• Shop
My Account
  • Register
  • Login
Header Logo
You are here: Products Benign Flame: Saga of Love by BS Murthy
Cover image of the book
Cover image of the book

Benign Flame: Saga of Love by BS Murthy

The attractions Roopa experienced and the fantasies she entertained as a teen shaped a male imagery that ensconced her subconscious. Insensibly, confident carriage came to be associated with the image of maleness in her mind-set. Her acute consciousness of masculinity only increased her vulnerability to it, making her womanliness crave for the maleness for its gratification. However, as her father was constrained to help her in becoming a doctor, she opts to marry, hoping that Sathyam might serve her cause though the persona she envisioned as masculine, she found lacking in him. But as he fails to go with her idea, she becomes apathetic towards him, and insensibly sinks into her friend Sandhya’s embrace, for lesbian solace.

In time, she comes in contact with Tara the suave call girl who unsuccessfully tries to rope her into her calling to achieve which she introduces Ravi the seducer. However, when Roopa goes to attend Sandhya’s wedding, she loses her heart to Raja Rao the groom even as Prasad, her husband’s lecherous friend falls for her. The scheming Prasad induces Sathaym to go the corrupt way besides weaning him away from Roopa with the aid of whores to make his path clear to her amour and that throws her into a dilemma. But as fate puts Raja Rao into Roopa’s arms, how the tale ends is best described by one Mr. Spencer Critchley, thus: “It’s a refreshing surprise to discover that the story will not trace a fall into disaster for Roopa, given that many writers might have habitually followed that course with a wife who strays into extramarital affairs.”

Who said the novel is dead; ‘Benign Flame’ raises the bar.

SKU: B00WGKHW8A Category: Romance Tags: General Fiction, Indian romance, Indian writing, Literary novel, love story
  • Description
  • Reviews (0)

Description

Find more from this author on:

Buy this book on Amazon
Amazon
Buy this book on Barnes&Noble
B&N
Buy this book on Smashwords
Smashwords
Author's Website
Author Site
Find this book on Goodreads
GoodReads
Find this author on Facebook
Facebook
Find this author on Twitter
Twitter
Find this author on Pinterest
Pinterest


About the author:

BS is a graduate mechanical engineer from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, and he interests himself in current affairs, sports, etc. and has an ear for Carnatic and Hindustani classical music.

What inspired you to write your book?

One may like to know that all my six fictional children, the eldest being Benign Flame were born out of my conviction that for fiction to impact readers, it should be the soulful rendering of characters rooted in their native soil but not the hotchpotch of local and foreign caricatures sketched on a hybrid canvas and in my translations in verse of the Sanskrit classics, I strived to make them as English friendly as I could. My non-fiction is an effort to delve into the anatomy of Islam and dissect the psyche of the Musalman.

Here is a short sample from the book:

Reaching home, Roopa pondered over Prasad’s missive further, ‘Why not I tear it and be done with it? But then, won’t he assume that I’ve read it. Better I return it to him as is where is. Yes, that would give him a clear picture of how my mind is closed to him, having been locked by Raja’s thoughts.’
Soon, having decided upon the mode of its disposal, she had hidden Prasad’s missive behind the bookshelf, and tried to forget about it. However, as the incident haunted her no end, she tried to divert her mind, and to rid herself of the embarrassing trespass, she took a romantic ride on the thoroughfare of her heart.
‘Had it been from my Raja, I might still be kissing the cover, unable to gather my wits to part my quivering lips from it,’ she thought endearingly. ‘Oh, while my eyes would have been kept in anxious waiting to read his outpouring, wouldn’t have my heart missed its beat in anticipation.’ However, as the reality of it all dawned on her, she thought melancholically, ‘What a tragedy that the first love letter I’ve received should’ve caused fright instead.’
Fed by her anxiety, she had a meager meal, and as though to push the issue into her subconscious self, she settled for siesta. But as if to spare her subconsciousness from the dilemma, her consciousness kept sleep at bay keeping the issue alive in her mind.
‘What made him think I would take it?’ she contemplated in all humiliation. ‘And I did accept it, didn’t I? It was a cat and mouse between us all along, was it not? In a way, was I not enjoying it? Of course, he could be expected to strike at some point, wouldn’t he? Strike he did and what’s so surprising about it? Now that he has thrown down the gauntlet, won’t I have to ready myself for the battle?’
‘If not for anything else,’ she thought at length, ‘I need to read it to avert the threat he might be posing to undo me, so as to have idea about his attack to fashion my own strategy? Well, it makes sense to read his mind in his letter.’
So Roopa retrieved the letter from behind the bookshelf and began reading it with apprehension.
“Roopa, my hope,
I’m aware that my move would agitate you. But how am I to portray the thousand deaths I died wanting to avoid distressing you.
All these days, I’ve chosen to suffer silently without making you privy to my predicament. Then, it dawned on me that I owe it to you to let you know that a poor soul is bathing in the warmth of love that is inspired by you. That apart, do I have any right to deny my love its legitimate expression and how does that matter even if it’s unrequited?
On that fateful evening, when I’d first seen you, I felt as if the flood of love that spurted out of my heart would drown me to death. Unable to hold on my own, I ventured to seek your hand for support. Thus, as I was nearing you, I’d seen Sathyam coming to you with those ice-cream cones. Oh, how my heart froze, fearing that you’re married. But then, when I realized that you’re my friend’s wife, I rejoiced at his fortune, and chose to bury my love for you in the depths of my heart. Since I am not supposed to love you as woman and as I couldn’t live without loving you, I forced myself to adore you as a sister instead.
But, it didn’t take me long to realize that the brotherly affection is too limited to reflect the manly love I feel for you. Possessed as I am by carnal passion for you, my suffocation in the fraternal garb has been demeaning my soul ever since. Don’t I know that you too haven’t failed to notice the pain I experienced in those ungainly brotherly shoes? Now that you’re privy to my predicament, my only hope is that you would be sensitive to my sentiment. Why, am I not nursing the love you’ve given birth to? Aren’t you aware I love you as a woman and adore you as a person?
I believe that my sense of dignity demands of me to disclose my love to you. And what do I seek in return from you for my devotion to your person? I only beg for your indulgence in letting me love you till my last breath. Since it’s in your knowing now, how I see my love acquiring a new meaning. If only you let me love you, I’ll feel rewarded no end for that. Were you to pity my wretched soul, I would feel vindicated as well? Either way, now I am at your mercy, and I know your nobility wouldn’t belittle my love and betray my secret. But were you to give away my sentiment to any to make a mockery of it, my blood would be on your hands. And cursing your insensitivity, my restless soul would suffer eternally in heaven living like in hell.
Dying for your understanding,
ever yours in devotion, I remain,
Yours aspiringly,
Prasad, the hopeful.
‘Haven’t I known that he’s lusting for me,’ thought Roopa, as though in hindsight. ‘Isn’t he trying to win my heart now by couching his lust with the sentiment of love?’
However, on second thoughts, as his passion for her seemed to reinforce her own draw, she wasn’t displeased with his disclosure. Besides, the feeling of being loved by him seemed to please her vanity as well.
‘Why, won’t it feel nice to be loved, to be wanted,’ she thought with a feeling of satisfaction. ‘In a way, I too like him, don’t I? But it’s not the way for him to have his way. Oh, it must be really hard on him, the poor man. And don’t I understand how miserable it could be for him? Can’t I see his plight in the light of my own pain? But how can it be helped?’
‘But, I can’t be expected to soothe every man who craves for my body, could I?’ she analyzed her predicament. ‘Maybe, I should’ve welcomed him, if only I’m not myself in love. Seems misplaced love is wasteful for it serves no purpose, save massaging the ego of the one who is loved. Perhaps, it’s another dirty trick of fate on my life – to keep the love I need hanging in the fire, and throwing in my lap the passion that doesn’t help.’
Perceiving herself in the same boat with Prasad, she was overcome with pity for him. ‘Am I not guilty in abetting his love with my flirtation, even though unwittingly?’ she thought about her own contribution to his woes. ‘Maybe, but how have I failed to notice his suffering, when he’s supposed to be in such a turmoil. Is he not play-acting love to worm his way into my heart? Isn’t it strange that the emotions of love and the afflictions of lust are look-alike, bewildering women from discerning the lover from a seducer and unfortunately for them the language of love and the dialect of lust have a common alphabet causing this confusion.’
‘Why not I test him to know his true character?’ it occurred to her at length. ‘If he were trying to pull a fast one on me, won’t he get his just deserts then? But what if he were genuinely in love with me? But, that would only compound his misery without me rewarding him in the end. Won’t that make it all so unfair to him? It is better he unfolds himself by and by. If his feelings are genuine, won’t I let him taste the affection of my love on the platonic plane?’
‘Why all that, why not I nip it in the bud, and be done with him,’ she began to think. ‘Then won’t I need to take Sathyam into confidence for that? Besides embarrassing Prasad, that would hurt Sathyam as well. Moreover, who knows, both of them may put part of the blame on me, and shame me in the process. It’s better that I handle him myself.’
‘Given my own agenda, am I all that innocent?’ it occurred to her in time. ‘Am I not scheming to draw Raja into my life? For all that, I could have been flirting with Prasad as well. Anyway, I’ve to ease out Prasad without alerting Sathyam. Moreover, I must ensure that all this doesn’t scandalize me with Raja. Won’t he shun me forever should he get the wrong message? Oh, why didn’t it occur to me all the while, what a risk I was running without my realizing it?’
It is the irony of woman’s life in that she tends to tango her reflexes with the nuances of male proclivities. It is thus, woman’s true feelings get camouflaged in her lullabies of compliance to let her man sink into the slumber of complacency.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “Benign Flame: Saga of Love by BS Murthy” Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related products

