Mariam Rahmani Bücher

In this brilliant debut, a young Muslim scholar in Los Angeles grapples with the challenges of adjunct professorship and decides to abandon academia for a summer of dating, aiming for 100 dates and a marriage proposal before the fall semester begins. The unnamed Iranian-Indian American narrator, who has always considered herself the smartest person in the room, finds herself disillusioned after earning her PhD from UCLA, as she struggles to achieve the middle-class comfort promised by her prestigious education and immigrant parents. Her best friend Adam jokingly suggests she "marry rich," prompting her to take the idea seriously. She creates a spreadsheet to track her ambitious dating goal, leading to a whirlwind summer filled with quirky encounters—from a lazy heir to a construction empire to a "socialist" trust funder. However, a tragedy in Tehran and a familial reckoning challenge her manic pursuit and force her to confront the contradictions in her life. As doubts about her marriage project arise, she begins to realize that the ideal partner may have been right in front of her all along. This modern tale of romance, loss, and belonging offers a fresh spin on the classic romantic comedy, showcasing Mariam Rahmani's sharp satire and originality.