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Untimed
Aliya Mirza and Jai Singh were destined as neighbors. They weren't supposed to become friends. They certainly weren't allowed to fall in love.
Because once they do, they find themselves embroiled in a tangled web of deceit and betrayal amidst a tumultuous nationwide divide. Memories blur. Words lose their meaning. Love no longer has a place to stay.
Surviving is the only option. Tormenting the other to death is a choice they make.
For when life rewards them with differences too blatant and hurdles too many, their love story threatens them with an ending they never wanted. Forever apart.
Because once they do, they find themselves embroiled in a tangled web of deceit and betrayal amidst a tumultuous nationwide divide. Memories blur. Words lose their meaning. Love no longer has a place to stay.
Surviving is the only option. Tormenting the other to death is a choice they make.
For when life rewards them with differences too blatant and hurdles too many, their love story threatens them with an ending they never wanted. Forever apart.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2022
About the author
Muskan Surana
1 book25 followersI'm an aspiring lawyer and a hopeless romantic at heart. I've had a passion for writing ever since I was a child, and first ventured into the world of creative imaginations with fan fictions. Along with advocating for human rights and writing deeply centered opinion columns on current affairs, I enjoy a book or two daily; and more so if it's romance. History fascinates me as much as romcoms and murder mysteries do. I strive to be known as both, a proficient lawyer and an endearing writer.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 5, 2023
I never thought I would read a book of a non-suspense theme in a single sitting. So this comes as a pleasant surprise. It is a delight to read debut authors write such beautiful books.
Story:
As you know from the summary, Jai Singh and Aliya Mirza are born and brought up in Lahore in the 1930s. Like many women of her time, a young Aliya is married off to a distant relative. Not that they had any hope at that juncture. They are married off to different people and have their families. Years later, the country is partitioned and people move across borders, ruining any chance they had of meeting each other. Or, do they?
The book doesn't get into the details of the partition or talk about it in anyway.
Writing:
The author is undoubtedly a pro at whatever she is doing. Her writing is unbelievable for a debutant. She has the perfect knowledge of how to write a fun scene, an emotional one and a tragic one. Oftentimes when characters have long conversations, it is difficult to read attentively. But the author knows exactly how to keep the interest.
The vocabulary and writing is simple and suitable for beginners. The story is written in dual perspectives, i.e., Aliya and Jai.
Though I knew what this book deals with when I started off, what I wasn't prepared for was the poignance. The sadness is all over and there is no way out (or is there, at the end? You never know). The author doesn't compromise until you feel what Aliya and Jai do.
Characters:
Aliya is a vivacious and chirpy woman full of energy and dreams, something sinful for girls in the 1930s. (What about today? You answer). She wanted to dance. She wanted to love and be loved. She wanted to live.
Jai Singh grew up at a time when patriarchy decided everyone's life choices - men and women. It only made life difficult for him and demanded a lot of working on. His character is an example of how our idea of a "real man" is flawed and in some cases, harmful.
Inayat and Rihaan are the kids of Aliya and Jai respectively. Their juvenile behaviour adds some fun to the book.
Aliya's parents, husband and Jai's father are as controlling as an Indian family can get. We are talking about almost a hundred years ago. They shatter their children's hearts whenever they get a chance, in the name of protecting the family honour. Are we surprised? No.
If you haven't understood already, I love the way the characters are written.
What I liked:
- The writing and the pace that keeps you hooked. I wonder how the author neither rushes up nor drags scenes.
- The themes the author selected - partition, religion, marriage and children.
- The slow and gradual turn of events. I hate dramatic stories that are miles away from reality. This one is more relatable and practical.
What I didn't like:
The cover of the book is basic and doesn't convey anything. I don't know why it is so or why the book is titled Untimed. But it is only a debut book so these should be okay.
Conclusion: Romance lovers, you are missing a lot if you don't read this.
Story:
As you know from the summary, Jai Singh and Aliya Mirza are born and brought up in Lahore in the 1930s. Like many women of her time, a young Aliya is married off to a distant relative. Not that they had any hope at that juncture. They are married off to different people and have their families. Years later, the country is partitioned and people move across borders, ruining any chance they had of meeting each other. Or, do they?
