10 romance books to read

 Here’s a listicle of 10 romance books that are not only captivating but also delve into thrilling twists, complex relationships, and steamy dynamics:-

1. Twisted Love by Ana Huang

Why Read It: This book kicks off the Twisted series with a brooding, possessive hero and a heroine who wears her heart on her sleeve. If you're into dark, intense love stories with complicated characters, Twisted Love has just the right balance of heat, heartache, and redemption.

2. Twisted Games by Ana Huang

Why Read It: Love a forbidden romance? How about one between a bodyguard and a princess? Twisted Games offers slow-burn passion with a royal twist. The push-pull dynamic between duty and desire creates tension that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

3. Twisted Hate by Ana Huang

Why Read It: Enemies-to-lovers with a splash of hate-to-love chemistry—this book is packed with banter and tension. If you love the thrill of watching characters clash before inevitably falling for each other, Twisted Hate will have you devouring every page.

4. Twisted Lies by Ana Huang

Why Read It: Fake dating and slow-burn romance with a touch of mystery. Twisted Lies is perfect for readers who love watching characters navigate their way through emotional walls and past traumas to finally find love. Plus, the fake relationship trope is executed brilliantly.

5. Throttled by Lauren Asher

 Why Read It: Set against the backdrop of the high-octane world of Formula 1 racing, Throttled mixes fast cars with slow-burn romance. The forbidden aspect of dating within the racing world and the intense chemistry between the leads make this book an exhilarating read.

6. Collided by Lauren Asher

Why Read It: Another romance in the Dirty Air series, Collided focuses on a grumpy/sunshine dynamic with deeper emotional layers. The protagonist’s past trauma plays a big role in this love story, making it a heartfelt, layered read with swoon-worthy moments.

7. Wrecked by Lauren Asher

Why Read It: Wrecked is a slow-burn romance that dives into mental health and healing. If you enjoy characters who are deeply flawed but find solace in each other, this book's emotional depth will resonate with you. It's a roller-coaster of heartbreak and healing.

8. Redeemed by Lauren Asher

Why Read It: A story of redemption, this book is all about finding love after loss. It’s an emotional, slow-burn romance that revolves around second chances. If you love seeing characters fight for their happily-ever-after after overcoming significant life challenges, Redeemed will pull on your heartstrings.

9. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Why Read It: A contemporary romance with a fake-dating trope set in the world of academia, The Love Hypothesis features quirky, lovable characters. The slow-burn romance between a scientist and her colleague will keep you grinning with its mix of humor, heart, and steam. Plus, it's one of those books where you’ll fall in love with both the plot and the characters.

10. Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

 Why Read It: If you loved The Love Hypothesis, you’ll enjoy Love on the Brain, where enemies-to-lovers gets a scientific twist. This book is perfect for readers who adore witty banter, strong female leads, and nerdy science references mixed with sizzling chemistry.

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Each book on this list blends passion, tension, and emotional growth in its own unique way, making them perfect reads for romance lovers looking for a little extra twist  in their love stories!

Annual meet with bestie

 Recently, I visited my hometown for an annual meet with my best friend. Every year, my bestie visits me for 10 days at my home. For the past two years, however, I’ve had to travel back to my hometown since I moved to Ahmedabad for my bachelor's degree. I booked my train ticket to Pune two months in advance because, you know, how quick and smooth IRCTC works. On September 7th, my dear bestie was already at my home, but due to college commitments, I couldn’t make it that day. Instead, I booked tickets for the next day, September 8th. My bestie is very understanding and is admired for his wisdom, so I knew he’d understand my delay.

On September 8th, 2024, for the first time in my 20 years of existence, I almost missed my train. My lazy habits will be the end of me, for sure, but thanks to mommy dearest for being my savior, I managed to reach the station in record time. I bet I could’ve beaten The Flash in that moment. Fast forward to my train journey. Like any average middle-class person, I chose a regular sleeper class seat, and thanks to my wonderful luck, I got an upper berth. Sitting next to me was a Telugu aunty, I
blissfully unaware that the train was headed to Coimbatore with only a brief five-minute stop at Pune. The train was packed with people speaking Telugu and Kannada, both languages completely out of my syllabus. I think the only people who knew Hindi, or any other language besides Kannada or Telugu, were me and the TC. Long story short, I somehow survived the 10-hour journey to Pune, starving and brain-fried by my fellow passengers.

