True Liars

Author: Isha Inamdar

Publisher: Harlequin India

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance

Blurb (as on Amazon.in)

Aspiring deejay NJ – Anjana – lives in Mumbai with her best friend Harsh and his boyfriend Sam. When Harsh has to go to Phalodi, his hometown in Rajasthan, for his sister’s wedding, he convinces NJ to tag along, posing as his girlfriend to avoid being set up with any potential brides. At the wedding, though, she meets Rudra, Harsh’s elder brother, and the two are powerfully attracted to each other. One thing leads to another and they kiss, only to break away bitterly. But NJ will not let Harsh’s secret out.

Wedding, vows, secrets, lies – of course, things get complicated. When Rudra visits Mumbai soon after, he finds that NJ is missing and no one knows where she is. Where could she have gone? Why are there rumours that she is dead? Will Rudra move on from the guilt and sadness that envelop him, or will he uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance?

A big fat desi romance for those who stir a little darkness into their love potions.

My Take

Harsh and Anjana aka NJ are best buddies. They share the same apartment along with Harsh’s boyfriend Sam. Harsh’s biggest fear is his parents finding out the fact that he his gay and hence he requests NJ to accompany him as his girlfriend to his sister’s wedding. This would keep his secret safe and will also protect him from unwanted marriage proposals.

And then there’s Rudra, Harsh’s elder brother. The man of every girl’s dreams, Rudra is a heartbroken hunk who has trust issues and an exceptionally high ego.

NJ meets Rudra and in immediately greeted with heart flutters. Rudra feels the same but realizes that it’s a sin to fantasize about his beloved brother’s girlfriend. There’s another problem. Rudra thinks NJ is a gold-digger and makes it his mission to expose her.

However, destiny has other plans. Rudra and NJ end up falling for each other, but they part ways again through a series of very unfortunate events.

A few days later, NJ goes missing and no one knows where to find her.

True Liars is about finding love and trusting the one you love. A series of lies leading to a lot of heartbreaks. Nj has her issues but she has been trying so hard to pull herself together. Rudra is broken beyond measure and the only place he finds solace is when he is beside NJ. But love is never going to be enough. is it?

A Romantic tale with a hint of thriller, the plot was great. The writing gets a little dull at places because too many words and too many chapters have been dedicated to describing the same feelings over and over again. But that didn’t slow me down. I was on a hunt for a happily ever after. I also like the way the author penned down the emotional segments of the book.

The romance is mushy and gets clingy sometimes. There’s a lot of fantasizing and kissing. Doesn’t get creepy though (that definition might differ from person to person).

It’s another refreshing read if you are looking for something satisfying and happy on a bad day. Isha Inamdar’s debut novel is a promising story about love, lies, and trust.