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Dynasty Rebels #1

Married in Hate

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When friends turn enemies turn spouses…

Four years ago, Priyanka had planned to elope with the love of her life. Only to be left stranded at the bus stop waiting for a man who never came…

Daughter to the sitting Chief Minister, Dr. Priyanka Kodela’s life is a gilded cage. A cage she accepts as atonement for her sins, the ones her family can never find out about. Until the day, her father announces that he’s accepted a proposal of marriage on her behalf. It’s not being married off without her consent that bothers her, it’s whom she’s expected to marry…

Aarush Reddy, billionaire CEO of Laxmi Builders, has only ever loved one woman, the only one he could never have or so he thought. Until the day, his father informs him that he is marrying her, the woman of his dreams for whom he’s nothing but a nightmare.

Suryakanth Kodela and Janardhan Reddy have decided to end their feud, to barter peace in the hope of a fruitful potential partnership. And they’ve decided to do it on the backs of their children’s future.

When dynasties merge, consent of the younger generation is rarely in play. And so, Priyanka and Aarush are betrothed. Married in hate, with a past steeped in betrayal, does their relationship stand a chance? Or are they destined to spend the rest of their lives sleeping with the enemy?

219 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2024

190 people are currently reading
161 people want to read

About the author

Shilpa Suraj

39 books121 followers
Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.

An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

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5 stars
125 (35%)
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31 (8%)
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13 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Profile Image for cajareads.
336 reviews
June 14, 2025
Unbelievable. You expect me to believe his love for her????

—SPOILER AHEAD—

So he left her because he had cancer and went abroad for treatments. He then spent his days sleeping with numerous women (one night stands) trying to forget her. And of course she’s a virgin eventhough she hated him (as she should) but because a woman who got dumped shouldn’t move on and deserved to be alone and lonely, she should then gave her virginity to the most underserving man which is the mmc. Mind you he was the one with cancer but because he’s a man and these authors just love making their men living promiscuously while the woman that was left behind has zero love interest and living like a nun. So yeah I’m supposed to believe that he truly loved her? Love my a$$. If he loved her so much, he would have stayed loyal and try to win her back. He should’ve gone back and explain to her what happened. But noooo he tried to move on with hooking up with other women, bohooo how fucking sad. She was nursing a broken heart while he was screwing around with faceless women. And mind you, he didn’t even properly broke up with her. Cheating POS.
Profile Image for Disha Singh ;).
125 reviews9 followers
April 19, 2025
This book talks about the love between Aarush and Priyanka whose fathers' are friends turn into enemies then in-laws. It goes through the ups-down of the father's decisions, siblings care and love between two person.

My personal fvrt is Aarush's sis. Read the book to know why 🤭

I think my fvrt is genre is marriage of convenience bcz I have read so many of them. Whereas this book is fast paced and easy to read, I like this book so much.
Profile Image for Sam I AMNreader.
1,649 reviews334 followers
Read
May 8, 2025
This was a fresh read! I picked a good one to try this author out. Can't wait to read more.
Profile Image for Val.
617 reviews23 followers
October 8, 2025
love stupid rich Indians in love being stupid rich dramatic it always moves me to abandon reality but stay close to it😋
504 reviews18 followers
March 10, 2024
Full review on my blog:
https://blog.medhaapps.com/2024/03/bo...

Dr. Priyanka Kodela, the daughter of sitting Chief Minister and Aarush Reddy, the son and heir of Laxmi Builders have been best buddies from childhoods, owing to the decade’s long friendship of their fathers and hence their families. Priyanka and Aarush only had eyes for each other growing up, but before they could take their relationship to the next level, their fathers had differences that cropped up due to business dealings gone wrong.

Left with no choice, Priyanka and Aarush decide to elope to get married; as Priyanka waited in the wee hours of morning in a bus stop far away from the city and eyes of her father’s security, few hours later Priyanka is left heart broken when Aarush did not turn up at the bus stop, as promised. While Priyanka managed to go back home without her family realizing she was absent for few hours, the incident broke her permanently, as she heard from her brothers that Aarush left for the United States on the same day.

