Traditionally Published by Kalamos Literary Services, A Walk in My Shoes by Ritesh Karnani is romance novel that explores the shades of love in engineering college through its lead Rounak. Often love stories emanate from non-engineering colleges in India; surprisingly Ritesh delivered a near perfection romance novel without compromising on the nuisances of college heydays of B.Tech students.
Rounak and his best friend Soumya are the focus of the narrative. They are partners in crime, share workload in home works and assignments. However, the difference towards love separates them in the later part of the book. Rounak is portrayed very naïve kind of character, which is pragmatic, as during college days students have malleable heart and lack understanding the proper consent and pain that occurs with love.
Rounak first gets in long-distance relationship with an old school pal – Pooja. But it didn’t work. Rounak was expecting serious commitment but the girl was playing with him casually. Twists begin steering the novel when Soumya’s ex girlfriend enters Rounak’s life. The friendship didn’t remain same. At this point, the novel urges young people to understand love above all barriers to avoid heartbreaks. The story moves ahead with customary love talks, hangouts, and sweetness of young days but the couple suffered an emotional blow when Rounak is diagnosed with a deadly disease.
This book dives deep into the psyche of love relationship, it’s more than just feelings; love is a complete dedication with an equal share of joy and pain to both partners. The narrative is done in a flashback way, the story shuttles between present and past. Rounak, actually, is recounting his college days and love affair before his wife.
After Rounak, it is Soumya that leaves mark in the story. He was painted with heavy antagonism, yet he didn’t cross any line of indecency, though he burnt with fits of jealously seeing Rounak blooming in love. Overall, the novel was kept well balanced from narration to subplots to final climax.
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About the Author:
Ritesh Raj Karnani has an engineering degree in computer science and manages chemical division of his family business in Bikaner, Rajasthan. Ritesh’s constant reading during travelling at the beginning of his professional life forced him to take a pen and paper and start a story. A Walk in My Shoes is his maiden novel on which he has been working for 7 years. Apart from driving and travelling, he also has taken interest in latest gadgets.