10 Things I Hate About Pinky

 

Hello everyone!  Today I will be reviewing 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon.  It is the third and final book in the When Dimple Met Rishi series.  This book can be read as a standalone, so don't worry about needing to read the whole series to understand the story.  It centers on frenemies Pinky Kumar and Samir Jha who realize that they may be more alike than they thought.  

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.

This book was spectacular.  I personally love a good "opposites attract" story and when I saw that fake dating was involved, I was immediately sold.

Pinky Kumar is a bit of a rebel and a wild child.  She always throws her all into whatever project she finds.  However, she's sick of her conservative lawyer mom thinking the worst of her.  To get her off her back, Pinky tells her mother that she has a respectable boyfriend (she doesn't).  That's where Samir comes in.  

Samir Jha is the living definition of the perfect boyfriend.  He's cautious, methodical, and non-confrontational.  He lives his life by the book and according to the the endless lists he makes.  He and Pinky couldn't be more different.  Yet, he's the perfect person for her plan.

As expected, Pinky's parents adore Samir.  They also applaud her for choosing such an exemplary boyfriend.  Even though Pinky and Samir agree that they could never be a couple, they start to see sides of each other that no one else ever gets to see.  As the summer goes on, this unlikely duo don't find each other nearly as annoying as they used to.  As attraction grows between them, Pinky and Samir must determine if what they have is real or just the summer heat getting to them.

I love nothing more than the frenemies to lovers trope.  Watching Pinky and Samir start to fall for one another was a real treat!  I highly recommend this book for people who desire more diversity in romcoms.  I can't wait to see what more the author has in store.

XOXO, Michaela.