Review

“Sometimes, the best dreams are the ones we make real for others.”

Preeti Shenoy’s books have always been comfort reads for me. One of the very first books I read in my reading journey was The One You Cannot Have, and ever since, her simple yet emotionally rich storytelling has stayed with me. Her books are heartwarming, simple, and have a way of healing us in ways we don’t even realize. So when this book arrived, I knew I was excited because both the books I had read by her had stayed with me long after I turned the last page.

Also Read: Book Review: The End is the Beginning by Abhijeet Sharma – A Reflective Poetry Collection About Healing, Hurt & Hope

People We Love takes readers back to the beginning of two beloved novels- It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have and tells the stories of the characters before we met them in those books. Serving as the backstory to both novels, it tells us who these beloved characters were before they appeared in It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have, allowing readers to understand their journeys, choices, and relationships on a deeper level. 

Here, there are two stories—Before the Planets Aligned and The One Who Changed Everything.

In Before the Planets Aligned, we meet Aniket, a coder. We meet Subbu, his best friend. We meet Nidhi, and we meet Trisha. The story beautifully explores how the lives of these four characters become interconnected and how the universe often has its own timing for everything. Here, we see how Aniket is afraid of expressing his feelings to Trisha, while Subbu plays the perfect role in aligning their planets and bringing them together because he knows Aniket may never confess his feelings himself.

As the story progresses, we see Aniket and Trisha’s relationship begin to take shape until an unexpected email changes things. We also get a glimpse into Nidhi’s life, who has left her corporate job behind to pursue her passion through her pottery studio. Engaged to Manoj, she finds herself questioning whether she is truly happy with the path she is on. What follows is a heartfelt exploration of love, choices, and the courage it takes to listen to your heart.

In The One Who Changed Everything, we meet Shruti, Aman, and Anjali. Here, we witness the beautiful journey of a teenage love story between Aman and Shruti that eventually reaches the stage of marriage, only to be disrupted by family complications and life’s unexpected turns. Then comes Anjali, who is exhausted by the endless cycle of dates and expectations. When she and Aman meet, they choose not to exchange phone numbers or social media handles. Instead, they communicate through emails, finding comfort and companionship in each other’s words. Their conversations slowly become the foundation of a connection that feels genuine, mature, and deeply emotional. And that is where The One You Cannot Have begins to come alive.

The plots of both stories are comforting and engaging, but what truly stands out is the way Preeti Shenoy weaves emotions into every page. Themes of friendship, love, family, romance, sibling bonds, personal dreams, sacrifices, and second chances are woven together with honesty and relatability. Life takes unexpected turns, forcing every character to navigate an emotional rollercoaster of choices, heartbreak, hope, and growth. 

One of the things I enjoyed most was not just the romance but the quiet acts of love scattered throughout the stories. Whether it is a friend stepping in when words fail, a sister taking care of children so someone can have a moment to themselves, a loved one going the extra mile, or simply standing beside someone when they need support the most, these moments add immense warmth to the narrative. This book has layers of emotions. We see parent-child relationships, friendships, dreams, sacrifices, and the way life often makes us pause before our biggest decisions. It reminds us that the people who shape our lives are not always the ones making grand gestures, but often the ones who quietly stand by us every single day.

Preeti Shenoy once again wins hearts with her writing. Her writing remains as comforting and engaging as ever. Her narrative is crisp, immersive, and emotionally resonant. The dialogues feel natural, the drama never overwhelms the story, keeping readers engaged while also delivering meaningful reflections on life and relationships. The situations her characters face are relatable because they mirror challenges many of us encounter in our own lives.

The characters are brilliantly woven together. Each of them has a story worth telling, whether it is Shruti, Aman, Anjali, Aman’s mother, Shruti’s parents, Anjali’s sister Dipika, Vishal, Subbu, Trisha, Nidhi, or Aniket. No character feels unnecessary; each contributes meaningfully to the emotional depth of the stories. What impressed me most was how effortlessly Preeti balances romance with everyday realities. Her characters are not extraordinary people facing extraordinary situations; they are ordinary individuals navigating love, family expectations, insecurities, and dreams. That relatability is what makes her stories resonate so deeply. 

The climax naturally takes us back to the books these stories connect with. At times, it leaves you wishing there was more to read, but it also creates a sense of curiosity that encourages readers to revisit these characters in the novels that follow. More importantly, it makes you appreciate how every choice, heartbreak, friendship, and moment of courage shaped the people they eventually became.

After reading this one it made me think, how we often spend so much time giving love to the people we care about that we forget to notice the ways they love us in return. This book beautifully captures that and shows just how far we are willing to go for the people we love.

In all, People We Love is a warm, emotional, and uplifting read about the lengths we go to for those we care about and the many ways love quietly shapes our lives. If you’re looking for a light yet meaningful read filled with heart, hope, relatable characters, and emotions that linger long after the final page, People We Love is a book worth picking up. For fans of Preeti Shenoy, this book offers a delightful return to familiar worlds. For new readers, it serves as a wonderful introduction to her writing.

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