10 Things I Hate About Pinky (Dimple and Rishi, #3) by Sandhya Menon
(2020/07/28)
Rating 3/5 Stars
Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher (Simon & Schuster Canada) for providing me with an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story follows Pinky Kumar who is a social justice warrior with lawyer parents. Samir Jha is a planner, after having so much time with his sick mother he’s learned to schedule his life and make it predictable.

When Pinky’s family spends their summer lake house in Cape Cod, Pinky is determined to get them to change their minds about who she is. When Samir’s internship falls through, Pink hatches a plan and asks Samir to pretend to be her fake boyfriend for the summer. But what happens when they stop pretending and start to fall for each other for real?


What I like about this book that it didn't have instalove which is what the other two books in this series did have. I found that to be refreshing because we got to see the characters go from enemies-to-lovers in such an organic way. We got to see them really get to know each other and slowly fall in love. I also really liked Pinky’s relationship with her cousin Dolly.

What hindered my enjoyment of the novel was that there were so many fights throughout the story. It made me annoyed at the characters because they were fighting over small things.

I didn't really enjoy the butterfly habitat plotline. I found it interesting at first but then it took up so much of the plot I started to get bored and I lost interest in the story. it felt like it was just thrown in there just so we could see that Pinky does care about social justice issues.

Once again thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested the ARC for 10 Things I Hate About Pinky I didn't realize it was the third book of the Dimple and Rishi series (I wish Netgalley would change this so we could clearly see when a book is part of a series). This was a 5 star read even without reading the other two books. Honestly, loved this so much! The perfect summer read ♥

Suggested Reader Age: Young Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rep: own-voices Indian-American protagonists and side characters, Chinese-American side character


My Review
› 10 Things I Hate About Pinky is a hilarious and touching story about Ashish's friends Pinky and Kumar. Priyanka "Pinky" Kumar is the daughter of lawyers. Her mother Veena is a partner at the biggest corporate law firm on the West Coast and is known as "The Shark". Pinky and her mom are constantly bickering about Pinky's "bad" choices. Pinky is passionate, spontaneous, stubborn, but also smart, courageous, and optimistic. The following quote is one that hit me in my heart, I've never related to a character more than Pinky.


Pinky Kumar might just be an optimist who spent her time masquerading as a cynic.



Samir Jha has had a hard life. His father died, his mother had cancer, and as a result, Samir has developed a coping mechanism of using his planner to keep track of every single thing he does every single day. He thinks it's a positive thing - being so organized, and doesn't see that this behaviour was born from fear and anxiety. After his internship with prestigious law firm fell through at the last minute, Pinky decides to offer him a deal - come to the lake house and pretend to be her well-put-together-mature-boyfriend for the summer (proving to her mom that she CAN make good decisions) and she'll help him get an internship with her parents.

I can't believe how much of my life I spent not knowing I loved Contemporary Romance fake-dating stories. When they do the "ground rules" scene it always makes me smile.

Cape Cod lake house is another character of the book. Pinky's mom owns it with her sister.


The house was enormous - five giant bedrooms, six bathrooms, a wraparound bi-level deck with a hot tub, a gazebo, and a barn in the backyard, and the lake within walking distance.


› Pinky's cousin, Dolly and her parents stay with Pinky and her family in the lake house. Dolly starts dating Douchey Mcdouche - Cash the Rash. I didn't like how Dolly thought she needed to date a bad boy to be exciting and instead of focusing on Cash's bad attitude people around Dolly told her it was okay to be "steady". It just gave me an icky feeling and I think instead of saying, "It's okay to be boring" her friends could have said, you're NOT boring, Cash is a jerk!


› I love Menon's writing style. I laughed out loud, I CRIED laughing while reading this - and I also just cried from sadness. 10 Things I Hate About Pinky was just the exact right book at the exact right moment for me. Definitely going to be in my top 10 for 2020.

