BETTER CATCH UP, KRISHNA KUMAR

A botched first kiss sparks a summer of self-discovery.

Indian American Krishna Kumar’s summer in Mumbai takes an unexpected turn when her flight home gets canceled, launching her into a cross-country road trip with Priti, the cousin she was once close to, and Rudra, the brooding boy who’s Priti’s new best friend. Krishna is on a mission to secure her first kiss from her crush, Amrit: He’s attending a family wedding in Goa, and he texts her in a promisingly flirty way. Surprisingly, Priti agrees to help out, getting Rudra to drive them the 11 hours to the wedding. But in keeping with Krishna’s filmi flair–filled life, much Bollywood-style drama ensues. Suddenly, Krishna’s perfect romance plan becomes a choice between what she came for and a surprising pull toward Rudra. Karthik’s novel debut deftly explores diaspora identity, capturing Krishna’s struggle between her Indian and American selves without resorting to easy answers. Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati phrases in their original scripts are naturally incorporated (and defined in footnotes), part of the worldbuilding that grounds readers in contemporary Indian settings from Mumbai traffic to Goan beaches. The portrayal of Krishna’s romantic awakening and growth from cautious perfectionist to embracing uncertainty feels earned, elevating the work, but Rudra’s inconsistent character development is a weakness. The over-reliance on Bollywood references becomes intrusive, often overshadowing other cultural insights. The plot also suffers from convenient coincidences and a rushed, overly neat resolution.

A sharply observed but unevenly executed exploration of love and belonging.