Four years later, Aarush is back in Hyderabad and when their families bump into each other in a function, their fathers bury the past with an elaborate show of friendship and the next day, Priyanka’s marriage is fixed with Aarush. Though this is a master stroke by their respective fathers for their political gains, Priyanka had to agreed half-heartedly as her father always dictated everything in her life; choose a life partner who ditched her once and never looked back or explained his actions.

Will this marriage ever bring back Priyanka’s lost love after the years of hatred, forms the rest of the story.

Lovers turned enemies turned spouses, against the backdrop of powerful political and business families — the backdrop is intriguing and has enough scope for drama. The author Shilpa has retained the reason behind Aarush dumping Priyanka till almost the climax, hence keeping the reader guessing. The essence of politics in Telugu states and how such families decide marriages and other ties for their children based on their power games is well captured.

The conversations are realistic, and the addition of Telugu words adds to the authenticity; Priyanka’s mothers’ way of convincing her for marriage or stating how the family jewels are meant for the daughter-in-law so they stay within the family, are conversations Telugu girls definitely had with their mothers at some point in life.

I could also relate well to Priyanka’s character as someone who lets her family make the key decisions for her but pours out her emotions when they become overwhelming; her outburst in the climax opens up all her hidden emotions of the years. Priyanka is definitely the right mix of vulnerability and strength.

Aarush gets the meatier role of the two, torn between his love for Priyanka and the current circumstances. The way he stands up for her life choices to his parents did feel fictitious; come on Telugu men never stand up for their wives especially if it means speaking against their parents.

The characters of the siblings are also well crafted, Aadhya playing a major part in the twists in the story, so did Agastya and Harsh. All three of them bring forth that contrast between their parent’s generation and theirs, while being respectful to their parents but still looking out for their siblings. I am also looking forward to Agastya and Veda’s story in the next book in this series.

If angsty romances with family and politics as backdrop intrigues you, then pick this one, as it is an absolute page turner.
Profile Image for Jainand Gurjar.
296 reviews9 followers
June 10, 2024
Married In Hate: An Enemies to Lovers Billionaire Romance is the first book in the Dynasty Rebels series by Shilpa Suraj. It is the story of Aarush Reddy, a billionaire CEO of Laxmi Builders, who is in no way interested in marriage and all because all his life, he loved one woman, the one he could not have any more until destiny worked its charm. Priyanka Kodela, the daughter of the sitting CM of Telangana, wants nothing with her life, because all she had wanted was Aarush who never turned up for her at the bus stop four years ago, and all she has now is her life in the cage of her father — a cage that she could escape from with none one other than Aarush, because both of their fathers have decided for this marriage for their convenience by letting go of their grudges. What will happen when the dynasties merge, the past comes into the present, and they have to live with each other? What will happen when friends turn enemies turn spouses? Read the book to know more.

The story was interesting and kept me hooked. I haven't read much billionaire romances, and this one served perfectly for the beginners like me. Both the protagonists' relationship with their siblings was the highlight for me and provided for much-needed grounding of emotions in between all the clashes and chaos.

As usual, this book also had short and crisp chapters, both protagonists' points of view, some steamy scenes and emotional turmoil like other stories by the author, which gives Suraj's book their identity, and it's always a joy to read them.

The book has some very significant moments concerning Aarush and Priyanka's parents and their relationships, which give a lot of plot twists. But I think that it needed more time and space in regards to the protagonists' story and their journey in addition to their emotional journey as well which was kind of rushed at important instances.

There were many moments in the story where the character's actions, especially of Aarush were intense and needed more insights to understand the reason behind the action, which lacked and thus became the reason that I wasn't able to root for him and his relationship with Priyanka.

Overall, it was a good one-time read for me. I enjoyed reading the book like any other book by Shilpa Suraj and look forward to reading more by her.
Profile Image for Vriii.
181 reviews2 followers
November 20, 2025
This is book 1 in the series, and I had left it out because I was so excited to read book 2 in the series — obviously, grumpy × sunshine, best friend’s brother, and the secret crush. I was so excited to read book 2 that I didn’t read book 1 at all. But after reading book 1, I was like… I can’t deal with it.

The toxicity, the misunderstandings, the miscommunication — it was too much. It overwhelmed me to no end. There’s one thing about Shilpa Suraj’s books that I both hate and love: they’re short. And I don’t know how else to say it… But this book is not for me.

Definitely, this series is one of the most toxic, patriarchal series I have ever read. I’ve read Shilpa Suraj’s other books -I’ve read her Il Cuore series, I’ve read Standalones, I’ve read The Right Kind of Wrong series; but this is me reading her Dynasty Rebels series and… I did not like it. I did not like it.

The family toxicity is getting on my nerves, and the way they manipulate their children is way too much. I’m seriously saying this: if anyone wants to induce rage in me or agitate me, they don’t need to do anything. Just bring this book in front of me, and I will be agitated to no end.

The manipulation — OHH MYY GODD, it sucks.

Then comes the couple; there is so much misunderstanding. There is so much miscommunication. And even though the miscommunication is not sorted out at all, the book still ends with the male lead and the female lead deciding to stay together.

But what about the whole-ass huge bundle of misunderstandings? What about all the misconceptions? The miscommunication? None of it is sorted. They needed to talk about it — but they didn’t. And that’s what disappoints me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sameeksha.
444 reviews16 followers
March 20, 2024
It’s been a long time since I got teary eyed after reading a romance book!

And married in hate really brought all the emotional feelings back! This book really hits home. The characters are too real, the pain is too real and the unconditional support and love from the male protagonist just feels like a tight hug with lots of assurance.

First of all I would love to thank the author for such a delicate cultural experience. The wedding and the customs and rituals with the utmost detailing really made me feel like attending a wedding! Secondly the characters are extremely interesting flawed and real and every character has their charm and authoritative tone. Every single member from both families had a headstrong viewpoint and it reflects their personality and intrigues reader to explore them more.

The protagonist’s are mature, bold and have high emotional quotient. Their chemistry is not only romance but there’s much more to this couple, it’s more of holding hands feeling warmth and assurance kind of love! They give a sense of reality and growth.

What I loved throughout the book is Aarush is all and every circumstance supporting his wife - be it her career, life choices, even her wedding dress. He is that one big green forest who is more concerned about the opinion of women in his life be it his sister or wife.

Overall a book to read if you love wholesome emotional yet beautiful love stories!
Profile Image for Arti.
660 reviews107 followers
September 23, 2024
When friends turn enemies turn spouses…
This line intrigued me and I wanted to read this book as soon as it was released.

Married in Hate by Shilpa Suraj is the first book of the Dynasty Rebel Series.

This book is the story of best friends and family friends, Dr Priyanka Kodela and Aarush Reddy.
Who turn enemies when Priyanka, who planned to elope with Aarush was left stranded at the bus stop waiting for him and he never came.
And now, four years after no show, their parents, Suryakanth Kodela and Janardhan Reddy decide to end their feud, to barter peace in the hope of a fruitful potential partnership. And she is the collateral
Her father announces that he’s accepted a proposal of marriage on her behalf. And his father informs him that he is marrying her, the woman of his dreams for whom he’s nothing but a nightmare.
Dynasties merge and Priyanka and Aarush are betrothed and married in hate, does their relationship stand a chance.

I loved the book and the scene description. Their wedding was so well described that I could actually visualise it. The characters have be developed well and as I was reading the story, I could easily relate to them. I loved the younger siblings more, their sass and how they stood up to everything that was not to their liking. The typical family dynamics with the patriarchs have been described well.
Looking forward to more books from this series.
Profile Image for Our_readingjourney.
587 reviews8 followers
March 18, 2024
MARRIED IN HATE - SHILPA SURAJ

4.5⭐

PLOT
Priyanka Kodela and Aarush Reddy best friends thanks to the friendship between their father's sitting CM and billionaire city builder. These best friends turn lovers decide to elope but Priyanka is left standing at the bus stop and Aarush never turns up.
Priyankas life is shattered and her love for Aarush turns to hate.
But 4years since Aarush is back and their father's have decided to end their feud and join hands which will become a mutually beneficial partnership and fo cement this further they decide to arrange marriage between Priyanka and Aarush without their consent.
But when they are married in Hate a past which is shadowed due to betrayal will this new relationship stand a chance ? Or will they end up spending their entire life as enemies?

