It’s about that time again! The book team here at THP will never get tired of sweet and diverse rom-coms. And if we do, call for help. But today, we’re here to review Alina Khawaja’s lovely debut novel, Maya’s Laws of Love!
Maya’s Laws of Love takes us on a trip to Pakistan with our bride-to-be, Maya Mirza, on her way to her destination wedding. That is, a trip where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong.
Maya’s convinced she’s cursed in love and relationships; she even has a list of laws explaining said curse. We’re in love with Alina Khawaja’s debut, and we’ve come up with three laws we now stand by after reading Maya’s Laws of Love!
Book Overview
Content Warnings: divorce, parental abandonment
Summary: Maya Mirza is so convinced she’s unlucky in love that she’s come up with a list of laws to explain it. Most importantly…
• Maya’s Law #1: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
But that’s about to change. Maya’s headed to Pakistan for an arranged marriage with a handsome, successful doctor who ticks all the right boxes. First comes marriage, then comes love—she’s sure of it. Except…
• Law #4: When you think you’re lucky, think again.
From the start, Maya‘s journey is riddled with disaster, and the cynical lawyer seated next to her on the plane isn’t helping. When a storm leaves them stranded in Switzerland, she and Sarfaraz become unlikely travel companions through bus breakdowns and missed connections.
• Law #6: Trips are never smooth sailing.
And before long, Maya’s wondering whether she’s just experienced the ultimate in misfortune—finally meeting the right man a few days before she marries someone else. And Maya might just be the worst person to keep a secret.
• Law #18: If you’re overtired, you’ll always spill your guts.
But maybe, if she’s willing to bend some laws, this detour could take her somewhere totally—and wonderfully—unexpected.
Rule #1: You Deserve To Do What You Want
Yes, we’re coming in swinging with this first rule. Because for all her life, Maya has made decisions for the sake of other people, especially her mom. Maya wanted to prove to her mother that she wouldn’t need to worry about Maya being alone by marrying Imtiaz. But it wasn’t until her trip got derailed so many times that Maya finally thought about what she wanted to do. So, we’re adding that to our philosophy: to worry about our wants and needs over anyone else’s.
Rule #2: Don’t Let Other Failed Relationships Hold You Back
Maya’s Laws of Love does a fantastic job showing how Maya starts to unlearn the things she has told herself for years. Ever since her father left her family when she was 10, Maya thought she was hopeless when it came to love. It also explains why she used so many laws to validate her curse. While that trauma didn’t stop her from believing in love, it did make her self-sabotage her dates for years. Thanks to Maya, we’ve learned to break toxic cycles and allow ourselves to be happy.
Rule #3: Allow Yourself To Take Up Space
Our last rule inspired by Alina Khawaja’s Maya’s Laws of Love is to give yourself space. Whether it’s for your identity, career, or relationships, you need space to grow into the person you’re supposed to be. And you should never feel like you’re asking for too much. Maya and her love interest, Sarfaraz, always seem to put themselves last when it matters most. It felt so rewarding seeing them both creating enough space for themselves.
Maya’s Laws of Love by Alina Khawaja is out on March 26, 2024, and you can preorder a copy of it here!
What do you think of Alina Khawaja’s Maya’s Laws of Love? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Want to hear about some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest! Interested in more book content? We got you!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALINA KHAWAJA:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE