"A modern-day Muslim Pride and Prejudice for a new generation of love.

Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty younger cousin, Hafsa, is close to rejecting her one hundredth marriage proposal. Though Ayesha is lonely, she doesn't want an arranged marriage. Then she meets Khalid, who is just as smart and handsome as he is conservative and judgmental. She is irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices and who dresses like he belongs in the seventh century.

When a surprise engagement is announced between Khalid and Hafsa, Ayesha is torn between how she feels about the straightforward Khalid and the unsettling new gossip she hears about his family. Looking into the rumors, she finds she has to deal with not only what she discovers about Khalid, but also the truth she realizes about herself."

I love how Pride and Prejudice has a universality that has lead to other cultures adapting it into their country's literary tradition.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc. I read this book in two days - it was a fairly quick read. I'm sure I would have appreciated this book more if I was more of the target audience. But overall, it was pretty good. It had clever and strong Pride & Prejudice references. Ayesha was great, and I loved her shy, introverted "Darcy." I think this is a book to look into if you liked Pride, Prejudice, & Other Flavors or Crazy Rich Asians.

first off, don't know why this is YA on goodreads. 100% not YA. i mean that they are adults, though they could have been teenagers and i don't think much would need to be changed.

the problem with retellings is that you go in with certain expectations. i'm all for retellings taking liberties and changing things, otherwise they'd just be copying the original. i'm okay with changes, i love retellings. but i still want the overall feeling to be the same, and i didn't get that with this one. perhaps if it didn't say it was a p&p retelling, i would feel differently. but i went into this wanting and expecting p&p, i wanted to like elizabeth and darcy. instead we got ayesha and khalid and two characters did not meet my expectations. i never thought of them as elizabeth and darcy - yes, i want them to be their own characters but surely there are some things that should translate to a modern setting - like, i never thought of ayesha as spunky or playful. khalid was a snob, but he was a judgmental snob, not a prideful snob. it made it hard to like him, to see him as darcy. again, i know this is my expectations and if it didn't say p&p on it, i wouldn't expect it!

now, because it was a p&p retelling, it had a lot of the conflicts that come with p&p.... but then it had about 17 other conflicts as well. um, calm down. we don't need that much drama. something could have been taken out for sure. a lot of it was over the top and i wish certain things had been taken out so other things could have been developed better. i struggled with other things and perhaps that is because i do not relate to them. i don't know.

while i love that this book exists, i don't think it was for me and that is purely because of my p&p expectations. i almost dnf'd it in the beginning but pushed through and there were some good parts. it wasn't totally horrible, it just wasn't what i wanted. i would not be opposed to picking up another book by this author, just nothing austen related i think.

My Thoughs:

Let's take a journey back in time... Do you remember what it felt like to fall in love for the very first time? It was so exciting! Something as simple as looking in to each others eyes, exchanging a smile, sharing a laugh, or the butterflies that flitted like crazy in your stomach upon seeing that person in a crowded room for the first time....It was about savoring the simple things. It was an exciting adventure that built over time. Love wasn't all about the carnal and physical intimacy that is more of a focus in modern times.

That is what the story, Ayesha at Last reminded me of. It was a breathtakingly beautiful love story, where every little simple thing carried oh so much more meaning. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classics of all time. That was what initially sparked my interest in this story. However, it stood brilliantly all on its own. Ms. Jalauddin's writing style was effortless. The moment I started reading, I found myself completely immersed in Ayesha and Khalid's love story. The vivid imagery, the connection and love that took the time to grow for these two main characters, and an abundance of feeling, made this read everything I had hoped for and more.

Ayesha at Last, touched a lot on the way that our initial perceptions of people can cause us to be judgemental, and often times we are wrong in those perceptions. It was a story that took the opportunity to speak on Indian Culture, family dynamics, the many facets and negative connotations that come from being a practicing Muslim in the modern world, hypocrisy, having the courage to take charge of one's happiness without letting fear or other people get in your way, and most of all; love.

The secondary cast did an excellent job of supporting the main characters. I especially loved Ayesha's grandparents, her Nana and Nani. They were both very loving and wise. I looked forward to being in these characters presence. Nana had a fondness for quoting Shakespeare whenever he wanted to give advice, and I found myself paying extra close attention to his recitations. Clara was a good friend who helped both Ayesha and Khalid, and I liked her a lot.

