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Double or Quits
Racy, realistic and fast paced, Double or Quits traces Jyotsna Singh’s story against the backdrop of the treacherous stock markets.
Losing her father at the age of 12 and brought up under frugal circumstances, Jyotsna grows up too soon. Nervy and edgy by nature, she morphs into a confident and charming young woman with a successful career in Investment Banking.
Enter Aryan Sahani, rising corporate star and billionaire who wraps Jyotsna in his charms, but has plans of his own. Driven by her loyalty to the firm, a desire to break out of her lower middle class moorings and misplaced love, Jyotsna overreaches. She is soon faced with the dark side of the stock markets – a world where ambition, greed and fear rule and reputations are lost a lot faster than they are built.
Will Jyotsna be able to resurrect her life? Will she find the true love she has been craving? Double or Quits is a tale of love, betrayal and courage. It is a tale about falling down, but not staying down.
Shilpa Gupta is a graduate of IIT Roorkee and IIM Ahmedabad. After 13 successful years in Investment Banking, she now pursues her passion for writing, painting and travelling. Double or Quits is Shilpa’s second novel.
Losing her father at the age of 12 and brought up under frugal circumstances, Jyotsna grows up too soon. Nervy and edgy by nature, she morphs into a confident and charming young woman with a successful career in Investment Banking.
Enter Aryan Sahani, rising corporate star and billionaire who wraps Jyotsna in his charms, but has plans of his own. Driven by her loyalty to the firm, a desire to break out of her lower middle class moorings and misplaced love, Jyotsna overreaches. She is soon faced with the dark side of the stock markets – a world where ambition, greed and fear rule and reputations are lost a lot faster than they are built.
Will Jyotsna be able to resurrect her life? Will she find the true love she has been craving? Double or Quits is a tale of love, betrayal and courage. It is a tale about falling down, but not staying down.
Shilpa Gupta is a graduate of IIT Roorkee and IIM Ahmedabad. After 13 successful years in Investment Banking, she now pursues her passion for writing, painting and travelling. Double or Quits is Shilpa’s second novel.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2016
1 person is currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Shilpa Gupta
23 books10 followersA chemical engineer from IIT Roorkee, Shilpa Gupta holds a post-graduate degree in management from IIM Ahmedabad. After working as an investment banker for thirteen years in Mumbai, she relocated to Pune in 2007 and quit her corporate career a couple of years later to take care of her two growing boys, Aditya and Ritwik. Apart from mathematics and finance, her interests lie in meditation, writing, painting and travel. Shilpa is married to Sriram, her batch mate from IIT Roorkee. While she has many published financial research papers to her credit, 'Ananya:a bittersweet journey' marks her debut into the world of fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 1, 2017
Shilpa Gupta's Double or quits was a fast-paced, exciting yet emotional read. The way Jyotsna's character is portrayed is commendable. She is a strong female protagonist with a hard past who makes a name for herself. The book begins with an interesting narrative. Being a female in today's corporate world isn't easy when people demean your ideas based on gender. Enter Mr Aryan Sahani, the charismatic billionaire who is kinda sexist as Jyotsna believes which isn't the truth as we soon find out.
The thing I didn't like about this book was Aryan and Jyotsna's relationship, it might be a major moving point for the plot, but I found it lacking in that emotional connect. Individually, I was impressed with both the characters, but together, they just didn't make much sense to me.
This is book is about betrayal and failures in life, that much is evident from the blurb and while I loved the way it was executed, knowing what was about to happen killed the surprising element, and I wasn't awed by any twists.
Yet I loved reading about how she handled the situation and picked herself up from rock-bottom. That struggle was an inspiration. You can do anything if you just put your mind to it. The friendship bonding of Jyotsna with her girl friends was another enjoyable element. The writing style of the book is quite simple and elegant. It presents the hard stock market terms and explains it in simplistic terms so that the readers can easily understand it. The real story (for me) was towards the end. Everything Jyotsna had experienced, every hardship had molded her and made her stronger. Also, Nitin, I won't talk much about him but he was my favorite throughout the book.
Another thing I totally loved about this book is that it was so easy to connect with the story because of the realistic approach.
The thing I didn't like about this book was Aryan and Jyotsna's relationship, it might be a major moving point for the plot, but I found it lacking in that emotional connect. Individually, I was impressed with both the characters, but together, they just didn't make much sense to me.
This is book is about betrayal and failures in life, that much is evident from the blurb and while I loved the way it was executed, knowing what was about to happen killed the surprising element, and I wasn't awed by any twists.
Yet I loved reading about how she handled the situation and picked herself up from rock-bottom. That struggle was an inspiration. You can do anything if you just put your mind to it. The friendship bonding of Jyotsna with her girl friends was another enjoyable element. The writing style of the book is quite simple and elegant. It presents the hard stock market terms and explains it in simplistic terms so that the readers can easily understand it. The real story (for me) was towards the end. Everything Jyotsna had experienced, every hardship had molded her and made her stronger. Also, Nitin, I won't talk much about him but he was my favorite throughout the book.
Another thing I totally loved about this book is that it was so easy to connect with the story because of the realistic approach.
January 4, 2017
Racy, realistic and fast paced, as the book blurb states, is exactly what you can expect Shilpa Gupta's Double or Quits to be like.
After the first book Ananya, Shilpa didn't fail to impress readers with this one too.
The business terms explained in the book is in the layman's language, which makes it connecting to the masses and easily readable to the people with non-finance background.
The story is all about the lead character Jyotsna and her story about how she made it into the money world despite facing odds in her childhood. This party is a motivational bit to inspire people keep making efforts come what may.
The character of Jyotsna, deserves appreciation. The way Shilpa penned it down, is commendable. In general, the characterization of the individuals of Double or Quits is wonderfully done.
The plot is well woven with the brilliant narration by Shilpa. The language used is easy to connect and this makes the story relate-able to the masses working in the finance field.
The book has components of wit, romance, thrill and emotions. The fast pace makes the reader hook to the story and a page turner.
The book blurb and the book title is intriguing and creates suspense. The book cover is a plus to all this.
For complete review, visit this link- http://dipanshuwrites.blogspot.in/201...
After the first book Ananya, Shilpa didn't fail to impress readers with this one too.
The business terms explained in the book is in the layman's language, which makes it connecting to the masses and easily readable to the people with non-finance background.
The story is all about the lead character Jyotsna and her story about how she made it into the money world despite facing odds in her childhood. This party is a motivational bit to inspire people keep making efforts come what may.
The character of Jyotsna, deserves appreciation. The way Shilpa penned it down, is commendable. In general, the characterization of the individuals of Double or Quits is wonderfully done.
