Review: It Happens for a Reason by Preeti Shenoy

Life's always been a turmoil. It even exceeds your expectations at a certain juncture. Not that you are left with a lot of choices but the chaos and drama always helps you build your present and future in tune with the society. For those who choose to defy the norms, they are subjected to intense scruitny, but if you have the will to get over all of it then there's no stopping. Author Preeti Shenoy in her latest book "It Happens for a Reason" goes all out to reason society and it's very roots which are a mere puppet of indiscretions and sometimes total loss of basic moralities. So has she been able to dig out the dirt and clean it up for the readers? Let's find out. 

When Vipasha, Vee to friends, eighteen and single, makes the decision to have her baby, she does more than give up her promising modeling career. She ends up cutting ties with her family and with Ankush, the man she thought she was in love with. Fast-forward sixteen years and she now has two unusual careers - she runs a dog-boarding facility and is a gym instructor. Aryan thinks she is the coolest mom in the world and hopes she will one day find her Prince Charming - exactly what her best friend Suchi has in mind for her. But Vee secretly has a thing for Saurabh, the quirky vet.
Then, out of the blue, Ankush comes back into their life.
But can a decision that was taken at eighteen - more in the throes of lust than love-be the basis of a lifelong relationship? Is there a future for Ankush and Vee? Vee, Aryan and Ankush are in for the ride of their lives. No seat belts, full speed and a very bumpy road ahead.

First look at the title and the cover and one can feel like a bollywood swansong. Though the cover doesn't quite agrees with the story but still it manages to hold the fort. The title it indeed a subject worth pondering which gives a faint idea as to what is coming in the book but it's a far distant one from hinting the obvious. The blurb talks about two people and how lives suddenly throws you out of gear and then it's all up to them to gather the bits and pieces. There is too much depth in the blurb which is not a great sign and it gives out a bit more than it should have. 

The story is of young Vipasha who belongs filthy rich parents, but what they lack in as parents thry try to cover up with riches. With certain incidents marking the life of the young girl, she is all herself to explore and at the mercy of the world. Her world completely changes with the hasty entry and exit of Ankush, the only love of his life and she is left to fend for herself in this big bad world. With few friends and support by her side it's now all up to Vipasha to take her life in her strides? But how painful is it going to be? Will her decisions let her carry on with a sense of security or will it be a dreadful end to the little and innocent soul? Will there be Ankush or will he shriek away from his responsibility? Will life ever be the same again? That's what the story is all about. 

There's life and there's more to it than meets the eye. The monotonous and constant question which hangs in air "what will happen next" is a perfect way to describe the entire story. It's picked up from the lives of some people who suffer in stoic silence and some who chose to defy and go ahead with their plans. There is a mutual character involvement and a grave understanding, as if everyone speaks for themselves. Right from the toddler to the elder they all have a role to play and the author keeps them in the loop to take story in the positive strides. There's a certain unnerving calm and a silent wave of emotions which engulf the entire story. Be it love or friendship or any other relationship known to mankind it offers you all in a platter and serves the right recipe to hold on to it. 

The only downside of the book is Ankush's character needed some more leverage. He remains invisible for a very long period. The author could have given a little more voice to his character rather than keeping him out of the loop for a longer period of time. 

All in all the book offers a clean perspective as to what life is and how it can manage to make a weak soul go strong and a strong soul go awry. From the impulsive teen till the mature soul it has a lot to give every reader. The book doesn't wanders out of his steads rather sticks to the basics and carve out an illustrious and pulsating experience. It will not knock you out cold but rather lend a helping hand to face rather the most adverse and cumbersome of the situations in life. After all it's a book which "has happened for a reason" and it's up to you to unfold the layers and be a part of it. An unsettling yet settling story. 

RATINGS: 

4 OUT OF 5