There were quite a few characters that I disliked with a vengeance! Khalid's mother, Farzana, tops the list. She was controlling, manipulative, and I couldn't find one redeeming quality about her. Khalid's boss, Sheila, was a prejudice egomaniac, and made my blood boil. Ayesha's cousin, Hafsa, was spoiled and self-centered. Initially, I gave her the benefit of the doubt, because she was young and naive. However, there was something she ends up doing, that made me see her as a narcissist that only cared about herself. The author tries to redeem her in the story, but I just couldn't forgive and forget.

I highly recommend this gorgeous love story! It will completely pull you in, and leave you with a smile on your face, as it comes to its sweet conclusion. If you enjoy reading the classics, retellings, multicultural literature, or beautiful love stories you should pick this one up!

I never underestimate the skill it takes to make something new out of something beloved, and Jalaluddin did it (seeming with ease) with Ayesha at Last. Retellings can be a difficult type of book because something as beloved as Pride and Prejudice comes with the expectations of everyone who loved the book (or zombie book), or the miniseries, or the movie (or zombie movie). As a reader, there’s this hope that all the beats will be there and that all of the characters you love or hate will be there too.

It is never precisely the original book, but the pieces you expect remain and yet are different. (It is also super easy to read as not a Pride and Prejudice retelling, so if you aren’t an Austen fan, you might still enjoy this book.)

Ayesha, a substitute teacher and poet, is strong and willful and considered too old by many in the Muslim community of Toronto to remain unmarried (but also to marry). She is surrounded by a loving family and spoiled cousins. She is also the subject of Khalid’s distant admiration, even if she doesn’t know it. And then, you have Khalid who is a very devout Muslim to the point where he faces workplace harassment from his new boss based on how he dresses and practices his faith. He is also completely accepting of everything his overbearing mother dishes out.

And while Khalid wants a marriage arranged by his mother, Ayesha wants nothing that resembles love because she has grown up seeing how bereft her mother is almost two decades after Ayesha’s father’s death. Except neither gets what they think they want as they meet, disagree, and then meet again and become friends. It is in the friendship, with a tiny lie (Ayesha has been tricked into pretending to be her cousin Hafsa), that a love neither wants blooms. These two gentle people are being manipulated by the people in their lives - except for each other - and find a relief in each other.

Honestly, because of the minor deceit over Ayesha’s name, I was so worried for these two that I had to go do some laundry. There is no room in Khalid’s life for lies, but it is a lie that Ayesha never wanted. She tries to tell him the truth, but the words never come out. And there’s a really lovely scene where they make paratha and another where they drink slushies and eat Twinkies, and the coziness and ease is just so natural. And I loved it. Of course, then hell breaks loose.

I do have a couple of concerns about how the Wickham character is managed in the end (DM me for spoilers if you need). And also how Khalid’s racist boss is dealt with in the end. But neither of these aspects really detracted from the book. They 100% deserve what they got, and Khalid’s boss probably deserved worse (the fact that it isn’t worse is probably a reflection on the fact that she’s a white woman and how the world is unfair).



So, yeah, I totally recommend Ayesha at Last and I hope you enjoy these gentle people just trying to survive some family drama too.





Content warnings: racism, Islamophobia, fat shaming, hostile work environment, parental death, family banishment, alcoholism, ethnic pornography
Spoiler content warnings: abortion, doxxing



Margrethe received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

When I read the description for Ayesha At Last, by Uzma Jalaluddin, that it was a twist on the classic, Pride and Prejudiced, I immediately requested it from NetGalley. While I wouldn't say this novel stayed exactly true to the Jane Austin book, it did have many similar plot points and situations that made me smile. The author also had lots to say about cultural misunderstandings and intolerance, and included characters I connected with easily. I really enjoyed this book.

What I Liked:
Points of View:

Like S.K. Ali's book, Love From A to Z, Ayesha At Last has points of view from two Muslim young people: Ayesha and Khalid. While Ali's book really focuses on the female's choice to wear a hijab, this book spotlights the male character's traditional choices of attire and his adherence to Islam. The characters, as well as the reader, must confront their own preconceived notions and prejudices about Muslim men.

