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Once Upon a Reunion: A Romantic Reunion Saga
Like most Indian women who have loved, lost, and settled for an arranged marriage, Nirmala secretly pines for her ex, Suresh, even as she leads a happy, mostly peaceful life with Sreenivas, her husband. Memories of her first love resurface occasionally, disturbing her present life. Unable to fully love Sreenivas with the intensity she had felt for Suresh, she is conflicted and living in a parallel world, always tormented by the probability of a what-if!It is at this time that her school friends plan a reunion, which Suresh would also be attending. Nirmala sees this as an opportunity to bring a closure to that chapter of her life. But she is torn by the uncertainty and the upheaval this will cause, ruthlessly tearing apart the delicate fabric of her marriage.And at the reunion, her world turns on its head.Suresh is found dead.Was it suicide? If not, who was the murderer?Nirmala is crippled by the shock. But blame quickly falls on her as the ex with a motive and before she realizes she is in the police net. How does she manage to escape? And what effect does this have on her marriage?
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 2, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
June 24, 2019
Once upon a Reunion combines large portions of general fiction with a touch of crime & suspense. This book is an easy read and one you can relax with – it moves fast. While the story is good as are the characters, it falls a little short in tying all the pieces together.
Nirmala works at an IT job and has a hard boss. She is married to Sreeni and tries hard to make their marriage work, especially since there are relationships from the past (Suresh, in college), she would like to get over. It is however, not easy, and a lot of hard work.
Nirmala is invited to a school reunion and is in two minds on whether to as Suresh will be there as well. Her good friend Aarti however insists she should come. After much agony, Nirmala decides to go, though undecided on what & how she will speak to Suresh, especially since he leaves her abruptly and later gets married. At the reunion, Suresh is found dead. As the police investigate the cause of death, and all his college-mates are suspects.
The writing is good considering that this is a first book, but in places the author tries too hard leading to weak metaphors & complex sentence structures. The book relies more on the element of surprise for the crime & suspense element (which there certainly is) though the sleuthing involved in uncovering the truth is weak.
Overall, a book which has a decent story and moves fast, so well worth a read.
My rating: 3.25 / 5.
Nirmala works at an IT job and has a hard boss. She is married to Sreeni and tries hard to make their marriage work, especially since there are relationships from the past (Suresh, in college), she would like to get over. It is however, not easy, and a lot of hard work.
Nirmala is invited to a school reunion and is in two minds on whether to as Suresh will be there as well. Her good friend Aarti however insists she should come. After much agony, Nirmala decides to go, though undecided on what & how she will speak to Suresh, especially since he leaves her abruptly and later gets married. At the reunion, Suresh is found dead. As the police investigate the cause of death, and all his college-mates are suspects.
The writing is good considering that this is a first book, but in places the author tries too hard leading to weak metaphors & complex sentence structures. The book relies more on the element of surprise for the crime & suspense element (which there certainly is) though the sleuthing involved in uncovering the truth is weak.
Overall, a book which has a decent story and moves fast, so well worth a read.
My rating: 3.25 / 5.
March 17, 2019
Almost 3 months back Nithya reached out to us to make us aware of her upcoming book "Once Upon a Reunion: A Romantic Suspense Novel" We checked the book details and found it interesting. On inquiring we found out that the book was under editing at that time. Two weeks back we saw a notification on social media on social media as we have tagged that author for book release. We got our hands on the book within a few hours and started reading it.
As mentioned in the blurb, the story is about a married woman, Nirmala, who was living with his husband Sreeniva in Chennai. Her life was going properly when the story started. But later on, 2 major issues happened with her, which is the plot of the story. First 40-50% portion covers her hearlty-nasty ups-downs with her husband. (Her mind kept going to her college time lover Swamy). It was during their new year party she experienced something shockingly. Whether her experience will stop her to attend reunion or not is written in the second half of the book along with mystery solving around her experience.
The story is written with just 5-6 characters. It is visible that writing was done with a clear mindset. A character of Nirmala takes you to an emotional roller-coaster. She is portrayed as a woman who is devoted to her husband but mentally slipped out to Swamy time to time (she would come back to present with guilt)
Some highlights apart from Nimmu a.k.a. Nirmala
1) I like the way mysterious party event was added, that part converted an emotional drama into a suspense drama
2) I like the concept of "The Ritual Stool" It shows a way to avoid conflicts in married life.
3) Easy to follow language and medium pace story ideal for beginners.
4) The only issue I found was the way Sreenu and Swami treated Nirmala during fights. I am not sure but such treatment is not acceptable to the class of people they were shown. Showing woman a trash bag was not liked by me.
Overall a nice short read to lighten your mood. A good companion on trip
Detailed review link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
Author interview link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
As mentioned in the blurb, the story is about a married woman, Nirmala, who was living with his husband Sreeniva in Chennai. Her life was going properly when the story started. But later on, 2 major issues happened with her, which is the plot of the story. First 40-50% portion covers her hearlty-nasty ups-downs with her husband. (Her mind kept going to her college time lover Swamy). It was during their new year party she experienced something shockingly. Whether her experience will stop her to attend reunion or not is written in the second half of the book along with mystery solving around her experience.
The story is written with just 5-6 characters. It is visible that writing was done with a clear mindset. A character of Nirmala takes you to an emotional roller-coaster. She is portrayed as a woman who is devoted to her husband but mentally slipped out to Swamy time to time (she would come back to present with guilt)
Some highlights apart from Nimmu a.k.a. Nirmala
1) I like the way mysterious party event was added, that part converted an emotional drama into a suspense drama
2) I like the concept of "The Ritual Stool" It shows a way to avoid conflicts in married life.
3) Easy to follow language and medium pace story ideal for beginners.
4) The only issue I found was the way Sreenu and Swami treated Nirmala during fights. I am not sure but such treatment is not acceptable to the class of people they were shown. Showing woman a trash bag was not liked by me.
Overall a nice short read to lighten your mood. A good companion on trip
Detailed review link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
Author interview link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
February 21, 2020
Once Upon a Reunion by Nithya Sashi is a contemporary fictional romance tale with a tinge of thrill and mystery. Nirmala works at an IT company and dreads her boss. She has a loving husband who is practical and mature. And despite him being sweet and ever supportive, Nimmu finds it hard to love him as much as he deserves for a long flame is still alive in her heart. The man - Suresh Guruswamy - rules her heart who gave her many firsts. And then appears the invitation for the school reunion where there's a probability of Nirmala bumping into Suresh. This catches her building castles already and meanwhile, drama seeps into her marital life with Sreenu. And while the tension is resolved here, another surprise awaits Nimmu at the reunion. Read the book to find out.
The book started well and kept on building up a good atmosphere. The author has introduced the characters cleverly and placed them in the right places. I liked how the story developed and created an environment of a modern woman struggling with her inner conflicts and demanding professional life. As the story went back and forth during Nirmala's reminiscences, we get acquainted with her past and its link to her present. But as we are pushed towards the climax that takes place at the reunion, we feel a sudden jolt. We are made to see through the development of the plot leading to a murder mystery which I felt was forceful than natural. The way the climax drops into the picture and presents itself felt abrupt and insufficient.
The writing is fairly good and I would commend the author for weaving her book so well. The book describes the modern relationships along with an old school love. The characters are few in numbers and contribute significantly to the plot. Sreenu portrays an ideal image which I personally found really good. The theme of love, understanding, friendship, jealousy, betrayal are described well. The storyline wasn't unique but narrated interestingly. I would agree that the climax was a surprise but had it been explored and elaborated well, I would have liked it more. I found the latter half of the book rushed and that did break my flow. I have seen a lot of potential go unrealized in the crafting of this book. Nevertheless, it does come up as a worthy one time read.
The book started well and kept on building up a good atmosphere. The author has introduced the characters cleverly and placed them in the right places. I liked how the story developed and created an environment of a modern woman struggling with her inner conflicts and demanding professional life. As the story went back and forth during Nirmala's reminiscences, we get acquainted with her past and its link to her present. But as we are pushed towards the climax that takes place at the reunion, we feel a sudden jolt. We are made to see through the development of the plot leading to a murder mystery which I felt was forceful than natural. The way the climax drops into the picture and presents itself felt abrupt and insufficient.
