I bought this book on Amazon as I love historical romances. It turned out to be a worthy buy.
Lynna is the 17-year-old daughter of the rich French plantation owner Nathan Rhodes. Afraid that she might be kidnapped, he sends away his only child along with Captain Joshua Jordan to America, to live with her aunt.
Joshua is threatened with his life and a bag of gold to keep Lynna safe during the voyage, from the hands of kidnappers. But is she safe from Joshua?
The story spans five years with many people coming into Joshua’s and Lynna’s lives before they finally get together.
Lynna is as innocent as she is gorgeous when she leaves home, but not for long. She undergoes a lot of struggle, unwanted attention, almost raped twice and gets married once, before she gets together with the man she loves.
Joshua loses the love of his life to find her after three years. But he is stymied by the vile Suzanne who insists on wedding him, saying that she’s pregnant with his child. Joshua is too smart. Despite marrying her, he proves her to be the whore she is and gets their marriage annulled. He’s still not able to get together with Lynna as he is unable to find her. And when he does, she’s married to Michael. Will their woes never end?
MY PERCEPTION
The story is well written with strong characters. The author has described beautiful locations very well. The chemistry between Joshua and Lynna sizzles. I loved reading the story that’s set in the 1850s and talks about the lives of slaves working in the cotton plantations. The sugar plantations of Jamaica have been described beautifully and a joy to read.
I loved the tropical paradise where Lynna finally lands up along with Rob. It was gorgeous while the reader is anxious to know what’s going to happen next. I enjoyed reading the book.
My only peeve was how one person could land in so much trouble. Lynna is hounded by problems from start to end. It was a tad difficult to swallow.
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Daniel's Diary by Rajeshwari Chauhan
My Review of DANIEL'S DIARY by Rajeshwari Chauhan
THE STORY
The story begins with Mrinalini’s arrival at Sumangarh. The Palace of Sumangarh is being converted into a heritage hotel and she’s come over to restore the age-old paintings, a job she loves. Driver Surajsinh receives her at the station and he is a guy with an attitude much to her irritation.
Arvindsinh aka Arrow and his obnoxious girlfriend Suzan are the ones who have hired her company for the restoration work. Mrinalini settles down in a small cottage within five minutes of her palace and gets involved in her work soon. She gets to meet Dadasaheb aka Laxmansinh and his grandson Bubbles.
Dadasaheb gifts Mrinalini with a painting that sets off a string of events. From here on the story goes back and forth in history and present day intertwining the events in Daniel’s life as Akbar’s protégée and the painting restoration conducted by Mrinalini.
Ten-year-old Bubbles and she get along like a house on fire and it’s Surajsinh who accompanies them on a visit to Rang Mahal. Rang Mahal is a crumbling structure and is in danger of falling apart.
It is here they discover a skeleton that probably belonged to Daniel, a Portuguese travelling during the times of Emperor Akbar’s reign. They also find a diary that has been written by him in Portuguese. Surprisingly, Surajsinh appears to know Persian and translate the diary to Mrinalini and Bubbles who are both fascinated.
MY PERCEPTION
The novel is off to a slow start. Some of the characters have been introduced well with interesting scenes and dialogue. But the others have been introduced in the way of narration. The author could have made the novel a lot more interesting by letting her characters speak for themselves rather than her talking about them.
While Daniel’s Diary is a mine of fantastic information about Akbar’s court and the people in the emperor’s life, it reads more like a history lesson than a work of fiction. A lot of research has obviously gone into this work and the author should definitely be applauded for the same. I only wish the presentation had been way more interesting.
Despite all that, I would still recommend the book as it gives one a fascinating look into history.
I have kept the best for the last. The sequence between Daniel and court dancer Mahamaya along with many characters of her household - Chhimiya, Fufi, Paro and the rest were really brought to life by Rajeshwari Chauhan’s pen.
I also liked the way the author connects the various objects and paintings that influenced or affected Daniel’s life to many things that are found in Dadasaheb’s palace.
All in all, it’s worth a read and I will go with 3 stars for Daniel’s Diary by Rajeshwari Chauhan.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in return for a honest review.
Grays Hill By Barbara T. Cerny
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My Review
I had been keen to read this book when I read Rubina’s review on her blog. The blurb was quite interesting. Before I went and bought the book, I received a copy to review for this blog tour. Am I lucky I landed with this wonderful book by Barbara T. Cerny!