Characters:

Ayesha and Khalid have a lot in common. Both have lost a father, dress more conservatively, and are quick to make assumptions. But Ayesha is a more modern person. She isn't in a hurry to get married, but she feels the disapproval of her relatives and her community. Khalid feels somewhat out of place as well because he has placed all his faith in having his domineering mother arrange a marriage for him.

I also liked all the secondary characters, and how they fit into the Pride and Prejudice inspired story. There is cousin Hafsa (a combination of Lydia and Charlotte from P & P), Hafsa's hysterical, bragging mom (like Elizabeth Bennett's mother), and my personal favorite, Masood.

Masood has the clueless Mr. Collins role in the story. I found the author's re-imagining of him so fun. He is now a professional wrestling life coach, completely serious, and oblivious to how silly he is. I loved that this character is written with such affection, without making him a buffoon.

Story:

The story matches much of what happens in Pride and Prejudice, but with some added twists. Rather than just some terrible first impressions, the story has Khalid thinking that Ayesha is actually her cousin Hafsa. There are also subplots about the Toronto Muslim community, and Khalid being discriminated at work for his traditional attire. I enjoyed all of it. This was such a fun book that had me rooting for Ayesha, Khalid and their families. I raced through it.

When I saw that I was approved to review Ayesha At Last, I was so excited! Anything remotely related to Jane Austen/Pride & Prejudice, I am there! And to say the least, Ayesha At Last was a delight to read! The novel follows Ayesha Shamsi, Khalid Mirza, their families, and a piece of the Muslim community in Toronto. Besides the romance, Ayesha At Last considers the range that exists in how people practice Islam and also how they view their religion. 

Ayesha At Last is not a play-by-play following of Pride & Prejudice but Muslim; I saw many of the essential elements of the original Pride & Prejudice, but the story is totally new. It does not rely too heavily on plot of P&P. Luckily, I did not come in with the expectation that Ayesha At Last would follow P&P too closely. The famous first line from Pride & Prejudice appears as a rendition, and a fair amount of Shakespeare quotes appears as well as Ayesha's grandfather quotes the Bard a lot!

While I love YA and the stories that come out of it, it is nice to see adult characters weaving around romance and their work lives. Ayesha At Last is an adult romance, so the characters are older--Ayesha is 27-years-old and struggling to find her rhythm within the school she just started teaching at. There are younger characters, of course, such as Ayesha's 20-year-old cousin, Hafsa, who has been given everything she has ever asked for in life; thus, she's a bit naive and thinks that the process of arranged marriage and weddings is just a bunch of fun and games. 

The main difference between Khalid and Ayesha was their view on arranged marriage: Ayesha was kind of over it, while Khalid was fine having his mother choose his bride for him. He liked the tradition aspect of it and the familial stability the marriage would hopefully bring. 

Another thing about Khalid that is known early on is that he is very honest about his faith and how observes as a Muslim man; he also is not willing to compromise over his religion. One thing that I really got (as in I have experienced this but not because of my religion) was when Khalid's new boss asked him "where are you from?" He replied Toronto, but then she asked "but where are you really from." In short, Khalid's boss is extremely Islamophobic, and throughout the book, he has to constantly deal with her. 

Naturally, I cannot speak extensively on the Muslim rep, etc. but I really enjoyed seeing a different kind of (loose) P&P retelling. It felt like it was written from the heart as if the author was probably drawing from her own experiences. I liked being able to see some of the inner politics of a South Asian family (although Ayesha and Khalid's families are by no means the only types of South Asian families out there) and of the mosque that both of the main characters belong to. I'm also glad that I was able to see rishtas for the first time in a story and the complexities of arranging a marriage.  

As for the plot, I really loved the first half of this novel; it was the second half when I became a little more uncertain. I noticed that some of the plot suddenly seemed a bit forced/points were unexpected but not in a good way (some of the plot felt out of the blue like when Tarek really comes into the picture). Since Ayesha At Last is somewhat a modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice, there were certain things I was anticipating happening, but the execution did not seem particularly strong. On another note, Ayesha's Nani deserves all the awe and respect. I truly admire that woman and her strength. 

