Book Review : This Love That Feels Right ( by Ravinder Singh )

There is nothing like bad publicity when it comes to selling a book. As it happened in this case, I desperately wanted to read this one after going through the reviews of a few individuals who had their knickers in a knot ( sorry for that colloquial expression...kids these days rarely use it ) because it treads on the treacherous premises of an extramarital affair. No. I am not pointing any accusing fingers at the author just because another individual decided to voice an 'unsavory' opinion in cyberspace.

If anything, Ravinder Singh deserves a high-five for writing this amazing book. In a consumerist world, where every single want/need calls for instant gratification, this is a love story that sweats, simmers and stews for the entire duration of the book instead of being subjected to a quick blast of the microwave. If you are wondering where that came from, that parallel is just the side effect of being into food blogging for seven long years. Now, coming back to the author, this is the first time I have picked one of his books and I am happy that I did so.

The plot is centered around a young woman caught up in a unhappy marriage. Naina falls in love with her personal trainer Aarav and it so happens that the attraction is mutual. Just as you think of dismissing it as yet another extramarital affair, Ravinder Singh plays it out with such emotional flair that one is left asking for more. Surprisingly, there is no action between the sheets as one would expect when dealing with this sub-genre. The story moves ahead in such a fashion that everything from their initial attraction to their subsequent inner turmoils are showcased brilliantly. And maybe that is the best thing about the narrative. It is all very real and convincing.

The introduction of a third character who serves as a common friend and helps Naina to break free from shackles of a conservative upbringing is great addition to the main plot. Manvika is not only smart and sassy but the polar opposite of the reticent Naina.

Though it touches upon the much debated topic of adultery, is the most poignant portrayal of a bond between two members of the opposite sex. Is it an attempt to sanctify extramarital relationships ? I very much doubt so for the story takes a positive though not exactly happy turn at the end. You have to read it yourself to get the point.

Does it succeed in changing my view of such relationships ? No, it does not. For in the real world, most of these individuals are selfish assholes. I have come across quite a few and I am sure most of you would have encountered them. Human relationships continue to be governed by very complex laws of probabilities and one literary piece cannot change that.

However, this is one book that I really loved and would happily recommend to everyone !!