Breaking Free

by Neha Nayak

After Noya calls off her wedding on the big day, she decides to travel. Alone. That's
when she notices Ranbir, who is insistently and coincidently touring the same places
that are on her itinerary.
She tries her best to avoid him – thinking him to be either someone sent by her parents
or a stalker – but whenever she falls into trouble during the journey, he is always there
for her. When they meet at her NGO opening ceremony in Goa, she realizes he isn't a
stalker after all.
With time, friendship blossoms and she learns he is about to get married. She also gets
to know that his bride-to-be is a money-loving imposter and wants to reveal her true
intentions. Ranbir is drawn towards Noya and confesses his feelings, but she has other
plans. As Ranbir invites Noya for a trek to the Himalayas, he wonders if this could be a
journey to their hearts.
Breaking Free is a cocktail of emotions, with the tanginess of love, care and friendship.

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2016

About the author

Neha Nayak is a human, dreamer, storyteller, writer, speaker, and an engineer. Currently, she works as a senior quality assurance manager in a prominent organization. She loves to engage her time in reading, travelling, watching movies, working for social causes and dreaming. She believes when you dream and do what you love, the best follows. ‘Breaking Free’ is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Archit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't see that end coming!

A story about a girl who doesn't want any baggage in her life.

Noya, a young girl with only one dream in her life - To live her life independently - Breaking Free

Ranbir, a mysterious guy who follows Noya everywhere. More than this nothing else could be said about him.

They meet accidentally when Noya decides to travel alone to devotional places to discover her true self and what her life means.

We get to see that Ranbir is not just another guy and that they will click sooner or later.
The drama and emotional tension the book stirred was commendable.

Unlike other love stories, like I previously thought it would be, it had something unique to speak about itself. The author has surprised me with her sense of humor and how intelligently she managed to write something out of box.

She provided a perfect combination of drama and entertainment to the readers. I can very well imagine her thinking about these characters and then penning down everything she got to know about them.

This book's preciseness attracted and impressed me a lot. Twist and turns it took since the beginning was entertaining and created the charm. Writing style is simple and to the point.

Verdict: A book that you can enjoy on a train ride.

Kudos to the writer for this book!

[Surabhi Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

She wants to live once again. She wants to know what life is all about. She wants to discover herself all over again. She desires to fly high. She desires to be happy again. She wants her life back. She wants to break free.

Breaking free is a story of a girl Noya, who is a happy-go-lucky girl. She is bold, full of life and live on her terms but fell for the wrong guy, who makes her believe that he loves her more than anything in this world. She fell for him head over heels and plan to tie the knot soon. The reality of the boy came in front of her just days before their wedding when the groom family demands dowry which compels her to call off her wedding on the wedding day itself. This turned her life upside down. The people who supposed to support her turned their back on her.

After a bad break-up, she went on a journey alone where she met Ranbir.

The author describes the issues and difficulties by young women faced and her dilemma. It is a tale of love and friendship. A journey of a young girl who just wants to be happy and live her life. It is a simple, quick and exciting read.

[Kosha Shah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breaking Free is all about a young independant girl Noya who refuses to accept whatever life throws at her and follow her own heart and intuition. Though the initial read seems like a bollywood movie but later part focuses on the realities of life. It reflects on one's conflict of heart and mind and to rise above all the challenges that one encounters in life. Noyas truth seeking journey of living a meaningful life and selfless love is truly captivating. The twist in the end adds flavour to the story.
Thank You Good reads and Thanks to the author for giving me the book as a giveaway.Thank You.

[Baishali Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts with the tour of Noya at different places so as to find some peace of mind.
Noya, decides to calls off her wedding on the day of the marriage and decides to travel on her own. During her journey, she meets a guy, Ranbir who seems to be present everywhere. Thinking Ranbir as a stalker or someone sent by her parents to keep an eye on her, Noya tries to avoid him. However, whenever she finds herself in trouble, Ranbir is always there to help her. Soon, Ranbir started to develop feelings for her, but, Noya has some different plans. She travelled the places which she wanted to visit and unfortunately, Ranbir was also present in the whole journey along with her. It is a beautiful story. And the climax will make you dumbstruck. It was an unexpected ending. But was truly amazing. Noya is a strong female protagonist and the author beautifully described her strength and weaknesses in the plot. To know more, just give it a shot. Read it . And I am sure you would definitely love the book.

