Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar coming January 27th, 2026 from HarperCollins; 336 pages
Content Warning: Foul language, alcohol
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). When not reading or writing, she designs social media graphics, conducts publishing workshops, and mentors querying authors via SmoochPit” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Anahita Karthik on the following platforms:
After spending her last summer in India before going to university flirting with her neighbor Amrit, an embarrassing moment leaves Krishna with no first kiss. She was resigned to her fate of being a college freshman who has never been kissed when her flight gets delayed, giving her a second chance at her summer romance. Since Amrit already left for a wedding hours away, Krishna enlists her cousin Priti, her best-friend-turned-nemesis, and Priti’s best friend, Rudra Desai, to help her get to the wedding. The three set off on a road trip to crash the wedding Amrit’s attending, and Krishna and Rudra grow closer along the way. However, everyone knows Rudra’s been in love with Priti for years, and Krishna must be careful, or her quest for a first kiss could lead to her first heartbreak.
At its core, Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar was a story about relationships. More importantly, the relationship between Krishna and Priti. The two had been at odds for years after Krishna moved to the U.S., and this road trip forced them to face the reasons why. While I loved the budding romance between Krishna and Rudra, especially the romantic moments they had together, I loved Krishna’s dedication to making up with Priti even more. Karthik put their relationship above all else, which doesn’t always happen in a rom-com. I think it’s so important, especially in young adult romance books, to prioritize female friendships in the midst of romantic relationships. Krishna didn’t always make the perfect decisions, but no teenager does, and everything worked out in the end. Through her relationship with Priti, Karthik also tackled the issues with identity Krishna faced as both an American and an Indian. I love when an author shares every bit of their culture through their writing, from food to fashion to language, and Karthik did just that. I truly felt like I was road-tripping from Mumbai to Goa alongside them. Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar is a hilarious and incredibly sweet debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what Anahita Karthik does next.
Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar releases on January 27th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank SparkPoint Studio and HarperCollins for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Sam Yanis, Pine Reads Review Lead Writer