One who loves stories, to read, listen or to write, can’t ever refuse their liking to love stories. Even if one puts on a mask of being a snob and rejects young adult love stories labeling them as shallow, indulge in them with a guilty pleasure. Indian English literature saw a new surge in young adult novels in the new millennium. Recently, I came across one of the recent releases of this genre. Love (Try) Angle by Manali Desai. Published in early 2021, Love (Try) Angle is Manali’s latest work. 

Story is woven around the lives of Ayesha, Viren, and Abhi. Novel begins when Ayesha lands in Mumbai with her parents and begins the new journey. Viren is her neighbour who shows her the ropes and guides her around the new city. On other hand, Ayesha meets Abhi, her college senior in a very dramatic way where they get off on the wrong foot. Beginning with this, the novel hits all the tick marks of a classic romance recipe from getting off on a wrong foot to finding their bearings till “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”. However, the catch is, she has to choose between her first friend in Mumbai, Viren and her frenemy college senior Abhi. You have to grab your copy to know the choices Ayesha makes.

What I loved:

One thing which I enjoyed the most is a very different way of telling the story of these three guys. Manali has left the regular narrative way of storytelling while writing this one. Love (Try) Angle unfolds in front of us in the form of a journal or diary entries. Each character talks about what happened with their point of view. 

“Finding your footing in a new place means getting a chance to explore new sides of your own personality.”

In each new chapter, the narrator of that chapter begins with such one liners describing the gist of the events unfolding in it. These one-liners are very enticing, they simply pull you in the chapter right away.

I am sure you definitely want to ‘try’ this humorous and crisp, young adult novel in which the journey is about trying and exploring, then let it be a place called Mumbai or a feeling called Love.

Blurb

Ayesha has just moved to the’ City of Dreams’ with her parents. She befriends the charming Viren, who helps her find her footing in Mumbai. Though she is slowly adjusting to her new life, what Ayesha is most excited about is pursuing B.A. (Hons.) Political Science from a reputed college. Things don’t go as smoothly as she had thought though. Because Abhi, her senior, seems hell-bent on making her life on the campus difficult from day one. Just when things seem settled, Viren joins the college as an Ad-Hoc lecturer. Is there more to Ayesha’s friendship with Viren, and her frenemity with Abhi? It seems there’s a love triangle blooming around the corner or will it be a Love (Try) Angle? Because Ayesha is not sure if it’s love at all.

About the Author

Manali is a full-time freelance writer and editor cum blogger. Manali runs her blog arusticmind.com on which she shares book reviews, travel experiences, life anecdotes, inspiring human stories, poems, and flash fiction.

My Rating: ★★★★✰ 

Published on: 6 March 2021

Pages: 145

You can grab your copy from Amazon.

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