Happily ever after… In this life, and in the next.
Now back in London after their grand wedding ceremony, Ilyanna and Riyadh should be revelling in the glitter and peace of their marital life. Yet, shadows of the past refuse to stay buried. Old wounds reopen.
In confronting the ghosts of their past, they must each find the courage to break the cycles of pain that have shaped them. However, when the burden of healing grows heavier, the question isn’t just about love—but what it costs to sustain it.
With new battles come harder choices. Caught between the pull of independence and the weight of shared dreams, Ilyanna must decide what freedom truly means. Meanwhile, Riyadh faces his own reckoning, as his instincts clash with the vows he swore as a doctor and as a husband.
How many more storms, in this dunya's series of endless tests and trials, will their marriage be able to weather?Does not Ilyanna and Riyadh's story prove that even a love blessed by God can be tested? With every mile ridden on winding roads, with every freshly baked treat shared between them, they stitch back together the fabric of their souls, collaborating on their hereafter, and finding the delicate balancing act between who they once were, who they are becoming, and who they need to be.
We Created You in Pairs is a contemporary fiction novel in three instalments, centring around a young Muslim romance, perfect for fans of S. K. Ali's Love from A to Z.
omg where do even start, bismillah, This book brought me so much joy First, the love bombing at the beginning was hard to read but then it gets better. the banter becomes so much better after the marriage, also to be honest I was worried about how the intimate scenes are going to be since they are finally married like are we going all the way because they are "married" or are they going to be reserved but quickly faded when we got to those scenes they were very reserved and very very closed doors that you wouldn't even notice it !! (tho I felt like they did get a little excited in some scenes). I LOVEEEE when Riyadh shows the doctor side of him when he isn't just clueless or just guessing what's going on with his wife he actually knows!, I love when he notices the hormonal changes and KNOWS when her cycle is starting and gives her food and things he knows she'll need at this time and prepare her meds for her even without her asking, I love when he notices the small behavioral changes and when he reads in between the lines and when he analyzes her brain and treats her accordingly and when he just knows -understands- her. one thing else is that I wish we got to see more of ilyanna's lawyer side since she has a bachelor in law after all the entire 722 pages were worth every single second I spent reading them, every page was perfect every page was important to the plot I wasn't bored a seconddd,. one last thing is that I did find some part of it cringe but then again it's just personal preference and babes this is book 3 you better know I'm committed.
Wow wow wow. This took me a while to read cause the Ramadan reading break turned into an on and off reading slump i apologize 🙃 i will just mention one quote since to explain this book. “…nothing Allah did was accidental. Every soul in this universe was created in pairs. Some were brought together in this dunya, others in the akhirah”. “ -one perfect pairing”. “ Riyadh and I were two individuals brought together by fate - a match made in heaven, handcrafted by the Lord, seamlessly tailored for each other. A pair, created by God himself”. That wasnt one quote but more like 3…. Oh well 😅 Subhanallah the beauty that is this book. I really loved the islamic reminders and the arab cultural traditions and the deep talks and Riyadh speaking to Ilyas in syrian dialect but him not understanding, then him repeating it but in Moroccan darija 🤭. I LOVE ILYAS AND RAWDHA. I am extremely in love with them and their names inshallah one day i will name my children the same. Im reiterating but i really loved how this book mentions hadith and ayat and also the sections being salah names??? Absolutely genius. Riyadh is not just a green flag HES A WHOLE GREEN FOREST HE IS THE ONE THAT STARTING THE GREEN FLAG. And Ilyanna is so so strong she has come such a long way and i am so extremely proud of her and can relate to her and i just think shes such a great beautiful complex character. Also Ali getting married ??? Saber being in love with Safa? I would love to get their stories one day but until the im moving on to hamza’s story. May Allah bless you Lina, May Allah bless you and your family. Jazzakillahu khairan for writing such an amazing book that not only spreads a message about islam but it shows the non stereotypical true religion of islam with proofs and teachings. May Allah reward you for spreading this message fi dunya wal akhirah. One more time Jazzakillahu khairan ❤️
This was hands down my favorite book of the trilogy!!! I’m honestly struggling to accept that it’s over and that the story has come to an end because I got so emotionally attached. I cried multiple times while reading… not just because of the plot, but because it’s so beautifully written. The emotions feel real, the characters feel real, and everything hits you right in the heart. I seriously can’t wait to see these characters again in The Lion Tamer & The Butterfly Catcher!! I’m sooooo counting down the days!!! This trilogy is one of the most touching, emotional, and beautifully crafted love stories I’ve ever read. I recommend it to anyone who loves romance that’s raw, real, and deeply moving!!
Ending the trilogy with this novel was honestly so worth it. After reading the second book, I really wanted to see Hamza’s story so I took a bit of a detour.
Illyana and Riyadh preparing to have children and raising them was so damn cute. Especially teaching them both darija and levantine arabic.
This novel really showed the behind the scenes of the struggles of married life, how it isn’t just rainbows and sunshine. Seeing the couple learn and grow from their mistakes was so wholesome and definitely needed.
Okay, so this is the last book of the We Created You in Pairs series. I’m honestly really proud and happy that I read it. I do have to say though out of the whole series, this one was my least favorite. Mainly because it was quite deep and also super long (literally the longest book I’ve ever read). Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, but I feel like it could’ve been 100 pages shorter.
There was this one scene where Riyadh’s mom annoyed Ilyanna, and she went outside, and it just kept going like: “I’m really done with him… but it’s not really his fault, it’s his mom’s… but still, he should’ve defended me… but also he’s my man and we promised to stand by each other… but he should’ve known better…” like it just went on and on. I really felt like that part could’ve been shorter. I mean, I get it, she’s clearly overthinking everything, but while reading it, that part just felt super long and kind of boring. I think it was like 30 pages or something 😩.
Also, I noticed that every time something happened, like when Ilyanna got upset, he would start explaining everything. Like, “She just needs someone to remind her she’s okay,” and stuff like that. And they’d do that a lot, explaining each other’s behavior, and honestly, I found that kind of boring too. Sometimes I’d just skim through those parts because I was kinda done 😅.
I felt like there were a lot of difficult words in some parts. Like, there was this one moment where Riyadh said something like, “I’m not trying to understand you as my patient, but as my wife,” and then he went into this whole deep explanation with big, complicated words. And I was just like… okay, can you say that again but in normal people language please?
But maybe that’s just me. I don’t really care much about what happens after a couple gets married. To me, that’s their happy ending. I feel like maybe when I’m older and closer to that stage of life (like marriage and all), this book will help me understand things better. But right now, it just didn’t really feel necessary to me (not blaming the author, that’s just me).
Okay but besides that, it was really cute. Their relationship kept getting better, and Ilyanna started being more open and brave. Honestly, when she told Riyadh, “You talk way too smooth” after he said something adorable, I felt that too. Like… how are you this good with words? Are you sure you’ve never talked to anyone else before? 🫣
But overall, it was really sweet, especially when she got pregnant and all. I truly think it’s a beautiful series, and you actually learn a lot from it. One thing I personally learned is that if in the future I’m feeling dizzy and throwing up a lot, there’s a big chance I might be pregnant 😭 (of course, only if I’m married haha).
So yeah, that was my review
My highlights 💕 ( I know, I’ve got tons of highlights, but honestly, blame the author. She just knew how to drop the perfect lines at the perfect moments)
- This life won't be enough, and I need you in the next.
- “You're an idiot.” “I'm your idiot.”
- “You know I only have eyes for you, Ilyanna.”
- I know I would not have been endowed by God with a burden I did not have the inner and outward resources to bear.
- The heart was the strongest of organs, and the most easily broken.
- “Because that's when I've met you, and that's how long I've truly felt alive.”
- I expected too much.
- To want someone so much that their absence felt like a physical wound?
- What’s written for you will come to you, no matter how many cliffhangers or plot twists it takes.”
- The beauty of his face, of his eyes, of his smile, were a constant reminder to praise Allah and recite words of remembrance, more effective than any Islamic app notification.
- “There's only you, Ilyanna. In this dunya and the akhirah. You're mine exclusively, and I'm yours alone.”
- I fell in love with you a hundred times over.
- We’re ready because He decided we are.”
- Yours is my favourite kind of crazy.
- No soul is burdened beyond its capacity.
- Ramadan always came like a welcome guest—right when we all felt like we needed it most.
- “Infants go to Paradise automatically, you know. They are taken care of by Prophet Ibrahim, aleihi assalaam. 94Your brother is with the prophets and the people of Paradise, Riyadh.
- “When Allah takes something away,” she declared, “He replaces it with something else, with more, with better.”
- “Every version of you, at every stage of our lives, is the woman I want.”
- —yanking it off like an Islamophobe the second she set foot inside her home. Sooo real literally I feel so overstimulated
- Surat Al-Asr, Allah reminds us of time, and how we're always losing it, unless we attach ourselves to faith and good deeds.
- being a better person today than the one you were yesterday
- Every ending is just one step closer to what we’re truly striving for.” “Jannah,” I whispered.
- The Hereafter is better and more lasting. All of this—it doesn’t just end here. This isn’t the end. We have eternity together if Allah wills it.”
- we yearn for the past and hunger for the future,
- nothing Allah did was accidental.
- Every soul in this universe was created in pairs. Some were brought together in this dunya, others in the akhirah.
And honestly… I felt kind of sad when I finished the series. I really felt like I was part of their family. This is the first time ever that I actually remembered all the names so well, like I really knew them.
Oh, and one last thing: dear author, please… I’m begging you , can you give us a sketch or something of what Ilyanna and Riyadh look like? Like literally, that would make my whole week 🥹💗
i genuinely can’t believe this trilogy is over oh my god it actually hurts like i’m saying goodbye to ppl i actually knowsjsjsj i’m going to miss ilyanna and riyadh SO MUCHHH i got way too emotionally attached to them 🤧
this book was so so beautifully written and so emotional. a halal romance done right 🙂↕️ i will say tho it was a bit too long for my liking like 700 pages is insane and there were moments where i felt the length BUT somehow i still genuinely enjoyed it alottt i never stopped caring and never felt disconnected w the characters at all
also the part where ilyanna said she yanked off the hijab like an islamophobe the second she got home was SO REAL IJBOLLL
now i’m really sad it’s over but also super excited because ik there’s more coming eeeee i cannot wait to start the lion tamer!! im really excited to see everyone again and to finally read more about hamza (i love him sm) and ik for a fact that this series is definitely staying with me for a long time 🫶🫶🫶
This book is EVERYTHING. I love it Soo much, I tried to reading it really slow so I won't finish it fast but I ended up finishing it anyways and I learnt Soo much from it too.
ok now that i’m REALLY sitting with it… We Created You In Pairs: Book 3 is actually one of those books where the characters carry the entire emotional weight, and honestly?? that’s why it hit me so hard.
obviously we have ilyanna, and i will defend her forever. she’s thoughtful, emotionally aware, and you can literally SEE her trying to do the right thing even when her heart is confused. she doesn’t feel like a placeholder love interest — she feels human. watching her wrestle with expectations, faith, and her own desires made her very easy to root for.
and then there’s riyadh… mr. intense himself 😭 but the more i think about it, the more i realize he isn’t just dramatic for no reason. he’s sure about what he wants, protective, and emotionally open — which you don’t always see in male characters. some people might read that as “too much,” but others (me included now 🤭) see it as sincerity. when he loves, he LOVES loudly.
also can we talk about how his family adds layers to him?? you start understanding where some of his emotional depth comes from. the side characters actually matter too — they don’t feel randomly dropped in just to fill space. the family influences, the friendships, the community around them all quietly shape the story and the decisions the main two make. it gives the romance a feeling that it exists in a real world instead of a bubble.
what i appreciated most is that nobody felt completely perfect. everyone is learning, adjusting, growing — and that makes the relationship feel earned rather than magically flawless.
another thing i noticed on reflection: the chemistry between ilyanna and riyadh isn’t just physical or surface-level. it’s built through conversations, shared values, emotional vulnerability… the type of connection that makes you go “ok yeah, i see why these two found each other.”
the plot also hit HARD — secrets from the past coming to light, friendships tested, choices about love, trust, and faith that made me clutch my heart 😭. it’s messy, it’s real, it’s beautifully emotional.
did riyadh stress me out sometimes? yes. did ilyanna deserve the world? also yes. did i get attached anyway? unfortunately yes 😭
final thought: not every romance makes you remember the CHARACTERS after you close the book… but this one does. and that’s usually the sign it got you a little more than you expected.
After a series of disappointing reads, it’s such a relief to dive into a book as beautifully done as this one. Like Lina’s first two novels, this trilogy continues to impress me, and honestly, I don’t understand why it’s still so underrated.
This third book follows newlyweds Ilyanna and Riyadh through all the highs and lows of marriage. Lina’s gentle writing captures both the joyous moments and the darker, more complicated feelings that arise when the past comes back to haunt them.
What really stands out is Lina’s courage to tackle heavy topics that often go unspoken. In the previous book, she addressed Ilyanna’s experience with sexual harassment—a painful reality many face but few discuss openly. The connection to Islamophobia and its consequences adds even more depth. That scene left a lasting impact on me. I’m grateful Lina wasn’t afraid to bring such important issues to light.
Faith remains the heart of this trilogy, and it’s beautifully woven into the story here. The peaceful strength that Islam brings to Ilyanna and Riyadh’s journey adds a unique and touching layer.
All in all, this is a heartfelt, tender romance that made me cry with its beauty and sincerity. Truly one of the sweetest love stories I’ve read in a long time.