I want to change lives with my films and show people what a Desi girl can do.
Say hi to Twinkle. She calls herself an invisible wallflower and her biggest dream is to make movies that will touch people. Oh, and there is a certain boy on the school swim team, Neil Roy, who happens to be Twinkle’s crush. And then there is Sahil. A huge film fan and he has a crush on Twinkle since forever. Oh, and he is Neil’s twin brother.
Told from the perspectives of both Twinkle and Sahil, Twinkle lives a quiet life with her parents and her grandmother and thinks that no one is taking note of her and that her parents do not love her. So, she writes letters in her diary to famous female directors like Sofia Coppola and Kathryn Bigelow and tells them about her dreams and feelings.
When her best friend Maddie spends more time with a new group of friends she made, she feels more alone than ever and daydreams about being Neil’s girlfriend.
One day she meets Sahil in a cafe and starts talking to him. The next day Sahil hears how she talked to Maddie about the school play of Midsummer Night and while Maddie encourages Twinkle to ask for permission to do a movie out of it, Sahil offers to be the producer of this project.
We learn that Twinkle is caught up in the movie project and receiving e-mails from a secret admire called “N”, which she is hoping that he turns out to be Neil. However, it turns out Sahil has been madly in love with her since he was 11 and only thanks to his two best friends, he finds the courage to make the first step to talk to her at the cafe.
Geeks are smart and talented and passionate. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
From Twinkle, With Love explores making your dreams come true while dealing with first loves and trying to find her place in a work field primarily dominated by men.
Sometimes I worry I don’t know who I really am. Sometimes I’m afraid nothing I do will ever be enough to set me apart.
As the story continues, Twinkle forgets more and more about her crush on Neil and sees Sahil for who he is and slowly falls for him. However, Twinkle is so caught up in her own fantasy and dealing with so much emotions at once that she does not see how Sahil is desperately trying to get her attention. Twinkle learns that to go after the guy who can give you a better social status is not the right thing to do. Instead, better run after the better man who is there for you even when you have a break down and no one understands why and makes you a better person.
When I’m with you, I feel I can breathe.
Sandhya Menon has done it again with this only her second novel. She takes you on a journey into a wonderful story with fun and a lot of nerdiness combined with a mix of American and Indian culture.
Her debut novel When Dimple Met Rishi focused on Dimple who wanted to break free from the Indian traditions, live a life of her own, find out who she is, and how she can find a balance between her Indian heritage and the modern life she want to live. Menon’s debut caused to become a New York Times and national Indie bestselling author in 2017.
You can feel through every word and sentence how important her roots are her and this makes her books so special. Not only does she bring Indian culture to the forefront, but she also gives you a nice funny and geeky story that is so easy to read and leaves an imprint of lightness on your heart.
You can follow Sandhya Menon on her official website, Twitter and Instagram.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.
When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.
Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?
Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.
