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.

On one level, this was a fun, cute second-chance queer romance story. I had mixed feelings about it because of the fact that one had bullied the other when they were at school.

I Hated You in High School is a sort of second chance, sort of enemies-to-lovers graphic novel by Kathleen Gros. The art is great, in a monochromatic scheme, which was an interesting choice. The story has some back and forth between memories about high school experiences and the present-day situation, and I found myself wishing that Gros had chosen to differentiate the two visually somehow, perhaps with the present being in color and the past monochromatic.

I enjoyed the story, but I felt like portions of it moved super quickly or glossed over issues, and the resolution came without fully addressing the past conflict and Tessa’s trauma as well as I would have liked. I found myself puzzled at how fast things were resolved without really addressing the behaviors that led to the estrangement from Olive in the first place. I recognize that it can be hard to do that well in graphic novels where the story is based more on emotions, as there’s not much room or place for exposition about what’s happening internally for the characters, so perhaps some of my feelings can be chalked up to that. Regardless, overall I Hated You in High School was an enjoyable read, and worth checking out.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.

Kathleen Gros delivers a heartfelt sapphic enemies-to-lovers story with I Hated You in High School, a graphic novel that explores second chances, self-discovery, and the complexities of reconnecting with the past.

Tessa, stuck in a dead-end barista job and struggling to make her creative dreams a reality, finds herself back in her hometown after years away. But the real shock? Her parents have rented out their basement apartment to Olive—her high school nemesis. Old wounds and past grudges bubble to the surface, but when an accident traps them together in the attic, they’re forced to confront what really happened between them years ago.

I loved how well-developed and relatable the characters were, from Tessa’s struggles with adulthood to her nonbinary roommate Frankie, whose friendship added warmth and support to the story. The sapphic romance was incredibly sweet, and despite the novel’s monochrome art style, small details—like little notes on the side explaining Vancouver-specific references or identifying pride flags colours—made the world feel even more immersive.

This was a quick but fulfilling read, with enough depth to keep me engaged the entire time. Perfect for fans of graphic novels and queer romances, I Hated You in High School is a charming and heartfelt story about love, growth, and finding closure in unexpected places.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I Hated You in High School is a low-angst, second-chance sapphic romance by Kathleen Gros. This graphic novel has cute minimalistic art and is a quick and easy read with a light and fluffy feel. Friends to enemies, to a second chance at a secret crush, our mains have a complicated relationship from high school, and then they meet again after 10 years. Some things have changed, and some things have stayed the same. It is a good story with realistic issues that make sense. The characters are endearing, and the family is supportive. The only critique I have is that it moved quickly, and things wrapped up very easily with reconciliation being unrealistically simple. However, I often find that to be the case with the graphic novels I have read, given that real estate is used mostly for art. It is a good, feel-good, book that I recommend for a happy, best-case scenario for anyone processing similar situations in their own lives, or if you just need a light read with a happy ending.
I am giving it a 3.5 rounded up.
#friendstoenemies #enemiestolovers #secondchance #goinghome #secretcrush #epilogue #longdistancerelationship #foundfamily #supportivefamily #artist #comicbookartist #painter #graphicnovel #birep #butchfemme

This was a very cute queer graphic novel. I really liked the side plot of the anniversary party and loved so many of the side characters (hi Frankie you’re so cool). I thought the ending was quite abrupt and slightly unsatisfying, but the epilogue kind of made up for it. Unpopular opinion (I guess) but I kind of liked the art style and lack of color!! The green touches were very cool. Overall I would recommend this one :-)

This sapphic enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance was sweet and heartfelt. My favorite part? The open and meaningful conversations about art, feelings, past mistakes, and even the struggles of trying to make it in the creative industry. Those moments gave the story real depth.

The art style was a little different from what I usually read, but it was fine. My only issue? The romance felt a bit rushed—I get that they have history, but their reconnection still felt a little too quick, almost like instant love. (Though that might just be me!)

If you love wholesome sapphic romances, stories about art and creativity, or just want a light and feel-good read, this one’s for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

It was a wonderful, adorable, coming of age story. I really enjoyed the graphics and the storytelling in many places the comic strip was excellent in very creative way I just felt wow. I fell in love with both Tess and Olive. I am highly recommending this one.

Really cute sapphic graphic novel. The art style is nice and the art is consistently good throughout.
I loved Tessa as the main character. Her struggles with love and her emotions are relatable and well written throughout. I wish Olive had gotten a bit more focus too to show her in the present, but I do think the scenes in the past combined with the explanation for her actions later on make her compelling enough. The enemies-to-lovers aspect between them is good but pretty rushed. It might be too much for the scope of this novel, but I still found their reconciliation very quick after the apology. In exchange, we do get more scenes later on in the book where they are spending time, which is nice. I especially liked the montages of them together.
Solid 3.5 stars

Wow !! This book was a ride of emotions and reconciliation. I really enjoyed seeing the growth between the two leads and how they handled everything. I am excited to see if our amazing roommate will get their own story too ❤️

The art style was lovely and refreshingly new for me. I think the story had a great HEA and HFN situation.

An easygoing, low-angst, sweet romantic read.

Watching the main character go from feelings of resentment for events she didn't even remember and being too much in her own head to finally having the tough conversations is one of the most realistic and healthy representations of growth that I've seen in a graphic novel.

The characters were diverse and interesting, the plot was intriguing and kept me interested even when it was sort of obvious what was going to unfold, the art style is unique and satisfying to see, and the overall story gave me the warm fuzzies. I love a good WLW story and this checked all the boxes for me.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the read, it felt very surface level and lacked the depth I expected. The romance felt rushed and there could have been some more hard-hitting and interesting plot points to draw everything together with a bow. Like I said, it's a simple and quick, low-angst sapphic romance read.

This is definitely leaning more toward a 3.5 or 3.75 stars, but I'm going to have to suffer and pick a flat 3 stars!

since this was available to read now, I thought I would try it. I used to love reading the little comics that come in the newspaper when I was younger but this just wasn't for me. Maybe if i had a tablet where the images were bigger id like it better.

⭐️ 3.75 stars

This graphic novel was cute.

It was a very easy read, and the writing was good. As much as I prefer a novel fully in color, I appreciated the green tone that made the drawings prettier.

In terms of the story, I didn’t fully love most characters at first because I couldn’t relate to their little high school dramas. The depiction of enemies-to-lovers was enjoyable, but I was expecting it to go deeper and not be resolved so easily.

Overall, I’d recommend it if you’re searching for a light romance read with low angst and a second-chance trope.

Kathleen Gros' modern young adult book I Hated You in High School combines comedy, emotional depth, and the intricacies of high school relationships. It explores friendship, self-improvement, and navigating the uncomfortable, occasionally painful aspects of puberty. The protagonist is frequently forced to face her prior issues, which results in self-discovery and a shift in how she views people she used to detest.


1. Character Development: The protagonist's path from bitterness to comprehension is riveting and realistic. She has many preconceived ideas about her classmates at first, but she learns to see things differently as a result of introspection and new experiences. Her character gains depth as a result of this development, which also makes it easier for the reader to identify with her.
2. Writing Style: Gros's writing is humorous but poignant, and it is captivating. The novel excels at striking a balance between poignant passages and humor. It is an interesting and occasionally thought-provoking book to read.
3. Relatable Themes: Readers can relate to the portrayal of high school drama, including friendship problems, old rivalries, and personal development, especially if they have gone through comparable experiences. Identity, forgiveness, and understanding are all skillfully handled in this novel.
4. Pacing: The book's pacing could have been a little quicker in some places, particularly where the protagonist's observations linger on for much too long. But this self-examination makes the character's development more genuine.
5. Appeal: Those who appreciate coming-of-age stories, particularly high school dramas that combine comedy and emotional inquiry, will find the novel to be quite appealing.


I Hated You in High School is a wonderful option if you enjoy YA books that emphasize high school dynamics and personal development while containing a considerable deal of humor.

thank you to netgalley for the ARC!
okay, wow. i’ll try and keep this short to avoid spoilers but this story really struck me in a way i didn’t anticipate so we’ll see how I do.
it’s been a long time since i’ve been able to get through a book in one sitting, even graphic novels and other short books. but i hated you in high school managed to be a one sitting read for me.
i was immediately intrigued by the title and basic premise of this book and excited to read. but it wound up hitting really close to home for me and that’s probably the biggest thing that will make it stick in my head.
i’m out of practice writing reviews so i’ll just share some thoughts and hope it’s coherent. i really loved the friendship between tessa and frankie. i thought it was great backdrop for the story and i could really feel just how much love there was between them, even with frankie’s limited appearance. i also loved the occasional interjections of canadian context that i tend to not even consider as a result of my US centric mindset. i really enjoyed a lot of the framing around repressed memories; i really identified with the way those were visualized in the art style and how it enhanced the text of the story.

as for things i might take issues with, i do share some sentiments about the romance plotline but not strong ones. while it might not be entirely advisable or ‘just’, it feels quite realistic to my personal experiences as a lesbian. i felt pretty confident in my initial guesses on where the story was going and i was right. in my opinion, love is complicated and messy and embarrassing; it isn’t simple and maybe a good piece of art should raise those questions. maybe we should let that sit with us after reading or watching or whatever your preferred way to consume it. that said, i see why other reviewers have felt mislead by the tropes used to market it and i do think it could upset or trigger readers who have experienced similar things. i’m sure i once had much more to say about this book but i’ve already written too much so i’ll leave this review there. sorry for the ramble; i definitely failed at my goal to keep it short.


rating: 3.5/5