This time, Forever
Book:This time, Forever
Author: Andaleeb Wajid
Book Reviewed By - Sameeksha Manerkar
Reading any book by Andalleb ma’am is intense in itself.
Jawad is an introverted person with compassion. Love. Who wants to confess love to his wife. Wife! Yes!
Jawad and Tanzeen have been married for four years, the longest in the Starvelli towers couples. But Tazeen – who is shadowed, with thoughts of being a good wife and mother is now having second thoughts about her life choices. The urgency to find herself grows even more after realizing that she cannot be a mother.
When she looks at the other couples, she realizes she cannot have a similar relationship with her husband. The feeling intensifies that she asks Jawad for divorce, the same day he decides to make this relationship work by going to a marriage counselor.
They both love each other but do not express it.
The more the couple remains silent, the more struggle increases. Their unspoken battle of thoughts becomes the reader’s worst nightmare as they root for this couple.
What happens when not expressing the love they feel ends up in a divorce? To know read, This time forever.
Personal Commentary:
Andaleeb ma’am’s books are a way to discover relationships. Every sentence gives a sense of a plan to break the stereotypes through her writing. The story unfolds powerfully, exploring introverts’ lifestyles. The character development is so good the readers can see the character’s personality and intensity growing with every page. The narration of a complex relationship is very well done, especially highlighting the communication gap and peer pressure one feels.
The way the author expresses her views on peer pressure and parents’ involvement in their kids’ life-altering decisions is commendable. She smoothly talks about topics of self-discovery and self-love through her characters. The plot makes you laugh, blush, madly fall in love with the quirky incidents, get goosebumps with the intense chemistry.
It is a beautiful way to represent the other side of marriage. The one where we can see the unrealistic expectations we dive into without considering everything. Although there are expectations we develop, the book also suggests that sometimes doing something unusual helps us to get out of the mundane life.
Overall a book you must read for its powerful storyline, engaging plot, and deep analysis of complex characters.