I was there at the book launch of Ganga Bharani's ' A sip of Love and A Sip of Coffee' and also grabbed a copy of the author signed book. However, several other priorities did not give a chance to read this book till this week.
I know this book focuses on the puppy love. The teenage urge for attention, the phone calls, the exam tension, group studies, cycling to school, the craving for marks and the academic results and the regular parental care and pressures. This book covered it all.
It takes you through a simple realistic story of Avanthika (Ave) and Gautham, how they fall in love, in-fact a first crush for her, an infatuation and longing for the first kiss, makes you laugh at times remembering the puppy love that you would have come across in life. The intermediary conversations with the author and the characters of the book is refreshing and a good attempt by Ganga. I am sure she succeeded in the portrayal of the characters.
For a not so young reader like me, I felt the story was bit more circling around the fever of exams for longer than it wanted. The concept of 'best friend forever' between a boy and a girl portrayed with the character of 'Srinivas' in Ave's life made it realistic.
As the turn of events, and as the story moves from the school stage, to college and professional lives of the protagonist Avantika and her first love Gautham, the script moves on at a faster pace. It quickly takes you through the sudden changes and shift in their thinking and thorough understanding of love and relationships.
The final chapter shows you that real love is not in always ending up with marriage, but in understanding to the extent where you can actually give it up, for the benefit of the people involved in it. Being practical and actually understanding the essence of wanting a relationship or letting it go.
This story ends with a twist that is welcoming. Not every first love ends up in life long companionship, but the warmth, the aura of puppy love, the feeling of first crush, the sweet nothing conversations and the attention seeking watching over each other, the phone calls and pretending with parents, the kisses that fly across the telephone lines, reminds of a teenage that is normal and charismatic.
Accepting of reality and understanding of love in its purest form makes this book readable. Kudos to the attempt of Ganga Bharani. I am sure the younger people will love this book alot and we middle age folks will smile with happiness remembering our teenage and its own tantrums....Ofcourse it does remind you of the first love :-)
Bottonline : Please grab your copy and enjoy the book with a cup of hot coffee...if possible made by your spouse with love!
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