Our Song — by Milan Vohra
Publisher: HarpersCollins India
Pages:240
Price: Rs. 299 INR(paperback), Rs. 180 INR(Kindle edition)
ISBN: 978–9353572754
Buy here: https://amzn.to/2ONuTXP
‘People will leave. Even the good ones do. The music will stay.’ This is what life has taught Ragini. A struggling music composer who left the world of Hindustani classical music in Delhi to do her own kind of music in Bangalore, Ragini is impulsive, emotional and often a little lost. The typical creative type — or so Andrew thinks. The head honcho at a mega Pharma company, Andrew is half-British, half-Indian and a full-on ‘propah’ pain. Even if he’s gorgeous. The typical corporate type — or so Ragini thinks. He needs her to compose a song for the company’s silver jubilee. She needs him (well, just his project really) to be able to keep doing her music. They can definitely do without the sparks they set off in each other. Or the highs and lows and all the conflicting notes that being together seems to bring. Because love is off the table for him. And music is her only love. Can two stubborn people from such different worlds ever find harmony together?
About the author:
Milan Vohra is best known as India’s first Mills & Boon author. Her first book ‘The Love Asana’(Harlequin,2010) was a mega best seller in India and abroad. Her second book ‘Tick-tock we’re 30’, (Westland 2013) was another hugely popular romcom and has recently been acquired by a biggie studio for screen adaptation.
Milan also writes short stories published by Penguin, HarperCollins, Unisun, Atta Galatta — in YA, women’s fiction and humour.
Milan’s latest book ‘Our Song’ (HarperCollins, 2019) is a romance centred around music and the contrasting worlds of corporate life and that of a struggling composer. Milan Vohra is also an advertising professional and a big believer in doing what you love.
My take on the book:
Ragini, a freelancing music composer, dramatically meets Andrew, the working Head of Livin’On Pharmaceuticals in the middle of road before meeting him in his office for a scheduled meeting. Andrew was meeting Ragini to hire her, to compose an anthem of sort, for their company’s silver jubilee celebrations. In their first meeting, Ragini recollects Andrew was her senior at school, her once crush, Andy Zot, oops Andy Hot. Andrew also finds himself getting attracted to Ragini instantly and their work next takes them to Kasauli and Shimla where they are inseparable and get more and more intimate.
When sparks are flying instantly between Andrew and Ragini, and both enjoy each others company, the next logical thing to happen is their love story taking off. But is the once-warm-once-icy Andrew and the impulsive Ragini meant to be together or is this only a fling for them? Where does This Song figure in their lives and takes them — together or on separate paths, forms the rest of the story.
Andrew and Ragini’s story plays out like a melodious song for the romantic parts, a sad one for their emotional sequences; as Ragini mentions one raag for each emotion, with its own rasaas. At a high level, this is any other normal love story, but Ragini’s musical background and how she visualizes life in music is what sets this story a class apart. Andrew though from a corporate backdrop is a more humane guy not fitting into cliches.
I loved how the relationship blooms over the timeline of the story from what starts between contrasting personalities to the kind of love that transcends time and distance. Also, the author slowly and smartly brings out the traits of Andrew and Ragini, sprinkling the required details from their past in a very nuanced manner. The story is completely engaging from start to end, with never a dull moment; the supporting characters are also equally well developed. The romantic moments between the protagonists are so well narrated, they will make the readers blush. Our Song is that book which will make you want to fall in love, even all over again. A must read!
This review is part of the Blogchatter Book Review Program.
My rating:
5/5.