Farah Heron
The Chai Factor

The Chai Factor

Calling all enemies-to-lovers fans! Things aren’t going as engineer Amira planned and she’s heading home to finish her grad school thesis in peace. When a fellow train passenger sexually harasses her, with a side of racism to boot, a white man intervenes but Amira is not pleased. And she’s even less pleased when she arrives at her grandmother’s house and learns that same white man is part of a barbershop quartet who is now renting the basement. So much for silence! Amira and Duncan have banter and sparks aplenty, despite the initial animosity. As their relationship evolves, they have to be honest about their differences. Grumpy Amira goes on a real journey with her anger as she figures out the kind of person she wants to be. A humorous, heart-warming contemporary romance that doesn’t shy away from hard topics, like racism, religious homophobia, and workplace sexism. (This is closed door.)

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Tahira in Bloom

Tahira in Bloom

Author:

This YA debut from Heron sounds especially great. From the publisher: "When seventeen-year-old aspiring designer Tahira Janmohammad’s coveted fashion internship falls through, her parents have a Plan B. Tahira will work in her aunt’s boutique in the small town of Bakewell, the flower capital of Ontario. It’s only for the summer, and she’ll get the experience she needs for her college application. Plus her best friend is coming along. It won’t be that bad. But she just can’t deal with Rowan Johnston, the rude, totally obsessive garden-nerd next door with frayed cutoffs and terrible shoes. Not to mention his sharp jawline, smoldering eyes, and soft lips. So irritating. Rowan is also just the plant-boy Tahira needs to help win the Bakewell flower-arranging contest—an event that carries clout in New York City, of all places. And with designers, of all people. Connections that she needs! No one is more surprised than Tahira to learn that floral design is almost as great as fashion design. And Rowan? Turns out he’s more than ironic shirts and soil under the fingernails. Tahira’s about to find out what she’s really made of—and made for. Because here in the middle of nowhere, Tahira is just beginning to bloom."

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Kamila Knows Best

Kamila Knows Best

Kamila Hussain throws weekly Bollywood movie parties, looks after her dad’s health, runs a successful #dogstagram account featuring her bichon frise named Darcy on top of working as an accountant, and she plays matchmaker for her friends. Where would they be without her? That includes Rohan, a longtime family friend, whom Kamila is suddenly seeing in a brand-new light…and it has nothing to do with her secret nemesis reappearing in town. Nothing at all! Heron frames Kamila as a people-pleaser, making for an interesting take in this Emma retelling.

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