This is one of the most charming and delightful books I have read in a very long time. The writing is so beautiful, this is the kind of book that you want to copy paragraphs from and remember them forever. I read this on my Kindle and one can choose to see what passages other readers have highlighted. Sometimes this can be annoying (you can turn it off) but for this book, it was affirming to see that others found the same words that just amazed me had struck others as well.

It is the story of a very proper English country gentleman who falls in love with the Pakistani woman who runs the local convenience store. The turmoil their affection creates is one aspect of the novel, and this is quite interesting, but I enjoyed even more the Major's reflections on how his feelings for Jasmina develop. He is a thoughtful man, and she is a terrific woman.