What do you think?
Rate this book
Call it Coincidence
‘Naina, Naina, Naina, I hear Vatsal’s voice calling out to me,
you’re falling in love with me, aren’t you?’
Meet a twenty-five-year-old with big dreams and a sceptical heart, searching for love that lasts and a job that doesn’t make her dread mornings.
Enter a charming, unpredictable twenty-eight-year-old lawyer-to-be, interning in Delhi before jetting off to London for his master’s degree.
Their worlds collide unexpectedly, leading to a whirlwind first date. Naina feels an instant connection, like fate brought them together. In days, they go from strangers to friends, best friends and then something more. Everyone thinks it’s just a matter of a few days until they make it official, call it love. How could they not, when it feels this right?
But then comes the Diwali party—the best and worst day of Naina’s life. A devastating event shatters their bond, and they don’t speak. For three whole years.
As fate would have it, Naina and Vatsal meet again. This time, Naina is cautious; Vatsal overfamiliar. Everything feels just as intense as it once did—but can Naina handle the pain that took her years to overcome, if at all? And can Vatsal fight his fears and stay to watch Naina overcome it?
you’re falling in love with me, aren’t you?’
Meet a twenty-five-year-old with big dreams and a sceptical heart, searching for love that lasts and a job that doesn’t make her dread mornings.
Enter a charming, unpredictable twenty-eight-year-old lawyer-to-be, interning in Delhi before jetting off to London for his master’s degree.
Their worlds collide unexpectedly, leading to a whirlwind first date. Naina feels an instant connection, like fate brought them together. In days, they go from strangers to friends, best friends and then something more. Everyone thinks it’s just a matter of a few days until they make it official, call it love. How could they not, when it feels this right?
But then comes the Diwali party—the best and worst day of Naina’s life. A devastating event shatters their bond, and they don’t speak. For three whole years.
As fate would have it, Naina and Vatsal meet again. This time, Naina is cautious; Vatsal overfamiliar. Everything feels just as intense as it once did—but can Naina handle the pain that took her years to overcome, if at all? And can Vatsal fight his fears and stay to watch Naina overcome it?
- GenresRomance
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2025
27 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
March 23, 2026
I didn't think I would ever rate a book 0.5 stars but here it is. I'm extremely curious to know why Penguin India is publishing garbage at this point. I don't say this lightly where I feel Karan Johar can probably write a better script than whatever this was. I can’t believe her debut novel was mildly better than this novel.
Also does Penguin not have a budget for editors? Rather, good editors? Because I saw words like 'iron clad tight', 'shit thing', 'thump-thump-thumps' and I'm flabbergasted by how badly stories can be written. I'm truly worried for the future of Indian literature.
Now a few specifics about the storyline -
1. The female main character (FMC) is supposedly 25/28 through the book but talks and acts like a 14 year old child and it's borderline triggering. Like grow up! And one of the authors' posts said that this book started off as autobiographical and if that's the case, considering the level of immaturity the FMC is at it's mildly concerning. No, it's extremely concerning.
2. There are unnecessarily long paragraphs in the scenes where the FMC's dressing up starting with her Kurta brand or some eye make up. While it's fine once or twice it's alarming how shallow it comes off sometimes. And I've seen people on the gram annotate her book, so I'm curious were they taking shopping suggestions or make up ones? Or were they truly highlighting other grammatical errors.
3. We're given no other details of the FMC and MMC other than their love life and work life. No personality whatsoever, no hobbies, no friends outside their bubble, nothing they ever do. The author went above and beyond to establish the FMC's work ethic in this day and age but was supremely sloppy in coming up with brand names.
4. There was a weak attempt at a whole sexism / feminism debate. Ofcourse, why wouldn't there be?
5. It felt like the author binged Dear Zindagi (for the FMC 's problem with her parents, a set up in Goa) and YJHD (to borrow all the supporting characters) and she made a cocktail out of all of it. Borrowed brain cells, clearly.
6. Throughout the story if she wanted to introduce and delve into conflict, there wasn't any. It was very 'nibba-nibbi' as the millennials call it. There was 0 depth in the story, characters.
7. The author was brave enough to introduce characters from her first book here. Brave considering how equally bad her debut novel was. No, wait this book is 10x worse. I like to say Nona-verse? More like Nona-averse.
8. The overuse of certain words like faux pas made me gag. And the endless em dashes, my god. Someone please give them a grammar class.
Final thoughts, I think Nona, Stuti Changle, Saksham Garg, Prajakta Kohli, Ravinder Singh, Preeti Shenoy, Durjoy Dutta can definitely consider taking a master class on how to write badly. And then collectively should be banned from publishing anything in India (because no other sane country would publish their work, duh!?)
While I do respect the author's overall choice of books and movies on Instagram and her overall social media persona, it's a bad idea to feed bad books. Penguin, do better!
Also does Penguin not have a budget for editors? Rather, good editors? Because I saw words like 'iron clad tight', 'shit thing', 'thump-thump-thumps' and I'm flabbergasted by how badly stories can be written. I'm truly worried for the future of Indian literature.
Now a few specifics about the storyline -
1. The female main character (FMC) is supposedly 25/28 through the book but talks and acts like a 14 year old child and it's borderline triggering. Like grow up! And one of the authors' posts said that this book started off as autobiographical and if that's the case, considering the level of immaturity the FMC is at it's mildly concerning. No, it's extremely concerning.
2. There are unnecessarily long paragraphs in the scenes where the FMC's dressing up starting with her Kurta brand or some eye make up. While it's fine once or twice it's alarming how shallow it comes off sometimes. And I've seen people on the gram annotate her book, so I'm curious were they taking shopping suggestions or make up ones? Or were they truly highlighting other grammatical errors.
3. We're given no other details of the FMC and MMC other than their love life and work life. No personality whatsoever, no hobbies, no friends outside their bubble, nothing they ever do. The author went above and beyond to establish the FMC's work ethic in this day and age but was supremely sloppy in coming up with brand names.
4. There was a weak attempt at a whole sexism / feminism debate. Ofcourse, why wouldn't there be?
5. It felt like the author binged Dear Zindagi (for the FMC 's problem with her parents, a set up in Goa) and YJHD (to borrow all the supporting characters) and she made a cocktail out of all of it. Borrowed brain cells, clearly.
6. Throughout the story if she wanted to introduce and delve into conflict, there wasn't any. It was very 'nibba-nibbi' as the millennials call it. There was 0 depth in the story, characters.
7. The author was brave enough to introduce characters from her first book here. Brave considering how equally bad her debut novel was. No, wait this book is 10x worse. I like to say Nona-verse? More like Nona-averse.
8. The overuse of certain words like faux pas made me gag. And the endless em dashes, my god. Someone please give them a grammar class.
Final thoughts, I think Nona, Stuti Changle, Saksham Garg, Prajakta Kohli, Ravinder Singh, Preeti Shenoy, Durjoy Dutta can definitely consider taking a master class on how to write badly. And then collectively should be banned from publishing anything in India (because no other sane country would publish their work, duh!?)
While I do respect the author's overall choice of books and movies on Instagram and her overall social media persona, it's a bad idea to feed bad books. Penguin, do better!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2025
What if you were promised the world, and someone gave you a printed map off a stock website?
Call it Coincidence may be a labour of love, but whatever it stands for, is just a cardboard cutout of the real thing, whatever the real thing, is supposed to be.
Both main characters are unlikable, or are ‘written’ in a very unlikable manner. I can’t take anything Naina says seriously, because:
1. In the very beginning, she is waiting for her date to turn up, is angry at him, but when he arrives and apologises, she’s suddenly okay with it because he’s hot?
