Book Review: 12 Years My Messed-Up Love Story

Book Name: 12 Years: My Messed-Up Love Story
Author: Chetan Bhagat

Publisher: Harper Collins

Genre: Contemporary Romance

12 Years - My Messed Up Love Story by Chetan Bhagat is quite an entertaining romance novel that will make readers laugh, question and eventually lead them to form their opinions.

 

Review


The story follows the setting in modern-day Mumbai and Dubai. With two central characters, Payal, a 21-year-old passionate woman working in a private equity firm, and Saket, a 33-year-old divorced finance professional who turned into a struggling stand-up comic after selling his startup, the plot starts with Saket trying to get a settlement with his ex-wife, who was coming up with new demands as part of alimony. Amidst his struggle and discussions with his lawyer, Saket did his debut stand-up set in his friend Mudit's Crayon Club, where he met Payal in the audience. From sharing a common space and falling in love to falling apart, it is the story of two different people who could not stay away from each other and kept looking for opportunities to come together. With all the chaos and family drama, what happens in the end is the highlight of Payal's and Saket's life stories.


The characters are flawed and relatable. Readers would definitely see some of those society uncles and aunties they meet in marriage parties, who question their choices in this book, as portrayed by the author in the form of the protagonist's parents and relatives. Payal depicts a strong, independent woman, yet to explore the world and see the dark sides of it, until Saket enters her life. Saket represents all those people who are struggling to follow their passion, leaving behind the corporate job they wished they did not have to do, but eventually they have to support the finances to fuel their passion. Payal's family adds a layer that builds societal boundaries to the story with a pinch of traditions and conservativeness.


The fast-paced writing style will keep readers hooked to the book till the end. It is simple and easy to follow the story. Some scenes are unexpected, and some revelations might make readers question the worldly charms and people's desires, yet the book is written with a perspective of the modern age. The author explores some serious themes like pain, heartbreak, urban loneliness, and the courage it takes to pursue a second chance, making readers believe life never stops. The humor lands pretty well. The scenes of intimacy are well-described, making it a book to be read by people above 18 (just a heads up, read it is the choice of the reader). It is more like a Bollywood-esque romance that shows struggle, separation, and coming back, starting all over again from where the main characters left off.


Readers who love to read contesting drama, differentiating between generations, will love reading this book, as the author brings together Payal, a Gen Z trying to make her place in the corporate world, and Saket, a man struggling with a midlife crisis and past failures. It has a blend of embarrassment, humor, bonding, loneliness, heartbreak, traditions, conservativeness, and societal boundaries. Even if some of these themes sound serious, the author's writing style makes it comical.



This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program & part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2025. 

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