AUTHOR'S NOTE
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Hello, dear reader,

First, thank you. For picking up this book. For stepping into this world. For caring enough to show up.

This story has been living in my heart for a long time - a love letter to the messy, beautiful, complicated way people fall in love. Not the Instagram version of romance, but the real kind: the kind where you see someone's broken pieces and decide to stay anyway. The kind where love costs something. The kind where faith looks different for different people, but it's faith nonetheless.

"Mohabbat Tumse Hi"(MTH) is an ensemble love story about five couples navigating faith, family, friendship, and forever in a world that doesn't always make space for their feelings. It's set in a school in Meerut, India, where life moves in seasons and festivals and the weight of tradition meets the fire of young love.

I wanted to write a story where:
- All 5 couples matter equally (no "main" pair, no supporting players)
- Spirituality and faith are personal, not preachy
- Mental health and physical health are treated with the seriousness they deserve
- Class, privilege, and prejudice are confronted honestly
- Queer love exists alongside straight love with the same depth and sacredness
- Boys cry and girls are strong and everyone gets to be complicated
- Love is a choice, not just a feeling - and the choice is what makes it sacred

This book covers one full academic year, watching five couples move from strangers to acquaintances to best friends to people who can't imagine their lives without each other.

It will be long. That's because I believe these characters deserve space. Space to breathe, to grow, to fail, to heal, to love. Space to be fully seen.

So I've given them that. Please come in. Sit under the amaltas tree with them. Listen to their stories.

Let their love touch your heart.

And if you need to put the book down sometimes because it feels too close to your own life - that's okay. I'll be here waiting for you.

With love and gratitude,

Relle Aster

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TRIGGER WARNINGS & CONTENT NOTES
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Please read these carefully. Your comfort and emotional safety matter.

MAJOR CONTENT WARNINGS:

- Domestic abuse and violence

- Parental neglect and abandonment

- Anxiety and panic attacks (depicted realistically)

- Mental health crisis and hospitalization

- Grief and loss (including death of a beloved elder)

- Suicidal ideation is NOT present, but depression and hopelessness are

MODERATE CONTENT WARNINGS:

- Class-based discrimination and prejudice
- Familial pressure and control
- Workplace/school bullying and harassment
- Economic instability and poverty
- Brief descriptions of physical violence (fighting, punching)
- Mention of substance abuse (parental alcoholism)
- Medical procedures and hospital scenes
- Chronic illness management

MINOR CONTENT NOTES:

- Teenage sexuality (kissing, physical affection, but NO explicit content)

- Traditional gender roles questioned and challenged

- Parental disapproval of relationships

- First experiences with love and heartbreak

REPRESENTATION NOTES:

This book includes:

✓ LGBTQ+ representation (a lesbian couple; queer identity exploration)
✓ Characters dealing with anxiety, health issues, and trauma
✓ Progressive families AND conservative families (both treated with dignity)
✓ Multiple spiritual and faith perspectives

WHAT THIS BOOK DOES NOT CONTAIN:

✗ Rape or sexual assault
✗ Explicit sexual content (teenage characters are age-appropriate in intimacy)
✗ Graphic violence or gore
✗ Suicide or self-harm
✗ Pedophilia or grooming
✗ Romanticization of abusive relationships
✗ Slut-shaming or victim-blaming

WHAT THIS BOOK DOES CONTAIN THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Five simultaneous love stories (not triangles; five healthy couples)
• Multiple crisis points (but with recovery/resolution)
• Spiritual and religious themes (respectful, not preachy)
• Realistic depiction of how love transforms people
• Family conflict that feels real, not melodramatic
• Characters who make mistakes and have to live with them
• Hope. Always hope.

If you're sensitive to any of these topics, please take care of yourself. You can

skip chapters if needed. You can read out of order. You can pause and come back.
This book will be here.
You matter. Your feelings matter. Your safety matters.

