Playing Games

'Radiantly honest' Mail on Sunday 'Poignant' Guardian 'A gem of a novel' i The remarkable debut novel from critically acclaimed writer Huma Qureshi: a poignant story of art and sisterhood, family, marriage and betrayal Hana is a successful lawyer, with a perfect home and marriage. But she longs to be a mother, and her husband remains hesitant. Mira, her younger sister, is stuck working at a local café, renting a room from a flatmate she hates. She dreams of a creative life, but just she can't find the right inspiration. One night, Mira witnesses an argument between Hana and her husband. Their words spark something in her and she starts typing. But what stories are ours to tell? And how much can be forgiven? 'Huma Qureshi writes with wisdom and heart' Pandora Sykes 'Warm and moving . . . Playing Games thoughtfully and elegantly considers what it means to be a sister, a mother and a writer' Chloë Ashby, author of Wet Paint 'A riveting and evocative tale of two sisters navigating love, loss and desires' Zeba Talkhani, author of My Past is a Foreign Country

'Radiantly honest' Mail on Sunday 'Poignant' Guardian 'A gem of a novel' i The remarkable debut novel from critically acclaimed writer Huma Qureshi: a poignant story of art and sisterhood, family, marriage and betrayal Hana is a successful lawyer, with a perfect home and marriage. But she longs to be a mother, and her husband remains hesitant. Mira, her younger sister, is stuck working at a local café, renting a room from a flatmate she hates. She dreams of a creative life, but just she can't find the right inspiration. One night, Mira witnesses an argument between Hana and her husband. Their words spark something in her and she starts typing. But what stories are ours to tell? And how much can be forgiven? 'Huma Qureshi writes with wisdom and heart' Pandora Sykes 'Warm and moving . . . Playing Games thoughtfully and elegantly considers what it means to be a sister, a mother and a writer' Chloë Ashby, author of Wet Paint 'A riveting and evocative tale of two sisters navigating love, loss and desires' Zeba Talkhani, author of My Past is a Foreign Country

Dickson University's star quarterback and campus golden boy is used to winning on and off the field...until he meets the one woman who changes the game. Blake Boden is the ultimate distraction-annoyingly handsome, enigmatic, and confident enough to make my teeth grind. He's the kind of guy who could charm anyone with a single smile, and somehow, I've become his latest challenge. Only, I don't do challenges-and I don't do love. Emotions? Just chemical reactions. Distractions? Not on my agenda. But he has a stubborn streak that won't leave me alone, and I have a dissertation due at the end of the semester on computer-assisted research that I could put to the test a little more. I'll analyze his charm, track my reactions, and prove once and for all that attraction is nothing but science...and love is a mere figment of the imagination. Hypothesis: Time with Blake Boden is purely scientific. Conclusion: He's not just breaking my rules-he's rewriting them.