Title: The Mismatch
Author: Sara Jafari
Publisher: Dell
Publication date: August 3rd, 2021
368 pages
3/5 stars
Goodreads Synopsis
For a young woman who just wants to get her first kiss out of the way, a rugby player seems like the perfect mismatch. But a kiss is never just a kiss. . . .
Now that Soraya Nazari has graduated from university, she thinks it’s time she get some of the life experience that she feels she’s still lacking, partly due to her upbringing–and Magnus Evans seems like the perfect way to get it.
Whereas she’s the somewhat timid, artistic daughter of Iranian immigrants, Magnus is the quintessential British lad. Because they have so little in common, Soraya knows there’s no way she could ever fall for him, so what’s the harm in having a little fun as she navigates her postgrad life? Besides, the more she discovers about her mother’s past and the strain between her parents, the less appealing marriage becomes.
Before long, Soraya begins to realize that there’s much more to Magnus than meets the eye. But could she really have a relationship with him? Is she more like her mother than she ever would have thought?
With unforgettable characters at its heart, The Mismatch is a gorgeously written coming-of-age story that shows that love can be found in even the most unexpected places.
Review
The Mismatch is an emotional tale told in dual, alternating timelines detailing the Iranian/Muslim experience in romance and dating for a mother and daughter. It is more than a romance, it’s a life journey in what it means to be religious, a woman, and a partner. As I am not Iranian or Muslim, I will recommend reading an own voices review of the representation whereas I will focus on the writing and other opinions!
The first half of the book is paced a bit slow in my opinion, but it really does pick up once you get farther in Neda and Soraya’s lives and experience the details of their stories. Do not go into this thinking it’s a feel good romance novel, it closer to Women’s Lit than romance. There are a lot of serious topics tackled, so please check trigger warnings before going into it.
The second half is where the author really shows her strength in story telling – i couldn’t put it down until the timelines converged and I could get to the end. The story was moving and provided a different perspective to life in a way I can never fully understand as a white human.
Thank you to Dell and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Happy reading, folks!
Baltimore Bibliophile 