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If You Only Knew Me
If You Only Knew Me is a story of friendship, passion and intrigue set in Dubai, arguably one of the world’s most exciting cities to live in.
Rupali, Anjali, Dipika, Sakina and Monica are five NRI women whose lives are glitzy and exciting as they flirt with high society within the charmed social circles frequented by the Dubai expat community. Beautiful homes, designer clothes, shoes, fast cars and a lifestyle that is envied by all, there is very little these women have not attained. Together they have also woven the closest of friendships and must rely on each other to stay on top.
Appearances are deceptive, though, and often the people you think you know the best, harbor secrets too dangerous to be shared. When tragedy befalls, the investigation that follows opens an ugly box of secrets that will test their friendship and find them struggling to make sense of the madness and deception surrounding them.
Who can they really trust anymore? How far must they go in their fight for survival?
How long will their friendship last once the masks have dropped and none can pretend any longer?
Rupali, Anjali, Dipika, Sakina and Monica are five NRI women whose lives are glitzy and exciting as they flirt with high society within the charmed social circles frequented by the Dubai expat community. Beautiful homes, designer clothes, shoes, fast cars and a lifestyle that is envied by all, there is very little these women have not attained. Together they have also woven the closest of friendships and must rely on each other to stay on top.
Appearances are deceptive, though, and often the people you think you know the best, harbor secrets too dangerous to be shared. When tragedy befalls, the investigation that follows opens an ugly box of secrets that will test their friendship and find them struggling to make sense of the madness and deception surrounding them.
Who can they really trust anymore? How far must they go in their fight for survival?
How long will their friendship last once the masks have dropped and none can pretend any longer?
166 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2017
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 3, 2018
Do we really and fully know about a person who is close to us?? That person might be anybody – Our family, friends or co-workers, neighbors, etc..In this book, Author explains about how difficult it is to fully understand a person in our life..
We, human beings, are full of surprises and we may have our own dark secrets which we don’t easily reveal to others..It is difficult to trust a person completely as appearances may be deceptive..
Rupali, Anjali, Dipika, Sakina and Monica are five NRI women who are close friends living in Dubai..Their lives are exciting with a rich lifestyle and they love spending time with each other..All of them have some problems and they think that they can depend on each other during uncertain times..
But fate plays a cruel role and a grave tragedy happens to one of them..Others are totally shocked and worried a lot..An investigation to this tragedy by police opens up a bag of ugly secrets which makes their life totally miserable..Trust is completely broken and they are confused as they can’t believe each other..They realize that they have been cheated totally..What happens next and whether they overcome their problems or not makes this story worth reading..Author had explained the individual lives and relationship of these five friends in detail..Further, many details about various places in Dubai is also interesting to read..
Overall, this book is a good and an interesting read.. A small suspense and thrilling factor engages the reader a lot…I enjoyed reading this book…
My rating is 4/5.
We, human beings, are full of surprises and we may have our own dark secrets which we don’t easily reveal to others..It is difficult to trust a person completely as appearances may be deceptive..
Rupali, Anjali, Dipika, Sakina and Monica are five NRI women who are close friends living in Dubai..Their lives are exciting with a rich lifestyle and they love spending time with each other..All of them have some problems and they think that they can depend on each other during uncertain times..
But fate plays a cruel role and a grave tragedy happens to one of them..Others are totally shocked and worried a lot..An investigation to this tragedy by police opens up a bag of ugly secrets which makes their life totally miserable..Trust is completely broken and they are confused as they can’t believe each other..They realize that they have been cheated totally..What happens next and whether they overcome their problems or not makes this story worth reading..Author had explained the individual lives and relationship of these five friends in detail..Further, many details about various places in Dubai is also interesting to read..
Overall, this book is a good and an interesting read.. A small suspense and thrilling factor engages the reader a lot…I enjoyed reading this book…
My rating is 4/5.
May 24, 2018
This is a story about five women who are expats in Dubai. They have known each other since 10 long years when all of them have grown in lifestyle from middle class to high society of Dubai. The bond of friendship and love has been there for so long but is trust there?
This story answers these very questions in a very powerful way. What happens to friendship sand relationships when money and power comes into play.
Loved the fast pace, visual narration of the places, the clothes and the expressions. The thought and thought processes of each and every individual in the story was very realistic.
Every character had a place and I could easily visualise their personas.
There are quite a few characters in the story and the author has done complete justice to each and every one of them.
I would love to read more stories by the author.
A very enthralling story and do pick it up if you like a murder mystery along with human relationship dynamics.
This story answers these very questions in a very powerful way. What happens to friendship sand relationships when money and power comes into play.
Loved the fast pace, visual narration of the places, the clothes and the expressions. The thought and thought processes of each and every individual in the story was very realistic.
Every character had a place and I could easily visualise their personas.
There are quite a few characters in the story and the author has done complete justice to each and every one of them.
I would love to read more stories by the author.
A very enthralling story and do pick it up if you like a murder mystery along with human relationship dynamics.
July 6, 2018
‘All that glitters is not gold’—the proverb may sound very cliched, but is highly applicable to today’s world, more so to modern, upper classes. Everyone is busy showing off their happiness in terms of money and possession in this materialistic society. The one-upmanship hides the insecurities and loneliness of human beings, which all the more pushes them towards their doom.
‘If You Only Know Me’ focuses on this very aspect of modern society. Rupali, Anjali, Dipika, Sakina and Monica; are bosom friends, yet jealous of their money, partners, talents. They are extremely close, take care of each other, yet privately dissatisfied with what they don’t and other has, in terms of opportunity, spouse, beauty or success.
Set in Dubai, the author paints the jazzy lives of these NRI women and their partners. The greed for money, position and companionship drives them over the edge, and as the web of deceit and conspiracy slowly unravels, it becomes difficult for them to bring their lives back on track.
Its a fresh story seeped in realism, unlike any doing the rounds these days. Narration is fast and fluent. I liked the various characters; each one of them are distinctive and unique.
Suspense builds up after the introduction of the characters but loses its grip as the story focuses too much on human emotions and description of branded attires and accessories. I would have loved to get into the investigations along with detective Razi Shufa.
Overall a refreshing, fast paced novel. I enjoyed it.
‘If You Only Know Me’ focuses on this very aspect of modern society. Rupali, Anjali, Dipika, Sakina and Monica; are bosom friends, yet jealous of their money, partners, talents. They are extremely close, take care of each other, yet privately dissatisfied with what they don’t and other has, in terms of opportunity, spouse, beauty or success.
Set in Dubai, the author paints the jazzy lives of these NRI women and their partners. The greed for money, position and companionship drives them over the edge, and as the web of deceit and conspiracy slowly unravels, it becomes difficult for them to bring their lives back on track.
Its a fresh story seeped in realism, unlike any doing the rounds these days. Narration is fast and fluent. I liked the various characters; each one of them are distinctive and unique.
Suspense builds up after the introduction of the characters but loses its grip as the story focuses too much on human emotions and description of branded attires and accessories. I would have loved to get into the investigations along with detective Razi Shufa.
Overall a refreshing, fast paced novel. I enjoyed it.
July 6, 2018
The author takes the reader from a simple story of friendship of five girls to a thriller full of suspense and lot many other things. She has described the characters in detail making it easy for the reader to picturise them. She has also described Dubai in detail with all its malls and other places.
The story is simple and interesting and moves at a fast pace and the reader is compelled to read it without keeping the book down as he/she wants to know WHODUNNIT?
Enjoyed the book.
The story is simple and interesting and moves at a fast pace and the reader is compelled to read it without keeping the book down as he/she wants to know WHODUNNIT?
Enjoyed the book.
June 2, 2018
As Part of The Book Club Blog Tour, the Publisher sent the copy for a honest and unbaised review.
How well do we know our friends and family?.. How transparent are we in our close relationships?. how much are we willing to reveal and share our deep secrets with a BFF or even a spouse?.
