Tag: romance

Wrong Number

 

                                                                       (Photo: Pexels)

Love is perennially elusive – but not impossible to find. And I was lucky enough to find him.

This is my story, my real true love story, and it also happens to be my life’s most beautiful story.

I fell in love with his voice. I didn’t know that my life was going to change. And that momentous evening changed my entire life!!

‘Trin – Trin’

‘Hello! Who’s it?’ my voice demanded.

‘Hey! It’s me, Arpit. Hello Puja. Don’t you recognize my voice?’

‘Sorry, wrong number.’ I cut him in short. I was in class 8 at that time and about him, we will know it soon. The next day, the phone rang again and it was him again.  From there, our conversation began. I have never heard such a sweet voice, plus it was my first time talking with a random guy like this. I felt magic in his voice. Every time I hear his voice, I can feel Euphoric bliss.

His name was Arpit Sehgal and he belonged to Bhubhaneshwar. He was doing engineering. We belonged from two different worlds plus such an age gap, so I decided to lie and I said that my name is Preeti Singhania, doing B.com Hons. Our talks continued and we beautifully got used to each other’s voices. We were each other’s crushes until he finally said that he loves me. I replied, “I LOVE YOU MORE”.

The moon flickered, vaporized. I was in love with him. I felt an eccentrically wonderful pull towards him. It seems like I have been waiting agelessly for him to come and refill my empty soul. Our late-night talks, secret messages, hiding from our parents, all these became part of our lives.

Years passed, seasons passed. I recalled our telephonic conversations. I felt at moments the entire wealth of the world had fallen into my lap but at others it made me feel so insecure. The time had come when I was about to leave for my higher studies. A shiver of cold ran down my spine. Arpit was already in my heart!

I longed to be his.

I dialed his number to confess. I was not feeling well. It was raining down heavily at his side.

“Hi, baby!” “Hello, Shona!”

He has already sensed from my voice that I was not well. He said, “I wish I could make you feel the warmth of my body.” I didn’t have the guts. I called him again at night and I lied again.

“I’m having cancer and I will die possibly again.” He started crying. He asked me to not worry and that he will leave everything and come to me to take care of me. I couldn’t hold it more and gave him my promise.

“If ever you have truly loved me even for once, then you won’t call or text me from now.” The next voice I could hear was him asking, “Will you marry me?”

And the call got disconnected.

THE LUCKY ONE – BOOK REVIEW

About the book

Author : Nicholas Sparks


Genre : Romance Drama


Publication date : 2008


Pages : 386

Story plot

The book starts from Keith Clayton’s perspective. Keith is a local police officer. He is at a location where local college students go for nude swimming. He is carrying a camera he borrowed from the Police Department and is taking pictures of three female college students. One of them leaves the beach and comes upon Keith who is supposed to be on duty. He hides the camera and talks with the girls about their breaking the law by nude bathing. He lets them go. He comes across a man whom Keith describes as looking like a hippie walking down a logging road by the beach with a dog. It is Logan Thibault and his dog, Zeus. Keith is concerned Logan saw everything that had happened and tries to find a way to take Logan in. However, after running a background check on Logan and Logan refusing to let him search his bags he lets Logan go. He asks Logan where he is going and states he is heading to Arden. Keith goes back to find the camera he hid, but it is gone and the tires on his squad car are slashed. Keith becomes concerned as his father is the local Sheriff and his grandfather is a local judge.

When the story changes to Logan’s perspective, he is in the car with the three college girls who picked him up when he indicated he wanted to hitch a ride. He gives the camera (from which he removed the memory disk) to the college girls. The story also back tracks to Logan witnessing Keith taking the pictures and Logan taking the camera, destroying the disk, and slashing the tires of Keith’s cruiser. The story then goes back further into Logan’s life as he reflects on his walking all the way from Colorado and even further back as to why he decided to join the Marines. It is explained how Logan began to play Poker while tensions were building in the Middle East and this was his outlet. He lost all of his money while doing this and eventually gave up joining in on the games. It is then mentioned that Logan liked to go for early morning runs while in the Middle East and one day he came upon a picture half buried in the sand. It turns out to be a picture of Beth who is wearing a shirt that says Lucky Lady. His luck then begins to change. It is first noticed when his friend in his squad, Victor, encourages him to join in a poker game that night. Victor also believes in omens and superstitions and is the one who slowly convinces Logan the picture and the girl in the picture are powerful to Logan and the picture may have a deeper meaning in Logan’s life.

Elizabeth (Beth) is next introduced in the story. It starts at a birthday party her son, Ben, is attending. It comes up that Beth’s grandmother, Nana, recently had a stroke and Beth has been helping her run the dog kennel/obedience school Nana owns. It is also mentioned that Nana raised Beth, because Beth’s parents died in a car accident when Beth was 3 years old. Beth is also a teacher at a local school. It slowly becomes known that Keith Clayton is the ex-husband of Beth, and the father of Ben. Beth expresses her frustration about Keith’s disappointment in Ben as Ben is not as athletically inclined as other boys of his age. It becomes apparent that Ben does not care for his father much and does not like spending every other weekend with Keith.

The story goes back to Logan and the beginning of his experience in the Middle East is mentioned. A story is told about how the two comrades in his fire team are killed by a RPG and Logan survives. Logan is staying at a local motel and first decides to find the fairgrounds where the picture he had of Beth was taken. He finds the exact location where the picture was taken and knows he is in the right place. He determines he is going to go to a pool hall/bar to ask the locals if anyone knows the girl in the picture.

Next, Keith reminisces about his day and having to explain the slashed tires to his father. It comes to light that his dad and grandfather are well known in the town and Keith is stuck between keeping out of trouble and his family being able to get him out of trouble due to their status in town. Keith also explains his dislike for his son’s (in Keith’s eyes) weaknesses. Instead of wanting to be with Ben, Keith wants to be out looking for Logan to make him pay for what he did. Keith receives a phone call from a co-worker, Tony, who says a stranger has a picture of Beth at a local pool hall and was asking about her. Keith asks if the guy looks like what Logan had looked like earlier, but the co-worker says that is not the description of the man at the pool hall. Keith is disappointed and decides to do nothing about man with the picture.

Logan’s version of the bar/pool hall encounter is described and he learns Beth’s full name. The next day Logan goes to the dog kennel and meets Beth for the first time. He applies for a position at the kennel and Beth becomes suspicious due to the half told story Logan tells her. (He leaves the part out about the picture as the reason why he came to Hampton). Beth is skeptical and decides to have Nana talk with Logan. Nana decides to hire Logan, but admits she feels he isn’t telling the whole truth about being in Hampton. Once hired, Logan finds a place to rent in town and begins working at the kennel. Over the next few weeks Logan (and Zeus) becomes closer with Nana, Beth and Ben.

Nana decides to go on a trip to visit her sister in Greensboro, leaving Beth and Logan to tend to the kennel. Beth and Logan get to know each other better, and this is one of the weekends when Ben spends time with his father. Logan and Beth make ice cream on the Saturday night Ben is gone when Keith brings him back to Beth. Ben has a bruise on his face and his glasses are broken. Keith tells Ben to tell Beth it wasn’t his fault, but it’s apparent Keith threw a baseball too hard and it hit Ben in the face. Keith does not notice Logan initially, but when he does he demands to know what Logan is doing there. Zeus becomes defensive and Logan tells Keith to leave. Keith does, but is upset about the incident, because he does not like being challenged and forced to back down. He also upset to have found out that Logan had never left town and is concerned Logan may still have the camera’s memory disk.

