I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it!

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. The cultural representations were on point, and I enjoyed delving into the lifestyles of the families described here. What finally got to me was the relationship between the central characters. I think that in a cinematic format, there would have been a lot more background interactions and such that would have highlighted the balance and made the relationship pop a little more. In the book, however, I wanted more time to settle into their emotions and spend some time with the things that they value.
All the pieces were interesting and also unique, and if this book had been split into parts, I would have definitely rated it higher.
Sana has a career plan in mind. She has an agenda, one that she wants to accomplish, along with taking over the care of her brother (who is on the spectrum). Her mother, on the other hand, is manipulating her, something that is never completely addressed, even after everyone is living happily ever after. The revelations were quite shocking to just breeze past like they did!
Sana works well at her job, taking on more than is her due because she believes in the work they are doing. I found that aspect to be something I wanted more of. She had a romance left behind long ago, and the old flame, in a new name, ends up moving into close proximity to her. This happens at the same time as Sana agrees to an arranged marriage.
This last part was something that I both liked and felt uncomfortable with. I have been married for ten years and have been through this process myself. It is not always as dramatic or scandal-ridden as some people may make it out to be, solely because we have the time and space to talk it out (for many of us, at least - I know of several people like me). It is like a purposeful blind date. Sana treats it as such and has a conversation with her future fiance, and he is open about his hopes for their possible relationship and what he will bring to it, as well as what he hopes from the other end. Sana talks this through, and even when she starts to have doubts and almost acts on them, she does not let him into the conversation, and this does not seem to fit into the character she is portrayed as being.
This last part works in a filmy manner and adds to the cinematic ambitions of the book. I would definitely read another book by the author and recommend this to people who like the concept of old romance resurrecting and want to peek into a different culture.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This book dives into the intriguing world of arranged marriages within the Muslim community, and it's a real eye-opener. The story centers around Sana, a woman from a strict Muslim family where arranged marriages are the norm. What makes her story stand out is her personal quest: she's not just looking for love, but also a partner who can help her take care of her younger brother. This adds a layer of urgency and complexity to her journey.

I was totally hooked on Sana's story. She's 33 and still hung up on her teenage crush, which throws a wrench into the whole arranged marriage process. Watching her navigate the clash between her family's traditional expectations and her own desires was fascinating. It's like she's caught between two worlds – the one she's grown up in and the one she dreams of.

The way the author handles this clash of cultures and personal desires is really impressive, especially for a debut novel. It's a heartfelt story that gives you a peek into a different way of life, while still being super relatable. Whether you're familiar with the intricacies of Muslim culture or just love a good story about finding your path, this book is a great read. I'm definitely keeping an eye out for more from this author.

Thank you Alcove Press for the eARC!

“The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed” by Noreen Mughees offers a refreshing and heartwarming perspective on love, family, and the intricate dance between tradition and desire. The protagonist, Sana Saeed, a 33-year-old hijabi, puts her childhood dream of an all-consuming love, known as ishq, on hold due to the challenges posed by arranged dates and her responsibilities, particularly caring for her sweet, autistic brother, Zia. The narrative takes an insightful dive into the lives of South Asian women facing the prospect of arranged marriages. Mughees skillfully weaves in the cultural practice of wearing the hijab, challenging stereotypes and highlighting the agency, independence, and assertiveness of her characters. In doing so, the novel prompts readers to reconsider what constitutes empowerment and agency within feminist contexts.

The story unfolds as Sana, working in the Department of Environmental Conservation, encounters her childhood friend Daniel Malik after eighteen years. However, their rekindled connection faces challenges – Daniel is not only Sana’s new boss, but her mother would disown her if she pursued a relationship with him. The clock is ticking for Sana to secure her brother’s guardianship, a condition her mother imposes unless she is married. Navigating familial pressures, Sana agrees to an arranged marriage, hoping it might blossom into love as she has witnessed in other arranged marriages. The narrative delves into intergenerational conflicts, immigrant experiences, and the pressures faced by women to conform to societal expectations of becoming wives and mothers. The story is grounded in deep family ties, portraying marriage as the union of not just two individuals but two families. It explores the emotional and life-changing aspects of arranged marriages within the close-knit South Asian community, highlighting the challenges faced by Sana, Daniel, and other characters.