The writing is fairly good and I would commend the author for weaving her book so well. The book describes the modern relationships along with an old school love. The characters are few in numbers and contribute significantly to the plot. Sreenu portrays an ideal image which I personally found really good. The theme of love, understanding, friendship, jealousy, betrayal are described well. The storyline wasn't unique but narrated interestingly. I would agree that the climax was a surprise but had it been explored and elaborated well, I would have liked it more. I found the latter half of the book rushed and that did break my flow. I have seen a lot of potential go unrealized in the crafting of this book. Nevertheless, it does come up as a worthy one time read.
February 28, 2019
I went into this book after reading the Blurb, and there were many things that struck me. I wouldn't know how to classify this book. It wasn't a simple murder mystery as murder occurred at 80%, it wasn't a romance... Most of the book was about the protagonist Nirmala's life and her imagination - the what if?!! What if the ex had never left her!!
At 150 pages, the book was a quick read. The story had suspense and secrets weaved into it, revelations and betrayal which made an explosive end. The writing in some parts was superfluous, but I liked the author's previous book better.
Then came my niggles, the first 80% told me the protagonist's life, her thoughts continually changed from thinking about ex Suresh to husband Sreenu. I wanted her to be stronger, it had, after all, been 24 years. I didn't like the husband Sreenu, he appeared disjointed, his characterization kept wavering. He pulled a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde kind of a persona which would have been interesting, if that had been the story arc. At one point, he slapped the wife Nirmala and instead of giving one back or asking him to apologize, she thought it was her fault. Most wives in India are brainwashed, I suppose, even the highly educated ones. The reasons for the plotting and the murder and the betrayal all seemed flimsy when it all came to light. There was no tension or emotions across the scenes, which ideally should have seeped through.
My rating for the book is for the potential it had, not for what was given to me. It could have been so much better. As said before, I liked the author's previous works.
At 150 pages, the book was a quick read. The story had suspense and secrets weaved into it, revelations and betrayal which made an explosive end. The writing in some parts was superfluous, but I liked the author's previous book better.
Then came my niggles, the first 80% told me the protagonist's life, her thoughts continually changed from thinking about ex Suresh to husband Sreenu. I wanted her to be stronger, it had, after all, been 24 years. I didn't like the husband Sreenu, he appeared disjointed, his characterization kept wavering. He pulled a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde kind of a persona which would have been interesting, if that had been the story arc. At one point, he slapped the wife Nirmala and instead of giving one back or asking him to apologize, she thought it was her fault. Most wives in India are brainwashed, I suppose, even the highly educated ones. The reasons for the plotting and the murder and the betrayal all seemed flimsy when it all came to light. There was no tension or emotions across the scenes, which ideally should have seeped through.
My rating for the book is for the potential it had, not for what was given to me. It could have been so much better. As said before, I liked the author's previous works.
February 14, 2019
I know Nithya Sashi from the time she reviewed my book 'The Fragile Thread of Hope' a long time ago. I also read her book 'Four Blocks Wide', a collection of short stories, recently and liked it, so when I discovered that she had released her latest novella, I immediately checked it out. The blurb seemed intriguing, and I couldn't stop myself from reading it.
In her short story collection itself, I had seen glimpses of her talent from the way she constructed her sentences and the near error-free prose. However, after reading the first few pages of her latest novella, I was left amazed. I felt as if I was reading an enhanced version of her writing—Nithya Sashi version 2.0.
To say that her writing is exceptional would be a gross understatement. In this novella, she has shown her full talent. I was in awe as I read sentences in which she toys with nouns, verbs, and metaphors as if she were an award-winning literary fiction author. Sometimes I had to blink to remind myself that I was reading a book by self-published author, lost in the illusion that I was reading something from a Khaled Hosseini, Chitra Divakaruni or a Renita D'Silva.
Her rich vocabulary and her huge repertoire of phrases are almost enviable. There were some instances in which I was re-reading more than half of the sentences in a single page, wondering how the author managed to write them so beautifully. Either it is inborn talent or she has worked really hard on her craft to gain such mastery over her writing. There are ZERO grammatical and punctuation errors, for which the author and the editor, Dhivya Balaji, deserve a standing ovation. The short, legible paragraphs, the varying lengths of sentences, a near-perfect adherence to the writing manual. I would like to URGE all aspiring or debut authors to please read this book, to know how you should write. Nithya Sashi's writing is worth emulating. I don't know about others, but it was a great learning experience for me.
Okay, sorry, I got carried away as the writing was just so amazing. As far as the story is concerned, it is a nicely written narrative. You will be hooked from the first page to the last. The characterization is very good, revealing traits of the characters gradually by using their actions and dialogue. Nithya has duly followed the show-don't-tell rule which debut writers generally tend to overlook. I loved the development of the relationship between the protagonist and her husband—their friendship, their arguments, and their love. It was portrayed in a very realistic manner. The plot is also well constructed, with the mystery maintained till the very end. I could feel for the characters—their pain, their doubts, their weaknesses—and I was rooting for them till the end.
However, towards the end, I think the narrative got a bit cheesy, tending towards the chick-lit genre that I don't like so much, and too many things happened a bit too fast for my liking (the crime part) that made it a bit difficult to digest. Also, although I could feel for the characters, the novella couldn't invoke the deep emotions that I expect from books of this quality.
Nevertheless, this was a landmark read for me, especially for the author's breathtaking writing skills. This book was perfect for me until 80% of the book, so I cannot give this anything less than 4.7 stars (although if it was just for the language, I would give it 10 stars).
This is certainly a modern masterpiece, and I would urge all readers and writers to read this without fail.
In her short story collection itself, I had seen glimpses of her talent from the way she constructed her sentences and the near error-free prose. However, after reading the first few pages of her latest novella, I was left amazed. I felt as if I was reading an enhanced version of her writing—Nithya Sashi version 2.0.
To say that her writing is exceptional would be a gross understatement. In this novella, she has shown her full talent. I was in awe as I read sentences in which she toys with nouns, verbs, and metaphors as if she were an award-winning literary fiction author. Sometimes I had to blink to remind myself that I was reading a book by self-published author, lost in the illusion that I was reading something from a Khaled Hosseini, Chitra Divakaruni or a Renita D'Silva.
Her rich vocabulary and her huge repertoire of phrases are almost enviable. There were some instances in which I was re-reading more than half of the sentences in a single page, wondering how the author managed to write them so beautifully. Either it is inborn talent or she has worked really hard on her craft to gain such mastery over her writing. There are ZERO grammatical and punctuation errors, for which the author and the editor, Dhivya Balaji, deserve a standing ovation. The short, legible paragraphs, the varying lengths of sentences, a near-perfect adherence to the writing manual. I would like to URGE all aspiring or debut authors to please read this book, to know how you should write. Nithya Sashi's writing is worth emulating. I don't know about others, but it was a great learning experience for me.
Okay, sorry, I got carried away as the writing was just so amazing. As far as the story is concerned, it is a nicely written narrative. You will be hooked from the first page to the last. The characterization is very good, revealing traits of the characters gradually by using their actions and dialogue. Nithya has duly followed the show-don't-tell rule which debut writers generally tend to overlook. I loved the development of the relationship between the protagonist and her husband—their friendship, their arguments, and their love. It was portrayed in a very realistic manner. The plot is also well constructed, with the mystery maintained till the very end. I could feel for the characters—their pain, their doubts, their weaknesses—and I was rooting for them till the end.
However, towards the end, I think the narrative got a bit cheesy, tending towards the chick-lit genre that I don't like so much, and too many things happened a bit too fast for my liking (the crime part) that made it a bit difficult to digest. Also, although I could feel for the characters, the novella couldn't invoke the deep emotions that I expect from books of this quality.
Nevertheless, this was a landmark read for me, especially for the author's breathtaking writing skills. This book was perfect for me until 80% of the book, so I cannot give this anything less than 4.7 stars (although if it was just for the language, I would give it 10 stars).
This is certainly a modern masterpiece, and I would urge all readers and writers to read this without fail.
March 4, 2019
Even Though 2019 Has Just Begum, Why Do I Get A Gut Feeling That ‘Once Upon A Reunion’ By NITHYA SASHI Is Definitely Going To Go Down As One Of The Finest Reads Of The Year That Has Come To Me Thanks To The Author Graciously Providing This Review Copy For An Honest Review.