The Book
The story begins with Geoff aka Lord Tarkington, a sunny character and the younger brother of Rafe, the Duke of Essex. Geoff sees that his friend Lady Oksana Jane and her family are in deep trouble when the king’s men take away all their possessions and their home to pay off the loans of her dead father. He immediately jumps to their rescue.
Geoff sees to it that her mother is settled before offering Oksana the post of governess to his nephews at Grays Hill, the duke’s country mansion. While the dour duke is not too keen on the arrangement, he is convinced of the advantages.
Soon, Oksana takes over Rafe’s household and runs it smoothly, too much so for his liking. The servants adore her and are ready to do her bidding at the flick of her fingers. Was she aspiring to become the duchess?
Sparks fly when Oksana and Rafe come together – every time. Soon, the anger turns to passion. But will the duke ever escape his dead wife’s shadow to marry again?
My take on it
I like a story that starts with dialogue on Page 1. I could see that it was going to move fast with that kind of a beginning. The conversation set the background as the author introduces the characters.
Oksana is a strong woman who is loving, hardworking, truthful and determined. She is a bundle of energy who takes to living in Grays Hill as a duck takes to water. Her friendship with Geoff, her guileless nature and her playacting skills have been woven so beautifully into the story. What really touched my heart is the way she tames Lucifer, a wild horse that refuses to be handled by anyone. Oksana’s huge build should have been off-putting. But somehow, it makes her all the more endearing.
Rafe is angry with what life has dealt him. He loses his parents at a very young age - left to deal with the Duchy, his two younger sisters and a kid brother - a lot of responsibility for a man of 20. He does not have a choice but to grow up fast. His marriage has left him totally bitter and he has forgotten to smile, let alone laugh. The transformation of the duke under Oksana’s influence has been dealt with so wonderfully that it is a joy to read. One could see the resemblance between Lucifer and Rafe.
Then there is Geoff. He is fun, a truly loyal friend and an adoring uncle. I just loved his character and his relationship with Rafe and Oksana. He is totally unpretentious.
I have a request of Barbara T. Cerny – please, can you create a sequel for this book with Geoff as the hero?
I loved reading this period romance and will go with 5 stars. Looking forward to reading more by this author!
Sirens Spell Danger
By
C.Suresh, Radha Sawana & Karthik L
MY REVIEW
This book consists of three stories that have been written by different authors – Suresh C, Radha Sawana & Karthik L. The common touch is the sirens who lure the protagonists into danger. Are they what they appear to be?
Femme Fatale by Suresh C
The story is about Vikram who goes to Bangalore for an interview. He doesn’t bother to attend it when his mother calls him to say that he has been selected for IPS. Celebrating at a bar, he gets attracted to the gorgeous Tanya who leads him on a wild goose chase. Vikram lands in trouble – big time.
The story is fast-paced and takes you on a crazy ride as Vikram keeps getting into situations. Who is Tanya? Why is she leading him on? Why does he trust her despite the problems she creates in his life? You have to read the full story to find out.
I liked the narration and style of Suresh’s way of story-telling. My eyes rushed over the lines trying to find out what happens next. The situations and characters are quite believable and interestingly fleshed out. It’s definitely worth a read.
I have one peeve though. Right at the beginning, over the first 2-3 pages I noticed a number of words that have been oft-repeated. Case in point – “ogle”. Some of the sentences could have been better framed, definitely. It calls for better editing. The similes used are not very relatable.
I will go with 3.5 stars for this story.
Bella Dona by Radha Sawana
This story begins with a bang – a murder, no less. Inspector Shardul Reham is at a loss to understand how the dead body happens to be where it is. The man is a rich industrialist. Why would he book himself into a shady hotel?
The post mortem does not come up with all the answers. Soon, the head of the forensic department, Rajinder Sharma, connects this murder to another that had occurred under similar circumstances. Where they on to a serial killer?
Sharma’s assistant Girish is intelligent and good at his job. But that still does not stop the next couple of murders from being committed. Shardul is desperate to find the killer. Will he be in time to stop the next murder?
