About the Book: A mesmerizing debut novel set in a tightly knit Pakistani American community where a young doctor gets an unexpected second chance with the first love she never got over when he becomes one of the most eligible bachelors in town.
The Ibrahim family is facing a crucial moment: Their patriarch just lost his fortune as the result of a Ponzi scheme, and the family is picking up the pieces. At the family’s core is Asma—successful doctor and the long-suffering middle daughter who stepped into the family center after the death of her beloved mother years ago. Despite what the prying aunties think, Asma is living the life she has always wanted, fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming a doctor . . . or so she thinks.
In walks Farooq Waheed, Asma’s college sweetheart whose proposal was cruelly rejected by Asma’s aunt and father. Now, eight years later, Farooq has made his fortune by selling his Silicon Valley startup and is widely considered one of the most eligible bachelors in California. As he enters Asma’s social orbit, she finds herself navigating a tricky landscape—her pushy sisters, gossiping aunties, and her father’s expectations—on her path to reconciling the past and winning Farooq back in the present. If there is still time.
About the Author: Nura Maznavi is a writer, lawyer, and the editor of the groundbreaking anthologies Love, InshAllah: The Secret Love Lives of American Muslim Women and Salaam, Love: American Muslim Men on Love, Sex & Intimacy. She lives in Southern California with her husband and three children.SEEMA’s View: A charming closed-door romance that offers a heartfelt glimpse into Muslim Pakistani culture, complete with meddling aunties, family expectations, and the weight of tradition. The writing is engaging, and the cultural insights are both eye-opening and relatable. The story beautifully reinforces the idea that happiness looks different for everyone and that sometimes, the best path is the one led by your own heart.
