The Forty Rules of Love is a literary novel that blends two parallel narratives — one contemporary, one historical — and explores the meaning of love, spiritual transformation, and human connection. Modern story: Ella Rubinstein, a middle-aged housewife in Massachusetts, feels unfulfilled in her comfortable life. When she’s assigned to read a manuscript called Sweet Blasphemy, she finds herself captivated by its themes and begins questioning her own life, relationships, and what love truly means. Historical story: The manuscript tells the tale of Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet, and Shams of Tabriz, a mystic who teaches him “forty rules of love” — spiritual and philosophical guidelines about love, humanity, and connection. This narrative reveals how Rumi’s life and poetry were transformed by his relationship with Shams. Through these intertwined stories, the book explores Sufi mysticism, the nature of love in its many forms (not only romantic), and how deep connection can change a life.