The murder mystery by Radha Sawana is fast-paced and well-narrated. I enjoyed reading the book that almost drove me to tears at the pathos behind the murders. It makes one feel that the murderer is justified. A very well thought out plot that’s been neatly put together. The language is also very good.
Just one complaint – I see that the author is a chemistry expert. So a story based on the subject is perfect. But this is a work of fiction. I love to read fiction and am quite picky about how it is presented. I liked the description about ‘atropos’, etc. even if some of them were repeated. But I draw the line at a Google search result with a lot of chemical formulae. It takes the joy away from reading the story. I hope the author makes note of this point and adapts it in her next work. I do look forward to reading her future works.
Another point that I noted – not a sin, but a mite surprising! The story is set where? In which city or town or country?
I will go with 3.5 stars for Bella Dona by Radha Sawana.
Bellary by Karthik L
Jay is an Intelligence Bureau agent who is sent on an assignment to Bellary. His boss Vasu had given Jay clear instructions on saving a situation that is to occur on the 25th.
First he meets Shenaya and later Ruksana. Both the women land Jay in trouble, even jail. Were they out to stop him from completing his assignment? You will have to read the story to find out whether Jay is successful in his venture.
I was surprised by the strange twist in the story is to say the least. It makes for an interesting read as the author works around the plot, making it suitable for 21st century reading.
While the language Karthik uses is very good, the book needs to be edited thoroughly.
I will go with 3 stars for Bellary by Karthik L.
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Piali is a teacher who works with 12th standard students in Mussourie. She lives by herself at the accommodation close to her school. She is in charge of the centenary celebration that’s being organised at the school. In the middle of a busy day, she gets a call from Sathya, the love of her life. He has discovered her whereabouts.
From this point, the story takes you in flashback. If Sathya is the love of her life, then why are they not together? You have to read the story to find out.
I somehow feel that Piali’s character is very similar to author Andy Paula’s. It’s just an instinct. Both are teachers who love teaching English. Piali has a powerful leadership quality that also somehow tells me is a lot like Andy Paula. The President of the country visiting the school also seems to be based on Andy’s connection with Ex-President Abdul Kalam.
Apart from that, I liked the way Piali Roy has been etched. Her struggle with her parents, her father’s stubborn attitude and her mother’s silent support of her father – everything has been framed well.
I loved Sathya’s character. He is the perfect character for a romance and really came across as a hero. Lucky Piali!
One thing disappointed me, though. The end was abrupt and I was startled to see that that was it, the story was over. Quite unexpected!
All in all, a very well written, lovely story that is worth a read. Congratulations Andy Paula - looking forward to reading more of your work!
The cover is perfect for the book and has been done by Naila Ahmed. Kudos Naila!
CLICK HERE to buy your copy of Andy Paula’s LOVE’S LABOR on Amazon.
I like the way the author has weaved the plot around dreams – nightmares actually. Riya has bad dreams every night. The 32-year-old has lost her husband Siddharth of barely a couple of years. She is an art curator who goes to Singapore on work. Most unexpectedly, she meets Ryan, the love of her life. Only it does not appear likely that they could rekindle their relationship.
She returns to Mumbai to set up her own gallery, encouraged by her best friend. Artist Rehaan enters her life. To begin with he is very rude. Soon, he patches up and gets close. Is he the man for her?
Riya tries to find love amidst the shattered remains of her broken life as she creates a niche for herself in the world of art. Until the end, the author keeps you guessing who Riya will end up with. Good one, Jaya Siva Murty!
I must congratulate Jaya on the way she has woven the fabric of the story and how it revolves around art. A lot of research has gone into the art world, but has been presented in a subtle fashion, making it a joy to read the book.
I could relate to Riya’s fears so well as they are quite real. Her determination to stride ahead and make something of her life is what makes her an endearing character. What she undergoes could be possible in just anyone’s life. Quite impressed with the way the characters have been etched.
I can’t think of a better title than CANVAS OF DREAMS for this book. It’s ‘oh so perfect’!
Kudos Jaya Siva Murty on your maiden venture - looking forward to reading more of your work!
CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of CANVAS OF DREAMS by Jaya Siva Murty.
I was hooked right from the beginning. Krish offers Maya a contract wedding to stop his father from running his life. Maya accepts the deal for the same reason - to thwart his father. But neither of them is aware of the other’s intention. What they don’t expect is to fall for each other.
