Blog Tour: SHILPA GARG reviews DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Shilpa Garg

I got to know Shilpa Garg when she contacted me through Write Tribe to review my book Double Jeopardy. Thank you Shilpa! 

About Shilpa Garg in her own words:

"Shilpa Garg is a blogger from the Pink City of India who is passionate about the written words, sweets and beautiful conversations that happen over a mug of tea. She loves writing micro fiction, book reviews and general observations of life, things and circumstances on her blog,  A rose is a rose is a rose! Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Google+."

Shilpa's review of DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Double Jeopardy is a 55 page eBook which I finished reading in an hour! It is a hot and spicy, is coming of age story of a young girl, Sanya!  The book is about Sanya’s journey to woo her childhood love along with finding her true calling and listening to her heart despite the disapproval from the head. It is a story packed with love, romance and passion.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review on her blog.....

#SheReadsSouthAsia

Blog Tour: INDERPREET KAUR UPPAL reviews DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Inderpreet Kaur Uppal

I got to know Inderpreet Kaur Uppal via Write Tribe when she offered to review my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY. Inderpreet says that the book is "Sensual, Serious and Swift!"

About Inderpreet in her own words:

"Inderpreet Kaur Uppal is a freelance Writer, Blogger and Lecturer. She has a Masters Degree in Human Resources Management and loves to read, travel, discuss and write. Writing comes to her naturally as a gift from her parents whose love of the English language and correct expression has become a way of life for her. You can read some of her writings of www.inderpreetkaur.blogspot.in."  

Inderpreet Kaur Uppal's take on the book 

Sensual, Serious & Swift

The premise of the book is evident from the title 'Double Jeopardy' as well as the cover; that it still manages to surprise the reader is what is special about the book. The story traces the unrest in the mind and life of Sanya, a rich, pampered girl. 

The story is handled in a mature fashion which appeals to readers past their 20’s even though it is about a young girl. The hallmark of a good romance is that it attracts all with its ‘love story’.  All age groups can identify with the dilemma the main protagonists face.

Double Jeopardy  has plenty of love; with Sanya’s story you get to read about the love of Arth and Ansh too. The parents to have their share of love! The best part about the book is the generous amount of love sprinkled within the pages. It rubs off on the reader too.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review on her blog.....

#SheReadsSouthAsia

Blog Tour: GAURI KEKRE reviews DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Dr. Gauri Kekre

Dr. Gauri Kekre, a blogger attached to Write Tribe reviewed my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY. The reason in her own words being, "I am an incurable romantic at heart. I love love LURRRRRV everything that has to do with romance, the candle-lit dinners, the wooing, the gifts… the works. Which is why I jumped when I was getting the chance to review Sundari Venkatraman’s Double Jeopardy." Am I glad!

About Dr. Gauri Kekre in her own words:

"My name is Dr. Gauri Kekre, a dental surgeon by education and a baker and blogger by passion and profession. Mother to two lovely girls, whose births triggered a host of unknown passions that were hidden deep within me. I write for two of my blogs, Mind Brew (http://mindbrewblog.wordpress.com) and Parent Avenue (http://parentavenue.wordpress.com). For me, always learning something new to make life better for my daughters, is paramount. In knowing that I know nothing, I found myself."

Review of DOUBLE JEOPARDY

I finished reading the book in just a couple of hours and given that I have two kids which in itself is self-explanatory to most, it can be construed that this book is an engaging read. The language flows effortlessly, as you delve into the lives of Sanya, Ansh and Arth. Their confusion becomes yours. You can’t wait to find out what happens in the end.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review on Gauri Kekre's blog.....

#SheReadsSouthAsia 

Blog Tour: VISHAL BHEEROO reviews DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Vishal Bheeroo

It was a lucky day when Corinne Rodrigues of Write Tribe agreed to write about my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY on her website, inviting bloggers to review it. Vishal Bheeroo downloaded the book from Indireads and gave me his honest review on his blog Scripting the story of Life. 

About Vishal Bheeroo (in his own words):

"The author has worked as a journalist for three years in an Indian newspaper based in Mauritius and is a freelance writer, an avid blogger where he writes about anything Indian. He can be found on www.vishalbheeroo.wordpress and his life revolves around books, bloggo-scope and writing. He swears by Hindi cinema, Amitabh Bachchan and the city he calls his own, Mumbai. He is working on a rom-com novel based in Mumbai and loves poetry and travelling."

Review of DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Rom-com is the flavor of the season and many authors are flocking the market with their uninhibited take on sex, sensuality and new age romance. What distinguishes Sundari Venkatraman take on this new age romance is that the novel is not restricted to candy floss or mushy stuffs neither it is all bout’ sex. In one sentence: Sassy twin love story with a twist that will hold your breath. The book  efficiently explores the complexity of human relationships, yearning for a partner and the sensitive portrayal of what goes inside the mind of a young woman, what she craves for-lust, love, sex- and what her heart wants. Love is an oxymoron, somebody truly said. Yeah! I am not apologetic that I enjoy reading well etched tales of sensuality, sexuality and eroticism. The author has beautifully described the sex scenes in a dignified, crisp and passionate way.The book will touch your heart and make you re-think on the traditional concept of love if you have a sensitive heart.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review on Vishal's blog.....

Blog Tour: MARIA PERRY MOHAN reviews DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Maria Perry Mohan

Maria Perry Mohan has reviewed my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY and has given it nothing less than 4 stars. She is a member of The Book Club. Thank you Maria for the lovely review. I am so glad you liked my book.

About Maria:

"Irish born Maria has lived in north India since she married eighteen years ago. She is the mother of four schoolgoing children and has had several short stories and articles published in both Irish and Indian magazines. She's a contributor to the recently published 'Foreign Flavours', an anthology of short stories and features by expat writers. She enjoys reading all genres of fiction, especially romance and thrillers.  She also enjoys and reviews non-fiction.

You can find her on Facebook, Twitter and she also blogs.   Her reviews appear on her blog Gaelikaa's Diary and also at Romance Book Haven, Amazon, Goodreads, Romancing the Book and writing.ie."

DOUBLE JEOPARDY by Sundari Venkatraman

Sanya has been the childhood companion of the handsome twin brothers, Arth and Ansh. Arth was her childhood hero and she nurtured a dream in her heart that she’d get together with him one day. Ansh, on the other hand, was the bane of her life, who teased her, taunted her and made her life miserable with his pranks. It’s been a few years, and Sanya has met the brothers again. Now she’s ready to make Arth her own. But something strange is afoot. Ansh is the one now lavishing attention on the now ravishingly pretty Sanya. Always hovering about, waiting on her every word.  Her beloved Arth, however, doesn’t know she exists. Apart from the usual pleasantries, of course.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review of Double Jeopardy by Maria Perry Mohan....

Blog Tour: SUGANDHA AGRAWAL reviews DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Sugandha Agrawal

It was a lucky day when I got introduced to Corinne Rodrigues of Write Tribe fame. Corinne has got together a group of bloggers to review my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY.

Sugandha Agrawal is the first one from this group to review my book. She couldn't resist completing my book between 10 pm & 1.30 am despite having travelled 600 km that very day.

About Sugandha in her own words:

"I am a reader, an amateur writer, a dreamer, a competitor, a blogger.

I am extremely talkative and love to express my views or questions on things I know or I don't. This blog here a bit of dreams, stories, imaginations and wonders. This blog helps me to express myself more clearly than I can think in a rapid conversation.  Most of my posts are conversations, waiting for your response.

I began blogging in April, 2013 and have been loving it since then. Most of my post tell you a bit more about me. Till then, I leave you with my favorite lines.

I am wrong and I am right,

I Crawl and I fly.

I love and I hate,

I live my life learning.

I am what I am...

A human with making"

Thank you Sugandha Agrawal for a 3-star review. I am so glad you liked my book. 

Before I begin the review, I’d like to give a highlight of my day on which I downloaded this book from Indireads, i.e. yesterday.

My day yesterday began at 5 am and consisted of 600 km travel through the day. It was supposed to end at 10 owing to a headache. At about 9.45, just checking mail before I slept, I decided to download the book from Indireads and prepare myself to read it the next day.

One the download was completed, my phone automatically opened the file for me to preview.

What began as preview of the book at 10 pm, ended at 1.30 am in completion of the book.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review of Double Jeopardy by Sugandha Agrawal...

Blog Tour: NILIMA MOHITE reviews DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Nilima Mohite

I have known Nilima since 2007 when I joined Web18. We became close only since 2009 and I have to mention that she's a great friend of mine.

About Nilima in her own words:

"If you cant see the bright side, polish the dull side ;) 
Good day PPL ! :D

Carpe Diem ! Seize the day :)
My Motto: Live Life Queensize !!! Whatever I do in life I give it my 100% & then hope for the best else I dont do it. Enjoy each moment, coz THE PRESENT IS THE GIFT U GIFT URSELF!

A software engineer, blogger, trekker, music/dance/books lover, photography (current new hobby & part time job ;) ), knowledge seeker, adventurer, meditation, healer also preacher (pravachan dena), marathon runner, a New-Mom now ...."

Nilima's reviewed my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY on her blog Just Any Random Topic:

Valentine Week has started. Got to know this year, there are days lined up before 14th Feb such as Love day, I love you Day, Propose Day,....

So what better way to get in the mood than to read the  Romance Novel Double Jeopardy  by The Indian Mills & Boon queen, proclaimed by me, my friend Sundari Venkatraman !

I have read multiple short stories by her, follow her blog posts ardently, chat almost daily with her, have read her novel The Malhotra Bride too. Reading all these and talking to her, I have given her the title of The Indian Mills & Boon queen ;)

CLICK HERE to read the complete review....

Thank you Nilima Mohite for the lovely feedback.

Sharing: BLOG TOUR WITH THE BOOK CLUB

I am sure each member of The Book Club has been reading all their lives and can afford to buy their own books. Despite that, they were ready and willing to write about my book and do my interviews – all from the heart.