Prev Next
  • Cover image of the book

    A Love For Romance – Anthology by Stephanie Phillips

    0 out of 5

    A preview of Trading Yesterday by USA Today Bestselling Author Kahlen Aymes

    The Break (Breaking Free, Part 1) by USA Today Bestselling Author Debra Presley

    Always Too Late by Micalea Smeltzer

    Until the Stars Forget to Shine by Amber Garza

    The Only Chance by Magan Vernon

    Awakened: A Leila Marx World Novella by Amber Garr

    Do You Mind? by Freya Barker

    Cock-Blocked by W. Ferraro

    What Happens on Spring Break by R.C. Stephens

    Always There by Elizabeth Hayes

    Falling for Lindy by Ashlee Taylor

    Burning the Midnight Oil by Eilson Grace

    Babysitting for the Biker by Sammi Starlight

    Chasing Love by Misha Elliott

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Seasons of Love by Annette Evans

    0 out of 5

    Delve into this collection of six romantic short stories that are perfect for any season.

    Second Chance: After a tragic childhood, Miranda Larsen cuts herself off emotionally, but can Tom Wilson break through the wall that Miranda has built around herself?

    The Good Guy: Josie spent her childhood summers with best friends Trey Wheeler and Adam O’Brien until the death of her grandparents. When she moves back to town all grown up, who will she choose — Trey or Adam?

    The Rancher & the Lass: Holden Campbell promised Bridget Monaghan’s father that he would take care of her if anything ever happened to him. But how can a man tame a fiery Irish redhead especially in the wild west of 1885?

    The Road Home: Sara Damalio returns home after eight long years and encounters a modern day hero in Dean Merritt. But how will Sara react when she finds out who Dean really is?

    Never Too Late: Denise Emerson has spent the last twenty years married to George, but yearning for Mark Patterson. Will a chance encounter with Mark end Denise’s marriage or strengthen it?

    Love & Football: Sofia Grimaldi is still mourning her dead fiancé when she meets the handsome Erik Collins. Can a winning season carry the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl victory and bring Sofia and Erik together?

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Some Like it Geek by C. Jordan

    0 out of 5

    Fall Quiet by Zoe York

    To Score or Not to Score by Angela Quarles

    One blind date. One case of mistaken identity. One Navy SEAL faced with his high school crush. What could go wrong?

    The Adorkable Girl and the Geek (Gone Geek 5) by Sidney Bristol

    The Girl Next Door by C. Jordan

    Bath Bomb by Clara Leigh (Forbidden Bad Boys)

    Recipe for a wild weekend: Take one geeky actor, a video game idol, and cinema’s best known towel model. Add a chocolate-box cottage, a liberal sprinkling of snow… make that lots of snow, and an oversized bathtub.

    Result: THREESOME!

    In the Spotlight by Ally Decker

    Pretending to date a movie star definitely wasn’t on Sylvia Urban’s agenda but a girl has to do what a girl has to do. And after a paparazzo catches them in rather uncompromising position, this is exactly what this girl has to do.

    Greg Abrams really needs everything to go right if he wants his new project to get green-lighted, but when the cute Broadway geek almost literally falls into his life, things get complicated really fast.

    As the pair grows closer, the ‘pretend’ part of pretend dating gets thrown out of the window, but after they started off as a lie, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not.

    Play by Olivia Devon

    Aaron Eldridge’s passion for his latest virtual reality program skyrockets when he meets a woman who shares his obsession for all things geek. The premier launch of HyperLyfe at Lux, Manhattan’s hottest sex club, would be a perfect opportunity to get Katie Martinez to check out his new toy, and the kinky sex ideas he has in mind.

    What if your deepest fantasies could come true?

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker

    0 out of 5

    Click: An Online Love Story – Fast approaching her 30th birthday and finding herself not married, not dating, and without even a prospect or a house full of cats, Renee Greene, the heroine of Click: An Online Love Story, reluctantly joins her best guy pal on a journey to find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolds through a series of emails between Renee and her best friends (anal-compulsive Mark, the overly-judgmental Ashley and the over-sexed Shelley) as well as the gentlemen suitors she meets online. From the guy who starts every story with “My buddies and I were out drinking one night,” to the egotistical “B”celebrity looking for someone to stroke his ego, Renee endures her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates. Fraught with BCC’s, FWD’s and inadvertent Reply to All’s, readers will root for Renee to “click” with the right man.

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Close Up and Personal by JS Taylor

    0 out of 5

    Actress and director. The stage is set for passion…

    Drama-school graduate Isabella Green wants to be a script-writer. But when she meets famous director James Berkeley, she’s tempted into the glamorous world of acting.

    Behind the camera, the mysterious Berkeley commands discipline at all times. But Isabella soon discovers his dominant male tendencies also extend into the dressing room.

    Suddenly Isabella is discovering a side of herself she never knew existed. But she is also learning more about the alluring James Berkeley. Is his desperate past something she can help heal? Or will the flames of passion consume them both when the cameras start rolling?

    Lights, camera, action…

    Close Up and Personal strips down to zero dollars over Christmas – 24th-28th December – get yours free!

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Billionaire Romance Boxed Set (9 Book Bundle) by Julia Kent, Krista Lakes, Adriana Hunter, Aubrey Rose, Artemis Hunt, Liliana Rhodes, Melanie Marchande, Starla Cole, Cerys du Lys

    0 out of 5

    99 cents for a limited time!

    From powerful businessmen to dominating bachelors who won’t take no for an answer, this exclusive Billionaire Romance boxed set includes some of the hottest stories ever published by popular romance authors!

    Download 9 scorching hot tales of seduction featuring wealthy men from all walks of life. These irresistible bad boys will take you on a wild ride that will leave you breathless!

    This boxed set collection features stories from popular authors including: USA Today & NY Times Bestsellers Julia Kent, Aubrey Rose, Adriana Hunter, and Artemis Hunt, Top 100 Kindle bestsellers Krista Lakes and Melanie Marchande, and Bestselling Authors Starla Cole, Cerys du Lys, and Liliana Rhodes!

