10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon Book Review

“But she was Pinky Kumar. She dated boys who had juvie records and unhealthy obsessions with eyeball tattooing. She was the hookup queen, the cautionary tale parents told their teenagers about. She was not someone who dated a guy who knew he wanted to become a Harvard-educated corporate lawyer.”

(pg. 122)

About

Author: Sandhya Menon

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Companion novel 3 to the Dimple and Rishi Universe

The Dimple and Rishi Universe: When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something About Sweetie

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Synopsis

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

Spoilers Contained Below

To Sandhya’s Sweethearts,

I didn’t know Sandhya fans had a fandom name . . . but call me a sweetheart because I’m a big Sandhya fan💕.

This was another cute, heartfelt, family complex book and I lived for it. I always appreciate how Sandhya adds very relatable and real family issues that many people face, and a mother-daughter relationship is one of the most personal and complex relationships there are. Mother-daughter relationships are also the most meaningful, but challenging relationships because there are a lot of miscommunication and assumptions going on with what one person feels and the other feels.

Because I’m already talking about the mother-daughter relationship of Pinky and Veena Kumar, let’s get into it! 😆 So from the get-go, Pinky gave me the vibe that she always felt not good enough for her mom or like she was a disappointment to her. And that sucks to feel that as a teen girl because as someone who was a teen girl, you’re already battling so much insecurities by others, your peers, and society, and so you would hope that the one person who would accept you (family) would accept you and love you for you. But the fact that Pinky’s mom never expressed her love in the right way, it really made Pinky feel unloved or that she always had to prove herself to her mom to gain her approval because she thought, “Oh, if I made my mom happy, then she might like me.” But I just wanted to hug Pinky because she did not need to change who she was to please anyone, least of all her mom. Her mom was giving her tough love and it wasn’t translated right. That’s kind of the thing with Asian parents. As someone who grew up with Asian parents and relatives, they are the harshest critics on your academics, your body, and your future because if you’re not either a doctor, a dentist, or a lawyer, somehow you’re a failure. And I understand where these people are coming from because many Asians immigrated to America or various places to create a better life for themselves and their future generations, so doing something as unknown or unstable as being an artist, musician, or any creative career seems like that person is not contributing to the wealth of the family and the hardships and battles the ancestors endured to be where they are now or to create a life where their future generations can thrive. So I understand it, but I feel like because it’s the 21st century, more Asian parents are starting to understand that careers are not what they used to be and that anyone can be anything they put their mind to. But a lot of parents still are hesitant at first and then come around when they see the passion or income their child is making, which gives assurance that the child can support him/herself. But besides my tangent there, Asian parents can be hard on their kids.

And Veena was hard on Pinky because she saw a lot of herself in Pinky. When Veena would talk about her past, she would always keep it hush hush, which made me think about how she must have been like Pinky when she was Pinky’s age because no one is that tight lipped and rude to their own daughter because there isn’t a part of them that’s scared. Veena’s rude comments to Pinky came out of fear that Pinky would be just like how the mom used to be. It didn’t surprise me when Pinky found an old picture of the mom protesting and looking all cool because that did seem like the mom. And I recently read Regretting You by Colleen Hoover, which was such a beautiful and honest story about a mother-daughter relationship too, and in that book it talked about how when you become a mom, your whole world isn’t about you anymore, but about the child you’re growing and raising. And I felt that sentiment here. Veena turned her whole life around for Pinky out of love and care. She went from someone who was impassioned to protest and was literally called the Hurricane, to someone who wanted to be a lawyer so she could give her daughter a stable life where the daughter felt empowered. She went from the Hurricane to the Shark.

“It didn’t escape her that hurricanes were tempestuous and wild and hard to predict. Whereas her mom’s current name—the Shark—spoke of a cold, calculating predator.”

(pg. 262)

Getting this glimpse into who Veena was made me understand where her not-so-kind comments came from and why she was so hard on Pinky. Because Pinky would have multiple conversations about her mom with Samir, and in those conversations I remembered Samir saying how he felt like the mom loved Pinky and cared about her so much and that everything she did was for or because of Pinky.