When Rubina Ramesh suggested a Blog Tour for my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY, I vigorously nodded my head and agreed, not quite understanding what she meant in totality. As I had mentioned before, the woman is a go-getter. What I had not mentioned is that she is a Superwoman! I have been through a whirlwind over the past 10 days and have enjoyed every minute of it thoroughly.

For those who came in late, about Rubina Ramesh in her own words:

“RUBINA RAMESH is an avid book reader and book critic currently based in Phoenix, Arizona. Born in Bihar, India to a Bengali family, she has been a constant traveler - Bangalore London, The Netherlands, Malaysia, Houston and now Phoenix. In all these her constant companion has been books which turned her into a regular blogger on various sites and also led to her own blog of book reviews. Currently she is working on her book's manuscript while she looks towards bridging the gap between Indian and western authors and promote Indian authors in the western blog hops. Her book reviews can be read at http://rubinaramesh.blogspot.com/”

I would like to share my learning and experience during the blog tour. There are three parts to this, namely, Spotlight, Review & Interview. Let me explain in terms of my book.

A Spotlight is when a member displays the information about my book along with author information, pictures and banners on his/her blog. Adite Banerjie & Dola Basu Singh did that for me on their blogs. Thank you ladies!

Click Here for Adite’s Blog Link

Click Here for Dola’s Blog Link

We all understand what a Review is, of course. What happened during the blog tour was that Rubina brought together a number of writers and bloggers to review my book. They all gave me their honest views and gave my book exposure among all their blog readers, facebook friends and twitter followers. Some of them put up their posts on PinIt and other social media networks, increasing the viewers by a number of times.

What is even better is that this group of reviewers posted their reviews on Amazon, Flipkart, Goodreads, etc. where my book is on sale. Rubina Ramesh, Neelesh Gajanan Inamdar, Vishwas Manjula Byrappa, Sumeetha Manikandan, Sridevi Datta & Jaibala Rao reviewed my book. Thank you so much Guys!

Click Here to read Rubina’s review

Click Here to read Neelesh’s review

Click Here to read Vishwas’s review

Click Here to read Sumeetha’s review

Click Here to read Sridevi’s review

Click Here to read Jaibala’s review

The Interviews were a class apart. I feel quite thrilled that so many people wanted to interview me to begin with. And the questions were all different and very interesting – I am sure for many of the readers and especially aspiring authors too. Thank you Rubina Ramesh, Sonia Rao, Ruchi Vasudeva, Jaibala Rao & The Tales Pensieve for those interviews.

Click Here to read Rubina’s interview

Click Here to read Sonia’s interview

Click Here to read Ruchi’s interview

Click Here to read Jaibala’s interview

Click Here to read The Tales Pensieve’s interview (also by Rubina Ramesh)

RESULTS OF THE BLOG TOUR

Now, coming to the most important part of the blog tour. Social Media Marketing is here to stay. As I had mentioned to someone the other day, it’s like distributing free cups of Nescafe to sell tons of it. It’s as simple as that.

I share some copies of my book with writers, authors and bloggers. In return, they give me their valuable feedback while getting their blog readers to know about my book. Great exchange, I feel. More than that, they post their reviews on Amazon, Flipkart and some of the other websites where my book is on sale. Fabulous deal!

As I mentioned before, the interviews were a different ballgame altogether. The questions were varied – each one talking to me from a different angle. Amazing interactions!

I must say it was a roller-coaster ride the past ten days that I thoroughly enjoyed. The best result was when my Twitter followers increased tremendously. I was – am – amazed at the response to the promotions.

The sales – well, I will know the actual effect after a couple of months. I am not worried. I have done my best to promote my book. God, I am sure, is taking care of the rest.

The selfless work that has gone into this is by this great team of The Book Club. I am sure each of them has been reading all their lives and can afford to buy their own books. Despite that, they were ready and willing to write about my book and do my interviews – all from the heart.

I THANK THEM ALL FROM THE DEPTH OF MY HEART! Love You Guys! HUGS!

Blog Tour: REVIEW & INTERVIEW BY JAIBALA RAO

Jaibala Rao

I got introduced to Jaibala Rao via The Book Club. I can see that Jaibala is fond of romances and I am glad to see the 4-star rating she has given my book. People who read romances on a regular basis surely know what works best in that genre. Thank you for the wonderful review Jaibala!

And the interview! I enjoyed answering Jaibala Rao's questions. There were a couple of thought provoking ones too. I hope I have answered them well too.

About Jaibala Rao in her own words:

"Although new to professional writing and reviewing, Jaibala has lived in a world of books ever since she could read. Outside that Utopia of books, she is academically a Microbiologist and professionally has been an Event Manger and Content Writer. Just like her colourful professional background her interest in books is also spread across various genres. “There is something good in every book”, is a belief she carries while reading."

BOOK REVIEW & INTERVIEW

Recently I got the chance to rekindle my affair with Mills and Boon style romances when I read Double Jeopardy by Sundari Venkatraman. To say that the courting was quick would be an understatement. I fell in love with everything about the book, the story, characters and I sure wanted more. To read a more detailed review click on the image below.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review & interview....

Blog Tour: REVIEW BY SUMEETHA MANIKANDAN

Sumeetha Manikandan

Today, it is Author Sumeetha Manikandan who has reviewed my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY. Thank you for the lovely review Sumeetha! I am glad you liked my book.

About Sumeetha Manikandan in her own words:

"Sumeetha Manikandan, a freelance content writer is an English literature graduate with a journalism and mass communication diploma. She lives in Chennai with her husband and daughter. After a decade long career in dotcom industry, she started working as a content writer from home. She wrote her debut novel, ‘The Perfect Groom’ as a script for a serial, which she converted into a novella for Indireads."

BOOK REVIEW

Two guys and one girl. Initially when I read the blurb, I secretly wondered whether this could be the modern version of the old hindi movie, ‘Ek Phool Do Mali’. But this fiction is quite unlike any of the normal run-of-the-mill romance that M & B churns out regularly.

Sanya is in love with the warm hearted Arth. Arth is polite, friendly and charming. While his identical twin Ansh is a charming rogue. Unable to forget Arth, her childhood hero Sanya comes to Mumbai. Her sojourn to Mumbai is for various reasons. She needs to do some soul searching about what profession to pursue and to make Arth fall in love with her.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review....

Blog Tour: REVIEW BY NEELESH GAJANAN INAMDAR

Neelesh Gajanan Inamdar

Today, I present a book review of DOUBLE JEOPARDY by Neelesh Inamdar. I know him via The Book Club. I was quite thrilled to read the superbly written review by Neelesh and he has given my book no less than 3 stars. Thank you Neelesh! And thank you for that wonderful title.

About Neelesh Gajanan Inamdar in his own words:

"I am a qualified Chemical Engineer; worked as a director and executive producer for a few flop films and hit TV serials before shifting base to the United Arab Emirates. Was an avid reader since age 8 and have read a lot from Dickens to Kiran Desai, from Mills & Boon/Harlequin to The Old Man and the Sea/The Story of My Experiments with Truth (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi). Like to read anything from books to blogs to technical manuals to whatever paper the bhel-puri is packed in. B I G fan of William Somerset Maugham & Ernest Hemingway.  Fav books: The God of Small Things, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Anna Karenina, A Farewell To Arms, We The Living."

BOOK REVIEW

I used to read Mills & Boon romances around 2 decades back. My male friends used to make fun of me for reading those mushy mushy girly novels and my female friends used to lend me their favourites. In those days everyone used to say that if you read one M & B you need not read the second and if you read the second, you could easily write the third. I know that's easier said than done, and I'm glad Sundari decided to write this one.

Frankly, I began Sundari Venkataraman’s Double Jeopardy expecting the same run-of-the-mill boy and girl stuff. But I wasn’t ready for what I got. Society has changed, and so has today’s romance novel, of which ‘Double Jeopardy’ is a living example. It weaves a romantic tale of three individuals, Sanya, Arth and Ansh, and their dreams and ambitions in a world where the male is no longer the alpha male and the dreamy-eyed young woman has to grapple with the realities of a city which is quite different from what it was ten years ago.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review....

Blog Tour: INTERVIEW BY SONIA RAO

Sonia Rao

I bless the moment when Rubina Ramesh was struck with the idea of a Blog Tour on her blog The Book Club. I feel so lucky that DOUBLE JEOPARDY was first in line for this idea. Today, it is Sonia Rao's turn to interview me. Sonia asked me some wonderful questions and I hope I have given the answers that she was seeking. Thank you Sonia Rao!

About Sonia Rao, in her own words:

"Sonia Rao is the NaNoWriMo Municipal Liaison (ML) for India region and she loves nothing more than motivating  (okay, goading even, sometimes) Wrimos to complete the mandatory 50K words of a novel to become NaNo winners because, with four first drafts of novels under her belt (or rather,  in her PC), she knows that the thrill of completing a first draft of a novel is unparalleled (yeah, even beats slurping on that big bar of Cadbury’s Silk).

Sonia Rao’s idea of paradise is a beautiful garden full of different types of gel pens and writing paper and a muse ‘on call’.  Sadly, such a paradise does not exist (it does not!!!) except in her vivid imagination and so if you should talk to her and find her ‘spaced out’ don’t worry too much or send out for reinforcements. She must be on one of her ‘trips’.  And she’s hopeful that those trips will result in some worthwhile writings.  You see, she loves to write about ‘Writing’, when she’s not working on her novel.

On Planet Earth, though, Sonia lives in the busiest of cities, Mumbai, which gives her innumerable opportunities to observe people and learn more about life; and then share this knowledge. Do check out her sometimes-humorous and sometimes-poignant view of life in Mumbai in ‘life in the city’ collection.

Sonia likes to believe she is ‘high-minded’ but strangely, her fave hobby is thinking up torture devices for those autorickshawallahs who consider the roads to be their personal spittoon. Who knew?"

Author Interview

Even though, once upon a time, a day was not complete if I had not read 2-3 Mills&Boon, the craving had petered off once higher studies and other mundane activities of living took over. So, it was with mixed emotions that I came to Double Jeopardy and then, could not put down the book till I reached the end. Let’s just say, for the inveterate romantic that I am, this book was a treat. If you are one, too, then read this book. Even if you are not, still read Double Jeopardy. You might discover you actually are one.

