Destined is the third book published by indie author and
friend Rubina Ramesh. I can see the growth curve, Rubina. You have come a long
way since the first draft of Finding the
Angel.
What I really like
about the author’s words is the rawness in them. She has her own unique style
and that’s how it should be.
A quote from
Destined:
Of all the hell
bound virgins, he really thought she would not keep her side of the bargain? She scowled at him, her eyes blazing in anger.
"I never - I repeat, I never go back on my promises."
That’s so typically
Rubina Ramesh. Succinct words, hard hitting, original similes and bold
characters that touch—no, dig into your heart. You might love them, you might
hate them. But you can’t remain indifferent.
Esha is strong,
bold, hardworking and adores her father. But she’s human enough to feel bogged
down by the crises surrounding her life. Does that mean she’s ready to give up?
No, never. What if her fiancé refuses
to agree with how she wants to live her life? He has no choice but to get out
of her life. I love this woman who has got her priorities right. And she’s not
too perfect. Esha can be rude, defiant and has a temper too. Then there is that
strong sense of self-respect that makes her exactly what she is. A powerful
character, I must say. Kudos to the author!
I loved these words:
'She has a heart of gold and a mouth of a truck driver,' he would often joke. Well, the truck driver part Esha had often witnessed but the gold seemed to be safely hidden somewhere deep, very deep, inside her body.
This made me cry:
"I only know
that he is my Dad and I love him very much. He has taught me my first word -
Ma. He has taught me to walk and to ride my first bicycle. And today he needs
me. What has law got to do with that?"
Words are a powerful tool for an author and Rubina
Ramesh has those in plenty, I must say.
Rohan is a hot hero to swoon over. He’s a successful
businessman whose company takes care of its employees and is also into
philanthropy. I like these small touches that could be received well by the
society since fiction does wield a powerful influence over readers. Rohan has a
sense of humour and the best part is that he is truly empathetic towards Esha.
I think that’s very important in a romance.
The side characters were superbly etched out. I hated
Ayush, his mother and Zaira, exactly as I was meant to. I loved Esha’s father
and Chakraborty, Rohan’s secretary.
Can’t you just visualise this scene? Read on:
Without thinking too much about it, she made her way towards the HR
department where the company secretary Mr. Chakraborty's office was situated.
He was a healthy man with a bald head. Everyone called him 'Mr. Flutesnoot'
from Archie's world of characters. He looked like a forgetful professor but
that was just a belying exterior. He was wearing a bright yellow flowery shirt
with lapels that were in vogue during the Raj Kapoor era, his brown trousers
held together with black suspenders. His bald head was shining, reflecting the
lights high up on the ceiling. Only a few threads of hair could be seen in the
middle of his head.
And oh yes, there’s a sizzling love scene that all
romance readers would appreciate. You cracked it, Rubina Ramesh. Congrats!
Loved the cover by Floryie BL and I must say the title is perfect for the story.
And here’s one for the road, a quote from the book.
You can see what I mean by hard hitting words that churn you up. No, I don’t
really think this is a spoiler:
"So?" she glared at him. "I shouldn't feel hungry? I knew
what you call my 'responsibilities' at a very young age, Rohan. The time you
were flying kites. So freaking don't lecture me about responsibilities. I took
my mom for chemo when I was eleven years old. I watched her wither in pain
night after night, while doing my homework and getting ready for school. And do
you know what happened when my mom died?"
"What?" Rohan whispered. He felt it in his bones that here lay
all her pain.
"I felt relieved, Rohan. I fucking felt relieved."
Silence. Rohan just stood there stumped. Not moving at all.
VERDICT: This is one
awesome romance and it would be a loss to miss it.
