Blurb (as on Amazon):
Jay Sethi, an Indian-born American, has lived with the consequences of a torn family since a teenager. After facing the effects of unrequited love and unpaid credit card bills, he settles in a small town in California from where he embarks on a cruise with his canine best friend, Yogi. Jay is shipwrecked and washed ashore on an island. It is there he realizes the importance of love and the salvation in letting go.
Will Jay be able to make up for the time he has lost?
Will the broken bridges and the seemingly permanent goodbyes remain that way?
RSVP: A novel explores the lines between reality and illusion and the significance of family.
Genre: Fiction/Family Drama
Pages: 315
Format: Paperback/eBook
Price (as on Amazon):
- Paperback: ₹860/ $ 8.75
- Kindle eBook: ₹ 210/ $ 4.99
My rating: 4/5
Jay lives with Yogi, his furry friend ( and only companion) and runs a cafe, Got-T. Dealing with a couple of heartbreaks, Jay is undergoing therapy and healing, however he’s still unreceptive to change and hesitates to talk about his past. When Gina, his cousin, urges him to go on a holiday while she takes care of the cafe and his house, after some cajoling, Jay relents. Out on a cruise with Yogi by his side, Jay befriends other pet owners and is having an overall good time, when things literally overturn as the cruise liner capsizes. Everyone survives, but Jay goes missing. Will he survive? How does Jay’s life and personality turnaround with this second-chance at life?
What I liked about the book:
- Jay’s character growth and arc is quite inspiring. The heartbreaks he has faced make us not only empathize with him but also understand why he is the way he is. It is, however, the transformation he undergoes, the way he learns to forgive the people who caused him heartbreak, and how he becomes a more positive and grateful person overall, which makes the whole story, captivating.
- The (Got-T) cafe, its menu, and the weekly activities, are commendably described, making one want to try out the different teas and be a part of the painting, pottery, karaoke, and all the fun evening activities that happen at the cafe from Monday-Saturday.
What I did not like about the book:
- Some mysteries (like the identity of the veiled woman who comes to the cafe) and bits about Jay’s past are mentioned in narrative when Jay recalls the memories, or discusses them with Sasha. But they’re never fully disclosed until over the half way mark in the book. And when these reveals finally happen, it gets done in a couple of passages, that in a dialogue form rather than describing what happened in detail. This not only felt stretched and underwhelming as to why all the secrecy was maintained at all rather than disclosing it somewhat earlier in the story. But it also felt unnecessary as to why it was not revealed earlier.
- Maybe a bit more on Gina’s past and present would’ve added more variety and depth to the whole story. I’d have loved to know how her relationship with Sam progressed.
Quotable quotes:
- Not everyone knows how to make cash out of every situation.
- Friendship is about someone who walks into your life, says I’m here for you and then proves it
- We tend to overlook the problematic characteristics of a person just because we are madly in love with them.
- If a person wants to ride in an E-Class Mercedes but never got an opportunity to do so, neither is there sorrow or joys, just a sheer craving for it.
- People who love us are always there to help with any hurdle in life.
- Time flies when you walk old paths.
- Just because love was not good for you, doesn’t mean it will be bad for others as well. You don’t go about giving love a bad name!
- Silence can be interpreted in many ways.
- We all have our personal issues.
- We all grow over time
- That is the irony of life, beauty comes from imperfections
- Just when you want time to stretch, it tends to shorten beyond words.
- We all ought to be prepared for the worst, while we continue to enjoy only the best.
- Melodious music can turn any moment into action and imagination.
- All who breathe the same air, have the shade of compassion within them.
- Each soul is different and has a right to do what he or she desires.
- Let the past be the past. You move on, especially after life has given you a second chance to live
- It’s amazing how, when expressed, happiness and sorrow have no language barriers.
- Whatever happens, happens for a reason.
- A common man we all are, but this man when detached from everything, churns a powerful source within. That source helps channelize the subconscious mind, which if subjective, will merely execute the commands given by the conscious mind.
- Your conscious mind commands, and your subconscious mind obeys
- Family is all about forgiveness and embraces and never has an expiry date for affection
- The wants and needs of man are so mysterious.
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