This humorous, romantic novel worked on all of my five senses. While reading the text, I could smell the pine trees, hear the silence of the hills, taste the tangy Apricot pickle, and feel the cold mountain air on my skin. I could picture the little romantic moments between Nandini and Vikas.

All the characters in this book are beautifully sculpted, chiseled bit by bit. A Forty-year-old divorcee Nandini, is a strong woman, empowered yet vulnerable.

Vikas Joshi is a gentle and shy widower, skillfully described in the book, “His rumpled hair had a sprinkle of grey in it, even though his face looked relatively young, almost incongruously boyish  wore sneakers, proper Adidas ones.”

Both are ready to give love a second chance.

I love the small details in Madhulika’s writings. A baby bag full of fruit, a packet of biscuits, little closed steel dabbas full of khichri and halwa. Diapers made of old cloth. Towels. So much in it, yet an important ingredient was missing in the bag, some lightly pounded fennel seeds.

It is a sweet romantic story set in Mukteshwar, a small town in the beautiful Kumaon hills. It is about nature, tangy apricot jam, and a clump of stinging nettle to spice it up. For the Love of Apricots by Madhulika Liddle is a celebration of love.