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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
This was such a delightful book! It’s loose retelling of Pride and Prejudice with a bit of Shakespearean mistaken identity thrown in. The character parallels are obvious when each character is introduced, so it’s fun to see the new characters compare to the old. I was a little disappointed there wasn’t a strong parallel to Mr. Collins though. There are just a few lines taken directly or almost directly from P&P, which added to my enjoyment because the were like finding Easter eggs.
It’s been awhile since I throughly enjoyed a book like I did this one.
It’s been awhile since I throughly enjoyed a book like I did this one.
I enjoyed this much more than Pride, and I always like reading about cultures with which I am not familiar. Because I am an athiest, I found the piousness of Khalid a little off-putting, but that's a not-you-it's-me scenario. Overall, the pace was a little slow for me, and I was never enthralled. I'm not sure if that's because religion turns me off in general. I do feel it's good for me to read depictions of religion, as long as it's not preachy, and this wasn't.
On these retellings - I feel fairy-tale adaptations do it better, because they're not so beholden to the original. Inspired by [b:Pride and Prejudice|1885|Pride and Prejudice|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320399351l/1885._SY75_.jpg|3060926], great! You don't have to include the same lines, similar character names, etc. This book adapted the narrative a little better than others, just because Jalauddin gave herself permission to edit and replace some tenets of the original. My rambling point is that I love to read adaptations, but I don't think they need to be close to the original - just be inspired and leave the original lines and characters in the source.
On these retellings - I feel fairy-tale adaptations do it better, because they're not so beholden to the original. Inspired by [b:Pride and Prejudice|1885|Pride and Prejudice|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320399351l/1885._SY75_.jpg|3060926], great! You don't have to include the same lines, similar character names, etc. This book adapted the narrative a little better than others, just because Jalauddin gave herself permission to edit and replace some tenets of the original. My rambling point is that I love to read adaptations, but I don't think they need to be close to the original - just be inspired and leave the original lines and characters in the source.
my first book in while that was set up in a Muslim community, i really like the setup, i had learned alot and how we face many insecurities about our decision and what we have to do either because of our family thoughts or what will the world will think about us and how it affects our view on the world and us as human being, first i learned that not ever arranged marriage is the worst, and not every not arranged marriage is the best, things have to go with the flow and what are we feeling and never really push ourselves to do things we don't believe in, we need to really be comfortable with our own skin and never hesitate to really face the world with the things we believe in but never ever hurt anyone or accuses anyone of anything cz it will back fire on you,, and that believing in allah and that is everything is going to be better and that you have him in your heart the whole time, you are at your right place just walk forward never down or backward. And i learned love can make things change in a great and beautiful way or can ruin you, we need always to include our mind in everything but at the same time we need to let our heart leads so never hesitate and do what it feels right to do. Also i learned about how Muslim community suffer outside from many factor money, treatments and how sometimes you just feel hopeless and don't know what to do but somehow things will be right at the end somehow
Let's move to the story the story starts with two types of people Ayesha who is trying to be the best daughter and return the favor for her uncle who helped them when their father died, as she is helping her cousin many times she gets to meet Khalid the one person around her who is stuck with the traditional Muslims clothes and style and he is being judge from everyone around him even at his work even though he does his work perfectly and he is so broken from his sister that was sent to India years ago with no good reason at all just to get married to a random guy over there , Everything was kind of okay and going well until Ayesha cousin starts to get marriage proposals, and Ayesha and Khaled paths met in many ways either not very good ones or very good ones as they start to fall in llove with each other but they were faced with many things from the people around them that let them fall out from each other and just turn on each others back but at the end things well be better somehow.
Let's move to the characters:
Ayesha my fav character the girl who is good girl strong one who is trying to pay the debt for her uncle who had helped them move to canda as she is teaching helping her cousin to be sane and just watch over her, this girl know what she wants and really represent the modern muslim girls who does everything well and who loves from their heart deeply , who loves to help everyone and just become an independent and strong while keeping her faith straight, the only way for her to express her feeling was her poetry as no one was around her for most of the time and that was a process for her to know herself and somehow she felt familiar as i also write poetry to say whatever on my mind as no one might hear me. She is my favorite i learned alot from her.
