I have been a Menon fan for years at this point. I’ve read all of her books from When Dimple Met Rishi, to From Twinkle with Love, There’s Something About Sweetie, and Of Curses and Kisses. Do you consider me an experienced Menon fan yet? With all of Menon’s characters, Pinky might just be my favorite. Keep reading this book review to see all the things I love about Pinky!
Summary
Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny-tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.
Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.
Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents’ Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions (aka boyfriends) she’s made, she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy, Samir—who is a total Harvard-bound Mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer. As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they’ll never forget.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this e-arc as part of Sandhya Menon’s street team. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Pinky and Samir are two very different people: Samir who writes everything down in his planner and Pinky who couldn’t be more impulsive. And that’s just the beginning of their differences. But could one summer teach them not only about the hidden complexities of their friends, but also of themselves? Fake dating plus enemies (or whatever Pinky and Samir are) to the possibility of something more is a winning combo. 10 Things I Hate About Pinky is dual POV, allowing readers to get to know Pinky and Samir.
Characters
10 Things I Hate About Pinky had my absolute favorite characters in the Dimpleverse. I deeply identified with Samir’s planners and desire for control – not to mention I loved his history and his ambition – while also adoring Pinky’s passion for social justice and life. In an ideal world, I might imagine myself as a combination between Pinky and Samir. I don’t have many notes for this book because I fell in love with these characters so quickly.
At the same time, I adored watching their relationship bloom. In these moments you can see the ways our expectations are proven wrong. The reasons behind our cool exterior or the ways we fight for everything because we’re afraid of admitting our vulnerability. Another piece of 10 Things I Hate About Pinky which I loved was Pinky’s relationship with her cousin Dolly. I don’t want to go into their relationship too much, but I do want to say that it’s one of respect, growth, and trust.
Overall,
10 Things I Hate About Pinky is about two people who seem like they are opposites, learning more about each other, and just maybe falling in love. As someone who fell in love with someone who is almost my opposite in every way, I’ll never get tired of reading these stories. The ways that sometimes people can get expose our flaws and insecurities, to see inside our heart and fears. When we have to admit we can be vulnerable, even though it exposes us to pain, to accept our ability to surprise ourselves. Feeling like the world could tear us apart, like our relationship is balanced on a fault line. 10 Things About Pinky is already a book I want to re-read to fall in love with the characters all over again.
Find 10 Things I Hate About Pinky on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
Fake dating? Sign me up! lol
I know right, this is one of my favorite tropes ever!