Dawn of Saudi

This poignant mystery is about three people whose lives intertwine in a tale that depicts the oppression of women and the human rights abuse under the pretext of religion. Dawn Parnell made the mistake of marrying a Saudi; Sahar Al-Hijazi is forced to marry a man she doesn't love; Jason Crawford has business ties to the Al-Hijazi family. As the lives of these three people cross paths, the story takes the reader on a dangerous journey from Saudi Arabia where women are considered the property of a man, to United States where women are independent. 

 The Dawn of Saudi is an intense book that every woman should read.  It tells of two women who are a part of the Muslim Saudi Arabian culture.  I only know a little about this culture and was beyond surprised at what they have to do, like forced marriages.  Can you even imagine what that would be like? As an American girl I think it was a benefit to date guys and see what qualities you definitely do not want in a future husband/father of your children.  When one is picked for you, based on importance of the man dealing with his society status and wealth, it could ultimately end in heartbreak and mistreatment.  Because this stuff actually happens in the real world, it is saddening and horrific at the same time.  The main character, Sahar, is a young girl in her twenties.  She had the privilege of going to another country for school, where she met and befriended an American girl named Dawn.  Sahar literally made men not want to marry her, which was a fantastic idea to me.  However one day a 68 yo who happened to be her cousin decided he would.  Does her family have a problem? Of course not because it was done so her Grandfather's ailing business can be helped! Sahar was a bright young girl who decided against it all on the night of her wedding.  Supposedly she "died of an aneurysm" but she despised him and the cultural norms so you can just imagine what happened.    Her friend Dawn from school thought she met the perfect man, who yet was older than she.  She thought love was mutual and he promised her so much, but promises are broken when she begins be be beat.  One night her husband went above and beyond beating her, so she protected herself and fought back.  He will no longer harm another women and offer broken promises.   The story becomes even more intense, with a romance that is formed on a rocky cliff for both parties.  Be sure to buy it on Amazon/B&N!

To find out more about the author, you can visit her website, HomaPourasgari.com.