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.

Maya’s Laws of Love give readers a little glimpse inside the world of a Pakistani woman. The story was well written and enjoyable to read! The author created a good cast of characters and the romance was a really cute story.

3.5⭐️ rounded up!

This follows a young Pakistani girl named Maya who is on her way to Pakistan for her arranged marriage when some mishaps occur and she’s stuck sitting next to a jerk named Sarfraz who also happens to be traveling to Pakistan.

Along her journey she gets into multiple fiascos and her plane is grounded delaying her arrival to Pakistan where she gets stuck with none other than Sarfraz.

Coming to the conclusion they’re both stranded they decide to make the best of it and spend the few days of their delay together.

There were so many cute parts in this book I enjoyed especially all of the beautiful pakistani culture shown, I was obsessed!!!


The sweet moments between Sarfraz and Maya made me giggle and I definitely did not see the plot twist coming!!!


This book was such a cute rom com with such sweet and funny moments I’d def rec it for a fun read!!

A road trip riddled with bad luck is always fun for comedy and bonding! Readers will love seeing Maya learn what she wants and who will make her happy.

While this story is a romance, it focuses a lot on Maya's self-discovery. I related a lot to her struggle to not give in to the expectations others had for her. It can be easy to want people you love to be happy and let that overshadow what makes you happy.

I really enjoyed the book's exploration of arranged marriage and how it is viewed in different cultural contexts. I found myself agreeing with the book's view of arranged marriage even if it is not something I would ever choose.

This book is funny, has interesting characters, and is well written. I enjoyed learning more about Pakistani culture and what it is like to live in another country and try to maintain cultural identity. I will note that readers who don't like cheating under any circumstances will not enjoy this one. I usually don't enjoy characters developing feelings for someone else in a relationship but in this case, I thought it made sense.

🌶️ - Only kissing.

I was so excited when I came across this book - the cover art is gorgeous and grabbed my eye and the premise really intrigued me. I’m always a fan of a romance read that can also allow me to experience/ learn about another culture. An arranged marriage, travel woes, and a love story? Yes please!

I loved that the story was one that involved a trip to Pakistan for a wedding. We got a glimpse into another culture via the parts of the story and it was great getting to see Maya representing a Canadian-Palestinian experience.

While I’m not generally a fan of a traditional love triangle - I am definitely a fan of the arranged marriage to meeting your true match trope. I loved was watching the relationship and interactions between Maya and Safaraz evolve as they went from annoyed seat mates to reluctant travel companions to more.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but needless to say this was just a really charming and sweet romance read. Definitely I’ll recommend to friends or fans of this type of read.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely offered.

✨ The Highlights✨

- Forced Proximity
- Enemies to Lovers
- One bed
- He falls first
- Clean Rom-Com

✨ The Feels ✨

This was such a cute and charming love story! Maya was relatable, funny, and endearing. I enjoyed the banter between the main characters, the familial relationships, and Sarfaraz in general! He was just so incredibly patient and sweet. You could tell he truly cared for Maya and couldn’t help but protect her in anyway he could. I also enjoyed reading about the wedding culture! I will say I found the pacing to be a tad slow and the writing felt a bit choppy at times. It took me a bit to get invested in the story but I’m glad I did because the HEA was 🤌🏻

✨ The Spoiler Free Details ✨

Maya Mirza is a bride-to-be convinced she's cursed in matters of the heart. Despite her conviction in her romantic misfortune, Maya is poised to embark on an arranged marriage journey to Pakistan with a seemingly perfect match—a successful doctor who checks all the boxes on her list. Marriage first, love later—she's certain of the formula. However, fate has other plans in store. Along her disastrous journey to be wed, Maya befriends an unlikely, handsome 😏 stranger and finds her beliefs challenged.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of Maya's Laws of Love!

Maya is getting ready to leave Canada for her arranged marriage in Pakistan. She knows her future husband from college and its not love but she hopes it could be someday. She really just agreed to the marriage so her mother would allow her to teach abroad for 2 years in South Korea. Maya is unlucky in love and in life, so much so that she truly believes she is cursed. Through a series of unfortunate travel events, her plane is forced to land in Switzerland and she becomes closer and closer to her seatmate, Sarfaraz. Sarfaraz was rude in the airport, rude on the plane, and rude upon landing but they continue to cross paths and he begins to soften. Once they finally make it to Pakistan, will Maya be able to go through with the wedding? Or has she finally found love somewhere else?

Overall I enjoyed this novel. Maya's independence is admirable and the novel tries to highlight that as much as it can. I did feel the characters were a bit inconsistent but I think Khawaja has promise as an author and I look forward to reading her future works. My biggest issue was with Sarfaraz. He is such a jerk that I don't entirely believe Maya could come to love him. The jumps from him being a jerk to him being sweet are inconsistent and stretch belief.

I did enjoy learning about Muslim customs but I have seen other reviewers say that some of the events that happen in the story do not align with halal beliefs. I am not Muslim but even I thought as I was reading that the behaviors were not what I thought I knew were acceptable within the structures of the religion. I saw these reviews on Goodreads and encourage you to check them out if you are considering reading this book based on the religious aspects alone.

