The Thirty Before Thirty List

by Tasneem Abdur-Rashid

'An engaging and enjoyable romcom' ALIYA ALI-AFZAL

'A warm hug of a book' SARA JAFARI

Maya's life is safe, predictable, quiet . . .

She spends her days at the same job she's been at for years, her evenings watching Bollywood movies with her parents and her Saturday nights eating out at the same restaurant with her childhood best friend.

When Maya meets Noah on the Underground, for twenty glorious minutes her life becomes exciting. Until he jumps off the train, accidentally leaving behind a notebook containing a list of thirty things he wants to do before he turns thirty.

Crushed by the abrupt ending to what could have been her happily ever after, Maya challenges herself to work through the items on his list, secretly hoping that whilst climbing out of her rut and (quite literally) climbing mountains, she may find Noah as well as herself. Instead, she meets Zakariya; an annoying suitor brought to her by her parents via a dodgy marriage CV.

But how can a flawed, real life person ever compare to the man in the notebook?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Book Club, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Adult Fiction

383 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 18, 2024

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

Romcom with a British Bangladeshi Muslim woman living a small and boring life, inspired to do more by a chance encounter with a handsome guy who leaves his pre-30 bucket list on the tube.

This is really as much women's fiction as it is romance. There is definitely romance here, as Maya handles a rejected suitor from a family arrangement as well as the return of Tube guy, but the real focus of the book is Maya sorting herself out. Which she needs to do. This is an excellent portrait of a woman who has allowed her legitimate dissatisfactions with her life (demands of a fairly traditional family, constant second fiddle to her brother, assaults on her self esteem because she's single, dark, a mere paralegal) to slip into a very self-centred kind of self pity, which makes her profoundly unlikeable at times. The journey she goes on includes not only standing up for herself more, but also coming to understand that she needs to be a lot more generous to other people (who have their own shit going on too), and not see everything through the lens of her own unhappy feelings.

Sprightly writing, well-drawn London setting, food descriptions to make you hungry. The romance is a bit underpowered for a romance, but works fine if you take the book as Maya's story.

[Holly Thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed and was so happy with the ending and also gives insight into culture/ religion different to my own

[Hannah Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

cuteeee
rushed ending though

[Erin Woolton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I had would have liked this book more but unfortunately this book was far too long. Maya was annoying a lot of the time and thought the world revolved around her, that she was mad at her friend for being a mother!? Like what!? I was very interested in all of the Islamic culture that was in the book and I learnt a lot about it. However, the main character did use that as an excuse as to why things weren’t going her way, even when it came to people in her own family. Like you are an adult, please take accountability. The love interests were also one dimensional and had no personality. Maya suddenly finding Zach attractive for NO REASON, just because she had rejected him before!? And all this obsession with a guy she had a 15 minute conversation with? Girl get a grip.

[Milena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly what I needed to start my reading year with!

A Bengali girl who stumbles across a strangers notebook, filled with 30 things to do before turning 30. She decides to try and fulfill the list herself.

Loved reading about Muslim dating culture, and following the self-discovery journey our main character went through. The dialogue between characters was 10/10.

Also a big plus that the story was based in London.

[Drew Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 rounded up!! I really enjoyed the concept of this book, the insight to the culture and everything in between. It was so sweet 🥺 loved maya and loved watching her gain confidence throughout, big up Zak we love you too!
P.S- hopefully I am out of the reading slump now 🥲

[Adeeba · Rating 5 out of 5]

SWOONING so cute 😭

[Shan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟

[Tilly Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a lovely, uplifting read! Whilst there are elements of romance to it, it felt a lot more like a self-discovery journey for Maya, who is such a gem of a character! She was so warm and easy to like, and you’ll be absolutely rooting for her from the beginning, as she pushes herself out of her comfort zone by doing these things from a ‘thirty before thirty’ list. The chemistry with Zakariya was fab, but I also really loved exploring her relationships with her parents, brother and best friend. It’s a really fun, heartwarming read that’s also tempted me to push myself out of my comfort zone and try something new!

[Marielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming!

[Anam Iqbal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!!!