A beautifully woven tale of romance with sensitive and sensible characters as protagonists - I loved both Krish and Maya. KD, the hero’s father, was also very realistic. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the many descriptions of the locales, houses, décor and the landscape. I absolutely enjoyed the sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine. Very well written book, Adite Banerjie! Hope to read more of your work.
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The Story from the author’s website
Two young management graduates, with nothing similar in family backgrounds and temperament, join the New York International Bank on the same day and take two entirely different routes to success. Both rise up the ranks at breakneck speed: the fast and aggressive Sundeep, who would stoop to anything to get ahead, and the mature and sensible Swami, with a high regard for good old ethics. The racy narrative set in the high-pressure milieu of competitive banking carries the undercurrent of a clash of values, in the intermeshed realms of the personal and the professional.
It’s a story peppered with ambition and frustration, deceit and malevolence, love and lust, and the desperate struggle for status and power. And, above all, there is a top-notch banker who plays the benevolent God whenever crisis looms over the young guns…
An insider’s fictionalised account of how Indian professionals experience the world of foreign banks, the story spans three continents.
My take on it….
I must say I was impressed. The book has been well researched and I enjoyed getting an insider’s view of the foreign banking system. The characters are very well etched – especially Sundeep, Swami and Aditya. Of course, the rest of them were also excellently fleshed out. I so enjoyed reading about Swami's honesty. It gives hope in one's life.
Kudos to Ravi Subramanian on writing such a lovely human interest story! It begins with Sundeep in a state of nail-biting stress in his New York apartment in the present. The author takes us on a journey in flashback as Sundeep recalls the last 15 odd years of his life.
The novel keeps you hooked as you want to know the reason for Sundeep’s anxiety. Each chapter makes you wonder whether you will know what’s happening. The plot has been put together so well.
What I liked best is the ending. God is truly all-forgiving, even in his avatar as a banker.
I am really looking forward to reading the other books by Ravi Subramanian. Only my cynical mind keeps worrying that the rest of them should not sound repetitive. Fingers crossed!
My only peeve about the book: It has been published by Rupa & Co. The book has not been proofread thoroughly. At a glance, while reading, I found at least 70-80 errors. I was extremely disappointed. This might not matter to most readers. But for me who does a lot of proofreading work, this was very distracting. I sincerely hope Rupa will polish the book well before they go for the next edition.
Her fiancé calls Houston an Ice Princess as she does not respond to his kisses. She is a cool lady and believes that passion does not exist.
Kane Taggert arrives in town. He is filthy rich and owns the biggest house. But that does not stop him from being uncouth. His manners are terrible and he is a total misfit in society, not that he is interested in fitting in. Every woman around appears to be interested in him. It looks like Kane is keen to wed a lady and that is none other than Houston.
She refuses his proposal of marriage in the beginning. Things change on the night when Blair takes Houston’s place for a date with Lee while she herself goes to see Kane’s grand home. But will marrying Kane bring Houston happiness?
MY PERCEPTION
I thoroughly enjoyed Jude Deveraux’s TWIN OF ICE. It’s romantic and witty all in one. Houston is one fiery character under all the ice. Then, there is Kane. Having grown up as a stable lad, he is keen to become a millionaire when his employer kicks him out for loving the daughter of the house. He achieves his dreams. But revenge is not as sweet as he had imagined it to be.
The story is set in a coal mining town and shows the pathos the people suffer. The mentally strong Houston gets together with her husband Kane to help the townspeople. And they finally find love with each other.
The author has written a lovely romance with a lot of humour entwined in it. I found myself laughing a number of times while reading this book for the second time. It was as absorbing as it was the first time round. It is most definitely worth a read if you like romance genre.
Great one by Jude Deveraux!
Nithya is the elder daughter of a widow and they are dependent on an uncle and aunt who are quite nasty. When Nithya gets married to Ashok in the USA, everyone insists that she is the luckiest woman on earth as all expenses are taken care of by the groom’s family. But is that the truth?
There is Vasu who has also been ill-treated by the same uncle-aunt duo. His is a rags-to-riches story. He goes to California to receive an award. That’s where he meets Nithya after a ten-year gap. Nithya is excited, but feels that she has no right to be. Will she ever find happiness?
