Review- Fade Into Red by Reshma K. Barshikar

Summary-

Ayra always wanted to be an Art Historian. She saw herself flitting between galleries, talking Michelangelo and Dali with glamorous ease. At twenty–nine, life has decided to make her an underpaid investment banker juggling an eccentric family, a fading career and a long–distance relationship that is becoming a light-year one. 

On a monsoon day in June, she is suddenly sent packing from Mumbai to Tuscany to buy a vineyard for a star client. What should have been a four day trip turns into a two week treasure hunt that finds her in the middle of midnight wine deals, dodgy vintners, rolling Tuscan hills, a soap opera family and one playboy millionaire who is looking to taste more than just the wine. Towards the end she finds that the road to true happiness is almost as elusive as that perfect glass of Chianti.

Review-

I wasn't expecting much before diving into Fade Into Red by Reshma K. Barshikar so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the book. It was a good change of pace for me from the usual romances. Fade Into Red can't exactly be put into a category but if I had to it would be chick lit with more depth. There is a little bit of romance but for the most part it is Ayra's story.

Ayra has always wanted to be an art historian but circumstances and her practical mindset made her into an investment banker. When she is sent to Tuscany to buy a vineyard for a client she doesn't expect her life to change so drastically or maybe it is she herself who changes.

I really liked Ayra. She was a modern woman who wanted to have a good, financially secure job even if it meant letting go of her passion. She was a determined woman who was trying to meet everyone's expectations even if it meant putting her wishes on the backseat for awhile. The part I enjoyed the most in Fade Into Red was when Ayra and Ishaan are searching for vineyards. I found the whole wine making process really interesting.

The description of the Tuscan Hills and various locations was amazing and easy to imagine. But it was not all about the wines. Here is from where Ayra's life takes a turn for the worse and where she realizes that things are definitely not as they seem. I liked Ayra's family. They were the ones who brought the normal and typical in her life while being there for her always. I also loved her friend Nars who was always there for her, as was Kartik.

Fade Into Red was more about discovering yourself. It was Ayra's journey to learning how to compromise and to giving your loved ones priority. It was about finding the right balance between doing what you love and doing what you have to do. Overall Fade Into Red was a good and very realistic read which ended in hope. I liked it.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Random House India in exchange for an honest review. We thank them