Hard Feelings

Serendipity & Shenanigans

by Jennifer Millikin, Wesley Mercer (Narrator), Marissa Clay (Narrator)

A loathe-to-love, road trip romance performed in duet.

Cecily Hampton's first date with Dominic Bellinger started out like a dream. The conversation? Flowing. The chemistry? Sizzling. But when Cecily overhears a phone call Dom steps away to take, she grabs her purse and makes a run for it. She knows a red flag when she sees one.

Unfortunately, avoiding Dom becomes impossible when they're both summoned to Las Vegas to celebrate their mutual friends. Armed with a vow to hate Dom forever, Cecily lands in Sin City ready to unleash her dirtiest looks on him. Except, Dom's salty attitude is making it clear Cecily isn't the only one with hard feelings.

When shooting daggers turns into shooting tequila, Dom and Cecily wake up to find themselves with a nasty hangover and new Mr. & Mrs.

A rush to undo the drunken mistake is halted when Cecily's grandmother calls to announce she's dying, and her final wish is to road trip around Arizona with her family. Including her granddaughter's new husband.

Cecily can't decide which is worse - being stuck in a luxury motor coach with Dom, or her estranged family.

But somewhere between a stay at a haunted hotel and unwittingly attending a nudist colony, their thinly veiled insults and barbed remarks give way to the attraction from their first date. They tell themselves it's just this once...twice...ok, three times.

Scratching an itch starts looking a lot like newlywed bliss. And their temporary marriage? It just might turn into forever.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Contemporary Romance, Road Trip, He Falls First, Slow Burn

Audible Audio

First published January 8, 2026

About the author

Jennifer Millikin is a two-time recipient of the Readers Favorite award. She writes contemporary fiction with elements of romance, emotion, and hard-learned lessons. Her characters are flawed and authentic, and some parts of her stories are more fact than fiction.

Reviews

[Kealyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard Feelings by Jennifer Millikin

Between 3.75 and 4 out of 5 stars

Hard Feelings is a feel-good, slow-burn and sweet romance that was fun and a joy to read. The book starts with Dominic and Cecily meeting each other when their two friends are meeting up. They instantly connect and are attracted to one another. They have this kind and sweet conversation and when Dominic has to take a phone call he leaves her for a bit. After a while she is checking if Dom wants another drink and then she overhears him bashing her on the phone. She's instantly hurt and disappointed she was so far off about him. 

Fast forward to the bachelorette party of their two friends in Vegas. She believes he's an asshole who said she was terrible and yapping all the time. And he believes she just stood him up in the middle of their sort of date. But Vegas is Vegas and the alcohol is flowing freely. Fast forward to the next morning. They wake up in the same bed and quickly find out they got married. They are both horrified and want an annulment straight away. But they have to wait a few days.

In her drunken state Cecily sent her family her wedding photo and suddenly her grandmother calls that she and her new husband must come quickly. Cecily doesn't want to disappoint her grandmother and Dom decides to go with her. Unfortunately her grandmother has terrible news. She is terminal and wants to embark on a roadtrip with the entire family and her hired death doula. 
Cecily and Dom decide to keep up the pretense and then things kick off. I love how rather quickly they address the troubles from their first date. And that enables them to get to know each other and fall freely into what their hearts make them feel.

It's wholesome, sweet and beautiful. I love how family dynamics play a huge part in this book and I adore how grandma's trip brings them all close together.

But it was a little too sweet for me. And the pacing was a little too slow for me. I think if the book was shortened a little it would improve the pacing and the overall experience of reading this novel. I also wish there was a bit more chemistry between the two main characters. There is chemistry. And I loved it. But it didn't spark a fire within me. And I missed that. I love when I fall in love with both characters and I missed that in this one. 

All in all a fantastic book. 4 huge stars from me for Hard Feelings. ♥

[Grace Btrs · Rating 3 out of 5]

😌 Came for Tension, Leaving wanting Pension
Listen, this was a super sweet romance that would serve great as a mindless on-the-go read or palate cleanser.
But to be honest, it didn’t do much more than that for me.

🐈 Expectations vs Reality
I expected a black cat FMC. Maybe the opening or the blurb gave me that impression.
While I didn’t get her, I still got a little Miss Independent who definitely needs therapy.
That’s cool, Cecily recognises it and is probably gonna get it.
I think she lost me when she immediately jumped to conclusions in chapter 3 and assumed he was talking ill of her on their first date.
She carried on with the stubbornness (for half the book) of miscommunication (only a couple of chapters), clearly stemming from her own self-confidence and how she views love (blame daddy for that tho 😬) while still riding the lust train.

💘 Dom: The Textbook Perfect Boyfriend
Dom is sweet, gentlemanly, caring, thoughtful, insightful, anticipates her needs, hot, and knows his way around intimacy.
And while he is all of that, I didn’t connect much to him.
Missing both connections made it hard to invest in their vulnerable and intimate moments too, although those were well-paced, well-placed, and had great lead-ups.

🏡 Funfare chaos
The families and their internal feuds were also done really well.
They took appropriate time in proportion with the romance and the roadtrip fun.
Shoutout to grandma for being the wildest Emcee with her dude ranches and haunted hotels.

