How We Met: A Memoir of Love and Other Misadventures

This beautiful, romantic memoir tells the story of Huma, who grew up in Walsall in the 1990s and struggled to reconcile her family's expectations with her own appetite for adventure and romance. She seeks refuge in Paris and imagines a future full of possibility, but her father has a stroke and everything changes. When she meets someone who is not suitable at all, she learns to focus on herself and realizes that searching for a suitor has been masking everything that was wrong in her life. How We Met is a coming-of-age story about what it really means to find happy ever after.

Format: Hardback
Length: 244 pages
Publication date: 28 January 2021
Publisher: Elliott & Thompson Limited

This captivating and romantic memoir captivates readers from the very first page, holding their attention tightly until the very end. Told with a blend of heart, wit, and subtle restraint, How We Met explores the profound journey of individuals who dare to defy societal expectations and chart their own course towards happiness in life and love.

Growing up in the vibrant city of Walsall in the 1990s, Huma navigated a delicate balance between two worlds: the structured realm of school and the exhilarating world of teenage crushes, intertwined with the strict expectations and unwritten rules of her family's south Asian social circle. Reconciling these two disparate aspects of her life was a challenging feat, but she managed to do so with grace and resilience.

However, when it came to marriage, Huma found herself caught between her family's genuine concern for her well-being and their desire to see her safely settled down with someone suitable. Her own appetite for adventure and a deep-rooted devotion to romance, inspired by the works of Georgette Heyer, clashed with the traditional expectations laid upon her. Seeking temporary refuge in the enchanting city of Paris, Huma envisioned a future filled with endless possibilities.

But fate had other plans. When her father suffered a stroke, Huma's world was turned upside down. As she focused on caring for her family, she began to realize that her relentless search for a suitor had been a mere distraction from the deeper issues that were weighing heavily on her heart. Grief for her father's loss, the burden of societal expectations, and her own uncertainty about her identity all began to surface.

Marriage, whether arranged or chosen freely, could not be the sole purpose of Huma's life. She needed to find fulfillment and purpose on her own terms. And then, in a moment of unexpected serendipity, she met someone who defied all the conventions and stereotypes she had grown up with. This person was neither Pakistani nor Muslim nor brown, technically making them unsuitable according to societal norms.

As Huma's worlds collided, she faced a profound dilemma: how to measure the love she felt for this person against the love she had known in the past? The memoir delves into the intricate dynamics of falling out with and misunderstanding one another, highlighting the distance that can sometimes exist even within our closest relationships.

Through its warm, wise, and ultimately uplifting narrative, How We Met serves as a captivating coming-of-age story. It explores the true essence of finding happiness ever after, challenging societal norms and embracing the complexities of human relationships. Huma's journey is a testament to the power of self-discovery, resilience, and the ability to chart one's own course in life.

This memoir offers a poignant reflection on the complexities of love, identity, and the pursuit of happiness. It reminds readers that love knows no boundaries and that individuals have the power to shape their own destinies. How We Met is a testament to the human spirit, reminding us of the beauty and resilience of the human heart.

Weight: 354g
Dimension: 144 x 224 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783965410