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Foursome
Tara Narang is freshly divorced.
Arpita Bhatia is a clichéd South-Delhi daughter-in-law.
Upasana Qazi is in a live-in relationship.
Sana Chopra is a serial dater.
The gossip-driven friendship of these four women is truly tested, when over the course of a fateful evening, catastrophic secrets are revealed that makes them question how well they really know each other!
Their lives are now twisted and intertwined in ways that they never imagined!
Can these women piece their lives back together and become a true Foursome?
Arpita Bhatia is a clichéd South-Delhi daughter-in-law.
Upasana Qazi is in a live-in relationship.
Sana Chopra is a serial dater.
The gossip-driven friendship of these four women is truly tested, when over the course of a fateful evening, catastrophic secrets are revealed that makes them question how well they really know each other!
Their lives are now twisted and intertwined in ways that they never imagined!
Can these women piece their lives back together and become a true Foursome?
252 pages, Paperback
Published December 4, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 31, 2017
So, Foursome begins on a day when 4 best friends, who have been hiding a secret from each other until then, meet to mourn the end of Tara's marriage. Sana, Upasana and Arpita, who have gathered to console Tara, find that there is not one, but four whirlpools that they are currently caught in the midst of. The journey from this to untangling of all the tangles in the lives is what comprises the plot line of Foursome.
Foursome is a tale of dysfunctional relationships that we see around ourselves every day and about friendship. I was, by self-admission, a teenager/young adult who stuck to the boring routine and shied away from adventure. So naturally, some of the incidents in the book made me laugh/giggle embarrassingly/smile/grin - basically show all variety of reactions that we associate with memories with our sorority sisters and girl pals from adolescents. The language is simple, crisp and dotted with reference from Indian pop culture, something that I haven't read in a while. It is not pedantic or preachy and doesn't intend to enlighten the reader on issues that it incorporates into its plot line. For example, one of the plot lines talks about a couple trapped in a marriage where one of the partners is gay. I particularly liked how the story highlights the point that a portion of cruelty that one of the partners inflicts on the other is also a projection of that individual's own frustration. Also, how, unknowingly we choose a security blanket in our lives, something that becomes our anchor in the tough times, like when the Ken from our dreams is busy chasing his Ken, and not everything is rosy an blooming in our Barbie's dollhouse.
The plotline progresses fast, one development to another. Some of the plot twists, I sort of guessed them coming while some, I was pleasantly surprised with. Of the 4 parallel plots, I enjoyed 2 of them completely, in other words, checking all the boxes on my list. I really liked Tara's story, from beginning to the end. With Arpita's story, I loved the end, quite different from my expectation in spite of the first half which felt a little predictable. Upasana's and Sana's story left me wanting a bit more, partly because I felt that their stories/characters had the most potential. That is something that left me a bit unsatisfied I would say. I wanted a bit more from these stories than it developed in the book. It makes me wish that the book that slowed down a little in pace, diving a bit more into their lives. A couple of times I wished there were several narrators in the book because I wanted a peek into a character's mind, one them Tara's, from whose point of view the events have been narrated. So, if I have to summarise, I would say that it is breezy, fluid piece of fiction that fun-filled, cheerful and a delight to read but ended a little too soon early for my complete gratification. I finished the book in a marathon reading session, which goes to show that there is plenty of action happening in the book, even if one of the characters was, at that moment, was not blooming as per my expectation. It did, however, make me want to meet my besties, hug them tightly and go on a vacation with them. Most certainly recommended, when stuck in a long layover, or on a wintery afternoon when you are miles away from your girlfriends and are sorely missing them.
Foursome is a tale of dysfunctional relationships that we see around ourselves every day and about friendship. I was, by self-admission, a teenager/young adult who stuck to the boring routine and shied away from adventure. So naturally, some of the incidents in the book made me laugh/giggle embarrassingly/smile/grin - basically show all variety of reactions that we associate with memories with our sorority sisters and girl pals from adolescents. The language is simple, crisp and dotted with reference from Indian pop culture, something that I haven't read in a while. It is not pedantic or preachy and doesn't intend to enlighten the reader on issues that it incorporates into its plot line. For example, one of the plot lines talks about a couple trapped in a marriage where one of the partners is gay. I particularly liked how the story highlights the point that a portion of cruelty that one of the partners inflicts on the other is also a projection of that individual's own frustration. Also, how, unknowingly we choose a security blanket in our lives, something that becomes our anchor in the tough times, like when the Ken from our dreams is busy chasing his Ken, and not everything is rosy an blooming in our Barbie's dollhouse.
