12 Years: My Messed-up Love Story | Book Review
Review of Chetan Bhagat’s - 12 Years: My Messed-up Love Story
He's 33.
She's 21.
He's a
struggling stand-up comic. She's a rising star in private equity.
He's
divorced. She's never had a boyfriend.
He's
Punjabi. She's from a conservative Jain family.
They
shouldn't be together. But they can't stay apart.
Welcome
to 12 Years: My Messed-Up Love Story.
Saket and
Payal couldn't be more different—age, background, beliefs. Yet, they're drawn
to each other in ways they can't explain. Is it just chemistry, or something
deeper? Is it madness and lust, or is it love?
Unputdownable
and thoroughly entertaining, 12 Years tries to answer the
eternal question: How do you know if someone is the one—especially when
everything says they're not?
From India's
top-selling writer Chetan Bhagat comes a powerful new love story that will make
you laugh, cry and rethink everything you know about love.
Book #132 of
2025
With all the
buzz around this book, I decided to give it a try, though I wasn’t sure what to
expect. This is probably my third or fourth Chetan Bhagat book, so I had a
rough idea of his style but was curious to see how this one would turn out.
The story
follows Payal, a 21-year-old working in private equity, and Saket, a
33-year-old divorcee trying to make it as a stand-up comedian. Along the way, a
few more characters add depth and colour to the story.
Right from
the first chapter, the pace was quick, and I enjoyed the emotional ups and
downs. Some scenes even reminded me of the movie Cheeni Kum, though the
plot took its own unique path.
The writing
is simple and easy to follow, and the frequent dialogues keep the story lively.
The emotions feel genuine, especially in how Payal, her parents, and Saket face
their challenges and handle situations, and Mudit became my favourite for his
unwavering support toward Saket.
The first
half is bright and full of hope, almost cinematic, before heartbreak and
reality set in. The book explores love, betrayal, and the courage to move on
while touching on deeper themes like mental health, societal expectations, and
family honour.
There are
plenty of twists and turns that kept me hooked till the end. I found myself
rooting for Payal and Saket, but the author clearly had other plans! I liked the
way the author finally brings their story full circle, and it felt satisfying
and heartfelt.
As the
subtitle says,12 Years: My Messed-Up Love Story, it is messy, but that’s
how life is sometimes! The author has beautifully captured the imperfections of
love in a way that’s both touching and relatable. It’s a reminder that love in
real life is rarely perfect, but it’s always genuine.
Despite the mixed opinions surrounding the book, I liked it. I even finished it in one sitting! If you enjoy light yet emotional reads, romcoms, and Chetan Bhagat’s writing style, this one’s worth picking up. It won’t disappoint.
Chetan
Bhagat is one of India’s most acclaimed contemporary authors, with fourteen
bestselling books to his credit. He is the author of ten widely read novels—Five
Point Someone, One Night @ the Call Center, The 3 Mistakes of My Life, 2
States, Revolution 2020, Half Girlfriend, One Indian Girl, The Girl in Room
105, One Arranged Murder, and 400 Days—and four insightful
non-fiction titles—What Young India Wants, Making India Awesome, India
Positive and 11 Rules for Life. Chetan’s books have
remained bestsellers since their release. Many of his novels have been adapted
into successful Bollywood films such as 3 Idiots, 2 States, Kai Po Che and Half
Girlfriend.
The New
York Times called
him the ‘the biggest selling English language novelist in India’s
history’. Time magazine recognized him amongst the ‘100 most
influential people in the world’ while Fast Company, USA, listed him as one of
the world's ‘100 most creative people in business’. Chetan writes columns for
leading English and Hindi newspapers, focusing on youth and national
development issues. He is also a motivational speaker, screenplay writer,
YouTuber and podcaster.
Chetan quit
his international investment banking career in 2009 to dedicate his time
entirely to writing and driving positive change in the country.
Chetan
studied at IIT-Delhi and IIM-Ahmedabad. He is married to Anusha, an
ex-classmate from IIM-A, and they have twin boys, Shyam and Ishaan.
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