Hate

by Ketley Allison

I’m buying this dump.

I picture having the keys to the chain link locks, clicking them open, and thrusting the dusty doors wide open before I stroll into my brand-new place of business.

The day is crisp and sunny, practically a sign from above that my dreams are about to come true. It's so perfect that my father, who's always protected my inheritance with an iron fist, even agrees to my purchase without a fuss.

Wait. What?

Then he grins. Like a real, cat-got-the-canary smile, and tells me that the building I want, the storefront I dream of...

Is now in the hands of the dumb-hole jackface I lost my virginity to.

Who then promptly never spoke to me again.

Thanks a lot, fate.

--

Hate is a delicious short read with a mix of office romance and enemies to lovers, topped off with a satisfying second chance. It can be read as a complete standalone.

Genres: Contemporary Romance

190 pages, Paperback

Published June 12, 2022

About the author

Author of Romantic Suspense, New Adult, and mature YA.

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Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/22/2022)! 🎁

[Mattie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had all the pieces to make me love it, but it fell somewhat flat. The spice was just okay. Caleb and Lily’s history was interesting and the root of all their problems being so stupid was more than believable since they were teenagers at the time. The sexual tension was almost perfect. Coco is the best friend that we all need in our lives. Lily is a driven, well traveled, ambitious badass business woman who knows what she wants out of life. Caleb is a bad boy type that’s been somewhat reformed after making one too many mistakes and being indebted to the worst kind of people. One could argue that his grandfather is actually just as bad but that’s definitely a topic for another day. Caleb is insanely successful and exactly what Lily needs to help her get her business off the ground. Maybe it was that they both seem to be stunted to the emotional maturity level they possessed when the initial horrible breakup happened. Maybe it was just a little too short to fully flush out everything? Idk but I’m left just feeling kind of meh about it

[Cait M · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 🌟
I read this novella titled as "I'm not Hating You".

This is a second-chance romance where things ended badly between the MC's 8 years ago because of lies from interfering third-parties.

Caleb is a business/developer tycoon-type person, and Lily unknowingly leases a property he owns to open her dream business - a cafe/ patisserie inspired by the time she spent with her honorary uncle, pastry chef Asher, who happens to be Caleb's father.

Lily has never completely gotten over her breakup with Caleb, and she finds it difficult to work with him setting up her business, particularly as he is determined to antagonise her every step of the way.

They hate-bang it out(for want of a better description), and afterwards finally realise that they were manipulated all those years ago and have an honest conversation to clear up their lingering issues. Then.... nothing. Issues are left unresolved with Caleb's father. The story ended very ubruptly and just felt unfinished to me.

This book contains descriptive love scenes.

[Will Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a perfect 5 star book, but pretty close. I really enjoyed the angst between the 2 main characters. The spice in the love scenes could have been much hotter, but it worked. The ending could use a little work also, including some conclusion with the 'other' woman. Even though it had a conclusion, it left a lot of threads hanging. But they're both adults, they'll figure it out.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

What is this cover? It has absolutely nothing to do with the book. Book is about a dude that wears expensive suits most of the time, not a pilot jacket without a shirt hahaha

Book was okay, but nothing special

[Lisa Neijman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it’s what you can expect from a rather short story. It has some spice, but not that much. I think the story really could’ve gotten somewhere if there’d be more detail at the right times.
It was a good read for a day at the pool though

[Morgan Rutherford · Rating 2 out of 5]

not my cup of tea

I liked Lily’s character but I didn’t really like Caleb that much. The miscommunication trope isn’t my favorite. It just wasn’t for me.

[Steve Bender · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second chance or enemies to lovers romance, Woman waqnts to open a bakery in a great site, but the owener of the property is her old lover who broke her heart. Some steamy mments.

[The Written · Rating 1 out of 5]

DO NOT RECOMMEND

I do not like second chance romances where the initial romance ends because both the male and female leads think the other cheated. No one i know, myself included, even in high school, would not have confronted their partner. It makes no sense and it’s a ridiculous premise. DNF skimmed and skipped to 48% when they had “angry sex”. Huge eye roll!
SEX SCENES - I only read one and it happened at the point I stopped reading (48%)