The plotline progresses fast, one development to another. Some of the plot twists, I sort of guessed them coming while some, I was pleasantly surprised with. Of the 4 parallel plots, I enjoyed 2 of them completely, in other words, checking all the boxes on my list. I really liked Tara's story, from beginning to the end. With Arpita's story, I loved the end, quite different from my expectation in spite of the first half which felt a little predictable. Upasana's and Sana's story left me wanting a bit more, partly because I felt that their stories/characters had the most potential. That is something that left me a bit unsatisfied I would say. I wanted a bit more from these stories than it developed in the book. It makes me wish that the book that slowed down a little in pace, diving a bit more into their lives. A couple of times I wished there were several narrators in the book because I wanted a peek into a character's mind, one them Tara's, from whose point of view the events have been narrated. So, if I have to summarise, I would say that it is breezy, fluid piece of fiction that fun-filled, cheerful and a delight to read but ended a little too soon early for my complete gratification. I finished the book in a marathon reading session, which goes to show that there is plenty of action happening in the book, even if one of the characters was, at that moment, was not blooming as per my expectation. It did, however, make me want to meet my besties, hug them tightly and go on a vacation with them. Most certainly recommended, when stuck in a long layover, or on a wintery afternoon when you are miles away from your girlfriends and are sorely missing them.
January 4, 2018
I found it difficult to write a review because I felt nothing I wrote would be good enough. Having known Natasha Diddee for 20 years and extremely closely, I was a bit upset that I wasn’t part of her to-go-to person to share chapters of her book with as she had with a few more recent friends in comparison. I’m so glad she didn’t. When I bought Foursome, I was expecting an entertaining read for sure because I know her whacky sense of humour well enough by now, but I wasn’t expecting it to be such a barrel of laughs!
Foursome actually delighted me for a number of reasons and one of them being, it was the perfect light read; something I would long to rush home to read. As much as I tried to during the day at work, I couldn’t quite put Tara, Arpita, Upasana or Sana out of my mind for too long. I couldn’t wait to devour their stories And be part of their crazy journey. Netflix and Amazon Prime were on a definite back burner those two days!
This delightful and breezy read brought to light some real friendship issues and things we often take for granted with those close to us. Our lives are filled with some secrets that we don’t tell even our closest at times for fear of being judged or rejected and this was beautifully interwoven in the story throughout. A story of strength, weakness, doubt, insecurity but most of all, love, makes it the perfect read for a stressful day.
At various phases in the book I found myself rooting for each of the four distinctly different women. I found myself getting teary with their grief and laughing at their madness so uncontrollably loud that I would wake up my sleeping dog! This book touch a chord in my heart and it made me yearn to reach out to those I wished I hadn’t lost along the way. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed this and what’s more although for me, the book ended too soon too fast, I was immensely proud of how well written, entertaining, spicy and yet sweet this read has been.
If you haven’t bought your copy yet, please do. It’s a book you can go back to, again and again!
Foursome actually delighted me for a number of reasons and one of them being, it was the perfect light read; something I would long to rush home to read. As much as I tried to during the day at work, I couldn’t quite put Tara, Arpita, Upasana or Sana out of my mind for too long. I couldn’t wait to devour their stories And be part of their crazy journey. Netflix and Amazon Prime were on a definite back burner those two days!
This delightful and breezy read brought to light some real friendship issues and things we often take for granted with those close to us. Our lives are filled with some secrets that we don’t tell even our closest at times for fear of being judged or rejected and this was beautifully interwoven in the story throughout. A story of strength, weakness, doubt, insecurity but most of all, love, makes it the perfect read for a stressful day.
At various phases in the book I found myself rooting for each of the four distinctly different women. I found myself getting teary with their grief and laughing at their madness so uncontrollably loud that I would wake up my sleeping dog! This book touch a chord in my heart and it made me yearn to reach out to those I wished I hadn’t lost along the way. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed this and what’s more although for me, the book ended too soon too fast, I was immensely proud of how well written, entertaining, spicy and yet sweet this read has been.
If you haven’t bought your copy yet, please do. It’s a book you can go back to, again and again!
January 23, 2018
A delightful must-read!
Foursome is on the surface a light breezy read. As I was introduced to the personas of Tara, Upasana, Sana and Arpita, I realised that they could be any of us - Tara, freshly divorced, has a passion for baking and has set up her own little cafe. Sana is the go-getting ambitious corporate executive in an advertising firm, Upasana is the dreamer, the painter, the softie, and Arpita, the quintessential Delhi “bahu”, conventional and conformist. The foursome embark on a roller-coaster ride through the novel, with twists and turns that one would expect in a spy thriller.
