Loathing You book cover

Loathing You by Amina Khan Summary

Loathing You
Amina Khan
Relationship
Psychology
Personal Development

A 19-year-old's dark sapphic romance that exploded from Wattpad to viral TikTok sensation. "Loathing You" captivated over a million readers with its gritty, shameless portrayal of queer love. What makes Adaline and Juliette's toxic chemistry so addictively unputdownable?

Key takeaways

1

The Battlefield of Desire and Hatred

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Have you ever hated someone so fiercely that it consumed your thoughts, only to realize that beneath that hatred burned something far more terrifying? This is the explosive reality for Adaline Emery and Juliette Kingston, whose five-year war at Richmond Sixth Form Academy masks deeper emotions neither is prepared to face. Adaline, a brilliant scholarship student from South London's council estates, navigates this privileged world with quiet determination despite her traumatic past. Meanwhile, Juliette - copper-haired heir to the Kingston Pharmaceuticals fortune - rules the social hierarchy with calculated precision while hiding her own painful secrets. When their stern biology teacher forces them together for tutoring sessions, their carefully maintained battlefield transforms into something neither can control. Both women carry profound trauma that shapes every interaction. Adaline grew up with an abusive alcoholic father who blamed her for her mother's death, repeatedly telling her that "love destroys." After his death, her brother Adam went to prison for burning down a rapist's home, leaving Adaline essentially alone save for her surrogate mother figure, Miss Kim. Juliette's perfect exterior conceals equally deep wounds - her father Julian abandoned the family for another man after years of physically abusing her mother Samantha to hide his homosexuality. This transformed Samantha into a virulently homophobic woman despite her otherwise progressive politics. What makes their dynamic so compelling is how their wounds mirror each other. Both learned destructive lessons about love - Adaline that it destroys, Juliette that it leads to betrayal and shame.

2

When Hatred Burns Like Desire

3

Battling Internalized Homophobia and Trauma

4

The Price of Vulnerability

5

Breaking Generational Cycles

6

The Courage to Choose Your Own Path

About the author

Amina Khan is the author of Loathing You, a sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance that explores complex queer relationships with raw authenticity. A queer South Asian woman from Birmingham, England, Khan brings her lived experience and psychology studies to her debut novel, creating characters and dynamics that resonate deeply with young LGBTQ+ readers.

Khan first shared Loathing You on Wattpad, where it garnered over a million readers before she self-published the complete book on Amazon in 2023. Her writing is known for its unapologetic exploration of messy, intense romance, challenging the notion that queer love stories must be soft or idealized. She remains active on TikTok, Wattpad, and Instagram, engaging with her growing fanbase.

Remarkably, Khan wrote the book while still a teenager, completing it at age 19 while pursuing her bachelor's degree in psychology and criminology. The novel has received thousands of ratings on Goodreads, establishing Khan as an emerging voice in contemporary queer fiction.

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FAQs About This Book

Loathing You is a dark enemies-to-lovers sapphic romance between Adaline Emery, a scholarship student, and Juliette Kingston, a wealthy heiress at Richmond Academy in England. The story follows five years of intense hatred between the two girls, sparked when Adaline was outed as bisexual and bullied by Juliette. When their professor forces Adaline to tutor Juliette, their mutual loathing transforms into an addictive, passionate connection.

Amina Khan is a 19-year-old queer South Asian woman from Birmingham, England, currently studying psychology and criminology. She began her writing career on Wattpad, where Loathing You went viral and garnered over one million readers before she self-published the completed novel on Amazon. Writing has been a lifelong passion for Khan, who uses her platform to create LGBTQ+ representation in contemporary romance through authentic, diverse characters.

Loathing You is ideal for readers seeking intense enemies-to-lovers sapphic romance with high angst and explicit content. This book appeals to fans of dark romance featuring possessive dynamics, class conflict, and LGBTQ+ representation. Readers who enjoy stories exploring bisexual identity, privilege dynamics, and emotional intensity will find this contemporary English setting compelling. The novel suits mature audiences comfortable with explicit scenes rated 5/5 for spice level.

Loathing You delivers exceptional angst and possessiveness rare in sapphic romance, with characters who embody the "touch her and I'll ruin your life" dynamic. The book offers explicit, rougher intimate scenes that differ from typical sweet sapphic romance, satisfying readers seeking more passionate content. With over one million Wattpad readers and strong reviews praising its emotional intensity, Loathing You successfully balances hate-to-love tension with authentic LGBTQ+ representation.

Adaline Emery and Juliette Kingston are polar opposites who despise each other—Juliette represents ice and privilege while Adaline embodies fire and hard work. For five years, Juliette has bullied Adaline for being bisexual and scholarship-based, creating intense animosity. Despite their hatred, they become addicted to their conflict and cannot stay away from each other. Their relationship epitomizes the "enemies who are obsessed with each other" trope, where only they can torment one another.

Class inequality and privilege dominate Loathing You, contrasting Adaline's working-class background with Richmond Academy's wealthy elite. The novel addresses LGBTQ+ identity, particularly bisexual representation and the discrimination Adaline faces after being outed. Power dynamics and control feature prominently through Juliette's dominance and possessiveness. Additional themes include mental health awareness, the duality of love and hate, and social commentary on contemporary attitudes toward sexuality and privilege.

Loathing You receives a 5/5 spice level rating with explicit and plentiful intimate scenes. The intimate content leans toward the rougher side compared to typical sweet sapphic romance, with hatred transforming into intense passion. While not BDSM-focused, the scenes reflect the characters' emotional intensity and possessive dynamics. Readers describe the explicit content as "chef's kiss" quality, noting it successfully captures the enemies-to-lovers tension through physical expression.

  • "Love doesn't always feel like heaven, sometimes it burns, it coils at your heart and tears through your insides; sometimes, love feels like hell" captures the novel's central theme about love's destructive and painful aspects.
  • "You leave when I say you can" exemplifies Juliette's controlling, dominant personality.
  • "Don't you get tired of pretending like I don't affect you?" followed by Adaline's response showcases her resilience against Juliette's manipulation tactics.

Loathing You concludes with an open-ended but hopeful finale, leaving Adaline and Juliette's future relationship uncertain while offering reconciliation possibilities. The ending emphasizes self-acceptance and personal growth, highlighting the courage needed to confront fears and insecurities. Khan's conclusion suggests that love, despite its complications and pain, possesses transformative power to heal wounds and create meaningful connections. The ambiguous resolution allows readers to interpret the characters' emotional journey.

Loathing You stands out for its darker, more intense approach to sapphic romance compared to typically sweet lesbian fiction. The book features explicit content on the rougher side, with possessive dynamics and genuine hatred-turned-passion rarely seen in WLW romance. Khan incorporates class conflict and privilege critique within the LGBTQ+ narrative, adding social commentary depth. The viral Wattpad origin and million-plus readership demonstrate its authentic connection with young queer audiences seeking representation.

Loathing You resonated with over one million Wattpad readers seeking authentic sapphic enemies-to-lovers representation with high emotional stakes. The intense angst, possessiveness, and "touch her and I'll ruin your life" dynamic fulfilled reader desires for passionate WLW romance. Amina Khan's portrayal of bisexual identity, class inequality, and raw emotional intensity connected with young LGBTQ+ audiences craving diverse, complex characters. The book's success prompted Khan to self-publish the completed novel on Amazon.

Adaline's Yamaha V-star 650 Classic motorcycle, a gift from her brother, represents her independence and working-class identity. The bike contrasts sharply with Richmond Academy's wealth and privilege, symbolizing Adaline's refusal to conform to elite standards. This detail reinforces her outsider status and self-reliance, distinguishing her from wealthy students like Juliette. The motorcycle embodies Adaline's resilience and connection to her roots despite attending a prestigious academy.

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