overall it is a nice story.

rating- 4/5

[Ashima Jain · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having read the blurb, I expected more than what the book offers.
What could have been a heartfelt, well written story if treated right, has been overrun with issues.
For starters, before one can even step into the story's progression, there are multiple spelling/grammatical errors that chip into an enjoyable reading experience.
The author has tried to use overly creative expressions that seem forced. The language and writing style should have reflected the simplicity of the story.
Secondary and tertiary level characters are introduced into the plot but no outlines drawn to allow the reader to connect with any of them.
Noya's character specifically is sketchy and shifts constantly - ranging from utterly depressed to aggressive to extremely confident which is not in line with what she is portrayed as.
The story jumps from one scene to the next, almost as if the narrator (in this case the protagonist) is in a rush to get somewhere. The shift in scenes leaves a lot more to be desired.
While the book begins in the first person, towards the end it begins to alternate between the 1st and third person.
This was an extremely disappointing read.

Note - I received this review copy from Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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

The book will take your heart away.
I just loved the way author has written the book.Its like you are watching a Bollywood movie.
You will laugh, cry, scream, swoon.

The narration was flawless that will urge you to hooked the book till the end. The concept appeared to you so real that while reading the book you start imagining them in front of you. As a reader, I truly loved with the characters. The language was simple and crisp. Sometimes conversation between Ranbir and Noya will make you laugh loudly. Neha is one such writer who writes witty romance perfectly without losing the charm of emotions in her story.
As a reader, I wanted to read more.

This book is worth a read, which you will thoroughly enjoy reading it, if you want to know more about the story then do grab a copy of this book now.
I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Thumps up .

[Zita Szigeti · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was painful to read all the Indian stereotypes, like men want to marry only for the dowry, girl should not travel alone and always be aware of threatening men, etc. It's a mixture of stories. The main character is difficult to stand at the beginning and will not get much better. The storyline is confusing and doesn't make much sense. Characters fall into and out of love easily. I read it till the end to see if it will make sense, but it didn't. The end was disappointing. Also, there were lots of typos or errors in the book and the narrative voice suddenly changed towards the end.

[Ila Garg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breaking Free
By Neha Nayak
Review By Ila Garg

Breaking Free, a novel by Neha Nayak, is published by Srishti Publishers and Distributors. The cover is so apt which depicts a girl behind the wooden boundary, as if a she is a captive. With such an interesting cover, I was sure it would not disappoint me.

Neha Nayak is a young Indian writer who started her career as an engineer. After completing her graduation in an engineering domain, she discovered that she still has a passion for writing which forced her to become an author. Apart from being a story teller, a dreamer and a speaker, she currently works as a senior Quality Assurance manager in a Tata group organization.

Breaking Free is her literary debut.

Read the complete review here - http://www.ilagarg.com/2016/10/breaki...

[Santosh Nair · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for a quick read.

It seemed quite a nice story. The initial part which starts really fast flows great. But once the pilgrimage trip ends, the narrative goes getting slower. Felt like it was stretched a bit.

But nevertheless, it is a great read.

[Bookishgirlruchi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breaking free by Neha Nayak is a well written book in a very simple language... In the middle the story goes really slow but towards the end it catches well.. The end is not like a very happy ending.... The hero does not get the heroine in the end....

[Shubhashri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was confused a bit regarding ranbir's fiance. It was clearly mentioned that he was going to marry her. But later it turned out that it was his cousin. How come?

[Manogna · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful perspective with different story.

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breaking Free is the story of Noya, a simple girl who probably would not stand out in any way in a crowd. Yet there is something alluring about her that the readers will not be able to ignore.

Noya is a spirited girl who believes that sometimes in life one has to take the tough decisions in order to be happy. And keeping true to that belief, she makes a decision to call of her wedding on the wedding day! Taking her decision one step forward when the disproving people around her became a bit too much to handle, she embarks on a journey to travel alone in order to be able to start her life afresh. During her travels, she meets Ranbir who has more to him than first meets the eye. Where will her new life take her? Will her decisions serve her well or will they steer her wrong?

