Love, Again

by Shrruti Patole Clarence, Sumeetha Manikandan

Life is tough, and it becomes tougher when you need to make life changing decisions. Would you dare to love again? Would you allow yourself to be loved and to be cherished again? Many of us turn away from life, thinking that it is not for them but some take a leap of faith rewrite their story for the sake of love? Love, Again is a double header book bringing you two stories about chancing love again -These Lines of Mehendi by Sumeetha Manikandan and A Tulip in the Desert by Shrruti Patole Clarence.

Genres: Romance

170 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2015

About the author

Shrruti has been a voracious reader since early years and took to composing poems when she was very young.

An Aviation Manager and 10years with various airlines, she has been on a sabbatical for her two son's aged six years and 1 year respectively.

She enjoys this welcome break from career, to be able to pursue her passion, writing!

She has to her credit 6 short stories featuring in different Anthologies all published this year, one of which will soon be seen as a short movie.

And Love, Again a double header romance Novel publish date 25th May 2015, with her story A Tulip in the Desert will soon be seen on the stands!

Her lyrics feature in the theme song of group Young Indians – an off shoot of CII (Confederation of Indian Industries).

Her poems feature in Zest of Inklings and a Hindi poem in an e-book – Ehsaas, judged by eminent Urdu and Hindi screenwriter, dialogue writer and playwright - Javed Siddiqui.

Shrruti is a warm and friendly person who loves music and watching sports when she is not writing.

She can be contacted at –
authorshrruti@gmail.com
Blog: https://www.blogger.com/profile/11153...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shrrutipatol...

Reviews

[Celestine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a new adventure for me, and I found the immersion in a culture very different from my own to be interesting and enlightening. It takes place in modern-day India and is a romance through-and-through, focusing on a marriage of convenience between a young widow and a businessman in his 30s who finds himself in need of a wife to please his cancer-stricken mother. It is a slow-burn romance that takes place over several months, but the attraction simmers beneath the surface. Lalitha and Shrikanth have both suffered betrayals, so dipping their toes back into the marriage pool is not a choice either makes easily or really very willfully. Circumstances have thrown them together. Or was it fate?

I enjoyed most the scenes of Lalitha running her parlour, where her main business is to prepare brides with their makeup and for their Mehendi party. I learned so much from this. Even the way a well-to-do household is run was fascinating. And so different. I wouldn't know what to do with a servant who cooks my dinner and cleans my house. Luckily, Lalitha hasn't really relied at all on servants, and her organization skills and cooking skills manage to impress her new husband. That, I can relate to!

The romance was awkwardly penned at times, but at other times I thought it was very poetic. I'll just say it was uneven, but I never lost interest in these two very likable main characters.

I picked this book out for the "Non-Western" book in the Unapologetic Romance Readers 2018 book challenge. It was totally the cover that appealed to me initially. It shows a beautiful woman with intricate Mehendi art applied to her hands, arms and torso. (This cover is not shown on goodreads, but it is on Amazon at this time). Many, many years ago at my own wedding, my sister-in-law had just returned from a year in India, and she had henna applied to her hands in celebration of her brother's upcoming nuptials. We felt honored, and it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. So, I was utterly delighted to see how this ancient body art was wrapped into a modern story about marriage in India.

3.5 rounded to 4 stars.

Book source: Kindle Unlimited

[Book Reviews & Promotion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, Again is a double header novel published by Half Baked Beans andFablery with two novellas – A Tulip in the Desert by Shrruti Patole Clarence and These Lines of Mehendi by Sumeetha Manikandan.

