Second chance romance is a tough trope but I think Noreen Mughees nailed it in this debut. I loved Sana and Daniel's childhood friends to lovers journey! And the FOOD parts of this novel were excellent.

A delightful, sweet, and charming read. Cheers for a different perspective. I'd read more about these characters.

This was an enjoyable read! I feel like it was a bit of a slow paced book, I found myself feeling a bit bored sometimes, to be honest. However, the story is really cute and I really liked the characters! The main theme of this story is the pressure of getting married, whether it's from society itself or family members. I believe this book discussed that extremely well. A good and enjoyable read for anyone who likes to read romance. Rating: 3/5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book. As a non Muslim, I found the process of the arranged marriage very interesting and I also liked reading about certain customs.
Sana, when she was younger through family connections met a boy, but unfortunate circumstances the family moved away. But both of their hearts had been toiched.
A few years later the couple were brought together through work. The connection was still there but so we're many tall barriers.
Can the pair finf happiness together or will the past keep them apart forever?

I appreciated the Muslim hijabi representation but there are still so many themes which are common in romance books with muslim representation and it's not getting repetitive. Falling for someone your parents don't like, family feuds, etc.

I liked that there was more to the love story and the protagonist was career oriented. But after 60% of the book I was pushing myself to finish it...

I would give it 2.5 stars

The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed is a second chance, Muslim romance following the story of Sana, a dutiful daughter navigating love and career, and Daniel, a former best friend who disappeared years ago after a falling out between their two families. When Sana agrees to an arranged marriage set up by her mother, she truly believes that an advantageous match can lead to love, given time and commitment. The man her mother picks for her seems like a decent choice, but when Daniel comes back into her life via her workplace, she finds it hard to see anyone who isn’t him.

I really liked this! As I am not desi or Muslim, there were many elements of this story that were new or unfamiliar to me, but I really enjoyed reading a romance from a perspective that wasn’t my own. Sana’s sense of duty and honour towards her family really came through and I very much felt how torn up she was between family loyalty and love. Although her mother drove me absolutely up the wall with her manipulation and scheming, I loved the family aspects here and the closeness between Sana and her family. I would have loved to see more elements of Daniel and Sana rekindling their connection, specially more conversations around their feelings, but I was definitely rooting for them by the end! Overall, this was a lighthearted romance that engaged with deeper topics in a way that was both thoughtful and delicate. I really enjoyed it and think The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeedwl will appeal to all types of readers!

I absolutely loved this book! The drama! The romance! The plot! Slow-burn, friends to enemies to possibly lovers, & two love interests! Leaving you torn between the two!

Sana is ready to commit to someone in order to obtain legal guardianship of her brother Zia in the event of something happening to her mother. Her mother's only condition is that she commits to a partner so Zia will have two legal guardians. Sana's rishta, Adam, is a great choice but it's hard to move forward when your heart is stuck in the past on childhood sweetheart, Shahri.

I literally choked up in one part (it's page 215 but of 254 in Netgalley ARC, do not want to spoil it)! I think Noreen did such an amazing job with invoking certain emotions from me, as the reader. I felt love, loss, compassion, outrage, frustrated, all the works! I highlighted so much!

I was very invested in every character & hope there may be another book from the POV of Salem <3

I loved this book from start to finish. I learned so much about Desi Muslim culture. I liked all the characters, even Adam — honestly part of me was still rooting for him so I'm hoping he gets an HEA somewhere down the line.

This was also a bit of a tear jerker for me, which made me fall in love with the book a little more 😭 I don't cry unless the book is well written, so kudos to Ms Mughees on her stellar work.

This was a cute story and I really enjoyed the characters. This a great read if you’re looking for a quick/fast paced rom com. The character building was well executed which really gave depth to the storyline.

“And here I was trying to impress you with Shah Rukh Khan–level banter. That happens when I’m nervous.”

Habibti, get yourself someone who looks at you the same way Shahrukh Khan looks at Kajol in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

I requested this ARC because it sounded interesting - an Indian woman getting "older" and who "should've" been married by now and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The Shah Rukh Khan references made my heart so happy.

This story was well written with Noreen tackling difficult issues such as family pressure and darker themes such as racism and corruption with ease and sensitivity. This is not just a romance, it is a journey of damaged friendships, heartbreak and eventually healing which in itself is beautiful.

This was a excellent read which would delight any Bollywood fan and considering I'm not really a romance fan, this is saying quite a lot.

I just finished this amazing book by @noreen_lekhak! 5/5 stars!

This book gave me all the feels. The workplace romance reminded me a bit of The Hating Game in the best way, and the Jane Austen vibes were a delight. The side characters were a hoot, especially Sana's mother, who pulls a few Mrs. Bennet-worthy shenanigans to get her way! I was rooting for Sana and Daniel from the beginning, hoping these star-crossed lovers could make it, despite their families' differences. Daniel is soooo swoon-worthy. HE TAKES CARE OF HER WHEN SHE'S SICK! And the way he's outwardly cold while he's inwardly DYING because he can't be with her??? Gets me right in the heart.

With a rich setting, tantalizing food descriptions, and well-rounded side characters, The Mis-Arrangment of Sana Saeed is one you won't want to miss out on!

Here are a few quotes I found particularly beautiful and demonstrate Noreen's gorgeous prose.

"Marriage isn't just tinkling bells and rose petals; it's a lifelong commitment to weather the bad days with the good. It's sometimes being amazing, and sometimes not even being ordinary."

"As much as I hate that name from her lips, it's like a morning birdsong. Like saffron threads melting in milk, coloring it crimson."

"My eyes search for him--just a glance from him and somehow the world is better, the grass greener, air fresher. He changes it all, in an instant, and no matter how much I see him, it's not enough."

There were things I really liked about this book, but on the whole I found it difficult to follow. I also don't have a personal preference for love triangle stories which could have figured into my feelings as well. I really liked hearing about arranged marriages from the perspective of a lead character who hasn't rejected the concept completely. I found it really interesting to learn more about the intersection of faith, culture, family commitment, and marriage in Islam, as described by Mughees.

The work plot had a lot of elements I found interesting but ultimately found it difficult to follow along and figure out exactly the role of the DAG and the department.

It wasn't a favourite, but I did learn some things.

Whew. This book was fantastic!

It quickly drew me in and had me giggling along with the story (in my head of course). The characters were likeable and the plot was engaging.

It was a fun and enjoyable read

3.5/5 Stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This was a fun debut from Noreen Mughees. It’s a second chance romance for Sana and Daniel (one of my favorite tropes!) set among the Islamic Indian community in greater New York City. I learned a ton about families and food and traditions which was cool. There were some fun nods to Jane Austen throughout. Sana knows she needs to cave to her mom’s wishes and agree to a Rishta – an arranged marriage - but at the same time she is holding out for butterflies in her stomach. I loved that about her.

It was frustrating that she fought her true feelings for so long - to the point where Daniel left because he thought she was going to marry Adam. But I also get that she had grown up with this expectation and it’s really hard to go against your family when something has been ingrained in you for 30 plus years. I thought it was weird and unfair that Sana’s mom wouldn’t allow her to have power of attorney over her 18 yo autistic brother until she got married.

I felt like there were some incongruous plot points that seemed disjointed and misplaced. Why did Daniel and Sana never get a hold of each other for 18 years? Sounds like he wrote her letters but she never received them? Daniel moved across the country but I still didn’t see why he felt the need to change his name. On the cover, Daniel looks disheveled but he is a Deputy Attorney General. Shouldn’t he be wearing a suit and look clean cut? It felt like Adam was the one who was disheveled with the tattoos and man bun. One thing that I found confusing at times was both characters (it’s dual POV) refer to their parents at Ammi and Abba. Sana’s best friend has been with her (arranged) fiancé for years. Why hadn’t they gotten married years before? And while Sana’s toxic and racist workplace was a major point, I wasn’t sure how it drove the plot forward, other than giving Sana and Daniel cause to share an office.

