Maya's Laws of Love

Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley provided an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Maya and Sarfaraz are crotchety, infuriating, and absolutely perfect rom-com characters. I really enjoyed all of their interactions and banter - definitely the highlight of the book. The ending felt a little rushed; I think the author could have trimmed a few of the details and interactions with side characters in the second half of the book in order to free up space for the story to come to a less abrupt ending.

There are several things to love about this book.
I really loved the representation. The characters were Pakistani and Muslim. you do not get a lot of characters of this background. I also liked that the author did not over-explain cultural/religious aspects. She used the right words to express exactly what she meant. I also loved that the FMC was not a Muslim girl who hated being Muslim and wanted to be “free” from the shackles of religion. It was a fresh breath of air to experience a character that is from a rich culture.
In this book, the FMC; Maya experienced character development in a way that was revitalizing. The more she got closer to making the decision she felt she was required to make, the more she realized how wrong she had been living. Also lovely that she went to therapy. As a black woman myself, I relate to wanting a therapist that’s able to understand the dynamics of your culture as that plays a role in your worldview.
I did like the plot twist, as an avid reader I would say I was not expecting that at all. I remember reading this in the bus and literally gasping.
I would love to read a second book, if the author chooses to continue to write about the story.
I am recommending this book to anyone who would listen to me. And thank you to the publishers for giving me a chance to read this book.

Maya is en route to Pakistan to attend her arranged wedding to Imtiaz, her fiancee of two years. Imtiaz and the rest of their family members are all there preparing for the big event.

But Maya’s never had good luck- and this is no exception. Her flight is forced to make an emergency landing in Switzerland due to a severe storm, causing her to be stranded for a few days. Despite this setback, Maya decides to make the most of her detour by exploring the sights with Sarfaraz, her seatmate on the flight. Although he initially comes across as rude, Sarfaraz turns out to be surprisingly kind, funny, and easy to talk to.

Upon their arrival in Pakistan, they encounter another string of bad luck, forcing them to travel together again, this time due to a bus that breaks down on the way to their shared destination of Karachi. The harrowing situations they go through together create a strong bond between them, making it increasingly difficult for them to part ways as they had planned to from the beginning.

Once Maya arrives to her family’s home on the eve of her wedding, she must decide whether to play it safe and marry her longtime fiancee, who’s always been respectful and caring, and that she hopes to fall in love with after marriage, or if she’s going to take a chance at real and passionate love with Sarfaraz.

Rooted in Pakistani and Muslim culture and faith, this sweet romance is a fun romp that features plenty of adventure, plot twists, and travel.

Fans of Uzma Jalaluddin's romance novels will find much to enjoy in this story.

When Maya's flight to her wedding in Pakistan is canceled, she ends up forming a tentative alliance with a stranger from the plane and they decide to do some sightseeing and stay together in a hotel while they wait for their rescheduled flight.

Throughout the first half of the book, we see the two of them get to know each other as they make their way to Pakistan, handle dangerous/stressful situations, and of course pretend to be husband and wife when they are stuck in a small village. Even though the beginning of the book only spans a few days, their interest in each other and emotional bond was very believable. All of the things that they go through together were actually the perfect opportunity for the reader to see their relationship start to grow and trust that there was a deeper connection.

There was a reveal that truly surprised me and the ending was incredibly sweet. My one critique was that there were some parts of the book that felt cheesy. Maya is convinced that she is cursed and this initially felt somewhat childish. She then proceeds to actually have absolutely terrible luck so it became more believable, but the repeated mentioning of her curse wasn't my favorite. It was nice to see her growth and character development on that issue by the end. Overall, this was such a sweet and heartwarming romance with fantastic representation of Pakistani culture and Muslim faith.

was lucky enough to read an early version of this and ohmygoodness it was SO GOOD. perfect for fans of jab we met, the main characters were nuanced and fleshed out, their relationship was amazing, this book is hilarious, the tension in the romance was fantastic, and it was SUCH A FUN RIDE THROUGH AND THROUGH. cannot wait to have this on my shelves and read it again and again.

Maya Mirza believes that she’s cursed. She has the worst luck in the world and it’s proven when everything that could possibly go wrong, goes wrong on her way to her wedding in Pakistan. Having to deal with every detour possibly alongside the grumpy stranger she met along the way, Maya is questioning everything.

Maya is a people pleaser and despises being alone. She’s such a relatable character because all she wants is to make the people around her happy but never takes into account her own happiness. It was heartwarming to see Maya grow and come to realizations throughout the span of the book.

When it came to the romance, OH IT WAS GIVING. The banter was everything!!! It also had like a secret kind of vibe going on. I just loved how they made eachother feel hope and love again. I would definitely want to read some bonus content about them!!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and MIRA for the eARC of this book!

This was a cute and clean romcom. Maya was funny at times and I enjoyed learning more about the Muslim faith and Pakistani culture! I think the writing felt a bit choppy and took me a little while to get into.

4.5/5 !! gosh this was so cute and absolutely everything

maya's laws of love is about the main character, maya, embarking on a journey to Pakistan for her destination wedding. during her journey, things that she believed that were caused by her ''curse'' happened....

these two are so cute together, i need more! maya is so loveable, and sarfaraz, although cold at first, he was willing to listen to her, TO WATCH HER FAVOURITE KDRAMA !! the relationships between the characters are also very heartwarming, and i loved it so much. i need everyone to add this book to their tbr !!

thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc <3

I don't read rom coms often. I find them to be mostly cringe and hit or miss. however this one - WOW! definitely will go down as one of my favourite ones of all time.

The banter, the chemistry - it all HIT! it was also very fast moving from the plane to their trip to their disasterous journey through pakistan - there was never a dull moment. I also felt very seen as a pakistani girl! This is the romance book I have been WAITING for! Slow burn sizzlin romances with tons of chemistry you can tell are a natural strength for Alina Khawaja.
I'm recommending this to all of my romance-loving mutuals!

From the start, Maya's journey is riddled with disaster, and the cynical lawyer seated next to her on the plane isn’t helping. When a storm leaves them stranded in Switzerland, she and Sarfaraz become unlikely travel companions through bus breakdowns and missed connections.
But maybe, if she’s willing to bend some laws, this detour could take her somewhere totally—and wonderfully—unexpected.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of Maya's Laws of Love in exchange for an honest review.
"Embark on a whirlwind adventure of self-discovery with Maya in 'Maya's Laws of Love' by Alina Khawaja. As a modern woman constantly trying to please others, Maya's journey takes an unexpected turn when a trip to Pakistan for her arranged marriage becomes a series of mishaps. In a refreshing twist, Maya finds joy in defying expectations and embracing her true desires. With a perfect blend of humor and heartfelt moments, this book takes readers on a rollercoaster of emotions. From laughter to breathless anticipation, 'Maya's Laws of Love' will leave you utterly captivated. Alina Khawaja's storytelling prowess shines through as she delicately navigates the nuances of cultural traditions and the courage it takes to break free. This funny and immersive read proves that sometimes you have to let go of others' expectations to find true happiness. Prepare to be swept away by Maya's journey of self-discovery and find yourself cheering for her with each turn of the page. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a compelling and rewarding read." Truly loves this book. Highly recommended!!!

I really enjoyed Maya's Laws of Love! It was a beautifully written love story between two complex individuals, and I particularly appreciated how the author explored the main characters' flaws and allowed them to grow as the story unfolded. The book also masterfully reflected on the cultural and familial struggles faced by second- and third-culture individuals. It was refreshing to see the inner strength of the female South Asian lead and watch as she learned to express this strength outwardly as well. Overall a great read, and thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this ARC.

5 stars. this book was beautiful and you could tell so much love and emotion went into it. the story was handled with such care and it was executed so well.

i saw someone else mention this in a review, but this book is definitely in need of a movie adaptation!!!! i could vividly picture every scene playing out in my head and that's not something every book can convey to readers.

maya and the way she handled and approached her "curse" was handled with care by khawaja. she thought she didn't deserve anything good in life, and that's something i've grown up relating to, especially as someone who is also the daughter of a single mom.

maya and sarfaraz's journey to finding one another isn't perfect but it's unique in their own way. the way they care for one another outshines all. two people who believe they don't deserve love coming together and finding a partner in one another is beautiful.

i felt this book was so insightful to me, a white woman, and i appreciated every aspect of it. it was beautiful learning about a culture i hadn't known loads about and i just felt so immersed in the community within the book.

i was very thankful to have received an arc from netgalley in exchange for a review. i can't wait to purchase this book <3

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC for review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars, I loved it and so will you.

First of all, I need someone to make a movie out of this novel, it was very cinematic. I could see every scene very clearly and so much happens.

It’s the romance novel that keeps on giving. You’ll read it and then recommend it to all your friends, and also to your mom. (There are no spicy scenes in this one so you won’t shock your mother).

In the first few chapters I didn’t like Sarfaraz and didn’t understand how I was supposed to root for him, but then I fell in love with him.
Honestly you shouldn’t know too much about it before reading. Just jump in and enjoy the ride.

A contemporary romance read that is for all contemporary romance reader. I’m definitely buying a physical copy to reread this one in the future.

Thie review will be published on Goodreads and storygraph as well as on Amazon on publishing date.

Maya's headed to Pakistan for an arranged marriage with a successful, good-looking doctor. She sits next to Sarfaraz, a cynical lawyer, on the plane . A storm leaves them stranded in Switzerland and she gets to know him a lot better....

Love Maya and Sarfaraz together. They are really quite perfect for each other even though they aren't on paper. Love watching how they grow closer. Really enjoy it.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.