The Trouble with Hating You

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Positive Messages (3/5) - [Confronting trauma in a healthy way, Being brave, Honesty, Patience in a relationship] Also, their were many errors about Hinduism, I'm not even a religious person and still was able to identify all the wrong things, because it was that basic. I've really struggled to put together a review for this book. In fact I have lost sleep as my brain has whirred trying to piece together something semi-coherent. Massive apologies as I fear I may have failed to do so! 🙈

I'm just really tired by these female leads who made into these big 'feminist' when in actuality they perpetuate sexist notions and actually end up being 'saved' by this hot man with abs. Here there is one of the most clichéd scenes ever: Liya injures her ankle and has to be carried by the male lead. Why can't it ever be the guy who hurts himself ? Not only that but what led to Liya injury seemed to emphasise that nothing good will come by going out with men who aren't the fabulous hero.While I appreciated the way in which Sajni Patel incorporated serious issues into her narrative, I couldn't push aside my annoyance towards her main characters. Yes, they did have chemistry and their own character arcs but I wasn't a fan of the way in which Liya Thakkar was portrayed. She's a self-proclaimed feminist who more than once states that she's not a 'damsel in distress'. With witty banter and fascinating characters, Sajni Patel takes the classic enemies to lovers trope to a deliciously charming level. I loved everything about this book.” - Farrah Rochon,USA Todaybestselling author Indian Matchmaking meets Date Night in this fun, romantic adventure in which a match-made couple about to be engaged gets caught up in a caper that puts their future—and lives—in danger. It talks about how some cultures are still anchored in the past, living by the rules set hundreds of years before real, healthy mentality even existed. It talks about how women are supposed to aspire to marriage above everything else, but it also talks about how important it is for men to have a good wife too. It talks about all kinds of abuse. It talks about people not listening to other people. It talks about the importance of sacrifice. It talks about trust. It talks about freedom. I also felt for Liya, who is dealing with the widespread censure within her family’s community because of her lifestyle (she lives alone and away from her parents, she has sex outside of marriage, and so on). There’s also a traumatic incident in her past that makes it difficult for Liya to trust men, especially when her father blames her rather than the actual perpetrator for the incident. I felt for Liya, and for how difficult it must have been like for her to grow up while dealing with this experience and being unable to find support within her own family. I really liked her circle of friends, and I also liked how she warmed up to Jay’s mother before she even warmed up to Jay himself.

It was almost an instant change for me, I felt the writing, characters, and the romantic plot accelerated into something so much more entertaining and realistic. We got some seriously cute scenes between Liya and Jay (he would bring her coffee and breakfast and they'd eat together in her office 🥺🥺 and then he'd stay in late with her 🥺🥺 and that's basically the cutest thing I've ever read in my whole life 🥺🥺) Because she is deeply loyal to her friends, fiercely protective of them, has a bond with her mother, is a fighter...and Jay doesn't give up, he is patient, non-judgmental, truly a wonderful guy.. this is The chemistry between the characters can be maintain until the end of the book. Overall this book is a perfection. Can not wait for other book by Miss Patel. I feel like this book had so much potential in its premise, but the execution fell flat for me. While they both had their struggles, which could have been delved into more, they actually felt more like a plot device? And I struggled to really like either of the main characters somehow. I came because you’re the one,” he rasped. “You’re mine. I’m yours. We don’t belong with anyone else. I don’t stand in front of you, or run after you. I walk alongside you. I will be damned if anything breaks us.”

All of those things are there, believe me. But I wish they could have been better outlined. I wanted to experience the grief and the joy of every single major topic that was trying to be explored, but I think it wasn’t enough emphasis on it. This is a beautifully, brutal romance with glimpses into Indian culture woven into it with a hardcore, specific look especially at the roles of women, the roles of men, especially Fathers, uncles and men of power..and how sexual assault is handled.

Don’t let a few bad days and a few idiots unravel the determination that you’ve had since you were a kid. You’ll make mistakes, Pree. You’re not perfect, no one is, and although you hold yourself to incredibly high standards because you take your responsibility and privilege seriously, you can’t beat yourself up for every mistake. But the fact that you do shows how much you care. Mistakes are just that. They don’t always reflect your skill or intelligence.” The main problem here I think was with Liya. I honestly didn't like her as a character even though she wasn't completely repulsive. There was something about her way of carrying herself that threw me off.

While I did enjoy reading it and found myself wanting to just sit for hours and read, I will admit, the dialogue isn't always the most profound. It is cheesy at times, there are some really cliche lines used here and there but overall, it was a really sweet, fun, fast-paced read

This was such a great story, I loved it from the very start till the end! Jay and Liya were both fantastic, I adored them!The storyline was fantastic with one of my favorite tropes enemies to lovers!Sajni Patel bursts onto the scene with a debut that will make you laugh!"-Jenny Holiday,USA Todaybestselling author Finally, I want to discuss the ending. I won't spoil anything but I loved the way it just snowballed. Drama! Intrigue! Romance! Overall, I loved the climax although I was a bit frustrated with how Liya overreacted to a certain thing that I won't name. I know it was so that the plot would progress but still... I also had a bit of a problem with Jay. He is definitely a sweet man, but he is too stubborn for his own good. And I don't mean Aries kind of stubborn, but Taurus kind of stubborn, if you know what I mean.