When we are kids, we want to grow up and when we finally grow up, we realize it was better when we were kids. But there comes a phase in life when we think , probably this is where life is the best. Yes, you guessed it right ! It is the youth, when life enters an exciting phase where within a short span of time, it makes us experience so many emotions and everything happens for the very first time !

Love ( Try) Angle by Manali Desai is her debut novel where she manages to transport the readers to that beautiful phase in their life and she does it in her unique style. This novel has been written from the heart of the author and is sure to tingle the chords of your heart and take you on an emotional roller coaster ride!

Book Review 

Title of the Book:  Love (Try) Angle

Author's Name: Manali Desai

Genre : Romance

Format: Kindle Edition / Paper Back


 

About the Author: Manali is a full time freelance writer, editor and blogger. She has had experience in fields like marketing, teaching and content writing. She finds solace in the company of books and runs her blog (https://arusticmind.com/) which is a potpourri of her thoughts, contemplations and musings that range from stories to poems to book reviews and many things more. She is an active book reviewer as well and a voracious reader. Her books titled : “The untold stories “and “The art of being grateful & other stories” have brought in a lot of recognitions to her and she has gained appreciation for the same. In the year 2020, her story “The Walls Have Ears” won the best short story award . Love (Try) Angle is her debut novel. Apart from writing ,she enjoys reading , travelling, listening to music and watching interesting series and catching up on her favorite movies.

Narration: The narration is very lucid and it just flows describing one scene to the other swiftly taking along the reader with it. The nuanced and detailed narration of the characters surely paints a picture and helps the readers form a vision while they read the book. The character are built up very strongly and have their own uniqueness intact. The interesting point to note and highlight is that each chapter opens with a quote and ends with icons that have symmetry with the rhythm of the story.

Book Cover & Title: The book cover is very unique and surely captures the attention with its quirky appeal. I loved the way the triangle has been cleverly placed in the title giving a hint about what lies beyond the Cover Page!

Content:  The book revolves around the three protagonists, named Ayesha, Viren & Abhi. Ayesha lands up in the City of Dreams ( Mumbai) with her parents where she is excited about pursuing her graduation ( B.A. Hons) from a reputed college and start a new phase in life. A new city, a new way of adapting to the lifestyle keeps Ayesha busy and on her toes . She meets Viren in her neighborhood and they do not have a very good first impression of each other. Adding to this, there is Abhi , her senior in College, who makes things difficult for Ayesha. Things become more complicated, when Viren joins as a temporary lecturer in the same college.

The very starting of the book is super impactful when the young Ayesha narrates the poem on the stage, setting the tone of the book!

The author skillfully narrates the exciting college life. It has all the flavors in it , starting from romance, jealousy, anguish, competitive spirit , the friendly banter among friends, the dreams to makes it big in life etc. When in one part, the discussions at the canteen make you nostalgic, at the other end there is excitement while reading about the tension between Abhi & Viren ! Ayesha evolves with every step and makes us understand how the young years shape one as an individual.

The romance is palpable from one phase to another and sometimes I could not help but smile as the description was so vivid and it made me visit the younger years in college where love is mostly viewed as magical and without any malice! One can find Ayesha manage her studies really well even if she has to manage two characters who want to be close to her. There are moments when the readers can step into the shoes of the protagonists and feel the vibe that is described in the story. The experiences shared are sure to make you time travel and connect to the times when we experienced butterflies in our stomach , or the feeling of deep passion that connects two hearts which despite all odds understand each other.

The most intriguing part is that till the end reader will not be able to guess the climax ! The intrigue & the mystery factor compels the readers to keep flipping the pages of the book. Does the first impression of Viren change in Ayesha’s mind? Does Abhi and Ayesha form any long lasting connection ? Who does Ayesha finally chose between both the guys ? Does the end really have an answer? All this questions will have answers , once you read the book.

Few quotes that touched my heart :

* Learning from your mistakes and getting inspired from others success is the way to the growth.

* Moving On  sometimes takes just tiny moment of clarity.

I personally loved the book and the perfect Mumbai flavor it had in it starting from the places, the food and the life pattern of the city, a city that never sleeps ! Starting from the pav Bhaji to the hassles of the local train , the glimpses of Mumbai Life have been very well weaved into the storyline. This debut Novel is sure to warm the heart of the readers for the characters are extremely relatable.

If you are looking to indulge in a romantic affair with twists & turns then you can pick up this book which is a quick read and promises to keep you excited till the very last page. Its a heartfelt story that is sure to resonate strongly.

The book is available on Amazon and I strongly recommend this to readers who love romance genre. The purchase option of all her books can be found on her blog

I had the honor to interview the very lively and talented Author and you can read the Q & A below:

Q-Please tell us something about yourself?

Ans- Uff, this is such a formal interview type question. You make me nervous. Can we just assume for now that I’m not a bot answering this and maybe let people know me through my next responses ? ( wink)

Q-Please tell us about your writing journey. What is that keeps you motivated?

Ans- Feedback! I thrive on it. I keep reminding myself that someone, even just one loyal and regular reader, awaits my words and that’s enough motivation for me to keep writing regularly, almost every single day.

Q-Is there a specific genre that you are more comfortable in? How do you manage time to write and read?

Ans-I’m sucker for romances and slide-of-life stories and I tend to stick to these two genres. But I’m toying with the idea of a murder mystery lately. Let’s see where that takes me.

Reading is to a writer what water is to a gardener, or what ingredients like salt are to a chef. No writer can master their skill or have a passion towards until and unless they’re readers first. As to how I manage time between two, I give myself a target of at least 25 pages per day. On most days I’m able to read more than that, so that makes up for days when I may not be able to manage reading a single page or not the minium set daily target.

Q-Who are your favorite authors and is there any specific author whom you consider as your role model?

Ans-Oh, there are so many. JK Rowling, Ruskin Bond, Arundhati Roy, Salman Rusdhie. But I don’t really consider any particular author as my role model because honestly there are so many talented and as yet not so popular writers out there. We can learn something and so much from almost all of them.

Q-Any experience that you would like to share from your childhood that has had an impact on your writing?

Ans-I’m an ambivert and used to be a complete introvert till my early 20s. What helped me power through my childhood were books and my love for language. They were my true friends and continue to be loyal even today. I believe this more than anything else or any particular incident has had a huge impact on my writing.

Q-How do you shape your characters? Are they inspired from real life?

Ans-All my characters are an amalgamation of people I’ve met or known in my life (even the bad ones- wink)

Q-What are future plans wrt writing?

Ans-I intend to continue being experimental by writing in more than one genre or form of writing.

Q-You do a lot of Book reviews? How did this start and how does it help you?

Ans-I started reviewing from 2020. It was in July 2020 that I released by third book “The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories.” While promoting it, I realized the importance and power of reviews. I understood how difficult it is for writers to get genuine readers who absorb and appreciate their writing. That’s when I decided to give back to the community.

As to how it has helped me, all I can say is that I’ve learnt to read with more of an open mind. I try to observe and learn how the author has put across or narrated something really well and then imbibe in my own writing. And also of course, reviewing has helped me connect with the author community on a different level.

Q-What advise would you give the amateur writers and what is the secret of becoming accomplished like you?

Ans-Oh, please! You embarrass me. I do not consider myself accomplished at all. I still have a long way to go.

To all writers out there, beginners or otherwise, all I want to say is, don’t give up. Sure, it’s tough to put your work out there, but it’s even tougher to let it all stay bottled up inside you. If you feel like you’re not any good, just remember that nothing comes easy or without some patience and consistency, so give it time and it gets better for sure.

Get in touch with the Author at her social Media Handles mentioned below:

arusticmind.com

Instagram.com/arusticmind_

Facebook.com/arusticmind

twitter.com/MindRustic

It was a wonderful experience to get the chance to have a rendezvous with the talented author and I personally wish all the very best to her for all her future endeavors.

Love,

Chinmayee

‘This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon’