2.5 stars | "I keep making choices because I don't want to hurt you again"

Stopp this is so cute 🧸💗
(The scene where they are both trapped and end up discussing their sexuality is just everything <3)

NetGalley, thank you so much for the arc <33, this is like a dream come true 🤍🧸.

A low-angst story of a girl who returns to her hometown, only to run into the girl who hated her on high school. But as everyone in Tessa's family seems to love Olive, Tessa wonders if maybe she misremembers their ill-fated teenage friendship.
A nice story, but bland. Characters and art was solid.

Tessa goes back to her parents' place for an extended stay to help organize their anniversary party, only to find out that they're now renting out their basement to Olive... who Tessa's known since high school, where they seemed to be really good friends until one day they just weren't anymore.

A cute queer enemies-to-lovers graphic novel, with an accompanying exploration of making sense of one's life at 25, fostering artsy aspirations while working a shitty day job, and navigating the modern world in general. Both the main and secondary characters are nicely fleshed out, which is not a given in the space provided by a rather quick read of a graphic novel.

Publication date April 15, 2025.

I got an eARC of this title through NetGalley. The review above is my own opinion.

This was such a good story! I loved every bit of it! The parts about being out in high school, finding who you are during college for Olive, the sibling relationship when you're close in age, a beautiful friendship dynamic between Tessa and Frankie(!) and the pieces of working through how others have treated you in the past and how to navigate that when put in situations with them later in life. I absolutely adored this book!

This was such a fun quick read. I adored the story and all of the characters throughout.

I felt like I was on a journey with Olive and Tessa. They had a lot to work out and overcome together and separate and it was great to see them handle everything. The things they went through felt like real life struggles and it was so nice to have down to earth relatable characters.

I think Tessa might be one of my new favourite graphic novel characters! I loved her humour and authenticity. A lot of the interactions between Tessa and Frankie had be giggling out loud. 'Fine. I'll die a hot and sexy spinster with lots of agency'

I thought the grey scale colouring with shades of green was unique, and while I liked the vibe it gave the story, I'm not sure everyone will love it.

The story itself is like a balm, healing my own queer youth. The dream of finding reconciliation with the person who was horrible to you in high school is one many of us have. To then find love in that renewed relationship, while unlikely for most of us, is sweet and life-giving.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! In this we follow Tessa as she returns to her parents house in Toronto to visit and plan their anniversary party with her sister. While there she discovers that her sister's friend from high school Olivia is living in the basement apartment her parents created. However Tessa remembers that she did not get along with Olivia but can't seem to remember why when catching her roommate up back home in Vancouver. However over time talking it over with her roommate Frankie and rereading her teenage diaries she remembers how despite starting to be friends Olivia had turned on her and became incredibly homophobic to boot. However Olivia appears to have changed and clearly Tessa's parents love her so Tessa has to figure out whether Olivia has changed or if she misremembered her experiences.

This graphic novel is illustrated in such a cute style. I feel like I can actually imagine both Tessa and Olivia and what they looked like in high school and as adults. I admit I did not recognize all of the Vancouver and Toronto landmarks but still appreciated that the author included tags to keep you appraised as to where they are. I also loved that the graphic novel has flashbacks and you can see how well the author did at capturing how some of the characters have grown and changed between their high school and adult selves. The characters even with the stylized art are so expressive and I found myself laughing out loud at times to their reactions.

I definitely will be checking out other offerings from this author and I am sort of hoping based on the ending that we will get to see more of roommate Frankie who I felt like was especially magnetic.

This was so cute! Tessa and Olivia's story is very reminiscent of those awkward teenage years when we didn't know what we were feeling and couldn't come to terms with the things that were so obvious to everyone else. I got some second hand embarrassment from Tessa's high school diaries and am so glad that was added. While this is a queer story it is so relatable to anyone who has ever had a crush. So good!

