Nick of Time by Komal Mehta

Title : Nick of Time
Author : Komal Mehta
Genre : Fiction / Romantic Comedy
Publisher : Penguin Metro Reads
Pages : 248
My Rating : 6.5/10
Reviewed For : Author / Debut Indian Writers Month 2013

Blurb:

Alehya is back in Chandigarh after ten years to attend her childhood friend, Shagun’s wedding. However, her plans are rudely interrupted when she finds out about the man Shagun is going to marry.

Vicky, is a sorted guy who knows exactly what he wants in life. His decision of marrying Shagun has the approval of everyone who means a lot to him—everyone, except Shagun’s best friend, Alehya.

Shagun is excited about getting married to Vicky. This fulfils her childhood dream of marriage. But with her best friend and future husband being childhood frenemies, will things go by without a hitch?

As the wedding draws near, Shagun, Vicky and Alehya grapple with issues of love, confusion and guilt to discover what their heart truly desires. They have to make life altering decisions, in the Nick of Time, before time runs out on them and the life of their dreams!

My Review:

 

The plot of Nick of Time by Komal Mehta is based on the theme of love, friendship & The Big Fat-Indian Wedding. Obviously, it has all the ingredients for a complete masala read & is entertaining to the fullest!! This book revolves around the lives of three childhood friends – Aleyha, Vicky & Shagun who are coming together after a period of 10 years for a marriage that invokes a lot more complications & confusions rather than the happiness associated with it. Because amidst the wedding chaos, Aleyha, Shagun & Vicky tumble headlong into life altering consequences where they discover what their heart truly covets.

The story kick-starts with Alehya quitting her frustrating job & just as she’s celebrating her freedom she receives a call from Shagun inviting Aleyha to Chandigarh for her marriage. A gleeful Alehya looks forward to a fun-filled time (which will be definitely liberating from the humdrum of corporate life) in Chandigarh for Shagun’s marriage. However, all her plans for merriment go for a toss when she meets “The Groom”. It’s none other than her childhood frenemy – Vicky with whom she has had a history of unsolved issues. Alehya hates Vicky with as much fervour as she loves Shagun. Needless to say, there is friction between Aleyha & Vicky from the word go and sparks fly when they meet. But herein comes the twist in the tale where Shagun is hell bent on playing the peacemaker between the two & schemes to put them together so that they get over with their juvenile banter & start seeing each other for what they really are. Though for Vicky & Alehya, their last chapter didn’t end on an altogether good note, they decide to put it past them & start afresh for the sake of Shagun. What follows is a roller-coaster of a ride where Shagun, Aleyha & Vicky find love in the most unexpected places & have to decide between the right, the wrong & their heart.

What makes this read interesting is the narrative point of view. The author has put forth the story through the point-of-view of Aleyha, Vicky & Shagun & we get a glimpse into the confusion that reigns between their minds & hearts. However, this is essentially Aleyha ’s story – she has always been the consummate good girl but that is until she comes to Chandigarh for Shagun’s marriage. Coming back she discovers an entire a new side to her which she never even thought that existed. Bollywood movie buffs will love this book since this read follows the distinctive romantic comedy storyline & a very clichéd path with its typical twists & turns. A few mushy moments, toe-curling romance, naivety of first love, the reality check, dilemmas, heartbreak & a miraculous happy ending – you have it all in here. However, in spite of the predictable story line there is a refreshing factor in the author’s narration that makes this read delightful as well as easy on the senses.

Coming to the drawbacks, honestly, I did not like the cover page. For a read like this, one might expect the cover to be glossy but this one seems dull. Also, while it was necessary to include the typical Chandigarh slang to create a relatable background, the overt use of Hindi dialogues was a tad bit extra which might put some readers off. The plot is fast paced but after the initial build-up, I felt that the story dragged a little bit in the middle before picking up momentum towards the end.

Having said that, this novel is a sweet, quick read that portrays the balance between love & friendship. The author wonderfully brings forth the point that there are always two sides to every story. Pick it up on a weekend if you want to have an indulgent time & you will breeze through it.

