The first time I read Arezou Amin’s The Aroosi Arrangement two years ago, I felt seen in a way I never thought possible. I was the same age as the female main character, Sharzad Daryai, going through a lot of what she’s going through, and it felt like someone had reached deep into my heart and plucked out every single one of my most vulnerable thoughts. I couldn’t believe it. But it wasn’t just that we shared a lot of similar heartaches, but customs too, which is something I’d never read in a romance novel as an Armenian woman. Now, while Armenians and Iranians aren’t the same, we have so many similarities that I felt right at home. (Literally, I’m pretty sure I called my mom and asked her to make me Ghormeh sabzi and rice with tahdig because the book instantly made me crave it.)
But really, that’s just a fraction of what makes The Aroosi Arrangement so special and groundbreaking. Amin’s writing is so lush, so exceptionally atmospheric and breathtaking that she paints one exquisite picture after another, allowing us to deep dive into spaces that we want to stay in. A world that’s vibrant and vulnerable and so real, it feels like we’re experiencing everything ourselves. It’s cozy in a way that romance novels should be, but it also feels like stumbling on a diary passed down from generation to generation in a way that holds magic on every page.
Sharzad and Sam feel like real people. They feel like people we know, and they feel like people who’ve been with us for a long, long time. There’s a familiarity in every word that made turning the page easier and easier because I couldn’t stop myself from devouring every little crumb.
By the time the book is over, you’ll be left wanting more, and that’s not because there isn’t a satisfying conclusion, but because the characters are so incredible, you want to keep going on the journey with them. You want to pocket them for safekeeping and let them tell you more stories about their everyday little interactions. You want more because Amin’s writing is so gorgeously poetic, you can’t get enough of it.
From the uniquely stunning way Amin tackles the fake dating trope to every little family interaction, The Aroosi Arrangement is a story that should signal to the publishing industry how vital representation truly is. Surely, like Amin, there are Iranian writers out there with their own stories to tell. SWANA and MENA, too. I want more stories that bring authentic joy and cultural celebrations to the forefront in great detail.
And from the first page to the last, Amin does this in breathtaking fashion. The Aroosi Arrangement is a love letter to the Persian diaspora, customs, foods, the city of Toronto, and, of course, romance. You feel the all-encompassing love Amin has for her culture and each of these characters with every word. You feel the care and attention to detail that’s genuinely unlike anything I’ve read before. I was in awe the first time, I was in awe the second time, and I know I’ll be in awe the third time when I read my physical copy, too. It’s the type of book I might never have the right words for. The Aroosi Arrangement isn’t just one of my favorite romance novels, but it’s one of the most important books on my shelf because it represents so much in its 461 pages that my heart squeezes every time I think of how special it is.
As I said in my official blurb: The ultimate modern-day fake dating romance and a lush, brilliant debut, brimming with gorgeous prose and profoundly relatable characterizations, all wrapped up in a beautiful love letter to Persian culture. Arezou Amin’s voice is inimitable and one to look out for.
The Aroosi Arrangement releases on October 14.