Destined by Rubina Ramesh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Title: Destined
Author: Rubina Ramesh
No: of Pages: 213
Genre: Romance
ASIN: B075ZS2MZH
Oh, it has been a while since I have written a book review. That’s because I wasn’t reading any. It comes as a shock to me too, believe me. Never in my life have I taken a break from reading. I was buying books all these months and the TBR list for 2018 is growing.
Rest assured, I am back on a reading spree and this new year, you can expect book reviews on this space, every Tuesday.
I was looking for a light, breezy read and as destiny would have it, I found Rubina’s ‘Destined’, which is all about love, family, and duty. The blurb piqued my interest, read along and you’ll know why.
Plot:
Destined is a beautiful tale of love, family, and duty. It is the story of Esha and Rohan who get into a contract marriage for reasons of their own. Esha is a strong, independent woman who lost her mother to cancer. She adores her father who, as fate would have it, is diagnosed with the same brutal disease. Her relatives ditch her when she asks for a loan. Her childhood best friend, her fiancee Ayush is also not helpful. He, along with his mother disagrees with how she wants to live her life. When all the doors slam shut in her face, Rohan comes to her rescue.
Rohan is Esha’s charming boss who is truly empathetic towards her but he is also in a mess of his own. That’s when he decides to help Esha by taking care of all the expenses of her father’s treatment in lieu of a contract marriage. She accepts the proposal which she knew many would frown upon and soon finds herself in a soup- between desire and duty. Her priorities are set though, but will destiny bring them together?
Review – Destined:
Whoa!
I was engrossed in the book from the word go. I had an emotional attachment to the story because I knew what it means to find your parent diagnose with cancer. I found myself in tears, reading about Esha’s mom. But yeah, that’s just me. What I loved the most about the book was about Esha’s decision in taking care of her sick Dad. Her love for him is unconditional and she is resolved to find a way to help him, serve him. She believes that it is her moral responsibility as a daughter.
The below lines are one of my favorites.
‘Would you leave your mother if she had the same issues?’ Esha asks him(her fiance, Ayush).
‘I am her son. I have responsibilities,’ says Ayush.
‘I am my father’s daughter. I have the same responsibilities,’ she says.
I had a lump in my throat reading this one:
“I only know that he is my Dad and I love him very much. He has taught me my first word – Ma. He has taught me to walk and to ride my first bicycle. And today he needs me. What has law got to do with that?”
The secondary characters of the book, especially Esha’s Dad, Ayush and Zaira are well etched and helps in defining the story.
Now, let me make a confession. While I am a true blue lover of romance and Mills and Boon books, I am wary of picking some of the Indian authored books these days. The plot is always similar- a charming man meets a sassy-mouthed girl, they fall in love, have sex – not once, not twice but always, then there is an emotional conflict between the hero and heroine, and in the end, all is well and they live happily ever after. Believe me, I am fine with it. But then the lovemaking scenes have become mandatory like the action scenes in a Rohit Shetty movie – too many at that.
I’m just glad ‘Destined’ isn’t like that. Rohan and Esha’s romance is beautiful and I loved that Rohan is empathetic towards Esha. While they have a sizzling chemistry, the book doesn’t lose its focus from the main plot. It evoked some strong emotions in me as a reader, and that’s the author’s success. The language is impeccable, and that’s a given with Rubina’s books.
Oh yeah, that’s a beautiful cover as well.
Do I Recommend?
Yes, it is a light, breezy read with a strong social message.
Rating:
5 on 5.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book in return for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for the same.
About the Author
Rubina Ramesh is an avid reader, writer, blogger, book reviewer, and marketer. She is the founder of The Book Club, an online book publicity group. Her first literary work was published in her school magazine. It gave her immense pride to see her own name at the bottom of the article. She was about 8 years old at that time. She then went to complete her MBA and after her marriage to her childhood friend, her travel saga started. From The Netherlands to the British Isles she lived her life like an adventure. After a short stint in Malaysia, she finally settled down in the desert state of USA, Arizona. Living with her DH and two human kids and one doggie kid, Rubina has finally started living the life she had always dreamed about – that of a writer.
Wow!! This book is on my tbr since I know Rubina is a fabulous writer. Your review is pushing me to definitely go for it.
I recently read this book, and I am so glad that Rubina decided to write a book revolving around this social pressure that women face even to this day and age.
it sounds really interesting. and very well written too. will definitely check this out. wishing you a happy and prosperous new year.
I have recently finished the book and scheduled my review. I agree with you. I love the book for highlighting the part about what women have to face when they decide to help their parents after marriage.
Dear Shalini,
Your review reminded me why I wrote this book. I initially started it as Romance but then it took a turn on its own. I have a lump reading your review of my book. This book was not easy for me to write so reviews like your makes me believe in myself again. Thanks for believing in my story.
Sounds like a great book. Will keep this in mind.