If the title seems familiar, that's because Ayesha At Last had been previously published in Canada by HarperCollins in 2018. But June 4 marks the story's official publication in the United States by Berkley Books!

Ayesha At Last is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading! It's an honest story where the characters are firm in their beliefs, and there is the fun and lighthearted side of romantic possibility. And, if you read closely, the colors of the cover have an additional meaning.

Ayesha is almost 30, and by her culture’s standards, she should be married. Instead, Ayesha is focused on her career and her poetry. Instead of entertaining marriage for herself, she watches as her cousin, Hafsa, turn down suitor after suitor with some feeling sorry for her but Ayesha is just fine. She does not want the type of marriage her cousin is going to have. Khalid is a conservative muslim working in a corporate environment. The two are thrown together to work on a project for their local mosque, with Ayesha pretending to be Hafsa, who was originally supposed to have a leadership role in the project. Ayesha and Khalid find that they like each other, but it is not so simple. Ayesha is bit progressive and Khalid has conservative views about a muslim marriage.

I like Ayesha and Khalid. I enjoyed the dialogue between the two of them and internal battle they each had with themselves. Some of the supporting characters, Khalid’s coworkers, Ayesha’s friend Clara, Nana & Nani were such good additions to the book. The problem I had with the book is there was too much going on. Khalid’s trouble at work, Tarek, Khalid’s engagement, the spoiled cousin and the numerous sub plots. These can be entertaining, but I found it distracting. Overall, it didn’t take away from the story completely, but I wanted to like this more than I did.

I absolutely enjoyed this Pride and Prejudice retelling that had me from the very start. Fun and witty with a ton of heart.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

This was a satisfying P&P retelling! Ayesha and Khalid are our Elizabeth and Darcy. They are Muslim Canadians with a sprawling (and in the grand tradition of Austen, meddling) South Asian community.

This retelling hit the beats of P&P without translating every character to this story. The central couple felt like Lizzie and Darcy, but the updates (Ayesha's career stuff and the introduction of religion) worked well in the context of this story.

I liked spending time with these characters, and I think anyone who likes an Austen retelling will be satisfied here.

Before I start with my New book Review , I would like to thank @PRHGlobal @prhinternational for Providing me with a free E-galley copy of this book for my Honest Review . Thanks a lot for giving me the opportunity to read this novel .
***************
“It’s not enough to find someone you love. You have to be ready for that love, and ready to make changes to welcome it into your life.”
Book : Ayesha At Last
Author : Uzma Jalaluddin
Genre : Fiction , Romance , Contemporary.
Rating : 5/5
Review in one word : Marvellous .
**************
There are Two kinds of books : the books that you can relate to , and others you read , you imagine but you can’t relate to them in any way .
I have been reading Romance for a long time and , as I always say ,I LOVE reading Romance novels , but NEVER , not once I’ve been able to relate to any of those novels or characters , not because there is something wrong with them , but , as a Muslim girl and Hijabi , Love and Romance , although they have the same meaning for me as all people , they take different shapes .
Ayesha At Last , was a book that I could relate to , I could see myself in it’s world , so It will always take a HUGE place in my heart .
Now Let me start talking about the story ( of course without spoilers ) , our love story is a modern- day , Muslim Pride and Prejudice retelling , Our main characters are Ayesha and Khalid ,
Ayesha , Is a headstrong , sweet , unmarried , Working , lonely , poet ,Muslim girl , ( yeah All that at the same time ) , she is trying to decide what she want from this life , of course with all the influences from her family , relatives , friend , religion , and society , she is confused , lost and trying to seek acceptance . For me , Ayesha was so realistic , I can see pieces of her in myself and in almost every Muslim girl , her journey through life , how she reacts in most situations was impressive , her confidence and loyalty , her mixed and confused feelings were real for me , one of my favorite heroines ever.
However , Khalid , Our devout, honest , kind , lonely but highly judgmental Muslim hero , he is trying to make his life as honest and peaceful as possible , starting by his appearance to his marriage through wearing his traditional “Islamic clothes ” with a long and unkept beard , in addition , to getting an arranged marriage to a bride of his mother choosing , “I will find you the perfect wife – modest, not too educated.” Khalid , was also very realistic , you could easily find a lot of his characteristics in every Muslim man .
The Love story between the main couple developed in a good pace , the confliction between their feelings , first impressions , beliefs and situations was really impressive to read about . The talking about Islamophobia and How others misunderstand Muslims and their traditions was important . How new Muslim generations deal with old generations ideas and traditions in modern-day was extremely real .The development of the characters in this story was worth reading about . Diversity , Arranged marriages Prejudice , Anger …. Seriously , this book discussed A LOT of important topics .
To be honest , yes , I could smell Pride and Prejudice in this book , but the story was SO MUCH MORE .
For me , It answered very important questions I keep asking myself and others ask me about , which are CAN MUSLIMS FALL IN LOVE ? or HOW COULD MUSLIMS FALL IN LOVE ? WHAT ABOUT ARRANGED MARRIAGES ?, I mean in our religion there are many limitations to the relations between Men and Women , so Do those limitations affect our feelings? , and how we can deal with love? , I found the answers for all those questions in this book through Khalid and Ayesha journey , so , you can’t blame me when I say this is a Must- read .
The Author’s writing style was Outstanding , I didn’t feel bored for one second and actually couldn’t put the book down until I finished it :D, the plot was really good , I Will definitely Purchase the physical book so I could keep looking at this beautiful shiny cover and keep rereading this novel forever .
“Just remember to pack light. Dreams tend to shatter if you’re carrying other people’s hopes around with you.”
I highly recommend this book for every Rom-com Lover , Jane Auston reader and anyone who would like to understand Muslims better .
P.s : All quotes come from an unedited proof and are subject to change upon publication.


the full review on my blog : https://bibliomedico.wordpress.com/2019/05/24/ayesha-at-last-book-review/
Instagram post : https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx1AyXOA5rf/
Twitter Post : https://twitter.com/bibliomedico/status/1131748231925370881

"Because while it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single Muslim man must be in want of a wife, there's an even greater truth: to his Indian mother, his own inclinations are of secondary importance."

Ayesha Shamsi doesn't know what she wants, just what her duties are. Endure being a substitute teacher to pay back her uncle. Try her best to keep her flighty cousin Hafsa out of trouble as the rishtas--offers of marriage--pour in. Nag her brother about his homework. Make sure her grandparents are okay. Shove aside her dreams of writing poetry. Getting closer and closer to thirty, Ayesha is reluctantly content with being the spinster relative and thinks there is no room in her life for love.

Khalid Mirza doesn't know what he wants, but what would it matter if he did? This is his life: Mosque. Go to work. Mosque. Let his mother pick his future bride. Mosque. Read the Quran. Mosque. Send money to his sister in India. Mosque. Let his mother dictate what he wears, eats, and pretty much everything else he does. Mosque. Repeat. Not much fun and excitement there, is it? Khalid is content with his life, with the unfortunate side-effect of coming off as an extremist and judgmental. He firmly believes that love will come after marriage, and apathetically follows his mother's plans for him to be married by the end of the summer.

A case of mistaken identity, a conference that might save the failing mosque, and bad first impressions send Ayesha and Khalid on a collision course that will change their lives--and their hearts.

A brilliant "Pride and Prejudice" inspired debut, "Ayesha At Last" is full of snark, heart, Shakespeare quotes, a well-rounded cast of characters (to include a rishta that makes a living as a life coach for professional wrestlers) and--ultimately--about finding yourself and your happiness, even when it involves making tough choices and deviating off-course. I am eager to see what will come next from the pen of Uzma Jalaluddin, and in the meantime will continue to sing the praises of "Ayesha At Last".

While at first glance this book may appear an exotic exploration of a foreign culture, this romance set in Toronto's Muslim community felt very familiar proving once again that we are more alike than different. I related instantly with both Ayesha's and Khalid's struggles between their dreams and their family's expectations. I felt the pain of the artist giving up her craft and the oppression on an overbearing parent. I felt the frustration of neglect and the humiliation on belittlement. I felt the exasperation of being misunderstood and being unfairly singled out. I felt the aching hollowness of unfulfilled longing. These emotions are not determined by the shade of skin, the country of origin, or the place of worship. They are universal, something that this marvelous story with its heartbreak and humor clearly demonstrates. Kudos to Uzma Jalalddin for an outstanding first novel. I look forward to her next.