MY THOUGHTS -
First book in the Dynasty Rebels Book and it has everything to make it an instant bestseller.
The troupes - friends to lovers to enemies, forced Proximity and marriage of convenience all my favourites!!
A very relatable slew of characters I especially loved the bond between the siblings. The chemistry between Priyanka and Aarush was 🔥🔥.
I binge read the entire story in one sitting as once I started couldn't stop!
Another commendable thing was the setting of the book - Hyderabad as we dnt read much fiction stories based there so their wedding with all their customs and traditions was a refreshing change to read about.
I can totally feel the next story on Agastya going to be a rocking one!
Profile Image for Chitra Iyer.
341 reviews60 followers
May 3, 2024
The story is about Priyanka and Aarush’s relationship. They were, once upon a time, head over heels for each other but when it was time to show faith, Aarush apparently vanished. Four years later, they not only meet again but are forced to marry each other. How their relationship goes forward makes the rest of the story, especially with their bitter past haunting them.

The character’s chemistry, background, and romance are given the right amount of attention. The story is interesting and, from the start, it lures the reader into it. The tight plot with a good-paced narration and exceptional writing makes for a quick and enjoyable read. The author wields the pen with a casual yet expressive attitude and that’s what makes this an absorbing book. Married in Hate is perfect for a quick read when you want something light and worth your time.

I have read Shilpa’s books before, and have enjoyed them just like I did this.
Profile Image for Nidhi Chenani.
33 reviews4 followers
August 5, 2024
It is about Priyanka Kodela and Aarush Reddy, two individuals from powerful families with a complicated history. Their love story is filled with twists and turns, from their initial decision to elope to their eventual arranged marriage of convenience.

The characters are expertly crafted. It felt all too real to read about them. Their journey from lovers to enemies to spouses is filled with all the highs and lows of a romance book.

The redemption arc of Aarush's character adds depth to the story, and the eventual reconciliation between him and Priyanka is what I loved the most.

The plot is engaging, with a mix of emotional moments, family drama, business and politics.

Overall, this novel is a must-read for fans of romance, drama, and family sagas. With its strong characters, sizzling chemistry, and masterful storytelling, it's a story that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
Profile Image for Harshita Nanda.
Author 6 books15 followers
June 10, 2024
Priyanka and Aarush were childhood friends turned sweethearts. Their families were close to each other until the parents had a falling out. Forbidden to meet, the two lovers decide to elope. But Priyanka's wait at the bus stop is futile, and Aarush fails to show up.
Now years, later he is back and Priyanka's happiness is sacrificed on the altar of political and personal gains as the families patch up their feud.
Priyanka vows not to give in, but Aarush will not take no for an answer. When the Aarush's secret is revealed will Priyanka be able to safeguard her heart or will she fall in love once again?
Married in Hate is slightly different from the usual Shilpa Suraj books since there is a hint of darkness in the book. It lacks the cutting humour of Shilpa Suraj's books. And yet, the formula of sizzling chemistry and heartfelt emotions still works in this quick read.
3 reviews
February 28, 2024
Superb

As usual Shilpa Suraj delivers another blockbuster of a book. I had been eagerly waiting for the book and release and tried my level best to read it slow but that is just not possible when one writes so beautifully. Her characters are real and make you feel along with them. The family dynamics that the author has described are exactly what one can find around them. All in all Aarush and Priyankas story has my heart. I hope it is not too soon to say that i cannot wait what the other characters have to tell. Btw Agastya is giving major Aakash Thakkar vibes and i absolutely love him ❤️
Profile Image for Fudge.
153 reviews
October 3, 2024
I'm not sure 100% why this book made me emotional but it did. The story was so well thought out, it was simple yet dramatic. I love both characters although Aarush was a red flag sometimes with his anger problems but it slightly makes more sense when the mystery is revealed. Priyanka's dad is definitely an a-hole though 🤣. Overall, loved it, my only issue was since this was written in 3rd person and has so many characters, when it was written as "she did"/"he did", it took me a moment to realise which character is being spoken about.
Profile Image for Harmeen.
766 reviews12 followers
Read
September 13, 2024
No disrespect to the author but this book was dumb. The characters didn’t have any personality except for him leaving her behind and her getting left behind. That’s what the entirety of their story is. And there are some stupid fights here and there. He could’ve easily told her he had cancer and stuff. But nope.

