When a teen tries to get back at her ex-best friend for stealing her crush, she ends up unexpectedly rekindling their complicated friendship and discovers that it’s not just her pride on the line, it’s her heart too.
Bring down the cheerleader. Just don’t fall in love with her.Meera Rao-George is done being the dorky high school senior crushing on her neighbor Sushant, who only has eyes for cheerleader Lucy Hughson—Meera’s ex-best friend. After countless attempts to get his attention, Meera decides it’s time for a bold move: the Date Sushant & Dethrone Lucy Plan.
Lucy Hughson appears to have it all: a loving boyfriend, top grades, and a designer wardrobe. But beneath the surface, she battles anxiety, struggles with her identity, and questions her feelings for Sushant compared to what she felt for someone from her past.
As Meera cozies up to Lucy to execute her plan, she realizes her heart's at risk. Their friendship ended for a reason—a secret Lucy won’t confront. Now, she must reevaluate everything she thought she knew about herself, and what a real shot at love ultimately looks like.
On sale: March 31, 2026
Age: 12 and up
Grade: Grade 7 & Up
Page count: 320 Pages
ISBN: 9798217028160
Reading level: Lexile: 780L
Swati Hegde is the author of
Can't Help Faking in Love and
Match Me If You Can, as well as a freelance editor, mindset coach, and self-proclaimed coffee shop enthusiast who lives in Bangalore, India. She can often be found at the nearest café with a hot mug of tea. She looks forward to a long career bringing Indian stories and voices to light.
Praise for
As Long as You Loathe Me:
"[A]
joyful YA debut. This
angsty romcom will have readers listening to all their favorite Tay-Tay tracks on repeat."—
Teen Vogue "
Tender,
funny, and
totally adorable,
As Long As You Loathe Me captures the dizzying rush of young love and the ache of finding out who you are. YA at its finest."—Sophie Gonzales, bestselling author of
Never Ever Getting Back Together “
As Long As You Loathe Me is a
sweet,
soulful sapphic love story, a much-needed diverse addition to this generation’s catalog of joyful queer romances. Hegde’s characters leaped off the page and straight into my heart."—Erin Baldwin, author of
Wish You Weren't Here“Swati Hegde’s
As Long As You Loathe Me delivers a heartwarming, sapphic take on
Mean Girls with the romcom gold of friends to rivals to something...
more that'll have you listening to your favorite love songs on repeat—
sweet,
fiery, and
undoubtedly romantic!"—Matthew Hubbard, author of
The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge"The writing is
crisp and
emotionally immediate, capturing the exhilaration and fear of wanting what you’ve sworn to hate.
Earnest,
swoony, and
deeply romantic."—
Kirkus Reviews
"This dual-POV title is recommended for fans of
rom-coms, the
rivals-to-lovers trope, and, of course,
Mean Girls."—Booklist
