Written in the Stars

Twenty-seven-year old Ananya Jhangiani has had more jobs than she can count on two hands. The black sheep in a family of overachievers, Ananya flits from job to job unable to find the career that will grab both her attention and her heart. A debacle at work brings her career crashing to the ground and at the same time, she finds out that her one true love, her ex- boyfriend, is going to get hitched very soon.

Ananya is distraught. An impromptu plan sends her to New York to visit her brother. There she meets the dashing Sameer, who seems to like her as much as she does him. Will Sameer be her knight in shining armour? Or is he the one in need of rescuing? Will the trip inspire Ananya to find her true calling? Are our lives Written in the Stars? Ananya is all set to find out.

Synopsis from goodreads

I almost didn’t read this little gem of a book because of the clichéd cover design and title. It made the book sound so dated like one blah combination of self-help plus romance.

However, the Eid weekend was a long one and we had nothing planned; I had holiday on Friday, but the kids didn’t. So, I happily packed off the kids to school and spent the day lounging around and reading this book.

I was in the mood for something light and not too taxing, and this book filled that need quite nicely.

My Review

What I really liked in this book were the easy-breezy and true to life characters. Ananya is a girl that anyone can relate to. She is a little confused and messed up. She flits from career to career unsuccessfully without making any headway. Unlike most people, she doesn’t want to settle, but wants to get into that dream career that is just right for her. Unfortunately that dream career doesn’t materialize hence the frequent job changes.

The book starts hilariously with a glum Ananya consulting a tarot card reader whom she knows is a fraud, but still can’t help visiting again and again hoping to find some good news. The moment I read this section, I knew I was going to love this book.

When Ananya’s latest job flops, she is down but not out. However, her ex-boyfriend’s announcement on Facebook about his upcoming wedding is the last straw, and she flees to her brother’s place in New York to escape all her problems.

Of course, predictably the solution to both her love and career problems lies on the horizon. However, even though the story gets predictable, the pleasing writing style, the friendly characters, and lovable Ananya herself have you rooting for a happy ending for her.

The setting of New York helps too, and thankfully Ananya doesn’t do the standard Statue of Liberty and Times Square rounds. Instead the focus is on great eating and party places, and the amazing Strawberry Fields in Central Park.

Being a long-time Beatles fan, I let out a little squeal when I saw what a big role this homage to John Lennon played in the book. For just those references alone, this book has a soft spot in my heart.

Last Words

Overall, a very sweet chick-lit book that I recommend if you are in the mood for some light n easy reading. It’s not great literature but it’s a fun book to while away a couple of hours.

Huge thanks to the author for sending me this book for review consideration.

You can also purchase a copy of this book from Amazon