Title : Secrets and Second Chances 
Author : Anita Shirodkar
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Genre : Fiction, Mystery, Romance

There's a popular saying that goes, 'Your life is a reflection of the choices you make.' Such is the story of this smart and gorgeous damsel whose life revolves around her decisions, aspirations and instincts. The story depicts the thoughts and mindset of today's woman who is brave enough to follow her heart. The authoress debut book has been able to cause a stimulation in the mind of the readers through its gripping characters and story line.
Summary
As the back cover says:
"Suddenly, the world was upside down and there was only one person who could set it straight. But Nandita was not sure if he wanted to…Nandita Dharkar, a strikingly beautiful and talented architect, relocates to Mumbai from Delhi, seeking new horizons and compelling explanations about ghosts from her mother’s past.As she revels in her newfound independence and forges new friendships, her job at a prestigious architect firm brings suave hotelier Aryan Rai into her life—and she falls hopelessly in love with him. But when her best friend, the carelessly handsome Aditya Arora, suddenly lands on her doorstep, Nandita realizes how fickle the heart can be.
In the midst of it all, she is unable to forget the mysterious letter she had discovered in her mother's jewellery box. When she embarks on a quest to find out the identity of the letter writer, shocking secrets about her mother’s past come to the forefront.
Will this shatter Nandita or will she heal through forgiveness?"


My Review
For me, the first look of the book held my attention towards it. The attractive cover page,title and blurb seem propitious and complements the plot of the story. It seemed a very unusual story and filled me with inquisitiveness.

The book presents you a tale laced with emotions, dreams, friendship and relationships. The lives of the centralized characters, Nandita, Aditya, Amrita and Aryan are interwoven with their beliefs and decisions. I feel that a reader can be intrigued by each chapter of the book as everything seems right at one moment and the next moment is filled with choked desolation.

Every time life brings Nandita in some anomalous situations where she is uncertain but try hard to subsist on her heartfelt thoughts alone.The story connects the lives of certain people in an unfamiliar way and which eventually brings out different twists and turns in protagonist's life. Each character evokes interest and keeps you involved in the story till the end and maybe for a long time.

One of the things that I really liked is the mother-daughter relationship which enrich the story line. The book exhibits the bond of Nandita and her mom which goes through trust, laughter, tears, worry. The various instances reveal the kind of exquisite faith and depth of love between these two that remained unspoken but beautifully unfolded in the due course.

In addition, the story also synchronizes with the life of metro cities where people are ambitious and passionate. The corporate lifestyle of Mumbai and the related anecdotes very much connects with the notions of people in the modern era.

The narration style was effective and very well conveyed the intensity of each scene. The readers can get a clear view of what is going in each section of the story. Except for some portions that could be more rapid and speedy, the overall story is presented in a riveting way. The cloak-and-dagger stuff made the climax striking and that's what made me engrossed till the conclusion.

The book brings out a powerful image of a woman who is bold, committed to her work and fearless.
It successfully conveys a lesson which is all about to trust your hunches to gain  wisdom and true understanding of life.

Overall it is an entertaining story. Great read. Do check it out!


Rating : 4.8/5

Happy Reading!! :D