On a deeper level, I could completely relate to the situation each girl finds herself in. Every woman who has had her heart broken would vicariously cheer them on as they systematically destroyed Vikram’s beautiful home. Every woman that has been dominated over by her mother-in-law would root for Arpita as she came into her own. Every single woman that leads life on her own terms would empathise with Sana wanting to be a single mum. And every “other” woman would heave a sigh of relief when Upasana dumps Arun because she doesn’t want to be a “choice”. Natasha Diddee deals with socially relevant and important issues without getting preachy and sanctimonious.
Foursome not only had me engrossed, but entertained too. Diddee displays a whacky sense of humour that made me giggle at the ludicrous events that unfold in this journey of four friends that become family as we race to a conclusion that sees each of them happy and fulfilled.
Foursome is on the surface a light breezy read. As I was introduced to the personas of Tara, Upasana, Sana and Arpita, I realised that they could be any of us - Tara, freshly divorced, has a passion for baking and has set up her own little cafe. Sana is the go-getting ambitious corporate executive in an advertising firm, Upasana is the dreamer, the painter, the softie, and Arpita, the quintessential Delhi “bahu”, conventional and conformist. The foursome embark on a roller-coaster ride through the novel, with twists and turns that one would expect in a spy thriller.
On a deeper level, I could completely relate to the situation each girl finds herself in. Every woman who has had her heart broken would vicariously cheer them on as they systematically destroyed Vikram’s beautiful home. Every woman that has been dominated over by her mother-in-law would root for Arpita as she came into her own. Every single woman that leads life on her own terms would empathise with Sana wanting to be a single mum. And every “other” woman would heave a sigh of relief when Upasana dumps Arun because she doesn’t want to be a “choice”. Natasha Diddee deals with socially relevant and important issues without getting preachy and sanctimonious.
Foursome not only had me engrossed, but entertained too. Diddee displays a whacky sense of humour that made me giggle at the ludicrous events that unfold in this journey of four friends that become family as we race to a conclusion that sees each of them happy and fulfilled.
December 19, 2017
A light, breezy read; about four women, their lives and their friendship. But what I liked the most about the book is its easy narration and style. The author writes about a fair bit of serious social issues such as criminalization and ostracization of homosexuality in India, the life-long trauma and damage that happens with forced marraige and the feelings of entrapment in loveless relationships. But her portrayal of all these is with utmost sensitivity and does not appear preachy or judgemental at any point. The story also stresses that there is no one way to find happiness; each one will have their own path and choices leading them to their idea of happiness and societal norms and expectations should be no deterrant to it.
February 8, 2018
What a fun easy breezy read this book is! Set in that time period of Delhi, when we were all growing up, every setting seems familiar and comforting! The four friends, so different from each other, yet so close. Each with a distinct personality, different paths but bound together in this strong friendship. This book made me yearn for those days when we made 4 a.m calls to our girlfriends. When everything was possible because we had this close knit friendship. When we learnt lessons of life and had non conditional support of the girl gang. I loved the way she touches on the taboo topics of homosexuality, loveless marriages, adultery..realities of our lives and how we still power on with the love and support of our girlfriends. A quirky sense of humour and a glass of wine always helps! Cheers to this book and Natasha Diddee for bringing light and life to our mundane lives.
February 12, 2018
Foursome is the story of four friends Tara, Upasana, Sana and Arpita. Tara is freshly divorced. Each of them have a background story to share. The four friends are having different personality and view about life, but they are united and know each others feelings very well.
I was enthralled by this book and couldn't put it down. Each of these women's stories touched me and I connected with some aspect of their lives. This is a story of substance, not always comfortable to read but definitely one I wanted to stay with. If you like contemporary fiction with elements of romance, you'll love this story.
This book is a delightful and quick breezy read. The writing is quite simple. Overall a nice one.
I was enthralled by this book and couldn't put it down. Each of these women's stories touched me and I connected with some aspect of their lives. This is a story of substance, not always comfortable to read but definitely one I wanted to stay with. If you like contemporary fiction with elements of romance, you'll love this story.
This book is a delightful and quick breezy read. The writing is quite simple. Overall a nice one.
March 15, 2018
Already a fan of Natasha on instagram, and now this book !!
A well written, well bound story of four girls whose characters are so relatable to us. We know exactly someone who is in Arpita’s situation (maybe not same circumstances) or who thinks like Upasna..
A light and interesting read. A celebration of friendship !!
A well written, well bound story of four girls whose characters are so relatable to us. We know exactly someone who is in Arpita’s situation (maybe not same circumstances) or who thinks like Upasna..
A light and interesting read. A celebration of friendship !!
December 14, 2017
This Foursome Is Awesome.
4 women - each with distinct personality & story. Based in Delhi, this book shares all shades of a relationship, throws surprises at you that you don’t expect just like Life.
The writing is simple yet unique almost like someone is narrating it to you.
4 women - each with distinct personality & story. Based in Delhi, this book shares all shades of a relationship, throws surprises at you that you don’t expect just like Life.
The writing is simple yet unique almost like someone is narrating it to you.
March 29, 2018
I had won this book in the Goodreads giveaway I can be sure it was good for me I have always read several books in the recent days such as Silas Marner, Oliver Twist and some other old classics this book as I have to say this was a very light read and with the plot a very shallow one which is again handicaped by the lack of depth in the characters though it was a light read it is and I am impressed to say this book serves as an insight into independent and rich womens' lives in Delhi. The medical aspects which are associated with a character Rohit have been presented in a way that is easy to understand but pure giberrish for the trained mind.The book overall I'd like to say is a light read on a evening with milk and target audience are I assume to be are women in middle age will surely enjoy this anecdote well though I can't say the same for rest of the population... The story in some parts is forced and backgrounds of characters are messed up to an extent that it is imperative cry for the loss of self published book this is which may be the reason for rejection with larger publishers if they were ever approached. I over all enjoyed the book as a break from classics. The author being a debut as I suppose from the writing has a long way to improve though the writing is smooth the appeal to the reader is an aspect heavily neglected. I hope to read any future books from the author if possible which I expect to be a lot better than a drama with a ting of romance as I must describe this book. I suggest the author to my friends but needs work on the appeal and on literature also furnishing scientific and background information in detail...
yours sincerely
Harsha
yours sincerely
Harsha
January 4, 2022
Buying a book written by people you know can be a little scary because there is a weight of expectations on your shoulders to like the book and their side to have done a good enough job. Thankfully I didn’t have to worry much when I started to read “Foursome” written by Natasha Diddee who is the alter ego of @thegutlessfoodie
The book is a story about 4 close friends Tara, Arpita, Upasana and Sana whose lives are thrown into turmoil after they meet to celebrate the demise of Tara’s disastrous marriage. The book highlights the true nature of human relationships that are sometimes built on weak foundations under false pretense. Every friendship is unique and has its quirks and rituals that we indulge in together. And the book is full of them. I loved the way the girls text each other after every problematic/funny situation and could totally relate to the bonding between them.
The book is fast-paced, and the language is easy to keep up with. While the four characters were very different from each other in their thoughts and behavior, it was easy to see that all of them were strong, independent and smart women who did not let their circumstances shape their destiny and managed to turn things around, a bit like the author herself. Who despite dealing with Stomach cancer has made a career out of eating and sharing her love of food. You could not help but feel happy for these them and cheer them on as they dealt with failed marriages, spouses confused about their own sexuality, babies and careers.
Another USP of the story is that it is definitely a modern one, something that our internet generation will relate to. It made for a fun read on a lazy weekend.
The book is a story about 4 close friends Tara, Arpita, Upasana and Sana whose lives are thrown into turmoil after they meet to celebrate the demise of Tara’s disastrous marriage. The book highlights the true nature of human relationships that are sometimes built on weak foundations under false pretense. Every friendship is unique and has its quirks and rituals that we indulge in together. And the book is full of them. I loved the way the girls text each other after every problematic/funny situation and could totally relate to the bonding between them.
The book is fast-paced, and the language is easy to keep up with. While the four characters were very different from each other in their thoughts and behavior, it was easy to see that all of them were strong, independent and smart women who did not let their circumstances shape their destiny and managed to turn things around, a bit like the author herself. Who despite dealing with Stomach cancer has made a career out of eating and sharing her love of food. You could not help but feel happy for these them and cheer them on as they dealt with failed marriages, spouses confused about their own sexuality, babies and careers.
Another USP of the story is that it is definitely a modern one, something that our internet generation will relate to. It made for a fun read on a lazy weekend.
December 16, 2021
I enjoyed it quite a lot.
Good.
Good.
Read
December 31, 2017So, Foursome begins on a day when 4 best friends, who have been hiding a secret from each other until then, meet to mourn the end of Tara's marriage. Sana, Upasana and Arpita, who have gathered to console Tara, find that there is not one, but four whirlpools that they are currently caught in the midst of. The journey from this to untangling of all the tangles in the lives is what comprises the plot line of Foursome.
