I firmly believe Menon has grown significantly since her debut, and mastered the art of writing fun, relevant, and realistic Young Adult contemporary novels. While my personal favorite of the Dimpleverse trilogy is There’s Something About Sweetie, this is a close second.

Pinky and Samir are well-developed characters with distinct voices and obstacles to overcome, their stories furthered by equally well-rounded side characters. I liked Pinky’s headstrong attitude and passion for activism, no matter the cause. Samir was much more subdued, but still interesting.

If you like the fake dating trope, this is a must-read. I completely forgot this book had that trope, as I hadn’t read the synopsis since it was announced. So, what an exciting surprise! Between that and the hate-to-love, Menon crafted a brilliant romance. When not at each other’s throats, our two leads make quite the cute couple.

Also, props to Menon for making a lighthearted story unpredictable. There is some of the basic drama many YA contemporaries thrive on, but I’m not concerned about that. The surplus of positives outweigh that single negative, in my opinion. How is it unpredictable? Well, while I certainly hoped Pinky and Samir’s story would end a certain way, I was never sure. There were curveballs and emotions, more than I expected, and I really enjoyed it.

I also enjoyed the secondary storyline regarding the butterfly habitat. It was meaningful, and a unique way to drive the story in addition to the characters’ physical and emotional development arcs.

To be honest, Sandhya Menon is a must-read for any YA contemporary fan or general hopeless romantic. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Representation:
• Almost entirely Indian cast
• Married biracial sapphic side couple (a Black woman and a white woman)

CW: cancer (prior to story, discussed on-page)