This story forces us to ponder and question ourselves and emphasizes the importance of communication in any relationship.
Anjali Sen, Rupali jahangir, Monica Kapur, Sakina choudhary and Dipika Luthra are NRI’s and close friends settled in Dubai for past 10 years.
A close group of girlfriends meeting, partying and having fun just like any of us or so it seems as what they think about each other is completely opposite to what they show outside.
Even with the insecurities and envies they share a close bond.
In a sudden twist of events one of them is found dead in suspicious circumstances leading to police investigation.
The second part of the book turns into a mystery novel, but not entirely, the investigation into the death goes side by side alongwith the individual timelines of each of the characters including Rohit, Adil and Rakesh – partners of Rupali, Sakina and Monica. Hence along with the thrill of reading a detective novel you get to feel real stories of real people struggling to maintain their high profile careers, and to keep their love and marital relationships stable and afloat.
The book comes across as a rare genre which leaves you with a lingering memory of reading two genres intertwining flawlessly into one.
The way few characters were described now and then was confusing. Abrupt change in their behaviour was difficult to grasp. A steady and smooth graph of some characters would have added to the already stellar plot and even more stellar narration. Even with the above minor hitches the plot and writing stood out because i couldn’t keep it down and finished it in record 3-5 days.
I was not bored anywhere because every chapters were short, as short as just 1 or 2 pages ( by the way i didn’t realise it was such a joy to read short chapters) and the author dealt with each characters in turn and made sure she didn’t dwell on any one character for long even though she had so much to say. i felt it was to the point, not more nor less, just perfect! Lots of characters each having their own long story add to it a murder mystery and the book is just 166 pages!!
The author gives few subtle hints on the culprit, as with any mystery novel make sure you pay attention while reading. Try to do with the book in one go or you lose out on the fun of guessing as you might forget the facts.
The book teaches a few life lessons in relationships like forgiving and accepting each others mistakes however grave it may be.
The latter part of the story reveals the lies and deceptions of few Characters under the mask of friendship, trust and loyalty. The only question arising now and then is that do they really know each other?.. whether their friendship still stays strong or crumbles under the weight of lies and deception is known only at the end. The ending is highly emotional.
The narration was amazing, Most of the major locations in dubai has been included as part of the plot and described beautifully. The cover is stunning.
This sort of work from a debut author is indeed admirable.
If you like mystery thriller and family drama together, go for it.
How well do we know our friends and family?.. How transparent are we in our close relationships?. how much are we willing to reveal and share our deep secrets with a BFF or even a spouse?.
This story forces us to ponder and question ourselves and emphasizes the importance of communication in any relationship.
Anjali Sen, Rupali jahangir, Monica Kapur, Sakina choudhary and Dipika Luthra are NRI’s and close friends settled in Dubai for past 10 years.
A close group of girlfriends meeting, partying and having fun just like any of us or so it seems as what they think about each other is completely opposite to what they show outside.
Even with the insecurities and envies they share a close bond.
In a sudden twist of events one of them is found dead in suspicious circumstances leading to police investigation.
The second part of the book turns into a mystery novel, but not entirely, the investigation into the death goes side by side alongwith the individual timelines of each of the characters including Rohit, Adil and Rakesh – partners of Rupali, Sakina and Monica. Hence along with the thrill of reading a detective novel you get to feel real stories of real people struggling to maintain their high profile careers, and to keep their love and marital relationships stable and afloat.
The book comes across as a rare genre which leaves you with a lingering memory of reading two genres intertwining flawlessly into one.
The way few characters were described now and then was confusing. Abrupt change in their behaviour was difficult to grasp. A steady and smooth graph of some characters would have added to the already stellar plot and even more stellar narration. Even with the above minor hitches the plot and writing stood out because i couldn’t keep it down and finished it in record 3-5 days.
I was not bored anywhere because every chapters were short, as short as just 1 or 2 pages ( by the way i didn’t realise it was such a joy to read short chapters) and the author dealt with each characters in turn and made sure she didn’t dwell on any one character for long even though she had so much to say. i felt it was to the point, not more nor less, just perfect! Lots of characters each having their own long story add to it a murder mystery and the book is just 166 pages!!