FIRST :- These Lines of Mehendi by Sumeetha Manikandan.
The story starts like this, Lalitha used to run her beauty parlour.
She had not seen Suresh, for almost ten years. She had gone to Banglore for his husband death.
she is feeling uncomfortable and worried .Would they blame her for his suicide?
There were many relatives sitting on the floor, crying and whispering.The body is lying on the floor.
A painful pang shot up her heart .She looked down at his body kept inside the icebox.
He had betrayed her. He had left her for Nandini.The reason behind his death :- Suresh had taken around 30 – 35 sleeping pills in the night .
Now she to chennai, After everyone heard about her husband death , her business start to fall down,ruin.
The beauty parlour wore a desolate look. The once crowded reception of the parlour now had just one customer reading through old magazines.
Then came Shrikanth in his life. He couldn’t argue with his sick mother for forcing him into a marriage that he would die to avoid.
He told her that " he was once engaged to a girl. They had just one month left for marriage when she eloped and got married to my best friend."

Lalitha is afraid of getting married again… getting hurt. Her business would pick up once she get married.
Soon after both become friendly & come close. In between Shrikanth went to US, for his mother's treatment. & deepa her ex returned in life., though she left her.
& In the end both Lalitha & Shrikanth fall in love & married with each other.

Second:- A Tulip in the Desert by Shrruti Patole Clarence.
This is the story of Charmaine who was the only child of the Rai’s and was independent.This was the first time in her entire academic life that she was reading the history of Cleopatra.electing to specialize in ancient Egyptian history in her final year.
It was when she was in her secondary school that her father was offered a transfer abroad. Being in the Agro and Horticulture industry and into research field, Amsterdam was the best option.
Raj had come into the college and entered her life as a whirlwind. He had completed his education in India and just like her, had the passion for Egyptology. His love for nature, peace, calm.

Raj and Charmaine were visibly restless through the entire briefing session and their eyes constantly reached out to explore the temple entrance.
The archeologist, Mr. McGregor, was busy looking at the map
Destiny always has definite plans for everyone and they get reveled at the right time. There is a divine purpose in everyone’s life but as human beings, we tend to deviate from His plans, getting over confident in our own abilities. We fail to realize that man derives his power from ‘this’ divinity itself. Then how can we be above those powers!’ ‘It is best to live and let live’ he thought.

Then events starts taking place in the chamber.Raj and Charmaine, hand in hand emerging out of the smoke. The sight was magical.
After tears and smiles, they got ready to leave the temple.
Charmaine had just fought over history together with Raj and they had returned victorious. She was happy in her present and was looking forward to a great future with Raj.

I LIKE THE WAY AUTHOR HAS ADDED HISTORICAL,FANTASY ELEMENTS IN THIS STORY & ADVENTURE ALSO.

Some Quotes from the book :-
“Destiny always has definite plans for everyone and they get reveled at the right time. There is a divine purpose in everyone’s life but as human beings, we tend to deviate from His plans, getting over confident in our own abilities....
From A Tulip in the Desert.”
― Shrruti Patole Clarence, Love, Again

“With the first line of Mehendi, she forgot her troubles and delved into the beautiful world of checkered patterns and intricate lines.”

“My story! Didn’t you know? I was the poor stupid groom who was jilted at the altar.”
These Lines of Mehendi”
“She found him handsome and attractive. There was something very comforting and reassuring about his deep voice”

Overall i found this book interesting & gripping .Both the stories are good.NICE READ.
I would give this book 4 stars to 'These Lines of Mehendi' by Sumeetha Manikandan
& 4.5 out of 5 stars to 'A Tulip in the Desert' by Shrruti Patole Clarence.

[Preethi Venugopala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love again,is a double header with two romance novellas.
These lines of Mehendi by Sumeetha Manikandan and A Tulip in the desert by Shrruti Patole Clarence.

Sumeetha takes you into the lives of Lalitha and Shrikanth who decides on a marriage of convenience. A very contemporary story that takes you through the struggles of heartbreak, betrayal and love in its purest form.

Shrruti tells you the tale of Raj and Charmaine who are united by their common love of Egyptology and something more than just love. A story that takes you through the story of the most enchanting beauty of all times, Cleopatra. There is mystery, love, fantasy and yes amazing Amsterdam and Egypt.

