Shanti was stuck in traffic and I was not regretting it a bit as it meant I had time to browse through the book store. Saw this book & the cover reminded me of “Devil Wears Prada” & having liked the book I couldn’t resist picking this one, I thought it might be a re-print with different cover but I was wrong. It was a different book from the same author & without wasting any time I picked the book.
It’s is a typical ladies book with all the necessary ingredients thrown in…i.e.
A bad boss- Boring Job- Need for change- Weight Issues- fussy parents- no love life- yearning for it-a best friend- the bad boy friend of the best friend – a heir – a normal drool worthy guy- love- found – lost – regained
It’s the story of Bette. Hers is a normal life with a secure banking job and a lovely friend in Penople. Yes, her life is normal till the day Penople decides to get married to her long time beau and some turn of events here & there make Bette resign from her job(I envy the ease with which she leaves her job). A struggle here & there & a reference here & there land her up in an upcoming event management firm.
Her life shifts into an express gear, from being a staid boring banker she is thrown on to a completely new platform where her work is to Know Everyone worth knowing -Attend Parties- Organize Parties- to know what is liked by a particular star- what is not liked by them – who are they dating – to look good.
A chance encounter with Philip Wetson an heir & the most eligible bachelor in town makes Bette the talk of the town. She is incessantly followed by a mystery reporter who keeps printing bits & pieces about this so called romance making Bette, the new pin up girl of the Philip. Her boss loves this free publicity for the firm and therefore Bette can’t come out & deny the affair,
So, our Bette is involved in an imaginary affair but she actually is not into it and she has to explain this to her conservative parents – her best friend – her uncle and Sammy.
Who is Sammy? The bouncer at the disc – a chef in making – a typical tailor made for novel guy - drool worthy, our Bette has a crush on him but typically there are too much confusion to handle, issues to be cleared & misunderstandings to happen before the couple can think of coupling.
What will happen to Bette? Whom will she finally date, Philip or Sammy. Will she be satisfied with her present job or will she look out for something meaningful? Will she be able to break through the web of deceit woven around her? Better read the book to know more.
It is a typical Chic-Lit book and at places more than one you feel it’s like Bridget Jones Diary but in totality it’s a fun read. Like a Yash Chopra movie you have all the masala ingredients thrown-in, in good measure so in few words it’s a time pass book to be read & forgotten.
But the book does give us a glimpse behind the glamour of partying/ gossip/ and a so called glamorous job. It captures the hollowness of the so called high profile lives. And there is an innocence in the book which appeals big time.
And yes, the best part about the book is the readers club which Bette has joined. She has a liking for hard core romantic novels and is ridiculed by everyone who knows her inkling towards them. A chance encounter with a member makes her join this club where all the members love reading these books. In this club they all meet monthly, discuss a pre decided novel and don’t make each other feel guilty that they are still into reading book which in general impression are for teenagers only.
This part made me wish, I could attend one such readers club where I could discuss the books I have read, romantic or non-romantic, it will surely be fun knowing the point of view of others about the book, it would be fun to dissect the book….
*I would recommend this book to all girls who love typical Romantic novels.This one will surely make you forget your kitchen, pending chores, that niggling feeling to clean the dust and most imoprtantly the book has a hero who is a dream cook.so atleast dream for sometime that Men can cook for you;-)
Trivia: While searching for the cover of the book I chanced upon Two covers, One which resembles that of Devil Wears Prada & another one (both pictures enclosed). My conclusion was that since the author is known for DWP the publishing house has tried to cash in on the popularity of DWP. However this cover is designed for Indian editions only.