There Is Virtually Little Or Absolutely No Doubt In My Mind That Even If NITHYA SASHI Had Not Provided The Review Copy I Would Have Sooner Or Later Have Discovered This Gem Of A Book And Had It On My #ReadAndReview Shelf Sooner Than Later And Even Then My Review Would Not Have Been Any Different From This One.
After Already Having Read ‘FourBlocksWide’ In 2018 One Did Have An Inkling What To Expect From NITHYA SASHI In ‘Once Upon A Reunion’ And Even Then She Simply Excels In This Heartwarming Love Story That Not Just Touches A Chord But Leaves The Reader With Wet Eyes & A Lump In The Throat...Thats How Absolutely Relatable This Tale Is.
If You Not Happened To Read NITHYA SASHI Previous Fiction Titles And Are Just Happening To Discover Her Exciting World Of Story Telling Then Truly Indeed One Could Not Have Possibly Picked Up A Better Book Than This One That Leaves One Simply Awestruck. The Craving Gets Strong To Pick Up Her Other Books And Relish Them Hoping They Too Would Be As Good As This One.
Moving Through Different Timezones Spread Across Two Decades This Is The Poignant Love Story Of Nirmala & Her First Love From Her College Suresh And Her Husband Sreenivas..The Tale Swings Between Her Past & Her Present That Creates Turmoil And Upheavals In Her Marriage As The Dark Shadows From Her Past Haunt Her Present Threatening To Topple Her Marital Applecart.
Even Though Full Credit Goes To The Author For ✍️ing This Book That Has A Feel Good Aura Surrounding It Yet None Of This Would Have Been Possible Without The Smooth & Flawless Editing Of DHIVYA BALAJI.
For Me, I Have Absolutely No Hesitation In Stating That The Two Notes One By The Author & Other By The Editor Were Something That Actually Kept Me Awake The Whole Night Pondering & Contemplating How Much Emotional Baggage We Carry For A Good Part Of Our Life As We Cannot Demarcate The Past From Spilling Into Our Present And Threatening The Future.
There Is Virtually Little Or Absolutely No Doubt In My Mind That Even If NITHYA SASHI Had Not Provided The Review Copy I Would Have Sooner Or Later Have Discovered This Gem Of A Book And Had It On My #ReadAndReview Shelf Sooner Than Later And Even Then My Review Would Not Have Been Any Different From This One.
After Already Having Read ‘FourBlocksWide’ In 2018 One Did Have An Inkling What To Expect From NITHYA SASHI In ‘Once Upon A Reunion’ And Even Then She Simply Excels In This Heartwarming Love Story That Not Just Touches A Chord But Leaves The Reader With Wet Eyes & A Lump In The Throat...Thats How Absolutely Relatable This Tale Is.
If You Not Happened To Read NITHYA SASHI Previous Fiction Titles And Are Just Happening To Discover Her Exciting World Of Story Telling Then Truly Indeed One Could Not Have Possibly Picked Up A Better Book Than This One That Leaves One Simply Awestruck. The Craving Gets Strong To Pick Up Her Other Books And Relish Them Hoping They Too Would Be As Good As This One.
Moving Through Different Timezones Spread Across Two Decades This Is The Poignant Love Story Of Nirmala & Her First Love From Her College Suresh And Her Husband Sreenivas..The Tale Swings Between Her Past & Her Present That Creates Turmoil And Upheavals In Her Marriage As The Dark Shadows From Her Past Haunt Her Present Threatening To Topple Her Marital Applecart.
Even Though Full Credit Goes To The Author For ✍️ing This Book That Has A Feel Good Aura Surrounding It Yet None Of This Would Have Been Possible Without The Smooth & Flawless Editing Of DHIVYA BALAJI.
For Me, I Have Absolutely No Hesitation In Stating That The Two Notes One By The Author & Other By The Editor Were Something That Actually Kept Me Awake The Whole Night Pondering & Contemplating How Much Emotional Baggage We Carry For A Good Part Of Our Life As We Cannot Demarcate The Past From Spilling Into Our Present And Threatening The Future.
February 23, 2019
3.5 Stars!
Reading the blurb, I'd thought the story would be a lot of mystery (who killed her ex-lover?) and a bit of drama (why can't she stop thinking about her ex?) But unfortunately, it turned out to be the other way around. The murder takes place when the book was already 80% done, I kid you not.
The writing itself was pretty well thought out and interesting and frankly saying I'd have enjoyed this book a lot more if I hadn't been expecting it to be a suspense novel.
I found some parts of the book too melodramatic. For example, there was a whole page (kindle wise) that talked about nothing but the smell of the protagonist's lover's saliva. Honestly.
All in all, I think it could've been a lot better if the murder happened before all the drama and if, as a reader, I'd been given clues as to who could be the murderer and also a chance to solve the mystery myself instead of dumping it all on me in the last 10% of the story.
Reading the blurb, I'd thought the story would be a lot of mystery (who killed her ex-lover?) and a bit of drama (why can't she stop thinking about her ex?) But unfortunately, it turned out to be the other way around. The murder takes place when the book was already 80% done, I kid you not.
The writing itself was pretty well thought out and interesting and frankly saying I'd have enjoyed this book a lot more if I hadn't been expecting it to be a suspense novel.
I found some parts of the book too melodramatic. For example, there was a whole page (kindle wise) that talked about nothing but the smell of the protagonist's lover's saliva. Honestly.
All in all, I think it could've been a lot better if the murder happened before all the drama and if, as a reader, I'd been given clues as to who could be the murderer and also a chance to solve the mystery myself instead of dumping it all on me in the last 10% of the story.
March 25, 2019
The very basic difference between self-published and traditionally published books is the number of mistakes, typically grammatical and typos, self-published authors commit (I am including myself in it). This book is a guide to all self-published authors. I couldn't find typos or grammatical errors. Utmost care has been taken.
I have a special thing for covers and I feel it could've been better.
The character development is phenomenal and you could imagine how the protagonist- Nirmala/ Nimmo/ Nimsie (this name is awesome) is and what she thinks. I liked Bam's (her boss in the IT workplace) description as well. I don't know why but Sreenu (Nirmala's husband) reminds me of the character played by Abhishek Bachchan in Manmarziyaan. The husband-wife relationship is well weaved with all sorts of emotions. I liked Sreenu except how he handles one important incident of his life- his job scuffle.
The story is medium paced until it takes a dramatic turn and thereafter it is super fast. You get restless to get onto the main plot of mystery, thrill, and twists. When everything seemed perfect to read, what could have been improved in my opinion is- the mystery thing. It could've been elongated with more subtle justifications, backstories, and more seriousness.
The subject is practical, an interesting one. The writing is non-cliche and you can feel for the characters. The author has perfectly balanced the protagonist's character and how she handles her past and present. This is a sensitive topic- having a soft corner or feelings for your ex for a married woman, but the author has handled it quite well.
4/5.
I have a special thing for covers and I feel it could've been better.
The character development is phenomenal and you could imagine how the protagonist- Nirmala/ Nimmo/ Nimsie (this name is awesome) is and what she thinks. I liked Bam's (her boss in the IT workplace) description as well. I don't know why but Sreenu (Nirmala's husband) reminds me of the character played by Abhishek Bachchan in Manmarziyaan. The husband-wife relationship is well weaved with all sorts of emotions. I liked Sreenu except how he handles one important incident of his life- his job scuffle.
The story is medium paced until it takes a dramatic turn and thereafter it is super fast. You get restless to get onto the main plot of mystery, thrill, and twists. When everything seemed perfect to read, what could have been improved in my opinion is- the mystery thing. It could've been elongated with more subtle justifications, backstories, and more seriousness.
The subject is practical, an interesting one. The writing is non-cliche and you can feel for the characters. The author has perfectly balanced the protagonist's character and how she handles her past and present. This is a sensitive topic- having a soft corner or feelings for your ex for a married woman, but the author has handled it quite well.
4/5.
February 13, 2019
Many stories have been woven around school reunions where people finding themselves catching up with old buddies, exes, trying to find some answers about the things happened in the past and making some closures. This is one such tale with a flavour of its own.
Nirmala aka Nimi aka Nimsie is a happily married woman who is leading a blissful life with her husband Srinivas aka Sreenu. The relationship is like any other typical Indian husband and wife, having an arranged marriage; blossoming over the years and slowly discovering each other's good, bad sides and making peace with it. Nirmala has a past relationship with Swamy, her batchmate, that her husband has made peace with, though, yet he mentions about it bitterly during their spats.
