Good Intentions

A young British Pakistani man must choose between family and true love in Ali’s alluring debut. From the moment Nur meets Yasmina at a party in 2014 while at university, he believes she could be the one for him—their conversation flows effortlessly, and she makes him feel “whole.” But he’s nervous his conservative family won’t approve of her, because she’s Black (“It’s bad enough marrying an Indian or a Bangladeshi Muslim. Maybe, just maybe, they’d be okay with someone white”). He keeps the relationship a secret for four years, even after they move in together, which creates tension between him and Yasmina, whose parents adore Nur. Ali shapes their relationship with vulnerable conversations about race and privilege, as Nur and Yasmina worry they might never be good enough for each other. In the end, they realize they ought to get in tune with themselves rather than force romantic bliss. It’s fairly familiar terrain, but well-drawn supporting characters such as Nur’s gay Muslim friend Imran round out this thoughtful portrait of young people weighing the bonds of tradition with personal identity. Readers will root for this imperfect love until the end. (Mar.)