Book Review of Meet Me at the Cusp by Priyam Acharya

Some love stories spell “Forever”. There is no other word for it. Have you ever come across such a tale of love where there is a subtle yet deep mention of one’s subconscious and the relationship is much more than just for perhaps this life? Yes, I mean it forever, beyond this life and all others. Meet Me at the Cusp is such a scintillating tale of how love triumphs against all odds.

Romance is a genre I usually delve into and enjoy reading, especially during the monsoon. Nothing beats the feeling of tucking under the covers with my favourite hot cuppa and a good ol’ romance—a love story perhaps like no other. Oh yeah, I mean, all love stories might have the same essence of love, and yet I have two of the same ones. At least in books, though.

So, naturally, when I started reading Priyam Acharya’s latest, “Meet Me at the Cusp,” I thought to myself, Okay, this is perhaps another love triangle with Pashmina, Arjun, and Rinzing at its laterals, trying to decode their complicated love equations and feelings for each other.

But, as I proceeded, I realized that there was much more to this tale of love than just romance and complexity.

There were multiple dimensions to the tale of these three, commencing with Pashmina and Rinzing’s accident, which leaves Pashmina gravely wounded and Rinzing in a fix. Reason? Well, Arjun, Pashmina’s husband, is not aware of what has been brewing beyond his realization between his wife and Rinzing, who happens to be his former classmate from school too. Naturally, when it dawns on Arjun, he is flustered and asks Rinzing to get out.

Cut to a bit of the flashback, and we realize that Arjun and Pashmina, albeit in love marriage, seem to fall out of love right after taking the nuptial vows. Arjun, who is a doctor, and Pashmina, who is a social media influencer, meet, and sparks fly. Well, not all is happy ever after for the two, as post the wedding it gradually but surely becomes evident that they need different things from life. Arjun, a workaholic, is, unfortunately, able to match up to his wife’s emotional needs and considers himself and his priorities much more important than anything else. Pashmina, on the other hand, having not completed her education fully, is an orphan, raised by her grandparents, and is a sweet, vivacious soul who again, slowly after her nuptials, realizes that it might have been a wrong decision after all, to get married to Arjun as he is not the man of her dreams.

When Pashmina meets Rinzing Lepcha, Arjun’s former classmate from school, an art photographer who is from Sikkim, there is an instant connection. What it is, though, these two can’t figure out, but as time passes, they realize they both want nothing more than to be with each other, and they belong to no one else but each other. As Pash realizes her mistake of hasting into the relationship with Arjun, it begins to dawn on her how Rinzing completes her in ways Arjun could never. He makes her feel special, cared for, and, most importantly, loved, respected, and wanted. Making matters worse is Arjun’s one-night fling with someone who makes Pash question her place in Arjun’s heart.

However, life is not easy, and this accident happens. Cut to the present, where the way forward is messy. As the two prepare to leave their inhibitions behind, with Pashmina attempting to sever ties with Arjun, her Dadu passes away, leaving her in a lurch again. Therein onward begins her journey inward, a true self-discovery and realization of her inner calling and the intricacies of life. Won’t reveal any more, as you have to read it to find out if Pashmina and Rinzing eventually get together or not.

So, coming to the writing, it is fresh, indulgent, and sweet. I felt connected to the characters as well as the settings described by Priyam; be it Singapore’s late-night café, the mountains of Patnitop, or Sikkim’s beauty, I could picture it in my mind’s eye. Even the trip Pash undertakes to Bhairav Pataal was so succulently put together that it was hard to put it down once I got hooked on it.

Yes, I could resonate with Pashmina’s qualms in several instances, especially her jeopardy of being in a sad marriage where emotions were all but important. Rinzing’s selfless, undisputed love was sure to leave one breathless and yearning for such a beloved. He was what I would call the perfect partner, the best buddy in times of distress, a sweet friend, and a caring boyfriend.

My only little flip here is that somewhere during the climax, I personally could not resonate with Pashmina’s change of heart and her decision to move forward in life sans Rinzing. After all, they went through, I thought it was unfair that she decided to do so solely without taking Rinzing into confidence. However, that is a part of the story, so never mind; no complaints there.

A beautifully crafted tale of true love, compassion for your soul mate, deep yearning, understanding, and most importantly, cosmic connect-Meet Me at the Cusp is a fine love story that one can pick up and read, getting back to life and its beauty. Go for it if you are a fan of good love stories—the ones that are deep, intense, and mature at the same time.

So, I hope you guys liked my thoughts on this one. Stay tuned with us right here at Booxoul for the best in the fields of entertainment, lifestyle, food, fun, finance, fashion, education, tech, and gadgets, as well as all things bookish.

Adios Amigos!

Related: Book review of The Way that We Are by Priyam Acharya