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Lean in to Relationships
Madeeha works in Jordan to rehabilitate Syrian refugees. Zehen, a social entrepreneur from India, is intrigued and charmed by her, and falls deeply in love. But the world political climate, with its accompanying cultural chronicles about terror and pain, infects his mind. He begins to suspect that she is a possible mujahid. Will he be able to uncover the truth?
Zehen begins to process the roots of his fear and suspicion while on a month-long coast-to-coast journey across the US. Will he find liberation? Will their love survive?
Zehen begins to process the roots of his fear and suspicion while on a month-long coast-to-coast journey across the US. Will he find liberation? Will their love survive?
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2017
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Rishabh Jhol
5 books4 followersRishabh runs a policy consulting company to manoeuvre social ascendance of marginalized communities by equalizing access to political capital.
Purveyor of wanting what you have and empathy, he has written a part-memoir, part-fiction novel series that recounts his transformational journey of turning a heartbreak into an opportunity to learn about himself and the world. He has solo travelled to all seven wonders of the world, and completed cross-country trips by train in India and in the US.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 4, 2018
#LeanInToRelationships is not only a diary of what he saw but also what he experienced. Cities have a unique charm and each traveller perceives it differently. For the author, this book has been a revelation of his own mind, thoughts and how his relations changed and grew. A travelogue, an introspective journey that is insightful as it is varied. The author has covered so many beautiful places and layers of feelings and emotions that one needs to stop and analyse the thoughts at times.
The visual treats with the descriptions of the places he visited as the author writes about them make it an interesting read. I was eager to know about all the places he visited on his trip. To stop, savor and introspect our actions makes each experience more alive.
“Everything that we see, hear or feel, has layers, dimensions through which we can learn, grow and emerge anew. One doesn’t have to go to a meditation boot camp or intensive therapy sessions. Just sit amazed. Sit in delight. Sit easy. Let time flow. You sit.”
The only issue I faced with the book is its editing and grammatical errors that stop this books from leaving a solid impact on the reader. The thoughts, ideas, and depth of the story are excellent sans the errors.
The book talks about love, the path of love is never easy but not all love stories have happy endings. I asked the author about his travel and writing and how he manages the two.
Many just make us a better person. Zehen too has a lesson for himself in this book. Our mind is our strongest ally but it is also the one that plays tricks on us. The love story of Zehen and Maheeda reminded me of how our thoughts can influence our lives. No wonder, positive thinking is so powerful. Zehen also realises the error of his thoughts when it is too late and cannot bring back Maheeda into his life. Their love is an ephemeral one but it leaves its mark.
The book has closure for Zehen in his acceptance and awareness. The conversations he has with his friends are his way of understanding what he did wrong and how is he changing and growing into a better person. The author has seamlessly woven his travels with his relationships. #LeanInToRelationships reads like an emotional journey, a travelogue that concentrates on the spiritual and emotional awareness.
“It is simply a larger view of the small love dramas of our life.”
Lean In To Relationships is exactly what the title conveys but uses travel as a medium for his thoughts. Our relationships, the good, solid ones, the best ones, the kind we can fall back upon are those that are our safety net. This is an honest and introspective book to be read and ruminated upon.
The visual treats with the descriptions of the places he visited as the author writes about them make it an interesting read. I was eager to know about all the places he visited on his trip. To stop, savor and introspect our actions makes each experience more alive.
“Everything that we see, hear or feel, has layers, dimensions through which we can learn, grow and emerge anew. One doesn’t have to go to a meditation boot camp or intensive therapy sessions. Just sit amazed. Sit in delight. Sit easy. Let time flow. You sit.”
The only issue I faced with the book is its editing and grammatical errors that stop this books from leaving a solid impact on the reader. The thoughts, ideas, and depth of the story are excellent sans the errors.
The book talks about love, the path of love is never easy but not all love stories have happy endings. I asked the author about his travel and writing and how he manages the two.
Many just make us a better person. Zehen too has a lesson for himself in this book. Our mind is our strongest ally but it is also the one that plays tricks on us. The love story of Zehen and Maheeda reminded me of how our thoughts can influence our lives. No wonder, positive thinking is so powerful. Zehen also realises the error of his thoughts when it is too late and cannot bring back Maheeda into his life. Their love is an ephemeral one but it leaves its mark.
The book has closure for Zehen in his acceptance and awareness. The conversations he has with his friends are his way of understanding what he did wrong and how is he changing and growing into a better person. The author has seamlessly woven his travels with his relationships. #LeanInToRelationships reads like an emotional journey, a travelogue that concentrates on the spiritual and emotional awareness.
“It is simply a larger view of the small love dramas of our life.”
Lean In To Relationships is exactly what the title conveys but uses travel as a medium for his thoughts. Our relationships, the good, solid ones, the best ones, the kind we can fall back upon are those that are our safety net. This is an honest and introspective book to be read and ruminated upon.
November 12, 2017
I was highly skeptical when I began to read this book. The title was not exactly encouraging. Moreover, relationships? Er… um… I thought to myself. Pompously, as I found later.
My first clue that I had stumbled onto something potentially delightful was when I read this:
I am the spirit of love stories. I dwell in them, passing through narratives, to witness the landscape of lovers, and then to lay the fabric they weave before you.
~ Rishabh Jhol
The spirit of love stories as the narrator? Oh, how intriguing!
The next thing I found interesting was the professional background of the protagonist. Social Impact Leadership leading to engagement as a person who was development specialist and studied societies and gaps in access. The whole thing appealed immensely to me intellectually. My appetite for the story peaked. I wanted to know more about Zehen. I wanted to see how a man like that navigated the unstructured world of relationships. I wanted to take him apart and see what make him tick. I was hooked.
The willing suspension of disbelief, a pre-requisite to let a story find breathing space within you, had happened. I was ready to embark on the journey that the author wanted to take me on.
As I delved into the book, a surprising serenity pervaded me. I can’t pin-point the exact sentence which told me that the book would give me fresh perspectives and new insights. The solemnness with which the protagonist launched into his journey, rubbed off on me, somehow. I opened my eyes a little wider. The book lead me to discover pools of restfulness within me. What a surprise!
I have not been disappointed in the book, quite the contrary. I have pulled out many observations that I find quote-worthy. Gems like these, for instance:
Compromise – a scrunching of a dream, deletion of an arm of potential, becoming less than for another, as if we become together when we delete.
~Rishabh Jhol
Deleting parts of yourself only so you can fit with someone else. Is there anyone who hasn’t experienced the trauma of that painful surgery? And even after wiping away a part of you, you find that you still did not fit. Oh the awful waste of it all!
Barring a few typos and some random misuses of grammar in the latter half of the book, the language is more or less impeccable. It is such a relief when you don’t get snarled in frequent grammar goof-ups which distract you entirely from the story. You can happily focus on going where the narrative wants to take you, experience what the author wants you to experience so that you arrive exactly on the same page as the protagonist!
For a book that affords such joys, this book is priced too low. I would willingly and happily pay many times over to read something as delightful. I wish I could transfer some cash to the author’s account. I would feel less like a cheat.
Sadly, neither the title nor the blurb do the book justice. I almost didn't buy the book. Imagine what I'd have missed!
December 5, 2017
I love to travel and I believe that travelling rejuvenates us..It provides us with an opportunity to visit new places and teaches us both small and big lessons to take back home..
Zehen, a social entrepreneur from India, loves to travel and is on a month long coast to coast travel across the US..He is a friendly person and he likes to have conversations with people he meet during travel..He has some past relationship failures and is confused a lot..He questions himself on what went wrong while he is in relationship with a person..Whether he finally understands about relationships forms the rest of the story…
He is deeply in love with Madeeha, who works in Jordan to rehabilitate Syrian refugees..But he feels that she is strangely different, aloof and doesn’t try hard to please him or reciprocate his true love..He starts doubting her for a possible mujahid!!!Whether his doubt is proved or not and what happened to their love story at the end makes the book interesting to read..
To be honest, while reading the beginning chapters of this book, I felt something was different and it was not a light read..I couldn’t connect with it, but after reading some more pages, I found it to be more appealing…Most of us have some expectations in any relationship and whether it is fulfilled or not decides the fate of our relationships!!! At times, we learn a lot even from strangers and this makes travel to be more special..
Overall, I feel this book is interesting to read!!!
My rating for this book is 3.5/5.
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of book in return for my honest review..I didn’t receive any monetary compensation for the same.
Zehen, a social entrepreneur from India, loves to travel and is on a month long coast to coast travel across the US..He is a friendly person and he likes to have conversations with people he meet during travel..He has some past relationship failures and is confused a lot..He questions himself on what went wrong while he is in relationship with a person..Whether he finally understands about relationships forms the rest of the story…
He is deeply in love with Madeeha, who works in Jordan to rehabilitate Syrian refugees..But he feels that she is strangely different, aloof and doesn’t try hard to please him or reciprocate his true love..He starts doubting her for a possible mujahid!!!Whether his doubt is proved or not and what happened to their love story at the end makes the book interesting to read..
To be honest, while reading the beginning chapters of this book, I felt something was different and it was not a light read..I couldn’t connect with it, but after reading some more pages, I found it to be more appealing…Most of us have some expectations in any relationship and whether it is fulfilled or not decides the fate of our relationships!!! At times, we learn a lot even from strangers and this makes travel to be more special..
Overall, I feel this book is interesting to read!!!
My rating for this book is 3.5/5.
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of book in return for my honest review..I didn’t receive any monetary compensation for the same.
December 19, 2017
Okay. So what happens when you pick up a book thinking it is a romance and find out it is an autobiographical travelogue instead. You keep reading trying in vain to search for the story which is finally just one chapter tucked somewhere inside another story in the book, If it could be called a story at all. It is more an episode in the life of the writer.
Every chapter introduces new characters, and you get a wonderful tour of the USA along with countries like Jordan and Peru.
The book reads more like an “Eat Pray Love” except that the Pray has been replaced by “travel”.
If you stop looking for the romance or the story, what you do find is a very nice turn of phrase, and some really deep observations and introspection. There are passages in the book, that make you want to copy them down in a note book for future reference or just because they are so well said.
Like this one, “Heartbreak is never about two hearts. It is about that one single heart seeking validation. It is that one heart that needs acknowledgment from outside— of being welcomed in the Universe, of feeling included, of being reassured about existence.”
Or the reason why friends do not keep in touch over the years, “After all, meeting old friends isn’t urgent; it cannot be a higher priority to, well, say doing a long overdue laundry.”
So once you read the book like an autobiographical journey of self discovery, and ignore the grammatical mistakes , the book is pretty good.
Every chapter introduces new characters, and you get a wonderful tour of the USA along with countries like Jordan and Peru.
The book reads more like an “Eat Pray Love” except that the Pray has been replaced by “travel”.
If you stop looking for the romance or the story, what you do find is a very nice turn of phrase, and some really deep observations and introspection. There are passages in the book, that make you want to copy them down in a note book for future reference or just because they are so well said.
Like this one, “Heartbreak is never about two hearts. It is about that one single heart seeking validation. It is that one heart that needs acknowledgment from outside— of being welcomed in the Universe, of feeling included, of being reassured about existence.”
Or the reason why friends do not keep in touch over the years, “After all, meeting old friends isn’t urgent; it cannot be a higher priority to, well, say doing a long overdue laundry.”
So once you read the book like an autobiographical journey of self discovery, and ignore the grammatical mistakes , the book is pretty good.
December 20, 2017
Relationships are strange; no two of them are alike.
Zehen, the protagonist and his relationships form the crux of the plot. It is Zehen’s intensive journey that he undertakes to get over the heartbreak over his breakup with Madeeha.
Unlike its name, this book is not about rosy romances, but more of introspection into the protagonist’s soul and how he picks up the strings of his life after a failed relationship. Somewhere the book feels very Eat Pray Love-ish, but somehow they differed on the charm quotient and the Eat was replaced by Zehen’s travels.
The narration is steady and the use of language is such that it doesn’t confuse the reader, nor is there any twisted suspense in the plot. This book is an example of how travel can widen your horizons and help you think beyond yourself yet make you think in a manner you have never done before. While reading we come across Zehen looking inwards, many a time the reader too is tempted to follow suit and do some introspection.
I would say that this book stands somewhere in the middle of being a fiction and a self-help book.
Lean Into Relationships by Rishabh Jhol is not a book that really inspired me. However, it did give me an insightful reading and a look into the mind of the author and the thought processes people have when they are in and out of romantic relationships.
Zehen, the protagonist and his relationships form the crux of the plot. It is Zehen’s intensive journey that he undertakes to get over the heartbreak over his breakup with Madeeha.
Unlike its name, this book is not about rosy romances, but more of introspection into the protagonist’s soul and how he picks up the strings of his life after a failed relationship. Somewhere the book feels very Eat Pray Love-ish, but somehow they differed on the charm quotient and the Eat was replaced by Zehen’s travels.
The narration is steady and the use of language is such that it doesn’t confuse the reader, nor is there any twisted suspense in the plot. This book is an example of how travel can widen your horizons and help you think beyond yourself yet make you think in a manner you have never done before. While reading we come across Zehen looking inwards, many a time the reader too is tempted to follow suit and do some introspection.
I would say that this book stands somewhere in the middle of being a fiction and a self-help book.
Lean Into Relationships by Rishabh Jhol is not a book that really inspired me. However, it did give me an insightful reading and a look into the mind of the author and the thought processes people have when they are in and out of romantic relationships.
December 14, 2017
Relationships are very complex. Neither easy to start nor easy to maintain but easy to break. It takes two people to start a relationship but it takes a lot of struggle and effort from both sides to nurture and maintain a healthy relationship.
Lean Into Relationship is basically Zehen’s experience with his various relationships. Travel liberates one’s self. It helps one to rediscover one’s true self and that’s what Zehen did after his heartbreak with Madeeha.
This book also gives us a world tour but through Zehen’s eyes.
The book though, is not an easy or casual read. This book is not a romantic story but an intense take on a person and his flaws. If you are looking for a thought-provoking, soul-searching and intense read on relationships then Lean Into Relationship is one.
Some of the quotes in the book are so effective and strong that it makes one close the book (in my case the Kindle) and eyes and ponder on it and it stays for a very long time.
But I wish in the end, along with Aisha there was some mention of Madeeha too because the major part of the story was about her and Zehen. So some information on how she moved on with her life after he left would have a plus point.
So, my final verdict, if you ignore the little editing errors this book is definitely a good and intense read.
Lean Into Relationship is basically Zehen’s experience with his various relationships. Travel liberates one’s self. It helps one to rediscover one’s true self and that’s what Zehen did after his heartbreak with Madeeha.
This book also gives us a world tour but through Zehen’s eyes.
The book though, is not an easy or casual read. This book is not a romantic story but an intense take on a person and his flaws. If you are looking for a thought-provoking, soul-searching and intense read on relationships then Lean Into Relationship is one.
Some of the quotes in the book are so effective and strong that it makes one close the book (in my case the Kindle) and eyes and ponder on it and it stays for a very long time.
But I wish in the end, along with Aisha there was some mention of Madeeha too because the major part of the story was about her and Zehen. So some information on how she moved on with her life after he left would have a plus point.
So, my final verdict, if you ignore the little editing errors this book is definitely a good and intense read.
December 15, 2017
A nice journey to embark on!
This book is a journey through some great cities and also into oneself. There is a glimpse of the famous American Dream which makes people flock to this country.
The details, sometimes minor and at other times major, makes the book interesting. The author has opted for a different narration technique. It is a travelogue served with spices made of human emotions and garnished with philosophical and spiritual thoughts.
I would have preferred a little more editing to make it crisper. And some of the words used seemed too lofty and interrupted the flow of the book.
Overall, it is the protagonist’s journey through different places, love and life. As a reader it is a nice journey to embark on!
This book is a journey through some great cities and also into oneself. There is a glimpse of the famous American Dream which makes people flock to this country.
The details, sometimes minor and at other times major, makes the book interesting. The author has opted for a different narration technique. It is a travelogue served with spices made of human emotions and garnished with philosophical and spiritual thoughts.
I would have preferred a little more editing to make it crisper. And some of the words used seemed too lofty and interrupted the flow of the book.
Overall, it is the protagonist’s journey through different places, love and life. As a reader it is a nice journey to embark on!
November 9, 2017
This was a very different kind of read for me. It was such a beautiful combination of fiction and non fiction. Zehen's story narrated in third person takes us through his college and travels and all his relationships.
The words and sentences written in between the narratives talk to you about life, relationships, love just form a path into your heart.
This book has to be read patiently, slowly taking in the teachings it presents to us.
A definite recommendation to all those who love to read a good story with lots of life lessons.
The words and sentences written in between the narratives talk to you about life, relationships, love just form a path into your heart.
This book has to be read patiently, slowly taking in the teachings it presents to us.
A definite recommendation to all those who love to read a good story with lots of life lessons.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews