Dancing with Demons by Nidhie Sharma

When I got my hands on Nidhie Sharma’s “Dancing with Demons”, I was excited. Growing up, I loved Mills & Boons and then went off them totally for years.

Jyoti Singh’s “Temptation from Paradise”, which I had reviewed a few months back, got me hooked again and I am thrilled with the Indianisation (if one may use that term) of romance. After all, we in India do know what romance is. Look at our myths, our history and our Bollywood movies!!! Romance in today’s India has also taken hints from its western counterparts and gone are the days of coy girls and hidden romance. So, Nidhie Sharma joining this new upcoming group of Indian romance writers, is another trump for contemporary writing in India.

The book, her debut, starts off with a force, with Karan Pratap Singh boxing, not just his opponent to get to the Olympics, but also his demons from the past, and failing miserably. As with most Mills& Boons heroes, he is this angry, exceptionally hot and desirable man with an attitude that would burn a hole in a delicate heart. The damsel in distress, Sonia is definitely not a damsel in distress, but a damsel that spells distress. She adds a twist by not being the regular pleasant, beautiful and oppressed damsel, but one with a fiery temper and a bag full of secrets and a 7 inch blade. When the two collide, heavens ramble and sparks fly.

Okay, so when I pick up a Mills & Boons, I want romance, that warm fuzzy feeling and many little smiles as I read. Maybe I am being very demanding, but that’s what Mills& Boons have been synonymous with forever. In Dancing with Demons, Nidhie Sharma is unable to create that magic. The story is fast moving and with a few nice punches packed in (literally too). It is the typical boy meets girl and eventually they fall in love. But I didn’t feel connected with any of the characters. It gave me the feeling that I was watching a Bollywood movie.

I wouldn’t write off the book, but I would want something a bit different than the movies we get to watch!

It is a decent read on a lazy Sunday afternoon when you have nothing better to do.

About artikaaurorabakshi

Artika Aurora Bakshi Artika Aurora Bakshi is the author of three well-acclaimed children’s books,My Little Sikh Handbook, My Little Sikh Handbook 2: Ardas, My Little Sikh Handbook: Travel Journal, and an anthology of stories, Hold On To Me. Her first story, set in Amritsar, during the pre-Partition period, All She Had Left, was published on Story Mirror. She co-manages thegoodbookcorner.com, a manuscript help and book review site. Her passion for reading has led her to helping other writers with their manuscripts. She comes from a family of lawyers and has a master’s degree in International Banking & Finance. Currently based in Sri Lanka, she teaches Commerce and History on a part-time basis at an international school and enjoys being part of the literary scene in Sri Lanka. A regular at the Galle Literary Festival and other literary events in Sri Lanka, Artika’s articles and book reviews have featured in the Daily Mirror, Daily News, The Ceylon Chronicle, and various blogs, such as, talkingcranes.com, sikhchic.com, sikhnet.com. She was actively involved with SAARC Women’s Association of Sri Lanka and was President of the Association in 2016. An avid reader, Artika runs an online book club with a membership base of over 600 members. Her quotes are featured under soul.nightingale on Instagram and on Soul Nightingale by Artika Aurora Bakshi on Facebook. Artika is also working on her fourth children’s book in the My Little Sikh Handbook series and a second anthology of stories for adults. You can reach Artika at bakshiartika@gmail.com .

View all posts by artikaaurorabakshi →