Official Review: Only a Dream by Jazz Singh
Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 01:47
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Only a Dream" by Jazz Singh.]
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After getting her heart broken six years ago, Rhea put her all into her career, finally becoming an accomplished career woman well-liked by everyone. And just when she thinks she’s moved on, Varun, the man who broke her trust and heart, comes waltzing into her life as her boss…
When Rhea met Varun many years earlier, she was helping him with his application to a university abroad. With his charming personality and friendly disposition, Varun won Rhea over almost immediately. They started hanging out together, and she was quickly introduced into his circle of friends and family who had nothing bad to say about Rhea. Despite studying his studying abroad, Rhea and Varun kept in contact and despite the distance, got closer to each other over the years. Just when everybody – including Rhea – thought that they were meant to be, Varun’s betrayal shatters her life.
Now, six years later, when Varun makes a sudden appearance as her boss, Rhea does what a woman who does not want to be hurt again does: meet Varun in a professional context whenever she needs to, and avoid him like the plague whenever she doesn’t. However, what she does not count on is Varun’s persistence and her own feelings for him which had never faded…
Frankly, when I began reading Only a Dream, I expected a cheesy plot with half-baked characters and love declarations everywhere. What I didn’t expect, however, was how much I would like characters. Even the minor characters like their parents and Varun’s friends endeared themselves to me. Despite the story’s short length, Varun’s and Rhea’s personality and devotion to each other shone through. Their love for each other is subtle and carefully built based on their interactions and chemistry, and even the people around them. It’s an ideal relationship with a happily ever after.
What I don’t like about Only a Dream is how the bulk of it is flashback. It might be a minority opinion, but lengthy flashbacks seriously turn me off, especially since it’s a short story. It might have been necessary for the building of and emphasis on Rhea’s and Varun’s relationship, but the focus of this story is of the present (the ‘six years later’, so to speak).
And while the author is good at fleshing characters, I find that the wording could use a bit more ‘whump’. Some of the sentences come off as cheesy and it’s difficult to feel the emotional turmoil Rhea is going through. In other words, while Rhea’s actions and emotions come off as reasonable, there is little to no emotional impact on the reader, which I feel is a very important ingredient in any good romance, or any book for that matter.
Only a Dream is a good way to pass the time on a lazy day when one does not feel like doing anything but lounge around. I would recommend it to those who like a romantic short story. In conclusion, I give Only a Dream 2 out of 4 stars.
***
Buy "Only a Dream" on Amazon
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When Rhea met Varun many years earlier, she was helping him with his application to a university abroad. With his charming personality and friendly disposition, Varun won Rhea over almost immediately. They started hanging out together, and she was quickly introduced into his circle of friends and family who had nothing bad to say about Rhea. Despite studying his studying abroad, Rhea and Varun kept in contact and despite the distance, got closer to each other over the years. Just when everybody – including Rhea – thought that they were meant to be, Varun’s betrayal shatters her life.
Now, six years later, when Varun makes a sudden appearance as her boss, Rhea does what a woman who does not want to be hurt again does: meet Varun in a professional context whenever she needs to, and avoid him like the plague whenever she doesn’t. However, what she does not count on is Varun’s persistence and her own feelings for him which had never faded…
Frankly, when I began reading Only a Dream, I expected a cheesy plot with half-baked characters and love declarations everywhere. What I didn’t expect, however, was how much I would like characters. Even the minor characters like their parents and Varun’s friends endeared themselves to me. Despite the story’s short length, Varun’s and Rhea’s personality and devotion to each other shone through. Their love for each other is subtle and carefully built based on their interactions and chemistry, and even the people around them. It’s an ideal relationship with a happily ever after.
What I don’t like about Only a Dream is how the bulk of it is flashback. It might be a minority opinion, but lengthy flashbacks seriously turn me off, especially since it’s a short story. It might have been necessary for the building of and emphasis on Rhea’s and Varun’s relationship, but the focus of this story is of the present (the ‘six years later’, so to speak).
And while the author is good at fleshing characters, I find that the wording could use a bit more ‘whump’. Some of the sentences come off as cheesy and it’s difficult to feel the emotional turmoil Rhea is going through. In other words, while Rhea’s actions and emotions come off as reasonable, there is little to no emotional impact on the reader, which I feel is a very important ingredient in any good romance, or any book for that matter.
Only a Dream is a good way to pass the time on a lazy day when one does not feel like doing anything but lounge around. I would recommend it to those who like a romantic short story. In conclusion, I give Only a Dream 2 out of 4 stars.
***
Buy "Only a Dream" on Amazon