Book Review: Hana Khan Carries On

Hana Khan Carries On
Length: 368 Pages
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

"My parents had raised me to be honest, to accept that everything would work out if only I had faith. But they had also taught me stories from the life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. One time the Prophet witnessed a Bedouin man leaving his camel untethered in the desert. When he asked the Bedouin why, the man replied that he trusted God to take care of his animal. The Prophet's advice? 'Trust in God, but tie your camel.'"

Trigger Warnings in this book for Violence, Racism and Racist Attacks with Vandalism, and Islamphobia

24-year-old Hana Khan is -- somehow -- balancing shifts at her Mother's restaurant, Three Sisters Biryani Poutine, working on a hard won internship at a Toronto Radio Station, and running an anonymous podcast called Ana's Brown Girl Ramblings. Oh, and I did I mention her blossoming online romance with a commenter on her podcast known only as StanleyP?

Just when she thinks things can't possibly get more complicated, a new restaurant moves into the close-knit neighborhood of Golden Crescent, a new halal restaurant, which threatens the struggling Three Sisters Biryani Poutine. The owner of the hip new restaurant, Aydin, is cold, frustrating, and, most aggravating of all, totally hot. Hana and him instantly butt heads, but could there be something more to his hard exterior? 

With a colorful cast of characters, like Hana's Machiavellian cousin Rashid, her bestfriends, the Doctor Lily and the ullu Yusuf, and her mysterious tree-climbing aunt, Kawkab Khala, Hana Khan Carries On is a heart-warming story of family and community. It has plenty of cozy, fluffy and romantic moments, but doesn't shy away from harder topics, like Racism and Islamphobia.

It took me a while to warm up to Aydin, who for the majority of the book aggravated me as much as he did Hana! But by the end I liked him well enough, and thought he was a good choice for headstrong Hana. I guessed all of the twists early in the book, though it didn't take away from the enjoyment of seeing their conclusions.

A perfect choice for if you're looking for something a little more on the light-hearted side, and need a guaranteed happy ending!