Let us know more, then,  about the person behind Double Jeopardy, the author, Sundari Venkatraman.

Sonia Rao (SR): Sundari, you’ve mentioned “you got home one evening after your walk and took some sheets of paper and began writing. And that was how your first novel was born.”  Tell us what happened on that walk.

Sundari Venkatraman (SV): I was actually in a very disturbed state of mind, Sonia, when I left home for the walk as I had no sense of direction in my life. I had quit my job a few months earlier and was quite fed up of only reading books. I had to do something, I thought. I am huge a fan of Mills & Boon and I used to keep visualizing Indian heroes and heroines in many of the scenes. As I was brooding about my life, it suddenly struck me that I should put my imagination into words on paper. I had never written before – unless my arm was twisted, of course. And that too was for essays in school and college. My walk home was pretty fast for me as I felt compelled to write the book. Writing fiction was like a dam burst. I loved it. I still do.

CLICK HERE to read the complete interview....

Blog Tour: INTERVIEW BY RUCHI VASUDEVA

Ruchi Vasudeva

I was thrilled when Mills & Boon author Ruchi Vasudeva offered to interview me for Double Jeopardy. She has authored two books for M&B; You Can't Fight A Royal Attraction & Bollywood Fiancé For A Day.

About Ruchi Vasudeva in her own words:

"An author who’s found a second career in writing, the first is being a medico. I write romantic and emotional stories. My debut book, out in August ’13, is Bollywood Fiance For A Day, published with Harlequin Mills and Boon.

I discovered or rather rediscovered my writing zen rather late, after a gap of about twenty years from when I first thought of being a writer. However, once it caught hold, the spirit to get published didn’t let go of me. Despite many upsets in daily routine, it’s been a fun journey and I look forward to sharing similar experiences with other writers and readers. This blog is a landing space for the flight of my writing side and its endeavours."

Thank you Ruchi for doing the interview!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Today I have with me author Sundari Venkataraman, talking about her new book with the intriguing title of Double Jeopardy. Let’s get to know her better through this question and answer session.

Q: Tell us something about yourself and how you got into writing?

A: I have grown up in a family where a woman’s main aim in life is to get married, preferably an arranged marriage. I got married to my husband Venkatraman when I was 23 and had two kids. While I always loved reading, I never could write creatively.

I enjoy Mills & Boon romances and kept visualizing Indian heroes and heroines in them. I used to weave a number of scenes in my head but never wrote as I had no confidence in my writing.
One fine day, I just decided to put my thoughts into words in the form of a novel and quite liked the way it read. And that’s how my writing happened in my life.

CLICK HERE to read the complete interview....

Blog Tour: REVIEW BY SRIDEVI DATTA

Sridevi Datta

The blog tour of DOUBLE JEOPARDY continues...

Today, Sridevi Datta has posted her review of my book on her blog called The Write Journey.

In Sridevi’s own words on her blog

"I strongly believe every word written or uttered serves a larger purpose in life. I am here to find that purpose and find myself nearing that goal every time I write.  Would love to connect with you all at many many levels."

Thank you Sridevi for the lovely review!

Book Review

Sundari Venkatraman’s “Double Jeopardy” is a treat for the romantic within us who keeps dreaming of those moments where everything is beautiful, polished and scratch free. The story centers around the beautiful Sanya and her heartbreaking childhood crush for the quieter, more mature of the two twins –the unconventionally handsome Arth.

CLICK HERE to read the complete review....

Blog Tour: REVIEW BY RUBINA RAMESH

Rubina Ramesh

Hello Everyone,

As I had mentioned in the earlier blog, the blog tour of my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY took off with a bang yesterday with a spotlight by Adite Banerjie, author of the Mills & Boon INDIAN TYCOON'S MARRIAGE DEAL. Thank you Adite! The response has been great and it's thanks to all of you readers.

Today, my book has been reviewed by Rubina Ramesh. Rubina is a voracious reader, blogger and reviewer. She is the brain behind the blog tours on The Book Club. The lady is a go-getter and I am glad to see that she likes my book. She also interviewed me on her blog. Thank you Rubina! You can scroll down to check both the articles.

Book Review

Disclaimer: I have done this review based on the original version bought from Indireads. The book has undergone some editorial changes after this review. But it no way affects what I feel about this novel.

She…..

She is Sanya. A spoilt brat with a childhood crush. She travels from London to Mumbai. She has so hoped for the love of her life, Arth, to pick her up from the airport but instead she got the infuriating twin, Ansh, waiting for her.

From there begins her battle of the heart. On one hand she knew she loved Arth, the one who would always keep her safe in their childhood days, who would protect her from the torments of his other twin.

But today she is caught between the love of her childhood and this passionate stranger that Ansh had become. Would she succumb to his charms or will she be able to find her heart’s desire.

He…..

Now if I write about the ‘HE’ I will be giving away the whole story. That won’t be fun for you will it? Though I am itching to type here, but it is for you to find out … Arth? Ansh? Arth? Ansh?.....

CLICK HERE to read the complete review on Rubina's blog.

Author Interview

What inspired you to write your first book?

