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Against All Odds

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The first time they collide, he thinks she’s a con artist, she believes he’s an arrogant snob.

It takes several meetings to change their minds about each other, but eventually, Abhimanyu and Sanjana strike up a friendship that seems destined to turn into something more. He’s a rich successful businessman, however, and she’s a small-town girl who doesn’t fit into his glittering world; a fact that Abhimanyu’s mother has taken pains to point out.

Will they ever overcome the odds, or are their lives on parallel tracks, never destined to cross?

117 pages, ebook

First published June 12, 2013

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Jazz Singh

14 books26 followers

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5 stars
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15 (10%)
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Midu Hadi.
Author 3 books180 followers
November 7, 2015
I received this free ebook from www.indireads.com & I decided to review it.

What I liked:

this is a very simple boy meets girl (etc) story

the romance & love scenes were really sweet

it was short & cute

really loved the cover!

What I didn't like:

all the Hindi terms thrown it were easy for me to understand but I don't know if other readers might be able to understand them-it might ruin their enjoyment of the story.

If you have half an hour (or less) on your hands, give this cute story a chance. Its cute!

Also reviewed/liked at:

Shelfari
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Natasha Ahmed.
Author 1 book58 followers
March 9, 2014
It's a classic tale - the small town girl and the well-heeled city slicker – but written with such flair that you wish it just kept going. Sanana is a talented, if prickly, interior designer. He's a (possibly gang-like) real estate developer. She's from a small town and struggling to make ends meet. He's got a haughty mother who doesn't want a nobody in the family...

Jazz Singh has all the ingredients she needs for a dramatic romance. The chemistry between her characters crackles off the page, and you really end up rooting for Sanjana and Abhimanyu to somehow, somehow, bridge their differences and make it as a couple.

Whether they do or not, well, you'll have to read it to find out! If only it was longer...
Profile Image for Srishti Ghosh.
465 reviews23 followers
May 3, 2015
I had saved this book in want to read list for along time, thinking that it was not much good story, but after reading it turned out all good, in fact, amazing. the end was perfect.
Profile Image for Lizzy Baldwin.
216 reviews12 followers
May 10, 2021
So as you can see the story mainly revolves around the storyline of two people destined to be apart due to their class and cultural differences. Set mainly in the busy, bustling city of Delhi the story starts with our main female protagonist finding herself under the wheels of a rather smart car. The budding interior designer finds herself face to face with the sultry, slightly arrogant and menacing Abhimanyu. Helping her to her feet she shrugs off his requests to take her to the hospital and instead decides to take the injury (a hairline fracture) into her own hands. Currently in the middle of her biggest assignment yet our female lead finds herself constantly crossing paths with the sultry Abhimanyu. Is there more than a work connection between these two? Was it fate that brought them together? All will be revealed.

In terms of positives the two main characters are very well built up in terms of character profiling. Sanjana is gusty, determined and very ambitious. She tends to shrug off the constraints of society and refuses to give into conventions of beauty such as make-up and expensive clothing and it really is a breath of fresh air. Abhimanyu is the polar opposite; cool and collected he radiates importance and prowess. His sense of class and dignity makes the contrast between the two even more distinct. The relationship is built up over a long period of time so it feels genuine and realistic which I liked. I thought the addition of family finding it difficult to accept someone of a different class slightly clichéd but handled well and it helped to bring supporting characters to the forefront. Additionally the swapping between languages helps to really transport the reader to this new environment which I thought was a lovely touch.

A couple of critical points; firstly it all felt a little too nice. The two do sustain their relationship through a number of adversities but I wanted more. The family don’t get involved enough and I think it is because Abhimanyu is so aloof as a character you don’t really feel like his family were ever really going to make it that difficult for their blossoming relationship. Adding to this, the fact that Sanjana disappears for a year is overlooked. Blink and she’s gone and then back again. I think if you’re going to put in a significant time period you need to really make a meal of it and give it some reasoning to be included. I also thought the story was missing a couple of sub-plots; something to interweave and draw the reader’s attention. Although a short book there was room for another plot-line potentially looking at Sanjana’s friend Palak. In terms of writing style it’s very good not only snappy and well written in terms of dialogue but the pace is perfect; it’s gentle but moves along to keep the reader engaged. I think the author could have played more with the scents and smells; make us feel the new environment not just imagine it.

