Writing Mr. Right

by Alina Khawaja

In this charming, delightfully original rom-com, a struggling writer’s muse suddenly comes to life, but can they create their own happily-ever-after?

Legal secretary by day, aspiring novelist by night, Ziya Khan pours herself into writing stories featuring the kinds of diverse characters she loves. In exchange, she’s got a growing pile of rejection letters. When yet another “thanks but no thanks” arrives on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Ziya decides to throw her novel and her dreams in the trash. End of story.

Except that when Ziya wakes up, there’s a flesh-and-blood version of her muse standing in her kitchen. His name is Aashiq, and it’s his job to inspire Ziya to write again. From singing karaoke to standing up for herself at work, he’s pushing Ziya out of the sidelines and into the world, showing her how to live and love fully.

Even more impossibly, something starts to blossom between them. But as Ziya rediscovers the joy of writing, Aashiq starts to disappear. His job is almost done. And it seems soon Ziya will have to choose: her art…or her heart?

Genres: Romance, Magical Realism, Audiobook, Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2025

About the author

Alina Khawaja is a Canadian-Pakistani author. A graduate from the University of Toronto with a BA in English, History and Creative Writing and from Toronto Metropolitan University with an MA in the Literatures of Modernity, it’s been clear from day one that the only thing Alina could be is a storyteller. Alina lives in Ontario, Canada, where she spends the summer at theme parks and the winter cozying up inside with a ridiculously expensive coffee. When she’s not writing, she’s either reading or trying to keep up with her endless list of k-dramas.

Her debut novel, MAYA’S LAWS OF LOVE, is out March 26th 2024 from Mira Books and March 28th 2024 Simon and Schuster UK.

She is represented by Dr. Uwe Stender at TriadaUS Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.75 stars)
The premise of Writing Mr. Right sounded so good, right up my alley with a strong dose of magical realism. Unfortunately, it just didn’t grab me as much as I had hoped it would.

Ziya Khan is turning 30. She’s an aspiring novelist but her manuscripts keep getting rejected and she’s feeling frustrated and despondent about it. She does really like her day job as a legal secretary, so that’s a saving grace for her. The story is told by Ziya, so we only get her point of view.

On her birthday, her best friend and roommate gets her a cake with some candles that the bakery said were magic. And they were! When Ziya makes a wish … well, that’s the premise of the book. Her writing muse comes to life in the form of a handsome young man, Aashiq. He inspires Ziya in a lot of different ways, from getting her to go out for a run or a walk, to eat healthier, and much more in connection with her writing. I just didn’t buy their eventual romance and the final outcome. It stretched my credulity a bit too much.

I really appreciated the Muslim representation in this story. Ziya’s family are Pakistani New Yorkers, very much at home in the city but still respecting their culture. I highlighted one quote that spoke to me:
“‘The whole reason I started writing seriously is because I wanted to combat those stereotypes, to show different kinds of stories… Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like anyone wants those stories. It’s like they think the only Muslim stories that have value are the ones where we’re suffering or we have to teach the reader something. We’re more than our pain, and we shouldn’t have to teach people why we matter.’”
I don’t know about you, but I think this statement is just as perfect if you substitute “Jewish stories” for “Muslim stories.” So much truth!

I bounced between the ebook and the audiobook, but mostly listened to the audiobook, which was well narrated by Mayuri Bhandari.

Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book and to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

[Book Riot Community]

Book Riot's Best New Romance Books Out in June:

We love a good romance with a hint of fabulism, and this one features a writer who dreams of publishing her work, but continues to get rejected. When she throws away her manuscript in a fit of pique, she wakes up the next morning (on her 30th birthday) to find the manifestation of her love of writing in the form of Aashiq, a living, breathing man. He helps her discover her writing joy again, but as she comes closer to actualizing it, he starts to disappear. That’s…not good. —Jessica Pryde

[Thya (wiltedpages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

the magical realism element?? him learning how to be human for her???? so good.