“Samir shook his head. ‘No, it’s just that . . . to me, as an outsider, it seems like all she can see is you. Like, her thoughts are pretty much always on you.

Pinky considered his words. “Well, maybe in a way that you might think about an annoying headache that doesn’t respond to medication.”

“Do you ever feel like . . .?”

Pinky swapped out her rose gold for brick red. “Feel like what?

“That she says all that stuff because she’s worried about you?” He looked at her warily, like he was afraid she might get mad.”

(pg. 153)

It was interesting to hear his perspective of Pinky and Veena’s relationship because both women saw it differently where Pinky felt unloved and inadequate and the mom felt fear.

When Pinky’s mom showed up at the butterfly protest after explicitly telling Pinky to stop protesting something that doesn’t concern her and to let it go, she went. And that meant the world 💙. She needed to go and support her daughter for once in her life. Because honestly, when people feel like they are doing things out of love and care, that sentiment can get lost along the way. I felt like it got lost because Pinky felt anything but loved or cared about. Pinky wasn’t protesting the butterfly exhibit to rile her mom up or to get under her skin, she was protesting the butterfly exhibit because it was the one thing that mattered to her and her mom—-it was something they literally built together. It was the one thing they actually shared. And if the exhibit was gone, Pinky probably felt like the last remains of the thing she shared with her mom would be gone too and that they wouldn’t have a chance at ever being close. The mom didn’t see it that way or how much it meant to Pinky. She should have 🥲. I thought when Samir went to talk to the mom, that the mom was the one who brought the parade of cars to the protest in the beginning. I mean, that would have been pretty cool if the mom showed up with a bunch of cars filled with people to support her daughter. But her mom did show up in a way that helped—-in a way that mattered.

Also, when Pinky heard the story of her mom changing who she was, I absolutely felt punched when Pinky felt guilty that her mom gave up who she was and that it was her fault. That that was why her mom hated her. PINKY!!! YOUR MOM DOESN’T HATE YOU!! I felt so bad for Pinky because I would honestly kind of think the same thing. I mean, if my mom always seemed disappointed in me and then I found out she changed for me, that would feel like my fault. But it wasn’t Pinky’s fault, it was her mom’s choice and other people’s choices are not our responsibility to feel..

I was so afraid you were turning into me. I was so afraid you were just like me.”

“But I thought you said we weren’t anything alike,” Pinky pointed out, remembering that conversation, the horrible sting of hurt and rejection.

“That’s what I wanted to believe.” Her mom shook her head. I desperately wanted to believe that. Because who I used to be . . .” She stopped and looked away, as if gathering herself. “When I found out I was pregnant with you, my parents told me I was selfish. That I could never look after a child.”

(pg. 248)

The mom was afraid Pinky would turn out just like her and be someone who had “flitting passions”  (not a stable career), etc. and the past hurt her mom felt from her parents, translated to Pinky. Because the mom felt like Pinky should also not become someone who her parents told her not to become either. She wanted her daughter to have a stable career, a happy life, and to be strong. She wanted better for Pinky. But in the midst of thinking she was doing that, she forgot to tell Pinky how much she loved her or supported her. At the end of the day, we all need someone who’s going to support us. Sometimes, sadly, it may not come from our family, but it made my heart warm that Pinky’s mom came around to help her daughter and showed her she supported her for her. And I think as a parent, you just want to know your child’s going to be okay when they leave the house or they do their own thing one day. That’s why so many parents want a stable career for their child. But support is so much more important because even if your child fails, they will learn from it, and you know what? They are not going to look back and think, why didn’t my parents warn me sooner about my failures, because our failures are our own to choose and to experience, but they will look back and think how their parents supported them through their failures and were always there. That doesn’t mean bailing your child out fully financially all the time, but just being there to listen and to help when you can.

I liked how Veena was going to try more with making Pinky feel accepted and loved as who she was, but I would have liked more heart-to-heart honest conversations between Veena and Pinky because I felt more could have been said. I did appreciate how Pinky’s mom apologized to her because it takes a big person to say they are sorry for what they did, but actions speak louder than words. So I guess, I’m just curious as to how they are going to mend their relationship. I liked that they were going to visit the Butterfly exhibit together again, that’s such a great start ☺️. I would have liked more about if Veena would ever consider becoming the Hurricane again, because how cool would that be! Go Veena! We love a strong, activist, lawyer queen!!!👏🏼 I STAN that empowerment! Her mom’s pretty kickbutt if you ask me. But yea, I think the mom can do some healing herself as well to accept that who she was—the Hurricane—was always okay and to find that balance between being supportive and a mom.

“So you want to talke about mothers!” I can hear the White Chicks saying now 😂.

Speaking of mother’s, let’s talk about Samir’s mother. In There’s Something About Sweetie, we got a glimpse into who Samir Jha was and his relationship with his mom. I remember I didn’t quite like Samir because of how clueless or rude he could be because he had absolutely no social skills, but you know what, he’s gotten better about that and I appreciate it. And honestly, for someone who was homeschooled the majority of his life, this kid was FREAKING HILARIOUS! 😂 He had a mouth on him and everything and he always bit back when Pinky barked and I LOVED that! I mean, he kept up with her and that’s pretty darn amazing for someone who I thought would be at least a tad bit intimidated by Pinky’s spontaneity and brazenness. The funniest thing he said was:

“Wow, are your legs tired?

“What?”

“They must be, because you’re jumping to a lot of conclusions there.”

(pg. 175)

Sassy, savage Samir is my favorite Samir.

And when he got soooAnd when he got sooooo angry, he wrote the 10 things he hated about Pinky. I was like, of course for a guy who likes lists, he would write a list about how angry he was 😂. Sounds about right😅! I kid you not, in my book notes I said “Watch the 10 things he hates about her become the 10 things he loves.”😉

But Samir was someone who I would describe as calm, cool, collected, snarky, organized, and routine. He likes doing the same thing each and everyday and he even plans what he’s going to do each and every gosh darn day of his life. I mean, Samir would be SHOOK by 2020😂. Besides that, I found it kind of tedious that he would do all of that because you can never really plan everything to a T and things always go off plan. Pinky confronted him about how Samir planned everything to have control and how she thought he continued to plan things because if he didn’t, he would think it would make his whole world off-kilter and somehow fail his mom. And I understand why Samir planned everything because he looked after his mom for the majority of his life and him planning everything and making these lists to take care of her, helped him save her in some ways. So his lists and routines are his safety net in such an unpredictable world. He also felt like if he gave up his routine, lists, or plans, everything would go crumbling like they did when his mom got sick.

The mom got better, so Samir should have been able to give up his tight regime, but he never did, because deep down he was scared and holding onto something out of fear and comfort. There was also the fact that he kept a tight rein on his mom and his mom. Samir will always care about his mom’s health because that’s what you do as a child—-you care for your parents and they care for you. So it’s natural he feels the need to call her or be concerned about her, but he needs to live his own life as a teen and do his own things. And I thought it was good that Samir didn’t go home right away when his internship fell out because if he did, he would have never grown more confident, spontaneous, and strong on his own. He would have been at home, taking care of his mom, sticking to his routine, writing his lists, and planning his life away, but you know what they say . . .

“Life’s what happens when you’re busy scribbling in your planner.”

(pg. 319)

This resonated a lot with me.

As someone who has a planner, I can tell you it takes hours to write everything down from classes, due dates, big events, etc. As a student, having a planner is essential. And it’s perfectly okay to have a list or a plan of where you want to go in life or what you are going to do that day, so I am not shading anyone who plans because we all do it, but sometimes we need to remember that as we’re busy planning, life is going by; as we write those dates, assignments, events, etc. life goes on. As people we tend to live in the past or the future, and not the present. We think of the past and we plan for the future of what we’re going to eat for dinner or what we’re going to do tomorrow when we never know what may happen until those times, so we should focus less on them and focus on the present and enjoy each moment we have while we have it. Nothing is guaranteed and right now we have this moment. So plan if that makes you happy and keeps you organized, but find that balance where planning isn’t your entire life.

It kind of took Samir Forever 😂 to realize why he got so angry at Pinky when she called him out on his planning. The anger he would give her came from a deeper hurt within himself and we all knew that. When he really stopped to reflect on why he was so angry and why he planned things, he realized that sometimes the best things in life are not planned. But the best things in life happen when you say yes; when you get a random text message on a very low day, and you take a chance to see what happens. Life happens when you are spontaneous.

“He’d done things here he never would have dreamed of doing if he hadn’t answered her text: He pretended to be a fake boyfriend to land an internship; he’d kissed a girl who’d scared him at first; he’d then fallen in love with said girl; he’d made friends with the Shark—and a strange opossum; he’d climbed rooftops and treetops when he much preferred standing on solid ground.”

(pg. 319)

He did all these things he never planned—-never even dreamed or thought about. But he did that.

And when people say, it will all work out, I believe it. It worked out for Samir, because no, he didn’t get the internship he thought he was going to get, but he gained so much more in life and in himself.

There was one conversation I loved between Samir and Pinky. It was the one where they were on the roof of the butterfly exhibit and they were being open about their hardships and feelings, and I just love those vulnerable conversations between two people because it really shows that there is more care and love than just looks. So I liked that. But I liked what Pinky said about mental health and therapy.

” . . .What would you do if you fell off this ledge right now and broke your back on the ground?”

. . . “I’d hope you’d call an ambulance for me.”

“Right. Exactly. You’d get medical help for a medical problem, right? So why is it any different to get help for a life problem that’s causing you so much grief? Why will you accept one professional’s help but not another’s?”

(pg. 184)

SIS, PREACH!!!!

That is soooo true! We think that if you can physically see a person’s pain, then it is acceptable to ask for help. But somehow if our pain or hardships are on the inside—-anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, and other mental health hardships—then somehow it’s not okay to ask for help because it’s not real? To me, that’s just wrong and messed up. Mental health is as real as physical health and just because you can’t see it, doesn’t make it any less valid than a physical pain or injury that a person goes through. Because when we are physically hurt, we go to the doctors, the dentist—-we get help. But when we are emotionally or mentally hurt, we are told it’s not real. We are told to deal with it or suck it up or whatever negative thing people are told. But that is not right. That is not fair. That does a disservice to the person struggling with mental illness; it does more harm than good. We need to end the stigma of mental health, and I see progress so far with this, but we need more education and help for our youth. Because they are falling off the edge in their minds and they are not getting the help they need because they think it’s okay to lie hurt and wounded in their mind then ask for help. We need to say it’s okay to get mental help—-to see a psychologist, get therapy, get a life coach. Our mind’s are soooo powerful and we can’t go through life alone thinking about all that we do without telling or talking to someone about it.

I just loved how Sandhya said this and in this way because I feel many people can understand mental health clearer when compared to a physical injury. So thank you Sandhya💕.

I also liked how caring, humble, sensitive, and kind Samir was. I swear, his mom raised him right because this man is chivalrous, respectful, can cook, listens, like actually listens, and he’s thoughtful (except the hate list, of course). But he’s basically the kind of guy all you gals and guys should set your standards for and no less 👏🏼. I mean, what a great guy. I swear, if Pinky didn’t want him, call me Dolly because I would be glad to date!

I mean, this guy who’s never been in a relationship before, never kissed a girl, not only kissed a girl once, but multiple times in a completely 🔥 way, but he was also very honest with how he felt about Pinky and I WAS HERE FOR IT! We love someone who is honest with their feelings. Samir said no games! 😂 He basically told Pinky he liked her and then he got rejected and backed off respectfully and didn’t make it awkward at all, which I respect so much. I also liked how even after being rejected he had some self-respect to not try for her again and to push down his feelings to get over him. I mean, we love some self-respect👏🏼. Samir’s a good one. But I also liked how he just straight-out told Pinky later that he was angry with her because of this whole back and forth thing of Pinky and him kissing and them liking each other but Pinky “claiming” she didn’t feel the same way, which we all knew she was denying her feelings for him. But man, I just appreciated how honest and open Samir was with his feelings. Truly, a man in tune and in touch with his feelings and emotions is a beautiful thing.

