Synopsis – In the Shadows of Love
A life hiding her heartbreak. A message that will change her world.
To strangers that pass her on the streets of Lahore, Mona Ahmed lives a life to be envied. Married to wealthy businessman Bilal, with happily married children and living in a vast home with staff to attend to her every desire, she seems to want for nothing.
But behind the gilded exterior lies a past of secrets and heartbreak. While they may have weathered the storm of Mona’s infidelity, with Bilal embracing the child born out of that secret love affair, their marriage remains shaky.
While Mona’s heart is broken with memories of her lost soulmate, she hides her pain behind becoming the perfect wife, hosting glamorous, high-profile gatherings for the rest of Lahore’s high society, keeping up appearances for fear of inviting gossip.
Each day has the same slow, regular rhythm… until the first message arrives, and everything in Mona’s life changes in an instant. Will the secrets of Mona’s past threaten her future, her marriage and even her life?
An utterly captivating, thought-provoking and heartbreaking read that fans of Christy Lefteri and Nadia Hashimi won’t be able to put down.
Author Bio
Awais Khan was born in Lahore, Pakistan. He is a graduate of The University of Western Ontario and Durham University and studied Creative Writing at Faber Academy. In his free time, he likes to read all types of fiction, especially historical fiction and psychological thrillers.
My Review
In the Shadows of Love is a sequel to an earlier book. I did not realize that and don’t think I missed anything having not read the first book.
Mona has an apparent perfect life but she has a secret and one day a text she receives puts her on edge as she wonders who knows what she is trying to hide.
This novel engaged me immediately. I was interested in the characters and how it all unfolded. There were several characters and most had large personalities. Some I definitely liked better than others.
The thing I most enjoyed in this book was the glimpse into a culture I know nothing about. It was staggering at times to read of the incredible classism and misogyny present in upper class Pakistan. There are themes of abuse and sexual assault that could be triggering for some readers.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading this book and learning more about Pakistan. Bonus points since it counted in my read the world challenge. If you enjoy women’s fiction and especially one immersed in a lesser written about culture then this book is one you should definitely read.