This is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice with a Muslim twist.. Ayesha is a poet at heart who is about to begin substitute teaching to help her family, she is stubborn and proud and your typical Lizzy Bennett. Khalid is brooding and proud and very conservative and extremely judgmental - he is handsome though. Ayesha's younger, more beautiful, but superficial cousin is beginning to receive marriage proposals and while Ayesha isn't jealous she is lonely, but she really doesn't want an arranged marriage. Khalid believes his mother will find the perfect woman for him without question.

This was very sweet and had the right amount of intrigue, drama, and romance to make this book very hard to put down.

More of a 3.5.

This has been a year for desi P&P retellings, so I was very excited when the US release date for this book was announced and I also managed to get the ARC. I had heard a lot of good things about it, but I kept my expectations normal because I feel P&P doesn’t always translate to contemporaries very well and I didn’t wanna be totally disappointed. So I’m quite happy to report that I had fun reading this book.

Both Ayesha and Khalid are in their late 20s but their views on what they want to do and how they want to get married are drastically different. Ayesha maybe a substitute teacher but her true passion is poetry, even though she tries to curb that side of her because it’s not practical and she wants to support her family. She is religious, always dons her hijab, is very very loyal to her family but is also pretty liberal in her views. She is also not very interested in marriage but there are instances when she wonders about how she will find her true love or happiness, and I really empathized with her. Khalid on the other hand is much more conservative and socially awkward, has decided to let his mom pick his wife because he thinks it’s the right thing to do, and is quite adamant in his belief that love and happiness comes after marriage. He is actually very sweet and kind (mostly) but because of his attire, people always tend to make harsh judgments about him.

There is the usual misunderstandings and prejudices that come into play like in P&P when they start interacting with each other, and I quite enjoyed their dynamic develop. They are actually quite judgmental about the other many times through the story but Khalid learns a lot and grows into someone who is more accepting. Ayesha apologized a bit too but I didn’t see the same amount of growth in her. But the way their friendship blossomed, how they couldn’t stop falling for each other but still tried to for the sake of their families and their mutual pining really made this a nice romcom.

The writing was quite easy to get through, even though it felt a little off at times. I liked that the author tries to represent different kinds of Muslims in her story - from the more conservative and faithful to those on the more liberal side of the spectrum, and everywhere in between. The whole desi “aunty brigade” who are nosy and all up in your business, our obsession with early marriages, every MIL’s search for a docile daughter in law and all the mama’s boys made for very nostalgic reading and reminded me of so many people in my own extended family. I was actually delighted to see that both the families in this story are originally from Hyderabad, my hometown in India and it made me feel like going home soon. The tone of book was very humorous for most of the first half and I really enjoyed it, but it turns into a lot of drama in the latter half. While the author sensitively tackles issues like workplace harassment and Islamophobia, I think it went a little too far, especially with the horrible boss. There are also too many other subplots and each of the supposed villains felt like extreme caricatures, which made the second half of the book overly dramatic and bit dragged on.

Overall, this was a mostly sweet and fun romcom to read which I finished rather quickly. If you like Jane Austen retellings and would love some desi Muslim representation in them, then this is a lovely book to read. It can get tad over the top at times but it’s mostly very enjoyable.

After years of school and months of job hunting, Ayesha finally got a job substitute teaching high schoolers—a sensible choice but one that makes her heart sink every time she gets into the classroom. Khalid is entranced by the girl in the purple hijab, but too shy to approach her (plus, his mother will arrange his marriage for him)—and he is shocked when he sees her in a bar/lounge. Their lives keep getting thrown together by chance, and sparks fly…until a devious plot has Khalid engaged to Ayesha’s frivolous cousin Hafsa.

I absolutely adored this loose retelling of Pride and Prejudice.

I’m calling it now: I think that this is 2019’s The Kiss Quotient.

It is that good, and I’m going to try to assemble my muddled thoughts into something resembling a coherent review.