I reached Pune in the evening and called my one-call-away friend to pick me up. I cursed myself for packing such a heavy bag, considering I can’t walk two steps without tripping over with that luggage. On the ride home, with my friend driving, my only wish was to reach in one piece. The moment I got home, I freshened up quickly, met my best friend, and had his favorite dish for dinner. As tired and exhausted as I was from the day, I still had all the energy to meet my bestie.

Oh, I totally forgot to mention my best friend. In the stillness before dawn, as the first light kisses the earth, Lord Ganesh emerges—remover of obstacles, bearer of wisdom, and guardian of beginnings. His elephantine form, majestic and serene, cradles the universe’s mysteries within. With a lotus in one hand and a rope in the other, he gently pulls us toward truth, while the sound of his sacred trunk hums through the ages, dissolving darkness. He dances through life’s trials, transforming challenges into blessings, his laughter echoing in the rhythm of creation. He is the gateway to the divine, where knowledge flows like a river and peace blooms eternally. Yes, that’s my best friend—Lord Ganesh, the son of the great Mahadev and goddess Parvati.

The next day, we all woke up and performed the morning pooja for Lord Ganesh. The reason Lord Ganesh is my best friend is that, in his presence, I forget all the troubles life throws at me. His presence brings a sense of security, and his aura fills our home and hearts with positivity. Those 10 days when Lord Ganesh, my bestie, stays with us are filled with absolute peace and prosperity. The light of hope he brings makes life better. During these 10 days, my family and I prayed and worshipped Lord Ganesh, which gave us a true sense of belonging. We decorated our home and Lord Ganesh's aasan with a different theme every year. This year, my family created a set that displayed the Ashtavinayak—the eight holy abodes of Ganesh.

In these 10 days, Lord Ganesh’s presence is my favorite part. The second-best part? Eating modaks, which happen to be both Lord Ganesh’s and my favorite! I had the best time sneaking a few before my mom could notice, hoping she wouldn’t hold me accountable for others not getting enough to eat.

In Pune, Ganeshotsav is celebrated wholeheartedly; it’s the biggest festival of the year, and everyone looks forward to it. My friends and I visited the 5 Manache Ganpati (the five most revered Ganpati mandals in Pune). We also explored all the Ganpati mandals that had the most unique sets and themes for Ganeshotsav this year. We saw beautiful recreations of some of India’s most iconic and historic places. For example, Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Trust recreated the Jatoli Shiv Mandir, while Chatrapati Rajaram Mandal recreated the magnificent Golden Temple of Amritsar.

Ganeshotsav has always been my and Pune's favorite festival. These 10 days bring the purest joy to all of us, and words will never be enough to describe the experience. But after those 10 days, comes the hardest moment—the 11th day, when we must say goodbye to Lord Ganesh. It’s the time when my bestie leaves me, and I have to wait an entire year for him to return. After bidding farewell to Lord Ganesh, life goes back to normal. We return to our daily routines, but his presence is deeply missed.

On September 19th, I had to return to Ahmedabad, even though many of my friends asked me to stay a little longer. I told them, “My dad isn’t the trustee of the college, so they won’t excuse my attendance just because I want more fun!” Once again, for the second time in my life, I almost missed my train. This time, daddy dearest was my savior, and I managed to get on the train just in time.

In the end, I have only one thing to say: “Oh, my friend Ganesh, tu rehna saath hamesha.”

Best time with bestie.💖

Butterflies

In between the moments of Sipping coffee

my vision stuck on something so beautiful

and even sweeter than actual honey 

pure honey brown eyes

my russet eyes met your honey eyes 

and in that moment I felt something 

tickles in my stomach, 

we were wandering in college campus 

I saw the most exquisite view 

those rosebud lips of yours  

curved into something so pretty 

that I never knew one capable of 

I saw you smile 

And in that moment I felt something 

tickles in my stomach,

Trying to escape the rain 

For the first time

you held my hand 

we ran through the swarming streets

and in that moment I felt something 

tickles in my stomach,

we snuck out of the class

And got to your bike 

driving on the outskirts of town 

I wrapped my arms around you 

resting my head on your back 

And in that moment I felt something

tickles in my stomach,

I was on the bus heading home

when you called explaining 

how every thought about me brings 

a smile to your face 

how being with me 

brightens up your day

how everything about me 

brings you joy 

And in that moment I felt something 

tickles in my stomach

putting all the 'somethings' I felt together

and said  

I fancy you

all the tickles just grew

and the butterflies causing them 

caught up in my stomach 

just flew

and I flew with them 

I didn't just fall in love 

I flew 

just like the butterflies.  

