“A Splash Of Love, A Kiss of Infatuation” by Rajeev Ranjan: A Review

A SPLASH OF LOVE, A KISS OF INFATUATION  by Rajeev Ranjan is the story of Arunoday starting from his childhood when he used to live in his village with his family.

One fateful day fate plays a nasty trick and his cousin-cum-best-friend dies in an accident. Then his parents decide to shift to Jalandhar where his life changes completely and he is not lonely anymore. Soon he shifts to Delhi and resides in the Cantonment area where he finds two of his best friends: Rajeev and Manish. He dreams of becoming an Army Officer after his graduation but doesn’t make the grade. He then enrolls in the Delhi University for post-graduate studies.

At the university, he falls in love with Sanjana who accepts his love.

Arunoday starts giving tuitions to earn some money and meets Anjali to whom he is drawn like a magnet. To avoid upsetting Sanjana, he never tells her about Anjali.  But eventually Sanjana gets to know about Anjali and leaves him.

Arunoday completes his studies and shifts to Mumbai to take up a job there. But he cannot forgive himself in the matter of Sanjana who had loved him with all her heart. He curses himself for what he had done to her. He leads a lonely and guilt-laden life in Mumbai.

Does Arunoday manage to forgive himself or does he forget her? Does Sanjana forgive him and return to him? Will he be able to set things straight at any cost? What is the price he has to pay for true love?

The story meanders its way through many twists and turns. One keeps guessing what would come next and is pleasantly surprised by the unexpected turn. The book has a unique and interesting plot matched by a perfect ending.

The chapters are small, making it easy reading for people with short attention spans. Each chapter begins with a crisp prelude giving a foretaste of the chapter. The short chapters make it easy to read the book in multiple sittings. The language is simple but effectively communicative.

The characters in the book are so well crafted that they do not fail to come alive to the readers.

A notable flaw in the book is the lack of conversation. The story is told chiefly in the narrative mode. But for the brisk and crisp style, it could have made the novel a drag.

The story takes off languidly and one might feel a tad bored initially. But the tempo picks up soon enough and doesn’t allow readers to keep the book down half way through.

The maxim “Never judge a book by its cover” applies eminently to this book.

The book is a good “page-turner”. Tempted as I am by numbers at times, I rate this novel 3.5/5.  A SPLASH OF LOVE, A KISS OF INFATUATION makes amazing reading and I recommend this book. I am sure you will enjoy reading it.

— Review by Aman Jakhar.

• About the Author

About Sprightly Spirit

“I dare do all that may become a man. Who dares more is none”. And all, may be. It may be the vigor. Or the spirit. Or the courage to avoid being “politically correct” or bent. And, ban all averse with immaculate overture of graciously fathomable words firm in views. Subtle. Justifying the undying conscience. Values. Knowledge. And, dares to stay true. True to own. True to the world. And, to the words. With a dream in eyes it exists. In you. In me. In all. The sprite that never shies away. The spirit that never dies!