Book - And ‘She’ Lived Happily Ever After? by Sandeep Bogra
Genre - Women's Fiction

Not all love stories have a happy ending. Not all love stories get their deserving climax. These unfinished love stories branch out, taking the path that life has chosen for them, making space for another plot to brew. That which maybe good or gruesome! And ‘She’ Lived Happily Ever After? by Sandeep Bogra is one such story.

The story revolves around Naina, a young ambitious girl with hopes and dreams. Despite being the first in her family to come to the city to study, Naina carries the burden of her orthodox father’s expectations weighing on her. However, in the midst of all this, she tastes  freedom with Kartick—her first love. And though they are cautious yet words reaches Naina’s father through her local guardian. Her father threatens to curb all her dreams if she won’t leave Kartick. But this time her father’s harsh demeanor doesn’t scare her. She continues her secret rendezvous with Kartick, living her best life, until college comes to an end and the lovers are compelled to go their separate ways. Tragedy awaits as she is forced into an abusive marriage.

“Naina was taken aback by his husband’s reaction as how can a husband not feel happy for his wife and treat her as a competitor. She believed they both were one soul and each other’s success or failure was mutual.”

The character of Naina hits closer home. She starts losing her sense of identity, going through pain and hate, daily. How long till Naina endures this loveless marriage? When will she strike back? When will she choose her happiness and self-worth? The questions plagued me throughout. The hurt emanated from every page riling me in the process. As the story climaxed I realized these are exactly the questions the author wants us to ponder over. Life & relationship coach Sandeep Bogra leaves it to the readers to decode some aspects of Naina’s life. In a way urging us to delve deeper into the relationships we nurture and reassess our roles in it.

Bogra eloquently and through evocative writing uses Naina’s life story to address important issues like rejection, divorce, mental health and more. What I loved most about this book was how the author gelled fiction with the facts. In this short novella, he uses his writing skills to inform the readers of the grim reality and the immense courage it takes for one to choose happiness over social expectations. In a world that’s quite progressive thinking we still have narcissist men hovering around trying to force patriarchal idealogies on us.

Through this narrative the author gives a worm’s eye view about intricacies of relationship, marriage and the often overlooked aspects that bring about a successful union. He draws from the real-life experiences of women to present a forthright picture of a Naina’s journey vis-a-vis having ambitions, finding the right partner, and her efforts to make the marriage work. Further, he points out how familial pressure, societal expectations can ruin a chance of an individual in finding a partner whose values and aspirations aligns with their own!

Finding an ideal partner isn’t merely about ticking boxes on a checklist. The recipe for perfect marriage does not exists but to be a power couple one needs respect, mutual understanding, open communication, and compatibility. This book makes one contemplate on shared desires and priorities, complexities arising in love and commitment. And by the end, it renders much clarity and confidence to the readers vis-a-vis notions of love and partnership.

To sum up, And ‘She’ Lived Happily Ever After by Sandeep Bogra is a novella that brings to the table a mature and much needed outlook towards relationships, and subtly puts forth the dynamics that will ultimately lead to personal growth and fulfillment. 

To buy the book, pls click - And She Lived Happily Ever After? by Sandeep Bogra

**Copyright in content and pictures belongs to Siddhi Palande, the owner of this blog, and cannot be republished or repurposed without permission from the author. Infringement of any kind will invite strict legal action.**