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

in this fun and sweet story, two queer girls find their ways back to each other despite a hectic high school background where one of the two was at best, very mean to the other. I love redemption stories done right, so of course, I was gonna love this. well..

first of all, I did like this book. it has a lot of great qualities. I really loved the complexity of the relationship, and the way that despite being complex, it's not toxic (romance writers, take notes!). the way it grows feels very natural, with very relatable and cute reactions from both the main characters.

the side characters were absolutely lovable and actually felt well developed. every character had their own individuality. also, so many mid/plus size characters! love that

the dialogues were really good too! the conversations between the characters felt important and heartfelt, not forced.

as a whole, the book was well rounded, complex but sweet, and you can tell how much work and love was put into it.

what I missed while reading this was color. I know it's unfair of me to take off points for that, but I can't help imagine how much more I'd have enjoyed this with color! it would've fit the story so well too. I think this is the moment where I realize I have the taste of a twelve year-old and I can't fully enjoy a graphic novel without colors. on top of that, the art style overall wasn't really my thing.

another thing that is a me problem, is that I struggled to be engaged in the story. but might be just because I'm in a giant reading slump that is eating me alive.

3 stars!

I enjoyed this read. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into when I took a look at it, but what I was rewarded with was a warm and somewhat cozy queer story of growing up, dealing with heartache and hurt, and finding one's way through the injuries of the past. This graphic novel took a difficult topic and with a finesse that many would not have possessed, explored it through the frustrations and emotional indecision that we all feel at one time or another.

I liked this graphic novel but just did not love it. Though I thought the art style was enticing and the queer representation was great, I was not finding myself rooting for the characters. I went in with high hopes as a queer reader who loves when the enemies fall in love and felt like my expectations were not met for this enemies-to-lovers story. That could totally be on me! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I Hated You in High School followed Tessa and her high school crush turned enemy, Olive, after they are reunited years later.

I thought this was a cute read, it's got a bit of humor on it but does take its serious moments seriously. Both the progression of Tessa and Olive's original friendship and the way they find their way back to each other feels realistic and not rushed. And the characters are all endearing in their own ways.

That said, this doesn't quite hit the mark for me the way Kathleen Gros' other works have. I am giving it a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

Although the main character was sometimes a little whiney I totally connected with the feelings of people in high school and seeing them again. very fun story.

This is a book with an awesome premise, i was beyond excited to read. Unfortunately, I found the format just not for me and I couldn't finish. This is in no way a representation of the book, simply just my reading preference.

Thank you so much for the ARC and I hope this is a story many read and enjoy!

This was a fantastic romance. Hearts, love, tension. . I . Right away, I was hooked with how odd this situation was, and things only increased, which had me on the edge of my seat.

The sweet, funny, second-chance, sapphic graphic novel of my dreams! Tessa and Olive are such lovable and relatable characters, and I deeply enjoyed reading about their journey together. The friends and family kept the story light and humorous. I personally loved the art style, but would also love to see a colorized version.

This book had a slow start but about a quarter of the way in picked up. Definitely a queer enemies to lovers classic. I enjoyed the drawings and would definitely read another book by this author. It was a quick easy read which I also love.

Forever sign me up for sapphic graphic novels!

I submitted this request for a review and didn't realize it was a graphic novel but that ended up being a happy accident! This graphic novel is so CUTE! I had butterflies while reading it and could relate to both Olive and Tessa. The art style of this comic was amazing and the color scheme flowed very well with it. Even though there was a lack of being enemies, if you enjoy the enemies-to-lover genre this would be a great quick read for you.

This graphic novel follows Tessa as she goes back home for the first time in YEARS, only to find out that her high school nemesis, Olive, is not only living in her parent's basement but they are EXTREMELY close. Can she forget the past and move on from moments of her past?

The story line, the plot, the awkward moments, the yearning to find love, it's all wrapped in this comic. I feel the author did a great job of developing character growth when it came to communication with the two FMC'S and the other characters were well written as well. Perhaps a graphic novel will be created with one of them! It left me interested in the possibility of reading more graphic novels in the future!

My only complaint is that I wish that the ending flowed out more. It felt very rushed and ended abruptly.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I really liked this graphic novel, I'm excited to see the finished copy. I found it fun and cute and wouldn't be surprised if it was a memoir although I don't remember reading that it was. I feel like the struggles were real and relatable and that it offered a way to process feelings. I loved the ending of bringing everything together and problem solving and just the characters being cute.

I Hated You in High School is a second chance romance with some enemies to lovers mixed in. I enjoyed this because I feel like in high school--everything harmful and hurtful done to us hurts us so much then, but as adults trying to remember--it can be hard. So I felt like Tessa, knowing someone hurt me in the past without remembering quite how. But this had a happier ending. I loved every minute of these two interacting and the build up.