I love any book that starts with a tongue-in-cheek co-opting of Jane Austen's famous opening in Pride and Prejudice. I really enjoyed the forbidden romance angle of it, the love triangle is not really my thing but I thought it was well done in this book. I really enjoyed the Desi and Islamic representation. This is a closed door romance for anyone who is particular about that. Overall I had a great time reading this book.

I received a digital arc of this in exchange for an honest review. This was a very nice, quick, feel good romance read that I legitimately read in one sitting. I really relayed to Sana as an older protagonist and dealing with family pressure of “you’re not getting any younger”. I adored the tight knit and protective relationship she had with her brother and as an older sibling could relate to that a lot as well. I’m a sucker for reunion of childhood sweethearts and this one just melted my heart. I also really liked that you kinda had the forbidden Romeo and Juliet romance as the families didn’t get along due to a past feud. I felt like the romance rekindled naturally and at a good pace and I really enjoyed this one. Definitely more on the G/PG end of the romance spectrum but was still very sweet and an enjoyable read. The book also really hit the nail on the head with how families can drive you crazy and yet you can still love them. I really felt for Sana when she spoke of the several instances of Islamophobia she had faced in the past and cheered for her when she quit her job for not really doing anything helpful when she experienced it in her office. The ending had me feeling all mushy for multiple reasons that I won’t spoil. Looking forward to seeing what Noreen writes in the future.

After giving up on finding her own prince charming, the only thing 33 year old Sana wants in life is to provide a safe and loving home for her autistic brother. Sana's mother refuses to grant her guardianship unless she agrees to get married. Now Sana must decide between doing the practical thing or giving her long forgotten feelings another chance when an old crush comes back into her life.

I thought this was a cute debut for the author! I especially loved how we saw 2 people in a courtship that was respectful and had boundaries.

3.75 stars rounded up

Thank you to the author for the eARC in exchange for my honest review

This was just a fun breezy love story perfect for summer reading (even if you should still be working).
Besides, I really enjoyed the secondary storyline about the case the main characters were working on and only wish it was given a bit more time.

The theme of family obligations vs. following your heart brought also the needed bit of seriousness to the story without being too much.
Were a few scenes a bit over the top? Were some things quite unbelievable? Were there some flaws in the plot and the pacing? The answer is yes to all of this, but that they did not diminish my enjoyment of this story.

Just a plain fun book that I read in too short a time.

DNF @ 34%.

I enjoyed learning about Sana and her culture. I always appreciate learning about situations and religions and norms and mores that are unfamiliar to me. I feel like I learned a lot about Sana's overbearing family and what they were willing to ask of her to ensure her happiness. I felt like they were quite judgmental in the beginning, but I understand that their culture and values are different to mine. Sana is also judgmental at first glance, that is obviously the influence of her mother. I find it wild that Sana's mother gives her so much grief for not being married, as if she is basically dead as a 33 year old! She had a wonderful, selfless job trying to help other immigrants, and she is even willing to take care of her autistic brother, to become his legal guardian, and all her mother cares about is her getting married. She is a very manipulative character, and I am not enjoying whenever she is in the book. I get having respect for your elders, but there is a fine line between gaslighting and love with Sana's mom. I liked Daniel as a character the longer the book went on, and "sparks fly" when he and Sana encounter one another again as adults. I wish there had been more of a connection between them throughout the book. It feels like more of a general fiction than a romance. I wanted much more from this aspect. My chief complaint comes from the story's lack of focus. It feels like there are way too many moving parts going on here, a lot of zaniness and chaos and family drama. Despite this, I felt the writing was very dry and stagnant. I won't be finishing this one as I can feel myself wanting to skip ahead and skim parts of the book because they are dragging and/or muddled.

Thank you to NetGalley, Noreen Mughees, and Alcove Press for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

As a debut novel - this was really good. It provided more insight into another culture that I do not know a lot about, which is why I requested this novel.

Sana Saeed has dreams of love and having a family. She also wants to be assigned her autistic younger brother's guardian. However, her mother will not allow this until she is married. She agrees to enter into a marriage arranged by her family. Adam is nice and Sana feels she could fall for him, over time, as he is very nice and most importantly, kind to her brother.

Sana, thinking of a love from the distance past, is shocked to see Daniel Malik at her job. They have been apart for 18 years when a feud between their families caused Daniel to move away. Sana tried to find him, but never could. She realizes now, she could not because he changed his name. Mostly to leave the past behind and to start over.

Both are in still in love with each other; however, will family commitments, a past feud, and the brother who will need a guardian get in the way?

This was such a fun read! I love the Muslim representation and a childhood friends to lovers trope! My students would love it too!

I truly love re-tellings of a good classic novel and this one is inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion. We're getting a Muslim couple with all the great romance tropes like: second chance, arranged marriage, childhood crushes, and complex family dynamics.

Noreen Mughees weaves in so much personality and authenticity to her characters making them feel like people I've known or met. You have south asian parents holding grudges, sibling drama, doomed crushes, and so much banter. She also makes space to discuss more serious topics like Islamophobia and parental death. I always want more stories about Muslim people finding love and happiness so I'm so glad this book exists. I can't wait to read more of Noreen's work in the future!

Writing: as a white American, this was a breath of fresh air to read. Mughees blended the native language and slang with english explanations without making me feel stupid for not knowing. I felt I got an in-depth perspective of the middle eastern culture in modern day America. Also, the food in this book sounds so delicious. I wish there were recipes in the back for some of this food!

Book: This was such a great story of a 33yo muslim woman who just wants to do right by her family, but hates all the men she's introduced to in the traditional richta meetings. She finally agrees to one man because he was nice, caring, open to help take care of her autistic brother (who she wants guardianship over long-term), and is willing to cherish her in ways that will allow love to follow in their future. He's great.

That's the plan until Daniel shows back up after years of never talking to Sana. They were best friends as kids and a family drama tore them apart. She always loved him and compared all men to him since.

Thank you to the author for sending me an e-arc of this book. I'm sorry it took me this long to read it. I regret not reading it sooner!

I really wanted to like this book, but ultimately the story felt weak in several regards. I loved all of our characters, especially Daniel. However, I did not feel like Daniel and Sana had a lot of chemistry, despite their supposedly unforgettable spark being the focal point of the plot. I think this could have been remedied with more scenes showing the two characters getting to know each other now (instead of reminiscing over their old friendship), but it felt like every scene we had of the two was overwhelmed with other story elements, like the case they are working on or Daniel's family. I did not feel like we had enough to say that these two characters were truly meant for each other. That being said, I liked all the other story elements! I would not want to see any of them removed, as I think they made our two main characters feel like real people that I could appreciate singularly. I think we just needed more pages to allow all the storylines to be developed fully. This especially came to a front with the incredibly rushed ending. The last 15% were a whirlwind, and not in a good way.

Ultimately, I don't think there are many people I would recommend this to as the construction of the story led to an unpleasant reading experience. However, I think this book showed a lot of promise, and so I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future books from this author!

This debut, closed door romance was so fun! The cover was perfection! I loved the following tropes: workplace romance, childhood friends to lovers, and forbidden romance. This is great South Asian romance representation and I loved every second of reading this. The characters were so lovable.

The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed intrigued me with the Muslim rep since we don't get that often in romance books. However, there was a lot of miscommunication and misleading information in the book. I wasn't a fan of that. I wanted to like the characters, but I had difficulty connecting to them. I will not be reviewing this book on my platform.

*Plot and Characters*
The journey of Sana as she grapples with familial expectations, love, and her commitment to her autistic brother, Zia, is both touching and relevant in today's society. The author vividly paints the picture of how tradition and individual desires can clash and how families can sometimes impose seemingly impossible choices upon their loved ones. The element of childhood love with Shahir and the story of a family rift adds layers of depth and history to the narrative.

*Cultural Representation*
It's always refreshing to read a story that gives readers a window into different cultures and practices. The book sheds light on certain aspects of Islam and the practice of wearing hijab. However, a point of contention arises in the portrayal of physical interactions between males and females. If the story is aiming for a realistic representation of practicing Muslims, then this is a significant oversight that might unsettle readers familiar with the culture.

*Language and Style*
While the writing is engaging and the storytelling absorbing, there's room for improvement in terms of linguistic inclusivity. The use of non-English terms without context or definition can disrupt the flow for readers who aren't familiar with the language or cultural context. A glossary or in-text explanations would greatly enhance the reading experience and make the story more accessible to a wider audience.

*Recommendation*
For readers looking for a tale of love, family ties, and cultural nuances, this is a recommended read. While it might benefit from a bit more clarity in certain areas, the heart of the story is strong and resonates deeply.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½

I recently read: The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed by noreen mughees

Synopsis:
Thirty-three-year-old hijabi Sana Saeed is unsure if she'll ever find love or marriage. The arranged dates she’s agreed to have all failed time after time, but she wants to prove to her mother that she can be the stable care giver her younger brother Zia, who has autism, needs when her mother is one day unable to care for him.

Coincidentally, Sana finally agrees to give a new arranged marriage a try with Adam, at the same time as her estranged former best friend (and childhood crush), Daniel, suddenly walks right back into her life and becomes her new boss... Who will she choose?

My thoughts:
I enjoyed this book, the premise was interesting and I loved that Sana was just finding love at age 33. I also loved her connection with her brother, and saw so many connections between this book and the one I read right before it, House Rules by Jodi Picoult, which also featured a teen with autism and a sibling who ends up being a caregiver at times. As far as the storyline goes, I did find it a little slow going and didn't think the dual POV (Daniel's perspective) was necessary.

Overall, it is a sweet, tame romance novel, filled with well-loved tropes such as the grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity, friendship to lovers/enemies to lovers (at the same time lol), and love triangles. I loved the arranged marriage and cultural values that were so important in this story. I would definitely recommend this book for people who are looking for a more diverse romance novel!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this one!

DNF p 172/304

This book is so much drama and the beginning was so much fun and silly, but at the same time there are so many heavy elements coming up that sometimes the silly element of the drama feels discordant. I would probably try Noreen Mughees’ future books, but this one ended up hitting a point where I just wanted things with Adam to be resolved and Sana and Daniel to work their mess out and get together because everyone (except Sana’s mother because of her own pain and trauma) could see they were meant to be.

I love reading this romance that also teaches me about cultures and the way traditions can put a hamper on what Western culture idea of love, love at first sight, choosing who we love without any interference. I find that even though this highlights Islam culture, there are a lot of similarities to my own Asian culture and upbringing with arranged marriages and how parents and families have a lot to say about whom we love and marry.

I found the writing sweet and love the nod to pride and Prejudice.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Very good book, I had fun reading it.

I loved that this romance gave us so much insight into love while having an arranged marriage and how someone with special needs copes and lives within the community and outside of it.


There were a lot of heartfelt moments and a lot of moments of genuine human feelings. The feud between Sana and Daniel's family shows us that no matter how irrational, it is hard to make someone change their minds and feelings when they don't want to.

I was satisfied with the end - I felt like this book wrapped up many loose ends and finished, which made me feel good about this story, and the romance between Daniel and Sana was finally happening, which is the ultimate satisfaction.

This book was a delightful discovery, offering insights into Islam and Pakistani culture, which I found really enlightening as someone who's always eager to learn. It's important to note, though, that the book does tackle issues like Islamophobia and racism, so readers should be prepared for these themes.

On a lighter note, the romance in the story is incredibly sweet. I appreciated how the author creatively adapted common romantic tropes like arranged marriages, office romances, childhood crushes, and family feuds to fit the narrative and reflect the characters' cultural backgrounds. While some readers found Daniel’s portrayal inconsistent across different perspectives, I felt it was justified, given Sana's initial prejudices against him. In fact, the more I think about it, the story has echoes of a "Pride and Prejudice" retelling.

The side characters add great depth too. Zia, Sana’s brother, whose autism is portrayed in a way that reminded me of a family member, shares a beautifully pure and loving relationship with Sana.

Overall, this book was a pleasant surprise and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging and enjoyable read.

TW: death of parent, Islamophobia.

Thank you to Alcove Press for my review copy!

The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed isn’t a strict Persuasion retelling, but it has many elements. Persuasion is my second favorite Austen novel, but Sana Saeed loves Pride and Prejudice too, which is referenced several times, so we got along just fine!

I completely devoured this book, and I hope my review can do it justice because I could not stop listening to it. Like Persuasion, this is a second chance romance that involves a lot of family meddling. I thought the family drama was SO well done - I was completely riveted. There was a great balance of love and respect and also disagreement - like I’m sure we’ve all experienced.

Not only was this a second chance romance, but it was a workplace romance - Daniel has just come back to town and is working on an important case with the Department of Environmental Conservation. I love when lovers have a shared project to work on together - and this was a juicy one! Lots of good forced proximity moments.

The last part I need to mention is that there is a love triangle - Sana is still attracted to her childhood best friend and first love Daniel, but before they are reunited, she has agreed to pursue an arranged marriage with a man named Adam.

I think in order to really get the full impact of the story, you have to have some empathy for the practice of arranged marriage. (Which is very different from forced marriage!!!) This was not the first story I’ve read where arranged marriage was a significant theme, and that element may be difficult for some readers. I think When Dimple Met Rishi was a really good fiction primer to understand some of the cultural and religious importance of arranged marriage in some families. (Although I guess Fiddler on the Roof was maybe my FIRST experience with this idea!) I appreciate that Noreen Mughees didn’t overly explain this concept, so if you’re open to it, you can absolutely dive in!

🎧 The narrators were brilliant and really brought the story to life! Highly recommend listening on audio.