Things were hunky-dory between them and then this school reunion idea comes up. Nirmala who still had some feelings left for Swamy, after lot of contemplation and on her bosom friend Arti's insistence, decides to attend it. She sees it an opportunity to close this chapter with Swamy for once and all.
Does she,finally, close that chapter? What does she discover about her friend Arti and Indraneel at the reunion? Why Swamy had dumped her back in college?
THE TITLE of the book indicates that the story is about dealing with the things happened in the past.
THE COVER is simple but beautiful.
THE BLURB says a lot about the story. I feel, it could have been little more concise.
THE NARRATION is smooth and the pace is good. The book at no point sounds draggy. A few more pages could be added to thriller part of it. In that part one gets a rush-rush feeling. The relationship of an IT couple is tastefully written and sounds genuine and relatable.
THE CHARACTERS are exquisitely crafted. Nirmala's character leaves an impact. Srinivas, as a husband, sounds relatable.
THE LANGUAGE used is simple and effective.
Overall, the book is a breezy read and one would like to finish it in one go. There are few mistakes which could have been avoided e.g. in one chapter Arti claims herself to be a simple housewife and after a few pages she is mentioned to be returning to work because of leave issues.
🌟🌟🌟✨ 3.5/ 5 stars
Thanks to the author for providing a review copy in exchange of an honest review.
Thanks to the author for providing a review copy in exchange of an honest review.
February 28, 2019
If you are looking for an extreme suspense/mystery novel then this may not suffice that but if you like to read a light romantic novel with a tinge of suspense/mystery , Yes! then this is exactly that book.
I started really excited because of its genre but was disappointed because the thrills came at a later part. But before that we get to see the life of Sreenivas and Nirmala(Husband & Wife). Nirmala was working in IT and Sreenivas was a Sales guy. They led quite normal and blissful life. They are shown as friends more than the spouses.I quite liked the relation between both of them but i was surprised the way Sreenu reciprocated after a fight with Nirmala. Yes, it may be because of the mental trauma that he was going on that period but i really got scared coz he had become a monster. I was happy they were back as loving couples.
Nirmala thinking about her ex-lover whenever there is a mention of him at some point may not be judged considering the fact he was her 1st love & they had quite strong relationship in the past that broke abruptly though now she was a loving and loyal wife to Sreenu now.
Half way through it i actually recognized the culprit and the plot even before the crime actually happened. It is quite predictable for the people who are into suspense novels. But despite all this the book never gets boring at any time. The writing is very appealing and it keeps you hooked to the book .Also the emotions portrayed by the Author was to the point. Love, betrayal, friendship, trust, hatred , the nostalgic feeling during a reunion ...everything is portrayed convincingly. And yes i too was startled reading the last line in the book ( :0) . Recommended !!
I started really excited because of its genre but was disappointed because the thrills came at a later part. But before that we get to see the life of Sreenivas and Nirmala(Husband & Wife). Nirmala was working in IT and Sreenivas was a Sales guy. They led quite normal and blissful life. They are shown as friends more than the spouses.I quite liked the relation between both of them but i was surprised the way Sreenu reciprocated after a fight with Nirmala. Yes, it may be because of the mental trauma that he was going on that period but i really got scared coz he had become a monster. I was happy they were back as loving couples.
Nirmala thinking about her ex-lover whenever there is a mention of him at some point may not be judged considering the fact he was her 1st love & they had quite strong relationship in the past that broke abruptly though now she was a loving and loyal wife to Sreenu now.
Half way through it i actually recognized the culprit and the plot even before the crime actually happened. It is quite predictable for the people who are into suspense novels. But despite all this the book never gets boring at any time. The writing is very appealing and it keeps you hooked to the book .Also the emotions portrayed by the Author was to the point. Love, betrayal, friendship, trust, hatred , the nostalgic feeling during a reunion ...everything is portrayed convincingly. And yes i too was startled reading the last line in the book ( :0) . Recommended !!
February 19, 2019
I was definitely impressed by the writing but I felt the end was hurried and the thriller aspect ended in no time. The writing is amazing but if the thriller part would have been more I think it would have been an amazing read for me since I am a thriller lover.
I expected it would be mixture of both (love and thrill) but I was disappointed only by the part that the thrill was even less than 25%.
It is a story about a lady who is in her mid forties with a job and loving husband but sometimes she is taken back to the memories of her ex lover. There is a reunion of student's of all the school mates and when they all are at the reunion her ex lover is found dead.
Who killed him?
Was she the murderer? Taking revenge for their breakup.
I enjoyed reading it
3.5🌟
I expected it would be mixture of both (love and thrill) but I was disappointed only by the part that the thrill was even less than 25%.
It is a story about a lady who is in her mid forties with a job and loving husband but sometimes she is taken back to the memories of her ex lover. There is a reunion of student's of all the school mates and when they all are at the reunion her ex lover is found dead.
Who killed him?
Was she the murderer? Taking revenge for their breakup.
I enjoyed reading it
3.5🌟
February 16, 2019
Once upon a reunion
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Review
1. The title is attractive
2. The cover could have been better.
3. Good characterization.
4. This is not just a story of some reunion but has a mysterious flavour of its own.
5. Good narration.
6. Gripping storyline.
7. Negligible errors in the e-book.
8. The blurb could have been a lot crisper and more precise because I felt it gave out a lot.
9. The language is lucid and simple.
10. The book can be easily finished in a single sitting.
11. Despite being an engaging read the climax could have been written in a better manner.
12. Some places in the plot I felt were unnecessary and unjustified
13. This is worth a shot and one might not feel it is a self-published book.
Book link
Once Upon a Reunion: A Romantic Suspense Novel https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07NCHLVCB/r...
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Review
1. The title is attractive
2. The cover could have been better.
3. Good characterization.
4. This is not just a story of some reunion but has a mysterious flavour of its own.
5. Good narration.
6. Gripping storyline.
7. Negligible errors in the e-book.
8. The blurb could have been a lot crisper and more precise because I felt it gave out a lot.
9. The language is lucid and simple.
10. The book can be easily finished in a single sitting.
11. Despite being an engaging read the climax could have been written in a better manner.
12. Some places in the plot I felt were unnecessary and unjustified
13. This is worth a shot and one might not feel it is a self-published book.
Book link
Once Upon a Reunion: A Romantic Suspense Novel https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07NCHLVCB/r...
February 14, 2019
This read was among the fast paced and it definitely has an edge in terms of plot but there was a little aparting nature of character building that i would say.
The college romance , reunion and all the drama if you want to live again those and want to get a little hysteric about that so here is your pick.
The narration was flowy and uplifting , bringing life to the story .I would like to rec you to read this book if you want to feel a tingy bitterness and the lovely catchup of emotions.
The college romance , reunion and all the drama if you want to live again those and want to get a little hysteric about that so here is your pick.
The narration was flowy and uplifting , bringing life to the story .I would like to rec you to read this book if you want to feel a tingy bitterness and the lovely catchup of emotions.
February 20, 2019
Book Title: Once upon a reunion
Author: Nitya Sashi
Format: Kindle
Book Title:
The title of the book ' Once upon a reunion ' is very nostalgic and warming.
Book Cover:
The cover image of the book is an image of a young woman looking in vain with her eyes down in pain. Nothing can be inferred about the story from the image.
Plot:
I thank the destiny for making the beginning of this year's reads the best. Apart from a few other books from New Age Indian Authors, Nithya's ' Once Upon a Reunion ' is definitely a gem and stands tall in the list of best books of 2019.
The boom with which the story starts is very relatable to every Indian. Not every book whose blurb is interesting promises with a good story. But this book has really surprised me and I can say the blurb is a trailer of a blockbuster book.
Talking about the story, it's a story of a woman, her work life, her daily hamstring situations with lady boss, her role as a dutiful wife and enticing partner, her portrayal as a defeated lover and a warming friend. Every role mentioned above has a story attached and this is where the author has won more points. Elements in some chapters will definitely surprise the readers without any clues.
Read this superb story and applaud the upcoming ' Anita Nair ' aka Nithya Sashi!
