Book Review - The Accidental Wife

I just finished reading the second novel by an NRI writer, Simi K. Rao. The book kept me glued to my desk all day, and it is with a happy heart that I write today's review - for "The Accidental Wife".

Fast Facts:-

Title: The Accidental Wife 

Author: Simi K. Rao

Genre: Mainstream Fiction/Romance

Publisher: Kando Books

Pages: 202
File Size: 6.11MB (PDF version)

Price: $1.59 (Kindle Edition ebook)

Key Characters:-

1. Rihaan Mehta: A ridiculously handsome neurosurgeon and Harvard graduate who is nagged my his mother to get married.
2. Naina Rathod: A beautiful teacher and photojournalist who becomes Rihaan's "accidental wife". 
3. Shobha Mehta: Rihaan's controlling and commanding mother whose only goal is to find her son a suitable wife and herself a complying daughter-in-law.

The Review:-

The Accidental Wife is the story of two strangers - Naina and Rihaan, who agree to get married for reasons of their own. Rihaan, a successful neurosurgeon and an incredibly attractive Harvard graduate, is sick of his dominating mother constantly badgering him to get married. All Rihaan wants is to get his mother off his back and live his own life freely as a bachelor in New York. Meanwhile, Naina, a stunning Delhiite, who teaches school kids and ardently pursues her passion of freelance photojournalism, wants to remain independent and single.

By both design and deceit, Naina and Rihaan find themselves in wedlock and are forced by social-appearance-pressures to keep up their little "drama" even as they both outwardly detest being with each other. Life, however, plays cupid, and with time, the two protagonists of this story fall in love with each other.

In a few months, their love story is met with a tragic incident that shatters their tranquil lives. This is when the true test of love is administered by fate. Will Rihaan and Naina persevere and pass this test or will their story end in tragedy? Only this novel holds the answer.

The story at first seems like a regular chick lit or romance novel with the usual elements of two attractive characters besotted with each other, some tiffs and some scenes of unbridled passion. But Simi shows her real skill when she brings in the surprise element in the latter part of the book. That is when the book gets really intense, and enters the realm of a serious novel.


My Verdict:-

The two lead characters are undeniably well fleshed out and have interesting personalities. The plot is very tight and the editing rather good! (I could only spot a couple of typos in the entire book.) Simi is quite adroit with dialogues, and she creates very natural scenes, especially with the words exchanged between Naina and Rihaan. Despite the predictability of the romance scenes, the adept writing makes you enjoy every moment. The first half of the book seems like a run-of-the-mill Bollywood romance movie, but the author ups her game in the second half with the story taking a very grave turn. The animal-passion in the former half of the book transforms into a deeper love that has little to do with bodies.

This book gets an overall rating of 9 on 10 for putting an unusual and interesting spin on an otherwise regular love story. The good quality of writing, easy pace and charming story makes 'The Accidental Wife' an unputdownable book!

Nashta with Mr. Gupta

I am not able to sleep even at this unearthly hour. This is because my stomach is growling with hunger. It is not that I did not have a full dinner. It is just that the very thought of breakfast tomorrow morning is making me salivate copiously. And that's because I am planning to do something different at breakfast tomorrow!

I won't be eating the same old bread with omelette that almost kills me with boredom. Nor will I be relying on my mother who, I am sure, would make yet another poor attempt at getting me to eat papayas. Eating at office is out of question! They only have spicy pohas (I am not much of a "spice girl", if you know what I mean) or tasteless pau bhajis with the bhaji being mostly watery.

I shall go to Guptaji's place for breakfast tomorrow! :-) "Who is this Guptaji?" and "Why his place for the first meal of the day?" you ask? Well, nashta at Mr. Gupta's is an elaborate affair. It's not "food" they have every morning, but "joy" that stays with them all day. Guptaji is served a new dish every day before he leaves for work. And they always have Kellogg's cornflakes! Don't get me wrong. It's not just the plain old milk with cornflakes they eat, but almost a hundred unique dishes made with cornflakes as an important ingredient. Look at this video to see how many people in the neighbourhood yearn to be invited to Kellogg's waale Guptaji so they can have a delicious fill of anaaj ka nashta:

I am already drooling imagining the things I will get to eat when I visit Guptaji. I will start with something sweet - the cornflake coconut laddoos which are prepared with condensed milk and coated with crispy cornflakes. I missed the Gudi Padwa celebrations in India as I was travelling in Russia last week. I totally need to make up for the lost til-gud laddoos (sesame-jaggery sweet balls) with these innovative cornflake-coconut ones.

After my sweet tongue is satiated, I shall wash down the solids with a tall glass of Kellogg's Oats Peppy Papaya drink. This is a cool smoothie with oats and ripe papayas. There will also be some garden cress seeds for garnish. I shall then pocket handfuls of Oats Veggie Nutri cutlets. These are my favourite for the salty taste and healthy ingredients.

I hope Mr. Gupta will also offer me the yummy cornflakes chana chaat. I will ask him to go easy on the chillies though. Dessert will be a cornflake walnut chocolate muffin. The walnuts will keep me intelligent and the chocolate, happy! Let's not forget how nutritious corn is. It is full of vitamin B complex and great for the wear and tear of your body's cells. It is no surprise then as to why I want to go to Guptaji's for nashta!

So, what are you waiting for? Go to sleep so we all can wake up in time for nashta with Mr. Gupta! ;-)

Quick Guide to Pairing Colourful Loafers

Spring is in full swing now, and this is the best time to show off the colours in your wardrobe. While you are busy buying those pretty summer dresses and floral shirts, don't forget an essential part of your look - your shoes! Today, I will show you how to add zing to your attire just by dressing up your feet.

