Writing Mr. Right

A magical muse helps a romance author get out of a funk in this sparkling contemporary from Khawaja (Maya’s Laws of Love). Ziya Khan works as a legal secretary in New York City while trying to sell her romance novel, hoping it will help Muslim women like her see themselves in a love story. But after yet another round of rejections from literary agents on the eve of her 30th birthday, she deletes all of her manuscript files and vows never to write another word. The next morning, however, a strange man appears in her kitchen. He introduces himself as Aashiq, her “literary muse... the physical manifestation of [her] artistry,” and he’s there to make her fall in love with writing again. By embracing Aashiq’s optimism and zest for life, Ziya slowly but surely rediscovers her passion for writing and comes out of her shell, connecting with her coworkers and family members in new ways. But as she starts to fall for Aashiq, she worries he’ll soon disappear back to whatever mystical plane he came from. The concept is cute, the prose is snappy, and it’s gratifying to see Ziya come into her own. A first-rate supporting cast, especially Ziya’s roommate and best friend Emily, a NICU nurse, adds depth and color. Readers will be charmed. (June)