😂)

and then there's fawad, man was so lost in love, even a blind person would've noticed but our lil humaira was a little too dense to notice 😅 but in the end everything came together like it was supposed to and that's all the matters to me 😌✨

and even if we set aside the romance, this book is pure perfection! the worldwide desi experience and the chaos of being desi is so well written, it felt like home 🥹🎀

anyways if i loved you less, is out in stores now and go grab your copies asap!!!

It was such a delightful, witty romance that captivated me since the start to finish. I really liked the dynamics between Humaira and Fawad , their banter was so fun. They perfectly fit each other.

My favourite quote: “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. You know what I am – I have lectured you and scolded you ... but you understand? You understand my feelings?”

Read this book if you like:
- hopeless romantic x cynic
- idiots to lovers 😭
- mutual pinning
- halal romance (no kissing)
- Pakistani-American characters
- Jane Austen 'Emma' Retelling

3.5 star!!

💚I devoured this book! 😍 A culturally diverse take on the beloved Jane Austen’s Emma! 💖

Tropes:
💎Friends to lovers
💎Bonding over books (isn’t this the best 🥹)
💎He falls first
💎Pining
💎Emma retelling
💎Diverse representation 🇵🇰

💚Beautiful and smart Humaira, loves matchmaking. She’s eager to find happily ever afters for her family and friends. After meeting Shanzay at work Humaira is now excited to find the perfect match for her new friend. However, Fawad, the handsome family friend advises Humaira against her matchmaking pursuits on a regular basis. In the meantime, the long absent Rizwan revisits which makes Humaira wonder whether he’s her own happily ever after. But then, what are these new feelings she’s having for Fawad? And why is he so disapproving of Rizwan?

💚I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The title itself is smartly written because “If I loved you less” is an actual dialog by Mr. Knightley when he’s sharing his romantic feelings from the original Emma novel 🥰.

💚Even though this is a retelling there are considerable changes to the plot which kept me well engaged. I loved getting to know more about Pakistani culture and traditions as well. I also loved how a serious character like Fawad became wholly undone amongst his feelings too 🤭. Always a fan of pining 🙈. Especially enjoyed the twist in the end involving Humaira’s father which is a nice change from the original Emma. Who thought we will have two matchmakers in the story instead of one? 😁

💚This is the fourth Emma retelling I’ve read and got to say my heart is full. The humor, emotions, romance, pinning, sisterhood, alongside the colorful characters made this story such a great retake on the classics.

💚If you love classics and appreciate a retelling with lush and diverse characters, this would not disappoint you!💚

3.5 stars
“if i loved you less” is an emma retelling, but i’ve never read emma before so i’m new to this story and i really enjoyed it! i think if you’re well acquainted with the classic or just want a romcom with a bit more of an emotional depth you’ll love this book 🫶🏻 i really enjoyed the witty writing, the characters and the narrative arc - i especially appreciated the main character’s strong relationship with her sister, which reminded me a lot of mine. i also loved how character driven the story was, and the romance was so so sweet! i think the author did an amazing job of conveying the idea that love doesn’t have to be about grand gestures or big words. i however kind of despised the main character for the most part of the book - i get that the goal was to show that she was loved despite her flaws, but her arrogance, selfishness and the way she treated people around her was just not okay, and made it hard for me to like her even when she was being nicer. overall if you’re looking for à new favorite romance book with great representation then “if i loved you less” is the one for you!!

Pakistani-American Emma retelling! I loved it so muchhh, the book was unputdownable from start to end 😭 all the matchmaking and meddling and pining and swooning were soo >>>>> so much of this book was unrequited and oblivious pining between the main couple and I so loved it 😭 10/10 would reread and annotate

💫 Also the "Ugh, as if" scenes was delivered PERFECTLY

💫 Also, also, there's a cute swoony scene where the MC and her love are admiring a caterpillar 😭 mentally, I'm still in that scene

-- ty to the author, the publisher and @coloredpagesbt for an advanced copy!

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

I adored this somuch, Humaira made such a great ‘Emma’ she was perfectly loveable whilst still interfering and annoying at the same time too, never truly disliked, it’s such a fun and light-hearted romance, it’s exactly what I hoped for and can’t wait to read more from the author