The plot is well woven with the brilliant narration by Shilpa. The language used is easy to connect and this makes the story relate-able to the masses working in the finance field.
The book has components of wit, romance, thrill and emotions. The fast pace makes the reader hook to the story and a page turner.
The book blurb and the book title is intriguing and creates suspense. The book cover is a plus to all this.
For complete review, visit this link- http://dipanshuwrites.blogspot.in/201...
January 4, 2017
Story in a nutshell:
Jyotsna has had a difficult childhood. The death of her father gave birth to many hardships for her mother. It is because of these hardships that Jyotsna decided to study hard and find a terrific job. She fulfilled her dream of becoming big by landing up in an investment banking firm. Enter Aryan Sahani - The guy who sweeps Jyotsna off her feet. She falls in love with Aryan only to be betrayed. Why and how did he betray her? What price does Jyotsna has to pay as a result of this? Will she trust in love again?
Review:
Double or Quits is a kind of novel that will keep you hooked onto it until the very last page. It is interesting and inspiring.
The story primarily revolves around Jyotsna, the protagonist. She is am ambitious girl. You'll instantly like her for the qualities she possesses. She stays with her mother and granny who are equally adorable. Her friends, Sanchita and Richa are sweethearts. They are Jyotsna's pillar of support. I envy Jyotsna for having friends like them. Aryan, at first, seems to be a prince charming. But it is darling Nitin who will steal your hearts.
The plot is well crafted. It is different from those traditional monotonic love stories. The narration has been done in third person narrative. It has been done really well. The language is lucid. I came across a few new words here and there but they were easily comprehensible. The incidents have been rightly placed. The overall reading experience is great.
Likes:
Jyotsna's ambitious nature and her never-give-up attitude.
Jyotsna's truthfulness.
Sanchita and Richa - her friends.
Jyotsna's entrepreneurship journey.
I rate:
Cover: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Overall, I rate 'Double or Quits' with 4/5 stars.
Jyotsna has had a difficult childhood. The death of her father gave birth to many hardships for her mother. It is because of these hardships that Jyotsna decided to study hard and find a terrific job. She fulfilled her dream of becoming big by landing up in an investment banking firm. Enter Aryan Sahani - The guy who sweeps Jyotsna off her feet. She falls in love with Aryan only to be betrayed. Why and how did he betray her? What price does Jyotsna has to pay as a result of this? Will she trust in love again?
Review:
Double or Quits is a kind of novel that will keep you hooked onto it until the very last page. It is interesting and inspiring.
The story primarily revolves around Jyotsna, the protagonist. She is am ambitious girl. You'll instantly like her for the qualities she possesses. She stays with her mother and granny who are equally adorable. Her friends, Sanchita and Richa are sweethearts. They are Jyotsna's pillar of support. I envy Jyotsna for having friends like them. Aryan, at first, seems to be a prince charming. But it is darling Nitin who will steal your hearts.
The plot is well crafted. It is different from those traditional monotonic love stories. The narration has been done in third person narrative. It has been done really well. The language is lucid. I came across a few new words here and there but they were easily comprehensible. The incidents have been rightly placed. The overall reading experience is great.
Likes:
Jyotsna's ambitious nature and her never-give-up attitude.
Jyotsna's truthfulness.
Sanchita and Richa - her friends.
Jyotsna's entrepreneurship journey.
I rate:
Cover: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Overall, I rate 'Double or Quits' with 4/5 stars.
February 20, 2017
Jyotsna Singh, an efficient and ambitious Investment Banker falls for Aryan Sahani while chasing an IPO Mandate. The man makes her dive into the abysmal depths of her suppressed emotions and makes her have blind faith in love.
But a love with lies at its foundation crumple doing putting Jyotsna's personal and professional life in jeopardy. Her world crumbles before her and she is left alone but then even the worst of all happens, will she have the courage to fight her way out and rise against all odds? Read Double or Quits to find out.
The book has a direct start regarding Jyotsna's corporate life instead of beating around the bush with her back story , as the story proceeds, we come to know who she is and what she was to figure out her background.
The blurb had made me think that the book is just another tale of love and betrayal but I will happily state that it's not the same. It has more, a lot more. A woman against all odds and how she overcomes the blames, the shame, the situations and in the end rises above all to be on her legs comprises more or less the central story.
The book is written in satisfactory and easy english and though the corporate talk can be some bit of a headache for those not associated with it, it's quite well explained by the author in order to make a layman not ponder over it for long.
It's a woman centric plot and will be well accepted among women.
The blurb does not do justice to the content of the book for the book has way much more give than its blurb. This is one book I would like people to not judge by its blurb.
I recommend it to woman whp have ever suffered emotional breakdown both in regards with their career or love-life. Its surely inspirational and something one would cherish for sometime after reading.
Ratings- 4 out of 5 stars
The only thing that was off about the book was its title. Despite being a really beautiful title . I wish the author had explained it in the plot a bit more rather than few statements from the protagonist.
The author has kept the plot real and crisp without sugarcoating the reality of today's world and I am sure that the readers will surely appreciate that.
Reviewe By- Banaja Prakashini
But a love with lies at its foundation crumple doing putting Jyotsna's personal and professional life in jeopardy. Her world crumbles before her and she is left alone but then even the worst of all happens, will she have the courage to fight her way out and rise against all odds? Read Double or Quits to find out.
The book has a direct start regarding Jyotsna's corporate life instead of beating around the bush with her back story , as the story proceeds, we come to know who she is and what she was to figure out her background.
The blurb had made me think that the book is just another tale of love and betrayal but I will happily state that it's not the same. It has more, a lot more. A woman against all odds and how she overcomes the blames, the shame, the situations and in the end rises above all to be on her legs comprises more or less the central story.
The book is written in satisfactory and easy english and though the corporate talk can be some bit of a headache for those not associated with it, it's quite well explained by the author in order to make a layman not ponder over it for long.
It's a woman centric plot and will be well accepted among women.
The blurb does not do justice to the content of the book for the book has way much more give than its blurb. This is one book I would like people to not judge by its blurb.
I recommend it to woman whp have ever suffered emotional breakdown both in regards with their career or love-life. Its surely inspirational and something one would cherish for sometime after reading.
Ratings- 4 out of 5 stars
The only thing that was off about the book was its title. Despite being a really beautiful title . I wish the author had explained it in the plot a bit more rather than few statements from the protagonist.
The author has kept the plot real and crisp without sugarcoating the reality of today's world and I am sure that the readers will surely appreciate that.
Reviewe By- Banaja Prakashini
May 18, 2017
Having read the debut novel by the author I was eager to read the second book by the author and I must say that I am not disappointed through this book one gets a peek a boo of what happens behind the glittery doors of investment banking. I love how the author has given a true picture of the hot shot corporate jobs and the corporate life.
BLURB
Racy, realistic and fast paced, Double or Quits traces Jyotsna Singh’s story against the backdrop of the treacherous stock markets.
Losing her father at the age of 12 and brought up under frugal circumstances, Jyotsna grows up too soon. Nervy and edgy by nature, she morphs into a confident and charming young woman with a successful career in Investment Banking.
Enter Aryan Sahani, rising corporate star and billionaire who wraps Jyotsna in his charms, but has plans of his own. Driven by her loyalty to the firm, a desire to break out of her lower middle class moorings and misplaced love, Jyotsna overreaches. She is soon faced with the dark side of the stock markets – a world where ambition, greed and fear rule and reputations are lost a lot faster than they are built.
Will Jyotsna be able to resurrect her life? Will she find the true love she has been craving? Double or Quits is a tale of love, betrayal and courage. It is a tale about falling down, but not staying down.
HIGHLIGHTS
• The biggest factor why I loved this book is the reality quotient. I loved the way the story flowed. The best part is the start which is to the point related to Jo’s career and not beating around the bush talking about background.
• I loved how the book has talked about gender discrimination how the office politics work. Moreover, I liked how the author has elaborated on the notions of misplaced love, something that I think happens to everyone (blame the Yashraj movies: P). At times I did feel like knocking some sense into Jyotsna but of course one is blind during that time of infatuation.
• I loved how the author has characterized the female protagonist as a woman of substance someone who is bold, brave and courageous. A no nonsense women who won’t accept defeat under adverse circumstances instead will rise against all odds. The fact that she on her own came up with ideas was like a cherry on top of the cake.
• While reading the struggle of Jyotsna I was reminded of the lyrics of this song.
“जोदी तोर डाक सुने केउ ना आसे, तोबे एकला चलो रे,
तोबे एकला चलो, एकला चलो, एकला चलो, एकला चलो रे]
• The writing style of the author is lucid, sharp and easy to understand. Love the way the story has unfolded.
• A must read book
• RATING: 4.5/5
BLURB
Racy, realistic and fast paced, Double or Quits traces Jyotsna Singh’s story against the backdrop of the treacherous stock markets.
Losing her father at the age of 12 and brought up under frugal circumstances, Jyotsna grows up too soon. Nervy and edgy by nature, she morphs into a confident and charming young woman with a successful career in Investment Banking.
Enter Aryan Sahani, rising corporate star and billionaire who wraps Jyotsna in his charms, but has plans of his own. Driven by her loyalty to the firm, a desire to break out of her lower middle class moorings and misplaced love, Jyotsna overreaches. She is soon faced with the dark side of the stock markets – a world where ambition, greed and fear rule and reputations are lost a lot faster than they are built.
Will Jyotsna be able to resurrect her life? Will she find the true love she has been craving? Double or Quits is a tale of love, betrayal and courage. It is a tale about falling down, but not staying down.
HIGHLIGHTS
• The biggest factor why I loved this book is the reality quotient. I loved the way the story flowed. The best part is the start which is to the point related to Jo’s career and not beating around the bush talking about background.
• I loved how the book has talked about gender discrimination how the office politics work. Moreover, I liked how the author has elaborated on the notions of misplaced love, something that I think happens to everyone (blame the Yashraj movies: P). At times I did feel like knocking some sense into Jyotsna but of course one is blind during that time of infatuation.
• I loved how the author has characterized the female protagonist as a woman of substance someone who is bold, brave and courageous. A no nonsense women who won’t accept defeat under adverse circumstances instead will rise against all odds. The fact that she on her own came up with ideas was like a cherry on top of the cake.
• While reading the struggle of Jyotsna I was reminded of the lyrics of this song.
“जोदी तोर डाक सुने केउ ना आसे, तोबे एकला चलो रे,
तोबे एकला चलो, एकला चलो, एकला चलो, एकला चलो रे]
• The writing style of the author is lucid, sharp and easy to understand. Love the way the story has unfolded.
• A must read book
• RATING: 4.5/5
April 7, 2023
One word. DISAPPOINTING.
There was so much wasted potential in this story.
To begin with the main character, Jyotsna Singh who is written as a successful, strong, independent & financially stable woman who got conned seems so unbelievable to me. And who cons her you ask? Her "boyfriend" Aryan Sahani 🤦♀️ Air quotes because their relationship was literally non existent.
They meet, he insults her, questions her intelligence and work ethic, bullies her into changing the numbers to fit his agenda, then asks to spend time with her, she agrees thinking it would benefit her company, realizes that its not a business related meeting, still spends time with him and says oh we have so much in common.. let me fall in love with this dickhead because our interests match 😒 He persuades her to go to Jakarta with him for work but turns it into a mini vacation in Bali somehow. They have sex there and I'm like.. did he even make you orgasm gurl? You are literally being manipulated right now and you don't realize it? How? He gets what he wants, numbers in his favor and then immediately starts ignoring her. It takes her ONE WHOLE YEAR to realize that he played her 🙄 really? You threw out your years of experience, doubted yourself and went against your better judgement for a man? Come on, the dick can't be that good.
There was no depth to any of the characters in the story. The conversations didn't go above surface level chit-chat. Which IMO is important to any story so that I as a reader can figure out what the characters are like based on their interactions and dialogue with each other. I couldn't even picture the characters in my head because their was no proper description for their appearance.
The story doesn't even get interesting until Jyotsna goes to jail but that's like 200 pages in after you've already wasted your time reading more than half of the story that was full of financial mumbo jumbo fillers and boring insignificant details.
I would have liked to read more about Aryan's trail. I would have loved to see him all broke, getting karma, going to jail instead of Jyotsna, I wish Jyotsna had gotten the justice she deserved in the end. I did like the changes she made as an inmate in jail, helping to make their living situation better, etc. She did have somewhat of a character development in the end but it felt just incomplete.
There was so much wasted potential in this story.
To begin with the main character, Jyotsna Singh who is written as a successful, strong, independent & financially stable woman who got conned seems so unbelievable to me. And who cons her you ask? Her "boyfriend" Aryan Sahani 🤦♀️ Air quotes because their relationship was literally non existent.
They meet, he insults her, questions her intelligence and work ethic, bullies her into changing the numbers to fit his agenda, then asks to spend time with her, she agrees thinking it would benefit her company, realizes that its not a business related meeting, still spends time with him and says oh we have so much in common.. let me fall in love with this dickhead because our interests match 😒 He persuades her to go to Jakarta with him for work but turns it into a mini vacation in Bali somehow. They have sex there and I'm like.. did he even make you orgasm gurl? You are literally being manipulated right now and you don't realize it? How? He gets what he wants, numbers in his favor and then immediately starts ignoring her. It takes her ONE WHOLE YEAR to realize that he played her 🙄 really? You threw out your years of experience, doubted yourself and went against your better judgement for a man? Come on, the dick can't be that good.
