India, April 8 -- In her author's note, Kalyani Sardesai writes ".this work could serve as a relationship guide for navigating marital relationships with the socio-legal system as a cornerstone". The book stays true to this quote till the very end.

Divided into two parts, the first section of When Love is Lost contains 24 first-person narratives documenting the experiences of people who found themselves before the family courts. The second section, which is based on inputs from mediators, councillors and estranged couples, provides do's and don'ts for a healthy marriage.

The earlier section that includes first-person narratives makes for particularly interesting reading. Instead of dry statistics or legal jargon, raw human experiences t...