Title: Love in the Time of Affluenza

Author: Shunali Khullar Shroff

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Genre: Contemporary

Source: Review copy

Rating: 4/5⭐

Blurb (as on the book):

‘He never wants to touch me any longer, Natasha! It’s like he’s impotent or something.’
‘That’s not impotence, that’s just what being married is like.’

Raising three children in her elegant Mumbai home with her aristocratic husband of 15 years -every bit the prince you read about in fairy tales – Natasha Singh has it all. But when her closest friend drops the bombshell that she’s having an affair, Natasha beings to ask some difficult questions about her own life.

My Take :

Love in the Time of Affluenza gives us an insight into the lives of Mumbai’s rich Indians and their luxurious lifestyles and lavish parties. Through her impactful and witty writing, Shunali not only made me laugh out loud but also kept me hooked throughout the story.

The story centers around three women – Natasha Singh, Trisha and Nafisa. Natasha is a columnist and a homemaker, who sacrificed her career to raise her three children. It is her best friend Trisha’s loveless marriage life that made Natasha question about her own seemingly perfect life.

Being a homemaker is the toughest job. Unfortunately, many do not acknowledge or appreciate it and Varun (Natasha’s husband) is no exception. The responsibility of a married woman’s everyday life as a wife, mother and most importantly as a homemaker is very realistically delineated through Natasha’s character.

All a woman wants from her man is respect, understanding and a little bit of appreciation. But men mostly devotes himself to work and fail to give their time and attention to their woman, which often results in discontentment and loveless marriage life. That’s what happened in Trisha’s life.

Of Natasha’s three children, Ria is my favourite and the sibling rivalry between Sumer and Ria reminds me of my little sister and our good old days. I think the real-life events and situations presented here make the characters more relatable. Most people seem to like the shared email conversations between Natasha and Riyadh. I might have enjoyed it if Natasha was 20 years old, but sadly, she was 40 and a mother of three children which made me dislike their part.

The write-ups at the beginning of every chapter was quite impactful. Natasha’s inner voice is one thing that would make you laugh out loud without being conscious of the surrounding. The relatable characters, simple language and the author’s brilliant narration made this book an interesting read.

I would like to thank Bloomsbury India for providing me with a copy of the book.

Purchase Link: Amazon Paperback | Amazon Kindle