Verdict: An amazing read. Do pick up the book if you are a die-hard romantic. You won't be disappointed by this treat.

[Rubina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A ‘married woman’ is an auspicious creature as far as weddings are concerned. It doesn’t matter if her husband is greedy, selfish, foolish, retarded or if she herself was abused, beaten and miserable.”

And with this note “These Lines of Mehendi by Sumeetha Manikandan” opens the window to our hypocritical society. Have you ever seen the loneliness and desperation etched on the faces of the widows in the streets of Banaras? Young girls can lead a life of desolation and poverty, yet when they try to make something out of their lives, they are shunned by our society. But those same girls can be forced into a life of prostitution and warming the bed of the rich class without anyone pointing their fingers at the men. At that point of time when they are ‘touched’ ‘felt’ and ‘seen’, their inauspicious tags are not questioned by our society. And the saddest part is, we cannot always blame the men for this. Often it’s the woman who causes misery in another woman’s life.

The Story:

Lalitha is a widow. But her being a widow is not her only problem. She became a widow much before the actual death of her husband. Her husband was abusive and had an affair. She had left her husband just a few months after her marriage and years later she gets the news that he has committed suicide. While the reasons are not known to her, her well-settled life again representing the so-called set paradigm of our hypocritical society. Now she is no longer an abused wife but a widow, which according to our society is a fate by far much worse than being abused. Especially in the line of business, Lalitha was in. Brides would not consider having even her shadow as auspicious.

But fate intervenes and Shrikanth enters her life. A man colored by his past and now he wants only a marriage of convenience. Will the two be able to move on in life forms the nucleus of this short novella by Ms. Manikandan.

What I liked …

Ms. Manikandan has a very soft tone in regaling her stories. You can almost get the feeling of a bonfire night and be listening to tales. Even when the issues are serious, it’s not preachy and weaves in well as a background to the main love story.

Marriage is such a nerve wrecking institution. When you promise your Life to stay with a stranger without knowing where the road is leading to. As a woman, I never guessed how a man would feel, but Ms. Manikandan has brought out the man’s perspective beautifully. Shrikanth’s jitters, his nervousness, and that slight eagerness to see Lalitha are all showcased with the words the author has painted the scene with.

This story has an old movie charm. Innocence. A southern flavor that will make you instantly feel at home with all the characters in this novel – from Padma, the aunt to Geethamma. Ms. Manikandan has created a lovely feel at home kind of story. The voice used throughout is soft and pulls the reader into the love story of Lalitha and Srikanth. The SMS conversation between the two is heart touching.

You can read the full review here
http://www.rubinaramesh.com/2017/02/b...

[Charanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a simple, heartfelt book. For me, coming from a similar background and belonging to Chennai, I could relate to the places and the customs and Tamil words littered in the book and a huge part of the book's appeal to me was this ability to relate to the milieu.

The book never felt like a social commentary on how people look at remarriage, it just observes the everyday problem of a woman who is thrown in this unfortunate circumstance for no fault of hers. This is a marriage of convenience - for Shrikant he looks at this as a way to get his mother to accept her health treatment and for Lalitha it is a way to earn back her 'credibility' in the beauty parlor work. Lot of progress has been made to tackle discrimination against a widow, but the author choosing this line of work for her protagonist makes it a fair case to convey the prejudices that still exist. This unexpected marriage where both of them are still reeling from past deeds of mistrust dealt to them by their erstwhile significant others and the slow blossoming of relationship one that moves from that of an acquaintance, a friend to kinship, love and marital companionship is shown beautifully even for a book that is not enough pages. There's no real conflict, just a small set of misunderstandings which are easily overcome. I would have personally loved to read more about Shrikant and Lalitha but I am happy with what I got. The love based on trust and mutual respect lasts a long time

Looking forward to read other stories from the author - I enjoyed reading this one!

[Sundari Venkatraman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received the PDF version of this book via The Book Club in return for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for the same.

