Skip to main content

Book Review: Andaleeb Wajid's novel 'A Sweet Deal' a refreshing romance amidst baking bliss!

Who doesn't love a bit of romance, especially in fiction? That's exactly how I felt when I finished reading Andaleeb Wajid's novel 'A Sweet Deal'.  When it comes to movies, let me tell you that I absolutely love 'You've Got Mail', 'Nottingham Hill', 'French Kiss' and 'Meet Joe Black', among others. 


Sometimes it is the same feeling with a sweet romantic book, I guess. 

Published by Fingerprint! Passion, Andaleeb Wajid's 'A Sweet Deal' is a refreshing portrayal of love amidst baking bliss. The narrative is crisp, refreshing and draws a reader's instant attention to the world of chefs, cafes and baker's bliss as well as challenges when competition swings by! 

Clearly, you are bound to be enchanted by the fiery Rumana and her cool friend Neharika, who chuck their highly paying corporate jobs to pursue the passion of their life - baking! 

The arrival of a competitor, the charismatic rock star baker Daniyal, who manages to get on the wrong side of her book by putting his signature stamp on Rumana's favourite and much cherished carrot cake recipe, without so much as a thank you! Notably, the author deftly takes you through Bangalore as the hub of budding cafes and talented chefs, the bubbling passion and practical challenges. 

They find their way around being financially secure in a flourishing industry of cut-throat competition, not to mention the luxury market that thrives on more and more customised offerings for every personal occasion that is celebrated. These are an icing-on-the-cake nuances, literally, as interesting nuances that the author has deftly woven into the sweet romance.

                                                       (Image: Pixabay)
  

Not all love stories and romance novels can employ the kind of technique in its narrative that fascinates a reader. What we are looking through to resurrect through sweet romantic books isn't cheesy but a beguilingly cheery journey into that part of our life that remains hidden from sometimes even ourselves. 

The great gift of a good romantic read is that these are part of a reader's past, present and  future. 

Perhaps it's not only love and romance that get lost to our crazy busy schedules, but sometimes the sheer pleasure of literary escapism as well.

Now, is there a romantic book or movie that has always been your favourite?

                                                           (Image: Pixabay)



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born
180 comments
Read more

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v
1 comment
Read more

Saaradhi Malayalam movie review: A watchable film starring Sunny Wayne; but no action, no drama

Saaradhi Malayalam movie review: Watching 'Saaradhi', a Sunny Wayne starrer, got me thinking about life and death. The story revolves around an ambulance driver rushing with a dead body at the back of his vehicle and then getting trapped in an unexpected situation beyond his control. Gradually, the ambulance driver finds himself becoming 'attached' to the dead body. Now, that is the peg of the film which somehow gets lost in the movie altogether! While this film has no comedy scenes, memorable songs, it still kept me alert.                                                   [Source: YouTube] So, my son and I started watching the film and yes, there were several stretches in 'Saaradhi' that were boring.  Firstly, Sunny Wayne was simply not getting into the skin of the protagonist. His timing was definitely off.  Saaradhi Malayalam Movie Review: Timing a key problem In Malayalam movies, timing is everything, and it is what adds punch to every dialog
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the story of Shivaji? The great son of a great mother called Jijabai

Chhatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha warrior whose guerrilla warfare tactics are fleetingly mentioned in Indian history textbooks, is increasingly relevant today. A Hindi movie 'Tanhaji' starring Ajay Devgn and Kajol got many of us curious to know more about this warrior. Sadly, we don't seem to have much information in our history textbooks!   [ READ: Significance of Surya Argya  and How do you Light Deepam? ] Source: Anjali Natarajan on Twitter  Shivaji Maharaj: The Great Son of a Great Mother Jijabai The more I read about Shivaji Maharaj,   the more fascinated I am.   I wondered why we have learned so little about this great warrior and his great mother Jijabai, and why public memory has been totally erased from most history books! As a mother, I have always been fascinated by how some of India's greatest and most revered men and women are individuals who were deeply influenced at an early age by their mothers. Bharat is a country that belongs to great mothers who
1 comment
Read more

Kondal Malayalam Movie Review: Antony Varghese's Action Thriller Falls Flat

Kondal Malayalam Movie Review: As a Malayali movie goer, I didn't enjoy Angamaly Diaries. Still, through this film, Antony Varghese made a definite impression as an actor to watch out for. While he isn't your typical hero, there is a raw energy and authenticity to how he portrays a protagonist that makes him a powerful artist. However, the raw energy fails to hit the right mark as he needs more 'direction' in terms of channelising it. Kondal Movie Review: How Women Protagonists are Shown The depiction of women protagonists in the fisherfolk community remains a huge disappointment. In Chemmeen, Malayalis loved Sheela's brilliant portrayal of a fisherwoman's moral and ethical dilemmas. The characterisation was deeply layered and complex, brought to life by a highly talented artist, Sheela. Such depth is absent in this film's female protagonists. Kondal Movie Story Throughout Kondal movie, Antony Varghese's raw energy and rage stand out as the striking sh
Post a Comment
Read more