Khalid the guy who is traditional in thoughts and clothes with big heart the fits everyone, he gets judged by his boss for the way he dresses and the way he looks but he was really firm on his believes as long as it doesn't hurt anyone he doesn't need to change anything and no one can get him to change this thought (strength in what you believe is important so never hesitate), also his love for Ayesha is so pure that he doesn't know how to deal with her in anyway and what he should do to make her his, as all they did when they met was fighting in many ways and just this fighting has led them to fall in love with each other, but he had to face the arranged marriage his mom has set him up to as he figured that Hafsa that he known wasn't Hafsa Ayesha ) the one he knows and that when things goes down to him , the way he manages to go back up again was really amazing, he is the best man you could find sweet straight tries to be good even though he might do mistakes sometimes.
Hafsa the version of our madness during our fresh year in life we just wanna break the rules and do what we feel like and just have the best time of our lives not thinking of other, but big things can come upon our way and just let us grow up over night without us thinking but at the same time we are able to keep our freshness alive cz we will get someone who will help us to be this way.
Amer is the guy version of Hafsa and how he was all he thought about was his drinks and girl and how he changed at the end after what Khaled has been through that he witnessed in his eyes.
Sheila the version who hates Muslim and judge them by their look and how her acts affects many people around her and that her actions will only led her to lose the greatness she would have of she decided to get to know them better, never think of person wrong if you don't really know them.
after all i really enjoyed reading this book thanks for the girl who recommend me the book.
Let's move to the quotes:
She was a petite woman with a round face and dreamy smile, skin a golden burnished copper that glowed in the sullen March morning.
It is not appropriate to stare at women, no matter how interesting their purple hijabs, Khalid reminded himsel
Her hands nervously smoothed the top of her purple hijab.
Part of both worlds, yet part of neither, she thought
I can’t do this.
This thing that I should do.
I can do this.
This thing I don’t want to do.
I want to be away, weaving words of truth.
Not here, trapped between desk and freedom and family
So easy, so simple, to find the one person who would cherish and protect your heart forever. Everything came easy for Hafsa
“When do you get to be happy?”
“People are intimidated by a woman in power, Clara. They think it goes against the natural order of things. But the world is changing, and it’s important that we embrace the transformation. You grew up in Newfoundland
“This is just an illusion, as is most of reality. This is not a cigarette. I am not hiding from Nani and waiting for you. And you are not working too hard. We are all just cosmic players in the eternal dance of life.
What do you see when you think of me,
A figure cloaked in mystery
With eyes downcast and hair covered,
An oppressed woman yet to be discovered?
Do you see backward nations and swirling sand,
Humpbacked camels and the domineering man
Whirling veils and terrorists
Or maybe fanatic fundamentalists?
Do you see scorn and hatred locked
Within my eyes and soul,
Or perhaps a profound ignorance of all the world as a whole
Yet . . .
You fail to see
The dignified persona
Of a woman wrapped in maturity.
The scarf on my head
Does not cover my brain.
I think, I speak, but still you refrain
From accepting my ideals, my type of dress,
You refuse to believe
That I am not oppressed.
So the question remains:
What do I see when I think of you?
I see another human being
Who doesn’t have a clue
Marriage is not a bad thing, if you find the right person and your judgment isn’t clouded by emotion
Nani was jealous of my collection. She said I loved it more than her. She was wrong, of course. I brought her when we moved, not my books.
It is always good to analyze your niyyah—your intention—before making decisions. The Prophet Muhammad, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘Actions are judged by intentions, and everyone will have what they intended.’ So be clear of your motivations, Khalid
“What I really want is to be happy and free. I don’t think I’m going to be either of those things
“Oh, honey, nobody knows how this thing works. It just happens. Your heart and gut take over, and your mind has to go along with them, because it’s going to happen no matter what. Sometimes you get a sign, and sometimes the sign gets you.
Khalid’s smile transformed his face, like a cold room warmed by a portable heater.
