Sofia Khan and the Baby Blues

Sofia Khan #3

by Ayisha Malik

THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE HILARIOUS ROMANTIC COMEDY SOFIA KHAN IS NOT OBLIGED

'The perfect balance of romance and humour' -INDEPENDENT

'Fun , fresh and funny' -MHAIRI MCFARLANE

'A smart romcom . . . Huge fun' -JENNY COLGAN

Sofia Khan is going about everything the wrong way. At least, that's what her mother, Mehnaz, thinks. Sofia is twice-divorced, homeless and - worst of all - refusing to give up on a fostered baby girl. Sofia's just not behaving like a normal woman should.

Sofia doesn't see it like that. She's planning to adopt Millie, and she's sure it'll be worth it. (Even if it means she and Millie have to stay at Mehnaz's place for a while.) And as Sofia finally begins to live the life she's chosen, she finds both romance and happiness start to blossom.

But then someone comes back from the past - and not even Sofia's own past. Suddenly, she's faced with a choice. To do what's best for those she loves, Sofia might have to break her own heart. And she might find herself needing the last person she expected . . .

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Islam, Womens, Contemporary

117 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 14, 2022

About the author

Ayisha is a British Muslim, lifelong Londoner, and lover of books. She read English Literature and went on to complete an MA in Creative Writing (though told most of her family it was an MA in English Literature – Creative Writing is not a subject, after all.) She has spent various spells teaching, photocopying, volunteering and being a publicist. Now, when she isn’t searching for a jar of Nutella in her cupboards, she divides her time between writing and being managing editor at Cornerstones Literary Consultancy.

Ayisha is one of WH Smith's Fresh Talent picks, Winter 2016.

'Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged' is her first novel and will be published by Bonnier in Jan 2016.

'Fun, Fresh and Funny' – MHAIRI MCFARLANE, bestselling author of 'You Had Me At Hello.'

'Malik achieves the perfect balance of romance and humour' – INDEPENDENT

'In creating a host of characters that are normal in their abnormality, relatable yet individual, Malik is undoubtedly making a difference.' – NEW STATESMAN

'Thoroughly engaging and laugh-out-loud funny from the off, this witty, unapologetic, honest, fun and feisty tale fully deserves the buzz it's getting' – HEAT MAGAZINE

'Feisty, funny and relatable it’s the feminist romantic comedy you’ve been waiting for' – ELLE MAGAZINE

'This fictional diary of the dating travails of one righteous romantic is snort-diet-Coke-out-of-your-nostrils funny and will resonate with any woman who’s looking for love' – RED MAGAZINE

'...an entertaining debut with laugh-out-loud moments – a contemporary love story you won't want to miss' – CANDIS MAGAZINE

'Refreshing and funny' – SUNDAY MIRROR

'Fun, feisty and addictive. It deserves to be read' – IRISH EXAMINER

'A courageous, revealing, fiendishly funny and important book. Genuinely ground-breaking” – VASEEM KHAN, bestselling author of 'The Unexpected Inheritance of Mr Chopra'

'...everything about this novel challenges expectations...a sharp, funny but ultimately very normal portrait of life as a British Muslim' THE NATIONAL

'Must-read... Liven up your daily commute or boost your bedtime routine with [this] page-turner' – MARIE CLAIRE

'Best of the New Books Hot List... For fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary' – GRAZIA

Part of 'a new wave of female-focussed fiction... Bridget Jones-esque' – STYLIST

Reviews

[Ilhaam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sobbing. absolutely and painfully unwell. im a wreck

[Shifa Safadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can forgive the second book now that I read this one lol and I won’t say more cuz I don’t want to spoil❤️

[Erica⭐ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sofia Khan is a twice divorced foster mother who is living in her mother's house and has nothing going for her but when a blast from her past moves in next door to her she decides that sometimes you don't need to go all the way back to the beginning to start again and that maybe you can learn from what went wrong and be part way forwards on your journey already but does that mean a smooth ride ahead?

It's written in the form of a diary over the course of a year. Sofia copes with fostering a child, a potential new relationship and the pressures and expectations of her Muslim relatives.

[Naila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looks like Sofia is still immature in her 40s. I can't believe that she was annoyed that her mom refused to help her with Millie when she realized that Sofia would only call her when she needed her help.
This book wasn't as funny as the previous two ones - it was much heavier (things never seem to work out well for Sofia). I won't be surprised if the book after this is all about Sofia's third divorce. It's kind of annoying how she always rushes into things. I thought she might have wisened up after her two divorces but she's still out there acting dumb.
This book is a quick read but I was a bit disappointed.

Unrelated but it annoyed me how Sakib/Sakeb was spelled as Sakib in The Other Half of Happiness and Sakeb in this one.

[Shar · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all isn’t her ex called Sakib and not Sakeb? Her mum married an Uncle Mouch aka Wasim so where did Moobs come from? The small inconsistencies kind of drove me insane, the pallava and hoo ha with Conall drove me insane but I think that’s just cos I did not like character one bit. The plot line just felt jumpy and all over the place, didn’t enjoy this unfortunately

[mon s · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars because it was cute and I love the topic/conversation around fostering a child😊

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read and enjoyed the first book in this series and then didn't pick up the second book. This one is about Sofia, twice-divorced and in the process of adopting a baby, being reunited with her ex from the first book, so at least I knew the characters and all that. However, while I enjoyed Sofia and her mum, I really hated the adoption storyline. I just would like there to be more adoption storylines that aren't about having to give the child back. Sofia bonds and loves Amelia, the baby she was trying to adopt, but the birth mother comes back and gets custody again (through Sofia giving her back, not social services clearing her or anything). I hate it when that happens with adoption and it didn't even seem accurate. Spoiled the book for me, I didn't care about the romance at all.

2 stars!

[B.S. Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sofia Khan might not be doing things the way people think she should, but she's doing it her way. She's divorced again, living with her mum and stepfather and trying to climb over the many hurdles to adopt her foster daughter Millie.

She's trying to do her best, but when the past starts to creep into the present, she has a choice that could either leave her heart broken, or fill it with more love than she ever knew possible.

Based on Maliks beloved character, this is a beautiful story with authentic truths about motherhood and family, along with the expectations we find along with them. Each character was genuine and loveable, and I was left smiling after reading this shining story about love and acceptance.

[Fiz|فيز (Substack link in bio) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it...however what I found really annoying was the way it read like a diary entry. Which of course I get because of it being a short/quick read but it was annoying to start a sentence that is not grammatically correct. And trust me when I say I am not the grammar police but I really don't know why it just annoyed me so much. The characters were written really well and grasped the essence of them from the original books. I think I preferred the books over this though because little things seemed to annoy me whereas in the books I loved them. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book because I really did, it was funny and the storyline was realistic...however for me I rather have this as a longer book version then it all crammed in a quick read.

[Pritee ^_−☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished this book in one day. This book was very quick with pacing and the way it was written. It was mostly dialogue rather than descriptive and poetic writing (which I prefer. I prefer show-not-tell rather than tell-not-show if that makes sense). The book reminds me of the dork diaries and never have I ever. I was initially really excited to read the book as I have always had ideas of adoption, but in the end she had to give up the baby so it’s not the greatest story for adopting aspiring people.

Anyways, the main character Sofia Khan is extremely witty, funny and relatable. I love her lines and her strong personality. I love the representation of a brown character in her 40s. Her relationship and dynamic with her mum is extremely relatable (especially when they argue) and moving.

Fave character: Sofia Khan, Conall.

Notable Quotes:

“You are worth more than a thousand men,” p7
Baby > men

“You will spend the rest of your life living with your heart outside of your body” p64 As a parent constantly worries for their child.