2. She works in marketing, and her idea of sustainable brands are that they are boring.
3. Every conversation with her best friend involves her denying her feelings for Vatsal, then going ahead and acting on those feelings which are ‘supposed to be’ non existent. Girl is living in denial for all of the book?!!
4. She is about to quit her job, but then they fire her first, so now she’s feeling rejected??
5. She holds a grudge for her mother almost the entire book, refusing to mature beyond childhood, and loves her boss who is a ‘bosswoman’, who is unapologetic and does not take no for an answer. So basically, she resents her mother’s career because it didn’t allow her to be there for her, but admires the same in a different woman?
5. There is a point in the story when Naina takes Vatsal to sleep in her room. Willingly. Knowing there is a spare bedroom for him to sleep in. Still, she wants him in HER room. And then when things go where they are not supposed to go, that is, when he clearly asks her let’s talk about what happened, she says no??? She turns her back on him and sleeps, avoiding the conversation, and then later in the morning, she wants to know from his best friend how he feels about her?? But not from his own mouth?? Make it make sense.
6. Both characters do not show any growth or self awareness. By the end of the book, Naina has not learnt a single thing— neither about herself, nor about Vatsal.
7. The build up is not nearly enough, despite all the pages and pages of inconsequential writing. The whole story might as well have been condensed in a single Instagram post, it is that much lacking in depth.
8. Must the dialogues be this atrocious? To make it relatable is one thing. But for the sake of literature and all the future generations who will study the language or will aspire to be writers, these dialogues don’t work. Just, no!
*It needs to be mentioned that yes, human beings are messy, they make questionable choices, and have questionable world-views. But, liking someone’s Instagram post from 3 years ago, even if it was my crush, is not my worldview or my idea of a ‘catastrophe’. Maybe it would be for others. Likewise for everything listed above, which just says I’m not the intended target audience for this book, because I cannot relate to anything here.
I AM a creative, however, and I felt underwhelmed by this work.
I have no more thoughts, for legal reasons or otherwise.
Call it Coincidence may be a labour of love, but whatever it stands for, is just a cardboard cutout of the real thing, whatever the real thing, is supposed to be.
Both main characters are unlikable, or are ‘written’ in a very unlikable manner. I can’t take anything Naina says seriously, because:
1. In the very beginning, she is waiting for her date to turn up, is angry at him, but when he arrives and apologises, she’s suddenly okay with it because he’s hot?
2. She works in marketing, and her idea of sustainable brands are that they are boring.
3. Every conversation with her best friend involves her denying her feelings for Vatsal, then going ahead and acting on those feelings which are ‘supposed to be’ non existent. Girl is living in denial for all of the book?!!
4. She is about to quit her job, but then they fire her first, so now she’s feeling rejected??
5. She holds a grudge for her mother almost the entire book, refusing to mature beyond childhood, and loves her boss who is a ‘bosswoman’, who is unapologetic and does not take no for an answer. So basically, she resents her mother’s career because it didn’t allow her to be there for her, but admires the same in a different woman?
5. There is a point in the story when Naina takes Vatsal to sleep in her room. Willingly. Knowing there is a spare bedroom for him to sleep in. Still, she wants him in HER room. And then when things go where they are not supposed to go, that is, when he clearly asks her let’s talk about what happened, she says no??? She turns her back on him and sleeps, avoiding the conversation, and then later in the morning, she wants to know from his best friend how he feels about her?? But not from his own mouth?? Make it make sense.
6. Both characters do not show any growth or self awareness. By the end of the book, Naina has not learnt a single thing— neither about herself, nor about Vatsal.
7. The build up is not nearly enough, despite all the pages and pages of inconsequential writing. The whole story might as well have been condensed in a single Instagram post, it is that much lacking in depth.
8. Must the dialogues be this atrocious? To make it relatable is one thing. But for the sake of literature and all the future generations who will study the language or will aspire to be writers, these dialogues don’t work. Just, no!
*It needs to be mentioned that yes, human beings are messy, they make questionable choices, and have questionable world-views. But, liking someone’s Instagram post from 3 years ago, even if it was my crush, is not my worldview or my idea of a ‘catastrophe’. Maybe it would be for others. Likewise for everything listed above, which just says I’m not the intended target audience for this book, because I cannot relate to anything here.
I AM a creative, however, and I felt underwhelmed by this work.
I have no more thoughts, for legal reasons or otherwise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2025
nothing ever happens and the banter is so forced. disappointed as someone who’s been a long term fan of nona’s essays and enjoyed fool me twice.
January 11, 2026
Call it Coincidence by Nona Uppal is a story where Naina, a twenty-five-year-old is not supposed to meet Vatsal, a lawyer who is moving to London, but by coincidence their worlds collide. They go from strangers to friends to best friends and then maybe to a little more to not being in touch for three years.
I never thought I’d give one star review to a Nona Uppal book after such an amazing debut, “Fool Me Twice”. However, her writing style seemed to have improved. It was crisp and fun. This story, on the other hand, seemed a little off. There is no plot, whatsoever. It’s really confusing to read into two different timelines at the same time, or maybe it’s just a ‘me’ problem. The idea is good, but the execution is meh. There were no highs and lows in this story. I kept on waiting for the climax, but it just didn’t happen.
The author should not have featured her previous characters in the book, it wasn’t necessary and if she really wanted to, it could have been done way better.
Andddd, don’t even get me started on the editing of this book. Nona, darling, please hire good editors. The book can’t go from “He doesn’t answer. He kisses me unprompted,…” in one chapter to “You sit cross-legged on the couch and …” in another. This ruined my entire experience. I could have given this book a three star for the sake of trying, but this just is not acceptable.
Penguin, only question, what were you doing?
Disappointing.
I never thought I’d give one star review to a Nona Uppal book after such an amazing debut, “Fool Me Twice”. However, her writing style seemed to have improved. It was crisp and fun. This story, on the other hand, seemed a little off. There is no plot, whatsoever. It’s really confusing to read into two different timelines at the same time, or maybe it’s just a ‘me’ problem. The idea is good, but the execution is meh. There were no highs and lows in this story. I kept on waiting for the climax, but it just didn’t happen.
The author should not have featured her previous characters in the book, it wasn’t necessary and if she really wanted to, it could have been done way better.
Andddd, don’t even get me started on the editing of this book. Nona, darling, please hire good editors. The book can’t go from “He doesn’t answer. He kisses me unprompted,…” in one chapter to “You sit cross-legged on the couch and …” in another. This ruined my entire experience. I could have given this book a three star for the sake of trying, but this just is not acceptable.
Penguin, only question, what were you doing?
Disappointing.
November 5, 2025
Also, this is a purely subjective review, a collection of my thoughts as soon as I put the book down, raw, unfiltered. This reflects how I felt, which I think, is more important to document rather than the literary flaws of a book because a lot of people who are better at doing it, have already done it.
This book made me feel a lot of things, heartbreak, rage, rage of a heartbreak (if that makes sense) but most importantly, it made me feel seen through Naina, something I didn't know how desperately I needed.
We're humans, humans are messy, they claim they have no feelings then they go and act on them, they want to let go but want the other one to hold on, they want to be angry and not scare the other person so much that they run away, they want to be fully angry, angry without any inhibitions, they want to be angry and feel safe while expressing it.
They can make a move, kiss someone, miss someone and regret it, they can resist it and still do it, they can be well aware of things they're not supposed to do or say but do it regardless.
They can know the right decision to make, yet choose the wrong one.
And Naina is a human too, she isn't supposed to be perfect, she's supposed to hug readers like me and make them feel seen when they feel they're so obviously dumb to be feeling and doing all of this.