The book consists of two novellas by two authors. Let me deal with them separately.

THESE LINES OF MEHENDI by Sumeetha Manikandan (4-stars)

This is a story set in Chennai and is about Lalitha. The story opens with Lalitha rushing to Bangalore as Suresh, her husband of ten years had committed suicide. The wonder is that she had separated from him within a couple of months of marriage. Unfortunately for her, she had not bothered to divorce him. His death adorns her with the new title of “widow”. This brings her bridal services, at the beauty parlour she runs, to a standstill. How can a widow be employed to beautify brides-to-be?

Desperate to get her business back on its feet, Lalitha agrees to a strange marriage proposal of convenience, to the USA-based businessman Shrikanth. A sworn bachelor, he’s left with no choice but to get married when his mother puts him under pressure. She refuses to travel to the USA for her cancer treatment unless he gets married. And that is how Lalitha and Shrikanth tie the knot. You have to read the book to find out if their marriage works.

The story flows well and brings to the reader the flavours of Chennai as Sumeetha Manikandan takes you through the traditions and social norms unique to this area. The book has been written in crisp language and makes for an interesting read. I, for one, was keen to find out what happens to the protagonists and how they handle their marriage of convenience.

A couple of things that could have been better: Many instances and phrases have been repeated. This could have been avoided to make the book read better. A number of people with their names as Shrikala, Shrikant and Shrimati made it difficult to follow. If it was troublesome for the Tamil in me, it could be worse for people unfamiliar with the territory.

I would definitely recommend this book for lovers of romance.

A TULIP IN THE DESERT by Shrruti Patole Clarence (2-stars)

Charmaine lives with her parents and studies history at Amsterdam University. Her best friend is Ira. Raj who used to live in India, chooses to study the same subject at the same university. Whenever Charmaine reads about Cleopatra’s suicide, she feels herself transported to a different realm. Something resonates deeply within her. Coincidentally, Raj also feels the same on the subject. So the author takes the reader on a journey of discovery even as romance blooms between the two.

I was excited when I started reading this book. I have always been fascinated with the paranormal; anything and everything to do with reincarnation.

The first few chapters have been edited well enough to keep the readers hooked. But after that, the story meanders in many different directions. It goes back and forth in flashbacks, making it rather confusing. There’s no delineation between present and past, especially when Anuj suddenly pops in the picture I couldn’t quite understand where he fitted in the story. Then there are the roles played by Charmaine and Raj in the Cleopatra play at university. Their past life characters and the roles they play don’t match and hence pretty confounding. When the story goes in flashback to Cleopatra’s era, what I would have liked to see is the scenes unfolding in the author’s words instead of the history lesson that I got.

The author is new and this is her first work. She definitely has a good story to tell. With the right editor and guidance, this could have been made into a bestseller. I wish her better luck with her future works.

[Shree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note : A Review of this book is posted in my blog - Book And Ink

Love, Again is a double header book featuring two stories, both focusing on giving love a second chance.

The first story, These Lines of Mehendi is by Sumeetha Manikandan. The protagonist, Lalitha is a beautician who is seperated from her husband and eventually becomes a widow. Her parlor business takes a major hit when she is widowed. To revive her dying business, Lalitha has to marry again. Along comes Shrikanth who is forced to marry thanks to his ailing mother's ultimatum. Shrikanth and Lalitha agree to a matrimonial union as it nothing but a marriage of convenience. Eventually, they both find each other and give a second shot at love.

Sumeetha has done immense justice to Lalitha’s characterization and her struggle as a widow. Losing a husband as such is no easy, but being taunted and tormented by the society for that is appalling. The writing was crisp and fluidic delivering all intended emotions precisely. The story had enough twists and turns to keep the readers hooked.

