Welp, I read that in one day! Another super cute and emotional book from Sandhya Menon! If you like YA romance then I recommend this book for sure!

SANDHYA MENON MIXES TWO POPULAR ROMANCE TROPES TOGETHER TO TELL ONE OF HER BEST STORIES YET!

What will happen when two enemies decide to fake date? A lot of banter, laughs, and a few “practice” kisses.

It’s summer break for Pinky and she’s spending it with her family at their lake house. On the surface Pinky seems to only be a wild child. Her parents think that her impulsiveness is leading her down the wrong path and it worries them. When an accident happens at the lake house, Pinky’s parents immediately look to her to blame. That is the final straw that makes Pinky blurt out how she has this perfect boyfriend even they would approve of.

Enter Samir. Samir is the polar opposite of Pinky in more ways than one. With the responsibility of taking care of his sick mother as a young child, Samir’s personality is more controlled than Pinky’s. Some would even say he’s a bit boring. He knows exactly what he wants for his life and his summer internship at a law firm will bring him closer to that goal. When those plans quickly fall through, Samir finds himself mixed up with Pinky and her scheme of getting back at her parents.

Readers were first introduced to Pinky and Samir in 'There’s Something About Sweetie'. I was excited to learn that we would be getting an entire book of these two after reading their interactions in the previous book. They are both such fun characters!

Pinky and Samir are my favorites from this series. Sandhya Menon’s books are always refreshing to read because of the characters she creates. They are always relatable but have their own unique traits that set them apart from other young adult characters. Menon tells cute romantic stories while teaching readers a bit about themselves along the way. '10 Things I Hate About Pinky' is no different from her other stories which made it easy to enjoy reading.

This is a character-driven story, which I didn’t mind. There are a lot of cute moments shared between Pinky and Samir as they begin fake dating to trick Pinky’s parents. The heart of the story is definitely the relationship Pinky has with her mother, though. Pinky wishes for her mother to see her for who she is and not who she paints her to be. When a butterfly habitat the two of them used to spend time together at faces being shut down, Pinky has hopes that her mother will help her save it.

I wish it didn’t take the story so long to get to this part because, in the end, it felt very rushed. The plot felt lacking at times with certain areas of both Pinky’s and Samir’s lives not being fully explained. There was a lot of heart within this story but there could have been more if we saw more backstory for both of their characters and their relationships between their families.

Overall, I enjoyed '10 Things I Hate About Pinky'. I loved the mixing between two of my favorite romantic tropes and the sweet moments between Pinky and Samir! Even with the rushed plot towards the end, I still had fun reading this book.

If you’re looking for a cute romance to read, or if you are a fan of Sandhya Menon’s previous books, then you’ll love this story!

Thank you Netgalley and Simon Pulse for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who is new to Sandhya Menon's writing and has also read very few YA Romances, I went into this book with a lot of curiosity and excitement. I was looking forward to seeing Indian teenagers grapple with all that a desi teenager goes through, and as someone who's been in their shoes, I am so in love with the way Pinky and Samir were written!

This may be a romance, but Menon doesn't let that stop her from writing beautifully about each of their struggles. Pinky has a tough relationship with her mother, who is the antithesis of everything Pinky adores about the world. They fight and argue, and Pinky is insecure about her place in her family. An idea that is explored with so much care that you're bound to tear up. I did and loved every second of the growth that both Pinky and her mom had together.

Apart from that, Samir makes sure to hold up his end of making this book a hit with his witty banter. But his contribution to making this book a five star read for me doesn't end there. He is fighting his own need to live a repetitive and structured life, a remnant of normalcy for a boy who is still traumatized by almost losing his mother.

Together, Samir helps Pinky see that everything she feels her mother hates about her is what makes Pinky the wonderful human being she is. And Pinky is there guiding Samir into chaos and making sure he learns to live life once again.

It's an unlikely duo but one that shines. If the fake-dating, loveable dorks who grow together, and the cover don't make you want to read this book, then I've missed out on conveying how much I loved seeing brown teenagers be carefree and fun.

