This was so cute! Tessa and Olivia's story is very reminiscent of those awkward teenage years when we didn't know what we were feeling and couldn't come to terms with the things that were so obvious to everyone else. I got some second hand embarrassment from Tessa's high school diaries and am so glad that was added. While this is a queer story it is so relatable to anyone who has ever had a crush. So good!

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

in this fun and sweet story, two queer girls find their ways back to each other despite a hectic high school background where one of the two was at best, very mean to the other. I love redemption stories done right, so of course, I was gonna love this. well..

first of all, I did like this book. it has a lot of great qualities. I really loved the complexity of the relationship, and the way that despite being complex, it's not toxic (romance writers, take notes!). the way it grows feels very natural, with very relatable and cute reactions from both the main characters.

the side characters were absolutely lovable and actually felt well developed. every character had their own individuality. also, so many mid/plus size characters! love that

the dialogues were really good too! the conversations between the characters felt important and heartfelt, not forced.

as a whole, the book was well rounded, complex but sweet, and you can tell how much work and love was put into it.

what I missed while reading this was color. I know it's unfair of me to take off points for that, but I can't help imagine how much more I'd have enjoyed this with color! it would've fit the story so well too. I think this is the moment where I realize I have the taste of a twelve year-old and I can't fully enjoy a graphic novel without colors. on top of that, the art style overall wasn't really my thing.

another thing that is a me problem, is that I struggled to be engaged in the story. but might be just because I'm in a giant reading slump that is eating me alive.

3 stars!

I enjoyed this read. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into when I took a look at it, but what I was rewarded with was a warm and somewhat cozy queer story of growing up, dealing with heartache and hurt, and finding one's way through the injuries of the past. This graphic novel took a difficult topic and with a finesse that many would not have possessed, explored it through the frustrations and emotional indecision that we all feel at one time or another.

I liked this graphic novel but just did not love it. Though I thought the art style was enticing and the queer representation was great, I was not finding myself rooting for the characters. I went in with high hopes as a queer reader who loves when the enemies fall in love and felt like my expectations were not met for this enemies-to-lovers story. That could totally be on me! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I Hated You in High School followed Tessa and her high school crush turned enemy, Olive, after they are reunited years later.

I thought this was a cute read, it's got a bit of humor on it but does take its serious moments seriously. Both the progression of Tessa and Olive's original friendship and the way they find their way back to each other feels realistic and not rushed. And the characters are all endearing in their own ways.

That said, this doesn't quite hit the mark for me the way Kathleen Gros' other works have. I am giving it a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

Although the main character was sometimes a little whiney I totally connected with the feelings of people in high school and seeing them again. very fun story.

This is a book with an awesome premise, i was beyond excited to read. Unfortunately, I found the format just not for me and I couldn't finish. This is in no way a representation of the book, simply just my reading preference.

Thank you so much for the ARC and I hope this is a story many read and enjoy!

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.