The second story, A Tulip in the desert by Shrruti has an interesting supernatural element to it. The protagonist, Charmaine, is a student of history. She is unnaturally drawn towards Egyptian history and has psychometric visions. Raj, a fellow student storms into her life and also has these psychometric visions related to Egyptian history. They head to Egypt for a trip from their college only to get lost into the story of Cleopatra.

This story initially seemed a bit slow paced. The sequence of events simply seemed to drag on without a major interesting twist. Suddenly, the writer threw in the perfect twist in the form of Cleopatra and the Egyptian ruins, upping the momentum of the story by leaps and bounds. The supernatural twist along with its own story line kept me hooked to the book. The characterization was perfect while the writing lacked luster initially, but as the story progressed, I was totally absorbed.

MY SAY: A double whammy! Treat for romance and mystery lovers alike.

RATING: (as whole, though there are two stories)

PLOT: 9/10

NARRATION: 8/10

CHARACTERISATION: 8/10

BOREDOM QUOTIENT: 2/10

OVERALL RATING: 9/10

[Shonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

These lines of Mehendi Review

I'm not sure what exactly about this book that appealed to me but I really enjoyed the story. Dare I say it was poetic. Not really sure if others will find it poetic but the love story spoke to me as if it was a poem. So glad I chose this book to read. Can't wait to read another one from this author.

[Snehal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a simple story with a fiercely strong yet vulnerable protagonist, Lalita. Full review coming up on my blog Desi Lekh.

[Shivangi Rawat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lines of mehendi is a unique titile it is catchy. Cover suited title can say both title justified story at little extent but personally i feel both could be more better.
So protagonist of strory are lalitha and Shrikant. Lalitha was married but she was staying alone and away from her husband can say both were parted their ways after six months of their marriage, she was a strong woman and was a beautician and was excelling in her business and life till his husband didn’t suicide. After his death she broke down in many was as now she is been called Widow or untouchable type she is been traeted. On the other hand Shrikant was betrayed by his lover cum fiance who ditches her before 20 days their wedding and she does all this for shrikants best friend so he was betrayed from Deepa and his best friend. Both are assailed with their past. But circumstances were there through with both lalitha and Shrikant were married with terms n conditions. Shrikant called itMarriage of convenience! After months and later both develop love for each other but Deep’s entery made their life not easy to go.
So to know what is marrige of convenience is? What all a widow have to go through ? Is you are assailed and searchinngTrue meaning of love then i recommend you to please read this novella by sumeetha manikandan. Yes love can happen twice guys go for this beautiful woven true story of lalitha.

My Rating meter

Title – 3/5

Cover – 3/5

Blurb – 4/5

Character – 4/5

Story, narration and language – 4/5

Overall – 4/5

[Jheelkamal Nayak (word_muse_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella by Sumeetha Manikandan is hypnotic and deeply rooted in the hypocrisy of our society. Manikandan gently prodes the pretence that is ingrained in our minds in the name of marriage and comes out beautifully with this absolute delight. With strong characters and an equally strong yet vulnerable female protagonist as well as a gud premise, this book has all the correct ingredients to be loved by all romantic buffs like me. Lalitha, a beautician is in inner turmoil after she becomes a widow and is shunned from the society because she is now inauspicious. At the same time, Shrikanth is forced to marry because of his mother's deterioting health. So circumstances lead to both of them marrying for convenience. Can they move on from their respective pasts and fall in love again? This clichéd story still succeeded in making me smile and believe in happy endings. With her poem-like story telling, she kept me hooked to this book and made me complete it in one sitting.

[Divya Garg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was as Intriguing as it could have been, a fast paced read that I completed on the very day I started it.

Author has done a nice job in depicting the dilemma, the protagonist Geetha had, while struggling to strive in the conservative society or if it had been from turning a Sorry-Pair to the one it meant to be.

As an Independent woman, having conflicts in deciding "if it is right to get one's self bound by the sacred bounds of matrimony just to avoid a financial ruin", clearly depicts the story of so many women in the society who are capable enough though still bounded by the typical society norms.