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DISCLAIMER
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This is a work of fiction. While it is set in Meerut, India, and references reallocations, festivals, and cultural practices, the school (St. Devika Senior Secondary School) and all characters are entirely fictional.

The depictions of:
• Family structures and relationships are based on observation, not any specific real people
• Health conditions (hypoglycemia, chronic illness) are researched but not medical advice
• Court procedures and custody laws are researched but simplified for narrative purposes
• School systems and educational practices are fictionalized
• Spiritual and religious practices are portrayed respectfully but are creative interpretations, not doctrinal teachings

This book is intended for readers aged 16+ (due to themes of abuse, mental health crisis, and mature relationships). Younger readers should check with a trusted adult first.

The author has made every effort to represent diverse communities, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds, and experiences respectfully and authentically.

If there are inaccuracies or misrepresentations, constructive feedback is welcomed.

This book contains no real names, real institutions (except cities/landmarks),or real people. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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TROPES & STORY ELEMENTS
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This book contains the following romantic and narrative tropes:

ROMANCE TROPES:
• Enemies to Lovers (Rohit × Vedavati - class prejudice to acceptance)
• Opposites Attract (Mrinal × Priya - chaos and calm; Agni × Aisha - hard and soft)
• Slow Burn Romance (all couples; entire book is one year)
• Found Family (the friend group becomes family)
• Protect the Precious
• Mutual Pining (before confessions, all couples suffer this beautifully)
• Spiritual Connection (multiple couples connected through faith/belief)
• Second Chance at Love (some couples have to choose each other despite external pressure)
• Vulnerability as Intimacy (physical intimacy is secondary to emotional)
• Love at First Sight (Agni × Aisha - though they don't admit it immediately)

CHARACTER TROPES:
• Broken Boy (Agni - trauma, responsibilities, fear of becoming his father)
• Soft Girl (Aisha - gentle, observant, stronger than she seems)
• The Loud Friend (Mrinal - protector, chaos coordinator, heart of the group)
• The Anxious One (Kabir - perfectionist anxiety, grows through love)
• The Confident Woman (Aadhya - secure in herself, sees the best in others)
• The Tough Guy with a Heart (Rohit - street-smart, fiercely loyal, protective)
• The Academic Perfectionist (Vedavati - achievement-driven, learns that love > grades)
• The Quiet Artist (Vihaan - creative, observant, speaks through music)
• The Spiritual Girl (Naveya - prayer-focused, learns to pray without expecting return)
• The Atheist with a Heart (Danish - skeptical, becomes believer through love)

PLOT TROPES:
• There Will Be Blood (family conflicts, custody battles, health crises)
• Hospital Scene (Aisha's health crisis; multiple character visits)
• Meet the Family (all couples eventually introduce their beloved to family)
• Separated by Circumstances (summer break separation threatens bonds)
• Misunderstanding Cleared (multiple couples have to communicate through conflicts)
• Sacrifice Play (all couples make choices for each other)
• Grand Romantic Gesture (confessions under the amaltas tree; music, art, presence)
• Love Triangle Avoided (no triangles; all couples are mutually devoted from confession)
• Bullying Overcome (group defends those targeted)
• Friendship Is Magic (the core theme - love grows from friendship)

WHAT THIS BOOK AVOIDS:
✗ Love Triangles
✗ Toxic Relationship Dynamics (abuse is shown, not romanticized)
✗ Insta-Love (all couples take time to develop)
✗ One-Dimensional Characters (everyone is complicated)
✗ Convenient Resolution (conflicts take time and effort to resolve)
✗ Slut-Shaming or Sexual Judgment
✗ Queer-Baiting (LGBTQ+ representation is respected, real, and central)

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Now, settle in. Grab tea. (Or coffee, or juice, or whatever helps you read.)The amaltas tree is waiting. So are five couples who are about to discover that love might be the most revolutionary force in the world.

Welcome home.

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