The Beauty of the Moment

by Tanaz Bhathena

[Sam@WLABB]

This was an utterly interesting and engaging tale. There are so many ways to classify this story. It's an immigrant experience story. It's a love story. It's a story of heartbreak. It's a coming-of-age story. Whichever the case, I thought Bhathena did them all quite well, and I really enjoyed meeting Susan and Malcolm.

Both Malcolm and Susan were well written and multidimensional characters, who I grew to care for. On the surface, they seem so different from each other, but both were dealing with some issues, which were keeping them from moving forward.

Susan had been the perfect daughter back in Saudi Arabia. She got top marks, and would never dream of running around with boys or lying to her parents. Then, she found herself in a new country with an absent father and a mother who was growing more and more distant. She was struggling to adjust to this new learning and teaching style, hiding her collegiate dreams from her parents, and engaging in a secret relationship with Malcolm. Her parents' arguing and impending divorce was the straw that broke the camel's back, and forced Susan to evaluate her dreams and needs. It was a really meaningful journey with took with her, as she learned to assert herself more, learned to appreciate the grey areas, and also come to terms with the fact, that nothing was guaranteed.

And then, there was Malcolm. He was still dealing (poorly) with his mother's death, as well as his father's past abuse and infidelities. Though, he was no longer as self-destructive as he had been in the past. he still bore the reputation he earned. By being with Susan, he started seeing things through a much more mature lens. He started believing the praise and recognition he was receiving, and started working harder to achieve at the level people thought he could achieve. I really loved watching Malcolm grow, chapter by chapter. I don't know, maybe it's because he was an underdog, or maybe it's because I am all about second chances, but his story really warmed my heart.

For me, this book was really about growing up, and the way maturing changes us and the way we navigate relationships. It was about making mistakes and owning up to them, but obviously, I also adored all the way love was integrated into the story. Bhathena showed the upside and downside of love. She showed how it can be really messy, but still really beautiful. I definitely appreciated the way Malcolm and Susan's romance played out, because I thought it was very realistic.

And, wow! What a fabulous ending. I absolutely loved what Bhathena did there. I knew she wouldn't make it easy for me, but she left me super happy in the end.

Overall: A fantastic look at love, growing up, and taking chances to achieve one's dreams.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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