Foursome is a tale of dysfunctional relationships that we see around ourselves every day and about friendship. I was, by self-admission, a teenager/young adult who stuck to the boring routine and shied away from adventure. So naturally, some of the incidents in the book made me laugh/giggle embarrassingly/smile/grin - basically show all variety of reactions that we associate with memories with our sorority sisters and girl pals from adolescents. The language is simple, crisp and dotted with reference from Indian pop culture, something that I haven't read in a while. It is not pedantic or preachy and doesn't intend to enlighten the reader on issues that it incorporates into its plot line. For example, one of the plot lines talks about a couple trapped in a marriage where one of the partners is gay. I particularly liked how the story highlights the point that a portion of cruelty that one of the partners inflicts on the other is also a projection of that individual's own frustration. Also, how, unknowingly we choose a security blanket in our lives, something that becomes our anchor in the tough times, like when the Ken from our dreams is busy chasing his Ken, and not everything is rosy an blooming in our Barbie's dollhouse.
The plotline progresses fast, one development to another. Some of the plot twists, I sort of guessed them coming while some, I was pleasantly surprised with. Of the 4 parallel plots, I enjoyed 2 of them completely, in other words, checking all the boxes on my list. I really liked Tara's story, from beginning to the end. With Arpita's story, I loved the end, quite different from my expectation in spite of the first half which felt a little predictable. Upasana's and Sana's story left me wanting a bit more, partly because I felt that their stories/characters had the most potential. That is something that left me a bit unsatisfied I would say. I wanted a bit more from these stories than it developed in the book. It makes me wish that the book that slowed down a little in pace, diving a bit more into their lives. A couple of times I wished there were several narrators in the book because I wanted a peek into a character's mind, one them Tara's, from whose point of view the events have been narrated. So, if I have to summarise, I would say that it is breezy, fluid piece of fiction that fun-filled, cheerful and a delight to read but ended a little too soon early for my complete gratification. I finished the book in a marathon reading session, which goes to show that there is plenty of action happening in the book, even if one of the characters was, at that moment, was not blooming as per my expectation. It did, however, make me want to meet my besties, hug them tightly and go on a vacation with them. Most certainly recommended, when stuck in a long layover, or on a wintery afternoon when you are miles away from your girlfriends and are sorely missing them.
Foursome is a tale of dysfunctional relationships that we see around ourselves every day and about friendship. I was, by self-admission, a teenager/young adult who stuck to the boring routine and shied away from adventure. So naturally, some of the incidents in the book made me laugh/giggle embarrassingly/smile/grin - basically show all variety of reactions that we associate with memories with our sorority sisters and girl pals from adolescents. The language is simple, crisp and dotted with reference from Indian pop culture, something that I haven't read in a while. It is not pedantic or preachy and doesn't intend to enlighten the reader on issues that it incorporates into its plot line. For example, one of the plot lines talks about a couple trapped in a marriage where one of the partners is gay. I particularly liked how the story highlights the point that a portion of cruelty that one of the partners inflicts on the other is also a projection of that individual's own frustration. Also, how, unknowingly we choose a security blanket in our lives, something that becomes our anchor in the tough times, like when the Ken from our dreams is busy chasing his Ken, and not everything is rosy an blooming in our Barbie's dollhouse.
The plotline progresses fast, one development to another. Some of the plot twists, I sort of guessed them coming while some, I was pleasantly surprised with. Of the 4 parallel plots, I enjoyed 2 of them completely, in other words, checking all the boxes on my list. I really liked Tara's story, from beginning to the end. With Arpita's story, I loved the end, quite different from my expectation in spite of the first half which felt a little predictable. Upasana's and Sana's story left me wanting a bit more, partly because I felt that their stories/characters had the most potential. That is something that left me a bit unsatisfied I would say. I wanted a bit more from these stories than it developed in the book. It makes me wish that the book that slowed down a little in pace, diving a bit more into their lives. A couple of times I wished there were several narrators in the book because I wanted a peek into a character's mind, one them Tara's, from whose point of view the events have been narrated. So, if I have to summarise, I would say that it is breezy, fluid piece of fiction that fun-filled, cheerful and a delight to read but ended a little too soon early for my complete gratification. I finished the book in a marathon reading session, which goes to show that there is plenty of action happening in the book, even if one of the characters was, at that moment, was not blooming as per my expectation. It did, however, make me want to meet my besties, hug them tightly and go on a vacation with them. Most certainly recommended, when stuck in a long layover, or on a wintery afternoon when you are miles away from your girlfriends and are sorely missing them.
February 6, 2018
A very well written book for a debutant author.. the story is very fast paced to keep one enthralled and if I may say so, a very Bollywood style one! Lot of twists and turns in the story line.. turned out to be a great weekend read..
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews