First Comes Marriage cover art

First Comes Marriage

My Not-So-Typical American Love Story

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First Comes Marriage

By: Huda Al-Marashi
Narrated by: Jeed Saddy
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About this listen

When Huda meets Hadi, the boy she will ultimately marry, she is six years old. Both are the American-born children of Iraqi immigrants, who grew up on opposite ends of California.

Hadi considers Huda his childhood sweetheart, the first and only girl he's ever loved, but Huda needs proof that she is more than just the girl Hadi's mother has chosen for her son. She wants what the American girls have - the entertainment culture's almost singular tale of chance meetings, defying the odds, and falling in love. She wants stolen kisses, romantic dates, and a surprise proposal. As long as she has a grand love story, Huda believes no one will question if her marriage has been arranged.

But when Huda and Hadi's conservative Muslim families forbid them to go out alone before their wedding, Huda must navigate her way through the despair of unmet expectations and dashed happily-ever-after ideals. Eventually she comes to understand the toll of straddling two cultures in a marriage and the importance of reconciling what you dreamed of with the life you eventually live.

Tender, honest, and irresistibly compelling, First Comes Marriage is the first Muslim American memoir dedicated to the themes of love and sexuality.

©2018 Huda Al-Marashi (P)2018 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books Cultural & Regional Women Marriage Middle East Romance Muslim American

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Most relevant
I really enjoyed listening to Huda’s story.
I really resonated with huda’s internal struggle of what she should do and what her parents wanted or rather what she thought they wanted. The constant struggle of living up to your ethnic parents expectations or what you think they expect versus expectations for yourself was perfectly captured.
Would definitely recommend the listen/read to women/girls, particularly from a Muslim/ethnic background.

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In her memoir, Huda provides a very honest and open account of her cultural conflicts growing up as a Muslim in the US. I really enjoyed her story, although she does not win the listener over. Cultural differences less an issue than immaturity and I think this is what really shines through. Would recommend it as an insight to life as a Muslim in the US. And the food descriptions, I really want to be invited over for dinner!

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