Name of the book : The Indian Tycoon's Marriage Deal
Name of the author: Adite Banerjie
Name of the publisher: Harlequin India Private Limited
Release Date: September, 2013
Disclaimer: I got this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
She…..
She is Maya Shome. By profession a landscape designer.[ Now that is a new one or not?]. Orphaned by nineteen, she had fought with life to make a name for herself in the landscape business. Bitter past, which had robbed her of her family had ignited the fire of revenge in her heart. Her heart knew only one thing. To avenge the disgrace her father had faced in the hands of KD – Krish’s father.
He….
He is Krish Dev of Dev Group of Industries. Born with a golden spoon in his mouth, he had it all- money and power. But he also had anger issues with his father ,KD. He wanted to start his own venture but Dev Industries was a chain holding him back. His father had even decided to marry him off – as a business venture. That is the time he decided to take his life in his own hand. He needs a wife to keep his father from further dictating his life. He decides to propose to Maya Shome, whom he had targeted after seeing her work knee deep in mud, talking to all the gardeners.
The Love Story….
When Krish had declared in the party that he would marry Maya, she was in a state of shock. To marry the guy who was the son of the man she hated most? But she later saw it as the perfect opportunity to take her revenge. But she had not envisaged falling in love with Krish.
Krish wanted to marry Maya just to keep his father from interfering in his personal life. But he had not expected the saucy Maya to find her way to his heart.
As a web of love and passion engulfed them they both fought to keep it at bay. Maya knew that even if they had a slight chance to make a future, it would be shattered the day Krish knew that she had an ulterior motive in marrying him…. For Krish would tolerate anything but hehated deception. So a time would come when Maya would have to choose between her love and her promise to her dead father.
What I liked…..
Being a Mills and Boon story, I was sure of the happy ending. But as a reader I was pleasantly surprised that instead of emotions cooling down by the end of the tenth chapter, new twists and turns kept me glued to the story.
One thing I found very fascinating about this book is the language… [well it is still English , don’t worryJ] The way Adite Banerjie has described some of the scenes is very poetic. Here is an example… [just a teeny weeny bit]
“Blood-red flowers on trees that were stark and bald. The hotter the Delhi summers, the brighter thegulmohur blossoms…….”
The whole novel is scattered with such scenic beauty – not only the physical beauty but also the emotional. Her words have a way of playing the scene in front of the reader. Her play with words has the capability to evoke your senses.
Both Maya and Krish come out as strong characters, equal in every sense. This book has some bold passion scenes… one of the boldest I have read in the Indian Mills and Boon scenario.
This story has all the ingredients to make it as a Bollywood movie…
What I didn’t like…..
I won’t say I did not like it. I would rather say that I am not used to it …yet. Soon we will have many Mills and Boon in the market echoing this …..Janeman...Janeman.....Janeman...:) Those who will read this book will know what I mean.
Ratings….
Reasoning…..
I loved the characters and the beautifully woven words. I did feel a bit weird with ‘Janeman’, but then Mills and Boon using Hindi words will take some time to get used to. There has been many other Hindi words that has been used but they have all merged well with the story. But ‘Janeman’ stood out a bit. Just a bit…. Casting Krish in a bit of a rakish light.
Author Bio….
Adite Banerjie has been writing professionally ever since she graduated from college. After an exciting and fulfilling career as a business journalist she turned to freelance writing, crunched numbers and wrote reports about consumer behaviour and social development issues. Somewhere along the way she got on to the screenwriting bandwagon. One of her movie scripts is currently in pre-production. When she penned her first romantic short story she won the 2012 Harlequin Mills & Boon Aspiring Authors Contest. Her debut novel, based on the winning short story entry, ‘The Indian Tycoon’s Marriage Deal’, releases in India in September 2013 and will be available as an e-book on amazon.com soon. She lives in a suburb of New Delhi with her husband, mother and an Irish Setter who is the uncrowned king of all doggy beggars.
She loves to connect with readers and writers @
A tete a tete with Adite Banerjie….
1. How did your journey as a writer start?
My journey as a writer started soon after I graduated from college and I took a diploma course in journalism. That was when I knew I wanted to be a full-time writer. After working for more than 15 years as a full time business journalist I turned to freelance writing and fiction. I would crunch numbers and write research reports by day and lurk on screenwriting websites and forums to learn the craft of screenwriting. I have written several scripts but one of them (based on a true story) sold to a director and is currently in the process of being made into a Hindi film. I have also co-written a family comedy with an Australian screenwriter and there are other script projects in the pipeline.
2. What attracted you to the concept of writing for Mills and Boon?
Frankly writing a Mills & Boon happened quite by accident. I had sent off a short story for their“Passions Aspiring Authors Contest” (2012) and I had never dreamt that I would hear back from them. I was shocked when my story was selected as one of three winners of the contest! I then had to expand my story into a full blown novel. So that’s how it all happened. But having been an avid M&B reader all through my teens, I used to often think it would be cool to write anM&B—make up my own TDH hero and feisty heroine and set up their romance in some exotic location. :)
3. What is the biggest challenge you face as a writer?
One of the most difficult things for me as a writer is to write the conflict scenes—especially the scenes around the big black moment. And yet, without conflict, there is no story and the happy-ever-after ending will seem dull and flat. Whenever I have to write those scenes I find myself procrastinating like crazy. And I struggle with the scenes for days before it finally starts to pull together and make sense.
4. Was it difficult to visualize the characters Maya and Krish? Were they absolutely fictitious?
Actually, I had been toying with this idea for a movie script and I had a pretty good idea of what Maya and Krish would be like. Yes they are absolutely fictitious, though Krish’s father – KD – was inspired partly by a real life Indian tycoon. There are enough hints in the story for the reader to make an educated guess. LOL.
5. Will you call yourself a disciplined writer?
I think I am a pretty disciplined writer as I have been freelancing for a while and am used to writing on deadline. Of course, I go through my procrastination phase every now and then but when a deadline is looming you will find me chained to my laptop!
6. From the birth of the concept till the last word being penned down - how long was the journey?
It took me about six months to work through a couple of drafts and several revisions to the final manuscript.
7. Anything you want to change in your story?
I don’t think I’d want to change anything in the story but I definitely would have liked another shot at reworking some of the descriptions and the dialogues. I’m never happy with what I have written and if given a chance will continue to revise and rewrite endlessly!
8. Was it difficult to think Mills and Boon in the Indian concept?
To me a Mills & Boon isnothing but a Bollywood romance in print. The escapism, exotic locales, the sparring between the Hero and Heroine till they fall irrevocably in love and the ups and downs and twists and turns in their relationship till thehappily-ever-after moment… are classic elements in every romantic Bollywood film. I think Indians—with their love for romantic movies—are already steeped into the M&B culture.
Moreover, Indian cultural cues—such as our colourful festivals, weddings, cuisine, etc.—are already wowing Western readers and audiences and M&Bs written by Indians should appeal to them as well.
9. Your next venture?
I have a two-book deal with Harlequin India and my second book (yet untitled) is set in a big, fat Indian wedding on an exotic island and provides ample grist for romantic capers. :) I have just finished the manuscript and hopefully the book will be on sale in early 2014.
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