Book Review - More Than Just Desire by Summerita Rhayne

It is no secret that I am irrevocably in love with Bollywood and everything that comes with it. So when I picked up More Than Just Desire by Summerita Rhayne I was expecting an out and out Bollywood romance complete with the glitz and glamor that comes along with it. But this book has much more layers and characters that live with you even after you finish the book.


Written cinematically Arfaaz and Piya, the settings of the filmy world the longing all of it reminded me of the beautiful Mora Saiyaan Mose Bole by the Pakistani band Fuzon and without the author’s permission, I assigned the faces of the actors of the music video to her Arfaaz and Piya.

 While writing love stories most authors have this habit of writing down characters that are too perfect to be real. Seeing the negative side of the characters was a refreshing change. While we see snippets of celebrity gossip doing the rounds, many fans also tend to think that people associated with the film world are perfect like their onscreen personas. But in the real world where Arfaaz and Piya live, where there are no cameras and make up there are egos running high. Piya the once successful actor had walked away from a career and most importantly her marriage with Arfaaz. But destiny has more in store and Piya is back in Mumbai and this time, Arfaaz wouldn’t let go easily. After all, who would want to be dumped and he is not only handsome but also a celebrity.

 Through the even pace of her narration, Summerita Rhayne delves into lust, attraction and hate that the main protagonists feel for each other. Even though the characters are set in Bollywood, the author’s challenge was to make them relatable and she does that with deftly. Piya actions are not rational but then that is what some people are in real lives. The gray in her, the sultry actress in her and the ability to love, make her my favourite character in the book. And of course for someone who loves cinema , it was natural for me to love Arfaaz too. Not too much was given to the supporting characters but then as the title says it is about the desire of the two protagonists. Without taking the route of spoilers , I would suggest readers , especially lovers of good romance reads to pick this up. There is a cinematic element in Summerita Rhayne’s writing that you would want to explore.