The author gives few subtle hints on the culprit, as with any mystery novel make sure you pay attention while reading. Try to do with the book in one go or you lose out on the fun of guessing as you might forget the facts.
The book teaches a few life lessons in relationships like forgiving and accepting each others mistakes however grave it may be.
The latter part of the story reveals the lies and deceptions of few Characters under the mask of friendship, trust and loyalty. The only question arising now and then is that do they really know each other?.. whether their friendship still stays strong or crumbles under the weight of lies and deception is known only at the end. The ending is highly emotional.
The narration was amazing, Most of the major locations in dubai has been included as part of the plot and described beautifully. The cover is stunning.
This sort of work from a debut author is indeed admirable.
If you like mystery thriller and family drama together, go for it.
May 23, 2018
My rating for the book is 4.0/5.0.
Disclaimer: Thanks to the author for a review copy of the book in lieu of an honest review. I was not paid or otherwise compensated in any way for this review.
If You Only Knew Me by Divyata Rajaram is a multi-layered story of five expat women living in Dubai. Their lives are glamorous, living as they do at the higher echelons of Dubai’s Indian society. The women are friends, even good friends. Despite their apparent friendship though, there are threads of rivalry, bordering on downright cattiness, running just under the glossy surface.
The story-line is complex because the characters are complicated- as real human beings are. There are wheels within wheels in the story. Just when you feel things have begun to clear out, something comes up that muddies up the waters again. That kept my attention engaged. There was never a dull moment in the novel. In a who-dun-it, that’s the key ingredient.
I did not like the book title though. It is clunky and unwieldy. Surely something more snappy could have been devised. I almost did not pick up the book because of the title. The book cover sold me though.
I found Rohit’s character inconsistent. From a loyal, devoted husband to a womanizer was too long a leap for me. A devoted spouse may have an affair but surely that doesn’t make him a womanizer? If he really was a womanizer, there should have been a series of affairs and dalliances, which were absent.
Another incongruity was for close friends to remain clueless to their addicted friend’s troubles. That really doesn’t sound convincing.
I also found it rather strange that even at page 106 I was learning new things about the characters… things as basic as their age! Why couldn’t it all be told together? Was this done deliberately?
However, those are minor points. The most important quality of a murder mystery is the pace of its plot to keep the mystery alive. This was a tightly paced who-dun-it. The best part is, I did not guess the murderer. The climax was a revelation, which was satisfying.
Disclaimer: Thanks to the author for a review copy of the book in lieu of an honest review. I was not paid or otherwise compensated in any way for this review.
If You Only Knew Me by Divyata Rajaram is a multi-layered story of five expat women living in Dubai. Their lives are glamorous, living as they do at the higher echelons of Dubai’s Indian society. The women are friends, even good friends. Despite their apparent friendship though, there are threads of rivalry, bordering on downright cattiness, running just under the glossy surface.
The story-line is complex because the characters are complicated- as real human beings are. There are wheels within wheels in the story. Just when you feel things have begun to clear out, something comes up that muddies up the waters again. That kept my attention engaged. There was never a dull moment in the novel. In a who-dun-it, that’s the key ingredient.
I did not like the book title though. It is clunky and unwieldy. Surely something more snappy could have been devised. I almost did not pick up the book because of the title. The book cover sold me though.
I found Rohit’s character inconsistent. From a loyal, devoted husband to a womanizer was too long a leap for me. A devoted spouse may have an affair but surely that doesn’t make him a womanizer? If he really was a womanizer, there should have been a series of affairs and dalliances, which were absent.
Another incongruity was for close friends to remain clueless to their addicted friend’s troubles. That really doesn’t sound convincing.
I also found it rather strange that even at page 106 I was learning new things about the characters… things as basic as their age! Why couldn’t it all be told together? Was this done deliberately?
