The Time Traveller Who Could Not Get Laid by Abhishek Tripathi

What if you could travel back in time to prove that the past was actually better?

Navi is twenty, a virgin, insecure, and convinced that the world has somehow cheated him out of the life he deserves. He has built his idea of masculinity from internet opinions, borrowed confidence, and the belief that men in the “good old days” somehow had it all figured out.

Then comes Mira; with an ancient amulet and the ability to send Navi through time.

And honestly, that is where things get interesting.

Navi travels through four very different historical worlds: medieval India, 1983 New York, 1970s Goa, and 1960s Kenya, expecting to find the simpler, more “masculine” world he has been told about.

Instead, he finds reality.

He meets women whose lives challenge everything he thought he knew about the past. He encounters inequality, restrictions, violence, loneliness, and complicated human relationships. Slowly, the romanticised version of history begins to fall apart.

But what I enjoyed most about The Time Traveller Who Could Not Get Laid is that beneath the humour and absurdity, this is really a story about growing up.

It questions the kind of masculinity young men can absorb from the internet without ever stopping to ask whether it actually makes them happier, kinder, or more confident. Navi's journey isn't simply about finding love or losing his virginity. It is about unlearning the stories he has been telling himself about women, relationships, masculinity, and ultimately, himself.

The time-travel element gives the story a fun and unusual framework, while Navi's personal journey gives it emotional depth. There are moments that are ridiculous, moments that are uncomfortable, and moments that genuinely make you pause and rethink the assumptions we carry about the past.

And perhaps that is the biggest takeaway from the book:

Sometimes, the world hasn't failed us. Sometimes, we are simply holding on to the wrong idea of what we deserve.

Funny, thought-provoking, and surprisingly introspective, The Time Traveller Who Could Not Get Laid is much more than what its cheeky title suggests.

It is a coming-of-age story about a young man travelling through history—only to realise that the person he really needed to confront was himself.

📖 Would I recommend it?

Yes, especially if you enjoy stories that use humour to explore uncomfortable questions about identity, relationships, masculinity, and growing up.

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Complex Plane
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ 6 June 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 282 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1067691006
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1067691004

📖 No One But You ✍️ Vrinda Garg

Some stories are about finding love. Some are about finding yourself. No One But You is about both. ❤️📖

Khwaab has everything that, from the outside, should make her happy; wealth, comfort, relationships, and a life many would dream of. Yet, somehow, she feels like a stranger in her own story.
And that feeling makes her question everything.
At the heart of No One But You by Vrinda Garg is Khwaab's journey of figuring out who she really is beneath all the expectations placed upon her.

Then there is Reyaan, the friend who sees through her chaos and understands the person she could become. And Kabir, someone with whom she doesn't have to change or explain herself. Caught between being challenged to grow and being accepted as she is, Khwaab finds herself making choices that slowly change everything around her.

What I particularly liked about this story is how it explores a very relatable question:
Are we choosing the life we want, or simply the life everyone expects us to live?

The book beautifully touches upon love, belonging, complicated relationships, societal expectations, healing, and most importantly, self-acceptance.
It's not just about choosing between two people. It's about choosing between two versions of yourself: the one that feels comfortable and the one that asks you to grow.

The writing feels tender and emotionally driven, making Khwaab's confusion and struggles easy to connect with. Her journey isn't about suddenly finding all the answers. It's about slowly understanding that sometimes, before we can truly belong somewhere or with someone, we need to learn how to belong to ourselves.
And perhaps that's what makes the title No One But You so meaningful.

Because sometimes the person standing between you and the life you want... is no one but you.
If you enjoy contemporary fiction with romance, emotional conflicts, complicated relationships, and a strong journey of self-discovery, this one might be worth adding to your TBR. ✨

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📖 No One But You
✍️ Vrinda Garg 

Vrinda Garg began writing while trying to understand herself. Like many teenagers, she struggled with identity, emotions, and the feeling of wanting to belong, experiences that continue to shape her stories today. A hopeless romantic and a constant dreamer, she writes about love, healing, and human connection, themes deeply reflected in her second novel, No One But You. During creative blocks, you’ll probably find her in a quiet café, flowers on the table beside her, waiting for inspiration to return.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Om Books International
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ 26 June 2026
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 284 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9363950271
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9363950276