I am a diehard romantic at heart. I used to love reading fairytales as a kid and thoroughly enjoyed the ‘lived happily ever after’ endings. Later on, as a teen, I turned my attention to Mills & Boon romances. I am not quite sure when the interest turned and I began to imagine Indian heroes and heroines. While I have a fertile imagination, I never could string two sentences together.

I was almost 40 when I penned my first novel – The Malhotra Bride. I had quit my job and was at home, playing housewife. I felt quite useless. Suddenly, one evening, inspiration struck. I returned from my walk and sat down to write. By night, I had completed 14 pages of ruled foolscap paper. Thoroughly excited, I finished the first script of the novel (35,000 + words) in 20 days.

CLICK HERE to read the full interview on Rubina's blog

THE BOOK CLUB BLOG TOUR

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY READERS! I have some great news to share here 

Double Jeopardy by Sundari Venkatraman

The Blurb

Sanya doesn’t just have trouble, she has double trouble. Twins Arth and Ansh Sharma, are rich, sexy and sinfully handsome – what’s a girl to do?

Sanya last saw the twins when she was ten years old. Now, all grown up, she has come looking for gentle Arth, the twin she has loved ever since she can remember. But instead, she is confronted with fiery Ansh, who is hell-bent on seducing her. And what’s worse, she can’t seem to stop herself from responding to him.

As she chases Arth and is chased by Ansh, Sanya finds herself on a crazy roller coaster ride with no way of getting off. How will she deal with these two very different men in her life? Will she be able to convince one twin that she loves the other?

Meet the author

Even as a kid, she absolutely loved the 'lived happily ever after' syndrome as Sundari grew up reading all the fairy tales she could lay her hands on, Phantom comics, Mandrake comics and the like. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end. Soon, into her teens, she switched her attention from fairy tales to Mills & Boon. While she loved reading both of these, she kept visualising what would have happened if there were similar situations happening in India; to a local hero and heroine. 

Her imagination took flight and she always lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years. Then came the writing – a true bolt out of the blue! She could never string two sentences together. While her spoken English had always been excellent – thanks to her Grandpa – she could not write to save her life. She was bad at writing essays in both school and college. Later, when it was time to teach her kids, she could manage everything from Science to Mathematics and History & Geography. 

When it came to writing compositions, her kids found her of no help at all. All this changed suddenly one fine day in the year 2000. She had just quit her job at a school’s office and did not know what to do with her life. She was saturated with simply reading books. That’s when she got home one evening after her walk and took some sheets of paper and began writing. It was like watching a movie that was running in her head – all those years of visualising Indian heroes and heroines needed an outlet and had to be put into words. That’s how her first novel, The Malhotra Bride, took shape. 

While she felt discouraged when publishing did not happen, it was her husband who kept encouraging her not to give up. There was no looking back after that. While publishing took a long time happening, Sundari continued to write novels and then short stories and had them published in her blogs. Her luck turned when Indireads approached her to write for them and Double Jeopardy was born.

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Blog Tour Schedule

1Jan-11 Jan 2014

(The Blog links will be live as and when the posts come up)

2nd Jan 2014

Adite Banerjie  (Spotlight)

aditebanerjie

3rd Jan 2014

Rubina Ramesh (Review)

The Book Club

4th Jan 2014

Rubina Ramesh (Interview)

The Book Club

5th Jan 2014

Sridevi Datta (Review)

THE WRITE JOURNEY

7th Jan 2014

Vishwas Byrappa (Review)

Byrappa's notes

7th Jan 2014

Ruchi Vasudeva(Interview)

Ruchi Vasudeva Author's nook

8th Jan 2014

Sonia Rao(Interview)

soniaraowrites

9th Jan 2014

Neelesh Gajanan Inamdar (Review)

From the Heart - Neel

10th Jan 2014

Dola Basu Singh (Spotlight)

Shiuli

10th Jan 2014

Sumeetha Manikandan (Review)

Book Reviews by Sumi

11th Jan 2014

Jaibala Rao (Review/Interview)

My School Of Thought

11th Jan 2014

The Tales Pensieve (Interview)

The Tales Pensieve

You can buy DOUBLE JEOPARDY on these websites

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Flipkart

Smashwords

Indigo

Diesel eBooks

Bookworld

All Romance Books

Indireads

Author Interview @ THE TALES PENSIEVE

I am thrilled to present one more author interview where I was featured. This time it was on a website called The Tales Pensieve. It is Rubina Ramesh that I have to thank for this one too.

Read on to find out more...

Writing Can Be A Bolt From The Blue, Proves Sundari Venkatraman

Sundari Venkatraman felt the happiness of being a published author when Indireads decided to publish her short novella Double Jeopardy. When I got this book for review I was ready for a quick read without much expectations. This small package made me sit up, bite my nails and hold my breath  and above all the oomph factor was something I would not have guessed in my wildest dream.

Two guys and one girl. Simple story, right? How would you eliminate the second hero? Kill him? Sacrifice his love? Well Sundari chose another path. Quite a bold path for such a sweet love story.