“I just don’t want to do life without you,” p87

“I managed a shower today.”
“Thought I smelt a lack of fried onions,”
“Racist”

“Earlier he was crying into a ladoo”

2.5/3 🌟🌟🌟

[G.J. Minett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh that Sofia Khan! She really is my guilty pleasure. My reading preferences don't normally bring me into this territory but I'll always make an exception for anything written by Ayisha Malik because she's blessed with an eye for detail and comic timing that eludes most writers. If you've never come across Sofia Khan and her chaotic yet never quite dysfunctional relationships, I'd really advise you to have a look at these books. They take me back to my Sue Townsend days. I'm just waiting for the mess that will ensue when Sofia bumps into Adrian Mole. Comfortable five stars for me.

[Jenna PT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet little book to read on holiday. Not too heavy. Funny. And heartwarming. Not sure I was happy with her choices but enjoyed the book on a sun lounger. Left at the hotel so someone else can hopefully enjoy.

[Alana Worthington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely quick story xx

[Lyndsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this quick read

[Cathy]

#QuickReads Quite amusing but Sofia was a bit madcap for me. Probably one for fans of the previous Sofia Khan novels rather than for new readers like me.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this as a quick read for while I was working on tills. It was a quick interesting read but it ended to abruptly in my opinion. Apart from that it was a good story

[yorkshirebooknerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and heartbreaking all at the same time.

This novella managed to cram a lot in and the diary style format worked really well.

[Jenny Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A enjoyable short read, I’d like to read her other books about this character.

[Bee 🐝 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little filler book!

[Erin Lee]

If I could give this book -5 stars, I would. One of the worst books I’ve read.
Don’t recommend at all.

[Marjia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love all the characters in the Sofia Khan series, and they were all as endearing in this book as they were in the other 2. I was gripped with the story and finished the book in one sitting, loved the story and the style of writing. However, I was disappointed with this book compared to the first 2 in the series. It felt a bit like lazy writing and a bit bland, but wasn't sure if that was deliberate to reflect Sofia state of mind and circumstances. Either way think there was alot more scope to develop the characters and the story more. It's a lighthearted, simple book and a pretty short read so definitely worth reading especially of you've read the first 2 books. Not necessary to have read the first 2, but would recommend reading them first purely to fully submerge into Sofia's world.

[Madiha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the first two books, throughly enjoyed the story and journey of Sophia. Being of a Pakistani background it was hilarious to read the jokes, phrases and humour of her mother and Urdu phrases / curse words that were added in the books. I was thoroughly entertained in both books. I assumed this book to have the same amount of humour and the strong character of Sofia that was portrayed in book 1 and 2, perhaps the writer was restricted in portraying that in the limitations of a short story. Overall I found the storyline to be quite predictable unfortunately.

[Giada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m Italian married to a British Pakistani man and I am a mother of two young kids. I felt closed to the book because of my marriage. The story has some nice gems in it.
Nice, pleasant quick read. Thank you

[Mattie]

Picked this up off a table of free books in Sainsburys, not having read either of the main entires in the series. I used to read this kind of thing all the time in my teens (apart from Bridget Jones my favourites were Sophie Kinsella, India Knight and Arabella Weir), but can't remember the last time I did. In those days (and maybe still) it was pretty rare to have a protagonist who wasn't white, which is part of what made me curious to read this one.

I think my experience reading this probably suffered from me not being familiar with the character and from how short it is (though obviously that's the point). It's sort of hard for me to judge how good an example it is of the genre, because I was so much younger when I used to read that stuff (I guess I thought I was in training for a version of my adulthood that never materialised, for all kinds of reasons). It deals with a subject—fostering/adoption—that I think probably deserves more space than it's given here, though obviously I don't know how much it was set up in book #1. I also had no prior investment in the central relationship, which presumably is also set up in in book #1. Which is a me problem!

I'm no longer really the audience for this, but I'm sure it will resonate with fans of the genre, and it's cool to see a Muslim protag in one of these.

[Elizabeth]

I enjoyed this quick read book by Ayisha Malik. After two failed marriages, Sofia moves back in with her Mother and Mehboob her Mother's second husband and Sophia's Stepfather.

