MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE

California teen Danyal Jilani knows he is good looking, but is that enough to win over fashionable and vivacious Kaval Sabsvari, the girl he’s long had a crush on?

The Pakistani American high school senior’s looks and charming personality don’t impress his father, who is disappointed by his poor academic performance and desire to attend culinary school. But when he meets smart college freshman Bisma Akram through his parents for potential future marriage purposes, Danyal learns of her scandalous secret—one that has made other families decide she isn’t a suitable marriage prospect. Danyal is surprisingly picked as a candidate for the prestigious Renaissance Man competition by his private school’s history teacher, and he finally has a chance to prove he is worthy of Kaval’s affection. But after Bisma offers to help him with his essay entry on Winston Churchill, Danyal has to decide whose opinions he values and whether or not to speak up about the hard truths he learns. An entertaining mix of humor, teen drama, cultural references, and serious themes around colonialism, nationalism, and religious identity, Masood’s debut novel is a broadly relatable story that offers plenty of food for thought. Readers will root for Danyal as he evolves and proves he is more than meets the eye.

A charming teen romance with real substance.