What an amazing retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion. I was immediately enthralled by the cast of characters, especially Nada. She is chipper with her family and friends, but she also hides a lot of herself and her pain. She has unresolved hurt, trauma, trust issues due to working with her mother's former best friend Sister Rusul and her son Haneef. But, she also has a secret, to do with Baz, that has eaten away at her for years and caused her to feel she deserved all the bad that she had received. Baz and Nada were so lovely together. I loved jumping into the past incrementally as you experience their conversations and interactions in the present. Both are stubborn, and Baz is too proud, to really try to fix the rift between them. It takes lots of background shenanigans for them to finally realize how foolish they have both been. But it also shows how much growth they both went through within the six years they were apart, and possibly how much they needed it in order to finally find out what they wanted for themselves and their futures. The side story involving Haleema was really well written and added more depth to the main plotline. I liked that Haleema was experiencing misgivings in her relationship, while Nada was reliving her own heartbreak. Nada was able to more fully understand herself through her friend, but also help her friend knowing her own mistakes and regrets. It made their relationship stronger, highlighting the power of female dynamics. I especially love Nada's interference in terms of Zayn, because of her own past, but also her learning and accepting and actually acknowledging her own pre-judgements in order to help both Haleema and Zayn. This is also a book that really highlights the close-knit Muslim community in Toronto, with plenty of call-backs to Jalaluddin's other books and characters. There is so much love for the Muslim community in this book, highlighting the diversity, but also the similarities and the connections of all those within the faith. Nada and Baz are observant Muslims, who are devoted to their faith, their family, and each other. This books is superb and everyone should read it and fall in love with these two lovestruck sweethearts.
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