Ladies in Hating

Belvoir's Library #3

by Alexandra Vasti, Mhairi Morrison (Narrator)

🎧Run Time = 12 hours & 18 minutes

A pair of Gothic novelists trade rivalry for love in this swoony, steamy, sapphic regency romance by USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti.

Celebrated authoress Lady Georgiana Cleeve has achieved fame and fortune. Unfortunately, she’s also acquired an enemy: the enigmatic Lady Darling, whose spine-tingling plots appear to be pulled straight from Georgiana’s own manuscripts. What’s a stubborn, steely writer to do? Unmask her rival, of course.

But unmasking doesn’t go according to plan—because Lady Darling is actually Cat Lacey, the butler’s daughter and object of Georgiana’s very secret, very embarrassing teenage infatuation.

Cat Lacey has spent a decade clawing her family out of poverty. The last thing she needs is to be distracted by the stunning(ly pretentious) Lady Georgiana Cleeve. But Cat can’t seem to escape her infuriatingly beautiful rival—including at the eerie manor where they both plan to set their next books. The plot unexpectedly thickens, however, when the novelists find themselves trapped in the manor together. In between ghostly moans and spectral staff, Cat and Georgiana come face-to-face with real danger: the scorching passion that’s been haunting their rivalry all along.

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Lesbian, Historical, Historical Romance, LGBT, Queer

Audible Audio

First published September 23, 2025

About the author

Alexandra Vasti is a British literature professor by day and USA Today bestselling romance writer by night. After finishing her PhD at Columbia University, she moved to New Orleans with her family. Her books have received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, BookPage, and Kirkus, and have been featured in The New York Times, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, People, and elsewhere.

Reviews

[Ali L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I was going to be reading a fun, flirty book about two warring novelists but I actually read a lovely, deeply romantic book about two women who have spent their lives trying to not want each other. It’s a romcom so there’s light-hearted shenanigans (a haunted manor, an intrepid dog, a lesbian ghost (oh my)) but there’s also, like, yearning and trauma and systemic sexism because it’s England in the early 19th century and it was even more blatant back then than it is now (and it’s quite blatant now). Like Cat, I have loved Georgiana for a long time, and while I’m sad we can never be together (I’m straight and she’s fictional), I’m happy that at least they can have a creepy dilapidated house full of secrets together. This book made me cry three (3) separate times, which is about two and a half more times than I typically tear up during a novel. Cat, best of luck, and Georgie… well, you know.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've never read anything by this author before, but the cover and the stellar reviews piqued my interest.

💖Forced Proximity
🖤Sapphic Romance
💖Gothic Setting
🖤Rival Authors
💖Historical Romance
🖤Rivals to Lovers
💖Delicious Banter

Expected Pub Date - 09/23/25

Many thanks to St. Martins press via NetGalley for the advanced digital copy, all thoughts are my own. 💐

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh no we’re two gothic novelists writing stories inspired by our childhoods together as we subconsciously yearn for the past…what happens if we kiss in a decaying manor (that may or may not be haunted)?

this is a love letter to women gothic novelists and the genre + the queer people that found love in this time period despite the odds.

Read my full review

alexandra vasti delivers the queer, historical gothic romance of my dreams (MOTHER🙏🙏)

thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review

Bookstagram | Blog

[K.J. Charles]

Highly enjoyable sapphic historical. It's the third in a trilogy but worked fine for me as a standalone.

Lovely premise: both heroines are Gothic novelists, but bizarre similarities between their books keep coming up, and Georgina becomes convinced Cat is stealing her plots and research. (Cat's father was butler to Georgina's family till her abusive father sacked him, plunging the family into poverty.) They both end up at a half ruined Gothic pastiche mansion a la Fonthill Abbey looking for inspiration, and things develop nicely.

It's framed as enemies to lovers, but in fact both leads are really pretty reasonable about things after the first shock, and the actual issue is Georgina's trauma from her father and associated events. Cat is warm and loving, and there's a lot of love and growing family here, found or otherwise. Honestly I could have taken more scares because I loved the Gothic novel elements, and indeed more rivalry/fighting because it was highly enjoyable, but that isn't what the book is doing, possibly because Georgina's backstory is pretty traumatic and she's in a lot of need of kindness. Sweet and hot.

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

The QUEEN of yearning!

I love these two lovely ladies! The FMCs are desperate for each other and the pining is through the roof! I thoroughly enjoyed the bookish aspect, the creepy manor, and the little mystery that was happening.

Whats to love…
- sapphic romance
- two gothic novelists
- rivals to lovers
- Grade A banter
- so much PINING
- animal companion (I LOVE YOU BACON)
- a creepy potentially haunted manor
- medium-slow burn

🌶️- Open door (sorry I don’t have chapters, I read via audio and forgot to mark them!)

