I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
But I Hate Him by Page Powars Published by Roaring Book Press, Macmillan Audio on August 25, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads
From New York Times and #1 Indies bestselling author Page Powars, a sizzling queer YA romcom about academic rivals who face off at the most competitive camp in the country. Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alice Oseman.
Rory is academic royalty.
As the heir to the most successful tutoring company in the world, he can be nothing less than perfect if he wants to gain his parents’ approval. So it's simple. Rory studies harder than anyone else. He does not make mistakes. And he never loses.
Except to Luca Melendez. The infuriatingly good-looking hockey player who wins every academic competition without even trying.
When Rory has a very public meltdown, throwing a smoothie at Luca and shattering his own public image in the process – it feels like one more thing Luca ruined.
To salvage his reputation, Rory has his sights set on winning the most cutthroat academic camp in the country, BRAIN. There is nothing standing between Rory and the final medal.
Until, Luca Melendez shows up.
This means war and Rory has the perfect plan: Make Luca fall in love with him.
And then break Luca’s heart right before the final competition.
It has been such a long time since I’ve read a YA Contemporary Romance. But I am so glad I got the chance to read this one as an audiobook.
This is such a cute read! I absolutely adored Luca and Rory! In fact, every character is done so well. I could understand and connect with all of them, and it took me back to my teenage years. Watching them come to terms with their feelings was so sweet to experience as a reader. I just wanted to give them all hugs!
The writing style really worked for me. The chapter headings (which I usually never pay attention to) were really funny, and the story flowed smoothly. It was fun to read about their antics and get second-hand embarrassment for our MCs. The representation was also amazing and much appreciated!
The audiobook narration was excellent! It helped that the story was told exclusively from Rory’s perspective but the narrator really brought the personality to life!
Overall, this was a fantastic read and I am very thankful to the publishers for giving me this ARC! Now all I need is a sequel – or an epilogue!