› As of May 2020, I use the CAWPILE method to rate books.
0-3 Really bad
4-6 Mediocre
7-9 Really good
10 Outstanding
Characters: 10
Atmosphere: 10
Writing Style: 8
Plot: 10
Intrigue: 9
Logic: 10
Enjoyment: 10

add up the scores
find the average 9.6

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Goodreads Rating ★★★★★

› Final Thoughts
• 10 Things I Hate About Pinky made me laugh and cry. It's about family, trust, friendship, learning about yourself, accepting yourself, learning how to let others love you and how to love yourself. It's about saving possums and butterfly habitats, and relationships. It reminded me of Fake It Till You Break It, The Flatshare, Tweet Cute, Love From A to Z, Crashing the A-List, and Red, White & Royal Blue. Highly recommend!


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.


*Quotes taken from an ARC copy and subject to change*

Just like other books by Menon, I absolutely loved 10 Things I Hate About Pinky! There was great representation that went beyond being Indian-American. Pinky was a very unique character – and yet, I found her relatable; her desire for her mother’s approval while retaining her own individuality was one I could really understand. I loved the romance between the two MCs and seeing them evolve through their interactions. There was so much happening in the story but it all worked very well! My only pet peeve: Pinky mentions therapy to Samir at one point, which is great … but it wasn’t done in a very natural way; it almost sounded like a PSA. I wish this had been better incorporated in the story . Once again, Menon has delivered and has become my automatic-buy author!

I’ve been looking forward to reading 10 Things I Have About Pinky ever since I found out it was a thing because I fell in love with Pinky and Samir’s banter in There’s Something About Sweetie. These characters are opposites in many ways, and their differences cause some frustration and many arguments, but at the end of the day, there are also a lot of sparks flying. In other words, without even reading the synopsis, I requested it for review and was so excited when Simon & Schuster approved me on Netgalley for Sandhya Menon‘s latest novel. (The neighbours may have heard my resounding “yesssss!” without any context whatsoever.)

Before picking up this book, I had no idea how and why Pinky and Samir would find themselves together. It wasn’t like they would see through their frustrations with one another before being in close proximity, so it makes sense that while they both planned on spending the summer on the east coast, they might give fake dating a try. But why? That was a surprise for me. Samir was supposed to be in DC for a prestigious law internship, but it fell through. Before he could head back home, Pinky, who was in Cape Cod with her parents, Auntie Meera Mausi, Uncle Abe, and cousin, Dolly, finds herself accused of burning down their lakeside barn by her mother. She impetuously says that she has a great new boyfriend who her mother would love. This leaves her scrambling to ask Samir if he’d like to spend the summer on the Cape while they fake date. Pinky wants to prove to her parents that she can make good decisions, and in exchange for his help, she’ll get her mom, Veena “the Shark” Kumar, to give him his dream-come-true, corporate law internship during the school year.

True to form, Pinky’s parents are over the moon when they meet Samir, the bright, polite, and respectful, Harvard-bound guy introduced to them as their daughter’s boyfriend. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s all smooth sailing ahead. Pinky and Samir can’t help but argue and compete against one another, even in front of the adults, but it never gets to the point where the latter suspect anything is amiss. That said, the more time Pinky and Samir spend together, the more they realize that, sometimes, they actually agree on things and the more they appreciate many of one another’s qualities. It’s super cute the way they go from this, to practice kissing, and declarations of liking one another. There is still a lot of tension, especially due to a list that Samir wrote at the beginning of the summer in frustration. Readers will find themselves waiting for the other shoe to drop, and when it does, it will have an explosive and emotional impact on everyone involved.

Beyond Pinky and Samir’s relationship, the novel delves into the relationship Pinky has with her mom in a really great way. I actually got teary-eyed when Meera Mausi explains how a picture of her mom looking decidedly Pinky-like could possibly exist and the things that Pinky’s mom gave up for her daughter. (Pinky—and possibly teen readers—doesn’t see it the same way, but as someone older, I really got the idea that Pinky’s mom would do anything to provide for her child.

