The love story that Hamid Baig has penned down and titled Little Maryam is truly a romance: A romance that knows no bounds, yet, ironically, is bounded by all sorts of social chains. Saadiq knew that his heart belonged to Maryam from the moment he set his eyes on her. He knew that she would become the air that would fill his lungs. His feelings are so strong for her that he reminded me of a dialogue that Stephenie Meyer used in her book Eclipse to express the meaning of an imprint,

It’s not like love at first sight, really. It’s more like… gravity moves. When you see her, suddenly it’s not the earth holding you here anymore. She does. And nothing matters more than her. And you would do anything for her, be anything for her… You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that’s a protector, or a lover, or a friend, or a brother.

– – Quote Courtesy – Stephenie Meyer

However, Hamid Baig’s Little Maryam has nothing to do with werewolves or Vampires.

Saadiq’s love for Maryam could not change society’s norms and traditions and had to surrender. At present, he has been bestowed with the honor of being a Nobel Prize nominee, is a renowned gene therapist, can get almost anything he wants, but no materialistic gain can bring a genuine smile to his face. When he is forced to spend a long and bumpy ride to India with a journalist named Anne, he somehow finds himself cornered to share his heartwrenching love story with her.

Saadiq is not a character whom you would like, let alone love, in the beginning. The author has ensured that you, as a reader, would find him pompous, rude, and unlikable. Nevertheless, trust me, before you would realize what hit you, you would be wishing his heartache to end. Saadiq has no filter in his words and reactions. He says and does whatever comes naturally to him. Only Maryam can make him do something he does not wish to do. To put it simply, he loves her. The protagonist, Saadiq, is a character that you would love to hate and hate to love.

The author has managed to write the feelings of the characters so beautifully that I, as a reader, found myself connecting with them on a very deep level. I could understand their reactions, behavior, and emotions. For an author to be able to make that connection must be a challenge and a reward. In my humble opinion, if I do not feel the pain or the joy a story’s character, then reading becomes a chore and not an enjoyable experience. Reading Little Maryam did not become a chore — not even for a single second. Usually,  mushy dialogues make me cringe, but, since the author had laid a strong foundation of the love that Saadiq and Maryam shared with each other, their conversation seemed nothing if not spontaneous.

The story is packed with a lot of spices: drama, twists, family, anger, conspiracy, heartbreak, action, and, of course, love. If you haven’t been craving to find a special someone who would leave no stone unturned for a little smile on your face, then, mark my words, you would desire for that someone after reading Little Maryam. My heart ached and yearned for Saadiq and Maryam to be together. The perfect execution of a captivating plot made this book a perfect companion for my Valentine’s day. I have been so engulfed in everything Saadiq for these couple of days that I am not going to forget Little Maryam anytime soon.

You can click this link to get a copy of this incredible love story: Buy Little Maryam

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