Sundari Venkatraman was born in Kumbakonam, a town in Tamil Nadu. She grew up in Chennai in a joint family consisting of her parents, four sisters, grandparents, her uncle, aunt and their three children. Life was irresponsible and wonderful in those days. She learned the Queen’s language at her Grandpa’s knee along with her sister Sujatha. After her arranged  marriage to Mr. Venkatraman, she moved to Mumbai. She was a housewife till her kids had not entered the middle school. That’s when she officially went to work outside the kitchen. Writing happened to her out of the blue and she was so glad about it. First came the novels, then short stories and later the blogs. She was so thrilled to be able to blog. The number of hits on her page and comments from readers intoxicates her like rare wine.

I got InKonversation with Sundari Venkatraman about Arth, Sanya and Ansh. Meet Sundari Venkatraman:

Hi Sundari. Thanks for agreeing to this interview. I have read your book, Double Jeopardy and must say it has been quite a shock. Nice way to eliminate the competition. Can you tell us something about your book?

Hi Rubina, I should thank you for this interview. While my intention was not to shock, I am glad that my book ‘Double Jeopardy’ made a strong impact on you. If that will eliminate competition, then I must say I am glad.

Double Jeopardy is about Sanya’s journey into womanhood. She travels all the way from London to Mumbai to meet Arth Sharma, her childhood sweetheart. She is repeatedly thrown in the company of Ansh, Arth’s twin brother. Sparks fly as she is physically attracted to him. While Sanya refuses to let go of her childhood dreams, she is forcibly drawn to Ansh. Read the full story to find out who she lands up with.

Click Here to read the complete interview on The Tales Pensieve.

Sharing: MY VERY FIRST AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Rubina Ramesh is the owner of the blog The Book Club where she writes book reviews and author interviews regularly. These pertain predominantly to the romance genre while she also writes about other books.

Rubina has done me the honour of not just reviewing my book DOUBLE JEOPARDY, but also doing my very first interview as an author. I am super-thrilled to present it here.

Here is an excerpt:

Q: As a writer when you blog your stories, don't you feel that you are losing out on publishing your stories. That you would do more justice if you publish them, even as a self published ebook?

A: I am 'publishing' my books on my blog. Yes, I lose out on the royalty. There are two angles to publishing. One is being read by people across the globe and the other is money. For 13 years, I had neither. Atleast over the past 3-4 years, my work is read by a number of people. Even if I am published by the best brand, what is the guarantee that my books will be sold? Yes, it would be fantastic if I turned out to be a JK Rowling or an Amish Tripathi. So far there is no indication of that.  I just got fed up with waiting and 'published' my own work for free. I have no regrets. This way at least I write regularly and do get feedback occasionally. Then there are those page hits. Total nasha!

CLICK HERE to read the Book Review & Author Interview by Rubina Ramesh in her blog The Book Club

Sharing: A THIRTEEN-YEAR DREAM REALIZED

Even as a kid, I absolutely loved the ‘lived happily ever after’ syndrome. I grew up reading all the fairy tales I could lay my hands on, Phantom comics, Mandrake comics and the like. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end.

In my teens, I switched my attention from fairy tales to Mills & Boon. While I loved reading both of these, I always wondered what would have happened if there were similar situations happening in India; to a local hero and heroine. My imagination took flight and I have lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years.

Then came the writing—a true bolt out of the blue! I could barely string two sentences together when I was younger. While my spoken English had always been excellent—thanks to my grandfather—I could not write to save my life. I was bad at writing essays in both school and college. Later, when it was time to teach my kids, I could manage everything from science to mathematics and history & geography. When it came to writing compositions, my kids found me of no help at all.

All this changed suddenly one fine day in 2000. I had just quit my job at a school’s office and did not know what to do with my life. I was saturated with reading books. When I came home one evening after my walk, I took some sheets of paper and began writing. It was like I was watching a movie that was running in my head and I just had to put it into words. It was as simple as that and my first novel—The Malhotra Bride—was born.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the story....

You are welcome to post a comment.

My book DOUBLE JEOPARDY is being marketed on Facebook and Twitter today and tomorrow. You are welcome to LIKE Indireads on FB and participate in the promotions. Thank you all in advance! 

Some more reviews that I got from my readers:

Faye Remedios says:

Enjoyed this book thoroughly! Spent a perfect rainy weekend snuggled up in bed with some hot chocolate, crisps and Sun’s equally delicious romance. Who can resist a story involving two gorgeous brothers..that itself adds a dash of naughty fun. But the best part for me was Sanya’s character – I’m not a fan of simpering, weak damsels and this feisty character who was used to the best and made no bones about it was just the right kind of protagonist. And happy endings are essential and this frothy, fun romance didn’t disappoint in any aspect. I’ve had the pleasure and the honour of reading Sundari’s earlier work and she gets better with each story…Can’t wait for the next one!

Jeetu says:

Great Read! Romance is not one of my preferred genres, but this book is difficult to ignore or keep down once you have started!

Bhavana Murali says:

I had such fun reading this one, I decided to ditch a movie to finish the book. A cocktail of entertainment, this will definitely be treat for readers who love urban Indian romance. Double jeopardy, double the satisfaction!