I also liked how Samir would be Pinky’s calm in the storm or the Hurricane of her mom. We need those people who will tether us. And I kid you not, they always say opposites attract, and Samir and Pinky were the exact opposites, so far from opposites, they were like different planets, but they understood each other, supported each other, and were there for each other, and I think that mattered more. I also liked how you could feel Pinky shift from a brazen, bold warrior to someone more gentle, vulnerable, and soft around Samir. Not in a bad way, but like a nice balance between both sides of Pinky. He brought out a kinder side of her and I liked to see that. And she brought out a more assured, confident, burly, and dare I say it husky side of Samir. So they were good for each other. I loved that moment where he walked into Pinky’s room after she and her mom had a fight at the table and Samir just sat and listened to Pinky and then helped color with her instead of trying to antagonize her. He took her mind off things and she didn’t even realize it until later how he was without a doubt there for her. Or I loved that moment where Pinky found out everything about her mom and then Samir noticed she was down, so he took her to the rooftop of the butterfly exhibit where Pinky said she liked to read when she was sad, and he remembered 🥺, so he took her there. And then he was so cute enough to push down his fear of heights to just read with her on the rooftop and how he told her that if she wanted to talk, he was there and would listen. Pinky felt more comfortable opening up to him because Samir didn’t pressure her to speak, but he just wanted to be the silent companion of support and that was so beautiful! I loved how Samir was like “Thank you for sharing that with me” (pg 271). And Pinky was like “Thanks for always listening.”

I MEAN SAMIR!!!🥺💕

What a gentleman!! I LOVE. I swear, Pinky, share Samir with us! 😂 We love, no we admire, a partner who listens.

I also loved the moment they kissed as a real couple in the butterfly exhibit🥺. Literally, chefs kisses to how that scene was written because it was STUNNING. I mean, Pinky not only felt butterflies in her stomach, honey girl, felt them all over her body in that exhibit. We love to hear it 🦋.

Pinky found herself always thinking these positive thoughts about Samir and she started to really like him, but she never allowed herself to because she thought of their relationship as just a means to an ends in her showing her mom she could date a sensible guy and Samir getting an internship with the Shark. It was a win-win for them both, but the goal was getting blurred as I thought it was. And Pinky used that goal as an excuse to push Samir away and deny her feelings. It made me disheartened that Pinky felt like she was not good enough to date a wholesome, sweet guy like Samir because she was deserving.

“But another part was scared—terrified, actually—that she always sabotaged herself because somewhere deep down she didn’t believe she deserved happiness with a guy like Samir.”

(pg. 220)

Honey, you do deserve happiness.

I can relate to Pinky with this thought because I find myself thinking many times that I’m not deserving of happiness or to be friends with certain people because I might not be good enough for them, but I recently heard how we should start thinking about if they are good enough for us—good enough for you. Not in a selfish way, but in a way that values yourself and your happiness. You see, we are all deserving of happiness and love, and we should let it into our lives. I feel like Pinky pushed people away—-like Samir and her mom—-because it was easier to think that it was always her fault, and she felt like she deserved to be unhappy or unloved. But it was never her fault and she did deserve love and respect from the people around her. I absolutely loved how when her mom didn’t support her, Samir did, and he never made Pinky feel bad about her passions until that one argument they had.

GOSH, would they argue sooooo much in the beginning! It was so freaking hilarious their constant bickering of Samir thinking Pinky was annoying and “immature and irresponsible” with her snorting and everything and Pinky was thinking of him as this clean, rigid person, you know like that Spongebob version who was rounded and polished and everything and wasn’t square. If you know you know 😂. But that would be Samir as a Spongebob character and Pinky would be Sandy, and yes I compared the two main characters to Spongebob characters! But they slowly realized they shared a lot in common and how they misjudged each other big time, especially Samir with Pinky.

There was one conversation Pinky had with Dolly right before Dolly went to her retreat (which I thought was weird that she would go on a random retreat in the middle of the book).

“And you know what Cash said when he left? About you dating future social workers and teachers or whatever? He meant that as an insult, but . . . I think it’s really kind of great that you gravitate toward people like that. You’re really kind of great, and you deserve to be with someone who’ll recognize that.”

(pg. 246-7)

Take your own advice Pinky! Because you deserve someone who recognizes your greatness as well.

