She belongs to a Maharashtrian middle-class family from the suburbs. He hails from an affluent family in South Bombay. The only common point between them – being Mumbaikars. How do their paths cross in this city of dreams? Gayatri believes it’s because of Abhi Agarwal, Varun’s younger brother, who also happens to be her brother’s batchmate and close friend. But Varun has harboured a crush on her long before they exchanged hellos and phone numbers.
Their story is a meeting of two generations and families, who are poles apart. Is there drama involved? Gayatri is often called a drama queen by those who know her. But after Varun’s entry into her life, she’s transformed from Miss Melodrama to Miss Mellowed Drama.
Love and (Mellow) Drama was my first rom-com read after a long time. It was an interesting read to say the least. Varun and Gayatri’s love story is full of ups and downs that are bound to keep you hooked. The story has many plus points and a few negatives (just one actually).
The introduction of the characters was in-keeping with the theme of the book ie. Bollywood. The story was like a typical Karan Johar movie, one that is bound to make you fall in love with love. I absolutely loved Gayatri’s introduction, it made me excited to know when the hero would be introduced and how, just like in a movie. The story flowed seamlessly from one twist to another. The “drama” never felt too much. I praise Manali for mellowing it so well. Many times such books become too visual and lose their appeal as books. However, Manali was able to maintain this perfect balance between a movie and a book and she danced on that fine line. The random bursts of Bollywood lines and songs were like secret pieces of chocolate in a chocolate cake. They brought the same joy, liveliness, and uniqueness to the book and made it an experience worth remembering.
My one and only problem with the book was that the last three chapters seemed forced and out of place. It felt like the theme of women’s empowerment was forcefully stuffed into those pages to make a statement. Hence, even for my review, I have chosen to forget those pages and treat them as a sequel. I absolutely loved the story and don’t wish for the last 18% percent of the book to spoil my journey.
If I can just remove those chapters, I feel that this book is a good read for anyone who wants to enjoy a light-hearted romance.