Can We Be Strangers Again? by Shrijeet Shandilya

Can We Be Strangers Again? by Shrijeet Shandilya

Can We Be Strangers Again? is a contemporary new adult romance novel written by Indian author Shrijeet Shandilya. Initially released in late 2024, the book steadily grew into an internet sensation over 2025, gaining heavy traction across online book communities like Instagram and Reddit for its raw, slice-of-life exploration of first love, heartbreak, and emotional betrayal.

Written in a highly accessible, quick-paced diary/memoir style, it reads like a deeply personal look into the chaotic romantic entanglements of youth.

The story unfolds entirely through the first-person perspective of Dev, a young man looking back at his transformative, turbulent college years. The backdrop begins in 2020 during the social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, where the shift from physical high schools to virtual college classrooms forces a group of fresh students to connect via webcams and frantic WhatsApp groups.

As physical classes eventually resume, Dev finds his emotional universe completely anchored by two young women:

• Avantika: His girlfriend. Their relationship is heavy, highly intense, and emotionally complicated. She loves Dev but is plagued by her own deep-seated reservations and a painful reluctance to open up about their relationship to the outside world.

• Tanishka: Dev’s absolute best friend. She is his emotional anchor, the person who is always available to talk, share a late-night cigarette, and listen when things with Avantika break down.

The core of the novel handles a slow, agonizing emotional blur. Bound by unspoken promises and intense proximity, Dev finds himself walking a tightrope between his loyalty to his girlfriend and his growing, forbidden dependency on his best friend. When the boundaries of friendship are definitively crossed, a devastating betrayal fractures their tight-knit social circle. The aftermath leaves all three characters dealing with broken trust, forced maturity, and the irreversible choices made in the heat of youth.

Language: English.

Genre: Romance.

Binding: সেলাই করা বাইন্ডিং

Quality: Premium Quality Books.

Printing: High Quality Printing.

Paper: Eye Friendly paper (Cream White)

Cover: Matt cover (Paperback).