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One Last Time
One phone call changes it all for him. Her phone call. After one full year. She is in the US, informing him about her marriage. She wants to meet him.
He had moved on, at least that’s what he had made himself believe. Unsure of everything, he books a flight from New York to Carolina to give his past the final closure.
The journey brings all the painful memories back to him. They have both come a long way since they first met as kids and then again as adults, before parting ways and . . . moving on.
But flight 1549 is not destined to reach its destination. Unaware and oblivious, he is lost in his memories of her.
Ambala. New Delhi. New York.
Love. Career. Distance. Longing. Separation.
Will he realize her importance in his life? Will she ever find out who she is actually meant for?
What if he doesn't live up to the day to meet her one last time?
He had moved on, at least that’s what he had made himself believe. Unsure of everything, he books a flight from New York to Carolina to give his past the final closure.
The journey brings all the painful memories back to him. They have both come a long way since they first met as kids and then again as adults, before parting ways and . . . moving on.
But flight 1549 is not destined to reach its destination. Unaware and oblivious, he is lost in his memories of her.
Ambala. New Delhi. New York.
Love. Career. Distance. Longing. Separation.
Will he realize her importance in his life? Will she ever find out who she is actually meant for?
What if he doesn't live up to the day to meet her one last time?
208 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2013
10 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 17, 2013
Great book Shubham Arora, simple, sober and beautiful!!Loved the way various incidents have been narrated ! The ordering of the chapters keeps u so involved that u get up only after finishing the book! Aman's accidents touches u to the core, it actually depicts the helplessness one feels when ones loved one suddenly vanishes away from this big world.
The love story is beautiful!!
Loved Rohit's character as well, it brings out the conflict and at the same time, the bond - most father and son share!The protagonist's Bangladeshi friend is a nice guy! The ending of the story makes one realise how impt every moment in life is as U may not get the opportunity to live it again..
Great Job Shubham Arora!!ALL THE BEST!! for more to come.
The love story is beautiful!!
Loved Rohit's character as well, it brings out the conflict and at the same time, the bond - most father and son share!The protagonist's Bangladeshi friend is a nice guy! The ending of the story makes one realise how impt every moment in life is as U may not get the opportunity to live it again..
Great Job Shubham Arora!!ALL THE BEST!! for more to come.
May 29, 2013
it was awesome!
April 15, 2013
By Shubham Arora. Grade: A
One Last Time is Shubham Arora’s second book after Love Chemistry which was published in 2011. The book is a fresh deviation from the everyday boy meets girl story.
One phone call changes it all for him. Her phone call. After one full year. She is in the US, informing him about her marriage. She wants to meet him.
One Last Time by Shubham Arora
He had moved on, at least thats what he had made himself believe. Unsure of everything, he books a flight from New York to Carolina to give his past the final closure.
The journey brings all the painful memories back to him. They have both come a long way since they first met as kids and then again as adults, before parting ways and . . . moving on.
But flight 1549 is not destined to reach its destination. Unaware and oblivious, he is lost in his memories of her.
Ambala. New Delhi. New York.
Love. Career. Distance. Longing. Separation.
Will he realize her importance in his life? Will she ever find out who she is actually meant for?
What if he doesn’t live up to the day to meet her one last time?
Yes, it sure is a romance novel, but the narration and the plot idea is what sets the book apart from the rest. Telling a love story from the POV of one of the Hudson river plane crash victims is a very novel idea indeed. The book tells the story of Ishaan and Tithi through the times when they first met as toddlers to the present time, almost two decades later. It is almost a year after their break up that Ishaan gets a call from Tithi, as she tells him about her fiance. Ishaan is on his way to meet her and tell her how much he still loves her. Will he get the last chance to say it?
The best part about the story is the fact that the author has narrated a romance without making it even a tiny bit cheesy or corny. The characters are very believable and come to life as you read the book. I particularly loved how the author blended the past and the present. How each incident in the present sends Ishaan into a flashback mode as he remembers the incidents from the past. These flashbacks give the story a new depth and defines the characters better. The book will take you through a journey of two people and make you both cry and laugh at the sorrow and joy of the protagonists.
The only thing which I perhaps didn’t like is the over use of the word “cognizant”. It is not a term people use in everyday speech and over-using it disrupts the flow of the book. Apart from that minor problem and a few typos here and there (which is of course not the author’s fault), the book is a really pleasant read. Simple words, simple plot, lovely story telling. Worth giving a read.
Originally reviewed at http://vaultofbooks.com/
One Last Time is Shubham Arora’s second book after Love Chemistry which was published in 2011. The book is a fresh deviation from the everyday boy meets girl story.
