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One closes the last page of Divya Ramaswamy's Love at First Byte with a smile at a tale well told. The book revolves around the twenty-year-old Annika, who claims to be an introvert at the very beginning. However, her sense of humour, and her joie-de-vivre, keep the readers wondering what she is going to do next.
The book is set in Hyderabad, takes a short detour to Dubai, and then settles down in Hyderabad again. Annika has an amazing bond with her parents and sibling, and takes digs at them with good humour.
"...Annika, a surprisingly modern name, considering some of the short-listed choices my Mom had scarred me with during my childhood."
The characters who revolve around Annika are also noteworthy, be it the temperamental Riva, the amazing trio of Kabir, Kriti and Maggie, and of course, her affable yet efficient boss, Kevin, who is a true mentor to her. The author brings them alive with their endearing quirks and reveals the bonhomie which tethers them.
The book is an odyssey across Annika's budding career in a start up company, Bubble, and brings out the ups and downs young professionals encounter, the relationships created, the camaraderie, and of course, the disruptions in the form of unpleasant colleagues and bosses, amusingly given monikers like 'Baby Faced Monster' and her pet allergy 'Mokshitis'.
Annika, who terms herself "blissfully technology unaware" grows through "the crazy spikes and troughs" of business, and proves herself by burning the midnight oil, finally turning into a team lead, doing it all with aplomb.
The love interests, in the form of the captivating Veer and the magnetic pony-tailed Kiaan, both of whom pique Annika's romantic interest, keep the readers guessing for three quarters of the book.
The story kicks off and ends with violins and tulips, an indication of romance in the air, despite all the upheaval. Divya Ramaswamy has created an office ambience that is enviable. Annika's love for life and her determination to never say die keep the rhythm going with the interest never flagging.
What I particularly enjoyed, apart from the author's breezy style of writing, were the nuggets of humour strewn through the narrative, lighting it up at intervals. For example -
House hunting in Hyderabad got hectic after Annika's parents; ultimatum -
"We can find an aunt or a fourth cousin there that you could stay with." A familiar scenario!
The description of Brian Day or the Baby Faced Monster (BFM) - "a chap going off like a rocket launcher with excess fuel" and the description of Annika's shopping spree with trolleys at the supermarket - "The pesky creatures and I still hadn't managed to reach an agreement on how to tackle our combined lack of coordination."
Who said that it was not right to judge a book by its cover? The well-conceived, eye-catching pink cover with its fun images portray exactly what the book contains within, and its tone as well.
I enjoyed this read, mainly because it was engaging without once turning mundane. The characters were real and the relationships strong and believable. The protagonist's personality shone forth, and in the process, made the book shine as well. The author's corporate experience has obviously played a stellar role in making the narrative in the book authentic.
Book Title: Love at First Byte
Author: Divya Ramaswamy
Publisher: Vishwakarma Publications
Book Cover: The Book Bakers
#corporatelife #romance #humour
I received this book as a prize for the Beyond the Desk Blog Hop by Manali Desai and Sukaaina Majeed.
Good book especially for youngsters.
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