It is easy to connect with Noya. I liked her strong will and spirit but at the same time I felt that there were times when her decisions were more of a ‘giving up’ nature than standing ground on her beliefs. It is her flaws that made her more real to me than anything. I have seen brave and intelligent girls make mistakes like her and I am sure, I too have taken a misstep or two in my life. So, it makes Noya very relatable. And in the end it is her strength of character that pulls the story through. I enjoyed the chemistry between Ranbir and Noya even though it felt ‘too soon’ and sudden to me.

The author’s narrative style and language is simple. I would have preferred tighter editing in the book as there are few instances where the narrative loses rhythm. Overall though it has a sweet storyline that makes this a light and breezy read.



http://www.ddsreviews.in/2016/11/brea...

[Pankaj Goyal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breaking Free is the debut novel of Neha Nayak and belongs to contemporary romance genre. The central theme of the novel revolves around friendship and love. The book is a perfect mix of romance, humour and emotions. Though predictable at certain places, the book is small, light and easy to read. Writing is simple and the author has avoided wasting ink in writing lengthy descriptions. This book is what I would like to place in the category of ‘a simple travel read’. While you won’t find it amazing, the book is enjoyable enough to entertain you.

This is the story of Noya, who chooses to calls off her wedding on the day of the marriage and decides to travel on her own. On this journey, she meets Ranbir who seems to be present everywhere. Thinking Ranbir as a stalker or someone sent by her parents to keep an eye on her, Noya tries to avoid him. However, whenever she finds herself in trouble, Ranbir is always there to help her. Gradually a bond develops between them and they become friends soon. While Ranbir started to develop feelings for her, Noya has some different plans. What are these plans? Well! You will have to read the book to know the answer of this question. The only thing I can tell you that the ending of the book will surprise you. While reading the book, you will also get to know the internal conflicts of both Noya and Ranbir. These internal conflicts run parallel with the external conflicts of the main story-line and add a different beauty to the overall plot.

The character of Noya, one of the central leads of this novel, has been developed well. She is a strong female protagonist. However, she is not a one-dimensional character. By highlighting both strengths and weaknesses of Noya, the author has tried to make this character believable. In addition to the strengths of Noya, the worries, flaws and vulnerability of this character not only make this character convincing, but also make readers to develop a bond with her. The character of Noya also throws light on different shades of womanhood. The chemistry between Noya and Ranbir has also been portrayed adroitly. This chemistry takes the story forward smoothly. Though the story has been narrated mainly from Noya’s point of view, the inclusion of Ranbir’s point of view from time to time works well in the main story-line.

While the author has depicted both personal and situational conflicts in the story skillfully; the emotional scenes could have been improved though. Love stories are not just stories of love. On the other hand, these are also the stories about frustration, disillusionment, duplicity, healing, joy, and, ultimately hope. In other words, love represents a range of emotions and I think it is important to capture them all if you are writing a love story. Though we find these elements in the main story-line, these could have been certainly used more effectively.

Overall, it is a good read and will be liked by the readers who love to read contemporary romance.

Note: The review was originally posted on:
https://pgalmora.wordpress.com/2016/0...

[Dipanshu Rawal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story and plot.
The story revolves around the protagonist, Noya, who had called off her wedding and started travelling alone. This travel love of her is inspired from her mother. During her travel, she crosses a stranger Ranbir, quite a few times, whom she thought of a stalker first, and then of a random guy sent by her parents to keep an eye on her.

The story deals with the relationship of Noya and her journey. What happens when Ranbir and Noya become friends? What happens when their friendship blossomed? What happens when Ranbir started planning his future? How does Noya react to this?

You have to read the novel to get these answers, and, to witness an unconventional love story!

Review.

It's admirable how the book starts with a resemblance of movie 'Jab we met' and paced fast. Soon, the story changes its pace and reader finds some calm. There were few instances, very few, when a reader may find the story off track, but all this is worth a read.

Noya, the protagonist, is characterized well. Neha did a commendable job, by not portraying a perfect Noya. She wrote an imperfect, and strong Noya. This part is appreciable.

