Title: An Unusual Honeymoon
Author: Mamta Kashyap
Publisher: Notion Press
Genre: Romance
First Publication: 2020
Language: English
Book Summary: An Unusual Honeymoon by Mamta Kashyap
Transport yourself into the world of Bollywood romcoms!
“By the end of it, you will feel better about some extra flab around your waist, being clumsy sometimes, and for falling in love with the wrong guys – All. The. Time. because it always works out eventually.”
What happens when an ambitious girl-next-door finds herself on her honeymoon all alone, without a husband? What happens when she meets a handsome stranger who proposes a deal too lucrative to walk off from?
This is the story of Mahasweta who just wanted to redeem her self-esteem by at least succeeding at her career. Only, life doesn’t happen that way. A lonely honeymoon turns into an unusual one as she agrees to an unrealistic deal.
This is a short, sweet, silly, feel good love story, with some laughter, some absurdities, some fun, some feelings and a beautiful and kind Fairy Godmother, too!
Book Review: An Unusual Honeymoon by Mamta Kashyap
Deeply moving and perfectly paced, ‘An Unusual Honeymoon’ by Mamta Kashyap is a love story riddled with infectiously snarky banter hiding behind a somewhat ironic title.
Mahasweta’s challenges in this story are not hers alone – they are the trials of every person, man or woman, who has felt diffident owing to their cultivated nature or low-spirited when bowed down by circumstances. This is a story of gaining perspective and discovering one’s potential through travel, cross-cultural exposure and external support. That is why the story is so meaningful for every person. One of the reasons the book works is because it has realistic characters – as you know them personally.
‘An Unusual Honeymoon’ has a very simple plot and is therefore not an easy story to write. The credit goes to the author, Mamta Kashyap. She manages to steer clear of all traps for derailment that the story provides. The book may seem a bit slow at beginning, but then, without sufficient time to develop the emotions and attitude of the character, the story would not be as effective.
Utilizing her engaging and clever wordplay, Mamta Kashyap brings readers into the lives of two very different characters. There’s Mahasweta, an ambitious girl on her ‘unimoon‘, battling her own heart while slogging through redeeming her self esteem and career. And then there’s Rahul, all broody and mysterious guy. A mix of crappy circumstances and serendipity find Mahasweta marrying Rahul.
Mamta Kashyap is masterful in her unraveling of both characters, really getting down to the crux of who Mahasweta and Rahul are, and more importantly why. Proving assumptions can be the inhibitor of joy. And while this story is told entirely from Mahasweta’s perspective, a heady mix of her goading, slipped secrets through funny internal monologues provide a glimpse into author’s humorous side.
Relatable, raw, and at times even a little awkward, Mahasweta managed to chip off a chunk of my heart to call her own. Witty exchanges paint the pages and provide the perfect counterbalance to the hurt in her apprehensive heart. Yet, it’s the undeniable connection she shares with Rahul, and the palpable tension clouding every nook and cranny around them makes the book for such an unforgettable read. Considering the author’s level of biting humor throughout the novel and her exploration of the stereotypes swirling around the romance and chick-lit genre, I assume this was purposeful and very well played.