But this conversation stuck out to me because Pinky laughed at the near idea of ever dating Samir in real life because he was a real stickler, and here she was talking about how guys like Samir were good and that her cousin shouldn’t date guys who are cool because they are cool, but someone kind, respectful, and honest. It was a complete switch, and I liked hearing that change in Pinky ☺️. She was starting to see that if she did date a guy like Samir, there would be nothing wrong with that because he was a good guy. And you know, as a cisgender girl, I feel like, yes, I have liked guys because they gave off this air of cool or popularity, but truly it’s the guys who are smart, who are shy-quiet, or who don’t talk a lot that I have found are the most in tune with their feelings and thoughts and who are really good guys. Not to generalize, of course. Be careful ladies and gents with whom you choose to trust, but yea, sometimes we need to remember our self-worth to be with good people and not people who have a certain image.

I really liked Dolly and Pinky’s relationship because it was funny/ironic how they both wanted to be each other.

“We’re both ogling each other’s grasses, thinking it looks green and beautiful. It’s ridiculous.”

(pg. 61)

There’s the saying the grass is always greener on the other side. Sometimes when we look at the grass on the other side, we think how they must have it better, or they must have all the money, time, or resources, to water their grass to grow. But it’s crazy to think that from the other’s perspective, maybe they’re looking at your grass and thinking it looks better than theirs. So as people, we find ourselves at a constant comparison that will never satisfy us because we’re always going to think someone has it better. Pinky ogled Dolly because Dolly was “perfect.” She had perfect grades, did everything right, and was respectful. Dolly ogled how spontaneous, passionate, and driven Pinky was. They were both completely opposite and wanted what the other had. But it brought them closer because they understood each other. I felt like Dolly didn’t need to burn a barn down or constantly go back to that prick of a dude named Cash—-I mean his name just ooooozes f-boy—–just so she could have this one thing that was spontaneous or adventurous or not what her parents would expect good old Dolly to do. And I understand that because when you have this innocent, perfect image, no one expects you to do the craziest thing like set fire to a barn or date the prick, but Dolly did. She wanted freedom and excitement and to prove to her family and herself she was more than her grades and brains. I get it. I liked how Pinky never made Dolly feel wrong for dating/seeing Cash, but she more so listened to Dolly and supported her. Pinky knew what Dolly was doing was her experience and her lesson to learn from, and as much as she would have wanted to ward Dolly away from Cash, that won’t make things better because then Dolly would feel more compelled to be with him. So I liked how Pinky just listens as well. She really is a good listener.

I also liked it when Dolly went off with her whole who cares speech to Pinky 😂. I mean, yes, who cares Pinky about what other people think of you and Samir dating👏🏼. Let them think what they want to think because as long as you’re happy that’s all that mattered and I liked how they said that they both felt happier with the other person there🥺. And Pinky also had that gut feeling where she knew she loved him, and honey, you TRUST that gut feeling because it’s there for a reason 😉.

What really got me was how they were both doubting each other’s love and if they could be together because they were so different from each other. But honestly, it made me upset because Samir told her in the butterfly exhibit to give them a chance and that he didn’t care if they were different, and here he was questioning the whole thing because of one comment he took poorly from Pinky 🤪. I mean, get it together! They also literally said they were like magnets of different poles and opposites attract! You can work out! I think it’s wrong to assume that because two people are completely opposite they won’t work out because you never know. But I think it was also the fear talking about how they were scared to let the other person in. And Samir still needed to work on his control thing and he was just angry at Pinky for calling him out on it. So he pushed her away out of fear.

But what made me sad was when Pinky found the letter in his drawer. I clenched my jaw! 😩 Samir!!!! You don’t keep a hate list on the top of your drawer! You IDIOT! At least put it at the bottom of your drawer or burn that sucker in the barn like a smart man!

I swear, if I saw a letter like that from someone I loved and trusted, I would feel broken and defeated and completely wrecked. UTTERLY DESTROYED. A list of things someone hates about you? Hate is a strong word 😣. Truthfully, I did not know how Samir could make this situation any better, he had to grovel for forgiveness because he majorly screwed up and I even wouldn’t forgive him for that. I’m happy he felt guilty because darn right he should feel bad about what he wrote. Also, good for him when Pinky went off on his butt about things she hated about him. Because at least he knew what Pinky felt. And the AUDACITY for Samir to say he felt

“Little pieces of his heart break off as she spoke, until it was just a splintered, ragged thing in his chest.”

