High school senior Danyal Jilani may not be the smartest guy in the room, but he's cute and funny and is going to make a great chef one day - if his father doesn't kill that dream first. However, if he's going to secure a good arranged marriage - with, for example, his gorgeous classmate Kaval - he knows he needs to step up his game.
When Danyal gets picked to be his class's representative for The Renaissance Man, a prestigious school-wide academic championship, no one is more surprised than him. Knowing he'll never get through it on his own, he recruits the help of uninspiring potential marriage match Bisma. At first they're just study partners, but the more time they spend together, the more Danyal learns from her, the more he cooks for her - the more he realises that happiness might just be staring him in the face. But Bisma has dark secrets in her past that could rock the Northern California desi community to its very core . . .
Praise for MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE
'A deliciously entertaining rom-com that delivers genuine cultural insight while questioning societal norms. Danyal is hilarious, authentic, and disarmingly humble, though I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with all the vivid and multifaceted characters in the book.' - Nandini Bajpai, author of A Match Made in Mehendi
'A laugh-out-loud yet heartwarming story about familial obligations, friendship, and love. Syed M. Masood has created an unforgettable cast of characters with the utterly charming, hilarious, and most endearing Danyal Jilani at the center of it. A thoroughly enjoyable read and a great addition to any bookshelf.' - Sabina Khan, author of The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali
'Funny, open-hearted, and utterly charming, More Than Just a Pretty Face perfectly captures the joys of friendship and first love, as well as all the complexities of identity, faith, and family. This is a spectacular debut.' - Katie Henry, author of Heretics Anonymous
