Maya’s Laws of Love was  a fun and enjoyable read. It’s a whirlwind sort of travel romance where Maya, the FMC, is trying to get to Pakistan for her wedding. A series of unfortunate events gets this plot moving pretty quickly, and the hits don’t stop until the very end of this caper. Maya is also a bit of a disaster, which adds some light hearted humor when everything started to go bad. Sarfaraz, the MMC, is Maya’s sometimes unwilling and very uptight travel companion. He’s gruff. He’s grumpy. But he’s also got a secret nice guy spot underneath the hurt he feels from having gone through a messy divorce and being estranged from his family. And when these two finally make it to Karachi and are starting to feel those warm and fuzzy feelings…in comes the plot twist. 

I was conflicted about Sarfaraz and his physical description. In the book, he is half-white and half-Pakistani and is described as having predominantly white features: light skin, green eyes, tall height, lighter brown hair. I found it interesting that in the authors note foreward that Khawaja states that she wrote this book because she wanted to see more characters like her in romance (brown, Muslim, South Asian). so while Sarfaraz is Muslim and speaks fluent Urdu, it made me wonder if his proximity to whiteness was to attract a broader audience of readers?

Tropes/book elements I liked:

Thank you MIRA for sending me an ARC of this book.

From the very start I knew I was going to love this book. I don't know how Alina Khawaja did it but she may be the reason I start reading romance novels more often. 

I loved every second of this book, from the humor to the immersion it gave me. I couldn't put this book down until I would get tired and then I would continue reading the very next day to do it again. 

I also loved how it's not just about romance, but also family, culture, and personal growth. I aspire to grow as a person just like Maya does in this book. (And also find love like her, though hopefully not through being stranded in a completely different country)

If you’ve got a bit of wanderlust and are craving a book that feels like a hug, this book is probably for you. 

This romance novel was so touching. The setting and travel from Canada to Switzerland and Pakistan was lovely and unique. I really enjoyed learning more about Pakistani and Muslim culture and traditions. The characters are strong and well developed. 

The romance was sweet and the chemistry palpable. To me this felt like a nice balance in between enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers. It was tender and clever. 

For a romantic comedy I would say this one leans more into the sentimental than humor. Not as snarky as some I’ve read. While I enjoyed that element I will say I think it was a bit heavy on inner monologue at times and felt a little long. The tone of the book is highly reflective and makes for strong character development. This is a story about finding your own voice as much as it is a romance. I adored it. 

I am already looking forward to Khawaja’s next book publishing next year! 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Publication day is March 26th!

[Spice Rating - PG, some steamy kissing]