Beth and Logan go on a date and Logan opens up about Victor and Logan’s boating trip in Minnesota. Logan informs Beth that Victor died when another boat hit their boat. Logan and Beth continue to date, and eventually Keith breaks into Logan’s home to see if he could the photo disk. Logan suggests to Beth that Keith has been the reason why none of her relationships have lasted and tells her about the break-in he had had in his home. Nana implies she agrees with Logan. Beth goes to a former boyfriend’s home and he weakly admits Keith may have been involved in his breaking up with her. Beth (politely) confronts Keith about this. Keith during this conversation tries to convince Beth that she knows nothing about Logan and this could dangerous. Keith thinks he has begun to convince Beth and is in high spirits. However, Logan did research on Keith’s family and meets Keith at his Keith’s home. Logan tells Keith he knows it was Keith who broke into his home and bluffs that he has a video recording of the break in. Logan said he would take the information to Keith’s family if Keith did not stay out of Beth’s business. Keith realizes he no longer has the upper hand and begins to drink heavily.

Later, there is a storm that comes through Hampton and it rains for days/weeks and the area begins to flood. Ben convinces Logan to go to his tree house and Logan realizes it is no longer safe because of the flooding. They still enter the tree house and Logan gives Ben the picture because he feels it will keep Ben safe. Logan mentions his friend Victor’s belief in the luck of the photo. Logan also plays the piano in church for Nana and the town begins to admire Logan, and even Keith’s grandfather praises Ben, deepening Keith’s hatred of Logan.

Tony, the co-worker who called Keith from the pool hall when Logan first arrived in town, goes to Keith’s house and informs Keith that Logan was the guy who had had the picture of Beth which Keith had ignored. Keith goes to the school where Beth works and convinces Beth that Logan is a stalker. Beth doesn’t necessarily believe Keith at the time and confronts Logan who admits to having the photo. Beth becomes extremely upset and demands the picture. Logan informs Beth that he had given it to Ben.

Later, Beth asks Ben for the photo and asks him to tell her everything Logan had said when Logan had given it to Ben. Beth realizes Logan had been honest about how he felt the photo was a good luck charm. Beth goes to Logan’s home and he tells her everything. He also mentions the tree house being very unsafe to Beth. Keith spies on Beth and Logan and is enraged. When Beth leaves Logan’s house Keith follows her to her home. Keith tells her he was going to take her to court to obtain full custody of Ben if she doesn’t follow his rules. He wants her to stop seeing Logan and date him (Keith) again. Ben overhears Keith threatening to take full custody, and tells Keith he doesn’t want to live with him. Ben runs away to his tree house. Logan had seen the extra set of tire tracks and realizes Keith had been around when Beth was at his house. Logan runs to Beth’s house.

Beth finally realizes Ben had run to the tree house and both Keith and Beth struggle to get to the tree house through the flooding and rain. When they arrive at the tree house it has partially collapsed and Ben was in the creek running under the tree house clinging to the rope bridge. Keith tries to go to the tree house but falls through the rotten wood and breaks his ribs and clings to rope bridge as well. Beth broke her foot on the way to the tree house and only able to watch everything unfold. Logan and Zeus arrive and try to help, as well. Logan ends up closer to Keith and Keith clings to Logan dragging him under when the whole tree house collapses and Logan and Keith disappear into the abyss. Zeus saves Ben.

In the epilogue it becomes apparent that Keith died and Logan survives. Ben continues to carry the photo around for good luck.

Review

Over the past few years I have have come to realize that I am a hopeless romantic. I love reading stories about two people having a chance meeting and just knowing from that moment that they were meant to be together, no matter how much their relationship gets tested. That is why this week’s selection happens to be from the man that I like to call the King of Romance Novels, Nicholas Sparks.
“The Lucky One” tells the story of Logan Thibault, a U.S. Marine who finds a lost picture while in Iraq. When nobody claims the picture he decides to keep it, providing him with good luck in every situation he is put into. After coming home he decides to find the woman in the picture even though he knows nothing about her. When he meets Beth Clayton there is an instant attraction and a passionate love affair begins, but Logan has a secret that may tear them apart for good.

I liked this book. I have read two previous Nicholas Sparks novels -“A Walk To Remember” and “Dear John,” and enjoyed them, even though they both had sad endings. The ending to this novel is also sad but happy at the same time.
The book drags in certain spots because there is a lot of back story about each character that needs to be told, but there are also moments of action. Now, keep in mind because this is a romance novel the action scenes are few and far between, but the few that do exist leave an impact on the reader, especially the ending.

Sparks writes from the perspective of the main love triangle – Logan, Beth, and Beth’s ex-husband, Keith. As I’ve mentioned before, I am not the biggest fan of multiple points of view, but this method helps push the plot along. It also shows the readers how the characters are connected. This book is great for anyone, especially those who love a great love story every now and then. I enjoyed reading it and I hope you do too. Maybe someday we will have that chance meeting where we meet the right person.

P.S. I LOVE YOU – book review

About the book

Author: Cecelia Ahern

Genre:  Romance, Womens Fiction chick- lit

Published: September 1st 2003

Pages: 470

PS, I Love You was a number-one bestseller in the United States, Ireland, and several other countries. It was made into a hit movie in 2007 starring Hillary Swank as Holly and Gerard Butler as Gerry. Ahern wrote a sequel, titled Postscript, released in the United Kingdom in 2020.

Summary

PS, I Love You (2004), a novel by Irish author Cecelia Ahern, tells the story of a young widow who receives a series of letters written by her late husband before his death; these letters help her through her grief, compelling her to embark on a series of fun—and often funny—adventures. PS, I Love You is ultimately a tale of love and marriage, death and survival, loss and recovery, and the eternal bond that can unite two people, even after one of them has passed away. It is also about the very human and awkward experience of moving forward alone after the death of a soulmate.

Holly Kennedy holds the sweater of her husband, Gerry Clark. Gerry has just died at the age of thirty from a brain tumor. Holly smells his sweater to remind her of his scent and presence. But as soon as she does, the reality of her loss hits her, and she feels as if she is going to be sick. Holly cannot imagine a life without Gerry, who had been her junior high sweetheart and her one constant source of love and strength for more than fifteen years.

Holly spends her days alone, wandering from room to room inside the home she had shared with Gerry. Consumed with loss, her sleep is fitful, and she rarely leaves the house. One day, her mother, Elizabeth, calls her to check in. Elizabeth has received a large envelope addressed to Holly; Holly assumes it is just another sympathy card. Her mother’s comment that the words The List are written on the top of the envelope shocks Holly. She suddenly knows what the envelope contains and who it is from.

She flashes back to a scene from her past with Gerry. When he jokes that someday he might not be around to do the little things like turn off the bedroom light before bed, Holly laughingly suggests he write her a list of things to do and leave it in his will. It started as a joke, but now, Holly knows, he followed through, sending the list to her mother before he passed away.

After a visit with her best friend, Sharon McCarthy, Holly decides to retrieve the envelope from her mother. She discovers that it is not really an envelope, but a package with no return address. Above the main address are the words The List. She opens the package. On top is a letter in which Gerry assures Holly that she will be able to go on after his death and that she should open and follow the directions inside each small envelope only on the date written on the front of each one. The package contains ten small envelopes labeled with the months March through December. This month’s envelope tells her to buy a bedside lamp so she doesn’t have to get out of her cozy bed every night to shut off the bedroom light-switch. This letter, like all subsequent ones, ends with the words, “PS, I love you.”

For the next nine months, Holly looks forward to opening Gerry’s letters. She, Sharon, and Sharon’s husband, John, marvel at Gerry’s ability to put this project together. He had been so weak and ill toward the end of his life, it must have required a herculean effort.