~manasiv.22

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

A fluffy loss

 

"In the end, when you lose somebody, every candle, every prayer is not going to make up for the fact that the only thing you have left is a hole in your life where that somebody you cared about used to be."

~ Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries) 

 When I heard this quote from the vampire diaries, it pierced through my heart. I have always stayed away from emotional attachments, maybe because I feared the pain and agony losing the person might cause. But certainly one cannot avoid the inevitable. I have loved and lost, and the pain it causes is like death by thousand cuts. I wish I could show the people that caused the pain how exactly a bleeding heart with thousand cuts looks like because obviously they won't know how it feels to cause someone such pain.

Love and affection can be for anybody may it be a person or animal or even non living things. When you love somebody since they were brought into the world, losing them can feel the end of the world. I can say loving animals is better than loving humans atleast they are loyal. I had a pet rabbit who passed away a couple days back. 

As usual I was fast asleep in my bed, When I got a call from my mom. She called and asked me to pick up the video call. Her voice contained fear and obviously when you live in a different state hundreds of miles away from your family and out of nowhere your mom calls you at 7:30 in the morning you won't think straight. The same  happened with me I couldn't think straight, in the span of like 15 seconds all the worst thoughts of the world crossed my mind. I answered her called she still had shivers in her voice, she set the camera to my bunny he looked pale than usual. she gave him his favorite meal i.e. a fresh coriander bunch but he won't even look at it. He refused to eat anything or even take drop of water, my mom caressed his forehead but he won't respond. This was only time when I saw him this inactive and non responsive. I was scared, I told my mom to keep trying to feed him. She ended the call and said she'll call later. I was trying to sleep when I got another call from her in less than 15 mins of the pervious call. She was held him in her lap, she was calling his name and asking him to wake up but he did not respond. And in that moment I broke into tears, my eyes couldn't bear the scene of him lying in such a helpless state. I couldn't stop crying because in that moment I knew I lost him. In that moment all I could think was how I should have been there with him, to help him, to spent the last few moments with him but I couldn't. In Just 2 seconds he was gone, I couldn't see him. I didn't have the courage to see him suffer. I didn't have the courage to see him leave.

Kalu when he was a month old

2nd of May 2021, I still remember the day when Kalu my rabbit was born. My dad used to call him Kalia in the beginning because he had black patches on his body, but that name sounded weird so I told him to name him something else and my dad being sarcastic as usual started calling him 'Kalu' and that turned out to be his name forever. I loved Kalu since the moment he was born. he was born with four other baby rabbits, all of them white as snow. Kalu was the only one with different color among all of them. And that made him different from others and that was the reason he was my favorite. When the babies were grown enough we gave away the others to some of our relatives and kept Kalu with us. 

He was the prettiest bunny I've ever seen, soft white fur with black fur patches was a deadly combination to be honest. Pretty Big and sharp ears. He had the most beautiful eyes any animal could have, big black ebony eyes and his black fur just above his eyes appeared like his brows which made me fall in love with him even more. I had the cutest creature as pet. In the 3 years of his life there won't be a single spot in our house he hasn't explored, he knew the house more than us. his random "I'm tired" kind of naps, his joyful hoping all over the house, his hopeful stare at mom for getting a "garma garam chapati", his shitting over the couch and running away fearing Mumma, randomly licking dad's legs, kissing and licking all over my face, being the most photographable pet, resting in savage poses, running and playing with my brother, demanding more caressing from my sister. All of this with his cute wordless actions.

Like Damon said, Losing Kalu will be like a hole in my life. A hole where he'll live free in our hearts and life. I never knew an animal can make me capable of such affection towards them. As I said when you love someone or something may it be a person or animal or a non living thing, the pain caused by their absence is unimaginable. People might think I'm overreacting and being dramatic about a rabbit's death but when you spend every single day with someone for a such a long period you can't help it when their absence hurts you so much.

Dearest Kalu,

I love you baby and will miss you for life. you've been the best. we'll always remember you whenever garma garam chapati is cooked, and we'll plant a tree in your memory. 

Love, 

Manasi💕.   

                        

 

     

Cherishing Hearts

 I love you isn't enough.

I want to feel the first light

wrapped around in your arms,

I want to catch you gazing me 

when I splash my soaked strands across your face 

giggling and fluttery,

I want you to hold my wrist 

when you see me removing the veggies from my breakfast and putting them in your plate, 

I want to pull over your hoodie when its chilly  

for the little walk in our garden,

I want my cheeks to grow red like tomatoes 

when you lift me and walk over to your car, 

I want our fingers to touch and our mouths to collide 

when we pull our car over the empty roadside,

I want you to dance along with me in the rains 

while you sing all the Taylor swift songs with me  

and sip tea at the corner tea stall,

I want hear you lecturing for dancing in rain 

fearing if for my sickness,

I want you to drive me home 

and bring me warm clothes and dry my hair,

I want to cook you dinner 

and you appreciating the food like its the best you've ever had,

I want to crash in the couch in your arms 

and watch our favorite 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' episodes,

I want to act I'm asleep for you

to carry me to our bed,

I want you to wrap your arm around me protectively

turn off the lights and fall asleep as the gleam moonlight passes through the window, 

I don't want a hallow "I Love You" 

I want all those moments that make me fall in love with you 

and all those moments that make you love me, 

I want all the moments that makes us love us,

I want it to be more than just pretty words 

but all the sweet gestures,

More than "I Love You"

But All the forehead kisses with love... 

          ~ Manasiv.22 

 

 

 

MOONCHILD

 She's the moonchild,

Sitting in the dark corner of her terrace where the moon could hardly reach but she could watch him shine 

She would sit numb for hours just staring at him,

Sometimes telling him about how her life sucks , how she's been losing herself and all her shit secrets

She's drowning in her sorrows and trauma where he's the only saviour.

She's the moonchild who keeps searching for the moon even when it's not his night.

She wants to let go her pain but keeps adding on to it.

She wants to stop thinking about it but to stop thinking is also thinking she forgets.

She wants to get out of the dark but everytime she tries taking a step out ends up pushing herself into more dense darkness.

She wants to die but lives much harder 

Watching the moon,

Watching him go through phased from fully bright and visible to dark and invisible.

She's the moonchild living by the moon surviving in its light....

~manasiv.22

HEALING HEARTS

 This happened a few weeks back my friend was going through a really bad breakup, I saw her struggling to keep herself together. I also saw she was struggling to keep herself together not because she didn't want the breakup but because she couldn't handle the anxiety and mental disturbance the toxicity the relation brought. I was talking to her about it, she said she gave her partner multiple chances to change but he would never do justice to the chance he got every time. his toxic behavior never changed, it got worst over time, so she decided to breakup.

I couldn't keep myself from asking her if she ever regrets any of it, and to my surprise she exactly answered what I thought of. she said she knew in the first place itself things weren't gonna end well with the two. But we are humans and we do things which we know we shouldn't do. That's exactly how human psychology works, we are more keen to do things we are prohibited to do and not think about the consequences of our actions. she said she regrets starting anything with him in the first place itself. And I did not expect anything more from her because I saw her go through hell during their relationship.

But her answer got me thinking about can we regret having someone in our life who has been or was a huge part of our life, With whom we share some of the happiest moments of life, who's presence around you once meant the world to you, who you thought would your ultimate savior from the world's cruel side. After a quite good amount of time and thinking I realized, YES it is possible to regret all of it. All of the happy times, the laughs, the moments And the PERSON ofcourse. Because none of it not the happy times , laughs , moments and not even the person can cover up or mask up the toxicity the person brought. There's nothing in the world that can cover up for the destruction of the peace you had in your life, PEACE is all that maters in the end. Not happiness, not sadness, no love , no nothing , only peace and just peace.

We all want something in our lives, we all desire for something in our lives. Some want happiness , some want satisfaction , some want success , some want love , some want pleasure. And when we pursue what we want or what we desire, it is the ultimate way to the finding peace in life. Because when a human gets what it wants, it brings peace to their soul, and when your soul is at peace everything is at peace in your life.

So YES , you can regret every single thing or even a person that cost you your peace.