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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved it!
I have been reading a lot of South Asian romances lately, being drawn to different perspectives they provide. I'll admit that I am always hesitant when a book has widespread acclaim because sometimes I'm disappointed more often than not. This was not one of those times. I love this book! It's super funny and breathtakingly romantic. But most importantly for me, it felt real and honest despite being a work of fiction. I highly recommend.
I have been reading a lot of South Asian romances lately, being drawn to different perspectives they provide. I'll admit that I am always hesitant when a book has widespread acclaim because sometimes I'm disappointed more often than not. This was not one of those times. I love this book! It's super funny and breathtakingly romantic. But most importantly for me, it felt real and honest despite being a work of fiction. I highly recommend.
This was such a great Pride and Prejudice retelling!
The perfect blend of sweet and swoony, this modern retelling was everything my P&P obsessed heart needed. I especially loved that this was centered around Muslim characters and family's. It was so great getting to learn about Ayesha and Khalid's culture and different (but also very relatable) perspectives on marriage, life and love.
From nearly the first page, I was completely drawn in and I found myself unable to put this book down for hours. I read this nearly in one sitting and I was stunned when I would pause to drink water or check the time only to realize that I hadn't moved in hours. Ayesha is such a relatable character and I love that throughout this book we get to go on this journey with not only Ayesha but Khalid as well and watch them grow.
So why 4 stars? Around 75% into the book I started to lose my steam a bit and things started to drag a little. Not that it wasn't enjoyable, because I still was having a great time but at the same time I was starting to become impatient to have all the drama end already. I also wish there was a bit more romance in this book. Because of the plot and the characters, I knew that this wasn't going to be a steamy read by any means and the little moments we got made my heart skip a beat a few times but still...I wanted a little more. And finally, my last (and this is a bit silly) complaint is the emphasis the book seemed to put on Ayesha's age and how she's this "old maiden" and too old for the hero even though she's only a year older than him. I do understand it, and understand that it's a cultural thing but after the second time, it became a bit annoying.
Ayesha at Last was a fantastic debut from the author and is the perfect romance to read if you're a fan of Pride and Prejudice and looking for a more modern take, that still sticks to all the things we love most about the classic. I cannot wait to read more from this author!
*Arc given in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
fast-paced
I read this book rather quickly. It was a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice--I have previously read another modern retelling and that one I was unimpressed by. This one was told through the eyes of the Muslim community in Toronto. Having lived in Toronto for 6 years, I loved the references that I got. She also is a contributor to my local newspaper as well. I also liked the modern spin on the tale--it felt like the story but in modern times. I also liked the look into the Muslim culture, which I am not apart of but was interesting to see the nuances of it nonetheless.
If you don't know the story of Pride and Prejudice, it is basically a romantic comedy that has a lot of pitfalls along the way. It was the lovely summer read that took me 3 books to get one (some promised a romance and lighter read all to find it was far darker in content). A lovely retelling of an old favorite that I recommend for anyone who wants a lighter read or a fan of Pride and Prejudice.
If you don't know the story of Pride and Prejudice, it is basically a romantic comedy that has a lot of pitfalls along the way. It was the lovely summer read that took me 3 books to get one (some promised a romance and lighter read all to find it was far darker in content). A lovely retelling of an old favorite that I recommend for anyone who wants a lighter read or a fan of Pride and Prejudice.
Enjoyed this one. Learned a lot about Muslim culture, family, and the difficulty of dealing with stereotypes for Muslim men and women. However, I am giving this a 3 stars due to the ending that felt a little mashed together.