There was no depth to any of the characters in the story. The conversations didn't go above surface level chit-chat. Which IMO is important to any story so that I as a reader can figure out what the characters are like based on their interactions and dialogue with each other. I couldn't even picture the characters in my head because their was no proper description for their appearance.
The story doesn't even get interesting until Jyotsna goes to jail but that's like 200 pages in after you've already wasted your time reading more than half of the story that was full of financial mumbo jumbo fillers and boring insignificant details.
I would have liked to read more about Aryan's trail. I would have loved to see him all broke, getting karma, going to jail instead of Jyotsna, I wish Jyotsna had gotten the justice she deserved in the end. I did like the changes she made as an inmate in jail, helping to make their living situation better, etc. She did have somewhat of a character development in the end but it felt just incomplete.
July 17, 2018
THIS BOOK IS A GEM! This is the first book ever that I have finished in less than 24 hours just because I didn't want to put it down. Honestly, I bought this book only because it was on discount on kindle and it had fairly good reviews on Goodreads. I usually read thriller and mystery novels and wanted to try something different for a change, and what a change it has been! I went in blind with this book, not knowing what it was about and was pleasantly surprised.
All the characters are so well written and the narrative is so simple, yet captivating at the same time. The author explained some terms like IPO, investment banker, stock market etc. without making it feel like an economy lecture, even people who don't have any idea about these terms will be able to easily understand them and enjoy the story. While reading the book, it felt like I was there the whole time, feeling what the main character (Jyotsna) was feeling and going through everything that she was going through. I don't want to give any spoilers but seriously you need to read the book to understand what I am saying.
Even when I knew the book was coming to an end, I didn't want it to finish and wanted to continue being a part of the epic journey of Jyotsna and all the other characters. But like they say, all good things must come to an end, and so did this book.
In the end, I would just say that Shilpa Gupta is a master storyteller and deserves much more recognition and praise for her work. Although I found her purely by chance, I'm glad that I did. I just want to quote one line from the book that, I don't know why, stuck with me even after I finished reading it-
"I had ruled these corridors too long to walk them now in shame"
All the characters are so well written and the narrative is so simple, yet captivating at the same time. The author explained some terms like IPO, investment banker, stock market etc. without making it feel like an economy lecture, even people who don't have any idea about these terms will be able to easily understand them and enjoy the story. While reading the book, it felt like I was there the whole time, feeling what the main character (Jyotsna) was feeling and going through everything that she was going through. I don't want to give any spoilers but seriously you need to read the book to understand what I am saying.
Even when I knew the book was coming to an end, I didn't want it to finish and wanted to continue being a part of the epic journey of Jyotsna and all the other characters. But like they say, all good things must come to an end, and so did this book.
In the end, I would just say that Shilpa Gupta is a master storyteller and deserves much more recognition and praise for her work. Although I found her purely by chance, I'm glad that I did. I just want to quote one line from the book that, I don't know why, stuck with me even after I finished reading it-
"I had ruled these corridors too long to walk them now in shame"
January 26, 2017
This book narrates the motivating journey of Jyotsna Singh, an ambitious young girl who sets out to ‘bring the world to her feet.’
Shilpa Gupta aptly begins the first chapter with an element of suspense, as to what would be the outcome of Jyotsna’s analysis of Sahani Hospitals.
Jyotsna’s days at the IIM, time with her two friends, Richa and Sanchita, stress at campus interviews, and her placement at Clifford and Morrison’s, all have been dealt with in a fairly engaging tone.
The story goes on to describe the heights to which Jo (Jyotsna) reaches by means of sheer hard work and dedication. Jo is keen on winning the Sahani Hospitals mandate not only for a boost to her appraisal and bonus, but also because the rival company were the ones who had denied placement to our lady. She ends up with the mandate and presumably Mr. Aryan Sahani in her pocket. This paves the way for a turning point in her life. Things happen unexpectedly and Jo’s life turns into a conflict zone. She comes to realize too late that people are not who they seem to be. Friends turn out to be foes and help comes from unexpected quarters. The heights to which she has reached makes her fall even more unbearable. One comes to know the depths to which people can sink just to come up in the business world.
Drawing strength from her mother’s words, Jo turns her negative experiences into surprising positive ones. What remains to be seen is how Jyotsna transforms herself from a busy executive’s life to that of a true human being. Overall, a simple and inspiring read.
Shilpa Gupta aptly begins the first chapter with an element of suspense, as to what would be the outcome of Jyotsna’s analysis of Sahani Hospitals.
Jyotsna’s days at the IIM, time with her two friends, Richa and Sanchita, stress at campus interviews, and her placement at Clifford and Morrison’s, all have been dealt with in a fairly engaging tone.
The story goes on to describe the heights to which Jo (Jyotsna) reaches by means of sheer hard work and dedication. Jo is keen on winning the Sahani Hospitals mandate not only for a boost to her appraisal and bonus, but also because the rival company were the ones who had denied placement to our lady. She ends up with the mandate and presumably Mr. Aryan Sahani in her pocket. This paves the way for a turning point in her life. Things happen unexpectedly and Jo’s life turns into a conflict zone. She comes to realize too late that people are not who they seem to be. Friends turn out to be foes and help comes from unexpected quarters. The heights to which she has reached makes her fall even more unbearable. One comes to know the depths to which people can sink just to come up in the business world.
Drawing strength from her mother’s words, Jo turns her negative experiences into surprising positive ones. What remains to be seen is how Jyotsna transforms herself from a busy executive’s life to that of a true human being. Overall, a simple and inspiring read.
January 16, 2024
This book has been sitting on my Kindle for years, and I stumbled upon it while looking for something else. A couple of hours later, all I had was regret- regret because I didn't read it earlier.
The story is set in the cut throat world of investment banking. Jyotsna Singh is confident, intelligent, hardworking and ambitious. She wants the eight figure bonus, she wants to be respected as a top research analyst- and she is willing to put in the effort to reach where she wants to be.
When she is allows the promoter of a company to persuade her to change the valuation in order to secure the mandate, she has little idea of the highs and lows that it will lead to in both the professional and the personal front.
The book is set in the gritty and cut throat world of investment banking, and the author who is from the sector herself does an extremely competent job of describing what goes on behind the scenes. Without sermonising, she touches upon the casual sexism which women face in the corporate world, and how they just have to work doubly hard to prove themselves. What really appeals are the description of the relationships and friendships- each is so true to form.
I loved the book and would love to read it again for the first time!
