Forever in my heart - Blurb:

'The moment your heart chose to love each other, you challenged destiny. And it came for you, just like it comes to measure anyone who chooses to love...’

Eighteen years ago, an accident separated Saanjh from Rishav. When fate brings her back to him, she is confronted by a scheming Josephine and her dire obsession to win Rishav at any cost. But is that all that’s keeping Rishav away from Saanjh? Or is there another shadow of fate lurking somewhere between them? Are divine plans really designed around the deepest desires of the human heart? How far can one go to resurrect one’s life, and seek redemption?

When desire deceived love . . . the debt of a sin remained . . .

FIMH Review by Pratibha Jain


July 21, 2013

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Grade A. 

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‘The moment your heart chose to love each other, you challenged destiny. And it came for you, just like it comes to measure anyone who chooses to love . . .’
Eighteen years ago, an accident separated Saanjh from Rishav. When fate brings her back to him, she is confronted by a scheming Josephine and her dire obsession to win Rishav at any cost. But is that all that’s keeping Rishav away from Saanjh?
Or is there another shadow of fate lurking somewhere between them? Are divine plans really designed around the deepest desires of the human heart? How far can one go to resurrect one’s life, and seek redemption? 
When desire deceived love . . . the debt of a sin remained . . .


‘Forever In My Heart’ is the debut novel of Arindam Dey and a love story at its core. Rishav, aka Risk, meets Saanjh in eleventh grade. While Saanjh is a newbie in the school,  he is the resident naughty boy. While she focuses on her studies, he comes up with the most dangerous pranks. But as they say opposite attracts, and Rishav falls in love with her at her first sight.

A lady should be seen and not heard. Saanjh doesn’t say anything, but her eyes convey her love. Unfortunately, before the two young lovers can unite, fate steps in. Two hearts that choose one another are bound to be separated. Flashback to the Bollywood movies of 1980′s:  Saanjh’s father had promised his best friend to marry his daughter with his son. For him his word was his life. It is decided to take his precious girl away from the corrupting influence of Rishav, and the young couple plans an elopement. But Rishav meets with an accident, and the separation takes place as originally planned.

Eighteen years later they meet again, but only to be separated. Josephine, one of Rishav’s students, is in love with him. Trapped in a bet and her ego, she decides to do anything to get him, including killing the last chance of Rishav and Saanjh being together. Realizing the magnitude of her mistake, she decides to fix everything for a change, with some help from Ankit. Together they head for Kolkata to bring Saanjh back to Manali, where Rishav lives. The story undergoes a dramatic twist that completely changes the tone when Rishav fails to recognise Saanjh. Is it just because of the time gap, or has Rishav forgotten her, or is there something else? The answer lies within the story, something unimaginable. Will Saanjh and Rishav be able to reunite again, or not?


    ‘Hold me once for one last time,
    Before the final debt is paid,
    Tell me those words left unheard,
    And let me say those left unsaid.
    Whisper to my heart once more,
    Words of love you said that day,
    Kiss my soul for one last time,
    Before it’s free to fly its way.’

The book opens with some beautiful lines, and you fall instantly in love. You are helpless, and all you can do is push everything aside, and follow the journey of the characters the way the author chooses you to. Firstly, when you examine the plot, it is intact! The author holds its reins tightly, not missing any opportunity to make a mark. It keeps moving between past and present, but it is not confusing. The characters are vibrant, pulsing with blood and flesh with the author’s expert pen. The pain, the hatred, the anguish, the love, the madness, the honesty, the purity: you will experience everything. You won’t even realize that you’re at the last page until you turn it, and the curving, twisting lanes will leave you flabbergasted, amazed and stupefied, and in awe. Just when you start feeling that there’s no way out, the author will surprise you with something that you haven’t thought of. It’s a love story of Rishav and Saanjh, Ankit and Josephine, Saanjh and Josephine, Rishav and Josephine, along with fragments of friendship of Ankit and Richard, of Nikita and Saanjh.

There are some typing errors in the book, but that is not the author’s fault. Ignoring that, the lovers of romantic fiction will surely rejoice this one. When love stories are getting captured by Facebook updates and BBM messages, it is a throwback to the simpler times, and refreshing.

It is correctly mentioned in the publisher’s note that ‘the author has spent more than just time to tell his story’. I cannot summarize what the book did to me in just a few words, you are better to decide. For me, it was a worth read!

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FIMH Review by Samarpita Mukherjee

Review by: Samarpita Mukherjee

Date: July 16, 2013

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Rating: ****/5

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On the jacket:

‘The moment your heart chose to love each other, you challenged destiny. And it came for you, just like it comes to measure anyone who chooses to love . . .’

Eighteen years ago, an accident separated Saanjh from Rishav. When fate brings her back to him, she is confronted by a scheming Josephine and her dire obsession to win Rishav at any cost. But is that all that’s keeping Rishav away from Saanjh? Or is there another shadow of fate lurking somewhere between them? Are divine plans really designed around the deepest desires of the human heart? How far can one go to resurrect one’s life, and seek redemption?

When desire deceived love . . . the debt of a sin remained . . .

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Review:

After a very long time, I read a book by a new age Indian author which I finished cover to cover, in one sitting. Also, it is after a long time that I read a love story, which was unpretentious, unaffected by other authors and was honest. Yes, Forever In My Heart was a good read.

You must have read a lot of books which you picked for their blurbs but the books disappointed you. In this case, the book surpasses the little expectations that the blurb establishes in the reader's mind. A story about Rishav & Saanjh, Joey & Ankit, Joey & Rishav, and, Saanjh and Joey. Strong, honest emotions, strong character building, and a tight plot which keeps moving from past to present to past, but never confuses the reader.

Innovative in it's plot, with characters who behave stranger than the word itself, as a reader, you are bound to be glued to the book, to know - what next and why. There are some editorial loopholes, some minor while one blatant, like where Ankit is in the hospital with the rest, and Richard is in Shimla, Ankit's dialogues are said to be by Richard - but these can be ignored, because the plot keeps you glued. Over all, and excellent attempt, which I suppose will only get better.

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Source 1: http://networkedblogs.com/NelKo
Source 2: http://sankshvet.blogspot.in/2013/07/book-review-forever-in-my-heart-by.html

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