The book doesn't get into the details of the partition or talk about it in anyway.
Writing:
The author is undoubtedly a pro at whatever she is doing. Her writing is unbelievable for a debutant. She has the perfect knowledge of how to write a fun scene, an emotional one and a tragic one. Oftentimes when characters have long conversations, it is difficult to read attentively. But the author knows exactly how to keep the interest.
The vocabulary and writing is simple and suitable for beginners. The story is written in dual perspectives, i.e., Aliya and Jai.
Though I knew what this book deals with when I started off, what I wasn't prepared for was the poignance. The sadness is all over and there is no way out (or is there, at the end? You never know). The author doesn't compromise until you feel what Aliya and Jai do.
Characters:
Aliya is a vivacious and chirpy woman full of energy and dreams, something sinful for girls in the 1930s. (What about today? You answer). She wanted to dance. She wanted to love and be loved. She wanted to live.
Jai Singh grew up at a time when patriarchy decided everyone's life choices - men and women. It only made life difficult for him and demanded a lot of working on. His character is an example of how our idea of a "real man" is flawed and in some cases, harmful.
Inayat and Rihaan are the kids of Aliya and Jai respectively. Their juvenile behaviour adds some fun to the book.
Aliya's parents, husband and Jai's father are as controlling as an Indian family can get. We are talking about almost a hundred years ago. They shatter their children's hearts whenever they get a chance, in the name of protecting the family honour. Are we surprised? No.
If you haven't understood already, I love the way the characters are written.
What I liked:
- The writing and the pace that keeps you hooked. I wonder how the author neither rushes up nor drags scenes.
- The themes the author selected - partition, religion, marriage and children.
- The slow and gradual turn of events. I hate dramatic stories that are miles away from reality. This one is more relatable and practical.
What I didn't like:
The cover of the book is basic and doesn't convey anything. I don't know why it is so or why the book is titled Untimed. But it is only a debut book so these should be okay.
Conclusion: Romance lovers, you are missing a lot if you don't read this.
November 12, 2025
I liked it. It was very dramatic as Hindi stories and movies are, it was also very short which is what I liked about it I was as I was able to finish it quickly.
November 19, 2022
Ok idk where to start because this book made feel EVERY EMOTION I DIDNT KNOW EVEN EXISTED!!!
I normally don‘t cry when I read books but this one…? I balled my eyes out! (and I‘ve read MANY sad books including Colleen Hoover, so that says a lot)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
What I especially liked is that I got hooked right on the first few pages which doesn’t happen a lot with me.😂 There weren’t any unnecessary scenes either.
Aliya and Jai were the most different book characters I‘ve ever read and I loved them so much😩
The plot was so good that I stopped doing everything and just continued reading more chapters.
I hated Aliya‘s family, especially her mom. I know her dad liked her but technically it was all his fault for the things that happened so I have to blame him too.
I feel like Aliya didn’t know how to handle all the stuff that has happened to her, which I understand, and thus the story got more heartbreaking with each chapters. And I wished for Jai to understand that Aliya wasn’t herself when she was with Zain. He should’ve known Aliya better than that. But anyway, I can’t judge that really.
I hate how this book gave me hopes for their relationship to finally get better but everytime it got even worse and that‘s why I got so sad every.single.chapter.!!!🥲
At the end I didn‘t have any hope left for them but JUST THEN there was a HEA and I was the happiest person ever😭🫶🏻
It‘s just crazy how the whole story made me feel and how every chapter ended with something I least expected. I felt so bad for both MCs but when they got together I was rooting for them like crazy!
I think there was a little missing though. For example on Jai‘s wedding day, I was confused what Aradhana said to his ear and he immediately left with her. I was waiting for Aliya to ask him about it. Also I didn‘t really understand the death of Aradhana. And I wished there was more about Zain‘s character. He played a big role but didn’t get much scenes. There were a few scenes where I think the details were missing. I think the book could‘ve been a little longer.
I‘m not sure if I liked Aradhana, she felt like a burden to me and I didn’t want her in the book at all.
