I have a confession. I have never given short stories much importance in comparison to novels. But slowly and steadily I am falling in love with this format of story telling. ‘Bound In love’ is a major contributing factor to my rising interest in short stories.

The stories in this collection are bound by a single theme, but each one of them has an identity of their own. Neil D’Silva has done immense justice to all in terms of their distinctive setting and subject which includes—human relations, workplace, profession, religion, as well as era. Each of the story is like a single, precious pearl bound with the string of love.

The collection boasts of mother’s love for her son, a colleagues excessive attachment, a wife’s love for her husband; be it they are slum dwellers or rulers of a kingdom. Neil D’Silva has covered the complete spectrum of love and its consequences; starting from affection, adulation, fear, to obsession.

If I have to choose which one I liked, I would list all of them. But still my personal favorites were ‘No Chocolate For you’, ‘No Greater Charm’, ‘At The Next Stop’, ‘A Song Without Music’, ‘New Wine, Old Bottle’, and ‘The Makeover’.

Mr. D’Silva is a master storyteller with firm grip over myriad human emotions. All the stories are narrated such that the settings came alive in front of my eyes. He made me think and marvel over each of the stories and the picture it invoked in my mind.

I highly recommend ‘Bound In Love’ for people looking for high entertainment quotient as well as getting a peek into infinite complexities of human relations.

Even if one were to assume 'Maya's New Husband' was a hit because of the subject matter, one can be proved wrong; it is the story telling by Neil the author. A collection of short stories is most likely to have its ups and downs with some being more intriguing than the rest but this was not the case in this book. Each story is intricately & impeccably written and seeps with the hours of research and hard-work he has put in them. The book in itself cannot be called a collection cheesy-corny romance stories but more of an eccentric collection of love combined with practicality and a dose of the paranormal! A very good read it is surely going to into my 'Favorited' collection (I will probably read it again in a few months). And to think I got the book for free!

When you pick up a book that is backed by a renowned name, expectations rise; Bound in Love does here well. No need to comment on the language front as it is profound throughout. Talking about the content; the writer successfully nails it here, bringing topics those are usual but never thought, visible but forbidden.

Among the eleven marvels; The Makeover blew me away, the hunch worked in every story, but submitted there. The other face of Love; this will make your tears rolling along with the end of No Chocolates for you. The Lion and the Queen opens a whole new dimension, the unthinkable.

The death was a disappointment though, a very usual and repetitive tale.

My say - a great reading experience.

Neil D'Silva's stories are never without twists. He has nearly perfected the art of twists. So much so I expect twists in his stories but still they manage to surprise me. One of the memorable stories in this book was: No Chocolates for you. The story shows a deep understanding of motherhood and makes you marvel at the special bond between children and their mother, the alertness about everything that concerns her kid is what makes a mother intuitive. Another story I liked was No Greater Charm. Exotic is the word that best describes it. Exotic location, Exotic names, and Exotic language. You are transported to an unheard land of colors, lights, gypsies, and pure excitement. Though the end was predictable, it was still done in a most beautiful way.

Well first to start with, i admit i was eagerly waiting a new story from Neil D'Silva after his amazing thriller Maya's New Husband.... and grabbed a copy as soon it got released.

When i started the 1st story "No chocolate for you" there was not stopping or putting down until i finished. I just ended with an awe.... such a surprising end.. i thought that 1st story would be the best among all.... and then came 2nd.. when it ended....my opinion was like.... no no.. 2nd is much better and it went on and on..... until i finished all the 8 + 3 stories. Each and every one mindblowing.

The way LOVE is twisted and described among all various aspects just leaves you speechless....

A must read and highly recommended book for all.

nobody...ever.. pls don't waste your money. there are a lot better books than this in the market.. i literally wasted my money

The book is well written and after reading Maya's New Husband one builds expectations from Neil and he doesn't disappoint with Bound In Love.

The book is filled with stories with a lot of surprises and simple yet unexpected endings.

"The Makeover" and "The Shoe That Didn't Fit" may act like evidences on how our society in metropolitans is changing, in smaller cities not many people readily accept the change shown in these two.

"A Song Without Music" and "At The Next Stop" are stuff fairy tales are made up of, sweet and refreshing.

Overall, the book is a good read and some of its stories will stay with you forever.

Bound in love is an outstanding book! Each story has it's own essence of love. Very different from the conventional love stories! Each of it has it's own twist and thrill... The way it is narrated is just excellent.. the writer has done justice with each of his characters as always! Get a copy soon and find out the difference aspects of love!

A neat bundle of entertaining short reads. I would like to bestow this book the title, More than what meets the eye. Neil d'Silva writes very plausibly, hiding and wrapping the actual and revealing it just at the appropriate moment. The 'love' in the tales is of a dark and sometimes gruesome kind. The myriad settings provide a kaleidoscopic view. The author carries out the twists in the tales with flair.

An enjoyable and thrilling collection.

I tend to dislike reading short stories, let alone a full book of them, and I was admittedly doubly hesitant when seeing that this was stories about love...however, I read D'Silva's bestseller "Maya's New Husband" in one day, loved it, and so decided to give this book a try. It defied my usual aversion to brevity and prompted me to read the whole thing in one sitting. Rather than fall into the category of yet another book on romance, "Bound in Love," explores the many forms that love can take as well as the divers potholes in human emotions that affection can, through the twists of fate, be plunged into. Whether examining parental intuitions, animal loyalty, or passion's more sadistic side, D'Silva does not let his fans down with these tales which span across different countries, cultures, and time periods. Much out of character, I find myself looking forward to his next collection of short stories.

Galina Trefil,

Author "The Incomplete Ones: A Tale of Slavery"