I like this author’s novels - they embed you in a different culture/community (the Muslim community in Toronto) that is so interesting all the while highlighting that people, regardless of culture, face similar challenges and issues in relationships, finding one’s path, and love. The main character, a young Muslim woman, is very likeable, the chemistry between the two leads is sweet, and the story of second chance romance is very engaging. So good!

Thanks to Harper Avenue and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

This was an excellently written story, but my favourite thing about this book was the references only a Canadian would get! This book was amazing and I’d love to see it on Netflix hint hint

A modern retelling of Persuasion, this is the story of Nada, who has loved, lost, and given up on a lot in life. Narrated in alternate timelines, readers follow Nada in the present as she navigates an over-the-top Muslim convention in Toronto over a few days, where a lot of things seem to be going on all at once including speed-dating/matchmaking setups.

The other timeline tracks Nada as a bullied-child-turned-bully and the backstory of her life’s journey. Complicating matters is Baz, the main organizer of the convention, who has had a weird love/hate relationship with Nada for a long time without anyone noticing. Even though the Desi community of Toronto in Nada’s world is supposed to be excruciatingly nosy.

In the present, Nada is supposed to be almost thirty, unmarried and still living with her parents. The "unmarried" at thirty part of the sentence is meant to shock Asians whereas, the “living with her parents” part of it is intended to raise the eyebrows of white folks.
The story itself is the unravelling of Nada’s past over the present and is meant to be quite sensationalist given the deliberate plot twists and unnecessary scenes that go against “Halal love stories” and seem to have been included to appeal to fans of unabashedly romantic stories or readers who may not be interested in “clean” love stories. This one is a definite deviation from the style of the author’s two previous novels.
The characters are to some extent caricatures of a typical Indian Muslim family with an overbearing mother and a silent father.

It is definitely well-written, and the author seems to have evolved and grown as a writer with this book however, the story is a bit of a let-down. That said, it is still entertaining enough and easy to read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @harpercollinsca for the ARC.

📌
Halal romances are stories where the Muslim characters follow the guidelines of their faith concerning relationships and the writer would usually refrain from including explicit scenes, which is not the same as saying these things don’t ever happen in real life but just that a degree of hayaa or shyness is observed.

#muchadoaboutnada

Fantastic work! This story was more than a romance! It had second chance but also finding yourself and what you want in life. So good!!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is by far my favourite book by Uzma Jalaluddin— her writing seems to get stronger and stronger with every book that she publishes.

What I appreciated about this Persuasion retelling is that Jalaluddin is skilled at including just enough nods to Persuasion while incorporating many original elements into the plot to create what is a fresh and nuanced story. As a persuasion fan, I think she did the og justice!!

This book is just overall well-structured. The book handles multiple stories and conflicts simultaneously which are all interconnected in a way that doesn’t feel like the author is spreading herself thin or doing too much. It all really came together cohesively in the end. This book also skillfully navigated complex family relationships and expectations that can partly be attributed to your community.

With the relationship itself, I adored the complexity of their relationship and the ways it shifted and evolved throughout the years — Jalaluddin did a great job at illustrating the multi-layered nature of their relationship.

I think a large part of my enjoyment is attributed to my proximity to the settings in which this book takes place. Pointing out and recognizing certain spots referenced in the book was more exciting than I thought it would be.

Overall, I was so invested in the story that I just kept picking it back up and finished it in a day so I definitely recommend it!!

Side note: There’s a part in the story that doesn’t seem halal, but keep sticking with it because it will all make sense in the end!!

Much Ado About Nada is a delightful second chance romance inspired by Persuasion!

Nada was a motivating protagonist and watching her love story with Baz unfold was both heartwarming and heart-wrenching. I normally do not enjoy dual timelines as sometimes it can feel a little excessive, but it worked so well in this book! Additionally, as a Canadian, it was fun seeing the Toronto setting and Canadian references, and I loved how the author created an authentic depiction of South Asian communities in Canada.

I would recommend this book to fans of Emily Henry and S K Ali!

Uzma Jalaluddin made my dreams come true with this Muslim retelling of my favourite Austen book 🫶🏽 I’m a simple gal–you say Persuasion retelling and I am running to read it 🏃🏽‍♀️ This is also a formal plea for more Persuasion retellings, please and thank you.

Six years ago, Nada’s love life and dreams were destroyed in one fell swoop. She has been living like an empty shell ever since. After six years of heartbreak and regret, Nada and Baz are reunited at a weekend conference, where they are forced to interact because her best friend is marrying his brother.

I have a lot of respect for authors who have written or want to write a Persuasion retelling because 1) second chance romance is a difficult trope to execute and 2) second chance romance à la Persuasion is even harder to write, especially in a contemporary setting. Jalaluddin’s Persuasion retelling is fresh, nuanced, and relatable. I love the way she borrows elements of the classic and gives them a Muslim twist. As a reader, it was a lot of fun to draw parallels between Persuasion and Much Ado About Nada.

Persuasion is all about the yearning and the regret of a long-lost love and oh man, Nada and Baz tortured me so much with their angst and pining. The author nailed that Persuasion type of angst and pining. “Half agony, half hope” perfectly encapsulates Nada and Baz’s relationship. For me, the torture was amplified at the halfway mark (iykyk). There is an unexpected trope that turns up; although in hindsight, I really should have seen it coming 😂 I went through a rollercoaster of emotions with Nada and Baz. I literally could not stop reading until these two had their HEA. I inhaled this book in less than 24 hours 💀

Second chance romance is tricky to get right. Every reader has their own little pet peeves and requirements when it comes to this trope, and I am including myself here. I feel like it’s easy to get bogged down by the logistics and the details of who was right, who was wrong, and who gave good advice, who gave bad advice. I think, overall, it’s clear that everyone in this book made mistakes. The characters are so complex and nuanced that it’s hard to place 100% of the blame on one person only. What is clear to me is that Nada and Baz were very young at the time. What is also clear to me is that immaturity, impulsiveness, and a lack of wisdom played a huge role in pushing them apart.

In addition, there is a lot happening with the side characters, who are as nuanced as Baz and Nada. There are multiple stories and conflicts, but they are all weaved into the main storyline in a seamless way. Somehow, the author managed to put everything together cohesively. Even the flashbacks were included in a cohesive way. I honestly did not feel confused or lost, even at the beginning when all the characters were introduced. I was always on track with all the characters, with the present storyline, and with the flashbacks.

I was so invested in this book that I stressed out over how everything would get resolved 😂 I’m overall satisfied with how everything came together in the end, but I’m also GREEDY because I’m obsessed with Baz and Nada 😩 There are certain things that I wish hadn’t happened off page because I’m so greedy for anything related to Baz and Nada LOL. I finished the book almost a week ago and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I can’t remember the last time I felt such a wide range of emotions while reading a book. I feel obliged to note that I’m very biased because this is a Muslim retelling of my favourite Austen book. It’s hard to be objective 😂 The fact that a Muslim version of Persuasion actually exists makes the world a better place for me 🫶🏽

A note for Muslim readers: Something happens that might lead you to question everything. Stick with it and continue reading because it will all make sense. I won’t go too deep into it because I don’t want to ruin your reading experience. I want you to experience the story the way I did, and hopefully you will love it the way I do.

P.S. It’s fun, but also kind of weird to read about the places that I’ve been to. The commentary about Robarts library made me laugh so hard 😂

I really enjoyed reading an advance copy of “Much Ado About Nada” by Uzma Jalaluddin. - I have previously enjoyed two others by her- “Hana Khan Carries On” and “Ayesha at Last” This is another fun and romantic read about the Muslim community in Toronto. We love a book set in Canada! There is a lot of really cool topics covered including how hard it is to be a second generation immigrant sandwiched in between parents holding on to their culture and growing up in Canada. There is some sweet and sexy romance and I love getting into another place and reading about an experience that is not mine. I love growing my understanding and empathy through books!

I have enjoyed all of Uzma Jalaluddin's books ever since the first time I picked up and loved Ayesha At Last.

In this book the main characters, Nada, is nearly 30 and single.. She lives with her parents and brothers and is dealing with the aftermath of a startup gone wrong. She's strong-armed into going to a Muslim conference by her best friend, Haleema, who has matchmaking on her mind and hijinks ensue - but perhaps in a variety of unexpected ways. I definitely had my jaw drop in at least one part of this book.

I absolutely loved the teasing and hot/cold chemistry between Nada and Baz, and I LOVED the way the layers of their relationship were revealed between chapters of past and present. This has multiple stories woven through in addition to the main one, in an effective way, making for an engaging and full bodied story I could really happily sink into.

What a joy to read this third book by one of my favourite authors. Uzma Jalaluddin wrote AYESHA AT LAST (a Muslim Pride and Prejudice set in Scarborough) and HANA KHAN CARRIES ON (a You’ve Got Mail for competing halal restaurants) and this is her third book, MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA, her take on Jane Austen’s Persuasion.

Like all her books, MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA is rich with compelling characters and navigation of complex family relationships and expectations. The story of Nada and Baz hops between present and past, revealing tensions and connection as it goes. It’s so well structured, heartfelt, and like all her books, I didn’t want it to end.

This comes out in June and I can’t recommend it enough.

The main character Nada is an unmarried, almost thirty-year-old engineer living with her parents and brothers in Toronto. She’s in a rut after the lacklustre launch of her community-supporting app, Ask Apa. Her best friend, Haleema, drags her to an annual Muslim conference organized by her fiance, Zayn. Haleema has ulterior motives for dragging Nada to the conference….to set her up with Zayn’s brother Baz. BUT Haleema doesn’t know that Baz and Nada have a past.

This was such a fun book to read. I loved that it flipped between the present and the past. The interaction between Baz and Nada over the years was so accurate to many South Asian relationships starting in secret, hidden from families and sometimes even friends. I often laughed out loud at something Nada, Baz or one of the other characters said because it reminded me of something I may have said to a friend or family member. I connected with the familial relationships, complexities of being a South Asian woman, and other pressures that were explored in this novel.

I stayed up quite late to finish this book. I just had to know if Baz and Nada would end up together. Spoiler alert: there is a happy ending!

So excited for Uzma Jalaluddin’s next book :D

Awesome ride as always. Uzma is turning into one of my favourite authors. All her books are heartwarming and an excellent escape

This book, like all Uzma Jalaluddin's books, are a joy to read. They make me laugh, smile, tear up, get mad and indignant. I love all the characters and the effortless story. Easily devoured, I read it in a day! Just a great read about love, family, and dreams.