Hate Me Take Me

Obsessively Yours #2

by Laura Bishop

For fans of Lights Out and You, this follow-up to Love Me Stalk Me is a dark rom-com about a woman matched with her fantasy boyfriend by an AI app—unaware he’s actually her ex-husband, back to win her over in disguise.

When Amanda signs up for a beta feature of the Obsess AI boyfriend app—a secretive new match program that claims to pair users with real-life partners who match their fantasy settings—she thinks it’s just another marketing gimmick.

Sure, the guy it gives her is hot. Brooding. Protective. Motorcycle included. But he won’t take off his helmet. Won’t tell her his name. And somehow, he knows things no one else should.

She should be freaked out. She should stop letting him make her feel things. But something about him feels…familiar. What Amanda doesn’t realize is that the man behind the helmet isn’t a stranger at all. It’s her ex-husband. The one who walked away without a word. The one she’s spent years trying—and failing—to forget.

Now he’s back. And he’s not asking for permission. He’ll stalk her. Protect her. And when she begs him to take off the helmet and finally show her who he is? He’ll remind her: She asked for this.

She thought she was falling for someone new. But the truth? She might be falling for the one man who already broke her heart...and this time, he’s not letting go.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Rom Com, Contemporary, Second Chance, Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 4, 2026

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I FUCKING LOVE AMANDA!!!! That is my girl.

I was so excited when we found out after love me stalk me that we get the besties story and it WAS SO GOOD!!!!

Amanda & Kade are so hot.

Amanda is a baddie who lives her life in pink. Pink outfits, pink gun, pink decor, LITERALLY EVERYTHING. But there is so much depth to her and underlying insecurities that the outside world doesn’t see due to all the walls she’s built up. 8 years prior, she got married in Vegas after a bet & was in heaven up until an accidental happened, causing her husband to disappear and it really hurt her. A lot. And she hasn’t really dated or been with anyone since. But she joined an AI dating app that is tailored to create her perfect man—she calls him Chad lol. Everything is good and safe until there is an update that matches her up to a REAL MAN that is supposed to be exactly like Chad… and boy is he real 🔥😛 he also happens to be her (ex?) husband that has been pretending to be said AI boyfriend for a while and doing all that he can to eventually grt her back.

Loved getting to see Izzy & Cal again…and would love to see Raven’s love story heheheheh book 3???? Maybe?? Please!!

Type: ebook
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
Dark romcom
Second chance
It’s always been you
Motorcycle romance

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly what I was looking for in a dark rom com. So much banter and witty characters that made me smile. The yearning and declarations of love while simultaneously breaking my heart made me feel all the things.

Amanda-she’s funny, witty, knows how to defend herself, and definitely makes a statement. She was the absolute best and so relatable as a young woman trying to be successful in the world.

Kade- yearning is an understatement with this MMC. The stalking and obsession he felt for his wife is something to be admired. He brings all my favorite dark romance tropes together; motorcycle, dark, stalkery, obsessed, tattoos…🤤, “you’re mine” vibes. You name it he’s got it…bad for one girl

[Erika Ankeny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda is one of my favorite FMC’s to date, she is such a baddie in every regard. Not only does she carry a pink glock everywhere she goes, but she is also hilarious. I just LOVE her!

Kade really has been Amanda’s secret guardian angel for eight years, if that isn’t dedication then I don’t know what is. I loved how protective he was of his lady, even when she wasn’t actually his lady. The friendship that him and Cal developed was also so funny, I most definitely see them becoming besties.

I wish we had a little bit more of that funny banter from Amanda that we had in book one, she was a bit more reserved this book. I love how authentically herself she is and has no shame in who she is. It’s also super sweet that her and her sisters are complete opposites, yet have the best sisterly bond.🤍

The fact that Amanda kept Kade’s last name all these years, and he kept his…secret tattoo…was such a perfect touch. I loved how crazy they were for one another, and how crazy they both were in general. I think they truly were a match made in heaven.

There were a few scenes in this book that were extremely similar to book one, like the warehouse scene for example, so I wish that was a bit different. Overall though, I had an absolute blast reading this & have some new book boyfriends on my long list. 😏

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, because book one was just so good. I am now beyond excited for the next book, because Raven is so cool. I can’t wait to read about her life soon! Thank you so much to Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

[Sam Lue · Rating 4 out of 5]

3/5 Stars

Kade Steele is done. He’s ready to leave the shadows and reclaim Amanda, his wife. She spends her days texting a masked stranger unaware it’s her ex-husband. The question remains, will Amanda forgive Kade for abandoning her?

Hate Me Take Me is a comically chaotic book. Although it’s a dark romance, the characters season the story with amusement. The world building is sufficient for me, as someone who hasn’t read the first book in the series, but I feel the plot moves at a snail’s pace. There are repeated quips and conversations, which I believe dampen the dialogue.

Amanda’s personality takes center stage in this book. The relationship between her and Kade is equal parts unhinged and sweet. I will say-emotions burn bright and quick. There is on page spice, and it depicts a scene I never imagined. The supporting characters are compelling, so I plan to read their stories too.

A warm thanks to Laura Bishop, Atria Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Shakira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had an absolute blast reading Hate Me Take Me by Laura Bishop. This book was everything I wanted and more. It was funny, chaotic, hot, action packed, and completely addictive from start to finish. Getting Amanda’s story after meeting her in Love Me Stalk Me was such a treat because she was already the pink pistol toting badass bestie we all loved, and here we finally get to see her take center stage.

Amanda is such a fantastic FMC. She is strong, loyal, and fiercely protective of the people she loves. She is a great friend, an amazing sister, and someone who refuses to let her past trauma or her mother’s chaos define her. I loved that about her so much. Amanda knows exactly what she deserves and she refuses to settle for anything less. That confidence and resilience made her incredibly easy to root for, and she carried the story with so much personality and heart.

The premise alone hooked me immediately. Amanda downloads the same app Izzy used in Love Me Stalk Me that led her to Cal, thinking it will just be a bit of fun… but she has no idea that she is about to walk straight back into her past. Eight years ago she met Kade, married him that same night, and had one incredible whirlwind night together before everything came crashing down when he vanished after a motorcycle accident. Now suddenly he is back in her life as her mysterious app chat boyfriend, and the reveal that he has been quietly keeping eyes on her for the last eight years adds so much tension to their story.

Kade was such a compelling character. He knows he messed up and he is absolutely on his apology tour, doing everything he can to earn Amanda’s trust again. I loved how he makes it clear that she is the one in control this time around. Their chemistry is intense, their banter is hilarious, and the way they reconnect after everything they have been through makes their second chance romance feel emotional and earned.

But this book is not just romance. There are some dark elements and real danger woven throughout the story that keep the stakes high. Just when you think things might finally settle for Amanda and Kade, the past comes crashing back in and forces them to face some truly intense situations. That mix of humor, heat, and suspense made the story impossible to put down.

And honestly, the entire cast just makes the world feel so fun and chaotic in the best way. The friendships, the sibling dynamics, the loyalty between the characters all add so much heart to the story.

Overall, Hate Me Take Me is such a wild, entertaining ride filled with humor, spice, danger, and a second chance romance that keeps you hooked the whole time. Amanda absolutely shines as a main character, and Kade stepping up to prove himself made their story incredibly satisfying.

And listen… I am already ready for book three because Amanda’s sister Raven clearly has a story that needs to be told. Laura Bishop, consider this my official request. I need Raven’s book immediately.

Thank you to Laura Bishop, Netgalley, and Atria Book for access to the eARC in exchange for my review.

[Sasha | omgitssmk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dominant Corporate Boss. *Swipe Left*
Romantic Boy Next Door. *Swipe Left*
Protective Professional Athlete. *Swipe Left*
Stalker Biker Boy. *Swipe L….*

He’s stalker obsessed with me, you say?
AND he rides a bike?
*Insert Dramatic Cartoon Heart Eyes*
*Immediately Swipes Right*

DING - WELCOME TO OBSESS AI.
YOU’VE BEEN MATCHED!

Don’t tell me you would pass this up - come on, reader to reader here, you were definitely swiping right with me too, right? ;) I mean, I can’t imagine anyone NOT swiping right - especially if he’s anything like “Chad” (Kade) our MMC within Hate Me Take Me by Laura Bishop.

If you have seen any of my reviews (or at least browsed my read books on Goodreads) before, you know how I am OBSESSED with Morally Gray MMCs and Dark Stalker Romances. Insert that Morally Gray MMC with tattoos and on a bike? You have me SOLD. Thus, it was a no-brainer that this book was right up my alley when I was approved from the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of Hate Me Take Me, the second book in the Obsessively Yours Series, releasing AUGUST 04, 2026.

I’ve already read the first book in the series, Love Me Stalk Me (a five star read by the way) which focuses on main MCs Izzy and Cal. You are introduced to Amanda within the book, Izzy’s best friend, who is now the main FMC of Hate Me Take Me, which, from your introduction to her in that first book, is definitely going to bring you on a wild adventure! In fact, I’m sitting here DYING to know whether there will be a third book in the series as it will be an immediate “add-to-cart” situation. Laura is forever an auto-buy author for me and she has done me no wrong with any of her books she’s written so far. And this book? Already pre-ordered a physical copy to place on it’s throne that it deserves to sit on.

Lets start off with a quick recap of what you can look forward to with this book….

We have Amanda, our strong willed FMC, that’s definitely a defending “girl’s girl”. She’s always the best dressed in the room, and loves the color pink - in fact, did I mention that her couch is pink and the small handheld gun she is carrying within her handbag is pink as well? Yes, you didn’t read that wrong, she’s packing Josephine in that designer handbag she’s carrying around with her everyday…just in case something comes up and she needs it, you know? Wild and adventurous Amanda has given up hope for any man coming into her life as they all provide her the same issues, troubles, and disappointment which she has no time for in her busy and fulfilling life - in fact, why in the world would she need to when she has OBESS AI and her perfect “non-real” AI boyfriend, Chad? Chad gives her everything she needs and even gives her little “bedtime stories” that keep her fulfilled and satisfied not just from an emotional level but from a physical level as well. She logs into her account and finds herself presented with an option to turn her AI Chad into a Real Chad - something that seems to be brand new that she hasn’t seen offered before during her use of the app. And Amanda being the ever curious person she is, ends up selecting YES and is introduced to someone real on the other line. What Amanda doesn’t know, however, is that the person who is on the other line isn’t just a random stranger or an employee at OBESS AI. There is no way that someone on this app would know nor remember the little details about herself that she’s not even sure if she had mentioned to her AI Chad before. In fact, what if she found out that this new “Real Chad” wasn’t actually a “Chad” at all - but her ex-husband, Kade, coming back for her and making sure that this time, he’s never letting her go?

Interested yet?
How about we take a further look at the tropes to let that sizzle just a little bit more….

📱Tatted & Obsessed MMC
📱Strong, Witty, & Feisty FMC
📱Steamy Bike Scenes
📱Delicious Banter & Yearning
📱Second Chance Romance
📱Mystery & High Tension Suspense

And that’s only a few of what you can expect within this book!

What I loved most about Hate Me Take Me was how captivated I was throughout the storyline. This was a solid six star read for me that brought everything you could have wanted in a dark stalker rom com. It mixes not just the fun, romantic and steamy scenes that you expect to receive from a biker romance, but it also comes with a true backstory & plot giving dark elements and high stakes tension that really draw a reader in as they are turning page after page.

If you are interested finding a new read that will solidify your next obsession, I definitely recommend you give Hate Me Take Me a shot as it’s sure to find you yearning for your own “Chad” in the real world.

NOTE: This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicole (literary_nics) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started this thinking "cute AI app premise", finished it mildly concerned about my taste in men. Laura Bishop is doing something to me.

Amanda Bennett signs up for the Obsess AI boyfriend app beta expecting a glorified marketing gimmick. What she gets is a brooding mystery on a motorcycle who WON'T take his helmet off, WON'T give her a name, and somehow knows things about her that a stranger has no business knowing. Plot twist (kind of, the title did tell me): he's Kade Steele. Her ex-husband. The one who vanished. The one she's been trying to forget for years. He's back, he's unhinged, and he's decided the path to her heart involves a questionable amount of stalking and a full-face helmet.

Reader, it worked on me.

What worked: Kade and Amanda together is a CRIME. The tension when she knows something's off but can't place him yet, delicious. The slow peeling-back of who he is and why he left had me genuinely feral. But honestly? The unsung hero of this book was the Amanda/Izzy/Cal grouping. The banter was so good I would have happily sat through an entire side novella of those three dissecting red flags in a group chat. Found-family-but-make-it-chaos-coded. I need them protected.

Why not 5 stars: There's a stretch in the middle where the pacing dips while Amanda's doing her "wait, do I know you" dance, and I love a slow burn, but I wanted the reveal to hit one beat sooner. A half-star shaved off purely because I'm dramatic and I wanted MORE post-reveal chaos.

Trope Chaos Check
✨ Ex-husband reunion (but make it deranged)
✨ Hidden identity (the helmet is doing Olympic-level heavy lifting)
✨ Obsessive stalker hero (he is NOT okay, and I am fine with it)
✨ Second chance romance
✨ Dark rom-com (for when you want to laugh AND question your morals)
✨ Found family / ride-or-die friend group

★★★★½ dark, funny, deeply unhinged, and the friend group deserves their own spinoff yesterday.
Thank you to Atria for the ARC, I am now on my knees begging for Raven and Jake to be next. If they're not, I will riot quietly and politely, in keeping with my brand.

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gosh, what do I even say? I absolutely loved this book. It completely pulls you in and makes you fall in love with the characters from the start. The perfect balance of cute, spicy, and emotional, with a plot that kept me fully engaged the entire time.

This was definitely one of those page-turner reads where I kept telling myself “just one more chapter.” The chemistry, tension, and overall storytelling made it so easy to get wrapped up in the world Laura Bishop created. It had plenty of heartfelt moments mixed with the spice, and the pacing kept things entertaining without ever feeling slow.

Overall, this was a solid 4.5⭐ read for me and one I’d definitely recommend if you love romance with strong character connections, good plot, and enough spice to keep things interesting. Also Kade and Cal give major book boyfriend energy 🖤

[Sydney Gessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one. Woah. I am sat- this is definitely one of my favourite dark romcoms I’ve read this year and probably will read.

Laura Bishop brought it with Hate Me, Take Me. Amanda is whirlwind of pink chaos and I adore her. But she uses it as armour (relatable) hiding behind her badassery. Because the truth is, even though he’s been gone eight years, Amanda is still messed up from her husband disappearing. Enter Kade, the husband who disappeared. Who maybe didn’t really disappear and has been instead watching her for years and biding his time until it’s safe for them to be together again.

This book was hilarious, but also a little emotional in an unexpected way. Amanda’s struggles with her mental health and feeling inadequate was really relatable. The way she hides her feelings behind being absolutely chaotic, felt really authentic and reminded me of a lot of people I know. Something that really resonated with me was messaging. That you don’t have to be one thing to be safe and that it’s okay to have dimensions and like other things. Amanda doesn’t always have to wear pink to be a badass, and I really liked how Laura Bishop portrayed Amanda’s thoughts and feelings surrounding that.

Hate Me, Take Me is the perfect second chance romance story. Not only is it hilarious, we have a masked man MMC, a badass FMC with a pink hand gun and the yearning of a lifetime. Kade and Amanda’s story was sweet and messy and I love that Amanda can take care of herself, she doesn’t need Kade and he knows it, but she wants him. I’ll definitely be thinking about this story forever. For anyone who enjoyed Lights Out- you will love this book. I just know it.

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun continuation of the Obsessively Yours series. I love how this book combines darker romance elements with a romcom feel so it comes across a little more lighthearted. There was a lot of banter and the characters that were showcased were quite witty, both of which made this a really enjoyable read. It was also nice getting a dual perspective between Amanda and Kade. If you loved the first book you’ll definitely want to pick this one up.

Read this if you like:
→ Biker
→ Stalker
→ Second Chance
→ Hidden Identity

Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted copy of the book.

[KatieGwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok infinitely better than book 2. But I do still think you have to read book 2 to understand any sort of back story. The author tried to not make it redundant for those of us who read book 1 but if you jumped straight in, you’d be so lost. Also there was a life laugh leap off a bridge moment that felt realllyyyyy odd and out of place and kind of undermined the mmcs whole personality?

[Alexa Boulanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVEDDD this book so much. Amanda is amazing between her humor and how much of a badass she is I’m obsessed with her. She had me cracking up the whole time and don’t even get me started on her and Kade. The way their relationship grows throughout the book had me hooked from the beginning. If you loved Love Me, Stalk Me you will love this one even more. Chefs kiss 💋

[BAMF_Book_Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hate Me Take Me by Laura Bishop is book two in the Obsessively Yours Series that’s scheduled to be released on August 4th. This was an amazing addition to the Obsessively Yours Series. I loved reading Amanda’s story, which definitely reinforced that the pink-loving bad a@@ remains my favorite character.

I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

We love a bad boy motorcyclist obsessed with his woman. I guiltily enjoyed every second of this book from start to finish. Once I had time to start reading, I couldn’t put it down.

[Victoria Troche · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

[Hayley Munoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Advance Copy from NetGalley

WOW! Laura Bishop killed it with the first book and killed it even more this second book! I read this book in the same day and in a matter of hours of how much I was into it. I haven’t been into this book since I read her first one! I WISH I WAS AMANDA STEELE😭

[Briana Bailon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️/ 3-4🌶️

*Thank you to Atria and Laura Bishop for providing me an ARC of this book, I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT!

*Check content warnings before reading.

Realistically, do we want a man to have a full surveillance set up watching out every move, pretending to be an AI boyfriend on an app, and following us for eight years…mmm obviously not, but in the case of this book, it made for a very fun and entertaining read. Amanda and Kade’s story wasn’t just your typical romance, it was one that was formed one night many years ago in Vegas and resulted in them getting married. Although, something happened that resulted in Amanda being left alone with no knowledge of where her husband was. Cut to present, Amanda is just going through the motions of life, keeping herself from forming deep attachments specifically in the romance department, and what better way to do that than using an AI boyfriend app. Unbeknownst to Amanda, the AI boyfriend she was speaking to wasn’t actually AI, but actually…HER HUSBAND!

The thing that I love about Laura’s writing is how she’s able to mix the darker elements of the story with the lighthearted and unhinged characteristics of her MMC’s. Kade literally hacked his way into the AI boyfriend app that Amanda used in order to slowly infiltrate her life and gradually work his plan into getting her back. Now, this wasn’t my first rodeo with the whole AI app especially since Izzy (from the first book) used the same app, and oh what do you know? Cal, her now husband ALSO HACKED INTO THE APP TO GET TO KNOW HER MORE! I swear, Cal and Kade used whatever they could in order to get their ladies all to themselves. Morally questionable?….hmm yeah I guess, but again, in the context of this book, I LOVED IT!

Amanda and Kade’s story wasn’t a simple one, it was one that dug deep into the emotional and vulnerable aspects of their relationship, and how Kade leaving affected Amanda greatly. Amanda tried to move past the memories of Kade, but even as she tried to go about it, she could never fully leave behind Kade as he was someone who was significantly important to her even as being the one who hurt her years ago.

I liked seeing how Kade took Amanda out on thoughtful, romantic dates that showed he paid attention to EVERY.SINGLE. DETAIL about her even as he was pretending to be someone else. Definitely want to watch, “Princess Bride” now after reading this book. Kade was the man who wanted to give Amanda everything and anything she desired, but in the end, all Amanda wanted was for Kade to be the supportive, loving husband who would always be there with her. I also liked seeing the emotional reactions Amanda and Kade had when it came to really hashing things out towards the end. Seeing a strong and deadly man like Kade straight up get emotional and have tears in his eyes over seeing his wife be sad and distraught made me feel sad for him. (Sigh) this just goes to show that even with this book being a dark rom com, it still managed to incorporate other elements into the story to make it more compelling and enjoyable.

Overall, I liked Laura Bishop’s take on a second chance romance, and made me questioned whether or not Kade was in the wrong for having THAT MANY surveillance cameras hidden in Amanda’s apartment. I also loved seeing Cal and Izzy again, yay! I love those two! I also loved seeing the friendship that Cal and Kade formed because, hey, when it comes to their ladies they share an equal understanding that there isn’t anything they wouldn’t do for them. Amanda was already a great character in the first book, but getting to know about her made me appreciate her sass, sarcasm, and overall personality a lot more. Kade was a straight up morally grey man who didn’t questions his motives when it came to winning Amanda back, but even he realized that if he was truly going to get his wife in needed to go about it in a way that respected and honored Amanda’s wishes. You really can’t go wrong with reading Laura Bishop’s books as they have such entertaining plot lines, lovable characters who may or may not make questionable choices, but hey, YOU LOVE THEM! Highly recommend this book and the first one as well!

[Undercover Chapters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Laura Bishop for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of the content.

Hate Me Take Me is the second book in the Obsessively Yours series. Amanda Bennet's husband disappeared eight years ago after a traumatic incident, and since then she has sworn off men. Instead, she is content with her AI boyfriend Chad, who she uses to fulfill all of her… needs. But, when she is offered to be matched with a real life man who has all the qualities of the AI boyfriend she built - she can’t help but agree. What Amanda doesn’t realize is real life Chad, who hides behind a motorcycle helmet, is actually her long lost husband, Kade. Kade is determined to win back the love of his life, and never let her go. But, will the deception be too much for Amanda?

Now, my review..

The positives:
- Amanda's character growth was outstanding. She has a pretty traumatic past, and it was great to see her edges soften.
- Kade was frustrating at times, which made him a fun morally grey MMC.
- I enjoy the text message aspect of these books, I like feeling like I’m being nosey and reading someone's text messages.
- The chapter titled “Eight Years in One Day” stole my freaking heart. It was my favorite part of the entire book. Absolute perfection and exactly what was needed for the story. It had me tearing up in the best way.
- I loved the second chance romance trope here and feel like it was done extremely well. It was lovely seeing something so broken, heal.
- This book had great banter. I love when books make me audibly laugh.


The negatives:
- I wish Kade would have been the one to divulge his secret, I think that after everything Amanda deserved that.


Overall, I think Laura Bishop did a great job with Hate Me Take Me. This is my favorite book so far in the Obsessively Yours series, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark rom-coms and stalker romances. Just be sure to check the trigger warnings if you are triggered by certain topics. I am hoping we get at least one more book in this series that covers Raven and Jake.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Julia Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big thank you to Negalley for the ARC of Hate Me Take Me, which I received in exchange for my honest opinion.. Hate Me Take Me, by Laura Bishop, is the second book in the 'Love Me, Stalk Me' series and is a dark rom-com. The story begins with our FMC, Amanda. Who is just a pink girl, trying to live her life. Amanda, as a character, is fantastic. She's witty and confident and has so much personality. She stands up for what she believes in and is loyal as hell. I liked her in the first book, so I was overjoyed to see she got her own story! Amanda signs up for a dating service, an app that promises to match users with a partner who perfectly fits their fantasies. She is matched with a mystery man who always wears a helmet and seems to know a bit too much about her. Amanda feels drawn to the mystery man and continues seeing him even though she does not know who he is. She starts to feel things and has to know who he is before she falls deeper. Shockingly, he reveals who he is. None other than he Kade, the husband who disappeared years before with no explanation. Kade and Amada got married 8 years ago and only had 1 Iight before Kade as in a motorcyle accident and disappeared. This book definitely has some spice. The emo⅝tions of Amanda being resentful at what Kade had done in the past and if it was worth it again to give him a chance to break her all over again had me in my feels. The undeniable chemisty and attraction between them, along with all the past hurts and things left & for a;,((k, v: great read. I also enjoyed seeing Kade being honest and open about his reasons for leaving in the first place as well as the way he feels now. I also enjoyed how Kade was still obsessed with Amanda, even after all that time. Her seriously brings a combo of 'you're mine and touch her and die vibes.' I am giving this book 3,5 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone. it's a great and hĥentertaining aa!!readl.
Tropes:
Dark Romance
Motorcyle Romance
Second Chance Romace
Obsessive Love Interest
Hidden Identity

[Ashleigh Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually so freaking cute for absolutely no reason! Loved this story and characters so much! The development, the struggles, the dual POV… it was well written and I would read it again.


Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spice level: 🌶️ 🌶️.5

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⸻

Quick Summary:
Amanda doesn’t put herself out there anymore. She is comfortable shooting bad guys in a video game when she needs to let off steam, drinking wine, and flirting with her AI generated fake boyfriend. Until her boyfriend app suddenly pairs her with her perfect in real life boyfriend. Now what?

⸻

What I loved:
• THE BANTER! It was well written and executed. Their dynamic had me giggling and kicking my feet at times and sweating others.
• Side characters and how they added to the development and understanding of the main characters. So cute!
• Dual POV that was revealing for both parties.

