Much Ado About Nada, by Uzma Jalaluddin

Uzma Jalaluddin is one of those writers that I can always rely on for an enjoyable, feel-good romance with enough distinctive flavouring to make it interesting (since I find some romances quite bland). Once again, as with her first two novels, Jalaluddin introduces us to a twenty-something Muslim woman living in Toronto. And once again, while the novel is not as faithful a tribute to Jane Austen as Ayesha at Last was, there are strong echoes of an Austen plot here: in this case, Persuasion.

Nada has a secret, and she’s kept it from her friends and family for a long time. But when her best friend Haleema drags Nada off to a big Muslim convention in downtown Toronto, Nada’s afraid her secret may come out. Haleema’s just gotten engaged to wealthy heart-throb Zayn, and Zayn’s brother Baz is … well, he’s someone Nada’s been hoping not to run into. The story is told in chapters that alternate between the present day and flashbacks to Nada’s past, and it’s a very satisfying journey.