What I like:
1. The words, the sentences, and the paragraphs all oozing with great storytelling.
2. The grading of love, romance, eroticism, lust, vengeance, responsibility, humility, and humanity at every stage.
3. Impressive time traveling in the story
4. Tear dropping sequences during lost love narration.
What I didn't like:
There is absolutely no place in the story where I disliked anything, but I felt the image of the book can be a better one.
Characters:
The strength of characterization of every character in the story right from the protagonist Nirmala till the Police Officer is extremely commendable. The conversations, actions, and emotions that happen in every chapter are so perfect that every reader will unknowingly become a character in the story.
Narration:
This is one of the reasons why I am always ' FOR ' Indian Writing. The tale-telling directly sits into my mind and the reading becomes heartening.
In this story, Nitya has shown her prowess as one of the best storytellers. Though in the last chapters the story drags towards a drama driven style, which also occurs at a fast pace, these glitches can be ignored in front of the sterling narrative skills.
Language & Grammar:
Fantastic linguistic ability with rich vocabulary is found in the story.
My Final Verdict:
A perfect example of ' Progressive Indian Writing ', from a woman author!
Book Title: 5/5
Book Cover:3/5
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Narration: 5/5
Language & Grammar: 5/5
Final Rating: 5/5
Author: Nitya Sashi
Format: Kindle
Book Title:
The title of the book ' Once upon a reunion ' is very nostalgic and warming.
Book Cover:
The cover image of the book is an image of a young woman looking in vain with her eyes down in pain. Nothing can be inferred about the story from the image.
Plot:
I thank the destiny for making the beginning of this year's reads the best. Apart from a few other books from New Age Indian Authors, Nithya's ' Once Upon a Reunion ' is definitely a gem and stands tall in the list of best books of 2019.
The boom with which the story starts is very relatable to every Indian. Not every book whose blurb is interesting promises with a good story. But this book has really surprised me and I can say the blurb is a trailer of a blockbuster book.
Talking about the story, it's a story of a woman, her work life, her daily hamstring situations with lady boss, her role as a dutiful wife and enticing partner, her portrayal as a defeated lover and a warming friend. Every role mentioned above has a story attached and this is where the author has won more points. Elements in some chapters will definitely surprise the readers without any clues.
Read this superb story and applaud the upcoming ' Anita Nair ' aka Nithya Sashi!
What I like:
1. The words, the sentences, and the paragraphs all oozing with great storytelling.
2. The grading of love, romance, eroticism, lust, vengeance, responsibility, humility, and humanity at every stage.
3. Impressive time traveling in the story
4. Tear dropping sequences during lost love narration.
What I didn't like:
There is absolutely no place in the story where I disliked anything, but I felt the image of the book can be a better one.
Characters:
The strength of characterization of every character in the story right from the protagonist Nirmala till the Police Officer is extremely commendable. The conversations, actions, and emotions that happen in every chapter are so perfect that every reader will unknowingly become a character in the story.
Narration:
This is one of the reasons why I am always ' FOR ' Indian Writing. The tale-telling directly sits into my mind and the reading becomes heartening.
In this story, Nitya has shown her prowess as one of the best storytellers. Though in the last chapters the story drags towards a drama driven style, which also occurs at a fast pace, these glitches can be ignored in front of the sterling narrative skills.
Language & Grammar:
Fantastic linguistic ability with rich vocabulary is found in the story.
My Final Verdict:
A perfect example of ' Progressive Indian Writing ', from a woman author!
Book Title: 5/5
Book Cover:3/5
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Narration: 5/5
Language & Grammar: 5/5
Final Rating: 5/5
February 17, 2019
A must read suspense novel
Let us talk about the cover, it looks good and yes much related to the story.
From the beginning till the end, the author has done a great job by not letting it down or boring for a reader. I really liked the way in which the author has conveyed everything and every situation whether the suspense, the starting and end too, this is the plus point which will make a reader going in the story.
Talking about the plot of the story, I personally like to read these type of stories a lot, which has a suspense in it because it keeps a reader going.
The protagonist is described in a very good manner,in every scenario.
Language and other characters in the story are described in a good manner, not at all a boring story but a new concept, a new plot which attracted me a lot.
According to me, the story should not loose it charm at any point while reading, it should keep the reader going and going, and yes this story did it.It is indeed a bunch of love, friendship, hatred, emotions, memories and suspense.
A must read!
Let us talk about the cover, it looks good and yes much related to the story.
From the beginning till the end, the author has done a great job by not letting it down or boring for a reader. I really liked the way in which the author has conveyed everything and every situation whether the suspense, the starting and end too, this is the plus point which will make a reader going in the story.
Talking about the plot of the story, I personally like to read these type of stories a lot, which has a suspense in it because it keeps a reader going.
The protagonist is described in a very good manner,in every scenario.
Language and other characters in the story are described in a good manner, not at all a boring story but a new concept, a new plot which attracted me a lot.
According to me, the story should not loose it charm at any point while reading, it should keep the reader going and going, and yes this story did it.It is indeed a bunch of love, friendship, hatred, emotions, memories and suspense.
A must read!
February 18, 2019
Once Upon a Reunion is a romantic thriller filled with pinch of romance, friendship, love and betrayal. It's a nicely written book with well built characters and plot. As indicated by the title Once upon a reunion, the whole story revolves around the reunion of school classmates which proved to be the game changer.
It's a story set in the urban settlement with the couple working in IT industry. The protagonist Nirmala uff Nimmu is a 41 year old working professional who is not able to forget her first love and college classmate Suresh. She is married to a very practical and understanding person, Sreenivas uff Sreenu. Will they continue leading a peaceful and prosperous life after Nirmala attends reunion after two decades? Why did Suresh left Nirmala and if reunion is just a measure of meeting Nirmala and separate her from her husband? You will get all these answers after reading the book.
The language is excellent and sentence construction is beautiful, this makes the characters feelings very relatable. The character building of Nimmu and Sreenu are great and one can actually relate to small fights and love when in a relationship.
The plot is good with ups and downs making the reader glued to the story. Most part of the story deal with Sreenu and Nirmala married life and the last part is given to the climax justifying the title of the story.
Being a romantic thriller, unexpected climax was expected. The story turned upside down with the fast paced events occurring at the reunion. Though the last part could be extended a bit more given the peak the story had attained. There could be more part of Suresh, Nimmu's ex in the story which could have converted the story more to a satisfying read.
To summarise, this is a poignant love story of a couple and wife's ex. How the protagonist deals with her past and present and how even the years after her marriage, past can hound her.
It's a good light read novel which can be completed in a day given the fact that you want to know what will happen next. I will recommend this book to those who have love for good writing and romantic suspense.
I am grateful to receive this book from ARL Literary Services in exchange of an honest review.
My ratings:
Entertainment: 4/5
Writing. : 5/5
Characters. : 4/5
Plot. : 4/5
Climax. : 4/5
It's a story set in the urban settlement with the couple working in IT industry. The protagonist Nirmala uff Nimmu is a 41 year old working professional who is not able to forget her first love and college classmate Suresh. She is married to a very practical and understanding person, Sreenivas uff Sreenu. Will they continue leading a peaceful and prosperous life after Nirmala attends reunion after two decades? Why did Suresh left Nirmala and if reunion is just a measure of meeting Nirmala and separate her from her husband? You will get all these answers after reading the book.
The language is excellent and sentence construction is beautiful, this makes the characters feelings very relatable. The character building of Nimmu and Sreenu are great and one can actually relate to small fights and love when in a relationship.
The plot is good with ups and downs making the reader glued to the story. Most part of the story deal with Sreenu and Nirmala married life and the last part is given to the climax justifying the title of the story.
Being a romantic thriller, unexpected climax was expected. The story turned upside down with the fast paced events occurring at the reunion. Though the last part could be extended a bit more given the peak the story had attained. There could be more part of Suresh, Nimmu's ex in the story which could have converted the story more to a satisfying read.
To summarise, this is a poignant love story of a couple and wife's ex. How the protagonist deals with her past and present and how even the years after her marriage, past can hound her.
It's a good light read novel which can be completed in a day given the fact that you want to know what will happen next. I will recommend this book to those who have love for good writing and romantic suspense.
I am grateful to receive this book from ARL Literary Services in exchange of an honest review.
My ratings:
Entertainment: 4/5
Writing. : 5/5
Characters. : 4/5
Plot. : 4/5
Climax. : 4/5
February 18, 2019
A wonderful combination of a love story and thriller!