From Chennai to California to Mumbai, Sumeetha Manikandan has woven a lovely story about Nithya’s life in the first person. Having lived in Chennai myself and also having undergone immense interference from a number of relatives, I could so relate to the circumstances surrounding the widow and her young daughters. There is an excellent twist in the tale and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The best part was that the author has not shown any of the main characters as bad, just different. Beautifully penned! Congratulations Sumeetha!
And why would Ashok get married if he is not interested in his wife? You will have to read the novel to find out.
CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of THE PERFECT GROOM by Sumeetha Manikandan on Indireads.
Five thousand years ago, there came to earth a magical being called Krishna, who brought about innumerable miracles for the good of mankind. Humanity despaired of its fate if the Blue God were to die but was reassured that he would return in a fresh avatar when needed in the eventual Dark Age, the Kaliyug.
In modern times, a poor little rich boy grows up believing that he is that final avatar. Only, he is a serial killer. In this heart-stopping tale, the arrival of a murderer who executes his gruesome and brilliantly thought-out schemes in the name of God is the first clue to a sinister conspiracy to expose an ancient secret, Krishna’s priceless legacy to mankind.
Historian Ravi Mohan Saini must breathlessly dash from the submerged remains of Dwarka and the mysterious lingam of Somnath to the icy heights of Mount Kailash, in a quest to discover the cryptic location of Krishna's most prized possession. From the sand-washed ruins of Kalibangan to a Vrindavan temple destroyed by Aurangzeb, Saini must also delve into antiquity to prevent a gross miscarriage of justice.
MY PERCEPTION
A humongous amount of research has gone into this book. So much so, that the way it’s been presented makes the reader wonder whether the book is a work of fiction at all. It so reminded me of the novel ‘Prizes’ by Erich Segal. Prizes was like reading a physics text book. The author had obviously done a lot of research and was using his knowledge. That’s fair to him. But what about the one who is looking forward to reading a work of fiction? And then finding so much knowledge crammed down one’s throat. I am sure there is a subtle way of doing this. In fact, I have garnered a lot of my knowledge through reading fiction. The presentation counts, doesn’t it?
There is a point at which Professor Ravi Mohan Saini’s student Priya tells him to stop his boring lectures. She could not be more right. He does go on and on about history and mythology. I love both the subjects, but definitely not the way they have been packaged in this book.
How could the professor come up with his answer in a jiffy, every time? He guesses most of them. While they are based on his knowledge, it’s still strange the way he keeps going by hunches and the reader is given the impression that he comes up trumps each time. Everything is happening in Ravi Mohan Saini’s head. Difficult to swallow!
I have read Ashwin Sanghi’s (as Shawn Haigins) The Rozabal Line. Well researched, fast paced, logical, fascinating and beautifully written. It’s difficult to accept that the same author has come up with The Krishna Key.
I was so looking forward to reading the book and was terribly disappointed. Well, the book has its moments when I came across different religious symbols and stuff that are common globally. I was glad to read about those and could also relate to them.
The brief snippets surrounding Lord Krishna’s life in the first person were not too bad. But I could not make the connection between those and the present day scenario.
The end was worse. Everything is based on conjecture and the reader is left hanging in the air wondering about the purpose of the gruesome murders. It did make me question the reason for the book at all.
The story runs along the lines of Alice in Wonderland and has been written well. But… the first half a dozen chapters are dedicated to Mythili’s rants, making the reader wonder whether there is going to be any kind of a solution at all. I began to fidget and was not very sure I wanted to continue reading.
Creativity is something unique and a story is the sole creation of the author. I absolutely agree. But the way I see it, as one reads a story, the scenes should play out in front of one’s mind’s eye.
This one is in the form of a narrative where Mythili becomes a story teller who keeps talking about her life. I could not visualise what was happening. It was more like looking into Mythili’s head all the time. More dialogues and less of narrative make for an interesting read.
This is a romance novella. I wish there had been more about the relationship between Mythili and Siddharth other than their meeting on and off.
Shweta Ganesh Kumar is already a bestselling published author and I am sure she knows what sells best. I suppose this novel should work for a lot of people.
Click Here to purchase your copy of the eBook A NEWLYWED’S ADVENTURES IN MARRIED LAND By Shweta Ganesh Kumar on Indireads.
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