Author: Sudarshan Mahabal| Genre: Fiction | Pages: 374
The Blurb:
Anant Joshi, a dreamer who chases the American dream during Y2K rush and leapfrogs from a small Indian town to start-up innovative Silicon Valley venture. Chris O’Brian, an energetic and creative high-tech sales leader from New York who is driven by his passion for life, creativity and making it big. Sameera Qureshi, a young gynaecologist from Hyderabad attending her medical residency in California, trying to find love and her true human identity. Amy Cohen, a lively, articulate, compassionate paediatrician from Tel Aviv who is ready to ride on larger than life waves and build a legacy. Madhura Sharma, journalist and social worker from Mumbai driven by her nationalistic ideals and drive to help others. What happens when their paths intersect and blend amidst their divisions across nationality, religion, and ideals?
The Plot:
This is the story of Anant, Madhura, Chris, Sameera, and Amy. But most importantly, it is the story of Anant. He is from a small town in India and struggles to bake his way through the glam of metros and follows his heart accepting a job in the US. Madhura, his classmate-turned-girlfriend is apathetic to his practical views and accuses him of betrayal to motherland when he announces his decision to fly overseas. The story thereon is about his professional and personal journey in the US and thereafter back in India. On the way, he makes friends and colleagues; Chris, Amy, and Samaira, who become a rather attached part of his journey, his emotional turmoil, and the longing to be connected back with his roots, his blood, in India.
Centred around the lives of Indian immigrants who live in different parts of the world, this book attempts at capturing the lure to American culture that young generation is obsessed with, the emotional upheaval they experience time and again, their decisive incapabilities governed by patriotic love about choosing one land as their own and yet never being fully satisfied.
The characters are numbered and hence, makes it easier for the reader to follow their tales. That said, they lack substance, in the sense that the reader can readily forget about them; for no fault of their own. The dialogues felt more like author’s narration and at times, turned stale for they turned juvenile and seriatim.
This book is part memoir part fiction, for the plot and character portrayals, are mutual with the author’s life. Although the writing style and vocabulary are good, narratives that are way too descriptive, tiresome flitting between past and present, and cringe worthy typos, killed it for me. However, it was revision one that I reviewed and publisher/author claims they have addressed typo/grammatical errors in latest revision.
This book is about following your dreams and to let nothing get in the way of that. Now that is one thing I too believe in.
Read more about the author, Sudarshan Mahabal.
If you happen to read ‘Love Trumps All’ or have already read it, do share your thoughts below.
P.S: I received a review copy from the author but the review remains unbiased. You can buy your copy here.
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Asha Seth
Asha Seth 
It’s a nice book too.
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Thank you Asha for the nice review
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