In April, Gerry instructs Holly to buy a smart new outfit because she will need it in time for next month’s letter. In May, he tells her to put on her new outfit to face one of her biggest fears: singing karaoke live onstage. In June, he asks her to get rid of his belongings; “I’m already here…always wrapping my arms around you,” he writes. In July, he wishes her a “good Holly day,” which she interprets as an order to get ready to go on vacation. In August, he sends her on vacation to Spain for a week with her friends. In September, Gerry advises Holly—who has a hard time finding a job she likes—to get a career she finds fulfilling. In October, he sends her sunflowers with the instructions to plant more, in order “to brighten the dark October days you hate most.” In November, he encourages her to start dating. Finally, in December, he gives his permission for her to fall in love again.

Throughout these letters, buoyed by Gerry’s love and guidance, Holly emerges from the shell she has built around herself. She starts gradually by shopping for an outfit that will get her out of the blue-jeans-and-Gerry’s-shirts combination she’s been living in. The letters introduce more and more action and engagement, providing the springboard for Holly to reenter life once again. In the end, she doesn’t feel abandoned by Gerry or alone and single at a vulnerable time. She feels reconnected to all the amazing things in her life: her friends, her family, her newfound career in magazine advertising—and the eternal memory of one incredible man.

My Review

It is a very interesting read and very emotional one too. Love is the central theme of the book and it is presented in such a beautiful way. Dealing with the death of the beloved can be devastating but life goes on. You have to be keep on living and learn to be happy again for the sake of your family and friends but most importantly, for the same of your lost love who would never have wanted to see you unhappy.

A beautiful well written story which will make you cry for sure and also make you appreciate your loved ones. Cecilia Ahern has created some compelling characters. Her style of writing is simple and sometimes amateurish but the beauty of the story covers all the flaws. The poignancy of loss, letting go and rediscovery is beautifully captured in this story. Its a touching and emotional story about the long road of healing and finding yourself again after losing a loved one. I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves to read chick-lit.

10 things I hate about you (who hasn’t seen this movie) and 10 reasons I’ll give to convince you to watch it.

Directed by: Gil Junger
Production company: Touchstone pictures
Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes worth your time.
Based on: Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of the shrew’.


A newcomer at Padua high school ( filmed at Stadium High School, Washington), Cameron falls in love (at first sight) with Bianca the beautiful. Rich and handsome but dumb Joey has his eyes on Bianca as well. Kat is the older sister of Bianca who doesn’t care about social life. Their strict father won’t let Bianca date unless her sister does. In order to take Bianca out Cameron along with his geek friend Michael makes Joey to pay bad boy Patrick to take Kat out. Things don’t go as smoothly as planned but that’s the fun part. Patrick’s ways to impress Kat is reason 1. Reason 2 is that fight that happens. Reason 3 love can make bad boys turn soft. Check out the movie for details.


Reason 4, the cast: Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona10/10 actor, Julia Stiles as the savage Kat Stratford damn I worship her, Larisa Oleynik as Bianca Stratford perfect for the role, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Cameron James again perfect for the role. Rest of the cast is irreplaceable as well.


I am seriously obsessed with this movie. I have literally watched this one multiple times and have the whole script learnt by heart. I suggest anyone whom I cross paths with to watch this. Reason 5, it is definitely hands down one of the best rom com out there.

Reason 6,


Reason 7, “Patrick Verona: See, first of all, Joey is not half the man you are. Secondly, don’t let anyone, ever, make you feel like you don’t deserve what you want. Go for it!”

Reason 8, (lesson learnt)

Reason 9, (lesson learnt)

This can totally be a movie for your family night. Who doesn’t love a rom com plus it has Heath Ledger. Though the movie does contain a few slang words but that’s mild. Trust me it will leave you smiling at the end all satisfied.

Reason 10, 7.3/10 IMDb rating and 11/10 from me.

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!

Shrestha Dutta is a high school pass out (batch 2019-2020) from DeNobili school Dhanbad, Jharkhand. She is a design aspirant and currently preparing for NIFT entrance exam.
Shrestha is passionate about art, books, movies, fashion. Team Marvel (cinematic universe). She is a normal teenager who has a lot of questions about life. She is an optimistic and happy person in general.