Once Upon A Reunion is the story of Nirmala, a woman living in Chennai with her husband Sreenu and working for an IT company. She is also the narrator of the story. The story revolves around a school reunion which Nirmala isn’t sure of attending since she is still not over her ex-lover from college, Suresh whom she dated more than a decade ago. All this leads to a heating argument between Nirmala and her husband but eventually gets resolved. The twist in the story comes when this tragic love story converts into a murder mystery and Suresh is found dead at the reunion. The mystery gets resolved eventually and the murderer is discovered. The story ends again on a shocking note and leaves the reader wondering that whether the murder mystery was actually resolved or not.
The first thing which I would like to appreciate about the book is definitely the language and the vocabulary used in the story. Reading a book which is written in a great language makes the experience of reading the book even greater and that is one of the major reasons why I loved this book. The feelings described by the narrator were definitely very real and easy for anyone to comprehend which made the story very original. It seemed to me that the thriller portion is very limited in the story but I was proved wrong by the last line of the book which leaves the reader pondering upon the murder mystery. The open ending of the story definitely gives an interesting effect to the story. The characterization is just perfect. All the characters are described in a manner which makes it easier for the reader to understand the story. The only mysterious character is Suresh who is Nirmala’s ex-lover and is eventually found dead. The reason why his character is not described fully adds to the mystery of the story. His character is kept a secret throughout the story and also leaves the reader pondering even after the story ends. I completely fell for this book and I have no doubt in saying that it’s a very simple yet interesting thriller. It has been written wonderfully with its ending being a cherry on top of the cake!
Once Upon A Reunion is the story of Nirmala, a woman living in Chennai with her husband Sreenu and working for an IT company. She is also the narrator of the story. The story revolves around a school reunion which Nirmala isn’t sure of attending since she is still not over her ex-lover from college, Suresh whom she dated more than a decade ago. All this leads to a heating argument between Nirmala and her husband but eventually gets resolved. The twist in the story comes when this tragic love story converts into a murder mystery and Suresh is found dead at the reunion. The mystery gets resolved eventually and the murderer is discovered. The story ends again on a shocking note and leaves the reader wondering that whether the murder mystery was actually resolved or not.
The first thing which I would like to appreciate about the book is definitely the language and the vocabulary used in the story. Reading a book which is written in a great language makes the experience of reading the book even greater and that is one of the major reasons why I loved this book. The feelings described by the narrator were definitely very real and easy for anyone to comprehend which made the story very original. It seemed to me that the thriller portion is very limited in the story but I was proved wrong by the last line of the book which leaves the reader pondering upon the murder mystery. The open ending of the story definitely gives an interesting effect to the story. The characterization is just perfect. All the characters are described in a manner which makes it easier for the reader to understand the story. The only mysterious character is Suresh who is Nirmala’s ex-lover and is eventually found dead. The reason why his character is not described fully adds to the mystery of the story. His character is kept a secret throughout the story and also leaves the reader pondering even after the story ends. I completely fell for this book and I have no doubt in saying that it’s a very simple yet interesting thriller. It has been written wonderfully with its ending being a cherry on top of the cake!
February 27, 2020
Hi guys would you like to read a book full of love, action, romance and suspense ?
Or, are you a kind of person who believes in the power of true love and that to achieve something big we have to get rid of our past.
If, yes then this book is for you my friends.
This book is a masterpiece by author Nithya Sashi.
It's a story about a woman Nirmala.
Nirmala is having a peaceful and beautiful life with her husband Sreenivas.
He loves her very much and is ready to everything for her happiness.
But Nirmala is still living in the memories of her ex, Suresh. Their relationship ended many years ago.
And, Nirmala still have feelings for him deep inside her heart.
Due to which she is not able to love her husband as much as he loves her.
And, here comes the twist, it's the time for a school reunion planned by her friends.
She knows that there she will met Suresh. So, as the day of reunion comes more and more close, her heart weighs more and more by his memories.
But at last she decides that she will met him and will close this chapter of her life with him.
So, the day of school reunion comes.
Everyone was there. Nirmala, her friends and..... Now, comes the climax. Suresh is found dead.
So, who killed him. Nirmala, Sreenivas or someone else ?
How Nirmala got accused of his murder ?
What will happen to her life with Sreenivas ?
And, will she have to go to jail ?
So, my friends read this book to find all the answers of these questions.
The purpose, the language, the content representation, engaging content and everything in this book is amazing.
But, I found that the climax or the ending is not enough to fulfill the thirst of excitement.
So, the author should work on it a little bit.
And, for now it's a good to go with book.
I really liked it and I recommend you guys to read this book.
My ratings :- 4.5/5
Or, are you a kind of person who believes in the power of true love and that to achieve something big we have to get rid of our past.
If, yes then this book is for you my friends.
This book is a masterpiece by author Nithya Sashi.
It's a story about a woman Nirmala.
Nirmala is having a peaceful and beautiful life with her husband Sreenivas.
He loves her very much and is ready to everything for her happiness.
But Nirmala is still living in the memories of her ex, Suresh. Their relationship ended many years ago.
And, Nirmala still have feelings for him deep inside her heart.
Due to which she is not able to love her husband as much as he loves her.
And, here comes the twist, it's the time for a school reunion planned by her friends.
She knows that there she will met Suresh. So, as the day of reunion comes more and more close, her heart weighs more and more by his memories.
But at last she decides that she will met him and will close this chapter of her life with him.
So, the day of school reunion comes.
Everyone was there. Nirmala, her friends and..... Now, comes the climax. Suresh is found dead.
So, who killed him. Nirmala, Sreenivas or someone else ?
How Nirmala got accused of his murder ?
What will happen to her life with Sreenivas ?
And, will she have to go to jail ?
So, my friends read this book to find all the answers of these questions.
The purpose, the language, the content representation, engaging content and everything in this book is amazing.
But, I found that the climax or the ending is not enough to fulfill the thirst of excitement.
So, the author should work on it a little bit.
And, for now it's a good to go with book.
I really liked it and I recommend you guys to read this book.
My ratings :- 4.5/5
February 15, 2019
Once upon a reunion by Nithya Sashi is a romantic suspense novel. The story revolves around our portagonist Nirmala, a 40 something IT professional. Nirmala is married to Sreenu an understanding and loving husband. Both of them are happy in thier married life together. Nirmala however still has feelings for her ex boyfriend. That is why when an opportunity comes up to meet her ex again through a school reunion, she's not sure if she can handle it. On insistence of her best friend Aarti and school mate Indraneel she decides to attend the reunion. But something horrible happens at the reunion that changes the course of her life for ever.
Once upon a reunion has a fast paced story with well developed characters. The language is excellent and sentence construction is beautiful, this makes the characters feelings very clear and relatable. The English used by the author is above average compared to the kind of English the current crop of authors use.Plot wise more than half of the book is about Nirmala's relationship with her husband. The last one third is about the mystery/ thriller part and it felt quite rushed and underdeveloped. Even Suresh's death and it's immediate aftermath was short. I also didn't like how the entire climax was revealed by a minor character. Except for these few points the book is a very good read. . I really liked the authors writing style and I am looking forward to reading more stuff from this author Nithya Sashi .Recommended for thriller / romance/ drama lovers
Once upon a reunion has a fast paced story with well developed characters. The language is excellent and sentence construction is beautiful, this makes the characters feelings very clear and relatable. The English used by the author is above average compared to the kind of English the current crop of authors use.Plot wise more than half of the book is about Nirmala's relationship with her husband. The last one third is about the mystery/ thriller part and it felt quite rushed and underdeveloped. Even Suresh's death and it's immediate aftermath was short. I also didn't like how the entire climax was revealed by a minor character. Except for these few points the book is a very good read. . I really liked the authors writing style and I am looking forward to reading more stuff from this author Nithya Sashi .Recommended for thriller / romance/ drama lovers
February 21, 2019
It’s a good feeling when an author lives up to your high expectations and spins up a story with a good takeaway.
#OneUponAReunion by Nithya Sashi is a self-published e-book available on Amazon. It’s a novella and I managed to finish it in two sittings.
Categorized as a #romanticsuspense, it follows the story of a married woman, Nirmala a.k.a. Nimmu who is still reeling from her past after being jilted by her former lover, Suresh.
Nimmu and her lovely husband, Sreenu, put in a great deal of effort to make their frayed relationship work. The dynamics between the two are beautiful. I like the kind of understanding and respect they have for each other. The author evokes strong emotions and succeeds in making the reader in me care for the characters even if their actions can sometimes come across as unlikable.
Kudos to Nithya for the good character development in the story and the vivid descriptions which make me remember the scenes even after I have completed her book. It’s a well-written literary fiction.
The author talks about struggles which every romantic couple can relate to and the kind of decisions one makes to keep the love intact. That’s the strongest aspect of the book.
What follows after is a series of incidents, including a reunion with the protagonist’s school friends, that leads to a murder of someone in their batch.
The rest of the book is a whodunit that slowly unlocks the identity of the killer.
Having said that, the ending is abrupt considering how well-developed the first half of the book is. The suspense and resolution are satisfactory if not mind-blowing.
In spite of this, I enjoyed the book. There’s depth in the story. The writing here is one of the best I have read in a long time thanks to the great command the author has over the language. As the author comes up with beautiful wordplays, I can’t help but make a note of her constructions using the highlights on Kindle.
4/5 💙
#OneUponAReunion by Nithya Sashi is a self-published e-book available on Amazon. It’s a novella and I managed to finish it in two sittings.
Categorized as a #romanticsuspense, it follows the story of a married woman, Nirmala a.k.a. Nimmu who is still reeling from her past after being jilted by her former lover, Suresh.
Nimmu and her lovely husband, Sreenu, put in a great deal of effort to make their frayed relationship work. The dynamics between the two are beautiful. I like the kind of understanding and respect they have for each other. The author evokes strong emotions and succeeds in making the reader in me care for the characters even if their actions can sometimes come across as unlikable.
Kudos to Nithya for the good character development in the story and the vivid descriptions which make me remember the scenes even after I have completed her book. It’s a well-written literary fiction.
The author talks about struggles which every romantic couple can relate to and the kind of decisions one makes to keep the love intact. That’s the strongest aspect of the book.
What follows after is a series of incidents, including a reunion with the protagonist’s school friends, that leads to a murder of someone in their batch.
The rest of the book is a whodunit that slowly unlocks the identity of the killer.
Having said that, the ending is abrupt considering how well-developed the first half of the book is. The suspense and resolution are satisfactory if not mind-blowing.
In spite of this, I enjoyed the book. There’s depth in the story. The writing here is one of the best I have read in a long time thanks to the great command the author has over the language. As the author comes up with beautiful wordplays, I can’t help but make a note of her constructions using the highlights on Kindle.
4/5 💙
March 10, 2019
Once upon a reunion by Nithya Sashi is a suspense novel which revolves around working woman named Nirmala who lives a peaceful life with her better half, sreenivas. While school and college reunions are always supposed to be full of fun and remembering old times, this one particular reunion turns out to flip Nirmala’s life upside down. Her past relationship with a guy called Suresh fills her mind with various thoughts as she expects to meet him in the reunion. But alas, her ex boyfriend is found dead.
With this comes a lot of questions and suspense to why suresh was killed and by whom?
And how Nirmala is caught in between all of this?
Starting with the cover, it is pretty basic and does not really goes with the story or even with the title.
The plot is fast paced filled with lots of actions and emotions and which will keeps you hooked till the last page. The flow of the story is pretty good and one doesn’t find the story losing its essence anywhere throughout. Also, the characters are strongly built and their growth while the story moves forward is commendable.
Coming to the language and writing style, high vocabulary has been put to use which somehow enhances the reading experience of the one who is engrossed in the book. The author has definitely mastered the art of storytelling with her unique style.
If you are a suspense genre lover and looking for a quick read, this book is definitely for you.
With this comes a lot of questions and suspense to why suresh was killed and by whom?
And how Nirmala is caught in between all of this?
Starting with the cover, it is pretty basic and does not really goes with the story or even with the title.
The plot is fast paced filled with lots of actions and emotions and which will keeps you hooked till the last page. The flow of the story is pretty good and one doesn’t find the story losing its essence anywhere throughout. Also, the characters are strongly built and their growth while the story moves forward is commendable.
Coming to the language and writing style, high vocabulary has been put to use which somehow enhances the reading experience of the one who is engrossed in the book. The author has definitely mastered the art of storytelling with her unique style.
If you are a suspense genre lover and looking for a quick read, this book is definitely for you.
February 15, 2019
Once Upon a Reunion is romantic thriller which has all the shades of love,romance, crime and suspense. The main lead of the story is Nirmala, an independent working woman who was in love with Suresh in her college life but could not marry her. Her husband Shreenu is a practical understanding man. Almost after 20 years of their college, this reunion was planned. Nirmala was hesitant about attending it but as insisted by her best friend Aarti, She decided to attend it.
Why Nirmala and Suresh did not marry even after madly in love?
Even after happy married life with Shreenu why Nirmala always thought about Suresh?
What happened in the renunion party that shocked everyone?
What was the reason of the split between two best friends, Nirmala and Aarti?
How the mystery was resolved? Read this fast paced engaging book to get above answers.
The story line is very good except few incidents which did not get justification. The best part about the story is the understanding between Nirmala and Shreenu and their relationship. Although there was one small rough patch in their relationship, overall I loved the way their love got potrayed. The understanding, respect, confession and togetherness in difficult situation is the base of their relationship.
Narration of the story is upto the mark. The climax could have been better when the suspense is unfolded. Language is lucid, easy to understand. Title of the book goes perfect with the plot. Overall it's definitely a one time read.
Why Nirmala and Suresh did not marry even after madly in love?
Even after happy married life with Shreenu why Nirmala always thought about Suresh?
What happened in the renunion party that shocked everyone?
What was the reason of the split between two best friends, Nirmala and Aarti?
How the mystery was resolved? Read this fast paced engaging book to get above answers.
The story line is very good except few incidents which did not get justification. The best part about the story is the understanding between Nirmala and Shreenu and their relationship. Although there was one small rough patch in their relationship, overall I loved the way their love got potrayed. The understanding, respect, confession and togetherness in difficult situation is the base of their relationship.
Narration of the story is upto the mark. The climax could have been better when the suspense is unfolded. Language is lucid, easy to understand. Title of the book goes perfect with the plot. Overall it's definitely a one time read.
August 20, 2021
"Once Upon a Reunion" is a reunion of romance and thriller. The author gives us a lovable character in Nirmala, aka Nimmi. When a school/college reunion beckons, the memories of old crush is inevitable unless one wants to layer them false egos. Suresh and Nimmi were lovers during the engineering days whose story turns sour at the end of the academics. While Suresh moves on in life, the bag of love he had left Nimmi was continued to haunt her even two decades later.
Arti, Nimmi's best friend in school, Indraneel, and Suresh, and a bunch of other classmates turn up for the reunion.
A few days before the reunion, when Nimmi and her husband Sreenivas were enjoying the new year bash at Maldives, two shocking events turn up. First, an anonymous call, and second some one gets intimate with Nimmi in the late night party. Who was stalking Nimmi? And why? Is it Suresh?
More than a few things work out for the novel. The nuanced ways of a crime creeping up from the first few pages until a shocker of non-anticipated murder happening in the end. The love in an arranged marriage of Nirmala and Sreenivas which grows as you actually realize in real married life. The imperfection of Nimmi landing her in trouble is a beauty to behold.
Arti, Nimmi's best friend in school, Indraneel, and Suresh, and a bunch of other classmates turn up for the reunion.
A few days before the reunion, when Nimmi and her husband Sreenivas were enjoying the new year bash at Maldives, two shocking events turn up. First, an anonymous call, and second some one gets intimate with Nimmi in the late night party. Who was stalking Nimmi? And why? Is it Suresh?
More than a few things work out for the novel. The nuanced ways of a crime creeping up from the first few pages until a shocker of non-anticipated murder happening in the end. The love in an arranged marriage of Nirmala and Sreenivas which grows as you actually realize in real married life. The imperfection of Nimmi landing her in trouble is a beauty to behold.