Hafsa’s poem came back to him again. What do you see when you look at me? He saw her onstage again: eyes that missed nothing and looked at him with irritation and humour, full of life. When he looked at her, he was not sure what he saw.
But he was starting to feel something
Ayesha tried to shake off that shallow thought, but it lingered. She was twenty-seven years old, still young for so many things. Too young to die, too young not to start over. Still young enough to live with her family
“I would rather you stay single for the rest of your life than quote that fool poet and think the world is a comedy when it always turns out to be a tragedy.” She walked upstairs, wiping her eyes
Love comes after marriage, not before. Whatever you feel for someone before marriage is just attraction and chemistry. It’s not real.” He looked up at her. She looked irritated
like she wanted to fry his beard with lightning bolts. No other man had ever roused that much emotion in Ayesha, ever
She felt safe and comfortable beside him. You are good and kind and wholly unexpected, she thought with surprise
we were so happy. When he died, I thought I would die too.
The path was clear. It was time to start walking
Standing before your friends and family and pledging your love and loyalty is an essential ingredient for a long-lasting union
Better three hours too soon than a minute too late
What about the way he looked at you? What about the pull between you? What about that night you looked up at the stars together, outside Clara’s condo?
Ayesha pushed these unhelpful thoughts away. Hafsa was the princess, and princesses always got their happily-ever-afters. Ayesha was the one left wearing the itchy, uncomfortable dress and running last-minute errands, watching as everyone around her got exactly what they wanted
When I think of you, I see my future
“‘We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.’
What should he do? Ammi had promised his hand in marriage; he was getting exactly what he said he wanted. Except now he didn’t want it anymore
People don’t understand how difficult it can be to forge your own path and take risks. We can’t all hide in our classrooms.
Khalid was in love with Ayesha, and every second spent without her was wasted
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fool
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing
She snatched her car keys from his numb fingers and drove out of his life
Shame washed over Khalid in great, heaving waves, and he wanted to bury his face in his hands, but he still couldn’t move.
He was such a fool
“I know it hurts now, and it will probably hurt tomorrow, but eventually, like maybe after a few years, you’ll get over it.
“I was so afraid of losing Ayesha I didn’t think things through. It’s not enough to find someone you love. You have to be ready for that love, and ready to make changes to welcome it into your life.
“I have been married for over twenty-five years, and my wife and I are vastly different people. I think the reason we are still married and happy, most of the time, is because we have learned to forgive each other for not being the Ideal. We accept each other’s limitations.
I have come to realize you are a loyal, intelligent, outspoken person who has made great sacrifices for the people you love and the principles you live by. That is the definition of faith in my mind
Sometimes it is also hard to breathe.”
Don’t be fooled by flattery, she told herself severely. He’s still a judgmental jerk
When disaster struck, the world kept turning.
“If I do not weed my garden, my beloved flowers will die, asphyxiated by vicious forces whose only goal is colonization. If you choose to plant the flowers, you make a choice to be responsible over other living things. Khalid is not a man who takes his responsibilities lightly.
“You know what I just realized? I’m the one who found love after marriage, and you’re the one who fell in love first.
prayers floated up to heaven. Sometimes they hung around here on earth and waited for you
He started laughing, and the ugly sound bounced off the concrete walls. “Of course you did. He even looks like a villain. You swallowed every word because in your heart, you don’t trust him, and you never will
You’re better than this, Hafs. I know you are. You don’t need to be married to matter, you don’t need a man’s attention to be loved and you don’t need to run away to teach us a lesson. We love you, but you treat us like dirt.”
Love Comes from Below
The words fall from above, dust in an old house
Coating everything, blurring lines, softening forms, covering up
Love rises, a well filled for the first time,
Drop by drop
Transparent and clean, giver of hope and life
I see you now.
I see myself.
I see us.
I’m ready
For something new
“Just remember to pack light. Dreams tend to shatter if you’re carrying other people’s hopes around with you
try not to think about the perfectly good job she had thrown away because of something a man she had decided never to talk to again had written in a letter she couldn’t forget
You really need to open yourself up to the possibility of loss and gain. The world of wrestling is full of psychological complexity. Masood said if people understood it better, they would have a better understanding of themselve
Maybe they bonded over their broken heart
“You’ve been looking for her all your life. When you find her, I hope you will remember my words: Always dream together, raja. Always leave space in your life to grow and soften.
“My favourite are the comedies. Weddings are such a cheerful way to end a story, don’t you think? So full of hope and promise. And love
Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove: O, no! It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken.’”
When my father died, my mother fell apart,” Ayesha said. “She cried for weeks, and when we moved to Canada, she didn’t get out of bed for a long time. If that was love, I wanted no part. Love takes your heart and leaves you with nothing. It makes you forget your children, your family. It steals your very self. So I closed off my heart, telling myself I was better without it. Nothing could be worth such pain. That’s why I fought so hard when I realized I was falling for you.
“I asked you a question, at the wrong time and the wrong place and in the worst possible way. I was devastated when you refused me, but you were right
Let's move to the story the story starts with two types of people Ayesha who is trying to be the best daughter and return the favor for her uncle who helped them when their father died, as she is helping her cousin many times she gets to meet Khalid the one person around her who is stuck with the traditional Muslims clothes and style and he is being judge from everyone around him even at his work even though he does his work perfectly and he is so broken from his sister that was sent to India years ago with no good reason at all just to get married to a random guy over there , Everything was kind of okay and going well until Ayesha cousin starts to get marriage proposals, and Ayesha and Khaled paths met in many ways either not very good ones or very good ones as they start to fall in llove with each other but they were faced with many things from the people around them that let them fall out from each other and just turn on each others back but at the end things well be better somehow.
Let's move to the characters:
Ayesha my fav character the girl who is good girl strong one who is trying to pay the debt for her uncle who had helped them move to canda as she is teaching helping her cousin to be sane and just watch over her, this girl know what she wants and really represent the modern muslim girls who does everything well and who loves from their heart deeply , who loves to help everyone and just become an independent and strong while keeping her faith straight, the only way for her to express her feeling was her poetry as no one was around her for most of the time and that was a process for her to know herself and somehow she felt familiar as i also write poetry to say whatever on my mind as no one might hear me. She is my favorite i learned alot from her.
Khalid the guy who is traditional in thoughts and clothes with big heart the fits everyone, he gets judged by his boss for the way he dresses and the way he looks but he was really firm on his believes as long as it doesn't hurt anyone he doesn't need to change anything and no one can get him to change this thought (strength in what you believe is important so never hesitate), also his love for Ayesha is so pure that he doesn't know how to deal with her in anyway and what he should do to make her his, as all they did when they met was fighting in many ways and just this fighting has led them to fall in love with each other, but he had to face the arranged marriage his mom has set him up to as he figured that Hafsa that he known wasn't Hafsa Ayesha ) the one he knows and that when things goes down to him , the way he manages to go back up again was really amazing, he is the best man you could find sweet straight tries to be good even though he might do mistakes sometimes.
Hafsa the version of our madness during our fresh year in life we just wanna break the rules and do what we feel like and just have the best time of our lives not thinking of other, but big things can come upon our way and just let us grow up over night without us thinking but at the same time we are able to keep our freshness alive cz we will get someone who will help us to be this way.
Amer is the guy version of Hafsa and how he was all he thought about was his drinks and girl and how he changed at the end after what Khaled has been through that he witnessed in his eyes.
Sheila the version who hates Muslim and judge them by their look and how her acts affects many people around her and that her actions will only led her to lose the greatness she would have of she decided to get to know them better, never think of person wrong if you don't really know them.
after all i really enjoyed reading this book thanks for the girl who recommend me the book.
Let's move to the quotes:
She was a petite woman with a round face and dreamy smile, skin a golden burnished copper that glowed in the sullen March morning.
It is not appropriate to stare at women, no matter how interesting their purple hijabs, Khalid reminded himsel
Her hands nervously smoothed the top of her purple hijab.
Part of both worlds, yet part of neither, she thought
I can’t do this.
This thing that I should do.
I can do this.
This thing I don’t want to do.
I want to be away, weaving words of truth.
Not here, trapped between desk and freedom and family
So easy, so simple, to find the one person who would cherish and protect your heart forever. Everything came easy for Hafsa
“When do you get to be happy?”
“People are intimidated by a woman in power, Clara. They think it goes against the natural order of things. But the world is changing, and it’s important that we embrace the transformation. You grew up in Newfoundland
“This is just an illusion, as is most of reality. This is not a cigarette. I am not hiding from Nani and waiting for you. And you are not working too hard. We are all just cosmic players in the eternal dance of life.
What do you see when you think of me,
A figure cloaked in mystery
With eyes downcast and hair covered,
An oppressed woman yet to be discovered?
Do you see backward nations and swirling sand,
Humpbacked camels and the domineering man
Whirling veils and terrorists
Or maybe fanatic fundamentalists?
Do you see scorn and hatred locked
Within my eyes and soul,
Or perhaps a profound ignorance of all the world as a whole
Yet . . .
You fail to see
The dignified persona
Of a woman wrapped in maturity.
The scarf on my head
Does not cover my brain.
I think, I speak, but still you refrain
From accepting my ideals, my type of dress,
You refuse to believe
That I am not oppressed.
So the question remains:
What do I see when I think of you?
I see another human being
Who doesn’t have a clue
Marriage is not a bad thing, if you find the right person and your judgment isn’t clouded by emotion
Nani was jealous of my collection. She said I loved it more than her. She was wrong, of course. I brought her when we moved, not my books.
It is always good to analyze your niyyah—your intention—before making decisions. The Prophet Muhammad, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘Actions are judged by intentions, and everyone will have what they intended.’ So be clear of your motivations, Khalid
“What I really want is to be happy and free. I don’t think I’m going to be either of those things
“Oh, honey, nobody knows how this thing works. It just happens. Your heart and gut take over, and your mind has to go along with them, because it’s going to happen no matter what. Sometimes you get a sign, and sometimes the sign gets you.
Khalid’s smile transformed his face, like a cold room warmed by a portable heater.
Hafsa’s poem came back to him again. What do you see when you look at me? He saw her onstage again: eyes that missed nothing and looked at him with irritation and humour, full of life. When he looked at her, he was not sure what he saw.
But he was starting to feel something
Ayesha tried to shake off that shallow thought, but it lingered. She was twenty-seven years old, still young for so many things. Too young to die, too young not to start over. Still young enough to live with her family
“I would rather you stay single for the rest of your life than quote that fool poet and think the world is a comedy when it always turns out to be a tragedy.” She walked upstairs, wiping her eyes
Love comes after marriage, not before. Whatever you feel for someone before marriage is just attraction and chemistry. It’s not real.” He looked up at her. She looked irritated
like she wanted to fry his beard with lightning bolts. No other man had ever roused that much emotion in Ayesha, ever
She felt safe and comfortable beside him. You are good and kind and wholly unexpected, she thought with surprise
we were so happy. When he died, I thought I would die too.
The path was clear. It was time to start walking
Standing before your friends and family and pledging your love and loyalty is an essential ingredient for a long-lasting union
Better three hours too soon than a minute too late
What about the way he looked at you? What about the pull between you? What about that night you looked up at the stars together, outside Clara’s condo?
Ayesha pushed these unhelpful thoughts away. Hafsa was the princess, and princesses always got their happily-ever-afters. Ayesha was the one left wearing the itchy, uncomfortable dress and running last-minute errands, watching as everyone around her got exactly what they wanted
When I think of you, I see my future
“‘We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.’
What should he do? Ammi had promised his hand in marriage; he was getting exactly what he said he wanted. Except now he didn’t want it anymore
People don’t understand how difficult it can be to forge your own path and take risks. We can’t all hide in our classrooms.
Khalid was in love with Ayesha, and every second spent without her was wasted
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fool
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing
She snatched her car keys from his numb fingers and drove out of his life
Shame washed over Khalid in great, heaving waves, and he wanted to bury his face in his hands, but he still couldn’t move.