Full disclosure: Shilpa Gupta and I are batchmates, and we both worked in the world of investment banking which the book is set in. My review, however, isn't prejudiced, because familiarity would have made me more critical, if the book hadn't got it right.
The story is set in the cut throat world of investment banking. Jyotsna Singh is confident, intelligent, hardworking and ambitious. She wants the eight figure bonus, she wants to be respected as a top research analyst- and she is willing to put in the effort to reach where she wants to be.
When she is allows the promoter of a company to persuade her to change the valuation in order to secure the mandate, she has little idea of the highs and lows that it will lead to in both the professional and the personal front.
The book is set in the gritty and cut throat world of investment banking, and the author who is from the sector herself does an extremely competent job of describing what goes on behind the scenes. Without sermonising, she touches upon the casual sexism which women face in the corporate world, and how they just have to work doubly hard to prove themselves. What really appeals are the description of the relationships and friendships- each is so true to form.
I loved the book and would love to read it again for the first time!
Full disclosure: Shilpa Gupta and I are batchmates, and we both worked in the world of investment banking which the book is set in. My review, however, isn't prejudiced, because familiarity would have made me more critical, if the book hadn't got it right.
January 5, 2017
There are some books which WOW you from the moment you read the first few pages to when you have read the last page and closed the book. There are some books you enjoy reading, and then forget about within days. There are some books that disappoint you within the first few pages and you're like, I'm closing it and relegating it to the trash right now.
Double or Quits falls on the better side of the spectrum.
I wanted to read this book. Despite a lot of things which went wrong in the execution, I wanted to read the book and was eager to finish it. And I did.
This is one of those books which gets some things right and some wrong.
To begin with, Double or Quits is a story with great potential but faulty execution.
The things this novel, set in the cut-throat corporate world, gets right:
1. I liked Jyotsna a lot. She's my kinda gal- smart, strong, independent, tough and a go-getter. She's secure enough in her own worth as a person and doesn't need a man to validate her; but at the same time she knows how to appreciate genuine admiration when it comes her way. I also liked that she's liberated and puts her career first; and isn't a pushover whom society and family can manipulate into submission.
2. I liked Jyo's broadminded mother and Grandma. Amazing women- what wouldn't one give to have such supportive, understanding and liberal parent and grandparent!
3. I like the profusion of good food in this book.
4. I loved Nitin's character too. He's my kinda male feminist. The way he stands with Jyo through the most difficult phases of her life is amazing. And of course, he's well rounded as a person- smart, driven, intelligent, successful and good looking.
5. I liked how Jyo, despite being in a situation where she had to bear punishment for mistakes she didn't make, makes the most of it, works her way through and comes through with flying colors. This is good characterization- putting your character through the meat grinder, testing their resilience and then making them rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
6. The corporate world has been explained very well. I'm a scientist by profession, and have little or no idea of corporate world or terms, but Shilpa, having more than a decade's experience in Investment Banking herself, breaks down the world of major corporations for us, nicely depicting the high stakes, the politics and backstabbing and the adrenaline rush. It made it easier to understand the story.
7. The plot is original and the story line is new and refreshing. No romantic nonsense. The suspense has been maintained well throughout.
8. Aryan's character, as well as those of the other supporting characters, have been etched well.
9. I liked Sanchita and Richa's characters- supportive girlfriends women like Jyo need for much needed encouragement and support- and the equation of trust, love and bonhomie the three women share.
Now let me come to what this novel gets wrong:
1. More telling and very less showing. This makes it difficult to visualize the scenes properly, or immerse myself completely in the story. There is narration instead of proper scenes. I mean I know that the protagonists are having dinner or making love or engaged in a high-power corporate meeting, but there is no context, no emotional intelligence in the scene. The author, instead of zooming in on the scenes to help us connect with the story, has rather skimmed through, jumping from one scene to another within the same chapter and giving us only a glimpse. I wanted a lot of scenes.
2. The language fails to move me. Some stray lines and phrases stand out in brilliance, but otherwise the prose is clunky and refuses to flow. It's not that the language is pedestrian, or I was expecting a very high level of English. But it could still have been better- more taut and crisp. There are no grammatical mistakes as such, but still, something was missing here.
3. The start could have been better. When I start reading something I want to see something major happening, something which already makes me apprehensive about what will happen next. That was missing here. For example, the build up could have been in a way that the protagonist has a presentation whose outcome is important for her, and she's apprehensive about how it will go.
4. Jyotsna's character does things very anachronistic to her personality, at times. Why does she go out on a date with Aryan the same evening he humiliates her in front of her colleagues? Why does she trust him so blindly with regard to business when she only has an affair with him? And Aryan keeps repeatedly insulting her and she still keeps going out with him. He continues to be evasive and secretive and she blindly continues to trust him. She goes on a vacation to Malaysia with him when they've barely started dating, and even sleeps with him without first knowing him well. All these are at sharp odds with her high self-esteem, cautious nature and low threshold for sexist crap. Why would she tolerate a sexist who constantly subjects her to gaslighting? I mean we all do stuff which is out of character, but this is just not done.
5. Does anyone say 'Gosh' much these days?
6. At places the author goes too overboard with corporate jargon. Now I understand that being a corporate woman herself, she has the instinct to talk in terms of Investment Banking and such. But that is where authors who create stories set in the world they themselves inhabit should be careful- to use enough technical terms to paint a credible picture of the character's profession, but not go overboard so non-corporate people find it boring.
All in all, I praise Double and Quits for its maturity, originality of content, and that it doesn't waste time with over-the-top romantic drama. This book has a lot of important things to say, and at places it does that very well. At other places, though, it could have been written better. The author can do so much better- she shows promise and potential.
But I would still like to applaud this novel for making a difference, and for encapsulating the messages of women's emancipation that it does.
Double or Quits falls on the better side of the spectrum.
I wanted to read this book. Despite a lot of things which went wrong in the execution, I wanted to read the book and was eager to finish it. And I did.
This is one of those books which gets some things right and some wrong.
To begin with, Double or Quits is a story with great potential but faulty execution.
The things this novel, set in the cut-throat corporate world, gets right:
1. I liked Jyotsna a lot. She's my kinda gal- smart, strong, independent, tough and a go-getter. She's secure enough in her own worth as a person and doesn't need a man to validate her; but at the same time she knows how to appreciate genuine admiration when it comes her way. I also liked that she's liberated and puts her career first; and isn't a pushover whom society and family can manipulate into submission.
2. I liked Jyo's broadminded mother and Grandma. Amazing women- what wouldn't one give to have such supportive, understanding and liberal parent and grandparent!
3. I like the profusion of good food in this book.
4. I loved Nitin's character too. He's my kinda male feminist. The way he stands with Jyo through the most difficult phases of her life is amazing. And of course, he's well rounded as a person- smart, driven, intelligent, successful and good looking.
5. I liked how Jyo, despite being in a situation where she had to bear punishment for mistakes she didn't make, makes the most of it, works her way through and comes through with flying colors. This is good characterization- putting your character through the meat grinder, testing their resilience and then making them rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
6. The corporate world has been explained very well. I'm a scientist by profession, and have little or no idea of corporate world or terms, but Shilpa, having more than a decade's experience in Investment Banking herself, breaks down the world of major corporations for us, nicely depicting the high stakes, the politics and backstabbing and the adrenaline rush. It made it easier to understand the story.
7. The plot is original and the story line is new and refreshing. No romantic nonsense. The suspense has been maintained well throughout.
8. Aryan's character, as well as those of the other supporting characters, have been etched well.
9. I liked Sanchita and Richa's characters- supportive girlfriends women like Jyo need for much needed encouragement and support- and the equation of trust, love and bonhomie the three women share.
Now let me come to what this novel gets wrong:
1. More telling and very less showing. This makes it difficult to visualize the scenes properly, or immerse myself completely in the story. There is narration instead of proper scenes. I mean I know that the protagonists are having dinner or making love or engaged in a high-power corporate meeting, but there is no context, no emotional intelligence in the scene. The author, instead of zooming in on the scenes to help us connect with the story, has rather skimmed through, jumping from one scene to another within the same chapter and giving us only a glimpse. I wanted a lot of scenes.
2. The language fails to move me. Some stray lines and phrases stand out in brilliance, but otherwise the prose is clunky and refuses to flow. It's not that the language is pedestrian, or I was expecting a very high level of English. But it could still have been better- more taut and crisp. There are no grammatical mistakes as such, but still, something was missing here.
3. The start could have been better. When I start reading something I want to see something major happening, something which already makes me apprehensive about what will happen next. That was missing here. For example, the build up could have been in a way that the protagonist has a presentation whose outcome is important for her, and she's apprehensive about how it will go.
4. Jyotsna's character does things very anachronistic to her personality, at times. Why does she go out on a date with Aryan the same evening he humiliates her in front of her colleagues? Why does she trust him so blindly with regard to business when she only has an affair with him? And Aryan keeps repeatedly insulting her and she still keeps going out with him. He continues to be evasive and secretive and she blindly continues to trust him. She goes on a vacation to Malaysia with him when they've barely started dating, and even sleeps with him without first knowing him well. All these are at sharp odds with her high self-esteem, cautious nature and low threshold for sexist crap. Why would she tolerate a sexist who constantly subjects her to gaslighting? I mean we all do stuff which is out of character, but this is just not done.
5. Does anyone say 'Gosh' much these days?
6. At places the author goes too overboard with corporate jargon. Now I understand that being a corporate woman herself, she has the instinct to talk in terms of Investment Banking and such. But that is where authors who create stories set in the world they themselves inhabit should be careful- to use enough technical terms to paint a credible picture of the character's profession, but not go overboard so non-corporate people find it boring.
All in all, I praise Double and Quits for its maturity, originality of content, and that it doesn't waste time with over-the-top romantic drama. This book has a lot of important things to say, and at places it does that very well. At other places, though, it could have been written better. The author can do so much better- she shows promise and potential.
But I would still like to applaud this novel for making a difference, and for encapsulating the messages of women's emancipation that it does.
January 20, 2017
Double or Quits by Shilpa Gupta is a story based on a woman's life who had struggled hard enough to reach at the heights investment banking. An ace in her work, Jyotsna Singh falls for Aryan Sahani, whose ambitious attire win her heart.
She become vulnerable and willingly gives him the right to toy with her heart which he readily does.
When the wrong decisions taken in blind faith threaten her career she realises her mistake and is filled with regret.
That's what the story is, the story of a woman breaking and the same woman gathering her broken pieces and standing on her own feet again.
5 out of 5 stars from my side.
A satisfactorily written book along with a well-woven plot.
The book would serve a really good purpose of inspiring women who are struggling in their lives.
She become vulnerable and willingly gives him the right to toy with her heart which he readily does.
When the wrong decisions taken in blind faith threaten her career she realises her mistake and is filled with regret.
That's what the story is, the story of a woman breaking and the same woman gathering her broken pieces and standing on her own feet again.
5 out of 5 stars from my side.
A satisfactorily written book along with a well-woven plot.
The book would serve a really good purpose of inspiring women who are struggling in their lives.
May 14, 2017
A fast paced, exhilarating story. A true picture of how cut throat and political things do get in corporate world. Really enjoyed reading this book.
January 8, 2017
Double or Quits by Shilpa Gupta is an inspiring novel. It is full of motivation and messages. The characters are the mouthpiece of the author and the way she conveys their thoughts is remarkable. The cover of the book surely mesmerize the readers. The color scheme is just apt. The title surely matches the view points shared in the book. We get to know this at the end of the novel.
Read full review on : https://captivatingmode.wordpress.com...
Read full review on : https://captivatingmode.wordpress.com...
January 5, 2017
Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: Jaico Publishing House; Latest edition (21 November 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 8184959656
ISBN-13: 978-8184959659
Blurb of the entire book :
Racy, realistic and fast paced, Double or Quits traces Jyotsna Singh’s story against the backdrop of the treacherous stock markets. Losing her father at the age of 12 and brought up under frugal circumstances, Jyotsna grows up too soon. Nervy and edgy by nature, she morphs into a confident and charming young woman with a successful career in Investment Banking. Enter Aryan Sahani, rising corporate star and billionaire who wraps Jyotsna in his charms, but has plans of his own. Driven by her loyalty to the firm, a desire to break out of her lower middle class moorings and misplaced love, Jyotsna overreaches. She is soon faced with the dark side of the stock markets – a world where ambition, greed and fear rule and reputations are lost a lot faster than they are built. Will Jyotsna be able to resurrect her life? Will she find the true love she has been craving? Double or Quits is a tale of love, betrayal and courage. It is a tale about falling down, but not staying down.
My take on the book :
The plot construction is so appealing and empowering .It involves around Jyotsana ,a sensible women .She shapes her life in her own terms and conditions .She stands out as an inspiration to many girls from both the corporate and non corporate sector .She is a solid personality.Every ice has a breaking point and Jyotsana too has such a scenario when she falls for the charismatic Aryan Sahani .The dark side of the sector is portrayed well enough for the general category .The writing style is neat and sharp .Book cover illustrates about the setting were the entire story takes place .Some of the pages are quite unreal .And the overuse of the technical terms were a bit boring for me as I am totally novel to the arena .Secondary characters are used well enough .Each scenes are well knitted and beautifully penned by the writer .Some pages are quite motivating .Has all the elements to become a movie since the usual filmy scenes in Bollywood movies can be witnessed here .When feminism is taken as the main theme by the topmost bestseller male writers nowadays ,it's heartwarming to get a book written by a female herself and that has helped to show the exact countenance a women undergoes through such failures .
About the author :
Shilpa Gupta is a graduate of IIT Roorkee and IIM Ahmedabad. After 13 successful years in Investment Banking, she now pursues her passion for writing, painting and travelling. Double or Quits is Shilpa’s second novel.
Publisher: Jaico Publishing House; Latest edition (21 November 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 8184959656
ISBN-13: 978-8184959659
Blurb of the entire book :
Racy, realistic and fast paced, Double or Quits traces Jyotsna Singh’s story against the backdrop of the treacherous stock markets. Losing her father at the age of 12 and brought up under frugal circumstances, Jyotsna grows up too soon. Nervy and edgy by nature, she morphs into a confident and charming young woman with a successful career in Investment Banking. Enter Aryan Sahani, rising corporate star and billionaire who wraps Jyotsna in his charms, but has plans of his own. Driven by her loyalty to the firm, a desire to break out of her lower middle class moorings and misplaced love, Jyotsna overreaches. She is soon faced with the dark side of the stock markets – a world where ambition, greed and fear rule and reputations are lost a lot faster than they are built. Will Jyotsna be able to resurrect her life? Will she find the true love she has been craving? Double or Quits is a tale of love, betrayal and courage. It is a tale about falling down, but not staying down.
My take on the book :
The plot construction is so appealing and empowering .It involves around Jyotsana ,a sensible women .She shapes her life in her own terms and conditions .She stands out as an inspiration to many girls from both the corporate and non corporate sector .She is a solid personality.Every ice has a breaking point and Jyotsana too has such a scenario when she falls for the charismatic Aryan Sahani .The dark side of the sector is portrayed well enough for the general category .The writing style is neat and sharp .Book cover illustrates about the setting were the entire story takes place .Some of the pages are quite unreal .And the overuse of the technical terms were a bit boring for me as I am totally novel to the arena .Secondary characters are used well enough .Each scenes are well knitted and beautifully penned by the writer .Some pages are quite motivating .Has all the elements to become a movie since the usual filmy scenes in Bollywood movies can be witnessed here .When feminism is taken as the main theme by the topmost bestseller male writers nowadays ,it's heartwarming to get a book written by a female herself and that has helped to show the exact countenance a women undergoes through such failures .
About the author :
Shilpa Gupta is a graduate of IIT Roorkee and IIM Ahmedabad. After 13 successful years in Investment Banking, she now pursues her passion for writing, painting and travelling. Double or Quits is Shilpa’s second novel.
December 25, 2016
“Double Or Quits” by Shilpa Gupta is one of those books which will be loved by every people no matter which age group they belong to. Reading the blurb gave me slight hint that the book holds story of betrayal and be an emotional read. The cover of the book was designed well according to the theme and plot. The title of the book was captivating too. The story all over revolves around the life of a girl Jyotsna. From her student life to her professional life. The book contains stories of IIM journey too. The story begins with Jyotsna meeting with Mr. Aryan Sahani who was promoter of Sahani hospitals. Jyotsna along with Nitin Mehta was assigned for this project. Nitin Mehta was batch mate of Jyotsna at IIM and now both of them joined Clifford and Morrison company. This was the start of Jyotsna and Aryan meeting.The official meeting turned into friendship and then love blossomed. Jyotsna’s had a small family consisting of her mother and grand mother only. They both lived in Delhi whereas Jyotsna lived in Mumbai. Jyotsna had two best friends Sanchita and Richa who were with her since college days. While reading the first page, honestly I could not understand what is IPO? But in the later chapters while Jyotsna was explaining her mother about IPO, even I understood it. I personally loved every character in the book except few.(Let those few names be the secret). Jyotsna had to struggle a lot in her life. She has to face the worst side of life. She had gone through those days when other person would have decided to end up her life but Jyotsna was a strong girl who did not give up. All the good people around Jyotsna were extremely good. I feel Jyotsna would feel blessed when she had full support of those few people in her life even during the mess. Jyotsna life was full of up’s and downs. But once she decided to start something and she surely did along with her friends. Overall,the author has done a brilliant job. The author had very well maintained the suspense and being a reader one cannot guess. Even the book hold parts of stock market and some technical words, the book doesn’t bore you at all. It was easy to understand. I even loved the writing style of the author. The book had various emotions in it and was an emotional and enjoyable read. I would love to read other books of the author.
January 17, 2017
Review- Double or Quits is brilliant novel by Shilpa Gupta. With her second book, Shilpa serves us inspiring story of Jyotsna and his encounter with love.
Book Cover and Title- Book Cover is appropriate with the content. However, it could be made more attractive. Title is appropriate with the book and creates suspense. Blurb is interesting and attracts readers.
Language and Narration- Language of the book is lucid and rich in vocabulary. Narration is decent and is done in third person narrative. Dialogs are crisp and short. However, there are some editing errors in the book which could be improved in the next edition.
Characterization- I loved the character Jyotsna. She is strong, successful in her filed and is an independent girl with hard past. I liked the way Shilpa narrates about her past and as a reader, it makes me feel her character and thus the actions she takes in the later part of the book.
Aryan Sahani is a charming billionaire with whom Jyotsna falls in love. Other characters are also sketched beautifully.
It was fun to read about Jyotsna's friends.
Theme- This book covers several theme with Love and Will to fight against odd being the main theme. This book also covers betrayal, dark side of corporate sector and beautiful friendship between the characters.
Storyline and Plot- Storyline of the book is interesting with lots of twists and turns throughout the book to keep readers interested in the book. All the scenes are rightly places with exiting and fast paced story.
Plot construction is commendable. Shilpa beautifully merges the relatable characters and the story.
It was fun to read about the friendship between Jyotsna and her friends. The way Nitin supported her, it truly touched my heart. The way Jyotsna carried her from the bottom was surely inspiring.
Rating- 5/5
Overall, Doubles or Quits is an interesting yet inspiring story of Love and betrayal which serves us a beautiful and relatable character with intriguing plot.
Book Cover and Title- Book Cover is appropriate with the content. However, it could be made more attractive. Title is appropriate with the book and creates suspense. Blurb is interesting and attracts readers.
Language and Narration- Language of the book is lucid and rich in vocabulary. Narration is decent and is done in third person narrative. Dialogs are crisp and short. However, there are some editing errors in the book which could be improved in the next edition.
Characterization- I loved the character Jyotsna. She is strong, successful in her filed and is an independent girl with hard past. I liked the way Shilpa narrates about her past and as a reader, it makes me feel her character and thus the actions she takes in the later part of the book.
Aryan Sahani is a charming billionaire with whom Jyotsna falls in love. Other characters are also sketched beautifully.
It was fun to read about Jyotsna's friends.
Theme- This book covers several theme with Love and Will to fight against odd being the main theme. This book also covers betrayal, dark side of corporate sector and beautiful friendship between the characters.
Storyline and Plot- Storyline of the book is interesting with lots of twists and turns throughout the book to keep readers interested in the book. All the scenes are rightly places with exiting and fast paced story.
Plot construction is commendable. Shilpa beautifully merges the relatable characters and the story.
It was fun to read about the friendship between Jyotsna and her friends. The way Nitin supported her, it truly touched my heart. The way Jyotsna carried her from the bottom was surely inspiring.
Rating- 5/5
Overall, Doubles or Quits is an interesting yet inspiring story of Love and betrayal which serves us a beautiful and relatable character with intriguing plot.
January 10, 2017
The first ever corporate story that did not bore me a tiny bit, I avoid book based on corporate background because the terms and tactics are something that isn't easy for me to fathom. However 'Double or Quits' came just not as an exception but I understood too, the terminology and the working of market. So, I express the gratitude towards Author for making it easy for the readers like me.
The story is of Jyotsna Singh, a young, ambitious girl who rises even after the early predicament of life. She is a graduate of IIT and IIM-A, pursuing a successful career in investment banking. Everything was going smooth; Jyotsna the top analyst of country bagging each opportunity steadily and Sahani Hospital’s IPO was just another opportunity for her. It will ensure her a hefty bonus at the yearend so she starts messing things here and there like overvaluing the share in order to bag the mandate. Thus she successfully wins the mandate but loose her heart to Aryan Sahani, the head of Sahani Hospitals. From here she starts declining step by step ignoring her work ethics for her love. It didn’t take time for to realize the mess she was in but it was late for her to fight. The overvalued share starts taking dip and trips to the mere price result in a huge loss of investors. Jyotsna was charged for the insiders trading and jailed too.
Well her love never came to help instead it was her friends, Richa, Sanchita and Nitin who stood by her at the time of crisis. They provided each possible help to her like friends do. To know what happens ahead please read the book. I suggest this book to all reading this review. It will for sure help you understand market and life of business freaks.
The story is of Jyotsna Singh, a young, ambitious girl who rises even after the early predicament of life. She is a graduate of IIT and IIM-A, pursuing a successful career in investment banking. Everything was going smooth; Jyotsna the top analyst of country bagging each opportunity steadily and Sahani Hospital’s IPO was just another opportunity for her. It will ensure her a hefty bonus at the yearend so she starts messing things here and there like overvaluing the share in order to bag the mandate. Thus she successfully wins the mandate but loose her heart to Aryan Sahani, the head of Sahani Hospitals. From here she starts declining step by step ignoring her work ethics for her love. It didn’t take time for to realize the mess she was in but it was late for her to fight. The overvalued share starts taking dip and trips to the mere price result in a huge loss of investors. Jyotsna was charged for the insiders trading and jailed too.
Well her love never came to help instead it was her friends, Richa, Sanchita and Nitin who stood by her at the time of crisis. They provided each possible help to her like friends do. To know what happens ahead please read the book. I suggest this book to all reading this review. It will for sure help you understand market and life of business freaks.
January 10, 2017
About the story
The story revolves around Jyotsna and her courageous nature through which she conquered the money market. Despite encountering extreme odds in her childhood, she didn’t give up, and her determination is the only thing that inspires readers not to give up even if the odds are not in the favor.
Writing & Narration
The way narration has been done is appreciable. The characterization is amazing, and the plot has been wonderfully woven. The language is up-to-the-mark. The authoress has described everything in a simple language so that nobody would have to face hassle while delving into the story.
Title & Cover
The title, as well as the cover, is totally appropriate as far as the plot is concerned.
Pros
• Inspires readers
• Simple yet intriguing language
Cons
• Plot is quite fast
My verdict
This book is an amalgamation of romance, emotions, suspense, and thrill. There are not many drawbacks that this book would hold. So, if you are someone who likes to read different emotions in one single book, then go for it.
The story revolves around Jyotsna and her courageous nature through which she conquered the money market. Despite encountering extreme odds in her childhood, she didn’t give up, and her determination is the only thing that inspires readers not to give up even if the odds are not in the favor.
Writing & Narration
The way narration has been done is appreciable. The characterization is amazing, and the plot has been wonderfully woven. The language is up-to-the-mark. The authoress has described everything in a simple language so that nobody would have to face hassle while delving into the story.
Title & Cover
The title, as well as the cover, is totally appropriate as far as the plot is concerned.
Pros
• Inspires readers
• Simple yet intriguing language
Cons
• Plot is quite fast
My verdict
This book is an amalgamation of romance, emotions, suspense, and thrill. There are not many drawbacks that this book would hold. So, if you are someone who likes to read different emotions in one single book, then go for it.
January 9, 2017
Read full review here: https://thereandtheir.com/2017/01/09/...
Double or Quits is a quite fast paced book with an excellent story line and even better characterizations. While each part of the book is great, it was the characterization that took the cake.
The protagonist Jyotsna is a strong, independent and an intelligent woman with the world at her feet. Her fighting spirit sees her out of hell and all through the story you find yourself rooting for her. She, and the other characters, are so real and relatable that they feel like the people you meet regularly.
It is not just Jyotsna, but her relationship with the women and men around her give the story its fun element. The story covers elements from Jyotsna's past to the present, to show the readers why she is the way she is, this was an excellent move! As a reader, after reading about her past, I could empathise with her as well as understand why she made a certain mistake that she did.
Double or Quits is a quite fast paced book with an excellent story line and even better characterizations. While each part of the book is great, it was the characterization that took the cake.
The protagonist Jyotsna is a strong, independent and an intelligent woman with the world at her feet. Her fighting spirit sees her out of hell and all through the story you find yourself rooting for her. She, and the other characters, are so real and relatable that they feel like the people you meet regularly.
It is not just Jyotsna, but her relationship with the women and men around her give the story its fun element. The story covers elements from Jyotsna's past to the present, to show the readers why she is the way she is, this was an excellent move! As a reader, after reading about her past, I could empathise with her as well as understand why she made a certain mistake that she did.
January 8, 2017
a gripping and fast paced story with amazing character sketches and outstanding plots. strongly recommended
here's the review http://creativevibes.org/2017/01/07/d...
here's the review http://creativevibes.org/2017/01/07/d...
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