REVIEW: The Mismatch by Sara Jafari

The Mismatch by Sara Jafari: Life is just beginning for twenty one year old Soraya Nazari, after having buckled down and finished her schooling Soraya now finds herself tackling the big world with little to no personal experiences. Maybe all she needs is to experience her first kiss, get a boyfriend or just live a little out of her comfort zone in order to get out of this funk and truly embrace this new chapter in her life. And she knows just the guy to help her navigate these new waters, after all star rugby player Magnus Evans is her complete opposite so there is no chance of Soraya falling for him, right?

The Mismatch was definitely not what I had expected going in, I went in expecting some cute opposites attract romcom however what Jafari delivered was far more than just a single story. In this book we get the stories of two women (Soraya and her mother Neda) facing much the same issue; trying to figure out where they belong in the world.

“She wanted a middle ground that didn’t exist, would never exist. She wanted to feel connected to God, be reassured that everything was happening for a reason, and be given guidance on how to be a better person. But did that mean she had to be told how to dress? And who did her romantic relationships affect, other than herself?”

Soraya was just so easy to connect with and such a brilliant character to follow on her journey of self discovery. Torn between two worlds; the highly traditional and conservative Islamic religion and her desire to explore and find real love. But gosh did everything click so perfectly when she meet Magnus, these two just played off each other in the best way possible!

I absolutely loved that this was a mixed race couple and that Jafari did not shy away from highlighting the differences and difficulties that these couples often face. This made their relationship all the more realistic. The romance component in this book was in your face as I had expected but that didn’t take away from the overall reading experience.

The other major character that we got to follow was Neda, Soraya’s mother. We are taken back to when Neda had much the same issue her daughter is now facing; trying to find her place in the world, the only difference being Neda had to contend with moving to a completely new country and trying to navigate her marriage. There was something very real and touching about seeing life through Neda’s eyes and the way it has a parallel to her daughter’s.

The Mismatch was an absolute brilliant coming of age read that I would highly recommend reading, not only is this a book written so well but it also helps enlighten the situation that many women face even in the modern world.

Book Info:

Publication: August 3rd 2021 | Dell |

For a young woman who just wants to get her first kiss out of the way, a rugby player seems like the perfect mismatch. But a kiss is never just a kiss. . . .

Now that Soraya Nazari has graduated from university, she thinks it’s time she get some of the life experience that she feels she’s still lacking, partly due to her upbringing–and Magnus Evans seems like the perfect way to get it.

Whereas she’s the somewhat timid, artistic daughter of Iranian immigrants, Magnus is the quintessential British lad. Because they have so little in common, Soraya knows there’s no way she could ever fall for him, so what’s the harm in having a little fun as she navigates her postgrad life? Besides, the more she discovers about her mother’s past and the strain between her parents, the less appealing marriage becomes.

Before long, Soraya begins to realize that there’s much more to Magnus than meets the eye. But could she really have a relationship with him? Is she more like her mother than she ever would have thought?

With unforgettable characters at its heart, The Mismatch is a gorgeously written coming-of-age story that shows that love can be found in even the most unexpected places.