Liked the descriptions, emails, message conversations and Imaginary, Sumeetha Manikandan has beautifully used to keep readers acquainted and glued to the Tamilian family. A quick paced, nice read that captures a girl journey resting her inner turmoil to the wonderful journey she embarks into.

[Lohitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I call it a love story.A simple beautiful love story of two beautiful souls whose trust was broken in the past.And the story is about how they get into marriage for each other's benefits and later realize the love they have for each other.The other point which the author has made is how people still believe that a widow is inauspicious.The narration is so simple and easy.The distance and time have made them fall for each other.The conversations which both of them share are really sweet.The way Shrikanth handles Lalitha when she shares her past is awesome.It shows his care and concern for her.The same with Lalitha, the way she takes care of his mother and shares his past is lovable.Happy endings are the best, they make us believe in love.You won't stop yourself from completing the book.Happy Reading.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I loved this book.
I love this author will read more books written by her.
I love stories set in India.

[A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In India, a woman's value is judged by the presence or absence of sindoor and mangalsutra on her.

A woman being auspicious or inauspicious is mainly based on presence or absence of a Husband in her life.

These Fine Lines of Mehendi deals with similar issue wherein, Lalitha's parlor business hangs by a thread after her estranged husband's demise. And people's sudden change in attitude puts her in dilemma of whether she should remarry or sell her business.

Sumeetha has covered all the fine points of a typical South Indian society's attitude, thinking and essence. Use of simple words, description of lives of characters makes an instant connection and a good read.

These Fine Lines of Mehendi is definitely a must read if you like a light read with a little bit of romance with typical South Indian tadka.

[Nikita Jhanglani · Rating 4 out of 5]

These lines of Mehendi is the story of Lalitha, recently widowed at the young age of 29 by the suicide of her estranged husband of ten years. To save the beauty parlor she runs with her aunt Padma, she enters into a marriage of convenience with Shrikanth. Lalitha has been hurt immensely in the past and isn't looking for love again, lest it becomes a thorn in her path again. The same holds true for Shrikanth.
I liked the story. It is a simple tale of love and betrayal. Without endlessly dragging things, Sumeetha has told a tale of overwhelming emotions with conviction. The characters of Shrikanth and Lalitha are beautifully written and stole my heart immediately.
The only glitch with this story is that Lalitha has been referred to so much in the pronoun. This ended up confusing me as the reader because very often the preceding line referred to some other female. And the next sentence addressed Lalitha in pronoun, sometimes making it difficult to understand who the author is talking about.
But other than this, I found the story to be simple, beautiful, well-written, and well-paced.
Coming to the next story, A Tulip in the Desert. This is the story of a group of universty student in Amsterdam staging a play on the lives of Queen Cleopatra and Marc Anthony. The story build up with startling revelations of their past as they gear up to play their parts. Full points to the author here for her imagination. I haven't read many books based on this idea, so this one was refreshingly welcomed. It is a well thought out story and decently paced.
Shruti has pretty much done justice to her ideas and thought process. The use of vocabulary is good. On her part, Shruti has also done her research on the lives of Cleopatra and Antony decently well.
In some places however, the transition from flashbacks to the present day isn't very clear. Also, in a lot of places Antony and Anthony have been used interchangeably, which is sort of wince-evoking.
Overall, though, I think Love, Again is a compilation of two heart-touching stories and if you are an out and out comfort book fan, you could try this one out.

[Enakshi J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Love, again” is a delightful read. The cover is picturesque, with all the dreamy colors and the title is self explanatory. The first story, “These lines of mehendi”, has been beautifully crafted but is predictable to a large extent. The narration is lucid, the expressions and dialogues give life to the characters. Lalitha is the protagonist opposite to Shrikant and both the characters balance each other pretty well. The content is grammatically correct. The author has successfully portrayed a character of a strong woman, whose husband, in some way, cuts the ground from under her feet, but still she learns to survive on her own. Overall, a delightful story!
The second story, “A tulip in the desert”, is different in the way that it includes the flavor of Egyptian history too. The author has done sufficient research on Cleopatra and the twists and turn of events in the story keep the reader’s attention intact. The descriptions are picturesque and the plot has adventure mixed with strong emotions. This is one filmic story which leaves the readers wanting for more (A hint for the author to try converting this into a full fledged novella). The author has created a perfect balance between the personalities of the protagonists making it, altogether, an interesting read.
Kudos to both the authors!

[Shalini (readingwithmuffy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review:
a. These Lines of Mehendi by Sumeetha Manikandan
Plot:
Lalitha, a self-sufficient woman is seperated from her husband Suresh for ten years, for reasons known to them. Suresh commits suicide leaving Lalitha a widow and thus dooming her business because in this superstitious society who will let a widow apply bridal mehendi to her daughters? Shrikanth enters her life in this stage. He who was betrayed by his childhood best friend just days before their wedding has contempt at the mere thought of wedding and marriage. But he is forced by his sick mother to marry and he agrees at her ultimatum. To save her dooming business Lalitha marries Shrikanth. Will they find love in this marriage of convenience? Why did his best friend re-enter his life?

b. A Tulip in the Desert by Shrruti Patole Clarence
Plot:
This story revolves around Charmaine and Raj who are pursuing their research in a university in Amsterdam. Charmaine is keen on Egyptian history and the history of Cleopatra. She gets psychometric visions whenever she reads about Cleopatra. She is transported back to another world altogether and she is all set to get to the bottom of it. As a part of their college trip, Charmaine, Raj and their friends head to Egypt where the mystery unfolds.

Read more at https://taleoftwotomatoes.wordpress.c...

[Ruchi Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Again is a collection of two romance novellas; 'These Lines Of Mehendi' by Sumeetha Manikandan and 'A Tulip in the Desert' by Shrruti Patole Clarence.

I have read and loved Sumeetha's 'The Perfect Groom', and I wasn't disappointed. She focuses on another core issue which Indian women face even today, and has spun a wonderful romance. The honest emotions into the lives of Lalitha and Shrikanthin touches one's heart.

'A Tulip in the Desert' is the story of Raj and Charmaine with a very unique and interesting twist around the story of beautiful queen Cleopatra. The story takes you to Amsterdam and Egypt and keeps one engrossed till the last page.

Both the stories are well edited and page turners. A highly recommended read.

[Smitha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise that Sumeetha creates- a beautician who suddenly becomes inauspicious when she is widowed. We feel with the protagonist as she asks herself, why she was acceptable when she was estranged from her husband for a decade, and no one had an issue. But having learnt of her husband's demise her parlour business is on the brink of closure.

Enter a convenient marriage, and a convenient husband. And then it is pure M&B. SMS, emails, a plotting servant, entry of the ex-flame, the ailing mother in law.

But a good read.

[Himani Goyal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is clubbed with two stories with different genre, but main motive is love. I enjoyed reading both the stories. Emotions, mystery, love, Adventure and History you will find in one book. A must read book



Full Book Review: http://www.himanipassion.com/book-rev...

[Sibelreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantic at heart

Loved it. Matter fact, love it so much that instead of going into the house to read the book, I just stayed in the car to finish. Story fills the romantic at heart.

[Paromita Goswami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely story of romance between two heartbroken souls. How they end up being each other's support and finally fall in love is very beautiful.

[himanshu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite expected story out of a movie...

Quite expected story out of a movie... interested fr those who dnt Hindu Brahmin traditions of d south.. 3 ouf of 5

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple quick read.

[Inderpreet Uppal · Rating 5 out of 5]

These Lines of Mehendi is a novella with a lot of spunk and substance. I have read Sumeetha’s earlier novel, The Perfect Groom and find that her stories always have a message, a depth and move you with not just the romance but relevance as well.

