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CONTAGIOUS LOVE : Love Knows No Distancing
What if the army was posted outside our houses during the lockdown?
The pandemic has hit and lockdown has been imposed. Twenty-three-year-old Delhi boy, Lieutenant Abhimanyu Singh, along with his army cronies, is posted in Chennai to impose the lockdown, far away from his dreams of an action-packed border posting. And when he meets 20-year-old Samyuktha Kumar as he stands guard outside her apartment, he’s drawn magnetically towards her. But suddenly, the members of the apartment building she lives in start getting infected and nobody knows where it came from.
Set in an apartment complex, the story follows the two characters as they navigate anxiety-ridden neighbours, the new normal that the pandemic has brought about. The apartment building is its own world, its own microcosm, where fates are decided, love is built and destroyed.
Full of twists and turns, Contagious Love is a love story that is entertaining, real but also fantastical and that will keep readers hooked till the climax—an ending that no one could have predicted.
The pandemic has hit and lockdown has been imposed. Twenty-three-year-old Delhi boy, Lieutenant Abhimanyu Singh, along with his army cronies, is posted in Chennai to impose the lockdown, far away from his dreams of an action-packed border posting. And when he meets 20-year-old Samyuktha Kumar as he stands guard outside her apartment, he’s drawn magnetically towards her. But suddenly, the members of the apartment building she lives in start getting infected and nobody knows where it came from.
Set in an apartment complex, the story follows the two characters as they navigate anxiety-ridden neighbours, the new normal that the pandemic has brought about. The apartment building is its own world, its own microcosm, where fates are decided, love is built and destroyed.
Full of twists and turns, Contagious Love is a love story that is entertaining, real but also fantastical and that will keep readers hooked till the climax—an ending that no one could have predicted.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 25, 2023
Contagious love takes you back to the time when the world witnessed catastrophe in the form of a pandemic and people were imprisoned in their own homes. Life has changed its course, and a new normal has begun with a distancing from the people and the rise of online culture. People started spending hours staying online, which brings ease to their daily needs and drags them into the cave of anxiety and depression.
Full of twists and turns, contagious love is a love story and a story of a family living in an apartment which was their family in itself just before the pandemic hit their life. Their lives and relationships started drifting apart and took the road to new normal. It is an entertaining and empowering story, with each character bringing something to the table and making it an engaging read. Read this story to hook to the story and unhook from your mobile with an ending that will surely surprise you.
Full of twists and turns, contagious love is a love story and a story of a family living in an apartment which was their family in itself just before the pandemic hit their life. Their lives and relationships started drifting apart and took the road to new normal. It is an entertaining and empowering story, with each character bringing something to the table and making it an engaging read. Read this story to hook to the story and unhook from your mobile with an ending that will surely surprise you.
August 25, 2026
Contagious Love is a work of fiction set during the COVID-19 era. The story mainly revolves around Lt. Abhimanyu, who is posted in Kerala to maintain COVID protocols, and Samyuktha, a college student who finds herself somewhat trapped when she has to return to her native home in Kerala from Mumbai during the outbreak.
As the story progresses, so does the attraction between the two. What I liked was how their story develops in the middle of all the restrictions, uncertainty and general chaos that came with the pandemic. The book also gives you a glimpse into the ground rules that were set back then and how much they affected everyday life and the general public.
And eventually, as fate would have it, that blooming love finds its way back home.
My Take: It’s a fast and easy read. There’s a certain nostalgia attached to reading about the restrictions, the fear, the isolation, and the way life had suddenly changed for everyone. The so called ATTRACTION is what keeps you pinned in what might happen next.
It’s an easy read if you’re looking for something romantic, relatable, and a little nostalgic.
As the story progresses, so does the attraction between the two. What I liked was how their story develops in the middle of all the restrictions, uncertainty and general chaos that came with the pandemic. The book also gives you a glimpse into the ground rules that were set back then and how much they affected everyday life and the general public.
And eventually, as fate would have it, that blooming love finds its way back home.
My Take: It’s a fast and easy read. There’s a certain nostalgia attached to reading about the restrictions, the fear, the isolation, and the way life had suddenly changed for everyone. The so called ATTRACTION is what keeps you pinned in what might happen next.
It’s an easy read if you’re looking for something romantic, relatable, and a little nostalgic.
January 3, 2024
Book: Contagious Love
Author: Aishvarya Murali and Sriram Emani
Genre: Contemporary Romance Fiction
Publisher: Rupa Publication
Pages: 264
Contagious Love by Aishvarya Murali and Sriram Emani is the story of Samyuktha Kumar and Abhimanyu Singh. While the former is doing her studies, the latter is a Lieutenant. And when COVID makes the world stuck inside their home, Samyukta has no other option than being back at her home from her hostel, where Abhimanyu is posted outside their society to impose the lockdown. But what will happen when people start getting infected by the virus without knowing its source? What will happen between Abhimanyu and Samyukta? To know more about them and the story, read the book.
The writing style of this book is phenomenal. Writing a story, especially a love story in the backdrop of the pandemic is not easy, maintaining all sensitivity, and precautions and not hurting someone's emotions who might have faced a tragedy back then, and that's where the author shines. I remember I was reading the book while sitting in my library, and after reading around 100 pages there, when I went outside and saw people there, I questioned why they were not taking any precautions and all the things which we did back then, and then got reminded that it's not the situation now, and it was in the book. And that was the impact that book had on me.
The story also had a strong family background and family bonds. The raw emotions and feelings are represented quite well and give so many instances and scenes which are enough to make someone emotional. The social drama and neighborhood banter plays an important role in the story and is something with which we all can connect.
The story also highlights the importance of communication in a relationship, independent of the time spent in it. It shows how the lack of it has so many consequences and is the root of many problems.
There is a close relationship between the protagonists with their family members. The only thing I felt could have been given more time was the pace of the relationship between the protagonists. It was a little fast and all of these were happening very suddenly and I felt it needed more time, socially when one was going through so much around themselves in an instant.
If you are looking forward to reading a book set in the backdrop of a pandemic having deep connections and emotions, go for it.
Author: Aishvarya Murali and Sriram Emani
Genre: Contemporary Romance Fiction
Publisher: Rupa Publication
Pages: 264
Contagious Love by Aishvarya Murali and Sriram Emani is the story of Samyuktha Kumar and Abhimanyu Singh. While the former is doing her studies, the latter is a Lieutenant. And when COVID makes the world stuck inside their home, Samyukta has no other option than being back at her home from her hostel, where Abhimanyu is posted outside their society to impose the lockdown. But what will happen when people start getting infected by the virus without knowing its source? What will happen between Abhimanyu and Samyukta? To know more about them and the story, read the book.
The writing style of this book is phenomenal. Writing a story, especially a love story in the backdrop of the pandemic is not easy, maintaining all sensitivity, and precautions and not hurting someone's emotions who might have faced a tragedy back then, and that's where the author shines. I remember I was reading the book while sitting in my library, and after reading around 100 pages there, when I went outside and saw people there, I questioned why they were not taking any precautions and all the things which we did back then, and then got reminded that it's not the situation now, and it was in the book. And that was the impact that book had on me.
The story also had a strong family background and family bonds. The raw emotions and feelings are represented quite well and give so many instances and scenes which are enough to make someone emotional. The social drama and neighborhood banter plays an important role in the story and is something with which we all can connect.
The story also highlights the importance of communication in a relationship, independent of the time spent in it. It shows how the lack of it has so many consequences and is the root of many problems.
There is a close relationship between the protagonists with their family members. The only thing I felt could have been given more time was the pace of the relationship between the protagonists. It was a little fast and all of these were happening very suddenly and I felt it needed more time, socially when one was going through so much around themselves in an instant.
If you are looking forward to reading a book set in the backdrop of a pandemic having deep connections and emotions, go for it.
May 4, 2023
Pros:
The authors have done justice in portraying the brevity of the situation when the world was grappling with a deadly pandemic and mental tensions were running high. As a reader, it felt surreal to relive the moments which are fresh on our minds yet seems like a thing of distant past, when things have normalized now.
