Love Comes Later [Kindle Edition]

I was given a review copy of the novel by the author and asked to provide an independent review.
Reading this on Kindle, for the first 20% of the book, I kind of liked it, but it wasn't holding my attention. But, wow, as soon as I got to 20%, I sprinted through this book and could not put it down. I've never been to Qatar, the nearest I managed was Bahrain, but I love reading and learning about other cultures. There were plenty of twists to keep me enthralled and I couldn't have foreseen the ending.
On the surface, this is a book about arranged marriages, but it goes so much deeper than that. With a great deal of it set in the UK, where the girls are students, it was a lot easier for me to visualise the scenes and attitudes of others.
I could clearly see the girls' apartment, feel the chemistry between certain individuals, understand the frustration of each of the main characters.
Duty, what is honourable, permitted and frowned upon were key elements throughout the novel and in particular women's place in Qatari society.
I loved how the girls rebelled and the presence of an Indian girl, with a similar, but not identical, background, only added to the intrigue. I also felt I learned a lot about both cultures.
The tragedy at the beginning of the book, the loyalty of the younger sister and some of the outrageous events later (culturally) only added to my enjoyment.
All in all, a novel worth reading, particularly if you like to learn about new cultures or if you have ever been fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes with regards to arranged marriages.

As a Mum, I don't get a lot of time to read and can takes months to get through a single book. Love Comes Later was impossible to put down. I read it while cooking, bathing the kids, any moment I could spare; The only disappointment I had was turning the last page!

Other than being an enjoyable read, it also gave me unexpected insights into traditional Qatari life, and gave me an excuse to ask questions of the few Muslim women I know to dig that little bit deeper than I might otherwise have done. I'd highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get a better understanding of Qatari culture.

So a disclaimer. I've attended a writing workshop and Mohana was the facilitator and she was very inspiring. Also, I divide my time between Doha and London.

This novel is a rare glimpse into a hidden world and like any voyeur I lapped it up. It was heartening to see Abdulla portrayed as such a real person instead of an exotic other. I feel that sometimes the thobe and the abaya act as walls but they are not insurmountable. Abdulla's guilt is palpable.

I enjoyed the build up of the romance, the lure of forbidden fruits and the futile though fervent resistance. Real events such as the Olympics and the Villagio tragedy injected such an immediacy that drew me deep into Hind and Sangita's world. So much so that I was late for a meeting. I love the triumphal message of love conquers but not without sacrifice of self and family loyalties. Additionally, it shows that despite our differences we are more alike than different.

Since, I read the novel in 2 sittings, I'm sure I missed many subtleties. What a reason to cosy up again with Abdulla and friends.