10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon Pages: 304
Published by Simon Pulse on July 21, 2020
Series: Dimple and Rishi #3
Genres: Young Adult, Own Voices, contemporary, Romance
Source: Paperback ARC from Publisher
Also in this series: There's Something About SweetieThe follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie follows Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.
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.
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.
I know you have met #DimpleandRishi, but have you met #pinkyandsamir? @Bookbriefs loves #10thingsihateaboutpinky by @smenonbooks @simonteen Click To Tweet
About Sandhya Menon
NYT-bestselling author of light, bright, diverse YA. Hiding behind my coffee cup, eavesdropping on your conversations
Jen
This sounds exactly like something I would love, especially since I adore the fake relationship trope! I need to discover this author’s books!