It was a different Saturday, 15 March, and the time was 5.30 pm!
We all went to OPG World School in M Block, all excited to meet our newly formed book club members and others from the Firangi community. Initially everyone was citing some reservations, as it was a weekend post-Holi, and many had some other engagements scheduled before we announced the date.
Yet, the invitation said, A Cozy Evening of Romance, Laughter & Stories! And cozy it was! Rather a delightful book reading and conversation with the author Harini Srinivasan led by Smriti Chhabra, as she spoke about her latest book, Lovestruck & Confused, a brand-new comic romance novel that has the power to make you laugh, swoon, and fall in love with its unforgettable characters and the relatable words used for the situations!
Harini Srinivasan talked not only about this latest hilarious and heartwarming story but also about her earlier works. I, for one, had read her earlier rom-com also, but not in one go, like this one, which was cited as a “Chicklet” by one of our vintage members. The historical fictions are also very well crafted in terms of story, and Harini shared how a character in the first one is linked to the second one, which came later since they both belong to the famous Gupta Era of history.
A live reading of some of the most swoon-worthy moments from the book was done by Harini, as she chose a very interesting passage that twisted the story to make it more and more intriguing. Engaging and interactive conversations about love, relationships, and humour in romance, as well as books, followed. Harini shared it was not her genre, and she never thought she would write about it. But here she is, an author of another rom-com, which includes Ex-Factor as well.
Great company; warm vibes of our tribe followed the talk. Harini had brought in some of her books; we got them signed and chatted away the rest of the evening and clicked lots of pics, followed by some snacks.
A few words about the author:
Harini Srinivasan is the author of two historical mysteries set in ancient India, namely The Curse of Anuganga and Shadows and Secrets: The Pataliputra Conspiracy. A romantic comedy, The Ex-Factor; a novella, Death at Arcade Emporia; a children’s book, The Wizard Tales: The Adventures of Bun-Bun and His Friends; and several short stories. She is a huge old Hindi movie buff and has contributed to the recently published anthology, The Swinging 70s: Stars, Style, and Substance in Hindi Cinema. Her latest book, a romantic comedy, Lovestruck and Confused, came out in February 2025.
She is a former civil servant and an editor as well as a content management professional by day and an author by night. She offers consultancy services to help individuals & organisations bring out professional and high-quality books from concept to execution. She also mentors children and adults on the nuances of creative writing and handholds them through the entire process to help publish their books. She lives in Gurugram with her family.
Whether you’re a book lover or just looking for a fun evening, this was an event not to be missed. Thanks to Nidhi Malhotra Lamba and Nityy Jain for helping us in organizing the event and OPG World School for providing us with a clean, neat, and well-maintained venue.
For more events from the book club, keep watching this space for more news! You may like to become a member and participate in regular monthly connects; for that, you need to connect with the undersigned. (Smriti Chhabra/Nidhi Malhotra Lamba)