I am not shitting when I say this book found me at the perfect time, idk what coincidence it was but I'm so glad I devoured this book.
Naina goes through a complex situation with equally complex emotions and god do i feel so seen, finally.
I don't think books, especially fiction, are supposed to be the holy grail, know-it-all. They don't have to present the right, likable sort of characters who have it all figured out, or the perfect story, or the perfect ending. Most of the times, they're just supposed to be a slice of life for people who are starving. Like I was. And this book sat me down and fed me until I was full to the brim.
There are a LOT of messy things that Naina goes through, conflicting emotions, bad decisions, bad outcomes and what not. I needed to read a story that felt like a section of my heart is laid out on paper and makes it look not so insane. Safe to say, I forgave myself through Naina.
There was a review (iykyk) that listed the things they didn't like which also happens to be the reasons why I felt seen.
Yes, I think she can be angry at her mother for being a career woman and admire Nancy for the same. Yes, she can make a bad decision even after knowing what the outcome would be (lord knows the number of times I've done that because I have lost the count).
Let the woman breathe, man.
Did I wish the ending was a bit different though? Yes. But that is because of my feelings from a similar (but worse) situation spilling out while I read this book.
Am I disappointed? No
Did I enjoy every bit of word put down in this book? A 100% yes.
We need more books like these, written by people who feel things, I need more books like these. I feel so seen that imma cry. Idk if this review made any sense but this is how it will go out into the world, full of emotions, all over the place and messy.
Safe to say, I loved the book, if it wasn't clear already.
Plus, I really love the acknowledgement section of Nona's books.
This book made me feel a lot of things, heartbreak, rage, rage of a heartbreak (if that makes sense) but most importantly, it made me feel seen through Naina, something I didn't know how desperately I needed.
We're humans, humans are messy, they claim they have no feelings then they go and act on them, they want to let go but want the other one to hold on, they want to be angry and not scare the other person so much that they run away, they want to be fully angry, angry without any inhibitions, they want to be angry and feel safe while expressing it.
They can make a move, kiss someone, miss someone and regret it, they can resist it and still do it, they can be well aware of things they're not supposed to do or say but do it regardless.
They can know the right decision to make, yet choose the wrong one.
And Naina is a human too, she isn't supposed to be perfect, she's supposed to hug readers like me and make them feel seen when they feel they're so obviously dumb to be feeling and doing all of this.
I am not shitting when I say this book found me at the perfect time, idk what coincidence it was but I'm so glad I devoured this book.
Naina goes through a complex situation with equally complex emotions and god do i feel so seen, finally.
I don't think books, especially fiction, are supposed to be the holy grail, know-it-all. They don't have to present the right, likable sort of characters who have it all figured out, or the perfect story, or the perfect ending. Most of the times, they're just supposed to be a slice of life for people who are starving. Like I was. And this book sat me down and fed me until I was full to the brim.
There are a LOT of messy things that Naina goes through, conflicting emotions, bad decisions, bad outcomes and what not. I needed to read a story that felt like a section of my heart is laid out on paper and makes it look not so insane. Safe to say, I forgave myself through Naina.
There was a review (iykyk) that listed the things they didn't like which also happens to be the reasons why I felt seen.
Yes, I think she can be angry at her mother for being a career woman and admire Nancy for the same. Yes, she can make a bad decision even after knowing what the outcome would be (lord knows the number of times I've done that because I have lost the count).
Let the woman breathe, man.
Did I wish the ending was a bit different though? Yes. But that is because of my feelings from a similar (but worse) situation spilling out while I read this book.
Am I disappointed? No
Did I enjoy every bit of word put down in this book? A 100% yes.
We need more books like these, written by people who feel things, I need more books like these. I feel so seen that imma cry. Idk if this review made any sense but this is how it will go out into the world, full of emotions, all over the place and messy.
Safe to say, I loved the book, if it wasn't clear already.
Plus, I really love the acknowledgement section of Nona's books.
December 9, 2025
My favourite thing about this book was the bookmark that came along with it.
My second favourite thing about this book was the depiction of corporate India.
Nancy, I want to be you when I grow up too.
My second favourite thing about this book was the depiction of corporate India.
Nancy, I want to be you when I grow up too.
November 17, 2025
'Call it Coincidence' by Nona Uppal is your book to experience young-age vulnerabilities, firm friendships, and one giant coincidence.
The story follows Naina, a 25-year-old dreamer longing for meaningful love and a career she doesn’t dread, and Vatsal, a 28-year-old aspiring lawyer preparing to leave for London. They meet unexpectedly and fall into an intense, effortless bond that moves swiftly from strangers to friends to something that everyone around them calls love. Their rising connection is shattered on a Diwali night that becomes both magical and disastrous, leaving behind a wound so deep that they cut all contact and remain estranged for three years. When fate pulls them back into each other’s orbit, the reunion is charged—Naina brings a protective shield around her, carrying the scars of what happened, while Vatsal tries to bridge the familiar closeness they once had. As they navigate the unresolved differences between them, the story examines whether their reconnection is destiny or just a coincidence, and whether healing, forgiveness, and rekindled affection can overcome the string that tore them apart.
Nona's writing is lyrical and engaging, it's something as fun to read as watching a feel-good movie. Naina and Vatsal are crafted with flaws, messiness, and hope. Somewhere down the line, both these individuals are similar in sharing a familiar weight of their vulnerabilities. On one hand, Naina preserves her sanity, not letting her heartbreak for another time, and Vatsal, on the other hand, is determined to make things right, rehearsing whatever's still left to confess. 'Call it Coincidence' explores not just romance but how past trauma shapes people’s present and future. The three-year gap after the Diwali incident creates a strong emotional tension: when they meet again, things are intense, but there’s also vulnerability, regret, and fear. This book is firmly based on second-chance tropes, and the distinctive difference is so well presented in the book. You could see the characters' development, their personalities change. I loved how Nona balances love and friendship in each of her books. Sarina and Naina's bonding and understanding will give you 'Aditi and Naina' vibes from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani vibes.
Taking a few bits and pieces from the GenZ culture in relationships, it does become a voice trying to navigate emotions and individuality in today's time full of choices and makes us believe that truly Pyar Deewana Hota Hai.
Nona Uppal has crafted a romance that feels very “of its time.” Its strength lies in making readers believe in second chances, but not in an idealised, fairy-tale way. The emotional realism is a big plus: heartbreak is not glossed over, and reconciliation is not magically easy.
However, the style is very contemporary and dialogue-heavy, the emotionally weighted themes of Fate-Coincidences, Healing and Forgiveness and fractured childhood come to life.
The story follows Naina, a 25-year-old dreamer longing for meaningful love and a career she doesn’t dread, and Vatsal, a 28-year-old aspiring lawyer preparing to leave for London. They meet unexpectedly and fall into an intense, effortless bond that moves swiftly from strangers to friends to something that everyone around them calls love. Their rising connection is shattered on a Diwali night that becomes both magical and disastrous, leaving behind a wound so deep that they cut all contact and remain estranged for three years. When fate pulls them back into each other’s orbit, the reunion is charged—Naina brings a protective shield around her, carrying the scars of what happened, while Vatsal tries to bridge the familiar closeness they once had. As they navigate the unresolved differences between them, the story examines whether their reconnection is destiny or just a coincidence, and whether healing, forgiveness, and rekindled affection can overcome the string that tore them apart.
Nona's writing is lyrical and engaging, it's something as fun to read as watching a feel-good movie. Naina and Vatsal are crafted with flaws, messiness, and hope. Somewhere down the line, both these individuals are similar in sharing a familiar weight of their vulnerabilities. On one hand, Naina preserves her sanity, not letting her heartbreak for another time, and Vatsal, on the other hand, is determined to make things right, rehearsing whatever's still left to confess. 'Call it Coincidence' explores not just romance but how past trauma shapes people’s present and future. The three-year gap after the Diwali incident creates a strong emotional tension: when they meet again, things are intense, but there’s also vulnerability, regret, and fear. This book is firmly based on second-chance tropes, and the distinctive difference is so well presented in the book. You could see the characters' development, their personalities change. I loved how Nona balances love and friendship in each of her books. Sarina and Naina's bonding and understanding will give you 'Aditi and Naina' vibes from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani vibes.
Taking a few bits and pieces from the GenZ culture in relationships, it does become a voice trying to navigate emotions and individuality in today's time full of choices and makes us believe that truly Pyar Deewana Hota Hai.
Nona Uppal has crafted a romance that feels very “of its time.” Its strength lies in making readers believe in second chances, but not in an idealised, fairy-tale way. The emotional realism is a big plus: heartbreak is not glossed over, and reconciliation is not magically easy.
However, the style is very contemporary and dialogue-heavy, the emotionally weighted themes of Fate-Coincidences, Healing and Forgiveness and fractured childhood come to life.
November 15, 2025
This is the second book I’ve read by Nona. I had the expectation that her writing would be better in this novel than in the first one, and I can see the progress.
While I didn’t love it as much as Fool Me Twice, it is still a fun book that I would love to see adapted into a Bollywood movie! Yes, I said it, coming from someone who usually doesn’t want books adapted, especially into movies, I want this one to be a film. It would be such a hit romcom, filled with love, drama, tragedy, and a happily ever after. I enjoyed the whole concept.
While I didn’t love it as much as Fool Me Twice, it is still a fun book that I would love to see adapted into a Bollywood movie! Yes, I said it, coming from someone who usually doesn’t want books adapted, especially into movies, I want this one to be a film. It would be such a hit romcom, filled with love, drama, tragedy, and a happily ever after. I enjoyed the whole concept.
May 4, 2026
I would consider Naina and Vatsal’s story yet another feel good romance with their fair share of ups and downs but second leads have always been my favorite be it a show or a movie and this book was no exception.
Sarina and Nipun’s story is actually the one we all strive for : a no-drama healthy relationship wherein both of them can understand each other without saying anything and at the same time communicate with each other whenever the need arises. Though Naina and Vatsal had their cute main character moments i would always put Sarina and Nipun in the soulmates category.
Sarina and Nipun’s story is actually the one we all strive for : a no-drama healthy relationship wherein both of them can understand each other without saying anything and at the same time communicate with each other whenever the need arises. Though Naina and Vatsal had their cute main character moments i would always put Sarina and Nipun in the soulmates category.
November 5, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
this book was beautifully raw. exactly how real life relationships are; messy, unpredictable yet beautiful. despite the complicated love story, it draws you in with its genuine emotions 🥹 such a heartfelt read.
this book was beautifully raw. exactly how real life relationships are; messy, unpredictable yet beautiful. despite the complicated love story, it draws you in with its genuine emotions 🥹 such a heartfelt read.
November 9, 2025
Read this all through in one sitting, cried, laughed, all of it❤️
January 31, 2026
Could’ve used a stronger edit. I found grammatical errors, repetition, and disjointed timelines multiple times which pulled me out of the story. Moreover, I think in this day and age, it’s time to retire the constantly self-deprecating, “I can never do anything right” fmc. The story simultaneously felt too rushed and too stretched out.
November 19, 2025
A friends-to-lovers story set in Delhi, explored against the backdrop of modern dating, friendships, and the chaos of being in your twenties.
Pick it up if you want a simple, quick read to increase your reading count. But if you want something more emotionally impactful, I’d still recommend Fool Me Twice by the same author over this.
I adored Fool Me Twice and even cried reading it, so my expectations for this book were sky-high. I had pre-ordered it, but the second it appeared on Blinkit, I ordered another copy and started reading immediately. That’s how excited I was (and yes, I may regret owning two copies now).
The story opens with Naina’s disastrous first date, after which she bumps into Vatsal by pure coincidence. And another coincidence? Vatsal happens to be the best friend of Naina’s best friend’s boyfriend. With that connection, they start seeing each other more often, slowly building a friendship - hanging out, learning each other’s quirks, and constantly circling around that undeniable chemistry that simmers in the background.
But as their relationship deepens, the real problems begin - problems rooted in their personal baggage, their childhoods, and the responsibilities they carry.
Naina believes in love and commitment; Vatsal wants to be with her but has a fractured understanding of love because of his parents’ divorce. When things start to get too real, Vatsal runs - abruptly.
Three years later, they meet again. As they navigate their past and the commitments of their present lives, they try - once again - to make it work. Whether they succeed forms the core of the story.
But honestly, a lot didn’t sit right with me. The biggest drawback was how quickly Naina accepts Vatsal back without addressing the issues that broke them the first time. Watching them fall right back into the same pattern was frustrating.
As main characters, Naina and Vatsal didn’t leave any lasting impression on me, which made it harder to stay emotionally invested in the story.
There were cute cliché moments that made me giggle, but they fizzled out too quickly to carry the book. However, I genuinely loved the friendship between Naina and Sarina. It was heartwarming, layered, and filled with moments that showed what real friendship looks like - even when it delivers tough truths.
Overall, I can safely say I'll still trust Nona Uppal's recommendations, but I might take a little break before picking up another one of her novels (unless, of course, the marketing gets to me again).
Pick it up if you want a simple, quick read to increase your reading count. But if you want something more emotionally impactful, I’d still recommend Fool Me Twice by the same author over this.
I adored Fool Me Twice and even cried reading it, so my expectations for this book were sky-high. I had pre-ordered it, but the second it appeared on Blinkit, I ordered another copy and started reading immediately. That’s how excited I was (and yes, I may regret owning two copies now).
The story opens with Naina’s disastrous first date, after which she bumps into Vatsal by pure coincidence. And another coincidence? Vatsal happens to be the best friend of Naina’s best friend’s boyfriend. With that connection, they start seeing each other more often, slowly building a friendship - hanging out, learning each other’s quirks, and constantly circling around that undeniable chemistry that simmers in the background.
But as their relationship deepens, the real problems begin - problems rooted in their personal baggage, their childhoods, and the responsibilities they carry.
Naina believes in love and commitment; Vatsal wants to be with her but has a fractured understanding of love because of his parents’ divorce. When things start to get too real, Vatsal runs - abruptly.
Three years later, they meet again. As they navigate their past and the commitments of their present lives, they try - once again - to make it work. Whether they succeed forms the core of the story.
But honestly, a lot didn’t sit right with me. The biggest drawback was how quickly Naina accepts Vatsal back without addressing the issues that broke them the first time. Watching them fall right back into the same pattern was frustrating.
As main characters, Naina and Vatsal didn’t leave any lasting impression on me, which made it harder to stay emotionally invested in the story.
There were cute cliché moments that made me giggle, but they fizzled out too quickly to carry the book. However, I genuinely loved the friendship between Naina and Sarina. It was heartwarming, layered, and filled with moments that showed what real friendship looks like - even when it delivers tough truths.
Overall, I can safely say I'll still trust Nona Uppal's recommendations, but I might take a little break before picking up another one of her novels (unless, of course, the marketing gets to me again).
January 9, 2026
Honestly, I would’ve given this a 2.5 if Goodreads had the option. I felt the same way the last time too. That said, I’ll give credit where it’s due, this book felt more promising, especially in the first half. As a 25-year-old working in marketing, I related to Naina a lot, and for a while, I genuinely thought I was going to love this.
The meet-cute is fun. It’s not very unique, but it has that early 2000s rom-com vibe, which worked for me. Naina’s career confusion and trying to make sense of her professional life felt real and relatable.
However, a lot of things started falling apart as the story went on. Naina’s friendship with Sarina felt very flat. It’s written as if everything between them is always fine, no conflict, no difficult conversations. Sarina is supposed to be this protective elder-sister figure, but she barely interferes or shows up meaningfully. The friendship just felt underwritten.
The romantic relationship was another big issue. Sarina never fully comes around to liking Vatsal, and no one else in Naina’s life really roots for him either. Yet, she still chooses to be with him. The epilogue made this worse for me. The “pull” between them felt oddly passive-aggressive. Vatsal, who started out as a decent character, became pretty horrifying by the end. The communication is terrible, and his drama is made out to be something huge when it really isn’t. The more I think about it, the less I like him.
I also really didn’t like the way Naina, who is written as a young, independent woman, constantly talks about feeling lonely and needing to be with someone. She has a best friend, a good job, and a life, yet the story keeps pushing this idea that once people get married, you’re no longer family. Her loneliness is never explored or questioned, just reinforced, and I wasn’t a fan of that at all.
The book feels modern on the surface, but it’s still very rooted in this “married by 30” mindset, which didn’t sit right with me. You should want to be with someone because they add to your life, not because you’re racing against a timeline.
The ending is what ultimately made me drop my rating from three stars to two. I really wanted this to be more wholesome. I even pre-ordered this book, and for the first half, I was completely sold. But the second half brought me right back to how I felt after Fooled Me Twice and that was disappointing.
The meet-cute is fun. It’s not very unique, but it has that early 2000s rom-com vibe, which worked for me. Naina’s career confusion and trying to make sense of her professional life felt real and relatable.
However, a lot of things started falling apart as the story went on. Naina’s friendship with Sarina felt very flat. It’s written as if everything between them is always fine, no conflict, no difficult conversations. Sarina is supposed to be this protective elder-sister figure, but she barely interferes or shows up meaningfully. The friendship just felt underwritten.
The romantic relationship was another big issue. Sarina never fully comes around to liking Vatsal, and no one else in Naina’s life really roots for him either. Yet, she still chooses to be with him. The epilogue made this worse for me. The “pull” between them felt oddly passive-aggressive. Vatsal, who started out as a decent character, became pretty horrifying by the end. The communication is terrible, and his drama is made out to be something huge when it really isn’t. The more I think about it, the less I like him.
I also really didn’t like the way Naina, who is written as a young, independent woman, constantly talks about feeling lonely and needing to be with someone. She has a best friend, a good job, and a life, yet the story keeps pushing this idea that once people get married, you’re no longer family. Her loneliness is never explored or questioned, just reinforced, and I wasn’t a fan of that at all.
The book feels modern on the surface, but it’s still very rooted in this “married by 30” mindset, which didn’t sit right with me. You should want to be with someone because they add to your life, not because you’re racing against a timeline.
The ending is what ultimately made me drop my rating from three stars to two. I really wanted this to be more wholesome. I even pre-ordered this book, and for the first half, I was completely sold. But the second half brought me right back to how I felt after Fooled Me Twice and that was disappointing.
November 2, 2025
Call It Coincidence is a story that explores the experiences we have growing up impact our perception of reality and our reactions to situations in life. The book explores the story of Naina and Vatsal, and how their paths keep crossing even after 3 years of being apart. Nona’s storytelling is quite gripping, and it is not difficult to imagine yourself in the shoes of either character. The writing is simple, easy to understand and contemporary in the way we see choice of partner, career and life choices. The romance between the leads is wonderfully written and the spark is nicely captured. What works in the book is the to and fro between Naina and Vatsal the first time around and how it ends, specially how it ends. When their paths cross again three years later, Nona recreates these meet-cute moments drawing parallels from the first time around. While Naina is cautiously optimistic, the author keeps Vatsal’s emotions a bit hidden till the very end. Another aspect that I loved was how Nona writes the relationship between Naina and Sarina. The climax was predictable, but the execution was interesting and I could feel a lot of inspiration from Yeh Jawaani hai Deewani in the climax.
Coming to the characters, Naina is wonderfully penned and her anxieties, character traits and relationships come out quite nicely. I loved how she is frank and her honesty come out with each scene. Vatsal’s character was also something I really enjoyed reading. A guy battling his own demons yet has the space to love unconditionally was quite refreshing to read. I also like the fact that until the reveal is done, you are mildly annoyed at Vatsal, and I think drawing emotions like that from a reader exhibits good reading. The best-friend-cum-big-sister relationship between Naina and Sarina is wonderfully penned. The one scene where Sarina and Nipun are sleeping, and Vatsal is the one waiting for her was quite visual, and that I think, established quite a bit of the relationships for me.
Coming to the characters, Naina is wonderfully penned and her anxieties, character traits and relationships come out quite nicely. I loved how she is frank and her honesty come out with each scene. Vatsal’s character was also something I really enjoyed reading. A guy battling his own demons yet has the space to love unconditionally was quite refreshing to read. I also like the fact that until the reveal is done, you are mildly annoyed at Vatsal, and I think drawing emotions like that from a reader exhibits good reading. The best-friend-cum-big-sister relationship between Naina and Sarina is wonderfully penned. The one scene where Sarina and Nipun are sleeping, and Vatsal is the one waiting for her was quite visual, and that I think, established quite a bit of the relationships for me.
December 3, 2025
Call It Coincidence tells the story of Naina, a 25 years old with big dreams, and Vatsal, a 28 years old law intern with charm, ambition, and an unpredictable streak. Their worlds collide in a chance meeting what starts as a spontaneous first date turns into a deep bond, friendship, and then something more.
They seem perfect for each other, that magnetic “you could be the one” feeling that’s rare and intense. But a single event during a Diwali party shatters their bond, forcing them apart for three long years. Fate brings them back together later, but now Naina carries scars, and Vatsal must prove whether their reunion is truly meant to be or just another coincidence.
The story is written in two different timelines. What works for me is realistic romance and relatability, second chance romance with emotional depth and contemporary and grounded writing style. The story is quite predictable and not so new (at least what I think) but Nona presented the story with desi style.
The story moves quickly, the initial bond forms fast, and the emotional shifts can sometimes feel abrupt. For readers accustomed to slow-burn romances or deeply layered character arcs, some transitions might feel rushed. Because the focus remains heavily on romance and emotional dynamics, some secondary aspects supporting relationships, deeper backstories, or personal growth arcs might feel underexplored.
So in all, Call It Coincidence is a heartfelt, modern-day romance that captures the messy beauty of love after heartbreak. It doesn’t promise perfection, but it holds space for vulnerability, mistakes, and second chances. For those who believe in love that’s real, flawed, but hopeful this book will hit home.
Happy reading 🌸
They seem perfect for each other, that magnetic “you could be the one” feeling that’s rare and intense. But a single event during a Diwali party shatters their bond, forcing them apart for three long years. Fate brings them back together later, but now Naina carries scars, and Vatsal must prove whether their reunion is truly meant to be or just another coincidence.
The story is written in two different timelines. What works for me is realistic romance and relatability, second chance romance with emotional depth and contemporary and grounded writing style. The story is quite predictable and not so new (at least what I think) but Nona presented the story with desi style.
The story moves quickly, the initial bond forms fast, and the emotional shifts can sometimes feel abrupt. For readers accustomed to slow-burn romances or deeply layered character arcs, some transitions might feel rushed. Because the focus remains heavily on romance and emotional dynamics, some secondary aspects supporting relationships, deeper backstories, or personal growth arcs might feel underexplored.
So in all, Call It Coincidence is a heartfelt, modern-day romance that captures the messy beauty of love after heartbreak. It doesn’t promise perfection, but it holds space for vulnerability, mistakes, and second chances. For those who believe in love that’s real, flawed, but hopeful this book will hit home.
Happy reading 🌸
December 4, 2025
First of all this book doesn’t feel distant to me; every situation in it feels familiar, as if I’ve already seen it happen in real life, either directly or indirectly.
Meet Naina is a 25-year-old woman with big dreams, a cautious heart, and a wish to find a job she doesn’t dread — and a love that feels real and lasting. Then enter Vatsal, a 28-year-old aspiring lawyer interning in Delhi before going to London. Their meeting feels like fate — they go from strangers → friends → best friends → something more, very quickly.
Everything seems perfect… until the night of a big Diwali party. A devastating event shatters their bond; they cut off communication for three long years.
Years later, fate — or coincidence — brings them face to face again. This time around, Naina is guarded, carrying the pain of the past. Vatsal tries to reconnect.
The core of the story becomes: Can love survive old wounds, mistrust, and time? Can they rebuild what was broken?
The novel explores what happens when two people meant for each other meet again after pain and separation, asking whether coincidence can gives relationships another shot.
The writing style is modern and relatable; characters deal with real-world problems (career aspirations, personal insecurities, emotional baggage) rather than fairytale-style drama.
It doesn’t shy away from flawed characters — messy love, misunderstandings, emotional baggage, and insecurities all play a role. This makes the story emotionally layered rather than overly idealistic.
Meet Naina is a 25-year-old woman with big dreams, a cautious heart, and a wish to find a job she doesn’t dread — and a love that feels real and lasting. Then enter Vatsal, a 28-year-old aspiring lawyer interning in Delhi before going to London. Their meeting feels like fate — they go from strangers → friends → best friends → something more, very quickly.
Everything seems perfect… until the night of a big Diwali party. A devastating event shatters their bond; they cut off communication for three long years.
Years later, fate — or coincidence — brings them face to face again. This time around, Naina is guarded, carrying the pain of the past. Vatsal tries to reconnect.
The core of the story becomes: Can love survive old wounds, mistrust, and time? Can they rebuild what was broken?
The novel explores what happens when two people meant for each other meet again after pain and separation, asking whether coincidence can gives relationships another shot.
The writing style is modern and relatable; characters deal with real-world problems (career aspirations, personal insecurities, emotional baggage) rather than fairytale-style drama.
It doesn’t shy away from flawed characters — messy love, misunderstandings, emotional baggage, and insecurities all play a role. This makes the story emotionally layered rather than overly idealistic.
February 4, 2026
Call It Coincidence by Nona Uppal follows Naina and Vatsal, who meet by chance at a restaurant when Naina is on a date with someone else, and what starts as a coincidence slowly turns into a friendship and eventually a romance. I usually really enjoy Indian romance novels, and the premise had a lot of potential with its meet-cutes and light tone.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me. It was a slow burn that took a while to get into, and for such a short book, it somehow took me three days to finish because I just couldn’t get invested in the story or the characters. I found Naina especially annoying, she never really behaved her age, and despite repeatedly saying she didn’t want to act on her feelings for Vatsal, she kept doing the exact opposite, which became frustrating to read. So many parts had me eye-rolling hard.
While I could understand some of her shortcomings due to her strained relationship with her mother, a lot of moments felt unexplained or underdeveloped, leaving me thinking, okay, what just happened? Both characters lacked depth, and beyond brief mentions of Naina’s friends Sarina and the guy she was dating (whose name I honestly can’t even remember because I was so uninvested), there wasn’t much substance. The writing also felt sloppy, with too many loopholes that I just couldn’t overlook. Overall, this one was a miss for me, especially compared to Uppal’s first book, which I enjoyed much more.
A miss for sure.
⭐️⭐️
Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me. It was a slow burn that took a while to get into, and for such a short book, it somehow took me three days to finish because I just couldn’t get invested in the story or the characters. I found Naina especially annoying, she never really behaved her age, and despite repeatedly saying she didn’t want to act on her feelings for Vatsal, she kept doing the exact opposite, which became frustrating to read. So many parts had me eye-rolling hard.
While I could understand some of her shortcomings due to her strained relationship with her mother, a lot of moments felt unexplained or underdeveloped, leaving me thinking, okay, what just happened? Both characters lacked depth, and beyond brief mentions of Naina’s friends Sarina and the guy she was dating (whose name I honestly can’t even remember because I was so uninvested), there wasn’t much substance. The writing also felt sloppy, with too many loopholes that I just couldn’t overlook. Overall, this one was a miss for me, especially compared to Uppal’s first book, which I enjoyed much more.
A miss for sure.
⭐️⭐️
January 13, 2026
I think this book and the writing style are too perfect to be real. It strips the characters of their "characterness." Naina could be replaced with someone named Ayesha - another Gen Z, middle -class Delhi or Bombay girl - and sadly, everything you did to describe her would still fit. The characters are too general and too broad.
There are a lot of clichés; I could find three on every page: "sticking chewing gum in hair," "rich guy on a blind date," "south or north of something to describe a situation," "Uber carpool situation," or "meeting the same guy thrice in one place." Maybe it’s real for you, but it sounds too pretentious to the reader.
I wasn’t able to go beyond two chapters. That’s the problem with books written seeking inspiration from Western authors; you want to be a popular romance writer who is too obsessed with perfect articulation - so much so that the writing is stripped of emotion, rawness, relatability, and realness. The writing is "too perfect" as a piece of literature: perfect grammar, composition, and articulation. Kudos for that. But this isn't a writing assignment or an essay you will be graded on; it’s a novel.
Kudos for the 'em dashes' on every other page :-)
There are a lot of clichés; I could find three on every page: "sticking chewing gum in hair," "rich guy on a blind date," "south or north of something to describe a situation," "Uber carpool situation," or "meeting the same guy thrice in one place." Maybe it’s real for you, but it sounds too pretentious to the reader.
I wasn’t able to go beyond two chapters. That’s the problem with books written seeking inspiration from Western authors; you want to be a popular romance writer who is too obsessed with perfect articulation - so much so that the writing is stripped of emotion, rawness, relatability, and realness. The writing is "too perfect" as a piece of literature: perfect grammar, composition, and articulation. Kudos for that. But this isn't a writing assignment or an essay you will be graded on; it’s a novel.
Kudos for the 'em dashes' on every other page :-)
February 15, 2026
I had been saving this book since it came out to read it at a time when I could give it my undivided attention, and today, I did. I knew that like the last one, once I started, I couldn't put it down, and it did not disappoint despite all the expectations. Reading this was once again a reminder of why we read romance in the first place, despite the given framework of an almost unquestioned happily over after ending. For this one, it was one for me, the hints of the life I left behind in Delhi, the way things are different in a place that just feels like home, the constant internal debates of whether it's all worst it, the yearning for the people who just know you, the real you, without ever having tried, the realisation of not knowing your favourite person's favourite colour much like me realising I've never seen the house of the girl who's been a constant in my life since before I knew life would have such disruptions.
Nona Uppal's stories feed a part of my heart that often even I disregard, and I will forever be grateful for it. I am a big believer in the idea of no art being inherently good or bad because all art is simply what you make of it. And this will always be the best kind for me.
Nona Uppal's stories feed a part of my heart that often even I disregard, and I will forever be grateful for it. I am a big believer in the idea of no art being inherently good or bad because all art is simply what you make of it. And this will always be the best kind for me.
February 15, 2026
I started loving this book, in the middle I was sure it was going to be one of my fav romance books, and in the end I was highly disappointed
They didn't show vatsal's arc of leaving, how he felt in london, her reaction to his letter which is the most emotional vulnerable letter ever like excuse me?? There should be a whole chapter over it. They js ended it with a normal date and she js like accepted ki haan bhai theek hai you came you're open to marriage great let's date again
No bro that's not how it was supposed to be, it was supposed to show his yearn. He should have done something great, ik my mind is spoiled with cliche romantic ending but this book literally is call it coincidence. Like he could've atleast played some cool kishore kumar song and told about his love. He wasn't supposed to just say 4-5 lines on it. Nahh. And her reaction wasn't even shocked. Like what bro. All that development and tension for nothing. This was just a couple that breaks up 3-4 times only to get back together in the end kyuki aur koi Mila nahi. Naaahaiaaaiu nona I love you why do you do this to me. Fool me twice mei rula diya yaha disappoint krdiya. Ek crazy happy ending likho naaa plsss
They didn't show vatsal's arc of leaving, how he felt in london, her reaction to his letter which is the most emotional vulnerable letter ever like excuse me?? There should be a whole chapter over it. They js ended it with a normal date and she js like accepted ki haan bhai theek hai you came you're open to marriage great let's date again
No bro that's not how it was supposed to be, it was supposed to show his yearn. He should have done something great, ik my mind is spoiled with cliche romantic ending but this book literally is call it coincidence. Like he could've atleast played some cool kishore kumar song and told about his love. He wasn't supposed to just say 4-5 lines on it. Nahh. And her reaction wasn't even shocked. Like what bro. All that development and tension for nothing. This was just a couple that breaks up 3-4 times only to get back together in the end kyuki aur koi Mila nahi. Naaahaiaaaiu nona I love you why do you do this to me. Fool me twice mei rula diya yaha disappoint krdiya. Ek crazy happy ending likho naaa plsss
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2026
AN ABSOLUTE PLANNED COINCIDENCE by NONA UPPAL.
Okay, where should I start first as it makes me feel like an entropy increased within myself.
This, the second novel of NONA, came under tremendous expectations(especially for me).
But somehow, I felt jaded for a bit as it didn’t cross up to the mark of FOOL ME TWICE.
We know that NONA is famous for her nuances in her writing.
Let me explain a scene from FOOL ME TWICE, where you can really feel that nuance is really nuancing.
After Sana found out that Ashish, her love, was expired, Sana was like 'should I have to cry now?! Can I claim his insurance policy?' This kind of character's eccentric dialogues make a reader more captivated and intrigued with the novel.
She's really good at delivering the emotions of the character.
And also the wittiness of the character despite the character experiencing chaotic grief.
The arbitrary dialogues of the character in the peak emotional moments feel like an electric jolt to the reader, as she absolutely cracked that.
In this novel, the nuances worked well and basically it's a character-driven novel, moreover a story-driven. Yep, that's it! That’s the review.
Okay, where should I start first as it makes me feel like an entropy increased within myself.
This, the second novel of NONA, came under tremendous expectations(especially for me).
But somehow, I felt jaded for a bit as it didn’t cross up to the mark of FOOL ME TWICE.
We know that NONA is famous for her nuances in her writing.
Let me explain a scene from FOOL ME TWICE, where you can really feel that nuance is really nuancing.
After Sana found out that Ashish, her love, was expired, Sana was like 'should I have to cry now?! Can I claim his insurance policy?' This kind of character's eccentric dialogues make a reader more captivated and intrigued with the novel.
She's really good at delivering the emotions of the character.
And also the wittiness of the character despite the character experiencing chaotic grief.
The arbitrary dialogues of the character in the peak emotional moments feel like an electric jolt to the reader, as she absolutely cracked that.
In this novel, the nuances worked well and basically it's a character-driven novel, moreover a story-driven. Yep, that's it! That’s the review.
April 2, 2026
so cutesy this was 💘
I've been anticipating reading nona's books for a while now and safe to say I'm not at all disappointed. Her endearing personality I see on the internet is so well reflected in her book and this whole thing just feels so so so authentic to her 🌟
I knew I was going to love this book the moment one of it's initial scenes began with 'pyaar deewana hota hai' oh good lord 🫠
vatsal saying 'get over your colonial hangover' had me cackling because truly hindi mei pyaar karne ka mazza hi kuch aur hai.....
The ending especially brought waterworks to my eyes because why is this literally so fucking resonant to my relationship 🥹
"Sometimes this is how love happens; unbeknownst to you, a shooting star traces the night sky just as you’re making a wish. And then it appears—everything you never even knew you needed, bundled up alongside all that you’ve ever wanted. Love, by chance, by fate, by accident. A coincidence.
God, it was humming in the background the very first night, wasn’t it?
Aa hi jaata hai jispe dil aana hota hai, Harr khushi se harr gham se begaana hota hai."
I've been anticipating reading nona's books for a while now and safe to say I'm not at all disappointed. Her endearing personality I see on the internet is so well reflected in her book and this whole thing just feels so so so authentic to her 🌟
I knew I was going to love this book the moment one of it's initial scenes began with 'pyaar deewana hota hai' oh good lord 🫠
vatsal saying 'get over your colonial hangover' had me cackling because truly hindi mei pyaar karne ka mazza hi kuch aur hai.....
The ending especially brought waterworks to my eyes because why is this literally so fucking resonant to my relationship 🥹
"Sometimes this is how love happens; unbeknownst to you, a shooting star traces the night sky just as you’re making a wish. And then it appears—everything you never even knew you needed, bundled up alongside all that you’ve ever wanted. Love, by chance, by fate, by accident. A coincidence.
God, it was humming in the background the very first night, wasn’t it?
Aa hi jaata hai jispe dil aana hota hai, Harr khushi se harr gham se begaana hota hai."
November 4, 2025
I went into Call It Coincidence with high expectations. I’ve loved Nona’s work as an influencer and thoroughly enjoyed her debut, Fool Me Twice. But this one didn’t land the same way. It’s not a bad book, it just feels undercooked. If you can power through the first chapter (which, honestly, feels like a draft), the writing improves significantly in terms of language and dialogue.
What it really lacks, though, is depth. Both Naina and Vatsal and their relationship felt surface-level, missing the emotional build-up their story deserved. The climax especially left me disappointed; it felt rushed, almost like something that belonged on an Instagram caption rather than the end of a novel.
Still, I wouldn’t dismiss it. It’s a quick, easy read perfect if you’re in a slump and I’ll definitely pick up Nona’s next book. The potential is there; it just needs a little more marination next time.
What it really lacks, though, is depth. Both Naina and Vatsal and their relationship felt surface-level, missing the emotional build-up their story deserved. The climax especially left me disappointed; it felt rushed, almost like something that belonged on an Instagram caption rather than the end of a novel.
Still, I wouldn’t dismiss it. It’s a quick, easy read perfect if you’re in a slump and I’ll definitely pick up Nona’s next book. The potential is there; it just needs a little more marination next time.
January 21, 2026
I liked it! Some parts were a bit unrealistic (the whole Vatsal and Naina sharing a room thing felt odd) and I think it could be edited better but Nona's writing is always fun. To be honest part of the problem was that Vatsal didn't seem a likeable character to me? So it was becoming hard for me to root for them and I think I only rooted for them because of how much Naina wants him and not cause I thought they belong together and have great compatibility. The male characters from Fool me twice were a lot more likeable to be. However, I do think that Nona can write about feelings really well and some passages about adulthood and being ghosted really struck a chord. I personally found the writing of this book to be better than fool me twice (but it seems like that is an unpopular opinion). If you have been through a situationship and ghosted before- give it a try, it might help you feel better :)
February 23, 2026
I'm not sure if I actually liked this book or not, as I had higher expectations for it.
The first thing I didn't like about this book is the timeline, which is how the chapters are written once there is a chapter from three years ago then the other is now maybe that is how you get the story or understand it bit by bit but it kept me losing my excitement like oh now it's good scene but suddenly the next chapter has a sad scene.
Also how the Vastal was i understand that it's because of his trauma but leaving everytime something happens between them and then not talking for days, weeks even months like bro I get it but even when she tried to initiate he didn't and suddenly after a month and he comes and says Hii like nothing happened between them and tells her please talk to me like wthhh do you want man, you literally ghosted her out.
Then when they met out of nowhere he kissed her without even saying anything or talking about how the last three years were.
Even at last she had that fear he would leave her as he did before not once but maybe twice or thrice.
Tbh the ending was an open ending which I liked. I would say it was a soft lovely ending.
I liked the mention of Bollywood and especially old Bollywood and songs.
I would also suggest to the author to give a more detailed description of the character of how they look because at the starting Naina literally described a random man she went on a date with, rather than the man she actually ended up with.
The thing I like most bout this book is the bonding of everyone, mostly Sarina's bond with Naina and also her bond with Nipun Sarina's husband, and also her bonding with her colleagues which is not shown much but still and also how at the end Naina fixed her bond with her mother and how she finally understands it thing I like most about this book.
I'm giving 4 star but I actually wanted to give 3.5 but ik what it takes to write a books and this is literally her second so I hope for improvement and better than this in future from her.
Overall it was a normal read, it didn't keep me too hooked like what's gonna happen next as other books did. She should have more scenes of them.
I feel somewhat a little relatable to her character like being lonely, overthinking and etc but the author actually expressed the feelings well and that is appreciable.
Would I recommended? Probably yess😄
Did I like it? Yess I did but not much
Apart from that i literally read this during my boards they're near🥲🥲 but still adat se majboor
The first thing I didn't like about this book is the timeline, which is how the chapters are written once there is a chapter from three years ago then the other is now maybe that is how you get the story or understand it bit by bit but it kept me losing my excitement like oh now it's good scene but suddenly the next chapter has a sad scene.
Also how the Vastal was i understand that it's because of his trauma but leaving everytime something happens between them and then not talking for days, weeks even months like bro I get it but even when she tried to initiate he didn't and suddenly after a month and he comes and says Hii like nothing happened between them and tells her please talk to me like wthhh do you want man, you literally ghosted her out.
Then when they met out of nowhere he kissed her without even saying anything or talking about how the last three years were.
Even at last she had that fear he would leave her as he did before not once but maybe twice or thrice.
Tbh the ending was an open ending which I liked. I would say it was a soft lovely ending.
I liked the mention of Bollywood and especially old Bollywood and songs.
I would also suggest to the author to give a more detailed description of the character of how they look because at the starting Naina literally described a random man she went on a date with, rather than the man she actually ended up with.
The thing I like most bout this book is the bonding of everyone, mostly Sarina's bond with Naina and also her bond with Nipun Sarina's husband, and also her bonding with her colleagues which is not shown much but still and also how at the end Naina fixed her bond with her mother and how she finally understands it thing I like most about this book.
I'm giving 4 star but I actually wanted to give 3.5 but ik what it takes to write a books and this is literally her second so I hope for improvement and better than this in future from her.
Overall it was a normal read, it didn't keep me too hooked like what's gonna happen next as other books did. She should have more scenes of them.
I feel somewhat a little relatable to her character like being lonely, overthinking and etc but the author actually expressed the feelings well and that is appreciable.
Would I recommended? Probably yess😄
Did I like it? Yess I did but not much
Apart from that i literally read this during my boards they're near🥲🥲 but still adat se majboor
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2025
liked it so much :) especially the timelines and the story integration with three years ago and now, like we get a character in the now chapters and boom in the next chapter we know how did our main character met her/him (very very vague - but I hope you get it) which interested me so much!! I can see the efforts that went into writing :) And the mundane life that was at the end was nice :)
Only one ick - sometimes, very rarely, I think 2-3 times, the main protagonist addresses her love interest as third person, that’s when I felt meh! other than that, it’s a very nice read - couldn’t stop it after 120 pages, I needed to know what happens and boom done it in one day after reading it while walking like a maniac hehehehehe
Only one ick - sometimes, very rarely, I think 2-3 times, the main protagonist addresses her love interest as third person, that’s when I felt meh! other than that, it’s a very nice read - couldn’t stop it after 120 pages, I needed to know what happens and boom done it in one day after reading it while walking like a maniac hehehehehe
February 1, 2026
I have read ‘Fool me Twice’ which I absolutely loved and finished in a day. Reading this was very exciting, I couldn’t wait to read Nona’s second novel.
I knew I was reading Romance but what I didn’t know was that it will be too predictable.
Somewhat I had figured already why Naina and Vatsal would have parted ways and I knew it always that they will be together in the end.
The story was sort of ordinary and didn’t live up to my expectations.
What was really good though was how this book takes you through the journey of Naina & Vatsal’s past and the present. How easy it was to understand what the author meant, the uncanny references of Delhi & bollywood, and the light humour in between was something that made it worth the read.
I knew I was reading Romance but what I didn’t know was that it will be too predictable.
Somewhat I had figured already why Naina and Vatsal would have parted ways and I knew it always that they will be together in the end.
The story was sort of ordinary and didn’t live up to my expectations.
What was really good though was how this book takes you through the journey of Naina & Vatsal’s past and the present. How easy it was to understand what the author meant, the uncanny references of Delhi & bollywood, and the light humour in between was something that made it worth the read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2026
Ever wondered what would happen if you mix OK JAANU, DEAR ZINDAGI, YJHD AND JAB WE MET ??? 💗
A perfect blend of all my favourite movies was @nonauppal ‘s CALL IT COINCIDENCE ❤️
Got it a week before and oh my loving god !! Read it just like *🫰🏻🫰🏻* that (quite literally)
This was a very warm, cozy romantic story about two people.
1. NAINA, who’s love deprived (not from her bestie) wants commitment and is fearless in loving.
2. VATSAL, who’s had some past experiences in love (not quite of his own but traumatic), is scared of committing and is fearful with love too but not in loving. -Dashing as always but this love story stops before it even begins 💔
- read this if you want a cozy home for your characters to feel safe and secure. 💗🧸
A perfect blend of all my favourite movies was @nonauppal ‘s CALL IT COINCIDENCE ❤️
Got it a week before and oh my loving god !! Read it just like *🫰🏻🫰🏻* that (quite literally)
This was a very warm, cozy romantic story about two people.
1. NAINA, who’s love deprived (not from her bestie) wants commitment and is fearless in loving.
2. VATSAL, who’s had some past experiences in love (not quite of his own but traumatic), is scared of committing and is fearful with love too but not in loving. -Dashing as always but this love story stops before it even begins 💔
- read this if you want a cozy home for your characters to feel safe and secure. 💗🧸
December 9, 2025
Some love stories stay with us because they make us feel good, ask the right questions, and reflect on the chaotic beauty of being a millennial. We’re dating, trying, failing, searching for meaning, and figuring life out as we go. And that’s what Nona captures so beautifully, that life doesn’t always go our way, yet somehow, it still unfolds in the most unexpected ways. Call It Coincidence has the charm of a Bollywood romance – girl meets boy, they drift apart, meet again, fall out again, and love quietly blooms in the middle of life happening in its imperfect rhythm.
https://vidhyathakkar.com/book-review...
https://vidhyathakkar.com/book-review...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews