Book Review: In Love and Free by Jagdish Joghee

This book is provided by Arudha Club in exchange for a genuine review.

Book Name: In Love and Free 

Author: Jagdish Joghee 

Publisher: Notionpress 

Blurb: 

Shruthi has everything going in her life with great education, incredible romance, a wonderful husband, and two adorable kids. There is plenty of laughter, joy, and love in the cosy nest that Shruthi has carefully built. 

All is well till that fateful Diwali day when passion gets the better of reason. One momentary lapse threatens to uproot the entire foundation of her beautiful life. The stakes are too high as Shruthi runs the risk of being abandoned by her husband and losing her children too. 

And there is no one to blame but herself. 

Caught in a cesspool of blackmail, ransom, revenge and remorse, Shruthi is on the brink of collapse. She can run but cannot hide. 


Story in a nutshell: 

'In Love and Free' is a story of Shruthi, a lady who is blessed with everything required for an easy life - a loving husband, caring in-laws and two kids. She has got everything she has wished for in her life. Life has always been perfect for her. It is said that it doesn't matter if you've everything, there's always something missing. A series of events occur and Shruthi finds herself in an extramarital affair with her neighbour, Rahul. What begins with an attraction takes the form of love over time. Shruthi is in love with two men at the same time. She keeps wondering about her situation when she receives the greatest shock of her life. She learns that Rahul was playing her lover only to get a hold on her money and her property. What does Shruthi do when Rahul blackmails her? How does Madhan, Shruthi's husband react? 


Review: 

In Love and Free is a story about Shruthi and her extramarital affair. The word 'extramarital affair' strikes the chord and you will be wanting to read this book as soon as possible. I can't categorise this reaction as good or bad. Extramarital affairs are taboo and I believe reading about taboo topics has been an interest of many. The story starts with a brief introduction about the characters - Shruthi and Madhan and their love life. It slowly traverses through their married life and ultimately, talks about Shruthi's affair. The pace of the story fluctuates here and there. There is a part where the incidents are described in detail and some where they are rushed. Also, there are few incidents that are narrated as a part if flashback. They weren't presented well. The narration is done in first person narrative and is engaging. The simple language makes this book a lucid read. The characters are sketched well and the story has been thoughtfully plotted. Overall, In Love and Free is a good read. The story will keep you hooked on to the book. 

Likes:

• Shruthi and Madhan's relationship.
• Shruthi's understanding father.
• Shruthi's bravery. 

Dislikes:

• A few incidents (especially in the beginning of the novel) appeared stuffed. 

I rate:
Cover: 2.5/5
Characters: 3/5
Story: 3.5/5 


My overall rating for 'In Love and Free' is 3.5/5 stars.

You can book your copies on Amazon.