Sharing: DOUBLE JEOPARDY on Indireads

CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of DOUBLE JEOPARDY on Indireads

CLICK HERE to LIKE my author page on Facebook

CLICK HERE to LIKE Indireads page on Facebook

Indireads is launching tomorrow (June 12, 2013) with Summer of Love – a collection of 30 romance novellas. I am proud to say that my novel DOUBLE JEOPARDY is one of them.

They have loads of offers through the whole month

• Special book bundles that couple the best books together into great deals for you. They will be running 2 book bundles a day for the entire week.

• Special discounts throughout the day for people who wish to purchase multiple books, including special coupons that are only available from the authors, so that you can get to know them better. My Coupon Code is SVN10. Please use it! It gets you a discount of purchase over $5 (currency converter available on page). You can use the code any number of times from June 12 to July 12 2013.

Well folks, this is just the beginning - there’s loads more to come.

I would like to share some of the reviews that I have received from those who have already read DOUBLE JEOPARDY. Do check them out.

Sujatha says…

A complete story in less than ninety pages! Totally absorbing and a very good read. Well dealt characterizations, clear and concise situations written in well thought out dialogues.
The absorption of a young woman in her childhood memories of twins who were her friends and her present growing understanding of the difference in their grown up versions leading to the congruence of her mind and heart are handled with sympathy and logic.
In all, I totally enjoyed the mini novel. All the very best for all your other attempts also. Looking forward to more and varied reading.
Your proud and loving sister
Suja

Jaya Biswas says…

Love makes life worth living. Isn’t it? I’m sure eight out of 10 women would vouch for it. No wonder M&Bs are still a rage among women of all ages. But in this age and time, when you’d rather prefer reading an e-book on your phone than flipping pages of a paperback, romantic stories can indeed make your journey smoother — transporting you to a different word altogether. Take for example, Sundari Venkatraman’s latest offing, Double Jeopardy. This short and sweet love story makes for a nice and quick read.

All of 80 pages, the book talks about teenage infatuation and how, gradually, it matures into love. The protagonist, Sanya, seems real — someone you can immediately relate to. Sanya is in love with Arth and to meet him, she comes to Mumbai all the way from UK. To her disappointment, she is received by Arth’s twin brother Ansh at the airport. Sanya hated Ansh ever since she was a kid and she makes her dislike apparent from the very beginning. But where is Arth, her knight in the shining armor? Will Sanya finally get to meet her true love?

Sundari has kept the language really simple, which in fact adds a certain pace to the storyline.  For a love story, this one too has its share of twists, but surely that could have been handled in a bit matured way. The story almost runs in a linear pattern and lacks depth. But if reading romance is your staple diet, no harm trying this one.

fmj says…

I have to say Double Jeopardy surprised me. I expected a completely fun and frolic kind of romance but it is much, much more than just that. Extremely well written, Double Jeopardy explores sensitive social issues, fraternal bonds, a young girl’s journey of self-discovery and of course love.

Sundari’s rendition of an Indian household is interesting and gives a non-Indian a wonderful insight into it. One can’t help but fall in love with all the characters, because Sundari’s etched them all, with such sensitivity and depth. I really, really enjoyed reading the novella and look forward to reading more from Sundari.

Jaya Siva Murty says…

A really really sweet story, Double Jeopardy takes us through the life of a woman who battles between her heart and her head. A quick read that’s woven well by Sundari’s easy storytelling style, this one is all ready to be rolled into a film!

roopa80 says…

Sundari Venkatraman’s Double Jeopardy is completely contemporary-right from its cover, title to its overall feel. Set against the backdrop of urban India, Sundari Venkatraman has successfully managed to weave a sizzling, Bollywood style love story with ease. The liberal attitudes and mindset of all the characters clearly keeps with the urbane milieu of the book making it a very refreshing read. With her perky writing style Sundari Venkatraman has effectively managed to let the reader indulge in the headiness of young love and crushes without any inhibitions. This one is a really delightful read!

ShwetaGK says…

This one is so Bollywood!

A gorgeous heroine who finds her calling when she returns to her roots and two handsome hunks, twin brothers who are alike only in appearance and nothing else.

A quick read about young love and old crushes – Sundari Venkatraman’s Double Jeopardy is a fun read with characters that make you want to fall in love all over again.

saimini says…

Sizzling! That’s what Double Jeopardy is. I love the way Sundari has penned the electricity between Sanya and Ansh. The intimate scenes and deliciously lyrical and sensuous without being vulgar or erotic. The end seemed to drag on a bit, but the romance between the lead characters in the climax more than made up for any shortcoming . The first thought that came into my mind after reading this was, “THIS is what romance novels are all about!”

Sumeetha says…

Sanya is in love with the warm hearted son of her host in Mumbai since childhood. But handsome Arth is polite and friendly but sadly he does not set her heart on fire as opposed to his twin Ansh. But faithful to her childhood memory, Sanya tries to rekindle the love that she felt for Arth but things do not always happen as we plan. Instead of Arth, it is playful and wickedly sexy Ansh who is buzzing around her trying to catch her fancy.

Loved Sanya’s character as her bewildered heart falls for Ansh but is too proud to accept the truth. Very interesting read!