A really fun, cute take on a bunch of tropes (fake dating, opposites attract) within Menon's existing universe - plus a rescued opossum! I liked how all the characters, not just the MCs, had individual personalities and relationships, and the main romance did build nicely and in a way that made sense. I did feel like the pacing dragged at points, the idea of the "10 things" list felt a little contrived in setup and solution (also, current teens watch Friends! Surely this generation can learn from Ross's already ridiculous mistake), and the plotline with Pinky's mother was a little easily resolved. In general, I felt like Pinky was more of a focus than Samir? The focus of the plot was mostly about his need to change, but less about his existing relationships with family/friends, especially considering that many of Pinky's "people" are right there. Also, the Cash/Dolly plotline didn't feel like it made a ton of sense, as he was such an obnoxious cutout of a character with really no redeeming characteristics, so it came off as a little silly and unrealistic; even more so, if the relationship is more acceptable within the universe, it felt odd that she needed to be rushed off to therapy based on it, rather than having someone say, "sometimes we make stupid decisions, she's smart and reliable in general, she's allowed to make one mistake and she pulled herself out of it, she'll be fine."

Definitely for those who enjoyed Menon's earlier books, but also for more general rom-com or YA contemporary fans, or anyone looking for a very summery beach read.

We all know how fake dating ends (in fiction, at least) but it never fails to entertain me! Pinky Kumar is all about the activist life and finding new causes to champion, much to chagrin of conservative lawyer parents. Samir Jha is about as straight-laced as they come, an uber-planner, and just the quintessential nice guy (can you tell I liked him?). These two sound like a recipe for disaster but of course that's not the case. When Pinky is away with her family at their Cape Cod lake house, she gets fed up with her parents' criticisms and convinces Samir to come and pose as her boyfriend for the summer. Even though they run in the same circle of friends, they've never really been friends themselves. Until now. They bicker constantly and clearly push each other's buttons but at the same time, they get to know one another and before you know it, sparks fly. (I also love hate-to-love romances.) But it was yet another one of those situations where the relationship was sweet and I was rooting for their happily-ever-after but I didn't connect to the protagonists on an individual level. It also felt like they started falling for each other really fast. Like one day it was all "ugh this person drives me crazy" to "omg I feel attracted" overnight.

Do I recommend? Yes! I would've expected Sandhya Menon to expand the world beyond Dimple and Rishi but I'm so glad she did. Each couple has been a lot of fun to get to know.

10 Things I Hate about Pinky is the third book in the young adult own voices series titled, Dimple and Rishi, by author Sandhya Menon. The Dimple and Rishi series is a young adult contemporary romance series, where each book is a standalone. As such, you do not need to read the books in order because each story will focus on a different set of characters and their story. However; they are all set in the same world, and so far, there is some character overlap. For example, There’s Something About Sweetie is about Sweetie and Rishi’s brother, Ashish, and 10 Things I Hate About Pinky centers around Ashish’s friends Pinky and Samir.

At this point, I have read several of Sandhya Menon’s books, and I have a pretty good idea of her writing and characters, and I know that I am likely going to love them. This was exactly the case here. I loved each of the characters so much, and their romance is one full of heart and smiles. 10 Things I Hate about Pinky is told in dual narrative between Samir and Pinky, which is the perfect narration for this story. It helped me get to know both of the characters very quickly, and let me root for them almost immediately. Pinky is a self dubbed social justice warrior, and some of her causes made me chuckle and completely endeared her in my eyes. She is pretty much the complete opposite from straight laced Samir, who is very serious and has his traditional future all mapped out. Samir and Pinky put up with each other for the sake of their mutual friend Ashish, but no one would say they are each other’s biggest fans. But when Pinky’s parents refuse to see her as anything but a juvenile delinquent, she makes up a boyfriend she knows they would approve of. Samir has a prestigious internship set up at a law firm for his last summer before Harvard. But when that falls through, Pinky convinces him to he his fake boyfriend to impress her lawyer parents. And then the fun begins. I love a fake relationship story and when you couple that with the pure magic that is Sandhya Menon’s characters and writing, you have a wonderful feel good romance. I loved the push and pull dynamic between Pinky and Samir. Watching their fake relationship progress into something real was fantastic.

