Love Marriage by Monica Ali is a fiction novel set in London. The protagonist is Yasmin Ghorami, a 26-year-old doctor living with her Muslim Indian family in England. Yasmin is following her immigrant father’s example. Yasmin's father is a medical doctor, and he has played a critical role in influencing Yasmin's decisions throughout her life. Yasmin is dating Joe Sangster, a fellow medical doctor. Joe is the son of Harriet, a disreputable feminist in Europe. Harriet is a renowned writer, and her stand on feminism is widely acknowledged throughout Europe. Consequently, Yasmin and Joe come from different backgrounds.
Yasmin and Joe's families are expected to meet for the first time to discuss their intended marriage. However, Yasmin is worried about the meeting because she does not know how Joe's mother will react when she learns that Yasmin is a Muslim. Yasmin is also concerned about her mother's dress code during the meeting. Monica Ali explores the tensions when people from different races, ethnicities, and religions decide to marry. Joe comes from an upper-class white Christian family, while Yasmin comes from a middle-class Indian Muslim family. Consequently, there is a conflict between these two families because they belong to different cultures and religions. Yasmin's mother believes that women must be obedient and submissive to their husbands, while Joe's mother believes women must be free and make independent decisions.
Later, Yasmin learns of Joe's past relationships with women, which she had not known throughout their dating period. Joe has struggled with sex addiction, and his latest affair was with his therapist. Yasmin is a disciplined and well-behaved young woman from a strict Muslim family. Therefore, Yasmin has not had any past relationships with men. Monica Ali also explores the challenges facing love relationships in Muslim families. For instance, Yasmin's mother reaches a point where she cannot tolerate her husband anymore, and she decides to leave her matrimonial home to live independently. Despite the challenges facing love relationships, Yasmin is optimistic that she will find peace with Joe and bring up a successful family. Importantly, Yasmin wants to be independent and leave her parents' home.