He was such a fool
“I know it hurts now, and it will probably hurt tomorrow, but eventually, like maybe after a few years, you’ll get over it.
“I was so afraid of losing Ayesha I didn’t think things through. It’s not enough to find someone you love. You have to be ready for that love, and ready to make changes to welcome it into your life.
“I have been married for over twenty-five years, and my wife and I are vastly different people. I think the reason we are still married and happy, most of the time, is because we have learned to forgive each other for not being the Ideal. We accept each other’s limitations.
I have come to realize you are a loyal, intelligent, outspoken person who has made great sacrifices for the people you love and the principles you live by. That is the definition of faith in my mind
Sometimes it is also hard to breathe.”
Don’t be fooled by flattery, she told herself severely. He’s still a judgmental jerk
When disaster struck, the world kept turning.
“If I do not weed my garden, my beloved flowers will die, asphyxiated by vicious forces whose only goal is colonization. If you choose to plant the flowers, you make a choice to be responsible over other living things. Khalid is not a man who takes his responsibilities lightly.
“You know what I just realized? I’m the one who found love after marriage, and you’re the one who fell in love first.
prayers floated up to heaven. Sometimes they hung around here on earth and waited for you
He started laughing, and the ugly sound bounced off the concrete walls. “Of course you did. He even looks like a villain. You swallowed every word because in your heart, you don’t trust him, and you never will
You’re better than this, Hafs. I know you are. You don’t need to be married to matter, you don’t need a man’s attention to be loved and you don’t need to run away to teach us a lesson. We love you, but you treat us like dirt.”
Love Comes from Below
The words fall from above, dust in an old house
Coating everything, blurring lines, softening forms, covering up
Love rises, a well filled for the first time,
Drop by drop
Transparent and clean, giver of hope and life
I see you now.
I see myself.
I see us.
I’m ready
For something new
“Just remember to pack light. Dreams tend to shatter if you’re carrying other people’s hopes around with you
try not to think about the perfectly good job she had thrown away because of something a man she had decided never to talk to again had written in a letter she couldn’t forget
You really need to open yourself up to the possibility of loss and gain. The world of wrestling is full of psychological complexity. Masood said if people understood it better, they would have a better understanding of themselve
Maybe they bonded over their broken heart
“You’ve been looking for her all your life. When you find her, I hope you will remember my words: Always dream together, raja. Always leave space in your life to grow and soften.
“My favourite are the comedies. Weddings are such a cheerful way to end a story, don’t you think? So full of hope and promise. And love
Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove: O, no! It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken.’”
When my father died, my mother fell apart,” Ayesha said. “She cried for weeks, and when we moved to Canada, she didn’t get out of bed for a long time. If that was love, I wanted no part. Love takes your heart and leaves you with nothing. It makes you forget your children, your family. It steals your very self. So I closed off my heart, telling myself I was better without it. Nothing could be worth such pain. That’s why I fought so hard when I realized I was falling for you.
“I asked you a question, at the wrong time and the wrong place and in the worst possible way. I was devastated when you refused me, but you were right
I'm usually wary of Pride and Prejudice retellings, but this was just about perfect.
A Muslim-Canadian Pride and Prejudice retelling with a Shakespearean flare. While I felt that a few plot elements and Austen parallels were a bit overly contrived, I had a lot of fun reading this book.
The book was pretty good. I gave it an average score because it was predictable to me. 40+ chapters and I knew how the book was going to end at chapter 9.
This was such a sweet and fun rom-com that happened to be Muslim?!
I adored Ayesha! Each character was well constructed and I enjoyed each of their quirks.
The writing is superb! I didn’t know what to expect and the writer did a wonderful job. The plot is intricate and layered and really fun to read.
So amazing to have a book like this! Nothing cheesy or stereotypical. Just people trying to figure out the romantic landscape and themselves :)
I adored Ayesha! Each character was well constructed and I enjoyed each of their quirks.
The writing is superb! I didn’t know what to expect and the writer did a wonderful job. The plot is intricate and layered and really fun to read.
So amazing to have a book like this! Nothing cheesy or stereotypical. Just people trying to figure out the romantic landscape and themselves :)