Courting Samira

Amal Awad is a journalist, author, and screenwriter. She has written for Elle, The Guardian, and other publications and held senior editorial roles at a number of trade media publications. She has spoken at schools, universities, and writers' festivals around Australia, and she facilitates workshops on diversity, multiculturalism, women's issues, and pop culture. Amal is the author of eight books, including four novels?Courting Samira, This is How You Get Better, The Things We See in the Light, and Bitter & Sweet?and the nonfiction books The Incidental Muslim, Beyond Veiled Clichés, Fridays With My Folks, and In My Past Life I was Cleopatra. Courting Samira is the first of her books to be published in America.

"Awad brings a great deal of nuance, specificity, and heart to her depiction of Muslim culture. . . . Readers will have no trouble rooting for Samira to find true love." - Publishers Weekly

"Awad's charming, funny novel . . . is rich with details of Muslim culture (religious practices as well as familial "Arab guilt") and references to Austen and The Princess Bride. Readers will root for Samira as she tackles workplace drama, friendship issues, and romantic angst." - Booklist

"A much-needed romantic comedy . . . Awad enchants in this fun, romantic ride." - Shondaland

"Samira is witty and funny, sensitive and sweet, a lover of movies and books. Her chatty narration makes her pleasant to spend time with, and she's refreshingly secure in her relationship to her family and culture. . . . A winning heroine." - Kirkus Reviews

"Absolutely hilarious! Bridget Jones meets Jane Austen in Sydney's Muslim community." - Anita Heiss, author of Manhattan Dreaming

"Come for the drool-worthy mentions of kanafeh and baklava; stay for the wit and relatable family politics. A must read for anyone looking for a romantic comedy that's heavy on the comedy, with a heavy sprinkling of sweet, clean romance." - Sara Sharaf Beg, author of Salaam, With Love

"A fun read, with lots of heart." - K. J. Charles, author of The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman

"I wanted to stay in Samira's universe forever, with the charming Menem, the brooding Hakeem, and even mean girl Zahra. I especially wanted to linger with Samira, whose sassy, brave, and richly cultured perspective makes her a heroine for a new generation. What a fun, flirty, and deeply heartfelt novel!" - Susan Muaddi Darraj, American Book Award winning author of Behind You Is the Sea, A Curious Land, and the Farah Rocks series