Bøker av Halima Khatun

First comes love... then comes marriage... now the nosey aunties are asking when I'm going to have a baby. In this laugh-out-loud, heartwarming romantic comedy, our strong female protagonist - a British Bengali girl - is contemplating starting a family. But with a blossoming career and a transient life away from family, is she truly ready for the life changing journey of becoming a mum? The meddling aunties, competitive cousins, and her adorable, yet overbearing, mother all have something to say about it. As the community chimes in with unsolicited opinions, our heroine must navigate the noise while staying true to herself.Set against the backdrop of a vibrant and culturally rich community, this romcom delves into the themes of family, identity, diversity and belonging. Through laughter, love, and acerbic, glass half empty pessimism, our endearing heroine embarks on a journey of self-discovery and self love.Blending her signature humour with bags of emotion, Halima Khatun's The Secret Diary of a Broody Bengali is an unputdownable tale that will have you eagerly turning the pages, desperate for just one more chapter.About the authorHalima Khatun is a former journalist (having worked for ITV and the BBC), writer and PR consultant. Since she was a child, she knew that words would be her thing. With a lifelong passion for writing, Halima wrote her first novel - a coming-of-age children's story - at the age of 12. It was politely turned down by all the major publishing houses. However, proving that writing was indeed her forte, Halima went on to study English and journalism and was one of just four people in the UK to be granted a BBC scholarship during her postgraduate studies. She has since written for a number of publications including the HuffPost and Yahoo! Style, and has been featured in the Express, Metro and other national publications. Halima also blogs on lifestyle, food and travel and parenthood on halimabobs.com. You can find her books and more on halimakhatun.co.uk.

New husband. New city. New in-laws and new expectations.Welcome to my life as a Bengali newlywed.They say you don't just marry the guy, you marry the whole family. They also say you don't really know someone until you live with them. But, surely, after the challenge of finding a man, and the nightmare of planning my big fat Bangladeshi wedding, this newlywed phase is the easy bit, right? Right?!From award-winning author Halima Khatun, comes the latest instalment in The Secret series, where the glass half-full heroine navigates her biggest life changes yet, with her unique blend of self-deprecation and acerbic humour. The Secret Diary of a Bengali Newlywed explores race, identity, belonging and family in a way only Halima Khatun knows how.About the author Halima Khatun is a former journalist (having worked for ITV and the BBC), writer and PR consultant.Since she was a child, she knew that words would be her thing. With a lifelong passion for writing, Halima wrote her first novel - a coming-of-age children's story - at the age of 12. It was politely turned down by all the major publishing houses. However, proving that writing was indeed her forte, Halima went on to study English and Journalism and was one of just four people in the UK to be granted a BBC scholarship during her postgraduate studies.She has since written for a number of publications including the HuffPost and Yahoo! Style, and has been featured in the Express, Metro and other national publications. Halima also blogs on lifestyle, food and travel and parenthood on halimabobs.com. This is where she also shares updates on her novels.Her specialism is writing own voice fiction, women's fiction, and romantic comedy with a multicultural twist.

And I thought finding a husband was hard... One couple. Three months. 600 guests (most of whom I''ve never met) and LOTS of opinions.Welcome to my big fat Bangladeshi wedding. I''ve found my dream man but will my wedding day be a nightmare? If Fleabag and Bridget Jones got together over tea and a samosa, this is what you''d get. Former journalist Halima Khatun''s hilarious follow-up to The Secret Diary of an Arranged Marriage is a must read for anyone looking for British wit with a multicultural twist. Reader reviews: I began this book with minimal expectations, not being a particularly huge fan of chick lit. And slightly dubious how this genre would tie in with a writer writing about my own community - I''m sceptical enough to know that the sensationalist, prejudice feeding, rescue the oppressed brown/ Muslim woman stories are the ones that sell best and one would have to be a brave and competent writer to go against the grain and not fall into that easy trap.To say I was pleasantly surprised would be a big understatement. As far as the Bengali community I love (and sometimes loathe, lol) goes, Halima gives a pretty accurate, hilarious, yet affectionate insight into how it operates - with its own unique foibles, yet altogether not too different from any other community on the planet!With a deft and witty hand and her own raw personal touch, she writes about the universal themes of family, friendships, identity and belonging, making it a story every woman can relate to and gain from one way or another. Laugh out loud throughout and poignant or indignant at other moments, the book will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions without weighing you down.The heroine is a warm and down to earth character with an admirable stinginess - a girl after my own heart! In a world of materialism and image obsession, our savvy protagonist is a great role model who makes an important journey of self-discovery alongside her wedding planning struggles.Diary of a Bridezilla is such a heart-warming book so full of positive vibes that if there was to be a Bengali version of My Big Fat Greek Wedding - this would definitely be it!About the authorHalima Khatun is a former journalist (having worked for ITV and the BBC), writer and PR consultant.Since she was a child, she knew that words would be her thing. With a lifelong passion for writing, Halima wrote her first novel - a coming-of-age children''s story - at the age of 12. It was politely turned down by all the major publishing houses. However, proving that writing was indeed her forte, Halima went on to study English and Journalism and was one of just four people in the UK to be granted a BBC scholarship during her postgraduate studies.She has since written for a number of publications including the HuffPost and Yahoo! Style, and has been featured in the Express, Metro and other national publications. Halima also blogs on lifestyle, food and travel and parenthood on halimabobs.com. This is where she also shares updates on her novels.

A British-Bengali girl looking for Mr Right. A motley crew of men, some hoping it's them. A mum on a mission to match make. And an age-old tradition with a twist. Welcome to the world of the arranged marriage. "While I'm young, (somewhat) free and single, time is - by Bengali standards - marching on. I've got to meet my dream man, or at least someone I can grow to like, and get married. The trouble is, I don't really know what - or who - I'm looking for. Luckily (or not) for me, arranged marriages are still a thing. So alongside my own dating efforts, it's everyone's business - from my adorable yet overbearing mum, to pretend aunties and profiteering opportunists - to find me a match. With all this help, I'm pretty sure I'll land a husband, but will he be 'The One'?" The Secret Diary of an Arranged Marriage lifts the lid on the intriguing world of British-Bengali matrimony. The debut novel from former journalist Halima Khatun explores family, identity and belonging with acerbic humour. It'll change your view of matchmaking for good…