All of Menon’s books center on some theme of love, self-discovery and acceptance, which I completely adore. Whether you are a new fan to this series, or if you are fan girl to When Dimple Met Rishi, you will love 10 Things I Hate about Pinky. It will make your heart happy and it will bring a smile to your face. Maybe even a perma-smile. I dare you to read this book and not smile. Go ahead…I really dare you. I don’t think it is possible. This is a fantastic companion novel, and I really hope that there are more books set in this world. I don’t want to say goodbye to these characters yet. I am a huge fan of Sandhya Menon’s writing. I can’t wait to read many many more novels by her.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of 10 Things I Hate About Pinky in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 rounded up!

It's absolutely no secret. I am trash for the Dimple and Rishi universe. When I'm searching for some cute fluff -- I know exactly who to turn to: Sandhya Menon.

Maybe it's been a while since I've read the other entries in this universe, but 10 Things I Hate About Pinky felt a lot angstier than the previous books. There's nothing wrong with that whatsoever, but I guess.. I might as well get the negative out of the way so I can gush about the rest. To begin with, Pinky has a lot of internal conflicts; of course, what teenager doesn't? She has some issues with her mother -- which gets real deep as the book continues and seems to get upset at the flick of a switch. This is her defense mechanism & that's all totally understanding & it's not even Pinky that I 100% have the issue with...

it's when the fake-dating turns real that I cringe. Things are real cute between Pinky and Samir... for about two seconds, until Pinky says something and the relationship burns up in a matter of seconds. This is probably just a me thing. The conflict felt like it happened so fast and out of nowhere.

But even with that minor issue, I still thoroughly enjoyed 10 Things I Hate About Pinky. I absolutely love fake dating tropes. Pinky is such a fun character; even when she's being a pain, you can't help but cheer her on during her social justice pursuits. I loved the story of friendship between Pinky, Dolly and Samir and the conclusion was extremely satisfying. Also, there's a possum named Drama Queen who fake-dies every few minutes and that's absolutely adorable to me.

If you've been a fan of previous books in the Dimple and Rishi universe then I recommend continuing with 10 Things I Hate About Pinky. If you haven't read any, PLEASE CORRECT THAT! There's so much cute involved.

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT PINKY is a cute YA romance that features a fake-turned-real relationship and opposites-attract couple. Pinky is spending the summer with her family at their vacation home, when the barn burns down. Pinky's mother immediately accuses her of doing so- likely with an irresponsible paramour, and to defend herself, Pinky says she has a totally responsible boyfriend. However, she does not actually have one.

Then, Pinky hears about Samir and how his summer internship with a DC law firm fell through. Samir has everything in his life planned and is exactly the kind of guy her lawyer parents would love. She asks him to come spend the summer with her as her fake boyfriend and says she can help him get an internship with her mother, the Shark, during the school year. It seems like a win-win situation.

Even after the truth about the barn comes out that it was definitely not Pinky, Pinky is still eager for her parents' approval, something that Samir brings her. As she and Samir spend time together, they find that they are opposites in pretty much everything- and that can definitely attract. Together, they launch into Pinky's summer project- protesting the razing of the Butterfly Habitat she loves in favor of a condo complex.

What I loved: I really enjoy that the girl here has the "bad boy" vibe, even though Pinky's rebellions are activist projects and adopting an opossum. The romance heats up the pages, and its easy to cheer for Pinky and Samir, even as they seem to be fighting about everything early on. Their respect for the other's opinions- even when they don't agree- and their insight into each other's personalities really makes this a great romance read.

I also really loved the view on activism, the legwork of it, and its importance to a community and making voices heard. Pinky is a passionate character, and I loved seeing that passion and determination build towards something great (even if her parents were not on-board). I also appreciated the growth of Pinky, Samir, and Pinky's relationship with her mother throughout the book. The characters here are really great.

What left me wanting more: I would have liked some more focus on Samir and his relationship with his mother (especially what happened when she found out he was lying)- we don't really get closure on that, except a couple comments at the end.

Final verdict: Great for romantic comedy fans, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT PINKY is a cute summery read with a couple that is easy to cheer for! With extra themes of activism and dealing with parental expectations, this is a great YA contemporary read.

