This was such a heartwarming and romantic read. I really enjoyed Maya's growth and her realizing the strength she had and how she finally realized it. In standard romcom fashion, there were a lot of laughs and surprising moments. I especially love how going to therapy is normalized and not villianized, like in some stories. And that the characters represent their culture unapologelically. The author kept me engaged from beginning to end and I could not put it down until I was finished, then had to sleep on it so could let the story marinate in my thoughts. This author is now on my radar and I will be looking for more works from her in the future.

Any book that makes me cry like that gets 5 stars and a spot on my bookshelf for all time. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

Oh where do I begin? I adored this book, for many reasons. I was also confused by this book, for many reasons. I'll start with what confused me, while also acknowledging that I understand why this book has received some harsh criticism and ratings.

This is a desi romance with heavy Pakistani influence. Pretty much all the characters are Pakistani, a portion of the book takes place in Pakistan, and Pakistani/desi culture's influence is heavy throughout the book. Even though Islam is not mentioned in the description, almost 97% of Pakistanis are Muslim, so it felt pretty safe to assume that almost all if not all the main characters would be Muslim, and they were. A lot of the most critical reviews of this book that I saw were that while this was definitely a Muslim book, the storyline was not halal, and they're completely correct. I'm not Muslim myself, but I have Muslim friends and coworkers, and as a result am at least somewhat familiar with what is halal and haram. Needless to say, my eyebrows raised many times throughout the book - not in disapproval, but mostly in complete surprise. Maya's attitude around LGBTQ issues, her casual physical (non-sexual) contact with a man, the clothes she wore at certain points were all very much so *not* halal. So I understand why Muslim readers would be upset if they thought they were going into a halal romance and instead got a haram one. I also understand how they felt their religion was disrespected. As a Jew, if I read an Orthodox Jewish romance where the FMC was violating tznius (modest dress), negiah (no physical touch of any kind with the opposite sex before marriage) I'd be a little surprised as you just wouldn't find an Orthodox Jew doing such things. Reform or even some Conservative, yes, but not Orthodox. So in a small way, I get it. And before non-Muslim or non-Jewish readers come for me, I am totally for LGTBQ rights, but it doesn't change the fact that some religions still aren't ok with that, and that fact is well known, so Maya and everyone else's immediate and casual acceptance was a slight surprise. So while there was Muslim representation in this book, it didn't feel representative of the Muslim faith itself, or at least the Muslim faith I am familiar with. At the same time, the author herself is a Canadian-Pakistani woman, like Maya the FMC, and as a non-Muslim I'm certainly not about to tell a Muslim how Muslim-representation should look in a story. I just wanted to start with this disclaimer because I've seen several non-Muslim readers attacked for saying that this book taught them a lot about Muslim and Pakistani culture. I understand that this book is not fully representative of Muslim culture, or Islam as a religion. But I would say I did love learning a lot more about Pakistani culture specifically - I found myself stopping every few pages to look up the different clothing pieces and other cultural references Alina Khawaja shared throughout the book.

Whew. What fun times we live in. A book I genuinely loved but am also scared to leave a review for.

Because I did love this book. As someone who grew up in a religiously restrictive home (though not quite as restrictive as Maya's), I could identify with Maya's struggle for independence and her search for identity. Her loyalty to her family whom she genuinely loves, and who love her, and her faith that is such an important and defining part of who she is, all at odds with what she wants her life to look like. This book is about Maya finding her place in a world where it seems she's being pulled in several different directions. I loved the conversations she and Sarfaraz had about the younger vs older generations' influence on a faith and culture, and what that clash can sometimes look like. A lot of difficult topics were discussed with a lot of compassion and empathy, which I appreciated. So while I understand the criticisms Muslim readers have of this book, I also understand where Maya is coming from in several moments of the book. Would I have made the same decisions she did in several key moments? Probably not, but I get it. That girl went *through* it in this book - hell she was robbed at gunpoint in the midde-of-nowhere Pakistan in the middle of hte night. That would have been my final straw lol. She is much stronger than I ever could be, and in many ways I admire her just as much as I relate to her.

I also loved the dynamic between her and Sarfaraz. Their chemistry was almost immediate, the banter was top-notch, and the angst was exactly the kind of thing I look for in romance books. Oh I was sobbing by the end. Even Imtiaz was so sweet and genuine and I was rooting for him and his happiness as well. Each and everyone one of Maya's family members was a joy to get to know, and I especially loved how the author explored the dynamic relationship between Maya and her mother. I loved how Maya and Sarfaraz talked about their faith and the influence it had on their lives and their families' lives. I loved that the cynic (Sarfaraz) fell for the hopeless romantic (Maya). I also loved how this book was, in a way, a form of Crash Landing on You fanfic, and an ode to k-dramas, because it's been 5 years and I am STILL not over that show and how much I loved it. I squealed when Maya first mentioned it, and again when part of the story took place in the very part of Switzerland where the show was filmed. Ugh, I loved it all.

So yes, very complicated feelings about this book, and while reading this book. I'm grateful I had a chance to read this book, and learn more about Maya and Alina's culture and faith, and I hope to pick up many more of Alina's books in the future. I've got several more desi and Muslim romances on my TBR, and this book made me even more excited to pick them up. Instant 5 star-read, and instant auto-buy author.

Overall: 4
Spice: 1

Seat mates are forced to become friends due to weather causing a delay in their travel. What they don't know is they are headed to the same place for two different reasons. Along this journey they discover the true meaning of friendship and love. You'll get some witty banter and hilarious awkward moments as we explore the FMC "laws" which basically are just common-sense events.

I loved this one. Maya believes that she’s cursed. And honestly, I can’t blame her 😂 On her way to her wedding if something can go wrong, it does. But is it so bad if everything goes wrong with the right guy?

blurb:

Maya Mirza is so convinced she’s unlucky in love that she’s come up with a list of laws to explain it. Most importantly…
Maya’s Law #1: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

But that’s about to change. Maya’s headed to Pakistan for an arranged marriage with a handsome, successful doctor who ticks all the right boxes. First comes marriage, then comes love—she’s sure of it. Except…
Law #4: When you think you’re lucky, think again.

From the start, Maya's journey is riddled with disaster, and the cynical lawyer seated next to her on the plane isn’t helping. When a storm leaves them stranded in Switzerland, she and Sarfaraz become unlikely travel companions through bus breakdowns and missed connections.
Law #6: Trips are never smooth sailing.

And before long, Maya’s wondering whether she’s just experienced the ultimate in misfortune—finally meeting the right man a few days before she marries someone else. And Maya might just be the worst person to keep a secret.
Law #18: If you’re overtired, you’ll always spill your guts.

But maybe, if she’s willing to bend some laws, this detour could take her somewhere totally—and wonderfully—unexpected.

I loved this book! The writing style was beautiful, and the pacing flowed perfectly. Maya was such a great main character, and I loved being a part of her story.

I really enjoyed Maya’s Laws of Love by Alina Khawaja! Maya believes that she is cursed in life, and especially in her love life. So she’s created some laws to protect herself. But aren’t some laws made to be broken?

Why I loved it:

💞 A great look inside Pakistani and Muslim culture and how culture can inform our life choices and trajectory.

💞 It got deep addressing how childhood trauma can manifest in adulthood and how to grow past the defenses you put up to keep yourself safe.

💞 It gave us a young woman growing into herself and finally learning to choose herself over pleasing others.

💞 Many of the scenarios seemed a little unrealistic, but it really made it fun to read and I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio.

What a good book!! This book had it all!! Funny, sweet, romance, spice, cultural all of it! It was a great easy quick read.

Solid 3.5, rounding up.

I had to sit with this book for awhile before deciding how to review it. I loved the way that Khawaja laid out and developed these characters. Maya, a guarded, self-proclaimed feminist living in the constraints of a Desi family, developed into a more open woman. Sarfaraz, a successful lawyer whose past trauma has made him close off to new relationships, finds a kindred soul in Maya. Watching their walls break down once they bond over their failed relationships was rewarding.

Despite my love for the characters, I found myself struggling through this one and waiting for it to be done. Reflecting upon why, I have a few thoughts.

This book was VERY detailed. There were multiple pages describing settings and clothing styles. I feel that the author was trying to help us non-Desi readers to understand cultural traditions, but at the same times there were many (many!) instances were Pakistani words and terms were used without explanation. I found myself using my Kindle dictionary to help with understanding the context. I think that when the book went through edits it could have been cut down a bit to keep the story moving, and provide some context clues to help readers who are unfamiliar with the culture.

I also craved more of Maya and Sarfaraz's story. Because she was engaged to someone else, their own love story got a bit lost in the narrative. Once we had our HEA I wanted more!

Overall, a solid debut from an author I would read again.

This book was the perfect blend of so many things. Sweet, moving, culturally rich, hilarious, and relevant. There were so many tropes but they all felt well-inserted in the story and like a natural flow of the plot. Grumpy/sunshine, one bed, forced proximity, and others that I can't quite leave here. It was also very clean and wholesome.

I'm not a fan of the 'feminist' movement taking over EVERY book, so I didn't give it a full rating. But beyond that. It was great!

Bottom line, this book is so great! Go read it!

4.5 Stars! **Spoiler Free**

Phenomenal read from Alina Khawaja! I absolutely love when I can thoroughly enjoy a book but also learn new things in the process! The novel focuses on Maya – the walking embodiment of Murphy’s law – as she travels to Pakistan for her wedding to a partner arranged by her mother. As she travels, Murphy’s law strikes in every way imaginable, and Maya provides comical insight to her own laws that she’s crafted to cope with both her romantic and overall chaos. Khawaja’s humor was tangible and left me laughing out loud on multiple occasions throughout the novel. Her female main character Maya is very well developed. If anything, I would’ve loved a bit more depth to the male main character, but since the novel was told exclusively from Maya’s perspective I was happy enough with the development given. As someone colloquially familiar with the Muslim religion and family practices, the majority of the novel was not brand new information to me but I do feel like I still learned a lot and gained great insight into the religion as well as to Pakistani culture and the love that Alina Khawaja has for the people she’s representing in her novel. I think it was a fantastic debut, and look forward to reading anything else that she may publish in the future!

