I absolutely devoured this book! So insightful, witty and well written. This book is honest and open, and I found it to be quite the education and I discovered things I never knew. Will definitely be looking out for more from this author - a gem of a book!

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Was a good-enough read...though I can't help but feel a little disappointed or let down by it. At the end of the day, what did it really say? It sounded more like a memoir dealing with grief of losing one's father and finding oneself in the throes of said grief, and much less about a love story of how 2 unlikely people met and forged an alliance, a marriage, a family together. Felt like if we'd seen more about the author and her life with her husband, who completely upended his existence for her, the whole read would've been more resonant than just telling us 'they were not gonna make it unless he converted'.
It read a lot like a first draft, in the sense that it veers from now (with kids - the 'married' part just doesn't seem to compute even 'now') to then - and 'then' was about Paris, was about the need to 'end up married', was about how the author lost her father, was about the grief of dealing with that loss.
Anything else but 'how we met' is really what this books tries to tackle...but it reads 'barely touched upon' and nothing really goes in deep
If you're new to South Asian culture and ways, then this might be an eye-opener. Coming from a similar background, this was nothing new to me, and probably why this book felt like a let down somewhat

How We Met is a heartwarming read, I loved how Huma talks about her struggles and the journey in overcoming them particularly the societal pressures she had to face. This memoir is not only about how she met her partner but also her life, experiences, her relationship with her parents, and the whole matrimony process most South Asian girls and women go through. Grief is one of the subjects she has dealt with in her book where she talks about her father's passing and that was the best part of writing for me. This is a coming-of-age story about life and what it means to have a 'happily ever after'.

Thanks to @elliottandthompson and NetGalley for sending me a copy. This is a must read!

A lovely memoir, but there were some moments of this book I felt a little overdone or, opposite sides, could have been delved into a little further. I would have, for example, loved to see more about Huma's relationship with her husband, especially the start of it.

This book was not quite what I expected, I think I was expecting something more upbeat but was a little disappointed.

I wish this book had more to do with her relationship with her husband or her family with him but it's mostly about her family and how radical an idea it is that she not marry some jerk from her culture to make her family happy. I feel like that book could also exist but that it should have been a separate book, it really made her marriage and husband seem secondary to her nuclear family's feelings. It also made it seem like she only wanted to marry someone, anyone, to have more self worth within her community.

In this 224-page-long memoir, Huma Qureshi writes about the challenges of growing up as a brown, British, Muslim woman, losing her father in her early twenties and the challenges of marrying a rather unsuitable white man who converted to Islam. The memoir is also about Huma creating her identity as an individual woman.

I thought this was going to be feel-good, cosy book to dive into, but instead it was an impossibly boring book. I felt as if I was cornered by a nosy relative at a family gathering who went on and on and on about her life.

The actual story is nice, but I think this would have much more interesting if it were an article instead of a book because there really wasn’t much to fill 200-odd pages. I did appreciate bits about the writer creating her identity and becoming her own woman, but all in all it was quite lacklustre.

The structure also felt a little haphazard. And it just felt like it she was going out of her way to justify cultural norms.. when it was totally unnecessary? Maybe because I’m a brown, Indian girl, I didn’t need all that context, but it still felt like it was a lot.
Then there’s this awkward bit about using water instead of toilet paper… like umm why? (This comes from someone who has no inhibitions talking about poop btw, it just felt awkward and pointless.)

Short and sweet. Huma Qureshi's love story is a quick read that tackles family relationships, dating as a Pakistani woman, insecurity, and finding true love. I don't think the story was groundbreaking, and it certainly wasn't surprising, but I think that was the intention. Real love stories aren't always like the movies, and this book takes on love from a different angle. We can see how race, location, religion, and expectations from others can sometimes make or break a relationship. Even in these modern times, women across all cultures are still expected to marry the "right" person young and have children, and that pressure, although outdated, is still a reality. This book was a quick and pleasant read, and I would recommend to anyone interested in non-conventional romance.