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

This ARC was provided for review, but in no way affects the following impartial and unbiased review:
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I have to say it's been a while since I read a book in one day. Usually I'm so busy with work and life in general that I just read in the gaps. But this book had me rerouting my productivity completely into finding out how Pinky and Samir end up. I'm so glad I picked it up and I want to thank Sandhya for making my day 100% better.
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5*
Pros: Stars a full PoC cast, including the leads. Enchanting settings, full of the magic of summer. Incredible description, immersive in all five senses. Natural, funny, and heartfelt dialogues. Belly-full-of-butterflies, tears-and-goofy-smiles type of romance. Wholesome and heartwarming. Very important take on estranged mother-daughter relationships. Talks about on how to heal, to move forward, to find peace and understanding. Loved the PoV on young activism and on young voices changing the world. Showcases a complicated and definitely conflicting romantic relationship. And, best of all, a swoon-worthy example of the fake dating trope!
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Cons: Definitely some cheesy lines and somewhat quick forgiveness of hurtful actions. Full of wealthy privileged, which proves unrelatable to a lot of readers.

Top Five Reasons to Read and Love 10 Things I Hate About Pinky

1. Lovable characters that are far from perfect and so darn relatable.
2. Swoon worthy romances that are always deliciously slow building.
3. Diverse group of characters that will steal your heart.
4. Great escape read that will leave you with a smile on your face and a warmth in your heart.
5. Outstanding writing that is every bit as memorizing as it is fun and entertaining.

Thank you for NetGalley for proviing me an e-arc of this book!
I have read the previous books in a series through an audiobook, and I LOVED it. I imagine these series to be a tv show or a saga kind of made-for-tv movies. I enjoyed Sandhya Menon's writing style and voice, and how she gives life to everyone in the story.
As an educator, I can visualize how useful these books relate to the real world, especially the parallels of the climate today and in this novel.
I hope to include these books in my classroom library, as these were the kinds of book I would have enjoyed in my childhood.
Importantly, I would totally recommend this book, as well as ask people to read the previous books in the series.

This was a cute, fun book. While the fake dating story line was nothing new, this book stood out in the complexity of the characters and their relationships. Pinky is bold, sassy, stubborn and passionate. While that makes for tricky relationships, especially with her mother, Pinky is a role model in how she never backs down from being herself. You can’t help but root for her throughout the story.

Hearts will be touched thanks to a cute couple, who can't seem to agree on anything...and yet, they agree on so much.

Pinky is trouble pure. Or at least, that's what her mother thinks. But then, her parents are both powerful lawyers and have their expectations set way too high. When Pinky is again accused of doing something awful, which she's totally clueless about, she decides to take action. Unfortunately, her mouth acts faster than her brain, and she ends up claiming someone, who can't stand her, is actually her boyfriend. Luckily, fate is on her side, and she's able to convince him to jump in on her scheme. But oil and water get along better than these too, and things take turns neither could have ever seen coming.

Note: This is the third book in a series. I did not, however, read the first two and had absolutely no trouble diving into this book. In other words, it can easily be read as a stand alone.

Anyone who loves romances, where opposites attract, and enjoy tons of humor along the way are going to enjoy this one. Pinky is a handful with her colorful hair, piercings and lots of attitude, especially since her parents are polar opposites and aren't sure what to do with her. I mean, who has a boyfriend named Pistachio? Her rebellion is a bit over the top, but that makes Pinky so much more likable, especially since it's clear she isn't as naught as her parents might think...oh, but that doesn't mean she's flows with the usual stream, either. Simply said, she's a handful and a lot of fun.

The romance is very predictable, but that's always the case when it's clear that the pair will end up together. It's the humorous path which makes this one fun, and it's filled with heart. Her fake boyfriend is everything her parents love, and he packs clever wit. The come-backs are snort worthy and make both easy to like.

As far as pacing goes, this is one of those books which digs deep into the characters and lets them take over. We get to know Pinky and the BF very well and slide right into both worlds. Each has their own issues—giving the plot all the depth needed to make it stick—and both come across very natural. But it's this depth which also makes the plot run a little slower at times than I prefer. But it's a lovely read, through and through, and I can't imagine rom/com fans won't love every single page of this tale.

10 Things I Hate About Pinky is a perfect summer read!! Not only is it set during the summer on a charming island, it's an adorable rom com that successfully blends hate-to-love with a fauxmance.

Pinky is constantly at odds with her straight-laced lawyer mom. She's used to her mom's constant disapproval and so can't believe she's a) spending the summer with her parents and b) asking boring Samir (the exact kind guy her mom would pick out for her) to be her fake boyfriend.

Samir has a secret crush on exuberant, outspoken Pinky and can't believe she's inviting him to spend the summer with her either.

These two were beyond adorable as they figured out they were in love with each other. I also loved that the book didn't just use strict parents as a plot device, but delved into the psychology of the relationship between Pinky and her mom. The plot, revolving around a butterfly farm earmarked for destruction, deftly raised issues of class in a small town that swells in population during the summer.

Highly recommend this as the perfect summer read!

I think this is my favorite of Sandhya Menon's books to date.

It has my two favorite romance tropes--enemies to lovers AND fake dating trope--with a bit of "opposites attract" thrown in there as well. I knew as soon as these characters appeared in There's Something About Sweetie that they would have their own book, because their banter was too electric for them NOT to have one! Their relationship was just slow-burn enough to have me on the edge of my seat while I was reading, but not so much that I got bored.

I also really loved the side characters. Pinky's cousin, Dolly, was so fun and reminded me a lot of myself in high school. I don't know if Menon plans on having more books in this extended universe, but if she does, I'd love to see one about Dolly at some point. Menon also always has wonderful parents in her books who are fully fleshed out, which is something that I find lacking in some other YA books. Pinky's relationship with her mom was really complex and interesting to read about, especially after some things are revealed about her mom's past. One thing that confused me, though, was Samir's relationship with his mom. If you've read the previous book, you know that Samir's mom is a little overprotective, and Samir stretches the truth to her throughout this entire book, and yet there was no fallout from that? I thought his lying to her would be a major plot point, but I guess not. I definitely feel like that would have fleshed out his sections of the book just a bit more.

As always, I was happy to be with characters in this world again and follow along with their shenanigans. There aren't very many authors whose entire (or almost entire: I forgot about the novellas) body of work I have read, but I'm glad Sandhya Menon is one of them. I'm excited to see what she comes out with next!

4.5 stars
This book was just fun. Did it have the general YA contemporary plotline and was predictable? Yes. Did I care? No. It was such a good summer, feel-good read.
In the other Dimpleverse books, I thought Pinky was such a fun character. I'm really glad she got her own book and we got to dive into her personality. It's so much more than it seems. I also really liked getting to know Samir's personality too, and Dolly was a great part main, part side character. I think one of my favorite characters though, was Pinky's dad (oh no, does that mean I'm getting old?!). He was so cheesy, and while I probably would have found that mortifying when I was in high school, I just absolutely loved it as a 30 year old.
While you may think this book is about Pinky and Samir's fake relationship, I really found that it was about Pinky, Samir, and even Dolly and Pinky's mom really finding who they are and becoming comfortable with how they want to see themselves and others, and toxic traits that they realize maybe aren't the best traits to have. It was really nice to have a book focus on something so important as well as the fun of a relationship (even if it's fake) and spending summer at a lake house.
Like I said, I really loved Pinky and her desire to do anything and everything to help people in need. Or animals. I LOVED Drama Queen aka DQ. DQ is a possum who "dies" at the drop of a hat that Pinky wants to bring to an animal rescue shelter by the end of the summer. DQ brought so much humor to the book (for me personally) and I just burst out laughing every time she "died" for a completely ridiculous reason. I also really enjoyed Pinky's desire to save the butterfly habitat because it held so many happy memories for her, even though she was a "summer person." Pinky did have some annoying points, like when she did everything in her power to just constantly fight with her mom, but overall I thought she was a very interesting person, who was just plain human like the rest of us.
It was really fun getting to know all these different characters in the Dimpleverse, and I think Pinky's story may have been my favorite.

Pinky loves to be the champion of the underdog and the best part is when her stuffy lawyer parents are cringing. Samir has been homeschooled by his overprotective mother and has learned to love lists and schedules. It is now summer and Pinky needs to get her parents off her back. She has come up with a great idea … Samir (whose summer internship just fell through) will pretend to be her boyfriend and spend the summer with her family in Cape Cod. They have always been sort of friends and kind of enemies, yet when the summer continues, they begin to feel something more. Will this tremulous relationship change into something stable?

10 Things I Hate About Pinky is the third book in the Dimple and Rishi series. These three books are told in chronological order but are actually companions. Readers can enjoy them as singletons or as a series. I have loved spending time with these varied characters and have nothing but praise to say. The characters are dynamic and the romances all have a different feel. I love that the romances are clean and appropriate for most readers. Each novel has a social issue that is addressed and readers will be challenged in their own thoughts and views as these young people explore the issue at hand. I loved this third book and hope there will be a fourth companion story in the years to come.

Great book, loved the characters and the tropes turned on their heads. If you're looking for a funny, sweet, and heartwarming story, run to grab "10 Things I Hate About Pinky"!

Pinky and Samir are definitely one of my favorite enemies-to-lovers couples. Or is it more accurate to say frenemies-to-lovers?

With her mother’s constant disapproval, Pinky decides to prove that she can make at least one good decision her lawyer parents will approve – having a perfect boyfriend. Meanwhile, Samir’s summer internship plans fall through, and the last thing he wants is to spend his summer bottled up at home. He never thought, however, that his summer would be saved by posing as a fake boyfriend for his frenemy.

I loved the development of Pinky and Samir’s relationship. Although their first judgements of one another make things a little rocky, the two soon realize there is more to the other than first glance. This means lots of deep conversations and cute moments to squeal about. Oh, and don’t forget: lighthouse, boat, rooftop, butterflies. That’s all I’m saying!

Aside from the romance, I also liked the book’s realistic portrayal of Pinky’s relationship with her mother. They seem to always be on opposite ends of every argument, but Pinky still wishes her mother would be proud of her. Their mother-daughter relationship has many layers, and I like that the book doesn’t simplify them. I consider myself lucky for getting along well with my parents, but I also understand that not everyone has that same connection with theirs. In that sense, I feel this aspect of the book can be relatable to many.

Another thing that I liked was how the book handled Samir’s “quirks.” In reality, mental health and healing requires time. Without giving any big spoilers, I like that the book ends with a realistic (and hopeful) stance on where Samir is at on his own journey.

10 Things I Hate About Pinky is such a cute read! I highly recommend adding it to your summer tbr, especially if you like the enemies/frenemies-to-lovers trope.

I would like to start off by saying that while this is a third book, it is, like the other two, a novel that can stand on its own. You don’t need to have read the other two to enjoy this one. Characters from the other books are mentioned but are not part of the story. That said, unlike the first book in the series which I loved, I had some issues with this one.

The book starts off ok, I kind of liked Pinky, although I found her to be somewhat irritating. She is very self centered and has a hard time seeing things from other’s perspective. She does have a nice relationship with her dad, but is often at odds with her mom. This relationship is at the center of the plot of the fake dating trope. I also had a hard time with Pinky and Samir’s relationship, it just fell flat for me. Although there were some cute moments that they shared, it overall just didn’t work for me. Samir is a bit a bore, to be honest. But the two do balance each other out. Also his relationship with his mom was a bit puzzling to me. She is suppose to be over protective of him, yet she lets him run off alone to DC for the summer? Sorry not buying it.

I also had a lot of issues with the plot, not the fake dating one, in truth that was the only one that worked for me and that I enjoyed. The subplots were really big issues for me. Dolly, Pinky’s perfect cousin, makes some really bad decisions because she wants to be bad? Pinky adopting a pet possum also just didn’t work for me. Pinky is suppose to be someone with a lot of good causes, including rescuing animals, and yet she makes this huge error when it come to the possum. The saving the butterfly habitat also did not work for me. There were just lots of gaping holes in that story that didn’t make sense. And then finally there is the big part of the story of Pinky and her mom not getting along. When we finally find out why Pinky’s mom is so hard on her, I just had to roll my eyes. Can’t get into why, no spoilers, but it just didn’t ring true to me. And it was resolved way too quickly at the end of the book.

In the end though, if you are looking for something light and with a bit of a fun romance then you might give this one a try. If you are looking for a romance with a bit more substance, you might look elsewhere.