Ghosted Yasmina Khan May 2026
Khan excels at depicting a British-Pakistani family dynamic. Alisha’s interactions with her overbearing mother, gossipy aunties, and expectations around marriage feel lived-in and humorous without being stereotypical. The novel respects tradition while critiquing it.
Ghosted is a contemporary romance novel by Yasmina Khan, published in 2021. The story follows Alisha , a 30-something Pakistani-British woman who reluctantly returns to her family home after her younger sister’s wedding. There, she is haunted (figuratively and, at first, literally) by the ghost of Toby , her first love who ghosted her seven years ago. Toby doesn’t remember how he died or why he’s stuck in her childhood bedroom. The plot becomes a mix of second-chance romance, supernatural mystery, and family drama. What Works Well 1. Unique Concept The ghost-as-jilted-ex premise is fresh. Khan cleverly uses the supernatural to externalize emotional baggage: Alisha can’t move on because Toby literally won’t leave. The haunting becomes a metaphor for unresolved grief and self-worth. ghosted yasmina khan
Borrow from a library or read on Kindle Unlimited. Worth your time if the premise intrigues you; not a must-buy unless you love second-chance romance with a side of desi family chaos. Khan excels at depicting a British-Pakistani family dynamic
Alisha’s anger, shame, and lingering love are raw and relatable. Khan doesn’t let her off the hook: Alisha has also made mistakes. The book asks hard questions about who we blame when relationships fail. What Doesn’t Work 1. Pacing Lags in the Middle Once the initial novelty of the ghost premise wears off, the plot treads water for about 80 pages. Alisha visits the same locations and has circular arguments with Toby. Some readers may wish for tighter editing. Ghosted is a contemporary romance novel by Yasmina
Alisha’s sister and best friend are mostly sounding boards. The villain (a former friend of Toby’s) is cartoonishly evil when he appears. The family aunties are funny but one-note.
The narrative alternates between “Then” (the blossoming romance with Toby) and “Now” (the ghostly investigation). This structure slowly reveals why Toby ghosted her, and the payoff is genuinely affecting—not a simple villain or misunderstanding, but a nuanced, tragic reason.
