While I appreciated the diverse characters and the interesting take on rom coms and fantasy, I thought some of writing felt clunky and I that I wanted to finish it to be done, not because I wanted the HEA but because I found that this was hard to keep my interest.

Title? Good.
Cover ? Good.
Read ? Ok.

Magical realism in a contemporary setting. The FMC’s literary and career goals seem to be insurmountable at the start of the book. Until, “he” appears. And, while there are some moments, it also was wasn’t difficult to put down.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


#WritingMrRight #NetGalley

At a crisis point in her personal and professional life, a thirty-year-old Muslim legal secretary Ziya gives up on her dream of becoming a writer. The next morning, a handsome male muse shows up to help her write the very book we’re reading and take care of her with magic. This is a fun premise until he whips out a magic credit card, the equivalent of making a pile of gold appear. If he can do that—poof, story over. The author makes it overly clear that she is writing a person of color main character like herself, which is great and something we need to see more of. However, her character does not sound 30. The last after-school special aired in 1977. For her to have seen one after school would make her at least 54. From what I’ve read elsewhere, this magic situation doesn’t work for a devout Muslim either. Miracles are a sign for people to listen to prophets, and since Mohammad is the final prophet and the Qur’an his final miracle, any other supernatural act is from the enemy. Muslims are not even allowed to communicate with djinn because those who try to speak to us are followers of Iblis. Lastly, how did they create a birth certificate and high-school transcript high-quality enough to fool lawyers without magic?

Mechanically, the novel reads like the draft of a first book. For entire chapters, she avoids the word “say” at all costs (berate, tell, speak, snort, points out, allow, add, press, demand, argue) and then starts using it suddenly later. The sentence structures are unvaried, with most paragraphs on each page beginning the same way. A lot of descriptive phrases made no sense or jangled:
His cheeks widening
His lips appear soft as he curls them inward
A long earthy wet breath
Excitement immediately mellowed
confusion worrying his eyes
He sucks his cheeks in and then speaks.

Enough negatives. It was a sweet story I just couldn’t enjoy. I couldn't find this book on Goodreads, but several other books had the same title.

This book needs to go on everyone’s TBR lists! It was absolutely darling! Just completely full of adorable moments, and characters you will not want to see go. Just an incredible read! It’d be a fun book club pick.

This was a delightful and positively unique read. The magical elements provided a fun and fresh concept to the plot. This book was both inspiring and tense, witty and serious, and romantic and light hearted.

For all those who like their romance with a twist of fantasy, this one’s for you.

3.75/5

This was a cute romance, with a unique plot. It had diverse characters and the story was relatable. It has a great mix of finding yourself but also falling in love.

A very cute and cozy romance with great themes about self care and finding your muse. I loved the twist on magic. I also really enjoy reading books that celebrate a writer's culture that could be different from my own so there were a few things added in I had to Google to see what they were. I found it super fun. Mostly food dishes, sayings, and a couple other things. The characters were very well developed and delivered. I felt like I understand every motivation from the main character and she came across very clear. I related to her in a lot of ways, considering I'm an aspiring writer too. It was a very lovely read.

For anyone who cherishes stories where self-discovery, love, and the art of storytelling intertwine, this book is an absolute must-read. It's not just a story; it's an experience that leaves a lasting impression. This is perfect for fans of Ashley Poston!

The writing is refreshingly engaging, weaving humor and romance. I loved the chemistry between Ziya and Aashiq —their sweet, playful banter adds a delightful dynamic that keeps you turning pages.

This book is a delightful mix of magic, romance, and self-discovery. The exploration of Ziya’s personal growth is the heart of the novel, and the way Aashiq challenges her to step out of her comfort zone is inspiring. The writing is engaging, blending humor and romance with a touch of magic. Their chemistry is undeniably sweet, and their banter brings a charming dynamic to the story. If you’re a fan of stories where self-discovery, love, and the beauty of writing take center stage, this one’s a must-read.

Who doesn’t love a cozy romance. This was a great read, with great characters, I loved how the story felt relatable. Romance can be hit or miss with me because of the spice, it needs to make sense when it happens and sometimes it can be too much but this was the right mix of romance and tension and I loved it.

good romance book about falling in love with the muse and writing romance and finding love and enjoying the job