AYESHA AT LAST was an absolute delight. Tight storylines with delicious layers of complications gave a solid nod Pride and Prejudice, but the fresh Muslim take and Canadian setting created a fun and touching story that stands on its own. I got attached to the main characters pretty quickly and then held on for the emotional rollercoaster. Because for real, there were a ton of moving parts.
The back jacket, from goodreads:
Pride and Prejudice with a modern twist
AYESHA SHAMSI has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty younger cousin, Hafsa, is close to rejecting her one hundredth marriage proposal. Though Ayesha is lonely, she doesn’t want an arranged marriage. Then she meets Khalid who is just as smart and handsome as he is conservative and judgmental. She is irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices and dresses like he belongs in the seventh century.
When a surprise engagement between Khalid and Hafsa is announced, Ayesha is torn between how she feels about the straightforward Khalid and his family; and the truth she realizes about herself. But Khalid is also wrestling with what he believes and what he wants. And he just can’t get this beautiful, outspoken woman out of his mind.
AYESHA SHAMSI has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty younger cousin, Hafsa, is close to rejecting her one hundredth marriage proposal. Though Ayesha is lonely, she doesn’t want an arranged marriage. Then she meets Khalid who is just as smart and handsome as he is conservative and judgmental. She is irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices and dresses like he belongs in the seventh century.
When a surprise engagement between Khalid and Hafsa is announced, Ayesha is torn between how she feels about the straightforward Khalid and his family; and the truth she realizes about herself. But Khalid is also wrestling with what he believes and what he wants. And he just can’t get this beautiful, outspoken woman out of his mind.
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As AYESHA AT LAST is a retelling-ish tale, I was aware of the general progression of events, but then something awesome happened: I totally forgot them. Confused? Me too! Haha! It was remarkable, really, because every so often, there’d be a heavy reference that reminded me of the connection to Pride and Prejudice and I’d think: Oh riiiiiight. Bennet and Darcy. Those two.
Because these characters felt like real people I could to run into on the street. So quirky and honest and endearing that before long, they became friends. Each cast member, from Ayesha to Khalid and everyone in between, were well-rounded, authentic characters who never felt like they existed solely to tell Ayesha and Khalid’s stories. And isn’t that the best?
All cover images: Shutterstock
Then there was Khalid. Grounded in religion, Khalid’s personality worked as the total opposite to Ayesha’s. A man of rigid faith, his stern nature immediately repelled Ayesha, despite Ayesha’s appreciation of his physical appearance. Mr. Darcy was never more religious than most, his uppity demeanour stemming from privilege and wealth, which made Khalid all the more interesting. His somewhat stifled life, one where he did was he was told and held himself to the highest of standards, immediately had me sympathizing with him. Between Ayesha and Khalid, the latter’s journey proved more captivating, more significant. Because while Ayesha had people in her corner who encouraged her to express herself and be true to her dreams, Khalid had no such support. His obedience was a given, which made his choice to take another path all the more powerful.
As a special bonus treat, the awesome folks at HarperCollins Canada have offered a copy for me to give away! Check out my Instagram account to enter! Giveaway closes on July 20.
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For this mani, I used:
ORLY – Skinny Dip
FingerPaints - Black Expressionism and Paper Mache
FingerPaints - Black Expressionism and Paper Mache
China Glaze – Werk It Honey and Water-Falling in Love
OPI – A Good Man-Darin is Hard to Find and matte topcoat
Glisten and Glow – topcoat
So Nailicious – needle brush
Small dotting tool
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