It may be the twenty-first century, but who says courtship is obsolete?

Coming from a (somewhat-traditional) Muslim family, twenty-seven-year-old Samira Abdel-Aziz has seen her fair share of suitors. Her general rule: if he comes in wearing shoes with tassels, a leather jacket circa 1982, and/or has a moustache, the doorknock appeal will fail from the outset. A girl has to have some standards, right? 

 As an assistant at Bridal Bazaar magazine, Samira’s sick of all things wedding-related. Then she unwittingly becomes wedding gofer for her cousin/nemesis Zahra and her life begins to resemble a soap opera.

When she meets Menem, for the first time Samira knows what it’s like to naturally be interested in someone. But how can she get to know him when the options seem to be to get married or end up a spinster? Why is her best friend Lara insisting that Menem isn’t right for her? And why has her childhood friend Hakeem started behaving so strangely?

A light-hearted but honest peek into the life of a young, single Muslim woman who knows there’s more to life than love at first suitor visit.

COMING SOON AS EBOOK AND PRINT ON DEMAND

‘Awad’s charming, funny novel, originally self-published in Australia, is rich with details of Muslim culture … and references to Austen and The Princess Bride. Readers will root for Samira as she tackles workplace drama, friendship issues, and romantic angst.’ Booklist

‘With this sweet contemporary… Awad brings a great deal of nuance, specificity, and heart to her depiction of Muslim culture, especially the differences between Samira’s Palestinian and Menem’s Lebanese backgrounds. Readers will have no trouble rooting for Samira to find true love.’ Publishers Weekly