However, what I also loved was the time setting and how the book spoke about society, politics, cultures and religions back then. It made the book even sadder because of how the people were discriminating and how the MCs had to struggle because of that. The way Jai and Aliya loved each other despite their differences was the cutest thing ever.🥹
This is definitely a book I won’t EVER forget. The last time I felt that way for a book was for „It Ends With Us“ by CoHo.
I normally don‘t cry when I read books but this one…? I balled my eyes out! (and I‘ve read MANY sad books including Colleen Hoover, so that says a lot)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
What I especially liked is that I got hooked right on the first few pages which doesn’t happen a lot with me.😂 There weren’t any unnecessary scenes either.
Aliya and Jai were the most different book characters I‘ve ever read and I loved them so much😩
The plot was so good that I stopped doing everything and just continued reading more chapters.
I hated Aliya‘s family, especially her mom. I know her dad liked her but technically it was all his fault for the things that happened so I have to blame him too.
I feel like Aliya didn’t know how to handle all the stuff that has happened to her, which I understand, and thus the story got more heartbreaking with each chapters. And I wished for Jai to understand that Aliya wasn’t herself when she was with Zain. He should’ve known Aliya better than that. But anyway, I can’t judge that really.
I hate how this book gave me hopes for their relationship to finally get better but everytime it got even worse and that‘s why I got so sad every.single.chapter.!!!🥲
At the end I didn‘t have any hope left for them but JUST THEN there was a HEA and I was the happiest person ever😭🫶🏻
It‘s just crazy how the whole story made me feel and how every chapter ended with something I least expected. I felt so bad for both MCs but when they got together I was rooting for them like crazy!
I think there was a little missing though. For example on Jai‘s wedding day, I was confused what Aradhana said to his ear and he immediately left with her. I was waiting for Aliya to ask him about it. Also I didn‘t really understand the death of Aradhana. And I wished there was more about Zain‘s character. He played a big role but didn’t get much scenes. There were a few scenes where I think the details were missing. I think the book could‘ve been a little longer.
I‘m not sure if I liked Aradhana, she felt like a burden to me and I didn’t want her in the book at all.
However, what I also loved was the time setting and how the book spoke about society, politics, cultures and religions back then. It made the book even sadder because of how the people were discriminating and how the MCs had to struggle because of that. The way Jai and Aliya loved each other despite their differences was the cutest thing ever.🥹
This is definitely a book I won’t EVER forget. The last time I felt that way for a book was for „It Ends With Us“ by CoHo.
June 25, 2023
Tropes:
-historical romance (1930s-1950s)
-partition & religion
-opposites attract
-slow burn
-trauma and tragedy
-losing and finding oneself
-conflict and push/pull
-mutual pining
-respective marriages and children
Blurb:
Jai & Aliya grew up as neighbors & were enemies from the start. As time passed, they became friends & each others' safe havens. But when Aliya was 19 years old, her family arranged for her to marry a distant family friend, & when Jai found out, he was furious & devastated. Both had confessed their feelings for one another, & now there was no hope for them as a couple. As the years go by, they continue running into each other... is it a coincidence or fate?
Jai:
Jai is loyal, determined, hardworking, & deeply caring & loving. Despite their relationship changing forever due to Aliya's family marrying her off to someone else, he never fully gave up on Aliya & a future with her. However, she pushed him away so many times over the years when they would run into each other, that he ended up marrying a friend. He wasn't able to love her, though, because he only truly loved Aliya.
Aliya:
Aliya is rebellious, opinionated, courageous, & vivacious. She had dreams of being a dancer & secretly took dance lessons because she knew her family would disapprove. She didn't want to follow her family's dreams for her, but wanted to do what SHE loved & was passionate about... until that was ripped away from her. She was eventually forced to marry a man who ended up being abusive. However, her daughter Inayat gave her strength to carry on.
The Spice:
I'm giving this book a 🌶️. There really wasn't much spice in this book, however, there was a ton of mutual pining, some sexual tension, & the spicy scenes once we get toward the end of the book. There was also the spicy scene from when they were younger. We also see some banter & flirting about 80% in, & it was humorous! I think this book's focus was primarily their long history of 18 years, the push & pull, & always being drawn to the other.