One phone call changes it all for him. Her phone call. After one full year. She is in the US, informing him about her marriage. She wants to meet him.
One Last Time by Shubham Arora
He had moved on, at least thats what he had made himself believe. Unsure of everything, he books a flight from New York to Carolina to give his past the final closure.
The journey brings all the painful memories back to him. They have both come a long way since they first met as kids and then again as adults, before parting ways and . . . moving on.
But flight 1549 is not destined to reach its destination. Unaware and oblivious, he is lost in his memories of her.
Ambala. New Delhi. New York.
Love. Career. Distance. Longing. Separation.
Will he realize her importance in his life? Will she ever find out who she is actually meant for?
What if he doesn’t live up to the day to meet her one last time?
Yes, it sure is a romance novel, but the narration and the plot idea is what sets the book apart from the rest. Telling a love story from the POV of one of the Hudson river plane crash victims is a very novel idea indeed. The book tells the story of Ishaan and Tithi through the times when they first met as toddlers to the present time, almost two decades later. It is almost a year after their break up that Ishaan gets a call from Tithi, as she tells him about her fiance. Ishaan is on his way to meet her and tell her how much he still loves her. Will he get the last chance to say it?
The best part about the story is the fact that the author has narrated a romance without making it even a tiny bit cheesy or corny. The characters are very believable and come to life as you read the book. I particularly loved how the author blended the past and the present. How each incident in the present sends Ishaan into a flashback mode as he remembers the incidents from the past. These flashbacks give the story a new depth and defines the characters better. The book will take you through a journey of two people and make you both cry and laugh at the sorrow and joy of the protagonists.
The only thing which I perhaps didn’t like is the over use of the word “cognizant”. It is not a term people use in everyday speech and over-using it disrupts the flow of the book. Apart from that minor problem and a few typos here and there (which is of course not the author’s fault), the book is a really pleasant read. Simple words, simple plot, lovely story telling. Worth giving a read.
Originally reviewed at http://vaultofbooks.com/
April 12, 2013
Book Review 7 : One Last Time by Shubham Arora
04/13/20130 Comments
It's always wonderful to see people coming up and getting appreciated from your hometown. This was one of the major reason why I picked up ONE LAST TIME and started reading it. This book is Shubham Arora's second novel published under the banner of Paper Clip Books.
The cover page & the blurb at the back side of the book is quite interesting and intriguing enough to pick the book from the shelves and start reading it. The story is about the protagonist Ishaan and how he moved on in his life facing its gifts, surprises & shocks. Author has given a realistic approach to the book making it easy for the readers to connect with the characters & situation. The way Shubham has portrayed various emotions throughout the story either of the protagonist or any other character is something very hard to find. The narration style is perfect, without any over stretched scenes & dialogues, unrealistic & boring situations. It seemed like picture perfect.
The book is divided in three parts or better to say in three cities namely AMBALA, DELHI and NEW YORK. It's always been a pain for me in the past, reading a book divided in parts and such division haven't worked well from the narration point of view. But Shubham's writing skills haven't given me any pain while changing from one part to another. He has described each city with its own charming manner & style.
The way protagonist life, his thinking and maturity level changes with time and he grows from a shy kid of Ambala to a mature person and almost after 10 years end up in big city like New York. is commendable. However the third part of the novel i.e. the NEW YORK part felt a bit on the shorter side compared to the previous two parts. The chapters are of normal length making the reading more comfortable and easy to connect with. The climax of the story is wonderful leaving you with endless thoughts about the book and its characters.
In the end, all I would like to write is Shubham Arora has the capacity & skills to be one of the best in the literature industry. With his simple yet powerful & heart-felt language, he has stunned me with this work and I was hooked with the book till the very end. I am really looking forward to his another work of fiction work very soon.
Will give him ☆☆☆☆.25 (4.25) Stars. A wonderful book & if you love Romance genre, I guess you should not miss this. Good Luck to the author.
Order it from Flipkart.com
http://tinyurl.com/OneLastTime-FLPKRT
04/13/20130 Comments
It's always wonderful to see people coming up and getting appreciated from your hometown. This was one of the major reason why I picked up ONE LAST TIME and started reading it. This book is Shubham Arora's second novel published under the banner of Paper Clip Books.
The cover page & the blurb at the back side of the book is quite interesting and intriguing enough to pick the book from the shelves and start reading it. The story is about the protagonist Ishaan and how he moved on in his life facing its gifts, surprises & shocks. Author has given a realistic approach to the book making it easy for the readers to connect with the characters & situation. The way Shubham has portrayed various emotions throughout the story either of the protagonist or any other character is something very hard to find. The narration style is perfect, without any over stretched scenes & dialogues, unrealistic & boring situations. It seemed like picture perfect.
The book is divided in three parts or better to say in three cities namely AMBALA, DELHI and NEW YORK. It's always been a pain for me in the past, reading a book divided in parts and such division haven't worked well from the narration point of view. But Shubham's writing skills haven't given me any pain while changing from one part to another. He has described each city with its own charming manner & style.
The way protagonist life, his thinking and maturity level changes with time and he grows from a shy kid of Ambala to a mature person and almost after 10 years end up in big city like New York. is commendable. However the third part of the novel i.e. the NEW YORK part felt a bit on the shorter side compared to the previous two parts. The chapters are of normal length making the reading more comfortable and easy to connect with. The climax of the story is wonderful leaving you with endless thoughts about the book and its characters.
In the end, all I would like to write is Shubham Arora has the capacity & skills to be one of the best in the literature industry. With his simple yet powerful & heart-felt language, he has stunned me with this work and I was hooked with the book till the very end. I am really looking forward to his another work of fiction work very soon.
Will give him ☆☆☆☆.25 (4.25) Stars. A wonderful book & if you love Romance genre, I guess you should not miss this. Good Luck to the author.
Order it from Flipkart.com
http://tinyurl.com/OneLastTime-FLPKRT
March 9, 2013
One last time is a book that will compel you to read the author's other works. Yes, this is the kind of teenage adult fiction you would like to read. The one that is like a breath of fresh air in the stale world of teenage adult fiction genre. Why stale? Well, 5 years back, if you would have asked me, I would have said the genre is a coming of age thing. But the last 5 years witnessed a plethora of wannabe writers resulting in millions of books in the market. The competition stiffened and the times came to a point where the sales of a book depended on its cover rather than the content. This was the time when Shubham Arora made his entry. Yeah, the harsh times if I may call them. His first book, almost autobiographical 'Love Chemistry' still remains my favorite. Though I am a little biased when it comes to Love Chemistry, but who wouldn't be if it's one's own school story on pulp.
Anyway, coming to One last time, I would like to categorically mention that I was asked to read the manuscript of the book a zillion times. The fact that I couldn't read the manuscript for reasons inexplicable has made me write this review in an unbiased way.The strength of the book is the narrative style and the story that spreads over a decade. What is interesting is the detailing that goes into the writing. Be it the battery light action shoes of a kid growing up in the 90s, the description of fine details of Cricket, the small details of a town like Ambala, a metropolitan like Delhi and the Big Apple New York, will take you back to those times and make you feel home. One last time grows on you. The characters are simple people easily connectable. But the most amazing thing the author does is the ending of the book. It is heart touching if you are a romantic. It is soulful even if you are pragmatic.
One last time is different and will surely make you think of the incomplete promises and unfulfilled ambitions of your life. Read it for it is worth reading. Well done the author!
Anyway, coming to One last time, I would like to categorically mention that I was asked to read the manuscript of the book a zillion times. The fact that I couldn't read the manuscript for reasons inexplicable has made me write this review in an unbiased way.The strength of the book is the narrative style and the story that spreads over a decade. What is interesting is the detailing that goes into the writing. Be it the battery light action shoes of a kid growing up in the 90s, the description of fine details of Cricket, the small details of a town like Ambala, a metropolitan like Delhi and the Big Apple New York, will take you back to those times and make you feel home. One last time grows on you. The characters are simple people easily connectable. But the most amazing thing the author does is the ending of the book. It is heart touching if you are a romantic. It is soulful even if you are pragmatic.
One last time is different and will surely make you think of the incomplete promises and unfulfilled ambitions of your life. Read it for it is worth reading. Well done the author!
March 21, 2013
Right from the start till the end, this book held me like a magnet. An idea! Well thought and very well executed.
I have read many novels having love chemistries, but this one is different in almost every aspect.
To begin with is the idea behind the story. Second most important part is that the idea was executed in an utterly awesome way. Third, how Shubham portrayed every scenario in his book; it was like as if it is happening in front of you, LIVE! The chemistry between the couple was awe inspiring and you could easily relate it to your own life (obviously, only if you have been in any relation :D). Last but actually not the least, not even a single snippet within this book will bore you.
There is love, there is inspiration, there are emotions, there are joys and sorrows, this book actually is an apt mix of all the emotions in one’s life. This couldn't have been much better for your second book.
Again, Great Job Shubham! Waiting for the next One Last Time :P !!!
I have read many novels having love chemistries, but this one is different in almost every aspect.