Book Review of Me Before You

When I was recommended about this book by my friend, I simply thought it to be absurd that someone could wish to die in his own will! I was horrified and curious as to what all the matter was this about. But the thing I didn’t know at that time was, life can sometimes mess your life so bad, there is no solution either than just stop thinking about it..

Me Before You is a beautiful and meaningful book written by Jojo Moyes. Not gonna spoil it for you, don’t worry, but the concept written by her is really deep. Honestly, at first, I thought ,the book would turn out to be like a fairytale, with everything just happy…but as I kept reading, the story took a quite dramatic turn. The story is about a girl named Louisa, who is a really optimistic person, measures the distance through the number of footsteps she takes and works in a cafe. She has a boyfriend, a fitness trainer, Patrick.

Fun fact –  When the book was adapted into a movie, the role of Patrick was played by Matthew Lewis (yes! the one who played Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter!!)

Everything turns into a mess when she loses her job, where the story actually starts with the male lead – Will Traynor, an energetic and out going guy, until he met with a pedestrian accident after which he became a quadreplegic . When you read the book, you have so many mixed emotions that you can’t even describe it .It’s just there. I still remember myself, hugging my knees in the corner of my room, crying after reading the book.  Seriously, it took me 5 freaking days to balance my thoughts with my mother grumbling as to why  I was  crying over a book character ( it’s not just a book character!)

My heart did a backflip  after reading every page of the book. Addicted,that’s what I was, just had to know what happens next! The story also introduces us  to a new concept: death. Now, you might say, that we all know what is death, okay!  But…do we?

Now , not many of us know the Non – Profit society named Dignitas, in Switzerland, which offers death with dignity. Intially meaning, ‘assisted suicide’.

The method usually includes an oral dose of an antiemetic drug, followed by an overdose of pentobarbital which is given, dissolved in water, which initially tends to depress the central nervous system, making the person fall asleep. This proceeds to coma , making the person’s respiration slowdown, eventually resulting in a respiratory arrest. Dignitas was founded by Ludwig Minelli on 17 May, 1998. He was a Swiss lawyer  who had specialised in human rights law. The society works for the ones who suffer with terminal and mental illnesses.

Now death is a pretty sensitive and controversial topic.We live because of some ambitions.Fro some important people. For ourselves. For a better future. Everybody hopes for such things. But is the need broken when every important thing and people are snatched away from us? The answer is..we don’t know. It’s just one of the many things, which we simply don’t know.When we know that there is no hope to live, while everyday waking up, only wishing it to be over already, where your loved ones, have moved forward in their own lives while you still lay there. Where you feel like an outsider even when you are with the closest people you know. When everyone gazes at you with pity….

But you know what? He is happy. Happy that, even he had some happy moments. Some memories which he will cherish. Because memories can’t be changed. Don’t live life to the fullest. Live a life which is worth it.  This book teaches so many things in just a few lines, I myself was beyond amazed!

The conclusion? Well, just like William Henley ( a famous poet, don’t confuse him  with Will Traynor!) said ,’I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.’

Our thoughts, our actions, our influences, only they matter. One gets thousands of opinions throughout his life. But guess what? Only my opinion matters in my life,because I am going to take the decision.

Phew! That was a lot of philosophy, now wasn’t it? I was so inspired by the book, I literally called all of my friends and recommended, forced more like ,to read the book. ( Ya! call me annoying)

The ending of the book is..just! 

Lastly, the movie adaptation. The movie production put on a lot of hard work, trust me..but, I would still recommend the book more!

Source: Pinterest

The book is followed by a sequel, ‘After you’ published in 2015 proceeded by one sequel  ‘Still me’  which were not that famous but just as great!!!!

The order of the trilogy –

  1. Me Before You
  2. Still me

Happy readings!!

Note: This review was not written to offend anyone.