Ayesha at Last

by Uzma Jalaluddin

Winner of the 2019 Hearst Big Books Award - Cosmopolitan's Book of the Year

A Mirror 'Best Books to Read This Summer' pick
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A big-hearted, captivating, modern-day Muslim Pride and Prejudice, with hijabs instead of top hats and kurtas instead of corsets.

Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been overtaken by a demanding teaching job. Her boisterous Muslim family, and numerous (interfering) aunties, are professional naggers. And her flighty young cousin, about to reject her one hundredth marriage proposal, is a constant reminder that Ayesha is still single.

Ayesha might be a little lonely, but the one thing she doesn't want is an arranged marriage. And then she meets Khalid... How could a man so conservative and judgmental (and, yes, smart and annoyingly handsome) have wormed his way into her thoughts so quickly?

As for Khalid, he's happy the way he is; his mother will find him a suitable bride. But why can't he get the captivating, outspoken Ayesha out of his mind? They're far too different to be a good match, surely...

'A clever homage to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice that you'll love, even if you never got round to reading the original.' Cosmopolitan

• ISBN10: 1786497948
• ISBN13: 9781786497949
• Publish Date: 4 April 2019 (first published 7 February 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Atlantic Books
• Imprint: Corvus
• Edition: Main
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

Proceed With Caution:

This book contains racism and mentions of abuse and abortion.

The Basics:

Ayesha At Last follows two Muslims, Ayesha and Khalid, as they navigate the world of arranged marriage and familial expectations. Ayesha has just started her career as a high school teacher and isn't looking for love or marriage. Khalid hasn't given it much thought but wants his mother to find a wife for him. The two bump heads during their first meeting, but soon they hit it off. Too bad Khalid's mom has chosen Ayesha's younger cousin as his intended bride.

My Thoughts:

Ayesha At Last is apparently a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I cannot comment on how it compares or what elements are similar or different, because I've never read it. But I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed this romance and its side plots.

Khalid is a very devout and conservative Muslim. He dresses in white robes with a prayer cap and keeps his beard long. He doesn't touch women, even to shake their hand, and he doesn't believe the opposite sexes should be left alone together. He especially doesn't think Ayesha should be hanging out in bars! Well, she has a response to that one...poetry! Khalid realizes that he's making the same snap judgements that people make about him. His version of being a good Muslim is not the only way, and he likes how Ayesha forces him to think differently. I adored Khalid and how he was proud to be who he is, but also taking the time to realize that there is room to "edit."

I do wish Ayesha At Last had spent a bit more time with Khalid at work. His new boss is a monster and I hate her, but Khalid handles everything she throws at him with grace. I wanted to see more of the WomenFirst Design clients! That was so uncomfortable for him, but the ladies were so nice, and he was so gracious! And I wanted more! This ends up being pushed into the background, only emerging again at the end so that Khalid could come out on top.

As for the romantic portion of Ayesha At Last, there's a case of mistaken identity! Ayesha is assumed to be her cousin Hafsa at an event planning meeting, which causes all kinds of trouble down the line. In particular, Hafsa is actually looking for husband, so Khalid believes his mother chose Ayesha and he's ecstatic! Clearly not! I love mistake identity and misunderstandings! This one was especially twisty and dramatic!

In the end, I just really like Ayesha At Last. Perhaps I could have gotten more out of it by knowing the inspirational material, but I think it's great on its own.

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I say this every time I read a P&P retelling, and I will say it again. I have never read Pride & Prejudice. Therefore, all of my opinions about this story are based on this story alone.

Romance - check!
I had so much fun reading this book. Ayesha and Khalid were quite a match. Their first encounter ended with a bang, and several charged meetings followed. Each was brimming with tension, which slowly - very slowly, turned to more. It was interesting seeing them shed their misconceptions about the other, and take the time to dig below the surface. When they did, they found someone special, who was worthy of their company and affection.

Characters - check!
The book was also packed with some many fun and fabulous characters. Quite a few of them were over the top, but utterly hilarious. The spoiled cousin, the nosey aunties, and the drama they left in their wake amused me to no end. But, I think it was Ayesha's Nana and Nani, who stole my heart. Nana with his secret smoking, endless Shakespeare quotes, and wealth of knowledge endeared himself to me, but Nani! Now, she surprised me, and she did so in the best way. One of my favorite scenes was the cooking lesson she gave to Ayesha and Khalid. I am pretty sure my heart exploded during that part.

Storytelling - check!
I am actually amazed at how many things Jalaluddin was able to cram into this story without ever making it feel crammed with story elements. Everything was woven together in such a way, that it flowed really well. I was all about the romance, but I also found myself pretty invested in the side plots. I liked that the book tackled some serious topics as well, but maintained its lighter tone by infusing a lot of humor in the story. I always felt as though the book had the "bounce" of those Victorian romance adaptations I have seen, and liked that it was maintained throughout the story.

This was a wonderful entry to the romance world, which enchanted me from beginning to end, and I am looking forward to reading more of Uzma Jalaluddin's work.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[Rowena]

I've been hearing nothing but good things about this one and I'm happy to report that I agree with all of those good things. This was a great P&P retelling and I enjoyed getting to know Ayesha and Khalid. I'm super glad that I picked this one up for review.

[lisacee]

This is such a lovely book. The characters are fully formed, relatable, and just adorable.

[layawaydragon]

I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every single bit. So good and layered and complex. Funny and sweet and romantic and serious. There's several different couples and situations, families, and a community. Couldn't put it down, didn't want it end. Hooked by the very first page. Cliche, but all so true!!!



I haven't read Pride & Prejudice and I have no plans to honestly. I've read a couple P&P retellings and this is my favorite so far BY FAR.

I think it really helps to have that first endearing scene from Khalid and his POV. A lot of the time the LI is just such an ass and the love declaration comes out of left field. Not a problem here!

An HR manager actually stands up for the employees??? FUCK YES. I've never seen it personally but daaamn is it refreshing to have it in fiction at least.

Love how they handle the together forever but he won't propose situation.
And the douchey best friend coworker.
And the bar scene.
And the convention.
And Hafsa.
And the fat lady lingerie people!!

And the guy gets the hot makeover!!!



I want more from Jalaluddin and more like this!!

I'd LOVE to see this as movie. Bring back the rom-com and do it right!!

YES all exclamation points are NECESSARY!

[Lorelei's Lit Lair]

I throughly enjoyed reading Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin. This modern day retelling of Pride & Prejudice with Sheakspeare sprinkled in since Ayesha loves to write poetry, made for a fun and entertaining story.
I enjoyed watching Khalid and Ayesha’s personal growth as well as the banter, swoon worthy moments and love at last, as the story progressed.
We get a feel of the Muslim community’s traditions, challenges, family drama, life style, and expectations told from different points of view.
The secondary characters really added excitement, drama, wisdom, laughter and some suspense which kept me engaged the whole time. This was a sweet and romantic read. I highly recommend Ayesha At Last and give it 4.5 stars!