Published: Oct. 20, 2011
Words: 105802 (approximate)
Language: English

Short description

It may be the 21st century, but who says courtship is obsolete? This story is a light-hearted but honest peek into the life of a young, single Muslim woman living in Sydney – the joys of a blossoming romance (all very proper), the courtship rituals (so Jane Austen), the struggle with career and, of course, Arab Guilt.

Extended description

“So I was turned off a suitor when I saw his shoes. Despite the Arab warrior preference, I didn’t really care about looks. But I had a general rule: if the suitor came in wearing shoes with tassels, a leather jacket circa 1982, and/or a moustache, the doorknock appeal would fail from the outset. A girl has to have some standards, right?”

It may be the 21st century, but who says courtship is obsolete? Coming from a (not-quite- traditional) Muslim family, 27-year-old Samira Abdel-Aziz knows all about it. But as an assistant at Bridal Bazaar magazine, she's pretty sick of all things wedding-related. Surely there’s more to life than suitors and marriage?

Then Samira unwittingly becomes wedding gofer for her cousin/nemesis Zahra and her life begins to resemble a Spanish soap opera – minus the skimpy clothing and the bitch-slaps.

This story is a light-hearted but honest peek into the life of a young, single Muslim woman living in Sydney – the joys of a blossoming romance (all... (Read more) “So I was turned off a suitor when I saw his shoes. Despite the Arab warrior preference, I didn’t really care about looks. But I had a general rule: if the suitor came in wearing shoes with tassels, a leather jacket circa 1982, and/or a moustache, the doorknock appeal would fail from the outset. A girl has to have some standards, right?”

It may be the 21st century, but who says courtship is obsolete? Coming from a (not-quite- traditional) Muslim family, 27-year-old Samira Abdel-Aziz knows all about it. But as an assistant at Bridal Bazaar magazine, she's pretty sick of all things wedding-related. Surely there’s more to life than suitors and marriage?

Then Samira unwittingly becomes wedding gofer for her cousin/nemesis Zahra and her life begins to resemble a Spanish soap opera – minus the skimpy clothing and the bitch-slaps.

This story is a light-hearted but honest peek into the life of a young, single Muslim woman living in Sydney – the joys of a blossoming romance (all very proper), the courtship rituals (so Jane Austen), the struggle with career and, of course, Arab Guilt.
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Tags

romance, arabs, chicklit, muslims, palestinians, chicklit romantic comedy womens fiction contemporary romance humor, australian muslims

Available ebook reading formats

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Format	Full Book
Online Reading (HTML, good for sampling in web browser)	Buy
Online Reading (JavaScript, experimental, buggy)	Buy
Kindle (.mobi for Kindle devices and Kindle apps)	Buy
Epub (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others)	Buy
PDF (good for reading on PC, or for home printing)	Buy
RTF (readable on most word processors)	Buy
LRF (Use only for older model Sony Readers that don't support .epub)	Buy
Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices)	Buy
Plain Text (download) (flexible, but lacks much formatting)	Buy
Plain Text (view) (viewable as web page)	Buy

Reviews

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Review by: Hari Gupta on March 23, 2012 :
Intelligent, sophisticated and compulsive:
That was a fantastic read! I'd highly recommend anyone to grab a copy, either in print (after the launch) or online - the book is 'unputdownable' and the characters are so believable. My only criticism was that it was too short - I could have read more and more - can't wait for the next one, or the movie!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: astrydom on Feb. 02, 2012 : (no rating)
Fantastic book. Love the subtle humour. Can't put it down!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: ninja on Dec. 16, 2011 :
Very good read and not your predictable story.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: peculia on Nov. 01, 2011 :
On first impression, Courting Samira might appear only a fluffy love story — but it would be a mistake to underestimate it. Author Amal Awad has imbued it with subtle layers — on the top, the story of a Muslim woman navigating the tricky territory of culture and romance, but on its deeper levels, an exploration of that culture and what it means to those who live in it, as well as a wry (and affectionate) criticism of Austenian romance.

Awad's characterisation is perfect. Each person feels rounded and three-dimensional, and protagonist Samira is almost alive. Her confidential tone makes the reader feel as if this is a close friend rather than a character — her exchanges with her friends in particular bring to life her wit and heart.

Above all, Courting Samira is tremendous fun, and an absolute delight from start to finish.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

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