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Those Pricey Thakur Girls by Anuja Chauhan

Title : Those Pricey Thakur Girls
Author : Anuja Chauhan
Genre : Fiction / RomCom
Publisher : Harper Collins
Pages : 400
My Rating : 8/10
Reviewed For : MySmartPrice / IQR

Blurb:

In a sprawling bungalow on New Delhi’s posh Hailey Road, Justice Laxmi Narayan Thakur and his wife Mamta spend their days watching anxiously over their five beautiful (but troublesome) alphabetically named daughters.

Anjini, married but an incorrigible flirt; Binodini, very worried about her childrens hissa in the family property; Chandrakanta, who eloped with a foreigner on the eve of her wedding; Eshwari, who is just a little too popular at Modern School, Barakhamba Road; and the Judges favourite (though fathers shouldnt have favourites): the quietly fiery Debjani, champion of all the stray animals on Hailey Road, who reads the English news on DD and clashes constantly with crusading journalist Dylan Singh Shekhawat, he of shining professional credentials but tarnished personal reputation, crushingly dismissive of her state-sponsored propaganda, but always seeking her out with half-sarcastic, half-intrigued dark eyes.

Spot-on funny and toe-curlingly sexy, Those Pricey Thakur Girls is rom-com specialist Anuja Chauhan writing at her sparkling best.
 

My Review:

 

Having read the Zoya Factor & Battle for Bittora by Anuja Chauhan, you can be sure of two things – first one is that you know from the start that the story will follow predictable patterns and the protagonists are going to end up with each other. Yet even after knowing the foreseeable happy ending, the factor that keeps you hooked is the absolute laugh riot that Anuja’s novel promise to be. Secondly, you can be sure that you are in for some major drama which is peppered with some good old mushy romance & some solid Old Delhi masala. And with her latest release, Anuja Chauhan gives you just that.

 

Justice Laxmi Narayan Thakur is blessed with 5 daughters, who are named alphabetically from A to E. However, each of them is as eccentric & as different from each other as the colours of rainbow. Amongst them, Debjani is the Judge’s favourite & the protagonist of our story. Debjani aka Dabbu is the quintessential fiery lassie with an absolute preoccupation for stray animals & losers. She has just started her career of being a newsreader at DD (not Door Darshan!! It’s DeshDarpan), landed up in trouble & is quite some damsel in distress courtesy our hero – yummy & delectable - Dylan Singh Shekhawat who is an investigative journalist. Obviously, we know that D-for-Dylan & D-for-Debjani are “The Couple” but what the reader really has to look forward to is the D-for-Dhamaal & Dhamaka that would be accompanying the plot!! Set in pre-liberalisation New Delhi, Those Pricey Thakur Girls is a typical love story with a few complexities, misunderstandings, clichés and a potpourri of characters each displaying varying levels of bizarreness.

For those who have read Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, Those Pricey Thakur Girls will bear a striking resemblance to the classic albeit with the backdrop of Delhi in 1980s. However, Anuja has given her own unique, hilarious spin to the classic elements & has churned out a desi laugh out loud encore. Undoubtedly, the most enjoyable part of this read is its narration which was brisk with equal parts of romance, sarcasm & drollness. Perhaps the best part about Anuja Chauhan’s writing is that she develops the secondary characters as good as the protagonists. The characters are very well etched & each has a distinctive voice of their own. However, I found the story a bit of a drag in few parts. The plot would have been a bit more crispier sans 30-40 pages. But since this is an absolutely witty & funny romp, you will breeze by the bulk of the book a lot more easily. Go ahead, reserve this weekend for this read!!!

P.S. Here’s some good news for fans of Chauhan - Coming soon is the second part in the series – The House That BJ Built...looks promising!!


(The review copy has been provided by MySmartPrice. This review is entirely my own personal & honest opinion. I do not receive any kind of payment or monetary gains for my review.)

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