[Kirin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by the author and while I didn't do a full review of the first (Finding Mr Perfectly Fine), I am going to do a full review of this one, because the book might not be "halal, halal" or intentionally Islam centered, but with a robust Muslim cast it stays impressively clean and there is a lot of Islam present.  I'm glad I bought a physical copy so my nieces or my daughter can pick it up and enjoy Rana's growth and antics.  The book is nearly 400 pages long, but they fly by, and if you are 16 and up looking for a rom com style escape book this will fit the bill.  The only thing that really gave me pause is an early label the protagonist slaps on her self as "not being a devout Muslim."  I get the point is to not let the stereotype of an arranged marriage and strict brown parents overshadow the initial impression of the book, but the author is a better writer than that early statement indicates.  As the story progresses you see her Islam IS very much part of her identity, her environment, her outlook, and the author shows it in relatable nuanced ways that the early "telling" was not needed.  Yes, the book has the protagonist and a different boy or two alone at times, and there is some hand holding and a few hugs, but the intention is always to find a spouse, and religious lines are usually clearly on the character's radar.  There is some talk about mortgages, and a side Muslim character that has a girlfriend he keeps secret as they go on holiday together, but again, nothing obscene, or defensive, just realistic actions from contemporary characters viewing things their own way and doing the best they can.

SYNOPSIS:

Maya's life is pretty predictable, she lives at home, goes to work, hangs out with her childhood friend on the weekend, and dodges any attempts to be set up for marriage.  Then one day on the tube a mysterious stranger, Noah, his leather bound notebook, and everyone else in her life moving forward, prompts her to open the notebook and copy his 30 before 30 list.  Adapting what doesn't make sense at all for her life, she never peeks ahead, but rather takes one adventure at a time.  When people from different circles in her life start interacting, and Noah reenters her life, Maya will have decisions to make and a new list to commit to, her own.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I needed a diversion, I was going to be spending a few consecutive days in waiting rooms at hospitals and knew I'd need something light, easy to read, pause, and return to, and something to make me smile.  Maya is likeable, and her family and friends relatable.  Her Bangladeshi and British culture add depth and I was genuinely surprised and appreciative with how much Islam managed to find its way in to the plot and character arcs.

FLAGS:

Relationships outside of marriage, nude model, lying, hugs, hand holding.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

This would make a great adult, college, or even 12th grade book club selection, for just a fun book to laugh about and enjoy with friends.  It isn't that deep, but there are threads that will hit, and to chat about it will bring friends closer together.

[Noor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute read with some cheesy bits but overall not bad.

Synopsis:
Maya had been living in her comfort zone for too long. Living her routine of work, family and friends and just going with the motion. Till one day she bumps into a cute guy Noah on the tube and feels the thrill of excitement. However, that doesn’t last long, when tube guy Noah gets off at his stop but leaves behind his notebook. Maya challenges herself to work through the list in his notebook, secretly hoping that she may find Noah again. Instead, she meets Zakariya; an annoying suitor brought to her by her parents in the traditional way. And the dream meet-cute vs reality plot ensues.

I feel like the reason I liked this book was just because of how much it resonated with me.
Examples:
“ 'I feel like my life is stagnant, I admitted. 'It's not really going anywhere. It doesn't look like I'll be getting married any time soon, so l might as well invest in my career if I'm going to be alone forever! “ literally my thought process when I decided to get my masters.

“ 'We're only twenty-seven. We've got loads of time to figure out what we want to do with the rest of our lives!
'Have we, though? I feel like I was twenty-one and graduating just the other day. I blinked and became twenty-seven. I need to hurry up and make up my mind! “ I feel this on a daily basis

SOFT SPOILERS AHEAD:
I feel like this was one of those books that come to you when you need them. There’s a verse in the Quran that translates into “But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” (2:216) While Maya was busy romanticizing this Noah guy and just in a way idealizing him, thinking like “oh this guy is sooo good for me” in reality, Zak was actually better for her even though she really wasn’t fond of him all that much at first. Allah really is the best of planners.

Noah vs Zak really gave me boy vs man type of vibes and at this age I think as cute and fun boys can be at the end of the day, they aren’t marriage material. They’re just game materials. And I’ve outgrown playing around lol.

Overall, it wasn’t like wow best book ever but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Thank you Camden library for having it available on the Libby app.

[Dibz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m going to start this review by saying I tend to gravitate towards contemporary literature and ‘lit fic’. However, over the last few weeks I’ve been feeling a bit ‘meh’ . I’ve really been craving lighter, plottier books. I think it’s a combination of feeling drained from a 9-5 and being sick a lot over the last few weeks . I don’t know. I came across ‘The Thirty Before Thirty List’ by an author who shared some of the same cultural background as me and it felt like what I needed at that moment.

Basically all that to say that I stepped out of my comfort zone to read a contemporary romance, and honestly I’m glad I did. Although, I didn’t really like the romance aspects of it??

Premise: Maya is an introverted 27 year old woman. Her hobbies consist of watching movies and knitting ( knitting is pretty cool). Her life changes when a handsome man on the tube chats her up. He ends up leaving a notebook where she finds his 30 before 30 list. She decides to work through his list and ends up growing in ways she didn’t expect.

She also ends up being pursued by two men, but whatever.

Negatives:

- I didn’t actually care for the romance aspect of it and tended to skim read the parts she was agonising over the men

- Dialogue is unrealistic

- Main character was emotionally immature and annoyingly naive for a 27 year old woman

- I found the characters acceptance of some backwards cultural views of her family really off putting - although I acknowledged that challenging a situation she grew up in isn’t easy.

Positives;

- I loved how the character was becoming more well rounded by completing the list

- It inspired me to make my own list

In summery, I’m glad I read the book because I found the idea of making a bucket list and following through with it quite inspiring. I don’t think I’ve fully converted into a romance reader yet though

[Stephy Titus · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to rate this book much higher as I really enjoyed the story behind it and seeing the character develop and find her sense of self as she ticked each item on the list.

This book considered cultural differences that aren’t spoken about or discussed in your typical rom-com’s and addresses issues within south Asian households.

BUT my issue with the book is actually a small sentence where Maya essentially looks down on her dad’s job. Maya’s dad works for social services and it doesn’t go into detail as to what exactly he does. But that sentence made me feel like the author who spent the entire book addressing all sorts of valid and important issues played an active role in perpetuating the existing negative stereotype that dictates that certain fields I.e. engineering, medicine and in Maya’s case Law were the only ones considered ‘worthy’. It’s a shame that this author didn’t consider this within her writing as despite it being just a very small sentence within this book it was rather disappointing to read.

[Salma Mehboob · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I wanted to hate this book because I thought it would be another typical Muslim heroine book. It wasn't! It was an excellent commentary on modern day Muslim women's lives juggling work, career, love, family, obligation and so much more. Theres so much I want to say but I'm not very good at reviews!

Maya is in her late 20s and unmarried and generally unsatisfied with life. She decides to overhaul her life by trying out things she's never done before. She finds a notebook and in it contains a list of 30 things to do before 30. Albeit it's not her list, she chooses to go through each one and do them.

Her journey is life affirming, refreshing, funny and puts her on a path of love too. All whilst navigating family and work and her relationships with her friends and brother. I absolutely love how the relationships are shown as dynamic and not 2d. For example, whilst her relationship with her brother is fraught as he's the favoured son and seen as having more worth, she still has a sibling relationship with him as he will get up at 5am and drive her to places cos that's what brothers do, whilst at other times have huge blazing rows. I like how he's not seen just as a typical male son. The author recognises he has obligations and whilst he doesn't cook or clean, he does spend his money on the family home renovations. It's done really well where you can see life through each characters lens.

Anyway I digress. It was an excellent read and I thoroughly enjoyed how Maya goes through each of the 30 on the list. She finds herself by the end of it but it's a refreshing journey. She has doubts about her friendships and I'm sure we've all been there but again the dynamic nature of humans me as that relationships in the book are depicted as complicated as they are in real life. Some seasons friends can feel distanced and other seasons, friends reconnect again but through the seasons, friendships survive. That is life.

A fun read.

[Rebecca Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was exactly what I needed to close out my twenties. Maya, a Bengali woman, stumbles across a stranger’s notebook filled with 30 things to do before turning 30—and decides to take on the list herself. What follows is a witty, heartwarming journey of self-discovery, friendship, love, and culture.

I loved the Muslim representation throughout, from dating culture to family dynamics, and the respect shown toward Islamic values. The book also beautifully highlighted Bangladeshi culture and traditions, which added so much depth. The friendships, romances, sibling rivalry, and workplace dynamics all felt authentic—sometimes messy, sometimes distant, but always true to life.

The dialogue was sharp and engaging, and I enjoyed following Maya as she tackled each challenge on the list. The story had moments of humour, joy, and heartbreak, and by the end Maya had found herself in a refreshing, satisfying way.

What started as a whim purchase ended up being one of my favourite reads. Uplifting, funny, and culturally rich—this book truly had it all.

[abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

[2.5] despite reading around 90% of this in one day, i wasn't this book's biggest fan by any means. i understand the entertaining the concept of a love triangle (although i don't love that trope), but when the fmc is constantly flitting between the two, it makes it hard to root for any of them, let alone one, which is why i think i didn't really like either of the two mmc's. maya read extremely emotionally immature to me, and a bit self-entitled at times, which also didn't help the romance side of things. if you took away the romance (or replaced it with better characters lol) i actually thought the plot of working through the list in the notebook was fairly original, and a good device to drive the storyline along, which may be why the writing was so digestible. also - did we ever find out what happened with lucy and malik??

[nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

gostei muito desta leitura! teve alguns aspetos relacionados com romance, mas sinto que na verdade esta história foi mais uma história de self-discovery para a personagem principal. falando na personagem principal, gostei muito da maya! foi mesmo muito fácil gostar dela, por ser uma personagem tão querida, e dei por mim a torcer por ela desde o início, enquanto fui acompanhando a caminhada dela enquanto saía da sua zona de conforto para completar mais uma tarefa das 30 que constavam na lista.

a química entre a maya e o zakariya foi muito boa, mas gostei muito do facto desta história aprofundar bastante a relação da maya com os pais, o irmão e a melhor amiga.

fiquei bastante feliz com o final, e sinto que esta leitura foi muito importante, não só ao dar-me um empurrão para sair da minha zona de conforto, mas também para me dar a conhecer uma cultura completamente diferente da minha.

[Greta Lubinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 30 before 30 list is a beautiful book which teaches you the struggles women of ethnicity still face when on one hand living a modern and kid of liberal life but on the other one struggling to sick to cultural and traditional families values. Maya takes you on her journey to open up to life and enjoy the beauty and spontaneous turns it has to offer. Overall, it encourages you to think about your own 30 before 30 list and reminds you that it’s worth it to get out of your comfort zone and be open to try new things.

[Mirte Degrève · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It was interesting to see how romantic relationships work in other cultures. The story itself was also very eye-opening in some ways, and the list may have inspired me as well.

Some things I didn't like was the HUGE second-hand embarassement I got when Maya started dating Noah. Second thing that I missed was an apology or actual aknowledgement from Zak about him judging Maya the first time they met. And lastly I also would've liked to see her tie the ends with Lucy some more.

[Bukola Akinyemi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Thirty Before Thirty List: A
Tasneem Abdur-Rashid

The blend of romance, self-discovery, and cultural richness in this book is incredibly appealing.

Maya meets a handsome man on the tube, he strikes a conversation with her and she’s smitten. Noah rushes off the train when it gets to his stop accidentally dropping his journal. Will his journal lead Maya to true love?

The exploration of British Bengali culture adds an enriching layer to the story, offering a deeper connection to the characters and their backgrounds. I could almost smell the aromatic spices and hear the lively conversations.

[Amaara Arif · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book

[Alice Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Rabia Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wholesome chick-lit that ashamedly hit the spot 🥹 (my 30 before 30 list was better though)

[Summer Ridley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favourite book!!
This was so good and the plot was 😌👌
Tasneem is a genius!

[Ilse Zorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐️
Maya (A Bengali-Muslim from London) and her search for who she is, who she wants to be and which role her faith plays in her life just warmed my heart!

[Charlotte Hyland · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ - very sweet

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The perspective of this book is from a British Bangladeshi Muslim Women who is living a boring, typical life and for that, I really enjoyed! It was great to see how she didn’t follow tradition and the implications of this from arranged marriage to ever changing life goals 3️⃣0️⃣