From the Bookshelf of ✧.* make some noise for the desi books! ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚…

The Trouble with Hating You (The Trouble with Hating You, #1)

Sajni Patel

Start date: May 10, 2022

Finish date: May 31, 2022

Discussion: BOTM GROUP READ

Why we're reading this: April (2022) BOTM
[close] April (2022) BOTM

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BOTM GROUP READ

* February 2025 Group Read - American Betiya
By sami · 6 posts · 24 views

last updated Apr 27, 2025 09:07AM

May 2022 Group Read - The Trouble with Hating You
By ౨ৎ · 9 posts · 35 views

last updated May 20, 2022 06:00AM

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What Members Thought

Mar 13, 2022 sephora ౨ৎ⸆⸉ rated it really liked it

4.5*
(side note the descriptions of food alone made me gain a couple pounds :o)

22 likes · Like · see review

Jun 01, 2022 aish⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ rated it really liked it

4 stars! ☆

She momentarily glanced away, her lips quivering as if she were trying not to smile. “You talk like a man who has it bad.” I caressed her cheek as I let go. “I am a man who has it bad.”

jah shah is the literal blueprint for brown boys, if my brown boy aint like this he can make his own roti 😒

16 likes · Like · see review

Jul 29, 2021 megz rated it really liked it

So. My guilty pleasure is now desi rom-com chick-lit. It could be worse, right? Unlike Recipe for Persuasion, which made me tear up quite a bit, I only teared up once for this. BUT I really enjoyed it, and kept gushing about Liya and Jay. I love that it didn't end in marriage, because like Liya, I don't really want to get married either? But I really did like the way their relationship progressed. This wouldn't exactly be called enemies to lovers, because they were BARELY enemies, but still, abs ...more

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Jan 24, 2022 Jume rated it it was amazing

Mr. Jayesh Shah has now topped my list of book boyfriends! I want a Jay Shah 😩
I just love how understanding and determined he was and how he always listened to Liya, hearing her out fully before reacting. I loved their cute dates and romance. Asdfghjkl.

It will take a lot for another book to top this one.
It was a heavy book, it made me feel everything and anger especially. Also, it reminded me of a Star Plus drama from 10 years ago called Maryada (just me?).

One thing that annoys me is when boo ...more

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Nov 07, 2021 tamanna rated it it was ok

Shelves: romance, contemporary, pov-bipoc-characters, adult, disappointing, ew-men, ugh-irritating-main-characters

Can I just say that I HATE HATE HATE when it's ridiculously obvious that the writer prefers one character over the other, particularly when that character has no reason to be so obstinate and stubborn all the damn time? Because I'm gonna say it. I HATE HATE HATE the fact that this author obviously prefers Liya over Jay, especially because I was so excited to read a book about a South Asian (Indian) romance.
(Major TW for sexual violence, not graphic but mentioned many times. This, I should mentio Can I just say that I HATE HATE HATE when it's ridiculously obvious that the writer prefers one character over the other, particularly when that character has no reason to be so obstinate and stubborn all the damn time? Because I'm gonna say it. I HATE HATE HATE the fact that this author obviously prefers Liya over Jay, especially because I was so excited to read a book about a South Asian (Indian) romance.
(Major TW for sexual violence, not graphic but mentioned many times. This, I should mention, was handled well.)
This book is about two characters, Liya and Jay, who are meant to be in an arranged marriage without Liya's consent. After she rudely dismisses him and runs away, they embark on an enemies-to-lovers (maybe workplace?) romance that involves a lot of grappling with Liya's past sexual assault and the current shaming in society because of it. It was so ridiculously sexist at times that it made my head spin, and Liya handled it with fierceness and determination. Jay was also a good ally and very supportive of Liya, which made me adore him.
But.
I think what this author was trying to do was make Liya an uber-feminist, which is great. Which is spectacular. Feminism is important and crucial, particularly when you factor in that Liya is also a woman of color and then faces sexism of a particularly cruel variety. Liya's reaction to the scenarios she faces are real and understandable. However, the author uses this feminism as an excuse for Liya to be, at times, terribly rude. It makes sense, of course, for her to run away from the arranged marriage (that was arranged without her consent; ew). But for her to continue to be rude to Jay even when he tries his best to understand her, and for her to refuse to apologize in any manner to him for the dismissive, rude way she treated him over the span of the book, made me furious with her.
I think what really gets me is that this book gives in to the idea that feminism is "women being strong and independent and Not Needing A Man and rude and terrible and never apologizing for their wrongs" when, in reality, it's simply the idea of choice, of owning our bodies, of being ourselves without fear of repercussion. Whenever Jay says anything to Liya, she talks about him not understanding her position in society. He doesn't, it's true—but what does that have to do with you insulting him, over and over? He is always the one to chase after her; she never truly stops, except for once or twice, to ask him his feelings, or to understand his point of view. It's not independence; it's stubbornness. And this is not a character flaw that she recognizes. This is something the author treats as the only right way of going about things. We even get the sense, sometimes, that Liya looks down on the women who decide to have arranged marriages, who are quiet and "meek". If it's wholly and truly their choice, then you have no right to talk about it.
Maybe this was over-the-top and nonsensical, but it grates on my nerves when certain people take a movement designed to facilitate freedom and use it as an excuse for behaviors that lead to harm. I like Liya. I really do. But I'd like her more if she wasn't so selfish all of the time. ...more

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Feb 23, 2022 mon rated it it was amazing

Shelves: desi-books

I'LL SCREAM I'LL SCREAM LATER IDK HAVE TIME RN BUT I WILL I NEED TO

OKAY I CAN SCREAM NOW HELLO

dude this was such a good book i don't think i've felt this many butterflies idk since hoW LONG but anyways it kind of hit home in some aspects u know being a desi woman in a foreign country but still influenced by the indian society and everything idk i think it was well-described (i read someone's review where they said it was kind of stereotypical but i mean, where's the lie, all this shit still happ ...more

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Jul 13, 2022 Mariyah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: desi-mena, romance, my-five-stars

THIS WAS SO GOOD DHSNDHDJSJ SUCH VIBES OMG Jay shah is what desi boys need to aspire to be, yk that song ‘make some noise for the desi boyz’? YEAH MAKE SOME NOISE FOR JAY FUCKING SHAH. he actually needs to make crash course classes on how to be a good desi guy

this man really raised my standards bc how was I literally falling, tripping over my ankles, throwing up, crying, screaming, vomiting on the walls for a desi boy🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨 plus his momma was the cutes human and THE IDEAL DESI AUNTY

Liya was a w ...more

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