If you're looking for a cute and fun romcom that is clean, with lots of cultural influence thrown in, this is a good debut to pick up. I found it to be really fun though some of the pacing throughout the story didn't feel completely smooth. There were certainly some things that happened that weren't entirely believable, but it was still a cute read and a fun time. I think with some real work on pacing this could have been a super quick read for me and besides that the writing style was easy to read and consume. For a debut I felt like this is a great start and would look forward to seeing what else the author had in the future.

Wow! What a debut novel by Alina Khawaja!

Maya's Laws of Love is a quick-moving, witty/banter filled romantic comedy book that will keep you on your toes of someone who is cursed in life and in love. Alina informs the reader at the beginning of her book that this Desi romance is specific to her experience and her direct impact within Canadian-Pakistani culture. This is important to remember for non-Muslim readers as this book represents just a portion of a vast religion and culture.

In Maya's Laws of Love, the reader enjoys a sense of wanderlust; while, also dealing with the reality of anxiety and continuous runs of bad luck. Maya and Sarfaraz don't start out as "enemies" per se but they definitely don't get along. Which, is hard for them when they're stranded together for 11 days through Switzerland, Islamabad, and a smaller village on the way to Karachi. They travel together and learn what it means to have someone in your corner, something neither of them had for this meet cute.

Maya and Sarfaraz face danger, vulnerability, becoming creative in ways their religion/culture would NOT support, and even pretend to be fake engaged. You have grumpy/sunshine and one bed tropes to keep you occupied till Maya is reunited with her fiance, who just so happens to be Sarfaraz's half brother no one told her about.

Alina writes a powerful debut novel filled with love, wanderlust, friendship, building trust, sticking up for yourself, finding yourself, dealing with trauma, and so much more! There's a lot packed in but it is SO worth the read.

Lastly, two other things I enjoyed were the short chapters -- they just kept me hooked, and the epilogue. In a lot of romance epilogues we see down the road of our couple - maybe a baby, etc. Alina opens the epilogue with Maya returning to therapy to share about all she learned once she found love and found herself. The epilogue solidifies Maya's journey to healthy living, mental fortitude, and coping skills that benefit her and those around her. This was so unique, so powerful, and I hope I see more epilogues like this in the future.

Well done book. 5 stars. 0 chili peppers. 5 angsty bell peppers for our close-door romance readers :)
Make sure to check this book out!

I loved this forced proximity, forbidden romance, opposites attract romance that centers two Pakistani-Canadian Muslim leads.

Maya is cursed. She will forever be unlucky in love, so she's (1) created Maya's Laws (based on Murphy's Law) to dictate her choices and (2) has agreed to an arranged marriage with a man she likes ok, but does not love. On her way to the wedding, in Pakistan, everything that can go wrong with travel does and she increasingly relies on her grumpy seat mate Sarfaraz. Despite her unluckiness, Maya is a firm believer in love and soul mates; grumpy Sarfaraz who is a divorce attorney does not believe in such things. But as they spend time together stranded in a foreign country, Maya starts to feel things for him that she's never felt before and that she certainly doesn't feel for her intended. Can Maya finally be lucky in love?

I loved the interspersing of Maya & Sarfaraz's religion and Pakistani heritage in the ways they interacted with each other and those they meet in their journey. This is a no-spice romance because of their religion, but it didn't feel judgy in ANY way for those who make different choices. This was true as well in the nuanced conversations about arranged vs. love matches. I also absolutely felt the growing love between Sarfaraz and Maya throughout their adventures and I am an absolute softie for a "he's a grump for everyone but her". Both Maya and Sarfaraz have complicated family situations and I loved the way in which they both grew from their hard pasts as well. It did start off a bit slowly, but once Maya was en route to Pakistan in picked up quickly. If you're looking for a new South Asian author to add to your TBR, I very much recommend Khawaja!

Anyone who has ever found that the “course of true love never did run smooth” is certain to want to read this book. It is a story that will make readers hope for Maya’s happiness. She has certainly had a difficult time finding her one and then facing dilemmas. For example, should she go through with her arranged marriage? Is a divorce lawyer a good marriage prospect? How many things can go wrong on the way to Pakistan? The pages just turn quickly in this book making it a perfect pick for when a pick me up kind of book is what is needed.

Mirza is convinced she is cursed to have bad luck for the rest of her life, especially in love. She lives her life by a set of 'laws' that explain her bad luck.

She is about to be married and is on route to her destination wedding in Pakistan, but it is a disaster from the start. Her seatmate ends up being a grumpy lawyer, that as mishap after mishap happens ends up being her travel companion through a grounded flight, an unexpected stop in Switzerland, a bus breakdown, and more. They get very close over the tumultuous journey, and Maya starts to doubt who is the right guy for her.

I think this book was so well executed. I loved reading a book about a culture that is different to my own. The love story was so well paced, and you could feel as the characters fell in love over the length of the novel. The main characters grew over time and it all felt so organic. There was such a good balance of romance, serious topics, humour, culture, and growth.