    HER FIRST BILLIONAIRE by Julia Kent

    Caught between two men- literally- who turned out to be roommates and secret billionaires, Laura makes a startling discovery about her own capacity for passion.

    THE WOMAN OF THE BILLIONAIRE’S DREAMS by Krista Lakes

    Tracy has been stepped on all her life, but when a car accident leaves her with the ability to enter other people’s dreams, an opportunity arises. Will Tracy be able to break out of her shell in order to seduce billionaire Paul Hayes?

    SHATTERED by Adriana Hunter

    Curvy Katherine is tired of the daily grind. She craves something new… something exciting. There is one thing that she does look forward to every day- the meetings with her ruggedly handsome billionaire boss, Matt Donaldson. Known for his impossibly good looks and unbelievable wealth, he’s loved by many and hated by many more. Katherine never thought Matt noticed her until he comes to her rescue. That sets the pace for a dangerous game of complete submission.

    ME, CINDERELLA? by Aubrey Rose

    One kind deed can change your life forever…

    Brynn has spent her life trying to forget her desires, and Eliot’s deep wounds have taken nearly a decade to heal. After so much hurt, will either of them be able to open their hearts again?

    THE PRETEND BOYFRIEND by Artemis Hunt

    Samantha is clumsy and totally in need of a new boyfriend by this weekend. Her younger sister is getting engaged. Enter Brian Morton. He is gorgeous, rich, snarky, and utterly promiscuous. He was also the bully who made Sam’s middle school life a living hell. A series of bizarre events results in Brian losing a bet. His punishment? To be Sam’s slave for the weekend… and do anything she wants.

    NO REGRETS by Liliana Rhodes

    Life hasn’t been perfect for plus sized Deborah. Working in a department store isn’t great, but it has its perks and she meets one in the form of a man she calls “Mr. Sexy”. William King isn’t just any man though, he’s an ultra-private billionaire heir. When Will’s mysterious past puts the two lovers in danger, will the truth bring them closer together or finally tear them apart?

    I MARRIED A BILLIONAIRE by Melanie Marchande

    Maddy has given up on marriage- and men. But when her rich (and sexy) boss Daniel Thorne proposes an arrangement of convenience that would allow him to stay in the country, and Maddy to never work another day in her life, she might get more than she bargained for. By the end of their sham relationship, Maddy finds herself wondering if the money will be enough to repair the cost of a broken heart. But Mr. Thorne may have a secret in store…

    THE EXHIBITIONIST by Starla Cole

    Erik, a BDSM master Syria met at a bondage exhibition, offers her an opportunity to join his life of beauty, wealth and power as his personal escort and exhibitionist. But on Christmas Eve, Syria will have to choose between a life of luxury sans love, and the Santa stripper who just may hold her heart.

    THE BILLIONAIRE’S ULTIMATUM by Cerys du Lys

    Falling in love wasn’t part of Jessika’s job description. Nor was being asked by billionaire CEO Asher Landseer to become an egg donor and surrogate for his infertile wife. All Jessika wants to do is help, but is she setting herself up for heartbreak in the process?

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Perfect Need – Seven Tales of Love and Passion by Barbara L.B. Storey

    0 out of 5

    Close your eyes.

    Fall in love.

    Stay there.

    ~ Rumi

    You never know who you’ll fall in love with, or why, or whether it’s a good idea – ask Rowan in A Star, A Stone. A sudden rainstorm – Stormy Weather – or even an exercise class – The Queen of Heaven – can be the spark that creates abandon and exhilarating passion between two lovers. In Dolce, a full-course Italian meal prepared with love whets . . . other appetites.

    The stories in Perfect Need explore what love and passion can become, how they can affect two people for a moment, or for a lifetime; when they tumble into a love they never expected; when they decide it’s worth the risk to stay . . . or not.