To begin with is the idea behind the story. Second most important part is that the idea was executed in an utterly awesome way. Third, how Shubham portrayed every scenario in his book; it was like as if it is happening in front of you, LIVE! The chemistry between the couple was awe inspiring and you could easily relate it to your own life (obviously, only if you have been in any relation :D). Last but actually not the least, not even a single snippet within this book will bore you.
There is love, there is inspiration, there are emotions, there are joys and sorrows, this book actually is an apt mix of all the emotions in one’s life. This couldn't have been much better for your second book.
Again, Great Job Shubham! Waiting for the next One Last Time :P !!!
April 22, 2013
in this novel auther shows all things of his life that he faced in his time
Want to read
May 5, 2013One Last Time
by Shubham Arora
by Shubham Arora
March 24, 2013
One Last Time is the second novel by Shubham Arora which has been published by Paper Clips. The book takes the reader on a journey of its own, travelling from Ambala to New York via Delhi. When I first grabbed the paperback, it turned me a little off to see that the novel has been set up at three different locations. Since all the other novels which I have read in the past with this same pattern were a huge disappointment. But as soon as I started reading the book, the author proved me wrong by taking me in a different word of his work. All the three sections: Ambala, New Delhi and New York have been written with utmost sincerity and as a reader it was a pure delight for me to read the elucidations and intriguing details of each and every time frame of the protagonist’s life as he goes through with different notions of it at various locations.
Each city had an essence of its own, and one can observe the transformation of the protagonist’s maturity level while flipping through each and every page of the book. Although, I had no complaint with either the narration or the writing style of the author, but the ending of the novel left me waiting for more; May be because it was written so well, that I never wanted it to end. I meticulously enjoyed reading each and every section of it, but it was the Delhi section of the novel which stole my heart away. I’m not at all a romantic guy, but the teenage budding and unadulterated romance literally took my heart away.
Shubhan Arora really knows how to write a heartfelt and gripping piece, having the competence to hold the interest of its readers right till the last page, with words weaved together so flawlessly and an elucidation to die for! The best part about the novel was its realism. There was not even a single scene which I thought could be unreal. There were no over the top dialogues, any unwanted scene or over – stretched conversations. Author conveyed a very simple and profound story in the most poignant possible way.
Shubham is an Indian writer with international caliber! Next time, when you visit a bookstore, do not forget to grab a copy of One Last Time!
Each city had an essence of its own, and one can observe the transformation of the protagonist’s maturity level while flipping through each and every page of the book. Although, I had no complaint with either the narration or the writing style of the author, but the ending of the novel left me waiting for more; May be because it was written so well, that I never wanted it to end. I meticulously enjoyed reading each and every section of it, but it was the Delhi section of the novel which stole my heart away. I’m not at all a romantic guy, but the teenage budding and unadulterated romance literally took my heart away.
Shubhan Arora really knows how to write a heartfelt and gripping piece, having the competence to hold the interest of its readers right till the last page, with words weaved together so flawlessly and an elucidation to die for! The best part about the novel was its realism. There was not even a single scene which I thought could be unreal. There were no over the top dialogues, any unwanted scene or over – stretched conversations. Author conveyed a very simple and profound story in the most poignant possible way.
Shubham is an Indian writer with international caliber! Next time, when you visit a bookstore, do not forget to grab a copy of One Last Time!
June 16, 2015
Ishaan and Tithi grow up together in Ambala, meet again in Delhi and fall in love. They get into a long distance relationship because Ishaan has to move to New York for his studies. One fine day, Ishaan gets a phone call from Tithi who is about to be married and he sets off to meet her on a flight. From there on, the narrative alternates between past and the present and takes us through their love life from their childhood till date.
In between, there is a cricketer angle thrown in. A cricket match rambles on for a good 10 pages which does nothing to add to the story. In fact, there are many detours which does not contribute much to the main naarative. And there lies the biggest problem of the book. It is just a collection of scenes pieced together with little thinking behind how to unfold drama in these scenes. In the end, it just read so familiar and borderline boring.
The book is ultimately saved by some sort of chemistry between the lead pair. There in genuine sincerity in the frustration and anxiety portrayed for the long distance relationship and author does make a pertinent point how young couple find it exceedingly difficult to handle the LDR and the physical non-proximity. But Alas, you can't say the same about other things. A nicely done cover page, however, aptly describes the story and captures the various time zones the narrative incorporates.
I am going with 2/5 for Shubham Arora's second novel, 'One Last Time'. If you are fan of mass-fiction romantic books, go for it. Otherwise it will be met out with a lot of disappointment because it has very little to offer new in terms of action or treatment.
In between, there is a cricketer angle thrown in. A cricket match rambles on for a good 10 pages which does nothing to add to the story. In fact, there are many detours which does not contribute much to the main naarative. And there lies the biggest problem of the book. It is just a collection of scenes pieced together with little thinking behind how to unfold drama in these scenes. In the end, it just read so familiar and borderline boring.
The book is ultimately saved by some sort of chemistry between the lead pair. There in genuine sincerity in the frustration and anxiety portrayed for the long distance relationship and author does make a pertinent point how young couple find it exceedingly difficult to handle the LDR and the physical non-proximity. But Alas, you can't say the same about other things. A nicely done cover page, however, aptly describes the story and captures the various time zones the narrative incorporates.
I am going with 2/5 for Shubham Arora's second novel, 'One Last Time'. If you are fan of mass-fiction romantic books, go for it. Otherwise it will be met out with a lot of disappointment because it has very little to offer new in terms of action or treatment.
December 17, 2014
I won this book for free, through Goodread's GiveAway Program.
Review
And the tradition continues. It became a custom for IT guys to pen down emotional blurb.
The title was nice, which forced me to hope that instead of telling "How it began, and blah blah" in the whole book, it might tell the story when he met her post-phone call, and the consequences. But nah.
Take up a romantic book by IT guys, and the blueprint is same.
Review
And the tradition continues. It became a custom for IT guys to pen down emotional blurb.
The title was nice, which forced me to hope that instead of telling "How it began, and blah blah" in the whole book, it might tell the story when he met her post-phone call, and the consequences. But nah.
Take up a romantic book by IT guys, and the blueprint is same.
August 6, 2013
A very average looking story with a very good title and an emotional blurb.
It has not been handled well in terms of maneuvering around love problems and long distance relationships.
Cricket has taken a lot of center stage in the book. Few good parts in the story are there but alas not much spark is there too.
Narration is smooth. Tithi as a name is pretty unique and credit goes to author's imagination.
Much better approach was needed to weave a story out of this one.
A book with a lot of potential but fails to ignite the passion.
It has not been handled well in terms of maneuvering around love problems and long distance relationships.
Cricket has taken a lot of center stage in the book. Few good parts in the story are there but alas not much spark is there too.
Narration is smooth. Tithi as a name is pretty unique and credit goes to author's imagination.
Much better approach was needed to weave a story out of this one.
A book with a lot of potential but fails to ignite the passion.
February 9, 2016
Good Book. Liked the Second Half. Readers might believe in Second Chances. ;)
June 26, 2020
Effortlessly written, depicting a perfect mixture of multiple emotions! It has friendship, love, heartbreaks, staling relationship - all in one!
There in genuine sincerity in the frustration and anxiety portrayed for the long distance relationship and Shubham does make a pertinent point how young couple find it exceedingly difficult to handle the LDR pressure and the physical non-proximity.
A nicely done cover page, aptly describes the story and captures the various time zones the narrative incorporates.
The chemistry between the lead pair is well expressed! A gripping and intriguing piece written with complete thoughtfulness!
One Last Time grows on you. The characters are simple people easily connectable. We all have lost friends, made new friends, had heartbreaks, played cricket, fought with parents, made some foolish decisions, etc. The narration style is perfect, without any over stretched scenes & dialogues.
This teenage adult fiction conveys an important message. It tries to convey the importance of one moment, the happy, sad or happening moment. It is an uncomplicated book that talks about realities in life.
If you are fan of fiction romantic books, go for it. This book deserves a read. It is engaging and a breezy read. It leaves a good taste and makes you realize the value of time and relationships.
Full review here: https://intheclassroomoflife.blogspot...
There in genuine sincerity in the frustration and anxiety portrayed for the long distance relationship and Shubham does make a pertinent point how young couple find it exceedingly difficult to handle the LDR pressure and the physical non-proximity.
A nicely done cover page, aptly describes the story and captures the various time zones the narrative incorporates.
The chemistry between the lead pair is well expressed! A gripping and intriguing piece written with complete thoughtfulness!
One Last Time grows on you. The characters are simple people easily connectable. We all have lost friends, made new friends, had heartbreaks, played cricket, fought with parents, made some foolish decisions, etc. The narration style is perfect, without any over stretched scenes & dialogues.
This teenage adult fiction conveys an important message. It tries to convey the importance of one moment, the happy, sad or happening moment. It is an uncomplicated book that talks about realities in life.
If you are fan of fiction romantic books, go for it. This book deserves a read. It is engaging and a breezy read. It leaves a good taste and makes you realize the value of time and relationships.
Full review here: https://intheclassroomoflife.blogspot...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews