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. 

For latest book reviews, subscribe to Svara's Newsletter!



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

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most LOVED 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 bor...
181 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

Power of Hanuman's Work

As you start work - here's a question for you - are you disciplined about how you work and what you do every day? From dawn to dusk, we work - all of us are engaged in some task or another. Many tend to work almost on autopilot. Happens, doesn't it? Sometimes, we engage in activities that may not be of use to us and results in waste of time. Distractions trouble us - it could be a colleague talking loudly in the phone, and we may do the same too, without realising we are distracting others at work.                                        ( Source: Radio Sai.org) Often, we are not conscious of how this impacts the quality of our work and time, not to mention our energy and attitude to work. The way we work reflects in the minds of our children. They watch us and we barely realise what they imbibe. Now life wasn't easy for our elders - in fact, they had none of the comforts that we do today...
Post a Comment
Read more

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are also considered auspicious for lighting at home. When lighting diyas on Fridays, it is better to use ghee than oil, if possible. [READ: What Does Deepam Represent , Why Malayalis Light Nilavilakku ] When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. Can we light diyas at 4pm? Typically, we don't see sunset at 4 pm. If sunset is at 4 pm, you can light diya. When to light a lamp in the puja room? Every morning at sunrise and every evening before or at sunset. Whatever you do, offer it with sincerity and love in your heart. Our Devatas are watching, they know wh...
Post a Comment
Read more

Food in Hinduism: The Significance of Offering Food to God

If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it. – Lord Krishna (Bhagawad Gita) Food brings a sense of warmth, hospitality and loving awareness when it is prepared. In most Indian homes, we place considerable importance to the preparation of food and how it is served.  For the same reason, in most Indian homes, food is served with care and love to a guest. I have found it interesting that food can bridge differences, bring people together rather than divide them. If you have missed my post on 'Three Types of Purity While Preparing Food,' you can read it here.                                                       [Image: Pexels.com] Food in Hinduism: Importance of Naivedyam In Hinduism, food is considered to be an aspect of Brahman (the Absolute and Almighty one). The rationale for this in Hi...
12 comments
Read more