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Three Happy Endings (Secrets, Surprises and Submission: Three Passionate Romances from New York Times Bestselling Author) by Opal Carew

    0 out of 5

    “TOP 15 B&N BESTSELLER (THREE)

    TOP 100 E ROMANCE ON AMAZON (THREE)

    Three men are better than one…

    Secrets, surprises, and submission – three torrid tales of triple passion!

    THREE

    Hot steamy dreams… a sexy stranger… and his two brothers… all add up to a sexy adventure she’ll never forget.

    Lori’s steamy dreams about a hot hard stranger are hitting fever pitch. She needs way more than eye contact and a smile across a crowded subway station. An instant connection sizzled between them and now Lori, who’s never believed in love at first sight, is its helpless victim.

    When Lori goes to her best friend’s cabin for the weekend to spend time with Marie, her new husband and his brothers, she’s surprised to wind up face-to-face with her fantasy stranger. But he’s Marie’s husband!

    When she meets his brothers, however, she finds that there just might be a way to make her dream come true.

    Now Lori is experiencing her wildest fantasy yet, three ultra-sexy men all focused on her. But she wants more than a steamy dream brought to life. Because she’s in love. But can her sexy stranger return her love?

    Note: This intriguing short story is scorching hot, with more than one handsome hunk to bring your wildest fantasies to life. Consider yourself warned!

    THREE MEN AND A BRIDE

    What do you do when you can’t stop lusting after your new husband’s two gorgeous brothers?

    Can Marie successfully suppress her fantasies of the three brothers making wild, luxuriant love to her, or will she have to endanger her happy marriage by admitting her feelings to her husband, Drake?

    Although this is the second story in the erotic THREE series, this steamy read is the prequel to Three. You can enjoy Three Men and a Bride on it’s own, or after you have read THREE.

    THREE SECRETS

    Keeping one secret is intriguing. Two is naughty. Three… deserves to be punished.

    Sharing secrets has never been so exhilarating…

    When they met in Paris, Nicole and Abel enjoyed a sensual, romantic two month fling. The last thing Nicole wanted was to fall head over heels for this sweet, loving man, because she knew he would never accept the truth about her. Unfortunately, the heart wants what it wants, and hers wanted Abel. But Nicole was not one to be controlled by anyone or anything, so once they returned home, she walked away.

    When the pain of losing Abel became too much, Nicole finally decided to share her secret with him. Little did she know he had a secret of his own.

    Will Abel’s secret extinguish Nicole’s craving for him once and for all? Will Nicole’s revelation bring Abel to his knees?

    This is a collection of super hot short stories.

    Length: 25,500 words

    Plus excerpts from The Office Slave (Volume 1 of The Office Slave Series) and His To Possess (about billionaires, bikers and bad boys all rolled into one).”

    Read More
    Quick View

Book Categories

  • Collections & Anthologies
  • Contemporary
  • Erotica
  • Fantasy
  • Gothic
  • Historical Romance
  • Multicultural & Interracial
  • Mystery & Suspense
  • Paranormal
  • Romantic Comedy
  • Science Fiction
  • Time Travel
  • Westerns
  • Romance
  • Author Interviews
banner-01testtesttesttest
banner-01testtesttesttest
banner-01testtesttesttest

Top Rated Products

  • Captured by Conner Kincaid
    5.00 out of 5
  • Hidden Embers by Jane Burrelli
    5.00 out of 5
  • Driving the Billionaire Boss (An MFMM Menage) by Sienna Crane
    5.00 out of 5
  • Her Majesty's Harem by N.J. Adel
    5.00 out of 5
  • More Than Everything by Delphie Gray
    5.00 out of 5

Author Marketing Club

WantonReads.com supports indie authors!

for Authors

  • Submit Your Book
  • Submit an Author Interview
  • Get Featured Placement

for Readers

  • Discover New Books
  • Meet the Authors
  • About WantonReads

Thanks for visiting!

  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
© 2017 - WantonReads.com