Book Review: THEY HATE EACH OTHER

THEY HATE EACH OTHER by Amanda Woody

Review by Jillian Brenner

I’ll be the first to admit it– I’m a sucker for an enemies-to-lovers story. Give me the heated arguments, the prolonged eye contact, the insistence that the mutual obsession is rooted only in hatred. THEY HATE EACH OTHER is particularly a delight because it combines other popular romance tropes: fake dating, kissing for “practice”, being forced to share a bed. It’s fun, engaging, and I’m only slightly ashamed to say it also made me cry.

THEY HATE EACH OTHER follows Jonah and Dylan. Jonah is loud, funny, and perpetually upbeat. What most of his classmates don’t know is that he’s juggling a brutal home life alongside a full-time job and raising his younger sisters. Dylan is quiet, athletic, and wealthy, with sad secrets of his own. As the only two out bi guys at their high school, their best friends (who are also dating) push them to get together. The circumstance for their fake dating is a bit contrived – they want their friends to stop asking them to date so they…date? – but the book is cute, so I don’t hold that against it. The story is told through dual narration.

I found myself particularly moved during Jonah's sections. I just wanted to hug his little shoulders and give him money and food and a nice boyfriend. THEY HATE EACH OTHER does a good job of avoiding the problematic trope of characters saving each other. I’m not a fan of romances that reinforce toxic codependency and Dylan and Jonah sweetly supporting each other while not taking on the role of rescuers.

BOOK or AUDIO? Great readers! I listened on audio and, because I cannot stand too much tension, I listened to the last fifteen minutes. When I had 3 hours remaining, I skipped ahead an hour and finished it, and then relistened from my original point. Unorthodox? Maybe, but I had a good time.

OVERALL:

Gay Characters?: two– we love bi-representation!

On a trauma scale from Schitts Creek to A Little Life: 6.

My recommendation: 8/10

Buy here from Rakestraw books, a queer-owned bookstore