Source: askmebazaar

The easiest way to add a dash of colour to your feet is to buy some colourful loafers. These are also known as moccasins, and are quite a trend these days. You can find loafers in a myriad colours – tan, brown, black, orange, red, navy, ivory, green, yellow, etc. The colours add a bit of youthfulness to your look and shed years from your age. ;-)

The colour of the shoes and the detailing must be appropriate to the occasion. If you are going to work, you will be safe with ebony, tan and similar muted shades. Feel free to don more colours if you are in the fashion or advertising industry.

For a lunch date, get a pair of bright red loafers and pair those with a short white dress. Red and white is a classic combination, sure to win a million hearts! You can also wear a cute light coloured top and cotton hot pants with bright coloured loafers. Try not to match the outfit though. The look stays cooler if you wear contrasting colours.

Loafers are great shoes to wear while travelling. They are easy to wear and easy to take off. These are what your should be wearing to airports, trains, metros and buses. Besides, these shoes are elegant and will add class to your look. This comes in handy especially at airports where you can gain access to lounges sometimes just by dressing neat.

While we’re talking about dressing up, let’s not forget celebratory occasions. Weddings, engagements, baby showers and birthday parties block our calendars almost throughout the year. And a little known secret is that loafers go really well with Indian ensembles! Try pairing shiny and embellished moccasins with your traditional sherwani, Nehru jacket, churidar-kurta, anarkali or kalidar. Tan shades go especially well with ethnic outfits. But be careful not to overuse loafers. You should not wear those with saris or business suits.

Simple Things that Make Me Happy

Happiness, they say, is elusive... a figment of one's imagination... transitory... and hard to grasp. It is true that you cannot see, hear, smell, taste or touch happiness. But you can surely feel it. And, that feeling is all that matters.

We tend to search for happiness at all the wrong places and in all the wrong things - money, bigger houses, more expensive gadgets, extravagant vacations, swankier cars, and the works. All of the aforementioned things make us happy, but only for a while. When the entire neighbourhood has still bigger houses, better cars, more tech toys and plans for yet more exotic holidays, we find happiness slipping out of our clutches. This is because we seek happiness externally. Whereas true happiness lies within us.

Happiness is an energy we all possess. It is only a few of us who know how to harness this secret energy that resides right under our noses. Research shows that people tend to be happier when they make others happy. Happiness increases manifold when we buy things for others, when we gift people and watch them smile. Charity is one of the largest sources of happiness that is known only to the fortunate few who are benevolent enough.

To me, happiness means finding pleasures in the simple things in life. I love to travel and explore the world. I am happy when I see the sun rise in the mountains and paint the sky gold. I am happy when I dive into a pool of cold water and swim on a sunny day. The cool caress of the water makes me cheerful. Happiness is anything that brings a smile to my face and the faces of those I love. I feel one is happy when one is satisfied and free of any tension. Satisfaction comes from contentment and lack of material desires. I am happier at cosy, friendly hostels where I can interact with fellow travellers than I am at star hotels where I sit aloof in my room.

Music is another thing that makes me happy. I love how soothing tunes can calm my senses and fill me with pleasure. I am happy when my mind is. Good books contribute a great deal in refreshing my mind. There is nothing like curling up with a nice, thick book with some hot chocolate to go with it. And the mention of chocolate reminds me how much I love to eat! Food prepared with affection and great ingredients never fails to lift my mood. I like my food to be simple, made with natural ingredients, with the vegetables retaining their true flavours. I also like to spend time with people who are good spirited. I have discovered that good company can do wonders to my level of happiness.

Lastly, volunteering makes me happy. I love to see the smiles on the faces of the children I teach. Kids have a kind of rare innocence and genuineness in their behaviour. The happiness I find at NGOs cannot be matched by all the gadgets in the world!

The Coca-Cola India video ad

What makes you happy? Share your happiness mantras in the comments below.

Necklaces that Can Make You a Showstopper

This is the month of March. And March ushers in the season of spring. Along with the lovely weather, this month also heralds the Spring-Summer Fashion season! While you might have a good idea of the colours and fabrics that are in focus for 2015, you are probably confused about the jewellery to accessorize with your marsala (the colour of the year) ensemble. But fret not! I have brought you some wonderful necklace ideas that can make you a showstopper!

If you are a traditional bride, be sure to wear that one necklace that stands out in the marriage hall. You need not wear dozens of gold neckpieces with your bridal trousseau, but you do need to dress like a bride. Choose a single bold necklace that starts at the base of your neck and spreads out by an inch at the shoulders to three inches at the torso. This style will highlight your choli and also make you look slim as it elongates at the bottom. The style works well with gold and silver. If you can splurge more, opt for a diamond piece.

For a day out with your girlfriends, wear a multicoloured charm necklace with your casual yet pretty evening clothes. The colours and the charms will make you appear as the fun loving cute gal. The look will also remain light so you can actually enjoy the day!

For office, you will need a formal look. And what better than pearls! Now, this can get a little tricky if you are not careful. I have seen many ladies overdo the pearl jewellery and appear trashy. You must remember that pearls are very elegant and impactful in themselves. If you wear too many pearl necklaces to work, you will look like you are heading to a temple. Keep it simple. Wear a single elegant pearl string and pair it with single pearl earrings. If you have a slender neck, you can try a combination of two pearl strings entwined together to look like one beautifully crafted necklace. Formal occasions require that you keep the colours understated. So, stick to white or black. If it is a festive occasion, bring out the gold, red and green pearls too.

I hope my little guide on necklace shopping helped you decide what to wear. Let me hear your ideas on how you pick your neckpieces!