Courting Samira by Amal Awad

Samira is surrounded by marriage - at the bridal magazine where she works, at home dodging suitors who come with family for a "door knock appeal" and with her difficult cousin's engagement and demands that Samira will be a bridesmaid. The problem is that Samira would rather be in her pjs watching classic movies, reading books or texting her friends until she meets Menem. He is smart, he is handsome and he is muslim but she is not sure where the relationship is going or if she is interpreting the signals correctly. This is a sweet romance that highlights beautiful Arab customs and features a bright and ambitious young woman who needs a nudge to follow the path that is right for her as well as the ins and outs of dealing with embarrassing questions about her religion and decision to wear a headscarf. The anxiety of finding your soulmate, dealing with an overprotective but well meaning family and not always knowing the right career path are universal themes that we can relate to. ​ 4 stars