WHEN PADMA BANI WIFEY - BOOK REVIEW - #WRITEAPAGEADAY #BLOGCHATTER

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Amazon.in

The dedication says it all.

“To all the square pegs in round holes! Salut!”

Padma, who turned into Paula for a short while in Book 1, is back with all her vivacity and quirkiness in Book 2, so engagingly titled ‘When Paula Bani Wifey’. Author Anupama Jain’s sense of humour shines out from the eye-catching cover itself, so vibrant and yet so telling, as it brings out the dichotomy in the mind of the protagonist.

Padma and Varun Raichand, along with their daughter, Sampoorna, form the crux of this entertaining novel. Padma, pushing 40 yet looking 30, is at the crossroads in her life when her nosediving career and her pleasant plumpness are both giving her nightmares.

Varun, who loves his wife and daughter to distraction, is the “completely hands-on father. A new-age man, a millennial father” who enjoys spending time with his precious daughter. A sore point with Padma who is “very touchy about her maternal rating” in her daughter’s eyes!

Padma’s discontent with her life is revealed through her thoughts which the author has thoughtfully put in italics. Whether it is a romantic holiday alone with Varun, an exasperating trip to the gym, the frustration at her mother’s constant remote parenting and grandparenting or her fluctuating mood swings, Padma senses “the Universe’s signal of discordant notes all around.”

 Issues between Padma and Varun keep spiralling out of control and Padma begins to feel  inadequate, as the whole world envies her for having such good fortune and “tiny schisms start widening into glaring gaps in their relationship”.

“They say marriages are made in heaven and experienced on earth. So are tsunamis, typhoons, thunderstorms, and earthquakes.

It all starts slowly before the tempest builds up and then annihilates everything in between.”

To make matters worse, Padma’s old flame, Rohit, comes back into her life along with his gorgeous fiancée, Janaki aka Jo.

How do Padma’s veering emotions react to this new equation in their lives?

How does Padma’s capriciousness affect Varun’s personal and professional life?

In what manner does all the unpleasantness impact their little daughter, Sampoorna, “the loveable glue” who held her warring parents together?

Finally, what is the straw that breaks the camel’s back? Will Padma and Varun be able to sort out their differences and move on to their hopefully ‘happily ever after’?

‘When Padma Bani Wifey’ is an absorbing read that is written with humour and empathy. Anupama Jain’s writing style is uniquely her own, peppered with modern lingo and picturesque witticisms. She not only amuses but makes one ponder over the mysteries of life, including the thorny field of marital and other relationships. This sequel to ‘When Padma Bani Paula’ carries on the saga of the feisty Padma who refuses to mellow down, under any circumstances.

Padma may come across as unpredictable and impulsive, but those are the very qualities that make her unforgettable as well. She is a force of nature in her own right.

I am participating in the #Blogchatter #WriteAPageADay challenge.

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