Mughees successfully introduces South Asian readers to familiar cultural concepts like rishta, biodata, and chaperones, incorporating Urdu seamlessly into dialogues. The novel also tackles critical issues such as hate crimes, xenophobia, and the impact of societal expectations on women. “The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed” is a timely and compelling novel, addressing uncomfortable yet significant topics within the South Asian diaspora. With well-rounded characters and a narrative grounded in familial and cultural complexities, Mughees adds a fresh voice to the romance genre, making this debut a worthwhile read for those seeking a blend of cultural richness and contemporary love stories.

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed was definitely the chaotic story akin to a desi serial that I expected with all the drama you would expect packed right in.

To put it simply the book centres on a woman who has family pressure on her to get married, she finally gives in and accepts a rishta only for her childhood best friend - Shahri but you can call me Daniel, whom there is a lot of family history with - returns back into her life and things get complicated.

I really liked Sana, her characterisation was great and I also really loved the cultural aspects of the story. However, I think there was maybe one too many things going on in the overarching plot to the point that some things weren’t fleshed out as they could have been.

For starters this is a second chance romance book with a sort of love triangle there too but I found the romance occurring in the present day to be a little flimsy especially towards the beginning.. There are moments when Sana and Shahri/Daniel are forced to work a law case together (wish this part of the story had gotten more page time though) that we start to see more of their common interests but they were outshone by the childhood flashbacks between the two of them which I absolutely loved!

Then tying in with the flashbacks is the family drama, which despite being a little cliché, was also portrayed really well. The downside here was that there was A LOT of back and forth going on so it started to feel a little tedious. Most of the supporting characters also really pissed me off because there was next to no concern for the feelings of the MC Sana with the decisions being made around her and no challenging of them directly until the very end. The only other relationship besides the romance that I was invested in was the one between Sana and her little brother.

That all being said Mughees is a great writer and the story does strengthen in the second half and is overall and entertaining read. I look forward to checking out what she puts out in the future.
Final Rating – 3.25/5 Stars

muslim romance books always got me excited to see how the author can make a halal romance got me giggling and kicking my feet. amidst the societal pressure to get married, sana finally decided to marry the charming adam that her family arranged for her. but that's until she reunited with her childhood best friend daniel. i have to admit, daniel was not really admirable at first... it took me some time to finally recognize his virtues as for much of the book i just wanna tell sana to marry adam. though i know they're not supposed to interact much until they're a halal couple, i YEARNED for more cute interactions between sana and daniel outside of work, they deserve more cute halal conversations!! the representation of pakistani weddings are an exciting touch though sometimes i get a bit confused due to the unfamiliar cultural elements for me. love all the pakistani wedding rep it's exciting to see though sometimes i get a bit confused cs it's something new to me. while the story unfolded at a slow pace for my taste, it was unquestionably an engaging and light read especially if you want to read more muslim rep romance.

thank you to the author and netgalley for the arc!

**I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review.**

This is a dual POV no-spice romance that focuses heavily on family dynamics and the impact family has on our lives. This was a solid 4.5 star read for me. I really enjoyed the way the story was woven in with the family dynamics and the characters growth.

Sana and Shahri were childhood friends, but when the business run by their families shuts down, Shahri's family leaves the east coast to start anew. Sana hasn't heard from him since then, and now is facing the decision of who to marry. Her decision won't only affect herself however, if she wants guardianship of her younger, autistic brother, she must marry someone her mother approves of and who will accept her brother as part of their family.
Enter the two contenders; Adam (a match arranged by her mother) and Daniel (the new district attorney who is working with Shahri to uncover the facts behind a companies pollution output).

I liked that the contenders for romantic interest were both decent men. I actually hope the one who didn't get the women, gets his own HEA because he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. Which makes Shahri's decision all the more difficult.

I also love the tension between the love interests and the way they both deal with the conflicts that come their way.

In the end this book revolves around family, and how that affects the characters lives and romantic decisions against a backdrop of a family feud. Also that ending had me swooning.

This story was okay— nothing memorable. I always enjoy books that shine a light on the Muslim community and this did just that.

An Austenesque romance with Pakistani flare! Our adorably neurotic heroine and her modern Darcy keep us on our toes with their will-they-or-won’t-they chemistry, and I’m so here for it! A quick, cute read for lovers of clean, contemporary, diverse romance, especially those who appreciate theirs with a bit of Persuasion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

This book is labeled "romance," and, boy, does it fall heavily into that genre. There were plenty of longing looks, agonizing over each other, and the general torture that comes from unfulfilled love. If you're looking for that kind of book, this is most definitely for you.

I loved that this book featured all Muslim characters and that we got to learn more about these families' cultures. There were so many beautiful details, and anyone who isn't familiar with Muslim people will get a lot of insight from reading this novel. The author gets five stars from me on that part of the book.

However, the story crawls at a snail's pace. I get that this is romance and that the main concern is the main character and her love interest and the "will they/won't they" question at the heart of pretty much all romance novels. But there were other elements of the book that were sorely lacking. The narration shares early on that Sana is a law student taking classes online. After that first mention, her studies are mentioned only one other time in the entire novel. How is this girl balancing her job and her education and marriage prospects without running out of steam? And why don't we hear more about her desire to become a lawyer?

The irony is that Daniel, her love interest IS a lawyer. They reconnect after years apart. Even though they're torturing themselves and each other about whether they should ultimately be together, they're forced to work together. Why doesn't Sana ask Daniel, even once, about anything connected to her education? If the main focus of the book is romance, then surely Sana could have used her desire to become a lawyer as a way to stay in close proximity to Daniel, despite her common sense telling her not to. Yet not once do they discuss it. It's a shame, because I thought that was a major missed opportunity for the characters to be a part of one another's orbit even more, despite their families insisting otherwise.

Also, the two work together, but the details of their jobs are surface level at best. It feels like we get just enough information to reassure us that, yes, they both do go to their jobs every day, but there isn't enough grounding in what those jobs actually are. Conversations about professional matters feel vague most of the time. Even after reading the entire book, I still am not sure what Sana's actual job was. I know I read her title somewhere, and there are a couple of scenes where we see her in the professional setting. But it's not really clear what she does.

Lastly, the book is supposed to be in NYC, but you'd never know it. This was another major missed opportunity. As large as New York is, I'm sure there's an established Muslim community there with stores and restaurants and gathering spots and more. The author could have highlighted those places for readers to showcase a completely different side of New York and to emphasize that the city really is different versions of itself to different communities (which is one of the most beautiful things about NY.) But, again, descriptions were so vague that I felt like this book could have been set in pretty much any city in the U.S. and nothing at all would have changed.

Ultimately, though, I'm excited to see more diverse voices in the world of books, which is why I'm giving this three stars.

Ahhh I loved this book!! I loved the Desi Muslim rep too. This book felt like reading a bollywood drama so if you’re into those you’ll love this one!

This wasn’t the light romance I was expecting, it’s a look inside the marriage arrangements of conservative Pakistani families. There’s a second chance romance but there’s a lot of cultural detail and it gets a little lost. 3 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Star-crossed lovers is the focus of this one. Sana desperately wants an all consuming love but she knows that is not going to happen. She has begrudgingly accepted the fact that some arranged marriages grow into love. Sana and her brother Zia, who is autistic, are a package deal. She wants to be his future guardian but her traditional mother will only agree if she is married.
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When Daniel, her childhood sweetheart, reappears in her life she remembers everything she loved about him but they can’t be together thanks to their family feud, but will love win in the end ? I’m assuming you know the answer to this!

Huge thank you to @alcovepress and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first time reading something by this author and it definitely won't be my last. This sweet, South-Asian, romance was such a delight to read. What really pulled at my heart was the autism representation which was something I could really relate to. The storyline was well-written and I of course enjoyed the second chance romance between childhood friends, but I also really enjoyed the bond that Sana and her brother shared. I also appreciated the deep family ties that were portrayed throughout the story. Sana had to deal with balancing her family's wishes against her own happiness, in a culture where family means everything. This was a unique and captivating take on a tried and true friends to lovers trope, and I simply adored it! Make no mistake, Ms Mughees is definitely going on my TBR list!
My thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy
This is my honest and voluntary review.

The mis-arraignment of Sana Saeed

If i could give this book a million stars i would in a heart beat. “The Mis-arraignment of Sana Saeed” is a beautifully written novel capturing raw and emotional moments in a struggling but happy Pakistani family’s attempt to get their daughter, Sana Saeed married. I connected with each character on such a deep level which made this story so much more important to me. The little Pakistani drama references along with the beautiful descriptions of the cities in Pakistan made me miss home so much. The 2 main characters had chemistry that was seeping through the pages and i was rooting for them throughout the entire novel. The build up of the relationship was such a perfect slow burn and the childhood friends to lovers made it chefs kiss. This book was even better because both main characters were forced to work together as lawyers ( YES lawyers, smart and cute #goals). I adored the muslim rep along with the tight knit family, there was disability rep and my heart grew so many times bigger reading about the well written interactions. ONE THING tho that i did not like was Sana’s best friend, she was the most UNSUPPORTIVE female best friend i’ve ever read about, she was the opposite of a girls girl and everything she would say would annoy me. But apart from that, this book has every aspect needed to be a six star and i am so happy that i got to read an arc of it. this book filled me with immense joy and i know anyone who reads it will love it too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to @alcovepress for sending me a eARC of this novel. I enjoyed it so much and cannot wait to review more novels from your press. 💗

I am so incredibly impressed that the Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed is Noreen Mughees debut novel. This is one book that I could not put down - and even when I had to do something besides read, I was thinking about Sana and Daniel.

This is a sweet romance - with a second chance trope for childhood sweethearts, mixed with arranged marriages and family feuds and expectations. I loved Sana - a strong, independent women who is still subjected to her family and culture’s expectations.

This played out like a movie - and would make a wonderful romcom film. Especially some of those final chapters (iykyk). Mughees debut has romantic tension, love, some sadness, and a happily ever after.

The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed is available now. Thank you to the author for sending my an ARC in exchange for a review!

Gosh this book was a treat to read. I have been reading so many thrillers, so a cute romance read was much needed. I cant believe this was her debut novel! She wrote this book from the heart! I loved the characters so much. They were real and their relationships were realistic. I totally loved the desi jokes and banter lol. I laughed and sighed and nodded my head as I read along. Such a relatable read!!

I liked the premise of this book as fake lovers is my fave trope but I found the story to be bland. Like the MFC reason for getting into a fake relationship just felt confusing like why wouldn't the sister be the guardian of her autistic brother if her parents passed and why do they use that as a bargaining chip for her to get married. Also I'm not a fan of cheating tropes and although I don't know if it is classified as cheating as it was clean, she is still hitting on another man while engaged to a different man and I hate those types of storylines.

ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ: Sana Saeed needs to get married in order to be named guardian of her autistic younger brother, but her heart still yearns for her childhood best friend who disappeared from her life as a teenager. When Sana finally agrees to a suitable match, her childhood love walks back into her life...

ᴍʏ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴄᴇɴᴛs: The premise is a complete cliche, but this story was anything but! I loved the added cultural layers with the traditional arranged marriages and familial involvement. Sana's family and best friend, Ainee were funny and relatable, making it easy to laugh along at each of Sana's misadventures.

Sana's suitors, Adam and Daniel, were both so lovable. As much as I wanted to root against Adam, it was hard because he really was such a good guy (though I wouldn't be surprised to find a skeleton or two!).

It's also so nice to see romcoms branching out and featuring more neurodiverse and cultural characters. It also makes me smile to see how many of our cultures are actually really alike if we just look for our similarities rather than our differences. I just wish I understood more of the words and phrases, but I really enjoyed how they were interspersed throughout the entire book within the dialogue.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮:
🥻like the childhood sweathearts / forbidden love tropes
🥻enjoy rival families and families that meddle way too much in each other's lives
🥻are looking for some more diversity in your reading!

I really enjoyed this and how much Daniel and Sana still loved each other after all these years. She was really struggling with the right thing to do but her love never waivered.

I received an arc through netgalley.