BLOG TOUR: Maya's Laws of Love - Alina Khawaja

Maya Mirza is so convinced she’s unlucky in love and life that she’s come up with a list of laws to explain it. Most importantly…

* Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

But that’s about to change. Maya’s headed to Pakistan for an arranged marriage with a handsome, successful doctor who ticks all the right boxes. First comes marriage, then comes love  – she’s sure of it. Except…

* Trips are never smooth sailing.

From the start, Maya's journey is riddled with disaster, and the cynical lawyer seated next to her on the plane isn’t helping. Until a storm leaves them stranded in Switzerland, and she and Sarfaraz become unlikely travel companions. And maybe something more…

* When you think you’re lucky, think again.

Before long, Maya’s wondering whether she’s just experienced the ultimate in misfortune – finally meeting the right man a few days before she has to marry someone else. 

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, Maya's Laws of Love is one of the most romantic books I have ever read.  This is proper swoony romance that makes your heart race and your breath catch and I loved every minute of it.

Maya believes that she is cursed so she sets up her own list of laws that start with Murphy's Law (Anything that can go wrong will go wrong) so she's always prepared for disappointment and bad luck.  Maya's laws are brought to life in an often comical fashion when she travels from Canada to Pakistan to get married and almost every obstacle is put in her way to try to prevent her from getting to her wedding on time.  One such obstacle is the man that Maya sits next to on the plane, a man with beautiful dark eyes that you can lose yourself in, a man who is not her fiancé.

I really enjoyed reading about a different culture and I found the customs and events of the wedding celebration fascinating.  I love how it's all woven into the story and it creates so many memorable moments in Maya's story.  Maya has such a strong voice and it shines through in Alina Khawaja's colourful writing.  I can totally see this wonderful book being made into a Netflix show (please pick this one up, Netflix!). 

Sweet, charming and surprisingly funny, Maya's Laws of Love is a must read for romance readers or anyone looking for something different and entertaining to read.  I absolutely adored it and I wanted to read it again the moment I finished it as I didn't want this gorgeous story to end.  Very highly recommended.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: In the Company of Strangers - Awais Khan

In the glittering world of Pakistan's elite, all is not what it seems... 

Mona has almost everything: money, friends, social status... everything except for freedom. Languishing in her golden cage, she craves a sense of belonging... 

Desperate for emotional release, she turns to a friend who introduces her to a world of glitter, glamour, covert affairs and drugs. There she meets Ali, a physically and emotionally wounded man, years younger than her. 

Heady with love, she begins a delicate game of deceit that spirals out of control and threatens to shatter the deceptive facade of conservatism erected by Lahori society, and potentially destroy everything that Mona has ever held dear.

 

What did I think?

I have tried audiobooks over the years with varying results in their attempt to hold my interest but it is not until discovering Isis Audio that I have become hooked.  In the Company of Strangers by Awais Khan is the third Isis Audio audiobook I have listened to and yet again the narration is outstanding.  Set in Pakistan, the book is narrated by Esh Alladi who brings so much authenticity and life to the novel that I half expected to turn around and find one of the characters standing behind me.

The novel literally starts with a bang that didn't just capture my attention, it grabbed it round the throat in a vice-like grip.  I felt as if I had been transported across the miles to Pakistan as the scene was described and voices cried out to be heard.  Esh Alladi must have an infinite number of voices in his repertoire; it continues to amaze me how one narrator can create so many unique character voices.  Absolutely wonderful narration; I take my hat off to you, Esh Alladi.

The story itself has more layers than an onion revolving around the two main characters of Mona and Ali.  Mona is in a loveless marriage and she's not even mistress of her own home, being constantly reminded by her vicious old crone of a mother-in-law that she's living under her roof.  There's an intriguing storyline surrounding Mona and her old friend Meera, who haven't seen each other for many years.  Then there's the beautiful love story between Mona and Ali that just made my heart sing.

I laughed at Meera's disdain for Bilal, I cowered at the grating voice of Mona's mother-in-law and I cried at the devastation caused by terrorism.  Awais Khan's writing creates amazing three dimensional characters and Esh Alladi's narration breathes life into them, evoking such strong emotions in the reader.  What a wonderful collaboration.

Running through the novel is the reminder of the class system, which seems even more prevalent in Pakistan.  I always think it's amazing how a poor person could invite you into their home and give you their last remaining provisions with a smile on their face, whilst a rich person would turn you away at the door.  I know I'm generalising but I was reminded of this in the novel and it does seems to happen the world over.

Engaging, emotional and beautiful, In the Company of Strangers is a wonderful debut from Awais Khan and it's well worth listening to the audiobook version to further enhance and fully experience the authenticity of the novel.

I chose to listen to an audiobook ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About The Author:

Awais Khan is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and Durham University. He is also an alum of Faber Academy. He teaches creative writing in Pakistan as part of the Writing Institute and has delivered lectures at Durham University, American University of Dubai, Canadian University of Dubai to name a few. He has appeared on BBC World Service, Dubai Eye, Voice of America, City42, Cambridge Radio, Samaa TV, Indus TV, PTV Home and several other radio and TV channels. His work has appeared in The Aleph Review, The Hindu, The Missing Slate etc.  

He is the author of In the Company of Strangers (published by Simon & Schuster, The Book Guild and Isis Audio) and No Honour (published by Orenda Books in Summer 2021). He is represented by Annette Crossland.

About The Narrator:

Esh Alladi is an actor who trained at LAMDA and has a wide range of stage experience. His theatre credits include: Hobson’s Choice (Royal Exchange), Rutherford and Son (Crucible Theatre), Absolute Hell (National Theatre) and Twelfth Night (Royal Shakespeare Company). Esh is also no stranger to the screen and some of his TV credits include: Anthony (BBC), Unprecedented (BBC), A Confession (ITV), Casualty (BBC), Frankie (BBC) and EastEnders (BBC). He won a UK Theatre Award in 2019 for Best Supporting Performance for his role in Hobson's Choice.

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