How We Met by Huma Qureshi

Book Review 📖

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Memoirs aren’t my usual book of choice but I’ve been seeing Huma’s book everywhere! Thank you to @elliotandthompson and @thenetgalley for sending me this book to review.

I finished Qureshi’s book in one reading and I think I want her to be my best friend! Her style is so relatable as a British Muslim woman and resonates with an article I recently wrote for @hikayaat magazine on marriage.

Her writing is so refreshingly ordinary and it is so nice to see a happy ending to a story that usually causes such a riot within the South Asian community. I love how her book goes back and forth between her search for marriage and her current lifestyle. I felt as though she was speaking as me, especially in her desire to keep writing and going freelance.

She gives a voice to those insecure moments that many women feel when they don’t fit into the traditional trappings of a South Asian society.

Definitely encouraged me to read more of her work and to give memoirs a chance :)

I would recommend this book for some light-hearted relief and if you want an excuse to cheer a fellow British Muslim woman on for metaphorically sticking her middle finger up to societal expectations and living life to her own standards. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

#HowWeMetMemoir #NetGalley

Although I'm not Muslim, I can relate to so much in this book. It got me instantly hooked. The author's openness and honesty about her deepest feelings, her insecurity, the loss of her father.
This is the sort of book that feels like a conversation with a best friend. Beautiful.

A beautiful, simple and heart touching memoir that really touches on many issues that South Asian women face both in the East and the West. I loved, Huma Qureshi's elegant style of writing that was both funny and delicate at the same time, without having to be dramatic.

My full review on How We Met is live on: https://www.apurpleopinion.com/2021/03/05/how-we-met-by-huma-qureshi/

I really, really hope there is part 2 to this book.

How We Met is an extremely beautiful book about family, love, grief, and coming of age.

Huma Qureshi has a simple, straightforward way of writing which is easy to connect with. As a reader, it took me a short bit of time to get engrossed in the memoir but then before I knew it, I was in floods of tears having been so emotionally invested. I'm not somebody who usually cries when reading books so that is certainly an impressive sign that this memoir made me feel so much.

Truly such a beautiful book! I hope more readers pick it up.

Thanks to Huma Qureshi for sharing her story with us, and to the publisher for sending me a copy via Netgalley.

Having a similar cultural background to Huma, I was really looking forward to reading this. I was not disappointed- the book was easy to read, almost feeling like being on a long walk with a friend recounting their experiences. The book doesn't pretend to be an in-depth exploration of cultural and societal differences experienced by a second generation immigrant, but rather is an honest account of Huma's story in meeting her partner. The 'ordinariness' of it all is what gives the book its charm- it feels like the reader is a friend to whom Huma 'rants' to and is comfortable with. A lovely read.

REVIEW: How We Met by Huma Qureshi

I was drawn to the bright cover, rave reviews on #bookstagram and the word memoir so despite having 100s of books planned for March and April I couldn’t stop thinking about this book and before I knew it I was reading and from the first few pages I was enchanted.

Huma Qureshi tells of growing in Walsall in the 1990s, balancing school and teenage life with the expectations and unwritten rules of her south Asian culture. As a young woman she found herself trapped between her family's need to find a suitable husband and her own desire for romance. She embarks on an adventure to study in Paris where her future seems to be open for her to shape as she so wished until her father has a stroke and that future disappeared. 

Upon returning home we are treated to a honest and often amusing account of her search for a suitable husband through traditional channels and after what I presume felt like an endless and fruitless search she meets someone. However he is neither Pakistani nor Muslim nor brown, and so not deemed to be suitable at all.

I really admired her strength throughout, the way she dealt with her grief for her father and the weight of expectation whilst trying to determine who she was a person is told in a raw, honest and unapologetically genuine manner. Huma in telling her story opens up her heart and displays it all for us the reader. She provides some really important messages about love, respect and kindness to your self.

It was beautiful, a true life ‘happy ever after’ story that also expanded my understanding of Muslim culture I was not only entertained by Qureshi's writing I was also educated by it.

Would definitely recommend this book to all thank you to @netgalley and @elliottandthompson for this copy 💛💛

“I’d do it with the understanding that I was already complete. That it was up to me to make myself whole.”

How We Met, a memoir of despair,love and struggle of finding happiness,is written by British-Pakistani Muslim journalist Huma Qureshi . This book tells us her story of finding love and solitude first in herself and then the events that led her to meet her husband. This discovery makes her go through a very tough and long way, reading about which I was on the edge , anxious and sad at one time and smiling and giggling at others. It's Humas tale of finding solace in herself, fighting against all odds, standing up for herself, overcoming her grief and whatnot. There's no villains in Huma’s story, but misunderstandings, culture barriers and pain- at times.

This is not a story of a brown girl finding her white knight,as many reviewers said and I agree. It is the battle of one's own, in a culture where standing up and living up to one's own expectations and standards is nothing but being mean , especially if you are a woman. This book affirms the idea of being complete in your own self, feeling content with all the flaws and qualities. Living up to one's own standards and not running behind the idol of being the perfect woman according to society. Huma doesn't vilify anyone in this book, but shows us through her vulnerable and strong days how to beat the demons inside us and be the one we want to be, finding our worth and not compromising for the less.

Writing style of the book is soft and soothing , like listening to a lost old friend you coincidentally met at a seashore and share your stories of life with each other. It was an amazing experience reading this book after reading back to back sad and dark books, this one felt like a breeze of fresh air.

A gentle, sweet memoir about the writer’s marriage and how she met her husband.

It reminded me that we all carry our own stories, how important family and tradition can be and how it can all mesh together.

I really enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

This is halal romance done right. While it is not suspenseful (we already know the ending), Huma's journey is a very pleasant read. I am very happy that this adult book is exceptionally clean, without expletives, violence, or intimate scenes. While it is an adult memoir, I can see young adults benefitting from this book. The transformation and acceptance of oneself, happiness, and love are universal. Muslim and Desi cultural norms in courtship, marriage, and relationships difficult for those growing up in the Western world, and this book shows that common ground and holding out for what you truly deserve are important. Thank you for the lovely story and happy ending!

In summary, a well written, warm, joyful and captivating memoir.

Although, my husband and I share a very similar background, and I’m not Muslim, I found parts of this memoir surprisingly relatable. Perhaps, like Huma, it’s because I also met my husband online, grew up in the Midlands or wasn’t quite sure about the ‘perfect’ Indian/Punjabi/ Asian idea of marriage. Whatever the reason, I was completely interested from the first page and I devoured this book in two sittings... would’ve been one if I had the time!

Whilst difficult subjects related to grief, self-worth and self-acceptance are discussed frankly, Huma’s down to earth and witty writing style, coupled with the different timelines, makes this an easy and engaging read. This memoir also strikes the right balance in terms of identifying issues as cultural or religious practices.

As I was reading this book, it reminded me of my very dear friend’s story and her husband (although they glamorously met under the stars rather than online!). It occurred to me, shamefully, that we’ve never really discussed how she told her family about their relationship and the difficulties she may have faced (if any).

This memoir demonstrates perfectly just how important it is to openly discuss what might be considered as ‘unsuitable’ practices so that, hopefully, the perception of ‘normal’ can change over time.

So would I recommend this one - Absolutely yes. If you’re looking for a lovely, heart-warming short story, then How We Met is the perfect read. Regardless of your religion or background, this is a fab love story (perhaps not a conventional rom-com but nonetheless a romance) and one I think you’ll enjoy.

Wow, I finished this in 2 sittings, firstly Huma's ability to tell her story was so raw and vulnerable and honest, such that by the end of this book I felt that I really knew her. It wasn't as much a love story as it was an insight to her life growning up as a second generation asian in Britain. She found a way to be truthful without sounding like she was complaining or seeking pity and I really appreciated that. Her narration of her life events came from a place of love and respect for her parents and this made her just more loveable. I really really enjoyed this and would recommend it to my peers.

Incredible
Story, I love Huma’s writing, so refreshing and quietly confident. I finished this book in 1 day!