March 7, 2019
Book : Once upon a Reunion Author: Nithya Sashi @writernithya A modern masterpiece which mostly revolves around Nirmala and her husband Sreenivas. It’s a story of what keeps us going in life, when we cannot forget our past, our first loves. The book is written very beautifully and the realistic approach makes the book quite relatable to real life. When people sits in late into night, missing an ex, and going over what if scenarios. ❤️ Fate presents us with many opportunities and each one leads us to different paths and different roads. This is best work of fiction which make people take those memories out, dust them, revisit the secrets they had left buried, and question their decisions at those times.❤️ Once upon a Reunion is a great ride to see a bit of yourself in Nirmala, Sreenu and other characters. This book teaches us never to betray relationships and give your fullest to learn to fly through winds and storms which occur in life. See how the reunion which is planned by Nirmala’s school and college friends turns into a crime scene. Remember your school days and your first love with this amazing tale. Rating: 💌💌💌💌💌 #bookaholic #bookaddicts #bookaddict #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #addictionrecovery #kindlepaperwhite #kindleunlimited #kindlebooks #story_dreamscape #storyaddict #romance #reunion #bookshelf #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #novel #ebooks #bookobsessed #bookworld #bookinsta #bookworm #bookish #bookphotography #bookmark #bookishlove #bookblogger
February 17, 2019
‘Once Upon A Reunion’ By NITHYA SASHI
A Romantic thriller touching all the corners of love, crime and suspence topped with twists.
The novel starts with a woman who loves her husband and her life.
She had a school time lover and longs for him. She has to go to the school’s reunion which brings her up to past and the love she has for the guy gets on again. In this reunion the twists comes.
Catch ups :-
🔶 The language is excellent.
🔶 Sentence construction is beautiful.
🔶 Fast paced story
🔶 Well developed characters.
🔶characters feelings very clear and relatable.
Rating 4/5
A Romantic thriller touching all the corners of love, crime and suspence topped with twists.
The novel starts with a woman who loves her husband and her life.
She had a school time lover and longs for him. She has to go to the school’s reunion which brings her up to past and the love she has for the guy gets on again. In this reunion the twists comes.
Catch ups :-
🔶 The language is excellent.
🔶 Sentence construction is beautiful.
🔶 Fast paced story
🔶 Well developed characters.
🔶characters feelings very clear and relatable.
Rating 4/5
February 24, 2019
Once upon a reunion is about a love, hate, betrayal, revenge etc.
– A tale of romantic journey
Nirmala is a married girl. Her husband Sreenivas, was loving and an exemplary husband. But a river of memories never stopped in Nirmala’s mind about her ex boyfriend Suresh. They loved each other but they broke up. Later on Nirmala married to sreenivas.
One day Nirmala’s best friend Arti called her and invited her in “reunion”. Reunion which changed the Nirmala’s life
After A lot of brainstorming Nirmala agreed to join them. Where she met Suresh after along time. There were other friends too who joined this reunion.
But suddenly, everyone got the attention of screaming and what next !!
They found Suresh’s dead body.
> what happened to Suresh? And how he died?
> what are the secret that lies behind the death of Suresh?
>why Suresh want to meet Nirmala?
A lot of intriguing queries raised..
Who cheated whom?
Who are the true lovers and who are the enemies?
An interesting tale of love and you will definitely love to know the suspense.
Cover :
I don’t like the cover much. Probably it doesn’t matches to title.
Writing style :
Author depicted a story in very simple way which I like the most.
– A tale of romantic journey
Nirmala is a married girl. Her husband Sreenivas, was loving and an exemplary husband. But a river of memories never stopped in Nirmala’s mind about her ex boyfriend Suresh. They loved each other but they broke up. Later on Nirmala married to sreenivas.
One day Nirmala’s best friend Arti called her and invited her in “reunion”. Reunion which changed the Nirmala’s life
After A lot of brainstorming Nirmala agreed to join them. Where she met Suresh after along time. There were other friends too who joined this reunion.
But suddenly, everyone got the attention of screaming and what next !!
They found Suresh’s dead body.
> what happened to Suresh? And how he died?
> what are the secret that lies behind the death of Suresh?
>why Suresh want to meet Nirmala?
A lot of intriguing queries raised..
Who cheated whom?
Who are the true lovers and who are the enemies?
An interesting tale of love and you will definitely love to know the suspense.
Cover :
I don’t like the cover much. Probably it doesn’t matches to title.
Writing style :
Author depicted a story in very simple way which I like the most.
February 15, 2019
Before starting my review, I've to say that I've enjoyed reading this book completely as it's highly entertaining.
Commenting on the characterization, the author has created many characters with perfect characteristics of them.
The story is about the reunion and all those memories are brought back like school/college romance, gossips, exes, fun moments and a lot more.
I genuinely loved reading this. Also, I've to say that it's not a pure thriller but still it keeps you engrossed.
Narrative style is good and grammar used is also fine. Strong characterization is the USP of this book.
Loved it like anything. Kudos to the author.
Commenting on the characterization, the author has created many characters with perfect characteristics of them.
The story is about the reunion and all those memories are brought back like school/college romance, gossips, exes, fun moments and a lot more.
I genuinely loved reading this. Also, I've to say that it's not a pure thriller but still it keeps you engrossed.
Narrative style is good and grammar used is also fine. Strong characterization is the USP of this book.
Loved it like anything. Kudos to the author.
March 6, 2019
Cover: 3.5/5
Title: 4/5
Blurb: 4/5
Presentation: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Final Rating: 4/5
The cover is simple. I feel it could have been better given the content of the novel.
The title suggests that the story is about a reunion.
The blurb talks a lot about the story. It could have been more precise.
The story basically talks about the relationship of an couple where the protagonist Nirmala still has feelings for her ex-lover inspite being married to someone else. This is the story of many couples these days.
The characterization was really good, they were relatable. The narration was engaging. I just couldn't put the book down while reading. The story was quite realistic.
I am fascinated by such work. Looking forward to read more from the authoress in future.
Title: 4/5
Blurb: 4/5
Presentation: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Final Rating: 4/5
The cover is simple. I feel it could have been better given the content of the novel.
The title suggests that the story is about a reunion.
The blurb talks a lot about the story. It could have been more precise.
The story basically talks about the relationship of an couple where the protagonist Nirmala still has feelings for her ex-lover inspite being married to someone else. This is the story of many couples these days.
The characterization was really good, they were relatable. The narration was engaging. I just couldn't put the book down while reading. The story was quite realistic.
I am fascinated by such work. Looking forward to read more from the authoress in future.
March 3, 2019
What a story she have written! Romance is not my genre but suspense is, and Romantic suspense falls somewhat in the middle. And if I say that this one of those rare fine read which you don't want to miss.
The characters are not one dimensional, their emotions could be felt for we all could relate to them. you can feel the depth of the plot which is very intriguing. Srinivas's character, is the one i could feel the most. Overall i really enjoyed the book.
The characters are not one dimensional, their emotions could be felt for we all could relate to them. you can feel the depth of the plot which is very intriguing. Srinivas's character, is the one i could feel the most. Overall i really enjoyed the book.
March 11, 2019
"Whatever happens in a relation, it leaves an impact on your heart forever" -Meghna Roy
Nirmala, being a married woman, is still attached to her Ex Suresh, who was her first and last love. She tries hard to love her husband Sreenivas just the way she did to Suresh, but it backfired and her marriage life got imbalanced when she received a message of her school reunion, where Suresh will also attend it. To her terror, Suresh is found dead in the reunion and all the evidence points to Nirmala to be a murderer. Was she really the murderer or was she the innocent? Will, she ever able to come out of the scenario? Will she be able to love her husband? or will she still love Suresh?
The writing was beautiful, the actual suspense/mystery was in the last chapters which were fast-paced, the rest was stretched a little and I think the suspense part should have been written a little more. Rest the ending was unexpected. A must read.
Nirmala, being a married woman, is still attached to her Ex Suresh, who was her first and last love. She tries hard to love her husband Sreenivas just the way she did to Suresh, but it backfired and her marriage life got imbalanced when she received a message of her school reunion, where Suresh will also attend it. To her terror, Suresh is found dead in the reunion and all the evidence points to Nirmala to be a murderer. Was she really the murderer or was she the innocent? Will, she ever able to come out of the scenario? Will she be able to love her husband? or will she still love Suresh?
The writing was beautiful, the actual suspense/mystery was in the last chapters which were fast-paced, the rest was stretched a little and I think the suspense part should have been written a little more. Rest the ending was unexpected. A must read.
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