PVLF 2026

Love, Laughter, and Misunderstandings in Lovestruck and Confused

In this conversation around Lovestruck and Confused, the author reflects on modern love, female friendships, dating chaos, and how mystery and humour collide in everyday relationships.
on Feb 23, 2026

Frontlist: Lovestruck and Confused blends romance, friendship, and a dash of detective-style investigation. What inspired the idea of mixing a love story with elements of mystery and comedy?

Harini: A cliched Hindi sitcom that I was watching with a friend sparked this whole story. Romance is hardly the way it is shown on screen. Instead I wanted to capture love as it really is in real life – especially when friends and family get involved – they tease, poke, prod, analyse and discuss endlessly. It is often a comedy of misunderstandings. And that’s what Lovestruck and Confused is – As for the mystery element, I am a huge detective fiction buff and also write historical mysteries – but naturally I would include a detective in here.

Frontlist: Priya, Tanya, and Dhamija are such distinct personalities. Which character did you enjoy writing the most, and did any of them surprise you as the story developed?

Harini: Tanya! She is my favourite character. I had great fun writing her – bindaas, with no filters, an absolute hoot. But she is also loyal and sharp – very clued in. Priya was actually a tough character to write. When I started the story, I based Priya on someone I knew but as the story progressed, she developed into someone on her own – far from the person I based her on. Dhamija started off with me trying to caricature another acquaintance. He wasn’t meant to be anything more than a caricature – but then somewhere along the way, he also gathered depths and layers that was not intended.

Frontlist: The story captures the chaos of modern dating, misunderstandings, and outside interference. Do you think today’s love stories are more complicated than before, or just more visible?

Harini: I would think love has always been complicated – today I guess, Wi-Fi, internet, social media has just been added in the mix. Where previously glances and silences were overanalysed, today voice notes, photos and text messages are dissected. Misunderstandings, earlier, would be spread out over time and place – now they escalate very quickly – we are forever connected hence more confused!

Frontlist: Delhi plays an important backdrop in the novel. How does the city shape the mood, relationships, or pace of the story?

Harini: Delhi plays an important backdrop in the novel. How does the city shape the mood, relationships, or pace of the story?

Frontlist: Your writing spans historical mysteries, children’s fiction, and now a contemporary romcom. How different was the creative process for Lovestruck and Confused compared to your historical novels?

Harini: Actually Lovestruck and Confused is my second contemporary rom-com. There is The Ex Factor before this. Coming to your question –historical fiction requires a whole lot of research – there is intense reading and remembering involved. And also even while creating the plot and during the writing, I constantly find myself poring over detailed books – just trying to answer the question – does this plot twist make sense? Or is it anachronistic? Would my character have behaved like that? Or what is the prevalent poison back during those times!

With contemporary romcoms, thankfully not that much research is involved. A little bit definitely – for example – what is the bus route between two places for example. How much would it take for a person to commute from Gurgaon Sec 34 to South Delhi etc. Other than such information, which is easily gettable, the writing process was more instinctive and easy. Writing itself requires a considerable effort but atleast here I didn’t have to keep checking on facts.

Frontlist: Friendship, especially the bond between Priya and Tanya, is central to the plot. How important was it for you to show female friendships as both supportive and sometimes overprotective?

Harini: Extremely important. I have been blessed to have some wonderful female friends in my life. Female friendships are wise and very loving yes – but sometimes can be intrusive as well. But this intrusion and overprotectiveness comes from genuine love and affection. Tanya loves Priya – and this is what drives her actions!

Frontlist: There’s a playful commentary on image, identity, and assumptions, especially with Nitin’s mysterious background. What were you hoping readers would reflect on about first impressions and modern-day “investigating” via social circles or social media?

Harini: We live in an age where there is a lot of misinformation floating around. Social media and the Internet give us fragments of information which is then distorted and concocted – depending on the lens we view that from. Nitin gets mistaken for a pan masala ad model – all because of one little thing. That misunderstanding leads to all the confusion. All that glitters is not always gold – this is very much true in this age – where I believe a real person is more complex than what he/ she appears on their social media page.

Frontlist: After reading Lovestruck and Confused, what feeling do you hope stays with readers, laughter, nostalgia, hope, or something else?

Harini: If this book brings a smile on my readers’ faces, then my work is done. This is a light read – one that is meant to be a nice, warm distraction from the everyday grind.