However, those are minor points. The most important quality of a murder mystery is the pace of its plot to keep the mystery alive. This was a tightly paced who-dun-it. The best part is, I did not guess the murderer. The climax was a revelation, which was satisfying.
May 29, 2018
Fresh storyline with a twist that’s sure to take the reader by surprise is how one can describe Divyata Rajaram’s ‘If You Only Knew Me. ‘
Interesting, engaging and enlightening, ‘If You Only Knew Me’ reveals the soft and hard sides of human behavior. It also helps one understand how friendship among the most unlikely too is a possibility and how it works. The book is a grim reminder of the fact that looks are deceptive and the most hostile face can have a heart of gold, while the innocent lamb can be as crafty as a fox and as cruel as Medea.
Loneliness is a state that drives the mind to lengths it would never have even dreamt of if not left to battle it alone. ‘If You Only Knew Me’ portrays this aspect of the human mind beautifully in subtle strokes. There is murder, there is suspense and a lot happening out there in the pages of the book but what actually strikes one is the way loneliness, neglect and the craving to be recognized can actually take a toll not only of the physical self but of the mental state too.
Language is crisp and lucid with the power to make the reader visualize even little details like the settings of Monica’s Yoga Studio or Rupali’s dress style. This in turn transports the reader to the scene of action, making him/ her part of the story and enhances the joy of the read.
Characterization is one point where I felt justice has not been done to a few. While the characters of Rupali, Anjali, Sakina and Dipika are well developed and enable one to easily enter their mind and understand their thought process, the characterization of others like Monica and Rohit seem to be under- developed. One finds it difficult to comprehend the sudden change in Rohit’s nature from one furious at his wife’s amoral escapade to one willingly entering into an extra- marital affair.
Fast paced and easy to read, the book is a page turner.
Interesting, engaging and enlightening, ‘If You Only Knew Me’ reveals the soft and hard sides of human behavior. It also helps one understand how friendship among the most unlikely too is a possibility and how it works. The book is a grim reminder of the fact that looks are deceptive and the most hostile face can have a heart of gold, while the innocent lamb can be as crafty as a fox and as cruel as Medea.
Loneliness is a state that drives the mind to lengths it would never have even dreamt of if not left to battle it alone. ‘If You Only Knew Me’ portrays this aspect of the human mind beautifully in subtle strokes. There is murder, there is suspense and a lot happening out there in the pages of the book but what actually strikes one is the way loneliness, neglect and the craving to be recognized can actually take a toll not only of the physical self but of the mental state too.
Language is crisp and lucid with the power to make the reader visualize even little details like the settings of Monica’s Yoga Studio or Rupali’s dress style. This in turn transports the reader to the scene of action, making him/ her part of the story and enhances the joy of the read.
Characterization is one point where I felt justice has not been done to a few. While the characters of Rupali, Anjali, Sakina and Dipika are well developed and enable one to easily enter their mind and understand their thought process, the characterization of others like Monica and Rohit seem to be under- developed. One finds it difficult to comprehend the sudden change in Rohit’s nature from one furious at his wife’s amoral escapade to one willingly entering into an extra- marital affair.
Fast paced and easy to read, the book is a page turner.
May 19, 2018
We all have a group of friends, whom we have met through various stages of life. Some stay, while some get replaced. Those who stay with us throughout, we assume that we know about them inside out. But sometimes, when a particular situation arises, we feel that person is not the person we knew but is some stranger.
If Only You Knew Me deals with something similar. This book has a unique blend of friendship, relationships, love, betrayal, suspense, and mystery.
The story is about five women who have settled in Dubai and share a love-hate relationship amongst themselves. But when the need arises, they have each other's back. But is their friendship for real? Are they really what they show they are?
At first, I thought this book is just another suspense murder mystery. But when I started reading, I just couldn't stop until I finished reading the whole book, in just one sitting.
Nice story plot, detailed description of characters, and even more detailed description of their clothes and ensemble, use of simple language are all the plus points of the story. The only minus point is some errors in few initial pages which could have been avoided.