And for the love of god, can the authors stop creating a FMC who goes dumb in lust ?
Profile Image for Leslie Perez.
28 reviews
August 18, 2025
I enjoyed the book. Starting from the beginning i thought the book was good. Loved how Priyanka always stood her ground and wanted to be her own person regardless of what everyone expected from her. I also liked that Aarush also stood for Priyanka being her own person even in the situation they were in of an arranged marriage. First book i read by Shilpa Suraj and i think that it was very good. I look forward to reading her other books.
Profile Image for Samyuktha Paravastu.
48 reviews
August 22, 2025
I wish I hadn't wasted my time reading this book.

Where's the story in this?

And why the hell is it in Tinglish? Either write in Telugu or in English. How the hell did your editor approve this? Or is there even an editor?!
The audacity of yours! You published 4 books?!

Because of the authors like you we encourage piracy. Imagine spending hundreds of rupees on these standard less books and get royally disappointed!

Thank God I got this book from a free website!
Profile Image for Ankita.
237 reviews7 followers
April 8, 2024
I was eagerly waiting for release of this book. The blurb had me intrigued. With tropes like arrange marriage and friends to lovers to enemies to spouse and the backdrop of political and influential families made this book an interesting read for me.
I really liked Aarush's character and the bonding between him and his sister.
Looking forward to read other books in Dynasty series.
58 reviews2 followers
April 15, 2024
Meh

What kind of hero is this? I didn't find it very noble of him in this story...also didn't feel his undying love for priya..if it is so then after getting well he would fight for his love instead of trying to getting over it...however author seems to trying to convince that it is so...for me this story is not worthy..total waste of time 😒




395 reviews6 followers
June 10, 2024
I loved the blurb of this book and instantly felt like reading it. Priyanka's character was strong and independent, and Aarush was good too, but the plot was not that intense. After reading the blurb, I thought it was going to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions and intense drama, but instead, I found it to be a normal-paced storyline.
Profile Image for A•S•R.
190 reviews1 follower
September 30, 2024
Trope: Lovers Quarrel , Second Chance Romance & Arranged Marriage


What makes Married in Hate stand out is how it navigates real issues like trust, personal growth, and the pain of past wounds, all while keeping the romance front and center. The dialogues are sharp, and the tension between the Aarush & Priyanka is palpable, making for an engaging read from start to finish.
Profile Image for Anvi.
180 reviews1 follower
October 11, 2024
I liked this book, as is always the case with books by Shilpa Suraj, but I felt like a lot of their romance was shrouded in the past... And we just saw them in the aftermath of the heartbreak... But regardless of that, it was a very sweet book and I love how their story turned out.
Profile Image for VAANYA MAHADEV .
120 reviews
February 9, 2025
Keeps you interested but so much needs to be done with the plot. A lot of inconsistencies with both the main characters' reactions. Multiple grammatical errors which are rather evitable.

Indian parents are generally overbearing and meddlesome but these 2 have the worst and too deliberate.
Profile Image for Patty.
68 reviews2 followers
February 28, 2024
Came upon this book by chance and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I wish I know when the other books will be coming out. The author writes well.
Profile Image for Khushbu Patel.
85 reviews2 followers
March 10, 2024
Enjoyed reading this gripping tale of love and hate spiked with family drama and political benefits to keep the reader hooked till the end.
Profile Image for Angela Peixoto.
886 reviews22 followers
March 15, 2024
Another best seller by Shilpa Suraj. The story was so engaging that I had to read it without stopping.
A must read for everyone.
Profile Image for Naga Lakshmi.
29 reviews1 follower
March 16, 2024
Enjoyed the book. Shilpa has not disappointed me this time too. Storyline, characters in a good pace kept me hooked.
Profile Image for Shreya Krish.
105 reviews1 follower
June 21, 2024
A 4.5 🌟 read ❤️

Characters were relatable and not complex. The dynamics of each character with each other is beautiful and so wholesome 🥰
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews

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