By Nital Jain
People in India love romance whether it is a Shahrukh Khan movie or be it a Chetan Bhagat novel, they want it all. All these love novels entice us maybe because of the sweet nothings that couples say and do or the plot seems relatable, Indian authors have worked wonders when it comes to love and romance novels. We have curated a list of romance books that are popular in India just for you!
1. Wish I could tell you by Durjoy Dutta
Considering that the largest section of the Indian population is middle class, the book turned out to be more relatable. With the first few pages, you will get to see everything about a middle-class family, their struggles, desires, and high hopes. The book has strong characters, Ananth and Mohini. The story is about a girl and a boy who never really talked but worked for an NGO together, are entangled in a way that moving together is the only solution. With every flipping page, the story unfolds itself and starts impacting the reader.
If you have read Everything is fucked by Mark Mason, you will realize that maybe the author was inspired by him to write this one.
This story will make you empathetic and it’s so different that it is a must-read for everyone.
2. Two States by Chetan Bhagat
The book and the author need no introduction. The novel was turned into a Bollywood movie, as is the case with most Chetan Bhagat books.
It is the author’s own love story where he fell in love with a girl from a different state, religion, and family background. The couple faces hardships in convincing their parents to approve of their marriage and gradually becoming hopeless about the situation convince themselves that they should separate. But love conquers all and eventually, their families agree and they get married. It is a very sweet love story probably more retable in India because mostly all the couples go through the same phase. Two states is a must-read because we bet you would relate to it easily.
3. The right swipe by Alisha Rai
It is everything you want to read and chill in summer, it’s cool, sexy, and a lot of fun. Rhiannon Hunter has revolutionized romance in the digital world but her real-life ends up with one of her rivals. The cynical dating app creator and her love life take a toll when she is attracted by a former pro-football player Samson Lima, woes her in one night, and vanishes…Later, she finds out that he is her business rival. He says that he will not distort their second chance but she is furious. Falling in love was not on her list until she did. What happens when rivals become lovers? What happens when the bedroom becomes the boardroom. The right swipe is modern yet a classic form of a love story where enemies or rivals fall in love.
4. Truly, Madly, Deeply by Faraaz Kazi
The only Indian novel to win the Goodreads Choice Award, for Best Debut (Romance).
The is a beautiful love story of two teenagers Rahul and Seema, who come together because of mutual love but have commitment issues. Rahul and his ostentatiousness bother Seema and both of them form a string of misunderstandings and ego clashes causing them to fall apart. By the time Rahul realizes what he has lost, it’s too late. He makes all the efforts to woo her back, but will he ever get Seema back? Is there any room for misunderstanding in love? Does love conquer it all?
The tale seeks to answer all these questions and more. The tale is totally heartwarming and filled with numerous emotions and you will be devoured by it till the end.
5. I too had a Love Story by Ravinder Singh
It is an English autobiographical novel of the author. The book remained on the best-seller’s list in India even after 6 years of its first publication.
It is a modern story where love and commitment find a new meaning. It about a boy, Ravin, and a girl, Khushi who meet on a matrimony site, talk to each other, fall in love and decide to get married but only did they know that one of them will meet in an accident and leave the other to die, daily. The story tells us and makes us realize that not everyone is lucky enough to cherish the feeling of love with their partner forever. The author has the most beautiful way of writing that every emotion could be felt through the book. “She died, I survived and because I survived, I died daily” is the epitome of the authors writing skills.
It is an unconditional love story of Ravin and Khushi.
6. You are the best wife by Ajay Pandey
The novel is the perfect amalgamation of how opposites attract and how people fall in love and find comfort in dissimilarities. The story revolves around Ajay who loves living for himself and Bhavana who loves living for others. Bhavana is more candid and plans nothing just lives step by step while Ajay cannot go a single second unplanned. Considering personality traits only one could tell they won’t work, but they get married and love changes both of them for good. But, all of this is shattered when Bhavna falls sick and her death tears them apart (lol, this is not a spoiler).
The best thing about the novel is that the readers will always feel the same emotions as the characters because it is beautifully written and structured. You are the best wife was the national bestseller of its time and truly deserves to be mentioned in one of the most popular books’ lists.
7. The Promise by Nikita Singh
It is a love story that itself is a rollercoaster ride with a message that true love always conquers all. In the novel, we meet Sambhavi Sen, a young and happening interior designer who happens to encounter a chance with Arjun Datta, who is young and grumpy but an amazing persona. Despite their personality clashes and differences, they fall in love. Things were running smoothly and it was the calm before the storm when Sambhavi makes a shocking revelation to Arjun. The entire novel turns upside down by Arjun’s reaction to it. Does their love prove strong enough to withstand the brutal face of reality? The Promise promises to prove that it will keep you connected to the characters and it is truly one of the best works of an Indian author in the love genre.