Book Review: Tides Don't Cross by Simar Malhotra

Blurb

Sparks fly immediately when Rukmani—fierce and assertive in the best and worst possible ways—meets the gentle Ayaan in the magical city Paris. Meanwhile, back in India, her reticent sister, Mrinalini struggles to cope with the void of a loveless marriage and an early pregnancy.

Tides Don’t Cross follows these extremely interesting characters as their lives cross in surprising ways. Mrinalini, Ayaan, and Rukmani wade through choppy tides, unaware of their common destiny. Deeply touching, this is an unforgettable story of thwarted desires, of love and its loss, of losing and finding oneself, and of falling and learning to rise.

About the Book

Tides don’t cross by Simar Malhotra is classified into 3 different parts, the book recount the story of the common destiny one goes through in life. The book is a mix of love and its loss, with a hint of family drama cum romance. Neelam Siritiya, a single mother had a love marriage which did not work the way she expected. Hence, her children bear the fate and the testimony of her stability with love marriage. all she ever wanted was her daughters to get married (arranged) in a good family, leaving them less choice to take their stand. However, both her daughters are completely different from each other. Mrinalini is meek, docile and someone who says ‘Yes Ma’ to everything from choosing her wardrobe to her partner. she is submissive, most probably because being the eldest, she is left with no choice but to be an example to her younger sister. Also, she had seen a lot more in life than her younger sister Rukmani, who is fierce, assertive, confident and who loves to do things her way.

Mirnalini being the eldest does not want to disappoint her mother, and she agrees to marry Surya, who she barely knows and is stuck in a loveless marriage and an early pregnancy. She tried so hard to be the perfect wife and the perfect mother, however, things do not seem to fit in and she goes through some emotional turmoil in her life. On the other hand, the fierce and assertive, Rukmani is not ready to let her mother dictate her life, she chooses to be a free bird and follow whatever her heart wanted. She is quite the opposite from her sister. She went ahead chasing her dreams, despite her mother's choice and orders. She meets the gentle Ayaan in the magical city Paris, and a new love story unfolds.  Discover the story of deeply touching, an unforgettable story of thwarted desires, of love and its loss, of losing and finding oneself, and of falling and learning to rise in Tides don’t cross, In the meantime here is my take on the book.

My Take on the Book

There are often some books whose covers are attractive, and the title/blurb intrigues you, 'Tides don't cross' was one of those books which I felt a strong liking the moment I laid my eyes on it. The blurb promised something new and different. And, as expected, this was one such book which I could not put down after I started off.  The flow of the story is evocative and the plot line is captivating. Tides Don’t cross is all about love, and its loss, of losing and of finding oneself, and of falling and learning to rise. The fact that the author created the character of the two sister’s poles apart was fascinating to read.  It is not a full rom-com plot, but more about life and its aspect. The strong emotions and dialogues are beautifully narrated. The beginning of the book was slow, but somehow with the intriguing narration and a touch of love in between, it developed an interest and had me reading in one single sitting. I admired Rukmani’s fierce and assertive nature, she is somebody who chose to go her way despite her mother’s strong wishes. Meera on the other hand clearly seems to be following the path of being the perfect eldest daughter. As I read, I noticed the author’s flair for writing and her gripping storytelling trait which will make any reader turn the page and find out how the story goes on. Of course, the book has its own share of Bollywood vibes, but I didn't really mind it.

Tides Don’t Cross is for those looking for a romantic, breezy read, yet with a hint of drama and a touch of a family bond. This is yet another piercing and riveting read by the author which covers the strong elements of Friendship, Sister’s bond, Parenthood, Motherhood, and Love. It was refreshing to read a unique tale of love and life which the author has executed very well. I don’t want to give away much about the book, enjoy the tale of what you might call “Tides don’t cross’ by grabbing a copy.

Book Details:

Title: Tides Don’t Cross

Author: Simar Malhotra

Publisher: Rupa Publications India

Price: ₹ 194

Page: 256 pages

ISBN-10: 9353047145

ISBN-13: 978-9353047146

My Rating: 4/5