Hana Khan Carries On
A Novel
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3.9 • 27 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
From the author of Ayesha at Last comes a sparkling new rom-com for fans of “You’ve Got Mail,” set in two competing halal restaurants
Sales are slow at Three Sisters Biryani Poutine, the only halal restaurant in the close-knit Golden Crescent neighbourhood. Hana waitresses there part time, but what she really wants is to tell stories on the radio. If she can just outshine her fellow intern at the city radio station, she may have a chance at landing a job. In the meantime, Hana pours her thoughts and dreams into a podcast, where she forms a lively relationship with one of her listeners. But soon she’ll need all the support she can get: a new competing restaurant, a more upscale halal place, is about to open in the Golden Crescent, threatening Three Sisters.
When her mysterious aunt and her teenage cousin arrive from India for a surprise visit, they draw Hana into a long-buried family secret. A hate-motivated attack on their neighbourhood complicates the situation further, as does Hana’s growing attraction for Aydin, the young owner of the rival restaurant—who might not be a complete stranger after all.
As life on the Golden Crescent unravels, Hana must learn to use her voice, draw on the strength of her community and decide what her future should be.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Jalaluddin follows Ayesha at Last with another charming contemporary romance, which maintains a fun, energetic mood while tackling serious themes of prejudice. Twenty-something Hana Khan hopes her radio internship will lead to a career telling important stories, and enjoys the distraction of her online flirtation with the top listener to her anonymous podcast, Ana's Brown Girl Rambles, on the side. But her mother's halal restaurant in Toronto's Golden Crescent faces imminent collapse, forcing Hana to refocus her energies on helping to save it. The situation is exacerbated by the arrival of a new gourmet halal place whose proprietor, Aydin Shah, works to get close to Hana, even as his gentrifying father plots to take down her family's business. After a video of an anti-Muslim hate crime against Hana and Aydin goes viral, their community comes together to protect them from internet trolls and in-person harassers. Hana and Aydin's late-in-book romance feels like a bland but believable add-on to their budding friendship. The social dynamics at the radio station and in Toronto's Indian communities are the real highlights, bound by just enough plot to move the story forward smoothly. Jalaluddin's fans won't want to miss this.
Customer Reviews
Page Turner!
I started reading this book thinking I’ll read a few pages a day, but then I just couldn’t put it down! I had to read on and on and on! It’s entertaining! It’s close to reality. All in all, you won’t be disappointed.