Overall this is a lovely little story; I felt that the novel needed an alternative plot-line to help create suspense and give the story more content and more room to play around with. I understand that the author was playing with the main characters budding career and her independence but it wasn’t enough to stand on its own as a plot-line for me. I may seem a little over critical however overall I really did enjoy reading this gentle story and can’t wait to see more from this author.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Shilpa Garg.
142 reviews87 followers
December 7, 2014
Sanjana is a small town girl trying to find her feet in Delhi as an Interior Designer. She stumbles on something, loses her footing and slips in front of Abhimanyu’s car. They get off on the wrong foot. He thinks of her as a con artist and she considers him as an arrogant and an insufferable man.

Was it coincidence or destiny but they meet again and again and eventually change their minds about each other. And fall in love too. Abhimanyu’s mother dislikes their association and points out the social differences between them and how Sanjana is so out of their league. In fact she even accuses her to be a social climber. Understanding her point of view, Sanjana vanishes from Abhimanyu’s life. But will she be able to banish him from her thoughts? Will their paths cross again, someday? Will they ever overcome the odds?

Against All Odds has a classic plot of ‘rich-guy-falls-for-poor-girl’ with a spoilsport mother in tow. Sounds like a typical bollywood melodramatic movie? Right! But that’s where the similarity ends. The characters of Sanjana and Abhimanyu look real. Their dilemmas, their inner conflict portrayed in the story seems very realistic. In fact their romance develops slowly and gradually.

Against All Odds is a romantic story but has elements of suspense too. The twists and turns in the story make you wonder about will they/won’t they get together. The chemistry between the duo is crafted well by the author and the dialogues are sincere and genuine. The only dampener were the final few pages. I wished that the climax was handled a bit differently. It appeared to be a bit clichéd and a bit abrupt!

A light, breezy romantic read, yes that’s what Against All Odds is! Check it out!

http://shilpaagarg.com/2014/12/odds.html
Profile Image for Adite.
Author 9 books345 followers
June 10, 2014
What happens when two people from totally different social milieus have an attraction for each other? That's the premise for many a hit Bollywood movie. But stop right there. Jazz Singh's Against All Odds is by no means an over the top, melodramatic story. It is rooted in reality and the author brings out the dilemma that a small town girl faces when she migrates to a big metropolis to study and work. Sanjana is just such a girl from the hill town of Kasauli who literally bumps into Abhimanyu's car on a Delhi thoroughfare. Abhimanyu is a successful real estate businessman who hails from an affluent family to boot. With both harbouring pre-conceived notions about each other, Sanjana is not too keen to further her acquaintance with the "typical Delhi-ite" despite the physical attraction that she feels for him. The author neatly resolves this will-they-won't-they-get-together question after a few plot twists and turns. It's an enjoyable read and Jazz Singh portrays her characters with a deft, light touch. I only wished that the author would have given us more of Abhimanyu's perspective. I also felt that in a couple of scenes, the author had missed the opportunity to amp up the conflict. Overall, though, I enjoyed this short read and look forward to reading more from Jazz Singh.
Profile Image for Nikita Jhanglani.
135 reviews23 followers
December 20, 2014
Against All Odds by Jazz Singh is a simple, sweet, and beautiful little story that is sure to warm your hearts. While the plot is one that has been portrayed and written about several times, Jazz writes her story with a freshness that sets it apart from works having a similar theme.

In the beginning, I thought the story moved a little too fast. But towards the end you fall in step with the author’s line of thought and some may even want to go back and start reading the book again. I loved all her characters and the way she has described them. My favorite amongst all her characters in this book is Abhimanyu, not just for the very obvious reasons but also because Jazz has portrayed him beautifully – his charm comes right out of your reading device and grips your heart! Very close was Sanjana. Although she has portrayed like many small-town characters in our Bollywood movies, Jazz weaves her in the story in a way that you absolutely like her very much.

This one is very definitely a must read of all romance-novel fans. Short, sweet, and simple, it is a perfect Sunday read!
Profile Image for Rahul Mohan.
30 reviews23 followers
December 2, 2014
Against All Odds is a typical romance tale of a rich boy and a middle class girl. They meet, get attracted and fall in love. The social and family indifferences separate them for a while only to be reunited by which the story ends. It is strange to find the author taking up a theme so old and presenting it in a way nothing short of a bollywood masala film. Unfortunately, none of the characters could leave a mark on me after finishing this 106 paged story. The events are too predictable which keeps the level of enjoyment to a minimum.

There is another perspective to look at, which may not seem much convincing. The way the romance unfolds is pretty much realistic. However, the author seems to stick on to the clichéd formula which makes reading a tiresome job. Moments of excitement are very few.

In short, Against All Odds was in all possible ways against all my expectations. I sincerely hope the author comes up with a better novel in the near future.
Profile Image for Biswanath Banerjee.
152 reviews22 followers
January 18, 2015
Sanjana –the young talented interior decorator did had a crash with a speeding car in a night of torrential rainfall. The crash is literal-both physically and mentally.
From then on wherever she goes, she started discovering the owner of the car-the handsome, rich and famous Abhimunya.
Who had a crash on which we don’t know-but one thing is certain, their hearts started speaking to each other.
She started thinking somebody like him to whom London and Milan is like a room of their house, will not be interested in her and soon found that somebody very charming and beautiful close to him.
Sensing a love affair she decided to disappear from his life.
But was it possible? And were there a love triangle with Abhimanyu as the point of rivalry between the two beautiful ladies?
Read to discover this lovely little romance novella.
Plot is not very innovative but narration and story telling will attract you as magnet attracts iron.
Profile Image for Gayathri Manikandan.
35 reviews11 followers
January 26, 2014
Against all odds, a simple love story with its lifelike characters and vivid narration is a compelling read. As the author unrolls the canvas, the characters spring into life as though they have been living next door all this time. Every character has an accurate portrayal irrespective of how big or small their role is.
What didn't work for me though are the portions depicting the intimacy between Sanjana and Abhimanyu. Its my personal opinion that premarital sex shouldn't been advocated in a book. It is still a taboo in our culture. There are exceptions in the society. Exceptions cannot define rules. Exceptions might soon become the norm. But let us not make it sooner. Books, these days are increasingly having such obscene stuff. Let us spare another Sanjana in a small town to imagine it as a 'cool' thing taken lightly by the city-bred. Overall, a quick and relaxed read.
28 reviews1 follower
March 10, 2015
A simple middle class girl who becomes an Interior Designer and meets the super rich Abhimanyu, in a minor accident on a rainy night!

It is not love at first sight, nor do they sing "Pyaar Hua , Ikraar hua hai..' under the black umbrella!

She is the small town , pahadi girl, he is the sophisticated Delhi bred businessman. They have nothing in common except love for eachother!

While he is convinced she is 'the one' for him, his mother has doubts. Cliche? You bet!

Sanjana shifts her work base,away from him after she is abused verbally by his mom and he has no clue about anything.

They will surely meet, but when?

Read more at:
http://beeafteryou.com/against-all-od...
Profile Image for Roopa Raveendran Menon.
Author 1 book4 followers
January 23, 2014
Against All Odds has all the elements of a fast paced, contemporary romance. The character of Sanjana-independent, gracious and strong willed- left quite an impression on me. And the sexual chemistry between Sanjana and Abhimanyu is sizzling and handled with such finesse. The book also brings out the issues of class and societal divide, albeit without resorting to the typical over the top melodrama which keeps it real and relatable. Dialogues are unstilted. All in all, a must read for die hard romance novel readers..
Profile Image for Reet Singh.
Author 12 books83 followers
July 15, 2018
Against all Odds is a lovely romance. The characters Sanjana and Abhi are beautifully crafted, complete with chips on their shoulders. The conflict is so believable - I particularly liked the part where Sanjana finds a hundred reasons why they should be apart - beautifully done, Jazz Singh! The dialogues between the two are superbly constructed - It was page 29 or so. The author managed to have me squeeze out a tear or two at one of the last few scenes in Kausali. Overall, a quick read, with quite a bit of sizzle!
Profile Image for Sarita Rajiv.
30 reviews3 followers
September 11, 2014
I liked the story for the way the author has maintained the character consistency, described the scenes and shared the displayed emotions (of the characters). It is a visual treat to have at the end of a tiring day.
The heroine Sanjana is lovely and humble and the hero Abhimanyu is more of "Follow-my-way-and no-there-is-no-highway" fellow. But in the middle of the book one falls in love with him along with Sanjana!
I hope the author Jazz Singh continues to create such sweet and well told stories.
Profile Image for Arti.
644 reviews104 followers
June 18, 2014
A sweet and simple love story, with all the essential ingredients thrown in, against all odds, is a refreshing read. The characters are well described and lifelike. Sanjana has her head firmly fixed on her shoulders, sacrifices her love and does not have any bad feelings for anyone. Abhi is arrogant and nice both at the same time.
I loved it. Another must read romance from Indireads.
More on http://wp.me/p3cEWT-mj
Profile Image for Angela Peixoto.
741 reviews20 followers
August 23, 2019
A lovely romance by Jazz Singh that shows that love does not choose classes to hit its victims. This story between a country pumpkin and a well to do member of the elites shows how two people coming from different backgrounds, but equally valid and intelligent, manage to overcome all the problems and to make their love for each other prevail into a happy ever after. A very enjoyable romance that will leave you with a smile in your lips.
Profile Image for Ana.
272 reviews37 followers
February 6, 2014
Uma história muito fofinha passada na Índia. Ideal para descomprimir um pouco, especialmente naqueles momentos em que o único que nos apetece é ler algo ligeiro.
Profile Image for Inderpreet Uppal.
Author 3 books75 followers
December 15, 2018
A straight and simple story about a discrimination that is so rampant in the world yet no one discusses it until it happens right at their home. Against All Odds talks of ‘class divide’, the one that is so strong in all societies no matter how rich or poor but which both the rich and the poor sweep under the carpet!
“Men like Abhimanyu Chopra didn’t

get serious about girls like her.”
The characters are so “normal” that it feels as if you are reading the story of your friend from across the street. Sanjana is the sweet simple, accomplished, hardworking girl that espouses the values and ideals dear to a good upbringing. She is beautiful and kind to boot.

The hero, of course, is the handsome, hot, rich guy, we see often on Page 3! He knows he has it all and it just makes him all the more irresistible for Sanjana. He has his hot looks, debonair manner and a kind heart that just keeps falling and falling for Sanjana.

They meet in trying circumstances but it leads them to beautiful times ahead. They both feel the pull, the instant attraction when they meet every single time.

“Abhimanyu and Sanjana strike up

a friendship that seems destined to

turn into something more….”

Family intervenes and the family settles the ties. The author has a finger on the pulse of the feelings of parents, whose love for their child blinds them.

Desire and love add to the charm of this novella, the writing is smooth, emotions and feelings so beautifully expressed. Jazz is an expert on handling the ‘ties that bind’. She writes so effortlessly about the friendship and relaxed environment of Sanjana’s parents as well as the hot-headed mother of Abhimanyu.
The novella is well written but I felt that the sudden disappearance of Sanjana was a bit much and with his resources, Abhimanyu could have easily found her sooner; but then how would have the parents met?

See, I am no author so I can just agree with Jazz Singh and tell you all that the book was a good read and I finished it in one sitting from late night to really late night!

The story keeps moving and keeps pulling you deeper; soon you will realise you spent a relaxing couple of hours with a well-crafted book.
Profile Image for Rubina.
Author 18 books87 followers
January 8, 2015
She...
She is Sanjana. A simple middle class girl from Kasauli and working in Delhi. Ambitious and idealistic. Just the type of girl a guy would fall in love with ....

He...
And a guy does fall in love with her. He is Abhimanyu. A rich businessman from the elite society of Delhi. He can have anyone he wants. But he fell in love with the simple girl who had almost come under his car. For whom he felt responsible. But she refused his help. Her spunk, her bravery and her innocence made him fall in love.

The Story..
He met her and fell in love. The story should finish here but then it will not be a love story. Why ever not - till today I don't understand. But unless a story has a villain - it is not a love story. It is just a story. God bless all the villains of a love story. In this case it is the snobbish mother of Abhimanyu. She does a fantastic job and drives them apart.

Now again our poor over-worked Destiny Sisters have to work overtime to bring them together. But will his mother ever be able to accept the simple girl from Kasauli or will Sanjana be the cause of rift between the mom and the son? Find out in this short read of Against All Odd by Jazz Singh.

What I Liked...
The simplicity of the narration. Jazz has a flair of story telling and it shows in the simple way the story progresses.
Sanjana and Abhimanyu come out as a perfect pair. If Abhimanyu is headstrong and does tend to take things for granted - then Sanjana has the temperament to hold on her own against him.
The secondary characters all came out well and created the perfect social atmosphere needed in the story.
The Kasauli chapters were very heart touching. A peek inside a simple household where people are bound together by love.
The editing of this novel makes it a wonderful read.

Check out my reasoning at
http://www.rubinaramesh.com/2014/12/a...
Profile Image for Ruchi Singh.
Author 74 books122 followers
December 9, 2014
Against all odds is a story of two people from different social milieu of life, totally unsuited for each other. But when cupid decides to cast its arrow, things get romantic, passionate and complicated.

Sanjana is an intelligent, accomplished, girl from the small town, Kasauli. Being an interior designer, she lives in Delhi, where there is market for her kind of work. Abhimanyu, an angry young man, is a successful businessman who comes from a wealthy, globe-trotting family. They meet accidently, and he thinks she a money-grabber from the lower strata of the society, and she thinks he is a typical arrogant Delhite, who believes only in money and show-off of money. Abhimanyu’s character is resplendent with his uptight rich mother, who thinks no one is good enough for her son, least of all Sanjana. But as I said cupid had them on its scanner and after a few interesting twists, they realize, they are made for each other.

I loved the gradual built-up of attraction and chemistry between Sanjana and Abhimanyu, which sizzled. He doggedly pursues Sanjana, and as the story progresses he comes across as a very nice human being. Jazz Singh has captured the difference between the social strata, through the characters bang-on. The supporting characters are well etched, though I would have loved to know more about Abhimanyu’s past and things from his point-of-view.

A breezy, romantic read.
156 reviews22 followers
July 16, 2014
Against all Odds by Jazz Singh is a compelling romantic novella from Jazz’s kitty.it is a KISS (ing) story between two contrasting souls bound together against all odds related to class and so-called societal gaps. I am confident that you get my point right, when I tag it as KISS – Keeping it short and sweet. Yes, it is a fast-paced story that brings forth the social issue of deepening gaps between the so-called high – low class families.

If you are an Indireads follower, an ebook lover, a romantic person at heart and a strong headed woman that this is a definite read for you. Sanjana and Abhimanyu are lovers of today’s generation and very well know what to expect from their life. Read this story to understand their take on accepting their love against all odds and come what may. What could be the nature of odds in a story titled – ‘Against all Odds’? Well a teaser would be – a summation of all odds. 

Jazz Singh has showcased herself as a promising romance author with her balanced understanding of emotions and outbursts of her characters during the course of action. She never lets you read a story. She makes you visualize it. She has made a daring attempt in writing stories and it is nothing less than a commendable effort.

Source: http://booksnewsindia.wordpress.com/2...
Profile Image for Jigar Doshi.
123 reviews9 followers
July 25, 2014
another wonderful romance novella from indireads and kudos to the author for making it so realistic.

two people with contrasting personalities meet in one of the most unromantic of ways. both literally hate each other. slowly, they keep bumping into each other and change their opinions of each other and begin to fall in love. but their contrasting cultures, lifestyles and mindsets become a problem for the people around them.

nice, breezy, romantic yet realistic read.

whole review here : http://jigar-doshi.com/2014/07/agains...
Profile Image for Sara Jo.
1,053 reviews12 followers
October 16, 2016
Fun story. Wish the ending had been drawn out a bit more.
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