Like every other book lover, my TBR is overflowing, my shelves groaning under the weight of unread books — and yet I keep buying more. While shifting things around to make room for my latest haul, I noticed Deepak Khurana’s Circle with No Centre quietly waiting for attention. I had received it through Blogchatter’s book review program.
I picked it up expecting a gentle, introspective romance — this is, after all, contemporary fiction that leans heavily on emotional realism and character-driven storytelling. But I have to admit — I DNF’d it at 30%. For me, it just didn’t click.
The first thing I struggled with was the character voices. There wasn’t a clear distinction between them, and I often found myself unsure whose thoughts I was reading. This blurred perspective made it hard to connect with either character fully. I wanted to hear their individual voices, not feel like I was floating in a single, merged monologue.
Then there was the pacing. Even in the early chapters, the story moved at a slow, meandering rhythm that felt more like wandering than unfolding. I kept waiting for momentum, for something to grip me, but the narrative lingered on overthinking and small domestic details that didn’t advance the story. For me, it became hard to stay invested.
While introspection can add depth to a character, in this case, it felt repetitive and stalled the narrative. Without a compelling plot to balance it, the story seemed to stagnate.
To be fair, I know this book might resonate with many readers. The prose is gentle and reflective, capturing the complexities of love and self-discovery. But for me personally, I needed clearer character voices and a stronger narrative rhythm to stay engaged.