The vocabulary used by the author was not extra ordinary, but it was apt, which is a star point. The way Neha described the scenes is also worth reading.

The story is a sweet and unconventional one, and is a cocktail of emotions. This book is an entertaining one time read.

Book Cover and title.

On the cover, there's a girl in a Pink dress ready to set herself free, which reciprocates the title 'BREAKING FREE.'

Book cover is simple, yet catchy, like, the title. Both of these totally justify the story. All points to them.

Kudos to the author, Neha Nayak, for writing this journey of emotions and Srishti Publishers, for publishing this as a novel. Way to go, Ms. Writer!

[Himanshika Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

About the story-
The story revolves around Noya who has experienced heartbreak. To relieve herself from the memories of her past, she decides to go on a pilgrimage trip. Throughout her trip, she meets a guy named Ranbir, whom she thinks to be a stalker. Slowly and steadily, their friendship comes back on track and experiences many ups and downs as well.

Writing and Language-
The editing of the book is very poor. Initially, the story has been expressed in the first form, but later on, it turns to be in the third form. There are many grammatical errors. The authoress has to work on her expressive skills as well. The language is no different.

Title and cover-
The title of the book is interesting and has done justice to the story as well. The cover also catches the attention of the readers.

Pros-
• The story is sweet and simple.
• The language used is simple and understandable.

Cons-
• The editing is poor.
• The authoress needs to work on her writing skills as well.

My verdict-
The story is sweet and simple. Language is understandable. Many times, it goes offbeat. The story seems too fast somewhere. Initially, it resembles the Bollywod movie Jab We Met. But, as it progresses, it has its own twists and turns.

[Archana Chari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breaking free: Cute

This is a 2.5 rating just FYI.

The heart-broken protagonist gets stranded along her way and our enigmatic hero protects and helps the damsel in distress many a times. Through the journey the guy makes a lot of assumptions about Noya even though he has just met her and repeatedly accuses her of jumping to conclusions. After just a few encounters he has already asked her to change her in some quirks of hers. He takes responsibility for her in every turn even though it is not needed in all the situations.

The clichéd story line and the expected turn of events can be excused when the narration is entertaining and the English is decent. The author has expressed her favoritism for Ranbir Kapoor and Sophie Kinsella through this book. The character establishment could have been taken in a rather different route but nevertheless it was enjoyable for a light read. A good debut novel for an upcoming writer. I hope the author takes a different road from the usual pure chic-lit next time.

P.S : Thanks to Goodreads giveaway team and the author for the book

[Kavita · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is about Noya an independent girl looking to find herself by going on a trip alone. The story mainly talks about how people start as strangers and eventually become friends. A guy who helps her out of every odd situation and the one she starts trusting much later. Although I feel in real life it’s difficult to find right people in wrong situations these days. I didn't like the end as i felt it could have been better.
The characters are well defined, and they look real as they too have flaws and are not perfect. They don't sound too good, too perfect to be true kind.

For detailed review please click on the link below:
http://kavisthoughts.blogspot.in/2017...

[Rishit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this book from the author
to review.
Its the story of Noya who calls
off her wedding on the big day and decides to travel alone! In the journey, she meets Ranbir and there friendship starts and slowly becomes much more!
This book's really a cocktail of
emotions! The narration is very soothing!
This is a very decent love story! It gives you the lesson of never giving up in life!
It untimately tells that Life have something good for everyone or morever as the book says, "Life is more than
what we see"!

[Mayank Agasti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. The story revolves around Noya, Prakrit and Ranbir. Everyone has unique characteristics and I hope there will be a sequel to it as the ending was superb.

[Rahul Soni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good one time read. Has a realistic approach to love! Very different from other stories

[Karan Bajaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as a gift from a friend and I finished it in one go. Loved it! Different story. Recommended!

[Vitasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

[Sarthak Sovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read! Different story unlike the common tales around.

[Sonia Sony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got as a giveaway. Its a different story. Read it if you like unique tales and not the usual romantic must must far from reality tales.

[neha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completely Incomplete

Story was amazing... But it seems incomplete.. Although in real life there are many stories remain incomplete but in it is completely incomplete.. Actually there is no end... Is there 2nd part of this book? If there is kindly convey