Jana Goes Wild

February 20, 2023
Heron’s fun sequel to Kamila Knows Best takes readers to a destination wedding in Tanzania. Chronic introvert and overachiever Jana Suleiman has always played it safe—until she meets hunky Anil Malek and begins an international fling. Then she learns that Anil is still married to the wife he told her he’d split from. Devastated, she ends their affair—and only later does she learn that she’s pregnant with his child. Five years of strained co-parenting and avoidance later, the pair are reunited at the Tanzanian wedding of a mutual friend. Jana’s determined to steer clear of Anil, now single, while there, but she can’t help admiring his charm with their daughter, Imani. To distract herself, Jana whips up a “letting loose list” with her fellow bridesmaids, which includes items like wearing brighter colors and doing karaoke. As Jana loosens up, however, her resurfacing emotions for Anil become harder to ignore and she teeters on the precipice of falling back in love with her ex. The familial chemistry between Jana, Anil, and Imani is undeniable and the unique setting and delightful dynamic within the rest of the wedding party add to the charm. This is a treat. Agent: Rachel Brooks, BookEnds.

Starred review from March 17, 2023

Antisocial Jana has always been reserved except for that one time, five years ago, when she had an affair with Anil, which led to a baby. Currently she is interviewing for jobs, trying to maintain friendships, and juggling parenting. She decides to shed her aloof image when she serves as a bridesmaid during a destination wedding safari, only to encounter both Anil and perhaps her future boss, who are also in attendance. Now she must keep up her new fun image for two full weeks, but losing her icy edge means Anil and she get closer than ever. Can her heart survive him a second time? This next after Kamila Knows Best follows its antagonists while navigating a claustrophobic family vacation. Family dynamics are realistically and earnestly portrayed, and mixing them with career worries raises the stakes naturally. The characters deal with consequences of betrayal in a way that makes sense for parents who have complicated feelings for each other, and creating friendships is as much of the novel's conclusion as the happily-ever-after. VERDICT This satisfying second-chance romance offers a big-hearted, clear-eyed examination of parenting and rekindling of old flames.--Katherine Sleyko

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2023
Heron's latest multicultural rom-com, following Kamila Knows Best (2022), centers on Kamila and Rohan's gorgeous-destination wedding in Tanzania, where bridesmaid Jana Suleiman gets a second chance at romance. Jana is a proud single mom of a precocious preschooler, but co-parenting with her ex is hard, especially when he shows up unexpectedly as a groomsman in their friends' over-the-top Indian wedding. Anil Malek regrets lying to Jana about his marital status when they had a steamy fling five years ago, and he's been trying to make amends ever since. In their traditional South Asian Ismaili Muslim community, divorce is more acceptable than having a child out of wedlock, which makes navigating this wedding even more difficult for Jana, whose mom insists to the other wedding guests that Jana and Anil used to be married. Stifled by expectations, Jana finally lets loose and shows the world her wild side, but in doing so she also risks revealing her hidden feelings for Anil. Fans of Sonya Lalli and Sonali Dev will be enchanted by the rich cultural details and vivid settings Heron conjures.

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Starred review from April 1, 2023
A destination wedding might be just the ticket to reuniting a woman with her ex. Jana Suleiman was always known as a good girl who followed the rules--until five years ago, when a brief but intense fling with Anil Malek led to a broken heart and life as a single mother. Now, she and Anil both live in Toronto and successfully co-parent their daughter, Imani, but Jana is careful to keep an emotional distance from Anil. He's a wonderful father to their daughter, but he's still the man who broke her heart. Jana and her extended family, including her mother and daughter, are traveling to Tanzania for a destination wedding in the Serengeti National Park. Once they arrive, she is appalled to discover that Anil will also be a member of the wedding party. Jana's plans for a relaxing two-week vacation are ruined by Anil's presence. Suddenly, her private life is once again under intense scrutiny from her colleagues, friends, and extended family on the trip. Jana is a character who is both fierce and tender, determined to do right by herself and her daughter. With the help of the other bridesmaids, she makes a "letting loose" list to help her escape the rut she's in, but everything keeps bringing her back to Anil. The challenges facing the couple are complex. Jana is righteously angry at the way society has punished her for being a single mother while simultaneously rewarding Anil for being an attentive father. Anil has steadfastly tried to support Jana and Imani, but he doesn't know how to earn forgiveness for the mistakes of the past. Heron's novel is an exemplar of the "second chance" romance trope, with Jana and Anil working through layers of misunderstanding before they can trust each other again. A beautiful, compelling romance celebrating second chances and forgiveness.

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