All that aside, Sana and Daniel had some good slow burn chemistry!! The flashbacks of their time together as kids and teens was so great. Both Daniel and Sana's devotion and conflict with families ran deep. It tested their beliefs. And Ahhh - I loved the grand gesture at the end! I would happily read more novels in this fictional world of Daniel and Sana. (Perhaps a novel about Daniel’s brother?)

I give this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4! If you like swoony diverse contemporary romance, read the Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advance digital copy!

This book was cute and fluffy and I do acknowledge the fact that I am not Muslim, so I may not recognize nuances in the storyline and interactions that Muslim readers might. The main problem for me was that I didn't quite understand all the ins and outs of the family feud that keeps Daniel and Sana's families divided. It also had a large section describing food poisoning, which I read as I was recovering from being sick, so that was just unfortunate timing.

I loved reading about the in's and out's of arranged marriages with a True Love twist. It was fascinating to read about the culture and traditions of Sana and her family, and the environmental aspect was good, too.

Big big thank you to Noreen Mughees for the e-arc!!

I will absolutely be buying a physical copy of this when it comes out. Sana is such a great main character and I got attached to her immediately. Her relationship with her younger brother was my absolute favorite part. The portrayal of Zia and his autism was so well done which is sadly, a rarity in books and film. The portrayal of modern arranged marriages and Desi culture was awesome and I especially liked the way that the Urdu words and phrases were all easily understood via context. But if you are fluent or you’re curious like me and like to look up every word you don’t know, it just adds an extra layer of nuance that I found highly enjoyable.

A fun and entertaining read with lots of cultural references. Highly recommend if you like Romance with a healthy dose of culture and real life experiences.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this .

OMG I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!!!!!

I really didn't know what to expect. I never read blurbs, I just go off the cover and yes, let's talk about that first. Hijabi on the cover 👏 👏 👏 and brown people!!!! Instantly drew me in.

Loved the plot - Sana has had many rishta's and is being encouraged to have an arranged marriage. Queue Adam... but when Sana's childhood friend comes back into her life, will she listen to her head or her heart?!?!?! The plot has been done so many times before but it felt realistic, fresh, full of vibes and banter. I loved the dialect, I loved how I was kept hanging on until the very end!!!

There are so many themes here... grief, grudges, halal love, angst, childhood lovers, forced proximity (stuck in an elevator, I LOVEEEE)

Characters wise, Sana annoyed me at the beginning but I warmed to her. I just didnt agree with the decisions she was making. Adam I liked, until I didn't. But I wish he had more depth. And Daniel...... Daniel, Daniel Daniel. I need me one of those.

I appreciated everything about this book and just NEEDDDD to get my hands on a physical copy as soon as it comes out!!!!!!

This was such an excellent book. I absolutely loved the development of Sana and Daniel with their friends-to-strangers-to-lovers. The subplots worked well too, with the mystery of ExGen and threat against Sana. I loved the family dynamics with the aunties and I was completely immersed in the book from start to finish. The Urdu the author uses within the book was done well. The meanings of the words were explained well without losing the flow of the story. Great book, all around!!

A few things I noticed reading the ebook:
Chapter 3: A sentence reads "We didn't have much else, but he had heaps of love." I think he is supposed to be we?
Chapter 11: A sentence reads "Such decent people - he asked permission for the two of you to see other with a chaperone." I think it is supposed to be "see each other"

Chapter 19: A sentence reads "Despite that tough DAG persona,, he's still the boy I knew." Double comma

Chapter 25: A sentence reads "He has two felonies in and pleaded guilty to domestic assault." I don't think the "in" is supposed to be there

Chapter 29: A sentence reads "She parts her lips and runs a hand on her face" Missing punctuation
Another sentence reads "in my heart loosing all the feeling in my legs" losing/loosing

Chapter 34: A sentence reads "Even after that leech Brain confessed?" Brian/Brain