I loved reading this, though it was difficult to justify the cheating. I would’ve preferred for Maya to be traveling to a relative’s wedding than her own, however it did add a lot of stress and tension to the plot. The epilogue was perfect. I really appreciated Maya’s reflection on what she learned about herself.

4 stars!

"Maya's Laws of Love" by Alina Khawaja boasts a cute, fresh twist on a series of tried and true tropes. Main characters Maya and Sarfaraz find themselves stuck in a forced proximity situation when all of their travel plans repeatedly fall apart. Maya is attempting to get to Pakistan to get married to her arranged marriage partner, and Sarfaraz is the jerk sitting next to her and is also traveling to Pakistan to see family. She attributes all of the issues in her life to a curse, which has been plaguing her for years. When they get stranded after their flight detours to Switzerland, they decide to make the most of their time in the country and see the sights. They also get stuck in Islamabad on their way to Karachi and are forced to spend even more time together. Over the course of their journey to Pakistan, Maya and Sarfaraz become closer and feel a connection that neither one of them thought was possible. When they finally make it to Pakistan, all of that changes in an instant. I found this book to be a mostly fun read, though the story does get slowed down here and there. The best part of this book is the banter between Maya and Sarfaraz. Their enemies-to-lovers, grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract nature lends to some silly situations and some arguments between the two of them, making the banter even more rewarding. The more time they spend with one another, the more they learn that having someone back them up and help them out under any circumstance is possible for both of them. I enjoyed learning about some of the customs and practices in which Pakistani Muslims partake. I feel like I learned a lot about the culture I didn't previously know. I don't believe I have read any romances with Pakistani Muslim characters! I Some reviewers have mentioned that this book does not live up to halal standards, and though I cannot speak to this directly, I don't think the author ever explicitly states that this book and this story are 100% halal. It is a PG-rated romance with only one or two curse words. One thing that was a little annoying was the overabundance of references to the K-Drama "Crash Landing On You." It felt like this book was sponsored by that TV show. Apart from that, I found this book to be a real delight!

Thank you to NetGalley, Alina Khawaja, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and MIRA for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

This book had such a wonderful, interesting concept. The premise felt very reminiscent of a 90s/early aughts rom com. It had genuine stakes and tension, and a strong arc of self-discovery that fleshed out the romance elements well.

I love this book it was so sweet, loved both of the mcs. I especially enjoyed reading the relationship form between the two love interests. Would recommend to anyone looking for a sweet love story.

I cannot speak to the religious or cultural representation in this novel.

I enjoyed Maya’s journey to find herself. Her laws were all spot on (Gibbs’s rules anyone?) though I didn’t like that she kept tying them back to being cursed. This was a delightful read and I look forward to more from this author.

Anyone that has been hurt or heartbroken knows that sometimes we create a set of rules or explanations for ourselves to ensure that the same thing doesn't happen again. As long as we follow these rules, we know we won't be hurt again and if we are, we know it was because we didn't listen to our rules.

Maya has the worst luck and although she attributes it to her curse, she still manages to keep a somewhat positive outlook on life. She believes in soulmates and love, but isn't sure if this is something that she will have the chance to have unless it's something that can be created over time with her engagement. When her travel plans to Pakistan for her arranged wedding keep hitting unexpected roadblocks, she finds herself suddenly with a travel partner that she least expected and suddenly discovers feelings she has never felt before.

Maya and Sarfaraz become unlikely travel companions while on their way to Pakistan. Maya is still uncertain about her arranged marriage and if it's truly what she wants. And Sarfaraz seems to be battling with his own demons about marriage and love, but after getting help from Maya he suddenly finds himself travelling with her and his mindsets slowly begin to change.

Although I'm not very familiar with Pakistani or Muslim culture or faith, I really enjoyed getting to learn more and find some similarities with my Filipino culture and upbringing. This book was a 5 star read for me and has made me interested in reading more romance books. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this heartwarming story.

I absolutely fell in love with Maya and her laws. This book was romantic and very well written. I’d give it a 1 🌶️ level. As it is not very spicy which was perfect. I’d recommend this for young adults needing a great read and even teenagers. I will definitely read it again.

I did not finish this novel. I realized after I started reading it that as a Western non-Muslim individual, I could not fully appreciate or give criticism on this book due to a sufficient lack of cultural knowledge.

A cute, fairly solid romance. There’s some inconsistencies with Maya as a character, especially regarding her beliefs. I am not Muslim and I don’t claim to be knowledgeable but there seemed to be some things just not connecting or following through. Inconsistent, again, but enjoyable enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Once I started this book I couldn’t put it down. I had so much fun reading this romcom. This was very much a not enemies but definitely reluctant strangers to lovers. I was laughing at the best banter most of this book. There are also so many real conversations about love and marriage which made this book one that single dating engaged and married you will be able to connect to this book. I cannot wait to recommend this book to all my friends.