In addition, Dolly, who up till the beginning of this book had seemed like the “perfect” daughter, and was sometimes used as a comparison that Pinky could never attain, makes a lot of mistakes in her effort to be less predictable and boring. From burning down the barn accidentally and dating a rude and inappropriate guy who, she doesn’t really even like just to prove something to herself, things aren’t great, but like Pinky and Samir, she learns a lot over the course of the summer. I know Sandhya Menon said that there won’t be anymore books in the Dimpleverse, but I can’t be the only one who wishes that there’d be another book with Dolly, meeting and falling in love with someone next summer?! (Bi/pan/queer love for the win!) I don’t expect it to happen, but doesn’t she deserve to find real love after what happened this summer?

While I generally loved this book, there were a few things that could’ve been improved. First, even though Pinky and Samir learn that they actually agree on something in the novella, Love at First Fight, they act just as surprised as they did in the novella when they agree on something in this novel as if it were for the first time. This may make sense to those who bypassed the novella, but as a super fan of this series, I found this to suggest a continuity issue. Moreover, there was a plot point that didn’t exactly get cleared up by the end of the book. When Samir is at the airport on his way to the Cape, he lies to his mom, saying that the internship is going well, but he’s so busy he won’t be able to talk much that day. He continues the ruse when he arrives in Cape Cod, but then we don’t hear anything more about it. Did he come clean to his mom? Who knows? I guess it doesn’t really matter because he does get a killer internship anyway. Nevertheless, I wish I knew how his overprotective mom reacted to news of the lie even though she obviously was okay with him going across country for it in the first place.

Whether you’ve read the rest of the Dimpleverse yet or not, you seriously have to pick up 10 Things I Hate About Pinky! There are great Easter eggs for fans of the rom com upon which the title was taken, and the story is super sweet and full of chemistry—just as one would expect from this series. Of course, if like me, you love Sandhya Menon’s writing, especially When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something About Sweetie, then you simply must read this book.

Pinky Review

*spoiler free review*

Reading 10 Things I Hate About Pinky was bittersweet. This is our last book in the Dimpleverse and as sad as it is to say goodbye you just know Sandhya wouldn’t send us off without one last adorable romance to top your summer reading list.

First off, because it needs to be said, I am so very *happy* that Samir was the love interest in this book. He was one of my favourite characters in There’s Something About Sweetie and the one I was most hoping we’d see again. Sandhya’s gives us a better look at Samir and puts him in the ring against Pinky who is more than a match for him and his total opposite. Where Samir is reserved Pinky is rebellious. I loved seeing Pinky and Samir more fleshed out (the growing pains and mother struggles are all too real) and the setting of a lake house is perfect for Sandhya Menon’s brand of romcom.

With PLENTY of banter, swoony moments, and the ever enjoyable fake dating trope this book is oodles of fun making it a fantastic summer read and a fitting conclusion to the Dimpleverse.

Pinky Kumar is an activist to her core. She isn't easily understood, especially by her tightly wound, high-expectations mother, but this doesn't stop Pinky from pursuing justice for causes big and small. It's also true that Pinky takes a fair amount of pride in being seen as a rebel. When her mom pushes her a little too far, Pinky impulsively claims to have a totally respectable boyfriend. Whoops! Enter Samir, a friend of a friend. Pinky convinces him to spend some time away from home and the chance to make connections with her influential parents, all he has to do is play the part.

Loved:
- Pinky, with her fiesty, fiery attitude and her inner vulnerability
- Samir, the sweetest, most earnest love interest
- Very satisfying rendition of the fake dating / enemies to lovers tropes
- Complex, engaging side characters (especially Dolly and Drama Queen, an opossum)
- Diverse representation in the cast
- Super summery vibes (imagine a Cape Cod setting, butterflies, a lake house, fireflies...)

Howevers:
- It all wrapped up a little too tidily and quickly
- Sometimes Pinky's mom felt almost unbelievable, too harsh, too judgy to seem real

10 Things I Hate About Pinky has so much heart. Just try not to be charmed. A sweet, summer YA escape.

This book is an excellent rom-com with diverse characters that tackle real-life issues facing its young readers. The relevant topics range from parental pressure and communication to environmental issues and finding yourself. Once you begin reading, it will be hard to put down.

The mother-daughter relationship plotline is relatable for many of us. They want better for us, so they know best. The book is very character-driven, so it focuses on this parental relationship well. They have a hard time, whether they mean to or not, communicating how they feel with each other. Pinky doesn’t explain why she is fighting for the causes she does and leaves out all the work she did before deciding, and her mother doesn’t explain why she wants better for her, that they are more alike than her daughter realizes. This book really does have it all!

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC.

5 Stars (I received an e-arc of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

THIS MY FAVOURITE BOOK IN HER SERIES AND POSSIBLY MY FAVOURITE YA CONTEMPORARY BOOK OF THIS YEAR. I still have to read Twinkle but the books just keep getting better every time and I wonder if Dolly is going to be the main character in the next book. Pinky’s family go to their second house on the east coast every summer and lately her relationship with her mom has been reaching a boiling point. Samir is going to Washington DC for a prestigious internship but unfortunately due to last minute circumstances falls through. Pinky needs a fake boyfriend and Samir doesn’t want to want to go back to being alone at home. So they strike a bargain and the hi jinx’s start from there, including a new pet for Pinky, boating, butterflies (in more more ways than one) and peaceful protests. I did have one issue that was never addressed and that was regarding if Samir’s mother knew what really happened with his internship.

Pinky Kumar is tired of being seen as a delinquent. Sure, she might have multicolored hair and dated a bunch of troublemakers, but she has also founded raccoon hospitals and she likes to raise money for persecuted rock stars. When an incident occurs at Pinky’s family’s summer home, everyone is quick to blame Pinky because of her “history,” especially her mother. In order to prove to her parents that she has changed, Pinky lies that she has a boyfriend, a boyfriend her parents would approve of. The only problem is… where is she going to find a fake boyfriend?
Samir Jha has his life all planned out in his daily planner. He will go to Harvard, and then he will become a successful lawyer. But when an internship at a major firm has fallen through, all Samir’s life plans has suddenly gone astray. As Samir is about to catch a plane back home in defeat, he receives a call from his nemesis, Pinky Kumar. She explains that she needs Samir to pretend to be her fake boyfriend. In return she will get her parents to take on Samir as their intern at their law firm. Desperate, Samir agrees. Will Pink and Samir be able to convince everyone they are dating?
10 Things I Hate About Pinky was a cute young adult romantic novel, but very predictable. I could almost guess what was going to come next, and the story reminded me of a rom com movie I watched recently but cannot remember the name. Even with its predictability, I enjoyed reading this book. It is a great lighthearted summer read.
10 Things I Hate About Pinky takes place in the same universe as Sandhya Menon’s other novels, When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something About Sweetie, but can be read as a stand-alone novel. In comparison with the other novels by Menon that I have read, I liked When Dimple Met Rishi more. Dimple is much more likeable than Pinky. Pinky is very brash, and picks fights with others for no reason. Sometimes I didn’t understand why she lashed out as much as she did. Pinky does, however, become a bit more likeable as the story goes on.
I would recommend 10 Things I Hate About Pinky to those who are looking for a sweet summer read.

I love Sendaya Menon's writing and adorable romances. I think this was probably my second favorite in the series (after dimple and rishi) Pinky is such a badass activist and Samir is a bit more straight-laced, wanting to be a lawyer they are both adorable together and I love the trope of "fake dating" turning to a real relationship. I think that the author does a great job with the family dynamics. I loved the relationship that grew between Pinky and one of her family members. It was nice to see the different perspective and calm demeanor that Samir brings to the table.

I have loved all of Sandhya Menon's books. They are heart warming and sweet and they are easy to read in 2 to 3 sittings. I think When Dimple Met Rishi will always be my favourite but I always appreciate that all her characters are unique and they are easy to pick out of the bunch. I love the slow burn romance between Pinky and Samir. The more they learn about each other the more they understand each other. They are complete opposites. Samir always had to be in control with his life by making a list of things he does while Pinky just does whatever she feels is right to here. She is very good at picking fights with her mother which is probably the only thing that I didn't like about the book. I felt like the fighting between Pinky and her mother got a little out of hand sometimes and I felt that their arguments got really repetitive as time went on. Cash Miller was also a really annoying unnecessary character.


*Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy for an honest review*

Thank you to the publisher, Simon Teen, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Priyanka ‘Pinky’ Kumar is very passionate about the various social causes she supports, no matter how obscure, something her corporate lawyer parents aren’t too pleased about. After years of being homeschooled due to his mother’s ill health and smothered by her overprotectiveness, Samir is venturing all the way to DC for an internship with a reputed law firm. But when his internship falls through, Samir is not quite ready to return to California. Pinky on the other hand is tired of being harassed about her poor decisions even on vacation and comes up with a plan to have Harvard law-bound Samir, her sort of frenemy, be her fake boyfriend for the summer to prove that she is more than her past bad choices.

Unlike Dimple and Sweetie, Pinky was simply not a character I could remotely connect to though I get the feeling that many teenagers would be able to relate. I actually sympathized and identified more with Samir who is finding his feet and holding on to old quirks that made him feel in control of an uncertain life. They both have a lot to work through as a result of past experiences and it’s lovely to see the story unfold as they begin to realize that despite being complete opposites, they might not dislike each other as much as they thought.

Pinky was as interesting as I expected her to be, after the glimpse we got of her in previous books. She is an extremely driven character, if rather hard-headed and argumentative. Samir is her exact opposite – meticulously organized, responsible and levelheaded. The opposites attract trope is not typically one I enjoy, but I really liked the way it was presented. It’s amazing how real and flawed these characters feel, and how relatable. Their character arcs were wonderful and it was all too easy to get caught up in the story. Although this is a rom-com at it’s heart, just like the other books, Sandhya Menon manages to make it more than just that with a great message of being true to yourself while finding your way in the world.

But I have to say, after the works of art that were When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something About Sweetie, this book was a bit of a letdown for me. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there was just something missing in this book in comparison. It was also not entirely believable how neither of them ever got in trouble for all the lies, particularly Samir, who basically took off to Cape Cod for the summer while telling his mom he was in DC. The whole thing was just very out of character for Samir. The ending felt incredibly rushed compared to the easy pacing of the rest of the book, and things were tied up, in my opinion, a little too well. In fact, I have to say that a lot of the story could have been trimmed down as it seemed to be constantly jumping between plot lines, from Pinky and Samir’s agreement, to Dolly’s problems, Pinky’s complicated relationship with her mother, saving the butterfly habitat and more.

Overall, it was nice to return to the world of Dimple and Rishi one more time with these familiar characters, and 10 Things I Hate About Pinky was a fun and light-hearted read, perfect for a summer afternoon. It’ll definitely make you want to read the previous books all over again!

I received an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
10 Things I Hate About Pinky is the third and final book in the Dimpleverse series, which includes When Dimple Met Rishi and There's Something About Sweetie. Out of the three I liked When Dimple Met Rishi the best, I felt like I could connect best with the characters as they have graduated and are transitioning to college life. I would have liked to continue following Dimple and Rishi's story through college.
10 Things I Hate About Pinky picks up after There's Something About Sweetie and follows Pinky Kumar and Samir Jha who are both introduced in the previous book as Ashish's friends.
Things I Liked: enemies to lovers slow burn romance- while it was infuriating at times it was rewarding at the end, all the cute dates that Pinky and Samir went on-especially reading in trees,
the positivity surrounding going to therapy and taking care of your mental health, the love and acceptance of LGBT+ characters-it's good to see this positive representation in a book for teens, I liked that both Pinky and Samir both had clear goals individually, Pinky's being fighting for causes that she believes in (seen with the butterfly habitat) and Samir's ambitions to attend Harvard and pursue law.
I think that Pinky's rescued possum Drama Queen or DQ for short was a cute and heartwarming addition to the story.
Things I Didn't Like: Pinky's tense relationship with her mother, Cash as a character- he represents the 'bad boy' stereotype and is supposed to be an unlikeable character so this was portrayed well.
Overall, I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars and I would recommend Sandhya Menon's books for anyone who wants a cute contemporary romance with Indian lead characters and diverse casts.

Please see he link below for my review of this title:

https://wordsofmysteryblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/midweek-mini-reviews-30/

I've loved every installment that Menon has wrote in the Dimple & Rishi universe and 10 Things I Hate About Pinky was no exception. Not my favourite of the three books but still an amazing, light, summer YA contemporary book. You get to see Pinky and Samir have a summer of fun with dashes of activism and a possum sidekick.

You will love this book if you love the tropes of enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and summer romance. If you loved the Netflix show Never Have I Ever, you will really love the Dimple & Rishi books.

When we think of famous South Asian Women, women that are making strides, we often see the faces of Priyanka Chopra, Mindy Kaling, and Lily Singh. But Sandhya Menon, she is just as much if not more deserving of some credit. She is not only one of the most loved YA authors, she is also an author that recognizes and represents People of Colour.

In this book, even though her characters are from an elite class, she portrays South Asian Culture and life (and adolescence) in an extremely relatable way.

She has a knack for writing dialogue and emotion. Her ability to include subtext is simply profound. She uses the perfect amount of detail and knows exactly how to use it.

I especially love the mention of mental health stigma in the Indian American Community. She also makes a bold move of addressing racism. It's unfortunate but also something many POC face, especially with the added element of feeling unsafe.

Sandhya Menon is using her platform to not only share beautiful tales, but she is sending a message, normalizing things that should be normal, addressing truths, and making a difference in so many lives.

Menon's characters have so much depth as does the story she weaves. Emotions and events don't just happen because "it's fiction" or "it's a story". There's turmoil and thought and even some "overthinking" that many of us can relate to.

I look forward to her next YA book, but moreover, I'm looking forward to her adult fiction novel as Lily Menon.

If you love a fake dating turned into true love YA, this book's definitely for you!

Another great teen rom-com from Sandhya Menon! Pinky truly is a firecracker, and while I had my doubts that she would let her guard down and find happiness and resolution, it all ended happily.

Another solid addition to the Dimple and Rishi universe. While this was not my favourite in this series, I appreciate the story. I personally was not a fan of Pinkie as a character, but I liked that she was unabashedly herself.

I absolutely love this YA series and I was so excited to learn more about Pinky and Samir! They are such a good example of opposites attract. Menon creates such wonderful characters and I love how she brings them to life. I also love that the families are involved in the lives of these characters.
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Menon did a really great job of discussing mental health and the importance of seeking out help. She touches on the importance of trying to reduce the stigma, especially within the Asian community. While I am not Indian, I am half Chinese, and this stigma is still quite prevalent.
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I highly recommend this series of you are looking for some great YA reads!
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Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for this e-arc. 10 things I Hate About Pinky releases July 21!
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TW: Parent with cancer

Thank You NetGalley & SImon & Schuster Canada for providing the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

And honestly - let's just start off with my overall thoughts.
Perfection!

Every time I pick up a Sandhya Menon book I know to expect to read about a strong empowered teen girl and I was not disappointed in the least. Meeting Pinky in the previous installment of the Dimple universe I was so happy that she got her own book. She is a wonderfully spunky character who is deeply set in her beliefs and her sense of justice.
ALSO the fake dating trope is my jam.

One of my favourite things about Menon's books is always the dialogue, her style of banter between characters makes it so fun and easy to read.
The characterization in this story was amazing, we truly got to know both Pinky and Samir so much better through the changing of POVs

Samir is just another example of Sandhya's staple, creating sweet boys who are also complex. He brings out such self-awareness from Pinky, almost like a guiding light and in doing so she also helps him find the things he also needs to look at introspectively. They do so much growing together.

Pinky's story in its core is about her relationship with her mother. It felt so real and raw and I wish we got more of the resolution at the end, but it was still satisfying.

I can't wait to read anything else Sandhya writes.