Other than that, this book is definitely a must-read.
If Only You Knew Me deals with something similar. This book has a unique blend of friendship, relationships, love, betrayal, suspense, and mystery.
The story is about five women who have settled in Dubai and share a love-hate relationship amongst themselves. But when the need arises, they have each other's back. But is their friendship for real? Are they really what they show they are?
At first, I thought this book is just another suspense murder mystery. But when I started reading, I just couldn't stop until I finished reading the whole book, in just one sitting.
Nice story plot, detailed description of characters, and even more detailed description of their clothes and ensemble, use of simple language are all the plus points of the story. The only minus point is some errors in few initial pages which could have been avoided.
Other than that, this book is definitely a must-read.
July 6, 2018
The story is set in Dubai and revolves around five BFFs, namely Rupali, Anjali, Dipika, Sakina and Monica. While one is a diva married to a tycoon, the second is a fashion maven. The third is a sworn single who’s never had a love interest while the fourth finds her husband of fifteen years a bore. The last one appears to have it all, being beautiful physically and mentally, with an adoring boyfriend of six years.
All five NRI women have made Dubai a home away from home and seem to have it all. But there are secrets that abound in each one’s life, secrets that can never be shared.
Everything appears hunky dory until tragedy strikes one night at a party being held at a hotel…
This is the author’s first novel and for that I must say she’s done a very good job of presenting a thrilling page-turner. If you are a fan of thrillers, then you must not miss this one.
All five NRI women have made Dubai a home away from home and seem to have it all. But there are secrets that abound in each one’s life, secrets that can never be shared.
Everything appears hunky dory until tragedy strikes one night at a party being held at a hotel…
This is the author’s first novel and for that I must say she’s done a very good job of presenting a thrilling page-turner. If you are a fan of thrillers, then you must not miss this one.
July 19, 2018
If You Only Knew Me is a reminder that friendships and friends are not what they seem. A city full of glamour and gaiety, luxury personified is home to five friends who have been together for years. The friends slowly start finding the true nature of their friends when adverse incidents happen.
The author has made the book interesting with extramarital affairs, deception, cheating and drugs. Even though the place is Dubai it could well be Bombay or New Delhi. The added advantage of the book was the virtual tour of Dubai offered as the friends moved from one luxury event to another.
It was fascinating to read about uber-rich wives eager to show-off yet they were so alone. What all they did to feel special and wanted. So money yet it cannot buy the honesty and trust of the friends.
The book works since the story moves fast. The glitz and glamour, the parties tempt ordinary readers like me to get a glimpse of Dubai. The feelings and vulnerabilities are expressed through the stories of the friends. The parallel stories of the friends make the book engaging and offers insight into the human mind.
How we treat our friends and how much we know about them is actually debatable and the author got that right. With death, money, fraud, drugs and infidelity the realities surface and true friends are revealed.
If You Only Knew Me is about life but how our friends shape our lives and destiny.
The author has made the book interesting with extramarital affairs, deception, cheating and drugs. Even though the place is Dubai it could well be Bombay or New Delhi. The added advantage of the book was the virtual tour of Dubai offered as the friends moved from one luxury event to another.
It was fascinating to read about uber-rich wives eager to show-off yet they were so alone. What all they did to feel special and wanted. So money yet it cannot buy the honesty and trust of the friends.
The book works since the story moves fast. The glitz and glamour, the parties tempt ordinary readers like me to get a glimpse of Dubai. The feelings and vulnerabilities are expressed through the stories of the friends. The parallel stories of the friends make the book engaging and offers insight into the human mind.
How we treat our friends and how much we know about them is actually debatable and the author got that right. With death, money, fraud, drugs and infidelity the realities surface and true friends are revealed.
If You Only Knew Me is about life but how our friends shape our lives and destiny.
April 27, 2019
Though the book has decent plot, the writing style is poor. Two notches below Chetan Bharat
September 26, 2020
Amazing light read that is reflects a lot on reality. makes you actually wonder how well do you know people you consider 'friends'?
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews