LIFE, LOVE & US – Stories Of Contemporary India

A powerful anthology exploring modern Indian lives, love, identity, trauma, and resilience through rich, realistic, and thought-provoking stories.

on Dec 15, 2025

Life, Love & Us – Stories of Contemporary India is a compelling anthology that captures the emotional, moral, and psychological complexities of modern Indian lives. Through eighteen metropolitan stories, Sonia Vashishta Oberoi explores relationships, identity, ambition, trauma, and resilience with remarkable sensitivity and honesty.

What makes this collection stand out is its wide emotional range and topical relevance. From a renowned woman guarding a dark secret to a bisexual man marrying his therapist friend, from a murder mystery entangling a confused young boy to a cancer survivor redefining her sense of self—each story feels rooted in reality, yet layered with introspection. The author does not shy away from difficult themes such as divorce, surrogacy, loneliness in empty nests, toxic relatives, or the brutal underbelly of the corporate world. Instead, she approaches them with empathy, allowing readers to understand rather than judge her characters.

Oberoi’s strength lies in her characterisation. Her protagonists are flawed, vulnerable, and deeply human. Questions like why a woman insists on wearing white lingerie, why ambition sometimes destroys sincere love, or how a childless couple navigates surrogacy are not treated as gimmicks, but as gateways into the human mind. The stories subtly reflect how societal expectations, personal desires, and emotional baggage collide in contemporary India.

The writing is crisp, engaging, and emotionally intelligent. While each story stands independently, together they create a mosaic of urban Indian life—one that feels familiar yet thought-provoking. The anthology successfully balances entertainment with introspection, making readers reflect on their own relationships and choices.

Life, Love & Us is ideal for readers who enjoy realistic fiction, psychological depth, and socially relevant narratives. It is not just a collection of stories, but an exploration of love in its many forms, life in its many contradictions, and “us” in all our imperfect humanity. A thoughtful, engaging, and emotionally resonant read.