The story is of second chances and the fear to fail again. Both the Lalitha and Shrikanth have faced heart break and are least interested in marriage. That life finds them at a turn where marriage becomes their only solution is the crux of the book. The author has skillfully manipulated the story to reflect the reality of our times that a widow is ostracized for no fault of her. Her failed or bad marriage is no problem but being a widow lets all hell break loose.

Such double standards are the sad reality of our country. Till one is in the midst of it all the reality does not bother the average person. Shrikanth is a progressive, smart, handsome and caring person, perfect to ease all doubts that Lalitha has. He is a breadth of fresh air for her and she is the devoted, cultured, sweet lady, an ideal wife like his mother wanted for him. Only they initially fail to recognize it.

The book is a fast paced, sweet read and the conversations and messaging between Lalitha and Shrikanth were fun to read. The best part was that the distance brought them closer and the way they both found each other. The fun in the book is so endearing after they get married.

The twist in the story and the ending was so touching, I loved the validation that they both found with each other at the end of the story. The author brought them both together with finesse. I enjoy the book and the message it conveys so effortlessly.

Pick These Lines of Mehendi for a good book that is a charming, sentimental and engaging read.

I received a copy of the book from the author for editing/ proofreading. This is my honest opinion.

[Kavipriya Moorthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love, Again by Sumeetha and Shrruti
Received this book on behalf of the book club in exchange for an honest review.
First Impression – The blurb of the book was intriguing as it spoke about the decisions one makes in life. A double header book with two stories – one by sumeetha titled “These lines of Mehendi” and another by Shrruti titled “A tulip in the desert” I fell in the love with the titles immediately. Though the cover didn’t impress much, the stories did leap my expectation of just another love story to the one much more about reality and life. I should say that the book did live up to the expectations.
Overall Impression – “These lines of Mehendi” – starts off at a funeral and takes us to the life of Lalitha. The pain of a woman who wants to live her life on her own terms after surviving the trauma. It sure takes a lot to fall in love for the second time with someone who also had a previous hit in life, the pain is brought out beautifully. To get married for the second time where reasons are different than seeking solace with each other, is detailed well. A sure shot story which tears the mask of “Happily ever after”
“A tulip in the desert” – beautiful is an understatement. A common love for Egyptology is something totally new and the author has explored well with more of just love. It has elements of mystery, historical elements, adventure, etc..
Overall a very nice read!
What I loved about the book – 1) Stories beyond just love and happily ever after 2) Core element of the stories 3) Language – lucid and simple
Frown factors – 1) Editing could have been better 2) Diction was a let down, could have been much better 3) Pacing issues – slow at a few areas
Rating – 3/5

[Leela Pal Chaudhuri · Rating 3 out of 5]

These Lines of Mehendi was the perfect antidote to the cold-congested headachy mind and soul. A beautiful love story, naturally narrated, sweet, simple, short and savoury. Sumeetha as always, excels in love stories, especially the marriage of convenience kinds. Love the neat setting of contexts and the reality of age-old custom/superstitions clashing with 21st century situations, along with the concomitant ironies, especially evident in society's perception of women. More power to you Sumi!
N.B: If there is another edition, run through another round of copy-edit.

[Viswa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marriage of convenience is always an interesting plot when it comes to short novels. Having read "The perfect groom", I was looking forward for sumeetha's next tambhram novel. "These lines of mehandi" is a feel good book for a short read. As always the author had successfully captured the essence of tambhram culture along with mama-mami syllables. While the screenplay is nothing new and the climax is well expected, the narration and story telling is still fresh and provide good grip for the novel. After nithu, sure lalli will make a name for herself.

[Nilima · Rating 2 out of 5]

Presenting the Book Review of Love Again.This is a double header book, meaning two authors each contributing a story.Simple language and smooth flow. Beautiful description of places. They tie the knot on terms of marriage of convenience. Does that even work or exist? Read the story to find out.
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