⸻

What I didn’t love/didn’t work for me:
• the pace she decided to fall for this randomly real person (is using the time as a fake person then it made more sense but that distinction was never expressed).
• How quickly the save came and how he seemed to randomly know all the information about the bad guy (I did call who it really was within the first 25% - which I am proud of).

⸻

Tropes / Themes:
• Stalker biker morally grey MMC
• Second chance romance
• Down Bad protective and possessive MMC
• Banter!

⸻

Overall Thoughts:
Honestly so cute. I loved this a lot more than I thought I would and I anticipated enjoying it in the first place. Funny, so so funny, but also emotionally gripping at critical moments. This ticked all the boxes for what a darker themed romcom should be and then some.

⸻

Recommended for readers who enjoy:
• Dark Romcom
• Strong FMCs and down bad MMCs
• romantic suspense and good natured stalking

[Jennifer*Scorpio*Cats*Coffee*Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, this was so much fun! I KNEW when Amanda pulled out Josephine in Love Me Stalk Me that we needed her story. She is sharp, feisty, strong, and fiercely protective of her independence and those she loves. And I won't lie: the opening of Ch 1 reallllly made me think she had this whole other hidden identity! But still, I loved how her second-chance love story evolved.

Chad/Kade was truly the epitome of 'it was only ever her.' This man spent 8 years hunting down every last person who tried to hurt Amanda. Did that mean there was 8 years of emotional pain on both their sides? Yes. Did he swear to make up for every second they were apart? Also, double yes. I have *1* issue with the story, down below, so only read if you are ok with a small spoiler or finished the book. Aside from this, I did enjoy Kade and Amanda's story. Now on to Raven!!!

4.25/5 ⭐️
3.5/5 🌶



My one issue: Small spoilers, so do not read further unless you want to know:❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️




The chapter with Kade and Cal towards the end? I am not sure how I feel about it. About Kade's choice. Bc it seemed rather... childish tbh. It was out of character. He is someone who just spent 8 years eradicating everyone who tried to hurt Amanda, and when he thinks that she cannot accept him back into her life like they had been before, he... chooses that??? It would be more in-line with his dedication to continue his life while keeping her safe from a distance. I mean, yes, he feels a lot of guilt for being 'poison' in her life, for making her suffer for 8 years, and he thinks this will remove that poison. But again... that reasoning doesn't hold up. If he knows Amanda like his character has been written to know her, then he should know this is not the solution. That Amnda is going to need ongoing, steady, trustworthy actions in order to prove that Kade is truly back in her life and will never hurt her again. (And I'm glad we do finally have that happen in the remaining chapters.) But to make Kade's character take the easy way out? Yeah... didn’t make sense to me.

[onlyhereforthehea · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Laura Bishop is a new to me author and I have to say I’m really glad I requested this one. Hate Me Take Me is a dark romance that delivers on everything you want from the genre. Obsession, stalking, over the top moments in the name of love, and really great witty banter. This book had it all.

This story follows Amanda and Kade, who eight years ago had a whirlwind Vegas romance that ended in marriage. After a near death experience, Kade leaves Amanda behind with no explanation. She’s left completely in the dark, not knowing where he went or why he disappeared. Over the next eight years, Amanda becomes emotionally closed off, trying to move on from a love she can’t seem to shake.

Meanwhile, Kade has spent those same eight years fully in his dark romance era, watching Amanda from afar in that obsessive, always there kind of way. When he finally decides he’s done just watching, he comes up with a plan to re-enter her life by posing as her AI boyfriend and slowly win her back.

What follows is a story filled with hilarious banter, great tension, longing, obsession, and some really good spicy scenes. I genuinely had a lot of fun with this one. Did the helmet situation go on a little too long? Yes. Did I really care? Not at all.

This book knows exactly what it is and doesn’t take itself too seriously, which worked really well for me. It leans into that slightly unhinged, over the top energy but balances it with humor, so it almost reads like a stalker romcom at times. The banter and funny moments really stood out.

I loved Amanda and Kade together and was fully rooting for those two crazy kids to figure it out. Through it all, I really believed in their love story. This one was such a fun ride and definitely worth picking up.

✨Thank you to Laura Bishop and NetGalley for the ARC

[Dominique Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC gifted in exchange for review
4.25 stars
I absolutely devoured love me stalk me so I sprinted to netgalley to request this arc as soon as I was done and I’m so glad I did.

Amanda is unhinged, there’s no other way to put it but under all that unhinged behavior is a woman who was hurt so badly, who doesn’t believe that she’s lovable at all and pushes people away, and makes jokes at her own expense to stop herself from being hurt again. Kade is deranged and he never for a single moment stopped loving Amanda Bennett, and never stopped doing everything he could to protect her, even when it meant disappearing from her life.

I wanted to scream at Kade to tell Amanda the truth from the time “Chad” became real. I understood his hesitation and I get that he wanted to keep her safe, but I also knew that that finding out was going to break her. I was suspicious of the people he worked with from the first chapter that we got from his POV. While I love Kade and his desire to protect Amanda from everything, the truth is that he took her agency away and broke her in a way that damaged every aspect of her life for the last eight years. The way that Cal stepped in to protect Amanda and talk Kade down from making an even bigger mistake made me love him even more which I didn’t think was possible.

I love the support system that Amanda had throughout this ordeal and how she was empowered to stand up to her awful mother. I do think she should have made Kade work harder to gain back her trust but that’s just my personal opinion.

I really hope that we get Raven’s story as well because I want to see her happy so badly.

All in all, this was so unhinged and insane but at the same time so emotional and heartfelt. It forced me to sit with some uncomfortable feelings about being lovable that I wasn’t ready for but I’m grateful none the less.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book pulled me in within the first few pages. I wasn't expecting that given all the warnings at the beginning. Not a fan of stalking in my romance books, but this was a bit different. Amanda and Kade had a whirlwind romance - married hours after meeting in Vegas - which was passionate. After a month of bliss, an unthinkable accident happened, and she was in the hospital for a month and he vanished. Eight years later and she still carried the weight of the lost love. She chats with her AI Chad every night. Not realizing Chad was actually Kade. She shared all of her thoughts, dreams, and insecurities with Chad. Then Chad suggested to have her meet the real human Chad. Which was not surprising she finally did. Despite always wearing a motorcycle helmet, she fell for him. The relationship between her and Kade/Chad was hot. And at times sweet. Honestly, I really enjoyed their love story. It had spice, love, passion, and companionship, and I was cheering for them to get back together. Amanda deserved her happily ever after. I had some skepticism about why it took eight years for him to return. Though it was explained to the readers from the beginning. Which I appreciated. I did wonder why she was always carrying her purse. It went everywhere with her. Even when she was working in the department store. That was a bit unbelievable. Her best friend and sister were amazing and so supportive. I loved how they took care of her. I'm hoping for her sister's love story to be next. The ending was adorable, charming, and simply perfect. Overall, this was a sweet, hot, and at times a thoughtful love story. I totally recommend this gem. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC.

[Cayce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hate Me Take Me somehow managed to be even more emotionally intense than the first book in the series. I already loved the atmosphere and relationship dynamics Laura Bishop set up earlier on, but this one raised the emotional stakes so much that I ended up completely locked into the story from start to finish.

What worked best for me was the tension between the characters. Their relationship feels messy, toxic at times, emotional, and deeply consuming in a way that made it impossible not to stay invested. The push and pull between them constantly kept me on edge because even during softer moments there’s still this underlying anger, hurt, and attraction simmering underneath everything.

I also appreciated that the emotional fallout from the first book actually mattered here. Nothing felt magically fixed or forgotten, which made the relationship development feel more believable overall. Watching the characters struggle with trust, vulnerability, and their own self destructive tendencies made the story hit harder emotionally than I expected.

The chemistry definitely delivered too. The romance has that darker emotionally charged energy where every interaction feels loaded, whether they’re fighting, spiraling, or trying not to give in to each other. Laura Bishop writes emotional obsession and tension really well and this book absolutely leaned into that.

Overall I ended up loving this continuation of the series. It was emotional, dramatic, addictive, and full of complicated relationship dynamics that kept me completely invested. If you liked the first book and enjoy darker romances with angst, chemistry, and emotionally messy characters, this one is absolutely worth continuing for.

[Yesenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A round of applause for Laura Bishop 👏🏼 ! She has done it again 🖤🖤🖤🖤. This story was everything I could have hoped for Amanda. You will be giddy, anxious, heart broken, and sooo proud of her. Our girl is a warrior queen in pink! This story captures the loss of love and the journey it takes on us. How we truly lose ourselves when the right part of ourselves is gone. If you love a bada** woman, a biker man who is also masked (kind of), an intense and patient stalker, a journey of loss but one back to each other, yearning and banter, AI Boyfriends, and girls who truly have your back. Than this book is for you 🖤! Kade and Amanda will have you in a literal pile of goo in the most delicious way. The way this man speaks to her will have had any of begging for more 😆. I would like to have an order of him to go please 🙏! I loved seeing characters from her first book Love Me Stalk Me in this book. Izzy and Cal and new characters like Raven and Jake.

Amanda, you crazy, pink gun-wielding, power house of woman! You are my spirit animal 😆. She’s the epitome of coming out stronger. Her past literally came to a crash and she has built herself up. And I can’t blame her for what she’s done to protect herself. But in return she’s protected her heart to everyone, so it’s no wonder the one person to bring down her walls is the one she created 😂. Trust me you’ll understand once you read the book.

Kade, ugh you frustratingly sexy brood of man. I literally wanted to beat the crap out of him, while equally devouring him 😆. I understand his reasoning but seriously!!!! In all aspects seriously!!! The motorcycle earned him bonus points in my book but still, I would have kicked his butt 😂.


Please tell me we’re getting Ravens story!!!!!!


100% recommend this book!!!!

[Jeneane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a well done follow up in the series! I was hoping this next book was about Amanda and Laura Bishop delivered! 👏

Bishop does a great job of balancing heavy topics of self-worth and validation with light-hearted humor and sarcasm. This story follows our FMC Amanda Bennett who is still dealing with the effects of her ex-husband leaving her 8 years ago after a month long whirlwind of a marriage. It picks up right where the previous story ends so we're aware of how badass Amanda is with her pink glock and designer heels. In this story we finally peel back the layers and find out she's been really struggling with believing she's loveable and her explosion of pink clothing and humor is all for protection.

In comes Kade Steele, her ex-husband, whose been pretending to be Amanda's Ai bf Chad. We see the tension build between the two as Kade works his magic to win his woman back and its so beautiful to see Amanda let her guard down and finally let another person in. I love seeing a man mess up and then go above and beyond making it up to her and makes her feel so seen and loved. I loved how Kade encouraged her to be herself and remind her she is enough. The girls night scenes between Izzy and Raven were hilarious and realistic, (one unhinged friend and one realistic friend).

I'm also eyeing up Raven and Jake and crossing my fingers they get their own book.

Tropes:
🖤 Obsessed biker MMC
🎀 Second chance romance
🖤 Dark rom-com
🎀 Banter + Yearning

Hate Me Take Me releases August 4th, 2026!

Thank you to Atria books, Netgalley, and Laura Bishop for the eARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Fatima M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Atria Marketing for an ebook ARC of Hate Me Take Me!!!! It comes out August 4, 2026.

i was so excited to see that Amanda was getting a book. the way she was in Love Me Stalk Me, i knew she her book was going to be fun and boy was it right.

this book overall for me made me laugh, blush🤭and even tear up a little bit. i was expecting this to be fun time, make me turn my brain off and don't get me wrong SHE DELIVERED but it turned out to be much more than that.

it turned out so much more deeper and i loved it. right from the beginning we see Amanda talking to her AI bf and it as cute fun little time. then when Kade came to the picture it took a different turn.

we see that Amanda has this persona she gives with her love for pink, her 20 step skin care routine, and her 20 step night time routine. but inside she's a girl who got her heart broken and just wants someone to be with her.

now Kade, he's so possessive and is quite literally always looking out for Amanda. he's also a hottie cause how will we not love him when riding a motorcycle. the tension they had OMG i loved every second of it. the fact that from afar this man knew every little thing about Amanda (ik he stalked her for 8 years but come on its cute)

the last 15% is what made me really love this. it made me fall more in love with Kade. it was honestly my favorite part. it felt real in the scene of how the situation happened and how it was resolved.

the only reason why this isn't 5 star is because for be it felt just a little repetitive and also the pet name. i don't really care (to each their own yk) but ik it makes sense with how Amanda is.

[Alexandra Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay wait… this book was SO FUN. Like kicking my feet, giggling, “just one more chapter” at 2am kind of fun.

This was such a perfect mix of quirky, chaotic, slightly unhinged in the best way, and just straight up entertaining. I loved every second of it. The whole concept alone is wild in the best way and the way it was executed made it feel so fresh and addictive.

The banter?? Top tier. I was smiling the entire time. The dialogue felt so natural and witty and just flowed so well. It made the characters feel real and made me even more invested in everything happening.

And the characters… I LOVED them. The FMC was funny, relatable, and had so much personality. You could not help but root for her. And the MMC?? Oh my gosh. The tension, the obsession, the mystery… everything about him just worked. Their dynamic was so fun to read and had that perfect mix of tension, humor, and emotional pull.

What I loved most was how entertaining this book was. It didn’t take itself too seriously but still gave you all the feelings. It was quirky, a little diabolical, and completely addictive. I felt so connected to both characters and just wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next.

The plot, the pacing, the vibes… everything just worked for me. It felt refreshing and exactly what you want when you pick up a romcom with a darker twist.

I genuinely could not put this book down and finished it way too fast. If you are looking for something fun, flirty, a little chaotic, and full of personality, this is 100 percent a must read.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Love Me Stalk Me, we get the chance to see what the backstory is for Izzy’s assistant manager and best friend Amanda.
We know very little about Amanda except that she loves pink, carries a pink Glock in her purse, has unexplained tactical skills, and doesn’t do relationships because of a brief marriage 8 years prior that broke her heart but she never elaborated on.

Amanda is also the one who first used the AI boyfriend app before Izzy’s head of security/husband Cal hacked the app to weirdly woo Izzy. Her current AI boyfriend Chad is all she needs - or so she tells herself, until the app offers her an opportunity to meet Chad IRL through an interesting new feature and she starts developing real feelings for this motorcycle helmet wearing embodiment of her perfect man.


What Amanda does not know is that (1) the feature isn’t actually real or something that the app created, and that (2) her husband/ex-husband Kade has been keeping tabs on Amanda all these years, and also (3) Kade has been AI Chad for a while, and even found a way to offer Amanda the “meet in real life” feature as a way to start winning her back.


The banter in this story is excellent- especially between Amanda and Cal! I love their almost sibling teasing style of relationship and how much it gets under Izzy’s skin.

I really loved this story, it was an awesome follow up to the first book. I thought it read a little slower than the first book, but it was still a great story flipping back and forth between Amanda and Kade’s perspectives.