Sofia is trying to get her life back and becomes a foster Mother to Millie whilst still living in her childhood home. There are some humerous moments in this book when Sofia's Mother trys to match make Sofia to Mehoob's nephew Adam who is a Doctor.

Sofia is ready to adopt Millie when Sarah's Mother comes back into Millie's life. Sophia has a heart of gold and allows Sarah access to Millie.

Connall, Sofia's second ex husband ends up living next door to her Mother's home and he has his son Eamonn his teenage son living with him.

Love blossoms between Connall and Sofia and they are ready to re-marry. Sofia also becomes an arbitrator between her Mother and Mehoob, who left the marital home after an arguement about Sofia getting married again.

There is a happy ending all round for the whole family and this includes Millie and Sarah too.

[FeedMyReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia Khan is a twice divorced foster mother who is living in her mother's house and has nothing going for her but when a blast from her past moves in next door to her she decides that sometimes you don't need to go all the way back to the beginning to start again and that maybe you can learn from what went wrong and be part way forwards on your journey already but does that mean a smooth ride ahead?

This is a quick reads book and so offers a story which is done over what is normally a shorter number of pages than you would ordinarily expect but thankfully the authors who put their stories together for the quick reads offerings do a fantastic job of weaving a great piece of writing that doesn't feel like it is dropping the quality of the offering. I have not read anything by Ayisha Malik before this but I found her writing to be very clear, well thought out and making sense throughout which for me allowed a great story to be produced and I believe readers would be left looking to read more by this author after this truly excellent offering.

[hasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book! I love Sofia and her interactions with her mum especially because their dynamic is complex but very relatable. Conell is amazing too he gives the same sort of vibe as Atlas Corrigan I can’t lie, love him to bits. What I like best is how strong she is and how she plows through even though her circumstances are a bit complicated. Especially page 46 where she realises how much she’s been complaining and decides to make a change.

‘It hit me how I’ve been complaining about the same bloody thing for months now. I used to be a women who did things’ it hit me hard and made me realise we can all change our circumstances if we try when we aren’t happy with how things are going.

I think the part I didn’t like much was that her relationship with the baby wasn’t as expanded on. I couldn’t wrap my head around why she loved Millie so much. I mean I understand why, but it wasn’t explored much in the book.

[T Sulthana Ilieva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia Khan's third book is incredibly short, easily finished in just one day.

I was thoroughly pleased with this book, particularly its ending, which met my expectations. It was especially satisfying considering my slight disappointment with the ending of the second book.

Overall, the Sofia Khan Saga was a delight to read. It provided great amusement and had me laughing numerous times. As someone from an Asian family, I found the saga to be a relatable reflection of the quirks within our households.

It portrays the challenges of being an Asian woman navigating two cultures – Western and Asian. The story illustrates the complexities of adulthood and the need to overcome obstacles while appreciating the support of those who uplift you during life's setbacks.

Really happy for Sofia Khan…it’s definitely the ending she deserved!!!

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had just about decided that Quick Reads were not for me then along came Sofia Khan to prove me wrong! I haven't read either of the other books featuring Sofia but nonetheless enjoyed this one.

It's written in the form of a diary over the course of a year and comparisons have inevitably been made with Bridget Jones. I'd say these comparisons are pretty accurate because there was definitely the same sense of fun. Sofia copes with fostering a child, a potential new relationship and the pressures and expectations of her Muslim relatives.

As a taster of this author's style of writing, I think this is pretty good. I found it entertaining with some very funny moments and a touch of poignancy too. I'd definitely read more from Ayisha Malik.

[Zulekha's Reflections · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book demonstrating that we will always get through difficult moments in our lives even when it feels like we're left with nothing. And that there is always a second chance, a third, there is always hope.

Many Muslims also probably know of someone who has been in a dilemma of doing things by following the black and white guidelines or "going outside of the guidelines" but feeling that neither worked out. This sort of situation could make one feel further disheartened and hopeless. But as the author demonstrated one must never give up. Keep trying till you find the right way.

However, I didn't enjoy the story line, it didn't feel realistic; the reasons for the break ups didn't feel thought through.