Final Thoughts:
Gah, where do I start?! This book was so amazing. There is so much covered in the book - childhood enemies to friends, marriages, children, divorce & loss of spouse, cultural & religious conflict, & their continuous random run-ins over 18 years of all of this. This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, & I was so frustrated at times with their push & pull, but I understood why it was happening. This book was just amazing & eye-opening.
-historical romance (1930s-1950s)
-partition & religion
-opposites attract
-slow burn
-trauma and tragedy
-losing and finding oneself
-conflict and push/pull
-mutual pining
-respective marriages and children
Blurb:
Jai & Aliya grew up as neighbors & were enemies from the start. As time passed, they became friends & each others' safe havens. But when Aliya was 19 years old, her family arranged for her to marry a distant family friend, & when Jai found out, he was furious & devastated. Both had confessed their feelings for one another, & now there was no hope for them as a couple. As the years go by, they continue running into each other... is it a coincidence or fate?
Jai:
Jai is loyal, determined, hardworking, & deeply caring & loving. Despite their relationship changing forever due to Aliya's family marrying her off to someone else, he never fully gave up on Aliya & a future with her. However, she pushed him away so many times over the years when they would run into each other, that he ended up marrying a friend. He wasn't able to love her, though, because he only truly loved Aliya.
Aliya:
Aliya is rebellious, opinionated, courageous, & vivacious. She had dreams of being a dancer & secretly took dance lessons because she knew her family would disapprove. She didn't want to follow her family's dreams for her, but wanted to do what SHE loved & was passionate about... until that was ripped away from her. She was eventually forced to marry a man who ended up being abusive. However, her daughter Inayat gave her strength to carry on.
The Spice:
I'm giving this book a 🌶️. There really wasn't much spice in this book, however, there was a ton of mutual pining, some sexual tension, & the spicy scenes once we get toward the end of the book. There was also the spicy scene from when they were younger. We also see some banter & flirting about 80% in, & it was humorous! I think this book's focus was primarily their long history of 18 years, the push & pull, & always being drawn to the other.
Final Thoughts:
Gah, where do I start?! This book was so amazing. There is so much covered in the book - childhood enemies to friends, marriages, children, divorce & loss of spouse, cultural & religious conflict, & their continuous random run-ins over 18 years of all of this. This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, & I was so frustrated at times with their push & pull, but I understood why it was happening. This book was just amazing & eye-opening.
June 30, 2023
Beautifully paced with little to fault, Untimed follows the romantic and thought provoking journey of Jai and Aliya, two childhood best friends, separated through untimely circumstances, continuously crossing paths in surprising ways. Despite it not being void of certain tropes of its chosen genres, Untimed is thoughtfully written, balanced, and educates its readers in a manner that is gently engaging. Interweaving cultural references and language that is comprehensible to most readers, while maintaining a coherent pace and development of storyline and characters, the reader’s attention is completely captivated and maintained.
The presentation of Untimed was overall comprehensive, clearly depicting and maintaining changes in time, context, and point of view, making it easy for the reader to follow and bond with the characters. Additionally, the author’s disclaimer along with a vocabulary list and italicising of unfamiliar terms provide the reader a concise, coherent and accessible reference to the setting and terms. Presentation occasionally lacks, however, in its formatting of paragraphs, sentences and line spacing, which is not always consistent or apparent and could be due to a logistical error rather than a lack of editing.
This novel comfortably suits those whose interests lie in historical, romantic and young adult fiction due to its inferences to adult and cultural themes and its simplistic construction of a storyline. As mentioned briefly, the use of tropes is not hard to ignore, so some could find this disengaging and somewhat predictable. Despite this, however, Untimed balances this with its beautiful depiction of characters, contexts and culture with nuggets of informative writing, enthralling right from the start, leaving the reader hanging on every word. Its characters and storyline create a lasting imprint, even after completion. A highly recommended read, even for those looking for something light and thought provoking.
https://www.editorsweekly.com/book-re...
The presentation of Untimed was overall comprehensive, clearly depicting and maintaining changes in time, context, and point of view, making it easy for the reader to follow and bond with the characters. Additionally, the author’s disclaimer along with a vocabulary list and italicising of unfamiliar terms provide the reader a concise, coherent and accessible reference to the setting and terms. Presentation occasionally lacks, however, in its formatting of paragraphs, sentences and line spacing, which is not always consistent or apparent and could be due to a logistical error rather than a lack of editing.
This novel comfortably suits those whose interests lie in historical, romantic and young adult fiction due to its inferences to adult and cultural themes and its simplistic construction of a storyline. As mentioned briefly, the use of tropes is not hard to ignore, so some could find this disengaging and somewhat predictable. Despite this, however, Untimed balances this with its beautiful depiction of characters, contexts and culture with nuggets of informative writing, enthralling right from the start, leaving the reader hanging on every word. Its characters and storyline create a lasting imprint, even after completion. A highly recommended read, even for those looking for something light and thought provoking.
https://www.editorsweekly.com/book-re...
January 26, 2024
I don’t know where to start, this book had me in a roller-coaster ride of emotions. This book was different from what I normally read. I enjoy the plot, the characters, and the author’s ability to rear me into the story. We follow the main characters’ angst-ridden relationship over the years and their inability to stay away from one another.
The story takes place during the 1940s-1950s, over the expansion of 18 years. Aliya and Jai are childhood friends, and their friendship develops into something more. Unfortunately, fate seems to be against them, and are unable to be together for various reasons. Over the years, they always seem to find their way back to each other. Jai despite being hurt by Aliya, always cared for her and even held on to the slightest hope that they would be together. Aliya never meant to hurt him intentionally, she was struggling with her trauma and living in a society that was hostile to her. It takes her a while to accept her feelings toward Jai.
Despite all the emotions I experienced, I would recommend this book. I like that the author had a definition page of uncommon vocabulary words which was helpful.
note: This book has very minimal spice and mentions DV, divorce & loss of a spouse.
The story takes place during the 1940s-1950s, over the expansion of 18 years. Aliya and Jai are childhood friends, and their friendship develops into something more. Unfortunately, fate seems to be against them, and are unable to be together for various reasons. Over the years, they always seem to find their way back to each other. Jai despite being hurt by Aliya, always cared for her and even held on to the slightest hope that they would be together. Aliya never meant to hurt him intentionally, she was struggling with her trauma and living in a society that was hostile to her. It takes her a while to accept her feelings toward Jai.
Despite all the emotions I experienced, I would recommend this book. I like that the author had a definition page of uncommon vocabulary words which was helpful.
note: This book has very minimal spice and mentions DV, divorce & loss of a spouse.
November 18, 2022
A unique love story with beautiful characters, whirlwind of emotions, and immaculate writing. It'll make you laugh, CRY, smile, angry until you become a part of it. A round of appluse to the first time author, you'll go places!!
November 28, 2022
Deeply emotional historical love story...
What makes a great book? Is it the plot, the characters, the narrative, the writing, or simply its ability to transport you to another world? To me, it is all of them. In my experience as an avid reader, it isn't often that I've read a book that is worthy of all these attributes. Fortunately, this book is! A great plot with amazing chemistry between the main characters, vivid descriptions, engaging narrative and to top it all, excellent writing.
'Untimed' by Muskan Surana. What a journey it is!
A great read, if you are a lover of historical romance.
Starting from pre-independence India and Pakistan, the story follows the lives of Aliya Mirza and Jai Singh and the bond they share over a span of eighteen years, without missing a beat. The author has done a brilliant job with the narrative in weaving this emotional and angst-ridden relationship into the historical context seamlessly, making it feel so deeply rooted in culture, yet so fierce and rebellious at the same time. Kudos for that.
It's funny sometimes in a relationship that two people are so close to each other that they fail to see when the line between friendship and love has dissolved. And, when realization hits, it is almost too late to acknowledge or change things. The one who realizes is lucky if the feeling is reciprocated but when it isn't, it brings resentment or even hate. More lives are impacted than just the two concerned. Through 'Untimed', Muskan has managed to skilfully portray this tight rope of a relationship that progresses from friendship to admiration to passion to misunderstanding to betrayal to resentment to denial to finally make it to acknowledged love. It is a roller-coaster ride of emotion, but an enjoyable one at that.
The story is very cleverly set in an era of time ridden with political and religious unrest serving to augment the differences between Aliya and Jai. The fact that they find their way to each other despite it all, is a beacon of hope and true love. The vivid detail with which the author portrays life in the 50s is so well done that I felt like I was watching a black and white movie of old times. To be able to recreate that world and that time with such clarity is creative genius indeed!
Apart from Jai and Aliya, Inayat and Rihaan, the two kids in this story are brilliant. Though young, both show maturity beyond their age. I loved the mother-daughter relationship that has been explored between Aliya and Inayat and I could see the start of a similar relationship between Rihaan and Jai, albeit later in the story. The scenes with the kids are beautiful.
I enjoyed the way Aliya and Jai's paths cross over the years, each meeting bringing with it simmering tension and a hope that they will be together only to end in crushing disappointment when it doesn't happen. If anything, it enhances the moment when Aliya finally acknowledges her feelings to Jai, at the most unexpected moment. That scene reminded me of a dialogue from Jane Austen's Persuasion - The one claim I shall make for my own sex is that we love longest, when all hope is gone.
I had a most enjoyable journey with this book and look forward to reading more books from this author. Good luck and keep up the excellent work!
What makes a great book? Is it the plot, the characters, the narrative, the writing, or simply its ability to transport you to another world? To me, it is all of them. In my experience as an avid reader, it isn't often that I've read a book that is worthy of all these attributes. Fortunately, this book is! A great plot with amazing chemistry between the main characters, vivid descriptions, engaging narrative and to top it all, excellent writing.
'Untimed' by Muskan Surana. What a journey it is!
A great read, if you are a lover of historical romance.
Starting from pre-independence India and Pakistan, the story follows the lives of Aliya Mirza and Jai Singh and the bond they share over a span of eighteen years, without missing a beat. The author has done a brilliant job with the narrative in weaving this emotional and angst-ridden relationship into the historical context seamlessly, making it feel so deeply rooted in culture, yet so fierce and rebellious at the same time. Kudos for that.
It's funny sometimes in a relationship that two people are so close to each other that they fail to see when the line between friendship and love has dissolved. And, when realization hits, it is almost too late to acknowledge or change things. The one who realizes is lucky if the feeling is reciprocated but when it isn't, it brings resentment or even hate. More lives are impacted than just the two concerned. Through 'Untimed', Muskan has managed to skilfully portray this tight rope of a relationship that progresses from friendship to admiration to passion to misunderstanding to betrayal to resentment to denial to finally make it to acknowledged love. It is a roller-coaster ride of emotion, but an enjoyable one at that.
The story is very cleverly set in an era of time ridden with political and religious unrest serving to augment the differences between Aliya and Jai. The fact that they find their way to each other despite it all, is a beacon of hope and true love. The vivid detail with which the author portrays life in the 50s is so well done that I felt like I was watching a black and white movie of old times. To be able to recreate that world and that time with such clarity is creative genius indeed!
Apart from Jai and Aliya, Inayat and Rihaan, the two kids in this story are brilliant. Though young, both show maturity beyond their age. I loved the mother-daughter relationship that has been explored between Aliya and Inayat and I could see the start of a similar relationship between Rihaan and Jai, albeit later in the story. The scenes with the kids are beautiful.
I enjoyed the way Aliya and Jai's paths cross over the years, each meeting bringing with it simmering tension and a hope that they will be together only to end in crushing disappointment when it doesn't happen. If anything, it enhances the moment when Aliya finally acknowledges her feelings to Jai, at the most unexpected moment. That scene reminded me of a dialogue from Jane Austen's Persuasion - The one claim I shall make for my own sex is that we love longest, when all hope is gone.
I had a most enjoyable journey with this book and look forward to reading more books from this author. Good luck and keep up the excellent work!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews