The hype pays. I am feeling the heat of heeding to the hype as it burnt my pocket even though a little. Ravinder Singh got fame and a lot of fan following after his said to be autobiographical best seller ’I Too Had A Love Story’. In fact I didn’t find the book that amazing but just an average fare at the lower end. So, I started the book ’Can Love Happen Twice’ with least of expectations and sad to feel ’cheated’ even after reading it with least of expectations.
The initial chapters were good to create the tempo and the writing was better in the first half of the book. Then, with the lack of drama or say twists which do not challenge the senses of the reader the book took a deep dip in the second half. What is worst, the writing lost its quality as well, where it felt, the author wrote like - I have to catch the last train to home after completing this book. What may work for the novel? Nothing much, but if the reader is ready to forget that it is a sequel and we don’t know the characters early, probably the romance description is good in the middle chapters. Probably the initial tempo setting was good. The author keeps the language simple to make it as a fast read. Also unlike some new generation writers, the author don’t go to the vulgarism, i.e. a plus in given circumstances.
What fails for the novel? Nearly everything. First of all, the reader doesn’t get the feel of pain for the character Ravin must have carried from the shocking death of Khushi. We get a feeling of one guy who is desperate to fall in ’love’ with. No wonder when a most mismatching girl from the whole world approaches him he ’falls’ in love with her that easily. I am not your match is written all over ’Simar’s acts and words, still Ravin cannot see it. The reason for separation was too silly and the climax was more than silly.
With life’s experience one should grow more mature, but Ravin goes the other way. He grows more childish. Mind you, the girl is no innocent as well where she teaches the ’butterfly kiss’ with the perfection of an expert and no wonder Ravin soon lands up in bed with her so early - (I mean not early morning but early in their relation :).
For Ravinder Singh, this is a lost opportunity to build on the fan following where he lost to build from a grand foundation he has got. Some youngsters may find the novel interesting in some part, but it is a BIG NO for anybody who looks for a serious read or expects a good story even as a romantic novel.
PS: Sorry, I forget to mention about a Radio Station which blackmailed all of its listeners with such a silly story, full of a night, that too on a Valentine’s Day night!!!