[✧ Beanie Reads ✧]

Read: May 8th - May 14th
Format: E-Book
Rating: No rating, DNF-ed @ 42%

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I wanted to love this book. A discouraged writer learning to love the craft again? All while being PoC and advocating for PoC authors writing? Sign me up!

Except, well... I didn't like it. First, I'd like to clarify that when I read the blurb, when I read that her muse comes to life, I figured it was a mental construction of her perfect love interest, or a reflection of a guy she based her love interests on, or maybe the love interest of her book himself. I didn't expect the muse to be her desire to write manifested in hot man form. And because he was so intricately part of her, the romance just felt weird and off putting. I mean, yay for self-love I guess? But not when it's like this. I went from excited about this aspect of the concept to grimacing through it.

And the writing? I saw someone compare it to a self help book, and honestly, that's very valid. So much of the dialogue was stilted and forced because it just felt like someone spitting out what would be in a creative's curated self help book. I've given the advice at times myself, but always through text. The way it felt so polished coming from the mouths of characters made it feel inorganic and practiced.

This also extended to the protagonist, who came across as an inorganic embodiment of all the issues that a writer may have. Also, she rage quit because she couldn't get an agent or publisher. Look, I'm not going to give anyone grief for the route they want to go, but self-publishing didn't even cross her mind, and if anything, the book gave the vibe that only trad published books had worth, and it just left me with the icks. The complaint that the agents gave also didn't make sense? That the romances didn't have high enough stakes? Emily Henry was literally mentioned in this book. What was the stakes of Funny Story? That the protagonists wouldn't get together? Since when did romance need super high stakes besides the character growth and the building romance? The complaint she kept getting just made no sense to me.

I don't know. The entire thing around her writing career left me feeling more confused than sympathetic.

I won't say this book isn't worth giving a try. It has a good message underneath, and I genuinely desire messages about PoC writers being valid, and the need for people who look like them to be protagonists. But this book just didn't do anything for me. So, if the things I listed as complaints don't seem like things that would bother you, give it a go.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating ⭐️: 3.75/5
No Spice 🚫🌶️
Book release date 📣 : June 10 2025

To anyone who is a writer that enjoys magical realism and romance, this book is for you!

Imagine... You are struggling to become a published author, feeling defeated and make a wish at midnight on your birthday. Then suddenly a really attractive guy ,that technically you created, comes to life determined to help you rediscover your love for writing. But in the process you fall for him too. You can’t be together …. Or can you?

"I see the world and all of its shades so differently now, and that’s because of you."

"To have another season to keep falling in love with you. That’s all I would have liked to do."

Thoughts:
This was fun read! I will say in the beginning it took me a bit to get into it, but the second half was worth the wait.

Ziya: I loved getting to experience Ziya rediscover her love for writing and, in the process, find herself. I also really appreciated how the Ziya highlighted how important it is for her to write characters that reflect her own ethnicity.

Aashiq: What a fun character! Watching him navigate the human experience and ask questions about it made me pause and reflect on what it truly the human experience is.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Meghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF, I got about 10 chapters in and called it quits. It was hard for me to connect with this story and found myself forcing me to finish each chapter.

The title and the cover art is what really drew me in, then I saw the premise of the book and I thought it would be a great read but this felt more like a self help than a romance to me, sadly.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Alina Khawaja for the ARC!*

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique and life-affirming romantic comedy, that offers encouragement for writers and creatives.

I love the author note at the end of the book.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An aspiring lawyer and want to be romance author finds herself conjuring up the 'perfect man' who is set on encouraging her to be the best writer she can be and finally finishing her first manuscript in this sophomore contemporary love story from Pakistani Muslim Canadian author Alina Khawaja. I loved the unique take on the want to be romance author story, the dreaminess of the MMC and how much this book is an encouraging love letter for aspiring authors! Good on audio and highly recommended for fans of authors like Farah Heron, and books like Ashley Poston's Dead romantics or BK Borison's Good spirits. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: kissing only

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF: 44%

As Ziya heard many times about the book she queried at the start of this story: I couldn't connect to the characters or the story.

It's silly and over the top in an unbelievable way. I get that it's magical realism but the elements feel disjointed and ask me to suspend my disbelief too much. Was I mildly curious to see how things played out? Yes. That's why I kept reading as long as I did. But this one rubbed me the wrong way pretty much from the start:

- Ziya bemoans that the Hallmark-esque style she writes in isn't splashy enough for agents & publishers but doesn't try indie or self publishing.

- "Huh. I never would have guessed the hardworking, suitwearing, no-nonsense women I work with would be such big romance fans" (18%). That's so judgmental and naive of Ziya. This is set in current day; with the explosion of the romance genre, how is this a thought she has?

- Her idea that FMCs have to behave in a likable way or they're unrelatable (19%). It's just gross.

- "Like, if you don't have a splashy book deal or a literary agent, then your writing isn't as valid" (23%). Way to dismiss whole sections of the industry. Ziya's attitude towards writing and publishing seems massively messed up.

- Aashiq acts more like a life coach and/or therapist than he does a creative muse.

- Aashiq's quirks and knowledge seem poorly defined. He's aware of some things but ignorant of others with no rhyme or reason.

I thought at first that maybe this just wasn't a good fit for me. But I think this book needs some work on the whole. The dialogue is stilted or unrealistic and there's so much of it. Ziya is constantly telling us how she's feeling or what she's thinking instead of us experiencing it alongside her. I want the story to either lean harder into the silliness or be more grounded in reality. Right now, it's straddling a line that makes it hard to connect.

I know I'm referencing an ARC and that things might change between now and publication. If things do, I'd be willing to give this another shot. But as it stands, it's not enjoyable.

Many thanks to NetGalley, MIRA, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[romancelibrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up Writing Mr. Right for the fun magical realism aspect: when an aspiring author decides to give up on writing, her muse comes to life the next day and is determined to inspire her to write again. The physical manifestation of Ziya's muse is obviously in the shape of a good-looking man named Aashiq, because, you know, romance 😏 Ziya's immediate reaction to Aashiq's magical powers? Recite ayat Al-Kursi—same, girl 😂

To begin, it was nice to read a Hallmark-esque magical realism romance with Pakistani Muslim characters. The romance was good, filled with K-drama references, and you know I love my K-dramas. But I struggled a bit with the magical realism, specifically with the idea of Aashiq being an extension of Ziya, as opposed to being separate from her. Since he's a part of her, when she falls in love with him...is she falling in love with herself? Where does he, as an extension of her subconscious, end, and where does he, becoming his own person, begin? Where does she end and where does he begin? That blurry line was never deeply explored and it left things a bit fuzzy for me. I feel like this book could've been even better if the author had dug deeper into the magical realism—for instance, we find out at the 61% mark that Ziya's muse can actually take any shape or form. Show me! Why did the muse immediately appear in the shape of this guy? Why does he need to eat but not sleep? I just had so many questions LOL!

I feel like this is a great book for aspiring authors; Aashiq helps Ziya rediscover her love of writing, and as a result, a good chunk of this book is filled with advice for writers. It is a bit on the nose, but I also get it because writing is one of the main themes of this book. As a reader, it was interesting to gain insight into how writers think, but I eventually got tired of it, probably because writing does not really interest me. I also feel like the author could have included some deeper discussions on why the publishing industry largely found her low-stakes romance stories "unrelatable," when they were your typical trope-filled romance novels that are popular. This whole notion of "unrelatable" obviously speaks to the lack of diversity and racism in publishing, but somehow, this topic never comes up at any point in the book. Ziya does mention that books about Muslim joy are overlooked and that she wants to avoid stereotypes in her stories, which is great. But Ziya, why is your manuscript getting rejected for being "unrelatable"? Let's talk about that! All of the struggles about being a writer were expounded, except for this very important topic.

Overall, this was a decent book. I would just advise readers to adjust their expectations on the magical realism and to keep in mind that this is not just a romance, but a story about the struggles of being a writer.

A note for Muslim readers: the heroine practices aspects of her religion, like praying, fasting, eating halal. There is also kissing in this book.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Writing Mr. Right by Alina Khawaja is a first person-POV speculative romance where an aspiring author falls in love with her muse. Ziya is a legal secretary who is also trying to become a romance author but faces rejection from every agent she queries. When she deletes all of her work, her muse, Aashiq, comes out of her mind to try to help her get her mojo back. But when they catch feelings, things become a bit more complicated.

I am not familiar enough with what is and is not considered halal so I cannot say whether or not this book would be labelled as such. Ziya does mention Allah and thanks him and believes he has a plan for her. She also kisses Aashiq but it never goes further than that. We don’t get mentions of Ziya and her family going to service or to a mosque and there are no depictions of prayers, but as Ziya clearly states, it is one depiction of Muslim women among a variety of depictions because they don’t fit neatly into the box they are stereotyped as.

Aashiq is a golden retriever to the max. He is endlessly optimistic and he wants to try anything and everything and adores life because everything is brand new to him. It’s very cute and helps to balance out Ziya’s pessimism and frustration with the fact that neither of her careers are really moving forward despite her hard work. Aashiq also stands up for her to her family, which is something I always want to see in a golden retriever love interest. It’s not quite grumpy x sunshine because I don’t think Ziya is that grumpy, but it does have hints of the trope.

I think what this book really hits on really well is that publishing isn’t a meritocracy and the only way to get published is to keep trying and to get lucky (for most people). Ziya deals with the endlessly frustrating ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ that agents are kind of known for because of how subjective art is and it almost makes her stop trying. I think it’s important for aspiring writers to see this kind because you do hear so many aspiring authors mentioning how they feel demeaned by the process and they wish they didn’t have to go through it. But if you push hard enough, you might get there.

I would recommend this to fans of romances between Muslim SWANA characters and readers of romance who want a speculative twist

[Saloua · Rating 2 out of 5]

No, im sorry. I loved Maya's Laws of Love , but this was just not my thing.

The plot was so unrealistic and cringe worthy. and not because of the magic realism but strangely enough because of FMC's character development. For instance, she speaks to a room of doctors and rich peopl she has never met a day in her life about the meaning of their names and how honorable their work is and they all eat it up and make big donations because of her sparkling personality. In what world would that happen??? Scenes like this just felt so unnatural, stunted, and disjointed.

In addition, I couldn't connect to either mc, and the romance was such a small part of the story (and came out of nowhere).

I didn't DNF because I do enjoy the author's writing, and like I said, I loved her first book, but this just didn't resonate with me. One extra star for desi/Pakistani representation without the trauma 💖

[Toya · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.75(3.75 stars)
ARC Review

This book felt like writing your way back to yourself—literally. What starts as a whimsical, magical realism concept quickly turns into a soft, reflective journey about self-worth, confidence, and choosing you first. I loved the idea of a love interest who only exists because she created him…for her.

It’s quiet, introspective, and not your typical romance—more about healing and stepping into your power than sweeping declarations. There’s no spice, but it’s cozy and sweet in its own way. A slower pace at times, but perfect for readers who enjoy a little magic, a lot of heart, and a main character finally owning her story.

I received this book as a ARC Thank you NetGalley and the publisher

[Ina · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No Spice

❤️Light Romance, Wholesome, Falling for Fictional Men, Career Growth, Self-Love

Ziya is a legal secretary and an aspiring writer. She creates a fictional man, Aashiq, who helps her with her writing, helps her become more confident, and inspires her to not only live, but see the beauty in life again. It is such a great lesson for all of us to not just focus solely on work, but to make sure we have fun in life. This is such a sweet read. I love the friends Ziya has. I didn't expect to love this! It's adorable, creative, uplifting and inspirational.

Mayuri Bhandari is the narrator. She did a beautiful job. I enjoyed listening to this.

Thanks to Netgalley, Alina Khawaja, and Harlequin for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[Bookish · Rating 2 out of 5]

eARC
DNF

The title name and art cover is what drew me in. Then I read the summary and thought it would be a cute easy read. FMC being a writing? Yes please! I love when it’s a book about a writer. I’ve always enjoyed those tropes.

The premise is, Ziya is an almost thirty, legal secretary and struggling writer. Who’s been rejected by every possible publisher. She throws in the writing towel and continues her stable legal secretary work.
A strange man appears in her kitchen and he tells her he’s her muse, part of her creative mind. He’s going to help her get out of her head, enjoy more about life and the little things. Ultimately, find her creativity as a writer. They spend all day together and Ziya notices how attractive he is…

I went as far as 14 chapters and that’s when I DNF this. This wasn’t an easy read to begin with. I was pushing through to find growth with the FMC and a MMC love interest. As far as I read, I am guessing that Aashiq is the love interest, which I’m disappointed because it isn’t something that she thought of, wrote or created, it’s that he just appeared out of nowhere.

The book would have a better appeal to me if the FMC began thinking/writing of the love interest.

I couldn’t keep reading the pages, but there may be someone who will throughly enjoy from page one to the end.

Thank you NetGalley.

[Hannah F · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This was ok, there were moments that I enjoyed and found it well-written but it also read like a self-help/self-improvement book at times which wasn’t really what I was looking for. I also kinda found the whole “he’s her muse who came to life and now they’re in love” questionable and problematic at times but…it’s romance book so the author gets a pass with that. 😂

[the.bookish.mama.lion · Rating 3 out of 5]

《Thoughts》
3.5 stars. Contemporary, Speculative Romance

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for gifting me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Writing Mr. Right might honestly be the most positive, upbeat story I've ever read. It was wholesome, uplifting, and encouraging (especially as a struggling writer myself).

It gives off 13 Going On 30 vibes - on the sense that a wish is made and something magical and impossible transpires which the FMC just kind of goes along with without a whole lot of convincing, all the while with a countdown happening in the background.

As a writer myself, I enjoyed all the writing and reading trope references and found much to resonate with.

However, I found myself struggling to want to pick this up. Perhaps it was due to my own mood/mindset while reading, I'm not sure.

Here were some things, however, that stuck out to me while reading:

1. I wish there had been a bigger contrast with how Ziya was before Aashiq came along and started encouraging her to grow and change. Before, she was slightly discouraged, but it didn't seem like she'd lost all hope yet (I mean, yes, she did destroy her entire manuscript, but we never really saw much or the descent into that angry decision). We also learn a lot of things about her as she's undergoing change, but we don't see much of it in the "ordinary world" at the beginning. We don't get a chance to see her NEEDING these lessons.

2. While all the personal growth Aashiq encouraged her toward is good, it almost felt too perfect. She started exercising and didn't mind waking up at an ungodly hour to do it. She was able to take her time to eat healthy. She took in her surrounding, said what she was thinking, and cherished it all. It's all really, really amazing things to strive for, but it all started feeling a little... unrealistic? Even while inspiring?

3. I also felt like there was unintentionally a little bit of shame toward being an introverted creature of habit who enjoys staying home rather than going out. Every time Ziya looked at herself and her actions (past and present) where she was like that, she viewed it with shame and regret. Now, maybe that's not who Ziya wanted to be, and that's fine (and even as an introvert, it's healthy to get out and be social), but I didn't like the message that there's anything wrong with enjoying solitude and that being that way isn't living "real life."

4. There wasn't a lot of disappearing on Aashiq's part until the end, even though Ziya was working and enjoying writing nearly the whole time.

5. It was a little weird to think about the fact that she essentially fell in love with a part of herself. Even though he was becoming his own person. I had assumed the MMC would be a manifestation of a character in her book, not actually from herself.

All-in-all, a very upbeat story that I think a lot of people will enjoy (and with great representation!), but wasn't my favorite.

[Aislin Spurgeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

**spoiler alert** This review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review This review may contain spoilers.

Readers who loved I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue and fans of Ashley Poston will definitely enjoy Writing Mr. Write. While I personally had a difficult time connecting with the main character despite sharing similar interests, I think there are other readers who will see themselves in Ziya and her story.

Based on the title, I initially assumed the male main character from Ziya’s book would literally come off the page. Instead, “Mr. Right” turned out to be Ziya’s writing muse come to life. While I appreciated this creative twist, I struggled with the idea that he was “a part of her.” Even Ziya acknowledges this late in the book, saying, “And what if by falling in love with him, I’m falling in love with myself—maybe it’s some weird form of narcissism?” This question lingered for me throughout the story and made it harder to fully immerse myself in their romance. However, when I set this thought aside, I was able to enjoy the book as a sweet and cozy love story.

One aspect I found challenging was Aashiq’s role in the plot. He repeatedly claimed he was there to help Ziya with her writing, but for much of the story, his actions suggested otherwise. At around 60% into the book, Aashiq tells Ziya, “I know I’m here to help you with your writing, but I can help with other areas of your life, too.” Up until that point, he hadn’t actually helped her write. Instead, he focused on improving her diet, exercise routine, self-confidence, work, social connections, and overall outlook on life. While these changes did ultimately help Ziya rediscover her love for writing and life itself, the disconnect between what Aashiq claimed to be doing and what we saw on the page felt inconsistent.

Overall, Writing Mr. Write is a unique story with a happy ending, perfect for readers seeking a cozy winter romance with a touch of magic. While I had some reservations, I can easily recommend it to anyone looking for an uplifting and imaginative read

[Sakura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I wish book boyfriends could manifest into real life 😂 I loved this romance book! It was so sweet and heartfelt, but also unexpectedly inspiring.

I really appreciated the diversity in this book but also how the main character of Ziya actually talks about how she wants to write stories about people like her too. After reading so many romance novels where the FMC and MMC are generally the same, it was refreshing to read about a Pakistani girl and her experience with love and writing romance.

Aashiq had BIG golden retriever energy in this book. It’s hilarious as well as endearing. How he makes Ziya see she’s capable of being the writer she’s always dreamed about being was heartwarming to see. This wasn’t your typical romance. There wasn’t a third act break up (thank goodness) and no real opposing “threat” (an ex or a secret someone is keeping from the other.) The only obstacle was Ziya herself and her insecurities and I liked how the story revolved around her bettering her relationship with writing and her passion for it. I loved seeing Aashiq helping her find herself again… and how she even helped him! There wasn’t no spice in this book, but their romance was so sweet!

The audiobook for this one was also really well done. I liked being able to hear the Pakistani pronunciations of names and of course the food descriptions! I think thins narrator did an excellent job at capturing Ziya’s voice.

Thank-you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin/MIRA publishing for this ARC!

[Lisi Bee (Beth) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ziya is a legal secretary trying to get her first romance novel published while also wanting to pursue a law degree. Frustrated on all fronts and after her most recent rejection letter, she vows to give up on her writing dreams. But in a surprise move, her writing dreams have other plans. I loved the premise (Ziya's muse becomes corporeal to motivate her to keep writing), but the execution fell a little flat for me. The writing is detail heavy, which felt clunky at times. This feels like a love letter to writing and reading more than a romance. There's a lot of self-improvement and self-actualization going on here, which makes sense since Ziya manifested a sexy life coach for herself. The career angst was very relatable. The author has written exactly what Ziya did: a quiet story. And that's not a bad thing, but I couldn't help feeling it was a little *too* quiet. By nature the plot is introspective in focus, and I think I wanted something a bit more than that. I struggled a little to keep reading but I did because I wanted to see how it ended. I think the book was fine overall but maybe I wasn't the best audience for it. I really liked the emphasis on culture and inclusion, and Aashiq's wonder at and enthusiasm for the world was very sweet. Publishes June 10, 2025. This review was based on a complimentary eARC of the book and all opinions are my own.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel follows an aspiring writer turned legal secretary struggling with being turned down for publishing. Losing hope and inspiration, she wills Mr. Right into existence with her mind to help her learn more about herself, be more confident, and take more risks.

To me, this was very reminiscent of an Ashley Poston novel with the mix of magical realism and romance. Not only that, but the added aspects of diversity with our main characters and family culture is a bonus.

I appreciate how our love interest was so supportive and willing to challenge our main character to be her best. Not only is this a romance novel, it is also a powerful journey of becoming comfortable with yourself and learning to believe in yourself. It was the right amount of romance and personal growth that I appreciate from a fully formed romance.

Overall, this was a really solid romance that I enjoyed a lot. You may even say it is a-Muse-ing.

[Haley The Caffeinated Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full Review: https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2025...

This was an adorable romance story. I liked that in a way Mr. Right was just her creativity but at times I did wonder how that worked, was this something of an extension of herself then? I certainly had questions with that but our FMC and MMC were both adorable and I liked that it was some wholesome. Definitely a read for those who don't need/want spice and especially any who like something sweet. Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. I would love to read more from this Author and I'm excited to be part of the blog tour.

[Nicole Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. My opinions are all my own.

Writing Mr Right has a wonderful premise. I enjoyed the Muslim representation and a peak into a culture different than my own.

I struggled to get into this book. I liked the muse aspect but I struggled with the fact that Aashiq was apart of her subconscious.

It is a very sweet book in all and I’m a sucker for happy endings! I give it 3.5/5

[AbigailReadzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting take on a romance story. I enjoyed watching the author bring her muse to life through her stories.

This is a nice break from the crazy high drama spicy books, this was a sweet low angst romance book.

This was my first book by this author & I appreciate the opportunity to try out new authors!

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Ziya’s journey of self discovery and becoming a writer, but the romance aspect of this book felt completely flat and underdeveloped. I also thought naming your love interest Aashiq (which literally means lover) to be extremely weird.

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute magical realism read! The audiobook was super easy to listen to. I really enjoyed the narrator and thought the pace was good. I loved how the main character was an aspiring author and went through the difficulties of opening up to others about their writing. This book had a lot of character growth, which I always look for in a good book. I also enjoyed the development of the romance. Overall, this was a cute and quick read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a magical realism book.

[Jennifer Cash · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the concept was different but the idea of her falling in love with a man that she conjured out of her head was too weird for me. I kept waiting for another love interest to show up.

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first word that comes to mind for this book is cozy. It’s a sweet romance that follows Ziya who has decided to give up writing for good, but her muse Aashiq comes to life and has plans to inspire her to pick it back up. As the story unfolds, you get to experience New York City (and honestly life in general) through a refreshing point of view and watch Ziya slowly grow outside her bubble. There’s no external issues that are looming or intense plot twists. This is a low stakes romance that feels like what you want to read when you are looking for a breather between really intense books.

I will say what really held me back on this book was how meta it was. I had that thought pretty early on in the book, but as the book progressed, that thought just grew more and more. It got to the point that I couldn’t even be present with the main storyline because I was feeling too much of the two overlapping. My focus went from just enjoying the story unfolding to feeling like I was almost being told more from what she was writing than what she was experiencing. And it also just made some of the resolution at the end feel a little rushed.

But I don’t think that everyone will feel this way! If you’re looking for a cozy sweet romance, you might really enjoy this one.

Also, one of the reasons I requested this book was because it reminded me of Ashley Poston’s magical spin on romance novels, and I feel like this definitely fit that thought! So if you are wanting a low stakes romance novel that feels like a love letter to romance writers, then this might be just the read for you :)

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for this early copy! All opinions are my own :)

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT **********************
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for providing me with an advance copy of the audiobook version of Writing Mr. Right by Alina Khawaja, Narrated by Mayuri Bhandari.
It was blurbed as a romance novel but was equally fictional self help book to the point it displaced the romance part for much of the novel. It was still an enjoyable read once you accepted that was what was going on.
The muse worked hard to push the FMC to better self care on many levels so that she would connect more easily to her creativity and desire to write.
The muse also worked to support her confidence in other aspects of her life, including her work life.
Also on the plus side was Muslim cultural representation, and a positive representation of the role of lawyers in society. The narrator’s work was good.

I found it odd that the FMC didn’t consider any prolonged focus on the muse’s preferred experiences until what she understood as the last moments of his potential life.
I also found it odd that she had never been in love before at age 30.
And I found it a bit weird for her to marry a part of herself. The muse would always be a part of her. Why not just allow it to reintegrate into your psyche after getting your life on a better track and the love of writing reignited? But I guess that the author just wanted to try for some sort of close to standard HEA ending.

Anyway, I hope this review helps you to choose whether this book is for you, and I thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the opportunity to read it earlier.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be transparent right up front: I did enjoy listening to the audiobook for Writing Mr. Right, but there were a few things that just weirded me out while listening, which led me to give it only a three. I was a bit disappointed since I loved her last novel, Maya’s Laws of Love.

Alina Khawaja’s Writing Mr. Wrong offers a blend of romance, creativity, and unexpected twists that make for an engaging read. The novel follows aspiring writer Ziya, who channels all her frustration about love into crafting the perfect fictional character, only for her muse to mysteriously materialize in real life. While this premise is intriguing, it also takes a turn that I found a bit unsettling: Ziya not only accepts the surreal nature of her muse’s existence but ultimately falls in love with him, even though he was a part of her come to life.

At the beginning of the book, Ziya is a passionate but somewhat jaded writer, working during the day as an unappreciated and driven legal secretary. She had spent her free time writing small-town romances, but no agent had liked her books enough to sign her on. Ziya’s finally had enough and decided she wants to go to law school instead, and that’s when her muse unexpectedly materializes as a living, breathing, attractive man named Aashiq.

Throughout the novel, she oscillates between skepticism and fascination, initially resisting the idea that her muse’s existence is real. As the story progresses, Ziya undergoes a gradual unraveling of her tightly held perceptions about love. Her emotional arc pushes her to confront the possibility that what she believed to be mere fantasy might hold deeper truths about what she actually wants in a partner. While her acceptance of her muse’s reality may feel abrupt, it signifies a willingness to embrace the unknown and reevaluate her understanding of connection and desire.

Khawaja excels at crafting vibrant, emotionally charged scenes, and Ziya’s journey is filled with witty banter, romantic tension, and moments of self-discovery. The exploration of the writing process and the blurred lines between fiction and reality add a fascinating layer to the story. However, the shift from creative inspiration to a tangible, flesh-and-blood romance introduced an element that is a little unnerving. There’s something fundamentally eerie about a character morphing from fantasy to reality, and the fact that Ziya embraces this so wholeheartedly might leave some readers feeling unsettled rather than enchanted.

Despite the few problems I had throughout the book, this book remains an enjoyable read, delivering humor, heartfelt moments, and an unconventional love story. If you’re willing to suspend disbelief and lean into the oddity of its premise, you’ll find plenty to appreciate. Just be prepared for a touch of the surreal—and perhaps a bit of lingering unease if you think too hard about her muse materializing and actually being a part of herself–so it was just plain weird.

(Also on Bewitched Bookworms. Book received for free in exchange for honest review. I bought the book on Audible for this review.)