2) I have always had a soft corner for men in uniform and Lieutenant Abhimanyu definitely caught my fancy with his personality and character. I loved the juxtaposition of his character where his mind and body were doing his duty to perfection while his heart was catching feelings in a different tangent.
3) I loved how the authors brought out the theme of resilience, strength of mind, and tenacity of will power through the characters. The way the characters braved and fought the pandemic reminded me of what humans are capable of and made me feel invigorated.
Cons:
I wouldn't call it a drawback but I felt that the authors did not fully utilize the potential of the 'development phase' of the love story between Abhimanyu and Samyuktha. I could feel the love between the characters but I wished the author could have written more about their mental state and inner emotions 'during' their process of falling in love.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed feeling the storyline and felt a sort of bonding with all the characters who fought the difficulties head-on during the physically and mentally challenging era.
The authors have done justice in portraying the brevity of the situation when the world was grappling with a deadly pandemic and mental tensions were running high. As a reader, it felt surreal to relive the moments which are fresh on our minds yet seems like a thing of distant past, when things have normalized now.
2) I have always had a soft corner for men in uniform and Lieutenant Abhimanyu definitely caught my fancy with his personality and character. I loved the juxtaposition of his character where his mind and body were doing his duty to perfection while his heart was catching feelings in a different tangent.
3) I loved how the authors brought out the theme of resilience, strength of mind, and tenacity of will power through the characters. The way the characters braved and fought the pandemic reminded me of what humans are capable of and made me feel invigorated.
Cons:
I wouldn't call it a drawback but I felt that the authors did not fully utilize the potential of the 'development phase' of the love story between Abhimanyu and Samyuktha. I could feel the love between the characters but I wished the author could have written more about their mental state and inner emotions 'during' their process of falling in love.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed feeling the storyline and felt a sort of bonding with all the characters who fought the difficulties head-on during the physically and mentally challenging era.
June 6, 2023
'Contagious Love: Love Knows No Distancing' debut novel by Aishvarya Murali and Sriram Emani is an engaging read. You could describe it as a sweet north-south (Indian) romance between handsome arny officer lieutenant Abhimanyu Singh and the pretty and brainy IIT student Samyuktha Kumar. And yet the lighthearted writing reveals sensitivity and depth in the way it portrays it's different mix of characters and in how it deals with the context of the story - the pandemic and the dramatic lockdown - that unfolds in and around Ashoka Apartments and impacts the lives of the residents. The Chennai factor in the story, especially the Mylapore scenes, is a charming fit into the urban apartments culture that is now ubiquitous across Indian cities. A good read!
December 31, 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted people's lives, causing illness, death, job losses, economic uncertainty, and disruptions in education and daily routines. Social distancing measures, lockdowns, and travel restrictions have led to isolation and loneliness. The novel "Contagious Love" tells the story of a family adjusting to the "new normal" in an apartment, infused with entertainment and empowerment. The novel offers a temporary escape from the digital world and an unexpected ending. The protagonists, duty-minded military service members, serve as reminders of responsibility. The 260-page novel stands out from other works on Covid and people's lives during the period due to its engaging narrative and lovable cover image.
May 3, 2023
Let's start from the beginning. This book has one of the most positive and best dedications I've ever came across ✨
The story is back from the time of the pandemic. It describes the situation of that we all just faced when we were locked in our own houses and how helpless we felt, how everyone was glued to there screens and the positives and negatives to it. How it affected our relationships and it also shows comparison of how life was before the pandemic and how it drastically changed.✨
Was engaged with the story from the start till the end. 💕
The characters felt real and there was a connection felt with them throughout. 💗
Overall the story was nice and it's good to try!
Recommended! 💕
The story is back from the time of the pandemic. It describes the situation of that we all just faced when we were locked in our own houses and how helpless we felt, how everyone was glued to there screens and the positives and negatives to it. How it affected our relationships and it also shows comparison of how life was before the pandemic and how it drastically changed.✨
Was engaged with the story from the start till the end. 💕
The characters felt real and there was a connection felt with them throughout. 💗
Overall the story was nice and it's good to try!
Recommended! 💕
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews