Does the world need Pride and Prejudice and Muslims? Indeed, it does – at least, it needs Jalaluddin’s version, which is full of wit and verve and humor ... packaged as chick lit, with a silhouetted face with a dash of lipstick, around which swirls a purple hijab on its golden cover, but that’s just the book’s mask – and this is a book that’s all about the masks we wear to protect ourselves or please others. Where the novel shines is as 'immigrant lit,' painting a nuanced portrait of an immigrant community and exploring themes like the intergenerational conflicts that can arise around tradition and assimilation ... light and incandescent and deeply pleasurable from start to finish. You know it’s a good book when it’s obvious from the start who is going to get married, and yet you still can’t stop reading.

... will have readers smiling as they recognize the clever ways debut novelist Jalaluddin incorporates Austen’s words into her work. But even more powerful are the updated details ... Mistaken identity, Tim Hortons, a wrestling life coach, a villain who puts Wickham to shame, and a spoiled cousin obsessed with marriage all add to the richness of this winning novel. Ayesha, especially, is Lizzie Bennet-level relatable: sometimes she says more than she should, but she is always true to herself, and it’s pretty swoon-worthy to watch Khalid grow to deserve her.

... stands out beautifully in the crowd ... Understandably, we don't see traditionally sexy scenes in Ayesha at Last, but the palpable friction between Khalid and Ayesha as they dance around like two magnets desperate to connect creates a whole new level of non-physical seduction. Jalaluddin carefully teases out their romance, taking just enough time and adding just enough heat to make it rise as gracefully as Ayesha's grandmother's parathas ... more than just a Muslim retelling of Austen's work; Jalaluddin constructs a timely and enlightening narrative that validates the experiences of many South Asians and Muslims today, while weaving in universal themes of identity, class, and discrimination. Though the topic of arranged marriage is prominent in the story, it acts more as a conduit to start lively debates about tradition and change among the different generations. And by highlighting ideological differences between many of the Muslim characters, particularly Ayesha and Khalid, Jalaluddin helps dismantle the misconception that all Muslims are alike ... In many ways, Ayesha at Last's fictional universe acts as a microcosm of a diverse and oft-misunderstood community, and Jalaluddin's compassionate and sensitive writing about it radiates off the page.

While the love story is the heart of this delightful novel, Jalaluddin also delves into deeper themes, including workplace discrimination, the role of religion in modern society, and the meaning of love and marriage in contemporary culture ... There’s an overabundance of Pride and Prejudice retellings, but few are as thoughtful and creative as this stellar debut from an author to watch ... The story of Ayesha and Khalid will leave readers swooning, but it will also get them thinking.

Now THIS is how it’s done! ... a perfect mix of humor, heartbreak, misunderstandings, and humor ... Upon somber reflection it has some flaws, but the reason the flaws are so glaring is that most of the book is so perfect ... The storyline is based on misunderstandings, yet there’s a sense that these two people can actually communicate just fine when they aren’t busy making assumptions or using false names like Ayesha does ... Early on, we meet a group of women who are developing a line of plus-size lingerie. These women are my everything. Their appearance signals an unlikely alliance and a deeply satisfying moment. I deeply regret that this group of women are not in every scene of the book as they were a delight and I would have loved to see more of them ... With the exception of the rather one-dimensional antagonists, the characters are all layered and interesting, and their problems are resolved in surprising and satisfying ways. One of the greatest joys of this group were the resolutions, large and small, all of which were grounded in character and explored that individual from unexpected angles. There’s also a lot of humor in the book ... I was irritated by some of Ayesha’s feelings about teaching ... as the characters are challenged to examine their assumptions, the reader is challenged as well. This author is an auto-buy for me from now on.

Ayesha At Last is one of a recent string of contemporary reimaginings of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. This one, set in Toronto’s Muslim community and cleverly straddling the worlds of religious faith and contemporary romance, is particularly well crafted and can easily stand up on its own ... [a] talented modern-day writer.

... a raucous story that mixes a zany cast of characters with a tightly wound plot ... Jalaluddin expertly works in a healthy number of parallel plotlines and keeps the reader invested in the final outcome. The ending might be predictable (this is Pride and Prejudice lite, after all) and a few peripheral characters feel one-dimensional, but all is forgiven as the story races along to its gushy and adorable wrap ... Scheming aunties, headstrong cousins, sweet grandparents, Pakistani-Canadian masala, and good old-fashioned romance are just the right ingredients for a delicious and entertaining novel.

... excellent ... With humor and abundant cultural references, both manifest in the all-seeing all-criticizing aunty brigade, Jalaluddin cleverly illustrates the social pressures facing young Indian-Muslim adults. Jalaluddin stays true to the original Austen while tackling meatier issues likes workplace discrimination, alcoholism, and abortion. Even readers unfamiliar with Austen’s work will find this a highly entertaining tale of family, community, and romance.