(pg. 323)

I’m sorry, your feelings are hurt 🙄.

IDIOT.

What broke my heart was how Pinky started to doubt and lose even more hope in herself. Her mom didn’t like her (so she thought) and then the only person she thought loved her, always hated her (so she thought) 😢.

“It was like she lived two lives, one as Pinky the Protestor and the other as Pinky the Privileged.”

(pg. 301)

Pinky was always at war with herself in who she should be—-herself or what others wanted of her. That’s hard. To feel like you can’t even be yourself because people might not like you or accept you—-not even your own parents, but to also want to be yourself because that’s who you know you are. I just felt people didn’t give Pinky enough credit for her amazing, exuberant, empowering qualities.

” . . .all those things her mom hated about her-her temper, her passion— Samir hated them too.” 

(pg. 327)

SHATTERED I TELL YOU!

It sucks that people made her feel like her best qualities were her worst 😡. Those are not real loved ones if they do not like you for you and want you to change who you are to be who you want them to be.

” It just felt so… personal. You know? All the things I’m most insecure about, all the things I know my mom wishes were different about me, he just put those down on a sheet of paper and went to town. It was awful.”

(pg. 336)

I bet it did feel awful. Felt SUCKY AS HECK.

I wanted to slap Samir silly for making Pinky ever doubt herself.

You know, Samir’s the prime example of the meme of Mr. Mosby from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody where it’s like, “How do you lose a woman?!” And Cody’s like, “You forget to cherish her.” 😂

Samir forgot to cherish her!

But you know what I said in the beginning how the ten lists would become the ten things he loved about her? Well, it did!!! Didn’t I call it! And Samir said it beautifully if I may add because sometimes the things we think we hate about a person—their pet peeves, etc.—–can actually be things we love about a person. To love those little moments and little actions that are so that person. Like Pinky’s snorting or how passionate she was about everything. Samir saw all of those in such a negative light in the beginning because he didn’t know Pinky or her heart. But when he got to know her, I felt like he saw all of her and loved her for the things he thought were bad qualities. So yes, I was hard core mad at Samir, but I also know he didn’t really hate Pinky for all those things anymore. He learned to love them. And love is powerful in the way that sometimes the things we think we hate become the things we love most about a person.

I liked how Samir didn’t just apologize either, he actually did something to show he was sorry. He talked to PInky’s mom, and he used his Harvard-bound lawyer brain to find a loophole to save the butterfly exhibit. And that meant more than an apology because he doubted that they could save the exhibit, so him showing up and doing everything he can to save the one thing that mattered a lot to Pinky and her mom, was such a beautiful thing to do.

I liked how Samir stood up to his mom and told her about how he wanted to go to a real school, which was a first step for him trying to take control of his life in a different way. I hope he gets rid of his planner somewhat. I also am happy that he got an internship with Pinky’s mom, but it makes me wonder if the parents will ever find out they fake dated at first 🧐. That would be an interesting story to tell them.

I loved how they texted Ashish a picture of them kissing and he flipped his lid 😂. Who would have thought? But they were a good match and I hope they last a long time because they really do bring out the best in each other 💙.

Anyway, what was your favorite part of the book? Least favorite part?

If you had a nickname (like the Hurricane or the Shark or Drama Queen) what would it be?

What did you think of 10 Things I Hate About Pinky? Let me know below in the comments as I love hearing from you all 💕

I hope you have a beautiful day whenever and wherever you might be reading this 😊.

And as always, with love,

Rating

4.56 Full Bloom Flowers

Characters: Pinky is brazen, passionate, and soft-hearted and Samir is cool, calm, collected, and a bit sassy. Together they are perfect 💙

Writing: I’ll always be a Sandhya Sweetheart because her books are like falling in love all over again

Plot: We love a fake dating plot!👏🏼

Romance: I appreciated how both brought out the best in each other and were not afraid to be vulnerable about their feelings or experiences. And to me that is the best kind of love.