Book Review : The Smitten Husband

Looks like we have our very own Mills and Boons series now! The queen of contemporary romance, Sundari Venkatraman, is back with yet another romantic novel – The Smitten Husband. The good news for lovers of romantic novels is that this novella is the first in a five book series called ‘Marriages Made in India’. Marriages in India are anything but ordinary and the series holds a lot of promise. I can’t wait to read all the books in this series!

The Smitten Husband is the story of love blossoming between a couple tied together in an arranged marriage. The protagonist and the smitten husband is Ram, the eldest son of the Maheshwari family, who falls in love with the feisty Sapna at first sight. It is an arranged match brought together by the two families and while Ram has no qualms about the marriage and is more than happy to wed Sapna, she fails to see her prince charming in Ram.  She puts forth a condition to stay in the marriage. What is that condition? Does Ram accept it? And does he manage to win over Sapna? Does she finally accept him as a part of her life? To know, you will have to grab your copy of the Smitten Husband and find out how the drama unfolds.

Sundari’s previous novel, The Runaway Bridegroom, features the love story of Ram’s sister Chanda. With this story, Sundari brings forth yet another shade of love. The Smitten Husband is a delightfully breezy read. That the story is set in an Indian background, makes the rituals and customs associated with arranged marriages relatable and fun to read. It is commendable how Sundari’s female characters are always so strong and independent. Take Sapna for instance, though financially poor, she is still an independent girl with a mind of her own. She is a no-nonsense girl who will not compromise with her ideals. Another feature of Sundari’s novels are male characters like Ram, who are sensitive, caring and loving and make you wish that all men were like him. You almost always end up falling in love with the hero!

While the story unfolds at a steady and smooth pace, my only grouse was that the novella got over too soon. I wished it had gone on a little longer. That, and the fact that the story was a little straightforward. Perhaps a little twist in the plot like we got to read in An autograph for Anjali or some terse moments like we read in The Madras Affair, would have been welcome.

 But having said that, The Smitten Husband, is quite a delightful read. If you are a fan of romantic novels, and the Mills and Boons kind of romances make you go all mushy and weak in the knees, do grab this one! 

Blurb:

Ram Maheshwari is a successful jewelry designer who has a huge showroom on MI Road, Jaipur. He’s tall, dark, handsome and a billionaire to boot. He’s twenty-nine and falls in with his parents’ wishes when they try to arrange his marriage.

The lovely, stormy-eyed Sapna Purohit is from Pushkar. She’s managed to finish school and makes a living by doing mehendi designs during weddings. She’s always dreamt of a Prince on a white horse, sweeping her off her feet.

One look into Sapna’s grey eyes and Ram is lost. Only, Sapna’s unable to see her Prince in Ram. Being from a poor family, she has no choice but to go along with the tide when the Maheshwaris offer to bear all expenses of the wedding. 

Does that mean that the feisty Sapna is all set to accept Ram as her husband? She puts forth a condition, after the wedding. Will The Smitten Husband agree to it?

Title : The Smitten Husband

Author : Sundari Venkatraman

Number of pages : 104