Book Review # 107 Was It Love? : Neha Sultania

This book was sent by the author in exchange of an honest and unbiased review.

Blurb:

Leila Rajput is a young girl, struggling with life and relationships, dealing with the trauma of a past life-event. Unaware of her true potential, she has almost given up on life, till she meets this dynamic, near-perfect Vikrant Rao via internet. He identifies her potential and offers her a strange arrangement to be her mentor.
He teaches her the basics of life, makes her realize her dreams and helps her in achieving them step by step. Under his guidance, she evolves into a confident and independent woman. They eventually fall in love and Vikrant relocates to her city, where he meets her friend Maya. While he solves Maya's life conflicts and helps her elope with Shahan, he charges a fee none could ever imagine.
Is Vikrant a villain or a victim of greed? Did he truly love Leila or was she just a puppet to reach his next victim?
Was it Love? is a story of Leila's journey through emotions, trials, betrayal and the devil called love.

 My Take:

An unusual love story . Speaks a lot about the current mindset of the youngsters. Trust is a very important factor in any relation and with social media on a rise internet is a reason for people falling in love without knowing each other. An emotionally draining story penned with an unexpected twist in the end that will keep you hooked throughout.

Leyla has trust issues and has gone through a lot since childhood. A disturbed, carving for attention life gets better of her. Anyone giving a patient ear and sympathising with her is all she need. Facing molestation and the indifferent family she turns to the virtual world where she finds solace with Vikrant. He takes her under his wings and mentors her to come out fo the past and bloom in a confident lady.  What starts as a mentor ship slowly paves way for something more. On the other hand her best friend Maya, fallen in love with Shahan is planning to elope.  But is Vikrant the guy Leyla is looking for? Has he entered her life with a motive? What happens when Maya and Vikrant meet? Read the book to know more.

The story is from Leyla's point of view. Although her past and her family is not talked about much. All we know is what she faced. I found that a tad disappointing as the link of why she is what she is could have been built with this development. Leyla has layers to her character, and her relationship with Avi, her ex is developed decently. Both being extremes with one having hunger to crave a niche for herself and the other just wanting to enjoy life, her relation with him I felt was out of empathy. She needed a shoulder to cry and he empathized with her.

Vikrant, I felt is whimsical as he only likes to dominate and use others. He keeps changing colors and leaving Leyla bewildered.He always like to lead and only he takes a call on the relation. His character is developed well with good layers, although his past is not delved into much. I liked the part where the author explains how people start changing and take you for granted once they settle in a relationship. I guess its something we all connect to.

The narration is good and the story line interesting. A different love story with elements like friendship, love, betrayal etc blended. Although it takes a toll on you by the end emotionally.

I would rate this 4/5 for the author's "different" tyrst with love stories.