I adored this book from start to finish. I really like the exploration of people, in this case Nada, who are so driven to succeed and throw everything into their life. I found Nada an extremely relatable character and this made me enjoy the novel even more - her honest ways and dedication to self growth was desirable! This felt like a real life romance, rather than a whimsical dreamlike one, and I just found myself becoming so invested.

I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley.
I adored this book! Uzma has done it again. I feel that this was a more emotionally complex and mature novel than her previous. I found myself tearing up at parts and wanting to savour others.
The ending wrapped up a little quickly but overall an amazing representative must read.

I will start with the highest praise I can give a book - this story got me out of a several months long reading slump. It is the sweetest, softest kind of read; for me it was everything I needed - romantic, gentle, so relatable, funny and guaranteed HEA. To top it off, it's a loose retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion.

Nada as a character was so relatable to me personally, especially as an only daughter to immigrant parents in a Pakistani, Muslim household, in her late twenties. It was like Uzma Jalaluddin was a fly on the wall in my own life! I love that there was such beautiful representation of muslim communities while having these discussions of culture and community in a way that I've never read in a fiction story without the feeling of judgement attached to it. She was able to build this world that felt so real without being a caricature.

I felt so deeply for Nada's fears and hopes and how stuck she felt in pleasing everyone in her life and struggling with it. Her family and friends were also a strong favourite for me, just building that realism once more, and of course Baz having some of the sweetest, most romantic lines.

I found that I enjoyed the flashbacks to the past and back to the present because of how the story had built up to it - I'm not usually a fan of time jumps or multiple flashbacks. For this story, it really worked and built up the tension in the necessary way. I also really loved that this was a halal romance (that may not be the case for everyone but by my standards, it was) and so much was said in the yearning, the time apart and unspoken moments.

This was my first Uzma Jalaluddin book but it definitely won't be my last!

Thanks so much to Uzma Jalaluddin, Atlantic Books and NetGalley for the eARC, all opinions expressed are my own!

Nada is in her late twenties, with constant pressure to settle down, she comes face to face with Baz (her best friends fiancé’s brother). However, their shared past threatens to surface and potentially ruin the relationships of their loved ones.

I loved the Muslim representation in this story, Jalaluddin does a fantastic job in showcasing the pressures faced by Muslim women whilst also sprinkling in the challenges Nada faces as a young entrepreneur. This ‘Persuasion’ retelling is highly addictive, the plot is wonderfully executed and seeing the shared past between Nada and Baz unravel had me on the edge of my seat. The tension between the two is excellent and the hostile interactions a merely a cover for a much deeper connection that I wasn’t expecting at all. The writing is excellent, I truly cannot praise this book enough.

Jalaluddin is known for her strong female characters and Nada is no different, coming to terms with the loss and betrayal from her business idea whilst also seeking justice. Whilst I struggled with the depiction of Nada’s early interactions with Baz, her character as an adult was absolutely fantastic. I absolutely adored the relationship between Baz and Nada and was truly heartbroken to know that they were separated for so long! The ending was truly a heartwarming finale!

This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!