Audio Narration: 3/5 This is the same narrator as the first two books in the series and I LOVED her performance and the audio for books 1 & 2. Unfortunately for Ladies in Hating the narration was a little hard to follow. The voice variation between the two FMC during dialogue was non-existent and it made it very difficult to follow who was talking. I would have switched to the ebook if I had it.

4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you Libro FM and publisher for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth (Plant Based Bride) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Included in my September Wrap Up: https://youtu.be/WJjL6YUd0P0

Written review to come.

Trigger/Content Warnings: death, loss of a parent, emotional abuse, abandonment, homophobia, classism, confinement, grief, violence

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Thank you to Libro.fm for the influencer copy. Try Libro.fm

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s difficult. To believe that you deserve happiness when the world would tell you that you do not.”

4.25★
this was a super cute sapphic historical romance.

i enjoyed the rivalry and banter in the beginning, and the dilapidated, gothic mansion with spooky vibes. i enjoyed cat and georgiana both as protagonists and they felt v interesting w their respective backstories.

i was a little sad that we're lead away from the mansion quite quickly from a mystery, but the absolute simping on both their behalfs helped make up for it.

“You cannot possibly imagine how long and how desperately I have wanted you.”

i also enjoyed the historical note at the end from author about real life influences, esp from queer figures in regency history.

overall, it was a fun read and i would read more by vasti! (i have my eye on iris for a next book 👀)

Vulnerability was not so fearsome a thing when one knew oneself to be loved.

an honest arc review ♡

[lexie · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAPPY PUB DAY to these darlings!!!

sapphic rival gothic writers is my dream relationship 😫 i now need to read every book vasti has ever written, this was an ABSOLUTE delight 🫶🏼

thank you to netgalley and smp for the arc!!

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc and an audiobook in exchange for an honest review!*

4 Stars!

Ladies in Hating is pure delight from start to finish. The author has that rare talent of creating stories that are very entertaining and will put a smile on your face.

One of my favorite things about Vasti’s work is how her books are interconnected. It’s so fun to spot familiar names or places from the previous books — it gives everything a warm, layered texture. And oh, the doggy! The doggy steals the spotlight in all the best ways.

Reading Ladies in Hating was like enjoying a familiar favorite dish with just the right mix of sweet, spicy, and savory — utterly satisfying. It’s one of those books that I can tell I’m going to reread many times in the future, because the joy is in the details, the voice, and the way everything connects. If you love stories that make you laugh, feel a little, and escape into a world you don’t want to leave, Alexandra Vasti is definitely your author — and Ladies in Hating is a bright, joyful example of exactly why.

Side note: I'll be reading the series again soon!

*************************
SCREAMING, CRYING, THROWING UP and etc.,
I CANNOT BELIEVE I GOT AN ARC FOR ONE OF MY MOST ANTICIPATED READS OF THIS YEAR.

- A new book by Alexandra Vasti ✅
- Sapphic historical romance ✅
- Beautiful cover (as usual) ✅
- Pink aesthetic ✅
- Fluffy tiny puppy (who’s everywhere in this series 🤭)✅
- Rivals to lovers ✅

Rival gothic novelists trapped in a haunted manor with only one... ghost? PLUS A DECADE OF SAPPHIC YEARNING?

This book is going to be the end of me and I can't wait to read it! 😩

[DianaRose · Rating 3 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

this was a fun sapphic romance that had a twist of mystery and tons of yearning — my absolutely favorite thing in a romance! not to mention the spice was spicy!

i also listened to the audio through libby and the narrator did a great job!

—

my libby hold expires soon… squeezing in this audio before it does😋

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ladies in Hating is a sapphic rivals to lovers romance full of beautiful prose, gothic imagery, mystery, and all the longing. The story follows Georgiana, a novelist who notices a trending similarity in her works with another author, and Catriona, said writer who is just trying to keep her family afloat with her work. This was such a sweet and steamy romance; the playful banter and raw yearning were enough to keep me satisfied all the way through! Georgiana and Cat complemented each other so well, the way they cared for one another was so tender and sensual. I loved that they were playful at times and just full of desire at others; the two were so naturally romantic and devoted to each other. Beyond the romance, the mystery and intrigue were the perfect balance to the Regency setting and society. The gothic estate was so dreamy and alluring, and I loved how the history of the house and its ruin were a part of the plot. The small moments of paranormal interest were so intriguing and I appreciated how they wrapped up in the story. If you’re after a historical romance where rivals are just as ready to exchange witty barbs as they are passionate kisses, this is the book for you!

Read if you like:
🌹Sapphic Pining🌹
🌹Foes to Lovers🌹
🌹One Bed🌹
🌹Forced Proximity🌹
🌹Murder Mystery🌹

~Many thanks to St. Martins for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Georgiana was a column of gold, lit from behind by the sun, and— no. Georgiana was the sun. And Cat was already burning.”

as someone who doesn’t read regency romances hardly ever.. this was cute. i loved the haunted (maybe) manor setting and the first half where Georgie and Cat were rivals trying to avoid each other. they’re both gothic writers who get into conflict when they start to believe that the other is copying their book. the romance was the best part about this in my opinion, the fact that Cat and Georgie had history from when the were younger added some angst and longing to their eventual relationship. the second half wasn’t my favorite though, there’s a shift in the plot that i wasn’t as invested in. i also think there were too many characters in general, it got to a point where i struggled to keep track of who was being spoken about. i’d still say my experience with this was mostly an okay one, i just wish it stuck to the way things were in the beginning/ first half of the book.

➷ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and St Martin’s Press for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3 Stars

One Liner: Cute at times

Lady Georgiana Cleeve is a popular author of Gothic novels and is proud of her hard work. She could finally achieve what she wanted, even if it came at a heavy price.

Lady Darling is a new author taking the market by storm. Georgiana is worried about that. But what angers her is the similarities in their works. Who was Lady Darling, and how was she writing the same things as Georgiana?

Cat Lacey is Lady Darling, who spent a decade finding a way out of poverty and intends to retain her financial stability come what may! When she ends up making a rival out of Georgiana, she is determined to come out successful.

However, with strong attraction, a possibly haunted manor, a ghost, and mysterious threats, can the two women find a way to get what they want?

The story comes in the third-person POVs of Georgiana and Cat.

My Thoughts:

When I met Lady Georgiana in the previous book of the series (Earl’s Crush), I felt I would enjoy her story. After all, she has a dog named Sir Francis Bacon.

While this was enjoyable to an extent and similar to the previous one in terms of insta-lust, I felt it didn’t fully reach its potential. Moreover, Earl Crush had a terrific pace and more funny moments. It was OTT, but made no claims to be anything else.

This one tries to do a bit of everything and doesn’t nail most of it. The Gothic house was so underwhelming that I lost interest in the plot (except for the rose garden). Come on! It’s a GOTHIC HOUSE. Use it!

I didn’t mind the insta-lust since I expected it. Moreover, the backstory kind of supports it, so I can’t complain much. Some dark stuff is mentioned but not detailed, which fits the genre (historical romcom).

I also knew the mystery element would be more of a background or a subplot, which is exactly what happened. Things start to move fast in the last quarter, which I enjoyed the most. I’m wondering if we’ll have another book or two. There are singles left and could do with some matchmaking. Let’s see.

I have to talk about the cover. I agree that the detailing is terrific. The bench, the roses, the crow, and even the missing shoe are wonderful. But… the way the lady on the wall is drawn reminds me of something I’d rather not think when reading a book. Only a lotta missing in her hands (IFYYK).

To summarize, Ladies in Hating is an enjoyable FF historical romance with characters that are easy to like, but it doesn’t wow the reader. Don’t miss the author’s note, though.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley

[Juniper L.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this novel a lot. There was a lot going on, with several layers of plot and character, and overall, it was a very satisfying read. I would happily read more from this author. I would say my main takeaway from this novel was that it was a lot of fun, with some more serious elements woven through it in a way that added considerable depth without bringing down the overall vibes. It was well paced and full; characters, settings, plotlines, etc.

I didn’t realize this was book 3 in a series, and I have not read the prior two books. I can say that to the best of my knowledge that wasn’t a problem; I was never confused or lost in a way you sometimes are when joining a series part way through. There were some references to past events that might have been from prior novels, however it was done in a way that gave me all the information I needed (while wanting to read more….).

My rating: “A-“
Converted Rating: 5-Stars

Highlights:
-The plot in this novel just kept moving. Nothing dragged, but also the plot “covered a lot more ground” than I expected. I’m not sure how else to phrase that… I know what I mean! The plot wasn’t what I expected going in (that blurb could be better honestly!) and in the end a lot more happened than I expected. This is a good thing though as I liked where the story went.
-This was some excellent writing, particularly with regards to mapping out the storyline. I am a stickler for plot holes or inconsistencies, and this novel left me feeling very satisfied. Great foreshadowing, no dropped details or plotlines, and everything comes full circle in a way that shows this story was intentionally planned as opposed to just winging it like *soooooome* people……
-There is a cute dog named BACON! Who is involved through the entire novel.
-The early parts of this novel were simply fun. There were some scenes that particularly delighted me, which I can’t discuss because apparently people care about spoilers. Ill just say there is hijinks and some “coincidences” that were fun to see play out.
-There was some excellent queer representation in this novel. I don’t just mean that “queer people were on the page”, but there was a section in the novel where it was discussed how important it can be for queer people (especially young ones) to see examples of people like them in media, art, and the real world; how impactful and important that can be on a person.
-The characters were a lot of fun. Both protagonists were well written and developed.

Nitpicks:
-Spoiler: The conflict in this novel was a clear example of “negative motivation” which is always less satisfying for me. There was a lot of other elements to this novel, but the romance conflict was basically just one character refusing to let themselves be happy….until they change their mind. Rather unsatisfying as motivations/plotlines go. Thankfully that wasn’t nearly the entire dynamic going on, so the rest of the novel made up for this.
-Serious lack of communication between protagonists! Not in a reasonable and realistic way, as much as a plot-contrived and annoying way.
-Ok so that blurb for the novel?? In some ways its accurate, but in others….. this could use a rework in my opinion

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.

[Emily Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3 ⭐️ A sapphic hate to love, mixed with rivals to lovers, period romance. This was so bloody brilliant.

Thank you to net-galley for sending me a copy in exchange for review. (I have since also bought a paperback of this myself.)

If you’re looking for a sapphic alternative to Bridgerton, this is perfect. It was way more spicy than I had assumed which was truly a win, the tension between the two characters is THICK, and both characters are loveable and well fleshed out.

On top of that, the story behind the romance is also intriguing and keeps you gripped.

I would highly recommend this, had me twirling my hair and kicking my lil lesbian feet.

Rep// sapphic MCs, central romance is sapphic / WLW.

TWs listed below.





TW// references to past domestic violence, parental death, food insecurity, homophobia, supernatural elements, past parental abandonment.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC**

A formidable bluestocking has been deterring suitors by feigning feathers between her ears–a ruse she's aptly sold to hide her clandestine gig as a gothic novelist. Georgina’s books are well-received, but success is not without consequence, as someone appears to be copying her work. Seeking new inspiration, she and her loyal pooch, Sir Francis Bacon, journey to a haunted mansion only to find her literary rival already in residence. Our ladies in hating must table their feud as they’re swept up in paranormal activity, bird infestations, Bacon’s debauchery, and a lot of pining. They admirably banter around temptation, but sapphic lust wins out with a floral canoodle and some steamy lingus in a bath. There’s a robbery and a corpse that may or may not be linked, a matchmaking solicitor, and a hot Duke who hates being rich. This is the last installment of the Belvoir’s trilogy, which I adored for myriad reasons, not least of which is the morsel of new knowledge I gained from each book. Did you know that pigs scream? How fun!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my sapphic romance era and this one just spoke to me! 2 rival gothic female novelists who have secretly been in love with each other for like a decade? SAY NO MORE. It was giving idiots to lovers but I say this in the best way possible. The banter. Oh, the banter. Highly recommend this one when it publishes in September.

4/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

Thanks to the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This one dragged so much ☹️

The first two books in this series were SO GOOD. But this one just didn't hit for me. Georgiana is a great character and I loved her in this book, but Cat was just blah to me. She was very two dimensional and dull. The writing is still very good and I enjoyed this more when there were other characters involved to give the scenes more dimension.

But there was also no development, no foundation for this relationship. We already knew some about Georgiana from other books, but this is the first time we meet Cat. And they knew each other before, but we don't see any of that AND the way it's described it seems they didn't have much of a relationship, so nothing for the relationship to really build off of.

And EVERY scene is both of them not being able to have a conversation without blushing, stuttering, being physically overcome by the other. So it really seemed to be based purely on physical attraction and nothing deeper.

But I'm hoping the series will continue Iris will be a great FMC, maybe with Fawkes? 👀

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: third person from both heroines
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in – 6% or the end of chapter 2
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, quite a few short epilogues at various times in the future
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book format
Why I chose this book: I LOVED Vasti’s novellas and I’m chasing those feels!
Mains: Lady Georgiana Cleeve and Catriona Rose Lacey – This is a F/F relationship between cisgendered heroines
(Descriptions found at end of my review)

Damn it. Damn this woman, with her big wounded eyes and her unsteady breaths and all that barely concealed vulnerability.
How could Georgiana believe, even for an instant, that Cat did not want all of this?
Cat wanted nothing but this.

Should I read in order?
I think it would be enjoyable because the series is great and tied together with Belvoir’s Library – but I do think this one the romance stands alone really well – these mains are secluded together for much of the book.

Basic plot:
Georgiana has noticed some irregular things about Lady Darlings work – mostly that they are mirroring her own, even memories from childhood! But when she confronts the author, she’s face to face with her childhood crush.

Give this a try if you want:
- historical romance
- F/F pairing
- class difference – Georgiana is a lady and Cat was the daughter of Georgiana’s butler.
- childhood acquaintances meet again
- author heroines – both write gothic novels
- animosity to lovers
- haunted manor with light ghost elements
- one bed at the inn
- unrequited longing
- medium steam – 3ish full scenes (I think?)

Ages:
- Georgiana is 25 (thanks Shirley!), didn't catch Cat but she would have been of a similar age I think?

First line:
As a matter of principle, Lady Georgiana Cleeve did not object to ghosts.

My thoughts:
Oh I really loved this novel! It’s become my favorite of this series.

Something I thought was interesting was we got to see in present tense what led to this animosity between them. We got to experience the misunderstanding between them, the lack of communication leading to assumptions – it made the battle of wills between them feel so much more real and I was more invested in how it was going to turn out! A lot of enemies to lovers you are slapped with this anger and animosity without really understanding or caring how it got there. And I loved the subtle shift into curiosity and yearning.

Because this book is filled with yearning and wanting. And it’s so delicious and why I love romance! And as they finally start touching, the crumble of the walls built around both was so sweet.

I also enjoyed the light paranormal aspect to it. Gothic vibes abound and I adored the seclusion and close proximity at Renwick House.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 6
Average rating from me: 4.83 stars
Favorite book: In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- parental death mentioned
- death / murder

Author content warnings? Yes – references to past domestic violence, parental death, food insecurity, and homophobia. It also includes light supernatural elements. (I always encourage you to check author’s websites, since Amazon penalizes authors for certain content warning words in their novels)


Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: No but it's not really an issue
How’s the consent? It's good
Pregnancy/children in story? No
Chapter 13 – kiss
Chapter 19 – kisses at the inn
Chapter 20 – 🔥 bath scene, breast play, dry humping o for Cat, oral for Georgiana that fades
”Georgie mine,” Cat whispered against her skin, “let me taste you again.”
Chapter 22 – kiss
Chapter 24 – 🔥 kisses, Georgiana fingers Cat and oral for Georgiana that fades
But Georgiana’s heated gaze was better than a caress. Her unsteady breath coasted against Cat’s ear, and her thumb traced the crease of Cat’s pelvis.
“Catriona,” she said thickly. “My God. Look at you.”
Chapter 27 – 🔥 kisses, oral for Georgiana, fingering for Cat
”I will love you until the day I die. I want you in my lap, with your frock off. I want to drown in your tits. Oh – fuck - “
Cjapter 33 - kiss

Total chapters 33 and an epilogue


Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs


Full break down on what my ratings above mean here:
Overall: How I felt about it everything considered!
Readability: How ‘readable’ was the book? Did I fly through it? Did I have to tell myself to pick it back up repeatedly? Were any passages confusing? (I will probably score like (1) is literally unreadable due to formatting/typing errors, etc (2) There were lots of errors that made it difficult to read OR It was extremely confusing and I had to reread passages to make sense of it OR I disliked it so much I had to bribe myself to keep reading (3) I didn’t really want to keep reading and would have preferred to abandon the read and start something else OR some minor continuity issues/confusion (4) I liked it fine, maybe a minor error or 2. I was happy to pick it up when I had time. (5) I never wanted to put this down. I thought about it when I wasn’t reading it. I hid in the bathroom from my kids to read. I threw inappropriate food at my children for dinner so I could read instead.)
Feels: Totally subjective to each person but did the book give me any tingles? Any butterflies? Did it rip my heart out (in a good way?)
Emotional depth: How well do I feel I know the characters at the end? How much did I feel their emotions throughout the story?
Sexual tension: Again, subjective, but how strong was the wanting and longing to me between the characters? A book might have strong sexual tension without a single touch.
Romance: Was there romance? Did romantic things happen? This can be actions/words/thoughts of the characters and again is subjective.
Sensuality: This is how the intimate scenes are written. Kisses and sexual scenes – how sensual were they? Were they on the mechanical side? Was there emotional pull tied in? Were the details explicit or flowery? These are subjective but generally (1) too short to get a good judgment (2) not all what I'm looking for - very vague or flowery prose (3) either not explicit enough or not enough emotional pull (too mechanical/physically descriptive without the emotions) (4) what I love in a scene (5) absolute perfection - perfect balance of emotional longing and explicit descriptions
Sex Scene Length: How long the bedroom scenes are (generally (1) is 1-3 sentences (2) is a few paragraphs to a page-ish (3) is about average, a few pages (4) more well developed scenes, quite a few pages with descriptions (5) the majority of the book takes place in the bedroom. This is always hard to tell for me on audio!
Steam Scale: Generally, each flame is a scene. If scenes are super close together I sometimes combine them. If a scene is super short or so vague I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t count it. There’s some levels of grey but generally the number of flames is how many sex scenes there are (I max out at 5 so I’ll put a + after if there’s more than that)


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Book Clubs
The Ton and the Tartans (Historical Romance)
Upturned Petticoats and Undone Cravats (Historical Romance with Steam Requirements)
A Love Less Ordinary (Science Fiction, Paranormal, Monster, Fantasy)
Modern Manuscripts (Contemporary Romance)
Words for the Wicked (Contemporary Romance with Steam Requirements)
Vintage Romance (Old School Romance – published 2000 and prior)

[bird · Rating 2 out of 5]

these ladies did not hate each other!!! this is a perennial complaint for me but that doesn't mean i'm wrong. we had like, maybe two chapters of one woman going "why is she plagiarizing me i hate her" and the other going "why was she so rude to me when i'm not plagiarizing her" but by like, 25-30% through the book there's not even a professional rivalry, simply two women who want to hook up but they're stuck in a semi-haunted house and also have family trauma. by halfway through the book one of them was calling the other "georgie mine" which is both gross and again structurally unsound because then we have nowhere to go but "oh no you keep running away bcs of your family trauma" grow up!!!!! hate each other longer!!!!!!!!

anyway i was mostly skimming after the first 50% due to the above but nevertheless i did enjoy the first half, appreciate how horny they were, wish the book was better. i really though this was a first novel but it turns out it's like her seventh novel which is kind of a bummer.

i think anyone who says in a period novel something like "you're allowed to feel angry. you're safe with me." or anything similarly politically therapeutic should fuck all the way off, legally speaking

[Jill (readinginpjs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED the dynamic between Georgiana & Cat - their history, current rivalry, their banter, and the electric chemistry & tension that just flew off the page🔥

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Dreamscape Media & LibroFM for the ARC & ALC. All opinions are my own.

✦ tropes & stuff:
🌸 rivals to lovers
🎀 gothic novelists
🌸 teenage crush
🎀 haunted mansion
🌸 forced proximity
🎀 dual 3rd person pov

•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•

🎧 audio + ebook | ⭐️: 5 | 🌶️: 3 |

I rarely read historical romance, but I just adore this series!
Love Georgiana from the previous books, and I was excited for her story 🥰

The tension, the longing… my goodness 😮‍💨
Cat was the perfect match for her, and I loved how their romance developed.

They were both so protective of their families, and really needed someone to support & show them it’s OKAY to want something for yourself.

I also loved the mystery elements of the story, and how that brought them closer together.

🎧 audiobook thoughts:
Mhairi Morrison has been the perfect narrator for this series, I love her accent and the emotions she brings to each character.

📖 Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti
📚 book 3 • Belvoir’s Library series
🫖: historical romance (ff)
🎙 narrated by: Mhairi Morrison

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[Amy Marsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this! It ended my reading slump, which I'm so happy about.

The writing was good, as were the characters of Georgiana and Cat. It was a fun mash up of historical romance, mystery, and a dash of the paranormal, and I think it all worked well.

It did lose a little steam about halfway through. I really enjoyed the pining (especially from Georgiana), and the story lost that when they got together. They said their 'I love you's' far too soon, which made them ring false. They'd been back in each others lives for about a month at this point.

Apart from that, and a storyline where Cat's brother (not blood related) turns out to be a duke's long lost son, which I didn't care for, this was a fun little book!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Griffin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4.

This is one of those books I enjoyed but also recognize that it had some flaws.

This is marketed as rivals-to-lovers but it’s more one-sided rivals and that only lasts a little while. One of the love interests has no clue there’s a rivalry. This was a bit of a let down as I was in the mood for a real rivalry. The “in lust” aspect happens too quickly for my liking as well. Georgina and Cat spend most of their time mooning and pining after one another. I know this is what we want in a romance but when I’m promised a rivalry, or enemies, that’s what I want to see!

The romance also didn’t have a lot of depth to it. I was surprised when the “I love you’s” came because I felt like they were just starting to get to know each other. The two knew of each other when they were younger and the story puts a lot of emphasis on that past relationship. But it doesn’t actually sound like they really had any sort of relationship when they were younger, they just knew of each other. Georgina had a crush on Cat, her butler’s daughter, but the two never interacted.

Georgina has a sort of “woe is me” attitude where everyone around her is somehow worse off for knowing her. I felt this storyline was drawn out for too long. It’s mentioned quite a bit and got to the point where I was rolling my eyes when it came up. I also hated how Cat suffered because of it. On the other hand, I know she was dealing with a lot of emotional traumas from her father so I tried to forgive it. But it was hard! Cat was far more forgiving than I am.

OTHER THAN ALL THAT, I really enjoyed this book. I liked Cat and Georgina and Jem alot. I appreciate it when authors show the main characters with characters other than the love interest. I feel like we get a better understanding of them as individuals. Cat and Jem’s (her younger brother) relationship made me love Cat even more. Georgina’s dog Bacon did the same. I can’t even remember the last regency romance I read where a character had a pet dog. I was starting to think pets didn’t exist back then.

I love regency romances and this one was fun. It’s a bit different in that it doesn’t spend time on balls and dresses and being in society…so maybe not so regency and more historical? Georgina and Cat are authors and are just trying to survive in a society where women didn’t have much say or agency. It was interesting to see a different side to society than just high society.

Also, it’s obvious that it’s written by a literature professor as it’s very well written.

[Rhiannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Between the adorable cover and the premise of a sapphic regency romance featuring two rival gothic novelists in a potentially haunted house, I was immediately sold on Ladies in Hating despite not having read Ne'er Duke Well or Earl Crush.

Although I did, generally speaking, enjoy the time I spent on this book, I'm not sure it fully lived up to my expectations. In theory, this book had so many elements that should've worked for me: regency lesbians, haunted houses, forced proximity, and rivals to lovers. In practice, the execution didn't quite showcase those elements to the extent to which I'd hoped. Although I've seen some reviewers say that the first portion of the book started off a bit slow for their tastes, the first portion was actually the part I enjoyed most. I enjoyed Georgiana's snark and frustration when discussing the suspiciously similar plot lines, character names, and titles between her own books and another author's, and I was excited to see how those feelings progressed and changed over time as she got to know Cat. However, because you quickly find out that Georgiana and Cat knew one another as teenagers and both harbored secret feelings for the other, the "rivalry" between them faded almost immediately, replaced by their rekindled romantic attraction. While isn't was technically insta-love given their history, it didn't seem like there was enough development or depth in their adult relationship for me to be fully invested in their supposed feelings for one another. They were cute, and I did want them to end up together, but I also wanted a bit more from the story to convince me they really were in love.

Because the "rivals" aspect of Georgiana and Cat's relationship was resolved so early on, much of this book focused on a variety of other things that, quite frankly, I found a little difficult to follow. I'm still not 100% positive I understand whether or not the house was haunted or why Yorke sent both Georgiana and Cat to the house in the first place. The numerous surprises and reveals toward the end sometimes felt a bit too convenient to really make sense, and it was a lot of information about a lot of different things to try to digest in a short period of time. I would have preferred for the book to have focused more on Georgiana and Cat's developing relationship and their work as authors than for it to have forked off in so many different directions, even if only for the sake of it having been a little easier to follow.

That being said, I did enjoy Vasti's writing style, which I found wry and funny and witty. Both Georgiana and Cat were enjoyable MCs despite my wishing for a bit more depth from them as a couple. I loved Bacon, Georgiana's dog, as well as the many side characters who were aware and supportive of Georgiana and Cat's relationship. Although my enjoyment of this book waned a bit as it went on, I did have a perfectly pleasant time overall. I'm always excited to see more sapphic historical romance and would read another one from this author if she were to publish additional books that fell into that category, whether they were in this series' universe or not.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle Strona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a cute book, I liked it! It definitely was not what I was expecting in the best way! I love romance novels, but this was a new type of novel for me.

I enjoyed both Cat and Georgiana’s banter throughout the book! They both kept each other on their toes, and it was adorable. They were both such complex characters, but it was great to see their growth throughout the book. Towards the end, they were able to start trusting each other more and could admit they liked each other. I loved the slow burn and the buildup of their romance. While it might be a slow burn, there is quite a lot of spice! There is a ton of tension between them, and it turns into more than lust.

I loved the mystery aspect of the novel. I wasn’t expecting it, but I liked the way that Cat and Georgiana worked together to try and solve it. I loved how it all fit together so well in the end.

I really liked the writing in this book and the pacing as well. I felt like the pacing worked well because nothing felt like it lasted too long. There were moments in the book where I was laughing so much, and other moments where I felt for what the characters in the story were going through.

Overall, I really liked this novel and would recommend it!

[Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Georgiana has strong reasons to believe another author, Lady Darling, is plagiarizing her work, and she decides to confront her. When Georgiana discovers that the identity of Lady Darling is actually none other than Cat Lacey, she’s left gobsmacked. Why, you ask? Oh, because she had a huge crush on Cat when they were teens, back when Cat was the butler's daughter. After some serious accusations, Cat travels to a haunted manor in hopes of finding inspiration for her next book, only to find Georgiana already there…


A sapphic historical rom-com that I enjoyed reading. There were also the added layers of mystery, forced proximity, a ghost, and being queer in the regency era. Georgiana and Cat got under each other’s skin and I enjoyed the banter. For me, it felt like the rivals to lovers trope shifted to lovers quickly, but it didn’t take away from the quality of the book. I just would’ve liked more of a build-up before they got there. I loved the British humor, and it definitely got some good laughs out of me. The spice was well-written and didn’t take over the book, for which I was grateful. Overall, it was a good read that I recommend, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Happy reading!


I’d like to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Netgyrl (Laura) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ - if you are in the mood for a little Regency sapphic romance, look no further.

Excellent writing, engaging story, cute little dog, spicy spice and top-notch narration. This is a no-brainer recommendation.

I was able to borrow the audiobook from my library through Libby.

[Jackie ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me early access to Ladies in Hating. All opinions are my own.

What to expect
➳ Sapphic Regency romance
➳ Rival gothic novelists
➳ Rivals-to-lovers
➳ Only one bed
➳ Mid-20s FMCs
➳ Childhood crush
➳ Forced-proximity
➳ Dual 3rd person POV
➳ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Description:
Ladies in Hating follows Georgiana, a renowned gothic novelist, who becomes suspicious when she notices that Lady Darling, another writer, has been publishing stories with plots strikingly similar to her own. Georgiana vows to unmask and confront her—only to discover that Lady Darling is actually the object of her teenage infatuation, Cat Lacey. When doing research for their new novels, the two find themselves trapped together in a ghostly manor, where they are forced to confront their rivalry...

I had to read this because that cover is so cute, but, as has been the case for a lot of novels lately, Ladies in Hating never managed to fully catch my interest. It was fine, and I thought the romance was cute, but there wasn't anything I was very invested in. The story partially revolves around the mystery of Renwick manor, but it was such a non-mystery that it didn't keep me engaged.

This has those cozy, low-stakes vibes. The overall B-plot conflict isn't life-or-death (or at least it doesn't feel that way), and the characters are relatively good at communicating with each other, so they don't have a lot of strife in their relationship—at least, once they get over that whole "you stole my ideas" phase.

Some positive things about this book; it's a really easy read. This is roughly 350 pages and it goes by quickly. The characters are really sweet; there aren't really any villains in this book, and all the side-characters are kind and supportive. (Honestly, I kinda wish we had someone to stir up drama—besides Georgiana's dead father).

Overall, do I recommend it? If you're in the mood for a cozy, relatively low-stakes, Regency/gothic sapphic romance, then yeah, I think this'll be right up your alley. I don't think it's out here changing lives, but it's getting the job done.

[hailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.

“You’re incandescent. The whole world ought to be brightened by your light.”

two rival gothic novelists who fall in love amidst a crumbling old manor and OH! did i mention they’ve wanted each other for years and years?

“You cannot possibly imagine how long and how desperately I have wanted you.”

the pining/yearning had me GIGGLINGGGG also the way you could genuinely feel the tension between them was SO GOOD.

“Cat wanted nothing but this. She wanted bare skin on bare skin; she wanted candlelight pooled across Georgiana’s long, lithe body while she traced each rise and fall of flesh with her mouth.”

loved the setting, loved the humor, loved the romance, loved the side characters (bacon my long lost son), loved it all!!!!!!

“I’m glad you did. I could die happy, here in this rose garden, with my hands on your waist.”

my one gripe: i wish the narration/inner voices of the two FMCs had some more variation. tbh they were very, very similar and it slightly took away from my experience.

[Cait · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had fun with this and thank god they fuck each other six ways to sunday (historical f/f authors take note) but if you're going to call your book ladies in hating then I am going to have to ask that you commit to some real and enduring hatred. foemance my ass!

- I just KNOW in my heart that alexandra vasti has read cat sebastian's you should be so lucky and in particular has read cat seabass's reading of the haunting of hill house. real ~make a haunted house a home~ vibes. do I mean this as a compliment or an insult? your guess is as good as mine
- my bookmarks aren't loading right now even though I just went through them the other day to prepare to write this review and I'm literally on a page WITH a bookmark that isn't showing up lol BUT at one point vasti uses "queer" to mean "strange" but also 'heyyyy modern reader ;)' two times in as many pages and I was like okay alex that's enough! we get it!

still, though. I hope vasti writes more f/f cause god knows I'm starving and, again, there's compelling sex, which (as no doubt you already know if you're reading this) is appallingly thin on the ground in queerwomenlandia