Broken Hearts by Shrenik Mutha

Broken Hearts is a sweet, sad, romantic novel.

A fair warning - if you're not a fan of romance, I don't think you will like this book. The book is mushy, its sweet, and its full of love - ideally for those who believe in true love. Its also not a book for the weak hearted - like the title and the back cover will tell you, 'most stories end in happily ever after - but not life.' The book can be confusing, as it begins in the present time, and then goes off into flashback and ends in flashback. But, if you actually like romance, if you like stories of true love, if you like stories that are honest and from the heart, then you will like this book. There are very few fantastical elements in this book, as such it is based on true events and true people, and it is a story meant to emphasize with, rather than a story meant to shock and awe. 

The writing style of the author is clear, simple, and easy to understand, which fits in well with the simple and honest plot. There is not much pretentious use of words which can get really annoying, and there isnt much superfluous material either - the book is very short, only about 40 odd pages. One wishes, actually, that the book was a little longer, to give the book more time to develop. On the other hand, the brevity of the book is actually a good thing - even though the book really does feel short, the length is just enough to convey the story, which is a really good thing when you compare it to all the hundreds of books with loads of word-padding to increase the page count, this is really, and refreshingly different. 

As far as the story goes, the book tells the story of Jack, a boy very much in love with a girl called Catherine. It starts with their present disaster and goes into flashback mode to talk about how they met and how their lives have been so far. Some scenes, like when Catherine meets Jack's mother, are very touching indeed. The story is simple and something that most teenagers, in love, or in pain, have experienced and can appreciate. The book is written in an adoring style, from the point of view of Jack, and while his flaws are glaringly pointed out and corrected by Catherine, Catherine herself appears as a shining paragon of goodness - which, I believe, is natural when told from the perspective of someone who is very much in love. 

Final thoughts: Its a sweet, sad book. Ideal for fans of romance, and also for people looking for a short and fast read. 

Ps - I'm going to interview author Shrenik Mutha tomorrow on my blog. Come by and see his own thoughts! 

Other thoughts: This is my first book for the Book Reading Challenge 2011, ongoing now! Check it out here! 

Also, I've got loads of books lined up for this challenge, and a special feature this sunday, so do check out this blog! 

(Financial disclosure: Book source was the author.)