Book Read: The Secret Wishlist

I usually don't buy fiction books by Indian authors. I am not biased, I just go by the popular name. I borrow books from friends who recommend it. But I  did something new on one March afternoon; I bought The Secret Wishlist by Preethi Shenoy. {And, I feel sad it took me more than a month to publish this post.}
I did read the summary on back cover. I must accept that it made me curious. A girl falls in love at sixteen, but, she is married off in pakka Indian arranged marriage style. After few years she meets her true love and this leads to mental crisis. As John F Kennedy said

"When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger, the other opportunity." - John F. Kennedy

And the author uses this opportunity to tell us the story of Diksha
First few pages were really interesting. I liked the way the author kept moving between the past and the present. But soon the real intentions of the characters are revealed and the story goes in a slow(boring) pace to have a hasty climax.

Pros:

• Different story. I had never ventured into books centered on extra martial affairs and sorts.
• The book also is lesson on work-life balance. 3 people who work their ass off and end up in contrasting situations.

Cons:

• I didn't really need a dictionary while reading the book. So, it doesn't help you improve your vocab much. 
• After the first few chapters, everything is predictable and I begged the book ended sooner. 
• I hated the story, what the characters chose to do. In the end it is the author's story but the protagonist makes ridiculous choices and the worst part is she even defends those choices every time.

The concept of extra-martial affair though touched and indulged by the protagonist, the author doesn't really highlight it. Instead, she claims all the actions taken are in the name of freedom, an entity everyone claims but no one has it.

After I read the book, I felt I had wasted my time and started cribbing why I had not finished the other novel from Jeffrey Archer - Not a Penny Less, Not a Penny More(By the way, I have finished the book now, and it is fablous, you should read that instead). I don't recommend this book to anyone.