First published 2022
Zahra and Maryam grew up as inseparable friends in Karachi despite their vastly different backgrounds and values. They never discussed what set them apart, not even after one impulsive teenage decision changed everything they had planned for their futures. Now, thirty years later, both women have built successful lives in London, each carving out her own distinctive career and identity. Their friendship has endured across decades and continents, sustained by shared history and mutual affection. But when two figures from their Karachi past unexpectedly appear in their London present, the careful balance they have maintained begins to crack. The women can no longer avoid the fundamental differences they have spent years ignoring. As old wounds reopen and buried secrets surface, Zahra and Maryam must decide whether the bond they forged as children can withstand the weight of adult realities.
Genres: literary-fiction, friendship, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: friends-to-lovers, second-chance
Setting: Karachi, London
Period: 21st-century
320 pages · Hardcover · Riverhead Books