Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar

by Anahita Karthik

Buckle up for a wild ride with this cheeky and charming rom-com where one girl’s quest across India to seal her first kiss turns into finding first love in the most unexpected places. Perfect for fans of Axie Oh, Ann Liang, and Jenny Han!
 
Eighteen-year-old Krishna Kumar may have gotten into her dream college, but that doesn’t mean she’s stopped being a bi disaster. Even after spending her whole summer in India flirting with her gorgeous neighbor Amrit, she has nothing to show for it. And now, her fate is sealed: she’s destined to be the only freshman who’s never been kissed.
 
Then her flight home is delayed right as a distinctly flirty text from Amrit lights up her phone. Krishna is determined to seize her last chance at a perfect first kiss with her summer crush, even if it means asking her cousin-turned-nemesis, Priti, for help. Because Amrit is miles away at a family wedding—and Priti’s best friend, Rudra Desai, is the only one with a car.
 
The unlikely trio set off on a road trip to crash a wedding and save Krishna’s summer. But as she starts to fall for the quiet but irresistibly hot and charming Rudra, who everyone knows is unrequitedly in love with Priti, Krishna’s heart better catch up to her head before she skips right past her first kiss and falls directly into her first heartbreak. 

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, Queer, Fiction, LGBT, India

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication January 27, 2026

About the author

Anahita Karthik (she/her) is a desi, queer, and multilingual writer of stories heavily inspired by Indian mythology, history, and culture. She has an MSt in Creative Writing from University of Cambridge and a tech degree she’ll probably never use in her life. While she writes across genres, her stories usually include road trips, a slow burn romance, and nods to Indian cinema (both explicit and thematic). 'Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar' is her debut novel, but her first feature was in 'My Big, Fat Desi Wedding' anthology. She can be found posting excessively across platforms @ana_scribe or blogging about publishing on her website www.anahitakarthik.com. Anahita is represented by the wonderful Rebecca Podos at Neighborhood Literary.

Reviews

[Anahita Karthik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyway, if you enjoy

♡ whirlwind summer road trips
♡ bi + bi romances
♡ sunshine x brooding
♡ sisterhood
♡ all desi + queer casts
♡ the vibes of Jab We Met, Paper Towns, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Never Have I Ever
♡ recent book releases like Rules for Rule Breaking, Loveboat Taipei, and This Time It’s Real
♡ food eating contests
♡ the writing of authors like Ann Liang, Axie Oh, and Jenny Han
♡ thrift bookstores
♡ beachside weddings
♡ long chapter titles
♡ and a book that feels like a love letter to India

You’ll love BETTER CATCH UP, KRISHNA KUMAR 🌷

[atria]

JAB WE MET & BI4BI DESI ROMANCE???? HELLO???? WHY DID NOONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS BOOK????????

[Ayesha Mashiat]

I don't need an actual cover cause this one's ✨GOLD✨

[Sujin Witherspoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updating my review as I've finished the book, and I'm so confident in saying this is one of the best coming of age stories I've read and my new favorite romcom! Every page is AMAZING. The characters push the plot forward at an incredible speed and I just couldn't put it down. What I think is truly unique about this roadtrip romcom is the dynamics and the kind of love Anahita portrays; not just romantic, but familial. Krishna and her sharp-with-a-sweet-interior cousin Priti had my heart from the beginning. Their growth from strained family members to sisters is the warmest, realest depiction of girlhood, and created the perfect backdrop for their individual arcs and romances.

Anahita knows how to expertly intertwine immersive world building, rich and realistically flawed characters, and a plot that pushes you forward with the romantic tension and drama growing stronger with every page. This book is so easy to fall in love with, and the romance (love triangle!) will have you on the edge of your seat wondering who the endearing protagonist, Krishna, will end up with. Anahita has already mastered the romcom genre <3

[Anvita (anvitascorner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i ate it upppppp

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

rtc

[☆]

i am so unbelievably excited to read this book as soon as it's released i'm going to sell my soul to have it become part of my very existence. i am hooked by the cover even if it won't be the actual one the art gives me so much nostalgia and the description hooked me the moment i read it EVERYTHING IS SO BEAUTIFUL "a love letter to India" i LOVE THIS ALREADY OH MY GODDD desi bi4bi my heart my soul my everything is for this book i'm so excited

[niko :3]

I CANT WAIT FOR THIS FRILOHXWRMLIEEZZYOLIGSTNDGHIIJHSWRYIOKN

[june on · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the ARC from Edelweiss!

Now, I will get straight to the point, which is how hard I have to will myself to put down this book and focus on my day job, because this YA romcom is addictive!!