While the main romance between Ayesha and Khalid was center stage, the parallels to Pride and Prejudice were minimal. Throughout much of the first 3/4 of the book, I was kinda wondering where the comparisons would come into play and was disappointed that Ayesha At Last was being compared to Jane Austen when it really would have been better standing on its own—but then the final 1/4 hit and the parallels synched right up.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are played by Ayesha’s uncle and aunt, and her cousins stand in for Lizzy’s sisters—right up with Hafsa as spoiled Lydia and Ayesha as semi-spinster Lizzy. There is a very awkward marriage proposal and a heartfelt apology letter and in true Shakespearian comedy fashion there is not one but three weddings/engagements. Additionally, there is a Mr. Wickham (no spoilers on who that is although it’s fairly obvious), who is connected to Khalid and his mysterious family backstory.

Where the similarities end is where the story really shines, however. There are three main plots—Ayesha feeling her soul die at the high school, Khalid struggling with his bigoted new boss, and the Muslims in Action youth convention that will lift the ailing mosque out of its debt. This latter point brings Ayesha and Khalid together, and they must work to turn a thousand person event into a blockbuster in less than a month’s time—by tag-teaming a bird and book (Twitter and Facebook, thank you for this hilarity, Imam Abdul Bari) publicity campaign on the internet (dammit I can’t remember what he called it). The downside to this convention? Ayesha is masquerading as her cousin Hafsa, the real event planner (who is off galavanting at the mall with her boy toy).

Not only is Ayesha literally #goals because of her assertiveness (which grows over the course of the book), love for her family and community, and her sense of humor, but all of the secondary characters (minus one or two) are hilarious, heartwarming and amazing.

Khalid was more of a blank space, but the reasons for why Mr. Darcy is so…Darcy-ish become really clear when you meet his mother. Yikes spikes. Anywho, Khalid does a lot of growing throughout the book, and a lot of unwinding—although I wish there were more of his interactions with Vanessa and Lorraine, because those two are precious.

The secondary characters made me literally snort with laughter the Charlotte Airport (people stared). Nana and his dignified trips to Tim Horton’s, along with his love of Shakespeare and sneaking cigarettes and really just everything else. Nani, who always gets her man and should totally have been a detective or mountie. Imam Abdul Bari, my favorite Hawaiian shirt wearing imam who balances religion, tradition and the realities of life. Zareena, for being herself (no spoilers lol). And Clara, who probably should never play matchmaker ever again (and Khalid, who totally should). Anywho, they all felt like real people instead of characters on a page, and I just wanted to drink a chai with all of them (well, most of them—I’d like to punch Sheila in her racist face).

There are many themes that run throughout the book, but mostly it’s about balancing tradition with contemporary life (particularly being an Indian Muslim immigrant in Canada), and realizing that there are many ways to practice your faith and honor your family’s sacrifices while being true to yourself. And that there are many ways to grow up.

And there are many different ways to fall in love.

CW: Islamophobia, fatphobia

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This is the second Pride and Prejudice retelling with an all Muslim cast and I have to say it was better than Unmarriagable. It was funny and true to the Islamic community based in US and Canada. But the second half of it got really vicious. It felt like I was reading an Indian drama's storyline.

I adored the grandparents; nana with his love for Shakespeare and nani with her amazing detective skills. Best part for me was that Ayesha was a hijabi! A character I could relate to so well. I ALWAYS love reading books with a female protagonist who wears a hijab.

I also appreciated how Uzma kept it true to the culture she was writing about and hope she writes another book which is not a retelling but an original.

I really enjoyed this one! It follows Pride & Prejudice enough for my liking, but has enough uniqueness to stand on its own.

I loved seeing the different POVs from the characters. Seeing inside Khalid's head and witnessing his journey was my favorite part. Hafsa (the Lydia in the story) was perhaps even more annoying then Lydia in the book, but her ending is much more satisfying. I enjoyed Ayesha, but felt her storyline was a little less developed than some of the other characters. I loved her and Khalid together though, so cute.

I loved the addition of the grandparents and Clara and Ayesha's brother too. All the side characters were excellent, but again maybe muddled Ayesha's storyline a bit. The drama at the end was excellent too.

I just had such a fun time reading this.

A really sweet and lovely romance, infused with authentic culture. A looser P&P retelling than others I read this year, but still a nice nod to the story. I'm excited to see what Uzma Jalaluddin comes out with next!