What is expected (and delivered):

Our titular MC, Krishna, is a whirlwind of a girl. She is the kind of character you warm up to very quickly, clownish in a charming way, also somehow remains endearing and empathized despite her flaws and mistakes.

The book centers around Krishna's relationship with her ex-bff-turned-nemesis + cousin Priti and Priti's new bff Rudra—who quickly becomes my third favorite character (I know there are three people in the main cast but *no one* comes before Krish and Priti alright?). Together, these three and their spontaneous road trip made me laugh aloud unceremoniously more times than I could count. The chemistry between Krish and Rudra are off the roof. Their flirty banters, top tier. Krish's tumultuous relationship with Priti is a roller coaster ride. I went into this book expecting romcom and was blown away by how well-done the "com" part is. It has been a day since I finished the book, but I still recall some quotes from time to time and chuckle out of the blue. It's safe to say that BCUKK is now the funniest book I read this year.

And of course, one of the best things about YA is the coming of age element. I don't want to give too much away but let's just say the book does not disappoint. I walked away with my heart warmed and satisfied.

The Unexpected:

Another thing that really struck a chord with me is how much heart and thought have been put into the places. I was taken to Mumbai, to Pune, to Goa, to homes and beaches, to food places and feasts, to highways and camping trails, to parties and song games. I saw India through the eyes of someone who loves her dearly, and no word can describe how beautiful that is.

[myka ✨]

EXCITING

[Payal Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a desi reader this is everything and more I could ever want!! So excited for 2025 🔥

[lau ⋆ ia]

I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2025?!

[Mal Reads]

I hear Jab We Met and I just can't say no

[Talia Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chaotic, joyful bi4bi road trip romance that had my cheeks hurting from smiling. Such a fun celebration of desi love with gorgeous descriptions of places and food and so many laugh-out-loud moments.

[Lily | The Bi Library]

Bi4bi romance with desi leads? What more could I ask for? I'M SOLD

[vansh · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐

Thank you to Anahita Karthik for having me on the Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar STREET Team and Harper Teen for the ARC.

𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐔𝐩 𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐫 is a wild ride, in this cheeky and charming rom-com where one girl’s quest across India to seal her first kiss turns into finding first love in the most unexpected places, perfect for fans of Axie Oh, Ann Liang, and Jenny Han.

I read this book in less than a few hours, where I was incredibly immersed and hooked to the plot where I could not see the pages flying away as soon as I was done. The book is a love letter to India, a beautiful story that is more than just a rom-com. As a desi girl, this book more that stole my heart with how beautifully this story unfolded.y

In the whirlwind of summer road trip where Krishna Kumar wants to travel to Goa to meet up with her crush, she's travelling together with her distant cousin Priti and her bestfriend Rudra, who seemed to have unrequited love for her. The absolute stunning of bi4bi romance, with sunshine and brooding main characters, a tale of sisterhood and reconciliation, a diversely desi and queer cast of characters, with the vibes of 𝘑𝘢𝘣 𝘞𝘦 𝘔𝘦𝘵, 𝘗𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘴, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺, and 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳, fun scenes like food eating contests, beachside weddings and swoony romantic gestures.

There was a lot about this book that I loved — from the quirky and hilarious rom-com to the emotional scenes behind it. This book isn't just a rom-com because it covers so many things — Krishna and Priti finally communicating after years of resentment and anger and watching them work it out despite the bumpy roads ahead was such a fulfilling experience. The diversity in this book of the desi cast, where we saw diverse people in the Indian community throughout the book. Another concept that was dealt with care and concern was the queer representation. In a country which is not vocally and mentally accepting of queer people, Anahita Karthik approached this concept with the care it needed, gave the message that it was okay to be queer and nothing is wrong in being queer and different.

𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐫, the titular character of this book is the most quirky, charming and realistic character I've read about. She's a diaspora kid, who didn't feel the sense of belonging until she made space for herself because she was 'too brown' for the foreigners and 'too foreign' for the Indians. I love how accepting she is of herself, loving herself and her queer identity. She's the kind of character to warm up the entire room, charming and endearing to everyone and has flaws that make her so much more realistic and human.

𝐑𝐮𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐢 is the charming, flirty and swoony romantic lead I've read about. He was emotionally mature, cool, broody in the best way, a yearner and patient man who drove the love of his life who wanted to kiss her crush. He's such an amazing character, an absolutely loyal and ride or die best friend to Priti. He's an amazing musician who got into Julliard and loves music like the love of his life.

Their romance was absolutely swoony, with the chemistry sizzling with flames. Their interactions and banter were absolutely perfect, and they matched each other's energy and fit for each other, complementing each other's existence.

For fans of swoony romcoms, with a desi and queer cast in an Indian setting, with hilarious banter and interactions, a true love letter to India for Teens, this book is the perfect read.

[kriti · Rating 4 out of 5]

** Thanks to being part of BCUKK's street team and edelweiss, I was able to read an ARC and in exchange for it, this is my honest review**

A story that starts with just wanting to end a whirlwind summer with a first kiss before going off to college, ends up being so much more than just that for Krishna Kumar.

This book, written as an ode to the beauty that Indian holds, is truly the perfect love letter to those girls who were too anxious and weren’t able to take ‘that’ chances when they were a teenager. Reading Krishna’s story gave me hope that there’s still magic left for my life too.

All of this starts when Krishna, along with her cousin turned frenemy Priti and Priti’s aloof best friend Rudra, set out on a road trip from Mumbai to Goa, with the sole mission of getting Krishna her first kiss with her summer crush, Amrit. As this book takes the trip through the physical journey, more and more builds up in their emotional journey whether it is the sisterhood between the two cousins or Krishna understanding why she gave these milestones so much importance.
As an Indian who always wanted to see herself in storybooks, to read about this journey feels so close to my heart, because it refers to favourite movies in Krishna’s monologues, games and activities most popular in India and general everyday phrases that almost instantly connected me with this book and its beautifully written people.
Every person is intricately written as part of this trio, from Krishna’s diasporic desire to ‘fit in’ to Priti’s quest of finding better for herself to Rudra’s identity. These lovable people are so memorable that all I could do was imagine who would play them all in a movie.

Even though this is truly the sweetest fun romcom, the end of every chapter seems like a cliff hanger where your hand immediately goes to the next chapter even after having told yourself “one chapter only”, with the end of it all crescendoing up to a typical Indian wedding where our love story blooms so sweetly, that I ended up with heart warming tears.

PS: do not read this on an empty stomach because the descriptions of yummy food while reading this till 3am really made me binge read AND binge eat!

[Kulthum Asha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was marvelous. The writing, the vivid imagery the author depicts of the food, the setting, and the clothing were incredible. I was immersed, and it felt like I was watching a movie. Krishna is as chaotic as they come; she reminded me of Belly, Devi, and so many other chaotic YA mains in my favorite TV shows. I love her growth, her self-awareness, and her ability to never hold things back, especially with Priti. She was multidimensional in every way that mattered. She annoyed me, made me laugh, made me groan, and even made me swoon.

Rudra was my FAVE. He was so emotionally mature, so cool, broody in the best way, and most of all he was a yearner. Yearning for eight years is crazy, but driving the love of your life go kiss her crush is even crazier. He didn’t care that his feelings were unrequited; he just wanted Krishna to be happy. The club scene in Goa was so hot, I kept gasping and clutching my pearls. 10/10, I even bookmarked the entire scene for later. Rudra’s love confession swept me off my feet, and I don’t know how Krishna managed not to lose her mind right there and then. My sweethearts go so well together and balance each other out, it was lovely to read.

And finally, Priti. She was the most flawed and the realest character. Her feelings were valid, even if she never went the right way about it, but I understood her pain and her hurt. She was beautifully characterized, and Anahita did a wonderful job making these characters distinct in their flaws, strengths, and being.

A strong 5 ⭐️ read.

[dharani · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really wanted to love this book, trust me I was so excited because it was hyped so much. I thought this would be a perfect book, though I'm not a fan of romances. This was all in all a great book and I'm glad that such stories exist and are being written. So unapologetically desi, with so many references I did love many things about this book. The only fallacy was that the romance ended up being cliche and also, a little during the middle the humour felt more like second hand embarrassment to me. I think that's just me, though. I'm sure people would love this book, especially brown girls. Also, a great point—this book is set in India & as a native, this was super fresh and close to home. I really hope it reaches its target audience cuz I'm sure it'll receive a lot of love!

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the e-ARC.

[Tatiana Schlote-Bonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar was a read outside my usual genre (horror/thriller) and it was so refreshing to read a book full of joy where the characters aren’t running for their lives.

Even though the stakes are "lower" in that sense, they are not by any means unimportant!! BCUKK is full of significant life choices and themes regarding love, friendship, belonging, identity and more. Most importantly—the book is lighthearted, so sweet, and FUN. It had me smiling and cheering the characters on. It's rich with beautiful descriptions of food, music, and settings! I also adored the road trip narrative and all the different places and characters we got to meet. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time!

[Cynthia Timoti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fast becoming one of my favorite YA rom-coms of the year! Road trip stories are always such a treat to read, and this one is extra special because it's also a beautifully written coming-of-age story about first love and sisterhood dynamics, expertly woven with the breath-taking sceneries of India, its food, and desi culture. There are so many laugh out loud moments in the book, and the pining, the yearning in this slow burn romance are some of the best I've read! Anahita is a masterful storyteller and I can't wait for everyone to get their hands on this book and discover her wonderful, brilliant story!!

[Aamna Qureshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was soooo much fun omg!!! ana is such an expert writer it's hard to believe this is a debut, literally so well done and going to be an instant classic, mark my words!! also the chapter titles are iconic.

official blurb:
"Karthik does an extraordinary job with this sharp and fast-paced debut full of humour and heart that will leave readers squealing. Better Catch Up Krishna Kumar is a ridiculously fun ride that makes you wish you were on the road trip along with Krishna, Rudra, and Priti as they navigate wonderfully messy emotions and relationships. An earnest and witty rom-com from a talented new voice. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!"

[Shuchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a review copy for this book from the publisher, and interviewed the author long before reading this copy.

First of all, I love the chapter titles. Some of them are so funny, and they reveal that Indian and American cultural interplay. It's a subtle point that's been honed in a couple of places, which is a nice subtle reminder that we're talking about teenagers and rites of passage, and those are a little different in both countries.

I think I've grown up with pretty much every Bollywood movie referenced in this book (although there's regional cinema refs too) and magically it makes perfect sense even if you're not like me. There's also a balance between a distinctly cinematic feeling, as we visit different places on the road trip, and the strong sense of digital age vs in-person communication. It feels really good to be effortlessly taken along the ride. Even the cross-India road trip texture worked so well, including the multilingual touches.

Most of all, though, I love Krishna's yearning and persistence. She feels so easy to follow, and relatable in a way that is rare to find, partly because of her Indianness. I especially liked her relationships with her cousins, Priya and Rudra, and the little moments when she's nervous, afraid, or full of anticipation--she read as so authentic and personable, and very much a teenager haha. There is so much fun banter, I can't wait for the audiobook.

[Mansi Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

I CANNOT WAIT TO GET MY HANDS ON THIS BEAUTY!!!!

[Musing of Souls · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MASTERPIECE, CAN'T COMPLAIN, EVERYTHING IS AMAZING HERE

[Anjali · Rating 5 out of 5]

review soon but this book was sooo good

[Isha Raya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar is a beautiful story about finding love in unexpected places.

My favorite part about this book is that it’s not just about romantic love, it’s also about familial love, friendship, and self love. Every character is given the nuance and respect that they deserve. The main character, Krishna is so funny, and she absolutely drew me in with how real she is. I was with her every step of the way on this whirlwind of a road trip, rooting for her the entire time. I absolutely devoured this book and I can’t wait for everyone else to love it as much as I do!

[friendly_orange · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LITERALLY COULD NOT SLEEP TILL I FINISHED THIS BOOK!
Honestly, this book is the definition of 'one more chapter then I'll sleep', only you finish the book in the middle of the night and proceed to make scenarios in your head and sleep is just not an option. I am so glad Anahita wrote this book!! Like the amount of times I was smiling, laughing, crying while reading. This was an amazing read and definitely my comfort book.
The characters were so amazing and fleshed out, I can literally picture in my mind how each character would react in a situation. For me personally I LOVEDDDD the relationships between Krishna and her siblings. Honestly sibling relationships are top tier and some of the most complicated yet at the same time least complicated and lovely relationships. I loved reading the different dynamics Krishna had with different siblings and I loved how the book focused on that, I think that was the heart of the story and was very well done.
The romance in this book, the pining, the yearning *chef's kiss*. Like I was giggling so much throughout. The desi bi-bi couple were *chef's kiss* x2. Honestly, the chemistry was sizzling hot and explosive, like they are so good together, I can't. And the scenes they had together, their tension was intense, and I ate it up.
I absolutely adored each and every person in this book, especially the Nani like she needs to be protected!! And yeah I don't think I'll stop thinking about this book.
From a desi person's POV I NEEDED this book more than I thought, I could relate so much with the characters, I understood the parts that were not in English because it's literally my language and overall while reading this book, I felt a warm feeling in my heart, like an endearing hug. Honestly, I can't wait to hold the book in my hands.

24/3/23
CAN'T WAIT!!

[Swati Hegde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a delight! With its masterful take on teenage first love, complex sisterhood dynamics, and desi culture, Anahita Karthik's debut YA rom-com is one to look out for. 2026 can't come any sooner so I can squeal about BETTER CATCH UP, KRISHNA KUMAR to the whole world. 💛

Note: I read an early version of this book provided to me by the author.

[Risha]

Excuse me, another cover?? What more do you want?