🤔 Light, Sweet, but Missing Something
I don’t know if something was missing in the book, whether it was the narrators (who still did a good job), the MCs themselves not capturing me enough to invest, or simply that this was much lighter than what I’d like.
But although this was a good story, I’d recommend it mostly as a mindless palate cleanser for anyone who enjoys and gravitates towards the same things I do.

Thank you, Valentine PR, for the ARC.💌

--
Pre-read:
I am on a "tension" high and need it injected into my blood as a supplement to survive the Ironside hangover.
Late to this ARC because sickness took me, and then 10 alphas bulldozed my life.

[✨Julie✨]

This reminds me that I still need to read Here for the 🎂

Both look/sound so cute! 🥰

[What Sam Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Dom & Cecily’s story!! From the first date, to the drunken night in Vegas, you can feel their chemistry coming off the page.

I love Dom🩵 he never once gave up. Agreeing to go on a huge family road trip with a family you don’t even know is COMMITMENT!! He wanted Cecily & nothing was going to stop him from convincing her to not get an annulment.

Savage Grandma… oh why did you have to do that to us😭 she was probably my favorite character in the entire book! I love how she meddles in her families lives but also doesn’t at the same time. She’s got it down to a science!! Everyone needs a Savage Grandma❤️

[Betty · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 60 %. I tried. I really did. The writing is fine and there are some funny parts, but - unpopular opinion - I really really dislike the FMC and it bothers me when the whole story hinges on something that makes no sense.

If you like women who are stubborn for no apparent reason, and men who will put up with it, then this is for you. At 60%, they’ve kissed twice and I don’t care if they ever do anything else. She’s spoiled. He’s enabling her. I dislike.

There’s a misunderstanding that occurs during Dom and Cecily’s first date. She leaves the date without saying anything and blocks him. Whatever. Meanwhile they have mutual friends and business acquaintances so not the best move. But again, whatever.

This misunderstanding continues unnecessarily for the first 30% of the book and even after they get drunk married in Vegas 8 months later during their friends bachelor/bachelorette party. Because who doesn’t love a good drunk Vegas wedding among enemies? Sure sure.

So, once they realize why she’s mad at him, and how it was truly a misunderstanding, you’d think she’d be nice to him. After all, he’s being insanely nice to her - going on a 3 week family trip w her, her dying grandma and the rest of her annoying family. Why? I don’t know. But, no, she continues to fight w him and be rude for no reason that’s explained. She’s stubborn, he likes it. I don’t know.

It all feels very juvenile and ridiculous. I’m sure this is a me problem. I’m just so over the stubborn rude woman and devoted man trope. Given the other reviews, I’m in the vast minority. 🫠🙄🤷🏻‍♀️

[Megan Coggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off cover: gorgeous.

Don & Cecily 🔥
Loved the loathe to love vibes
First date gone awry
A drunk oopsie marriage in Vegas

The main plot: the road-trip
Cecilys family is a chaotic bunch
Humor and banter

These two were actually really adorable together.

Not sure why this author made me cry there at one point tho 😭🤣

[meags · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beta read this and i simply loved it!

I cannot wait until I can share more about this one but just know... it's SOO good!!!!

[Kayla | Kayla Reads Smut · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Here for the Cake, I knew I needed to jump right into Hard Feelings and I am so glad that I did! I knew I would love this one because one of my favorite tropes is the oops we got drunk and then tied the knot in Vegas. There is just something about it that gets me EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. And this one is no different.

At the end of Here for the Cake, it was teased that Dom and Cecily were going to go on a date to celebrate Klein's book success and I was excited to see how this was going to play out. And let's just put it this way, we went from Cecily overhearing an out of context conversation to waking up in Vegas married real quick. But the real fun came when they embarked on a family road trip throughout Arizona with Cecily's family before "savage" grandma's dirt nap.

I am quickly becoming a huge fan of Jennifer Millikin. I have found the first two books in the Serendipity & Shenanigans series to be super light hearted filled with laugh out loud banter and green flag golden retrievers. And I feel like this book, as well as, Here for the Cake, are PERFECT for your next beach vacation. Each book takes place on vacation or in a different location which also makes it a fun vacation read.

At the end of the day, if you are looking for a light hearted, slow burn cute read, this is the series for you! I think you would enjoy it!

Narration Review
Duet Narration by Wesley Mercer and Marissa Clay

If you are an audiobook girly, you will love this one. It was a super quick listen. The narrators were good but I will say depending on the speed to which you listen, I did find the male narrator to be slightly monotone which did take me out of the story at times. I wish there were a little more inflection in his tone during the dialogue. I felt like there was not much of a tone difference between the narration and dialogue which made it hard to decipher between the two when I was not immersively reading the book.

You should most definitely read this book if you like:
- Accidental Marriage
- Vegas Wedding
- Road Trip
- Loathe to Love
- Slow Burn
- Light Hearted Rom Com
- Golden Retriever MMC
- Forced Proximity

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Hard Feelings had a lot of elements that I genuinely enjoyed, which made this one a bit of a mixed bag for me. One of my favorite things about Jennifer Millikin’s books is how interconnected her series are, and I loved getting to see familiar faces from other stories pop up here. Those moments always feel like little rewards for longtime readers. And of course savage grandma absolutely stole every scene she was in iykyk.

The banter between the MMC and FMC was another highlight for me. Their back and forth was sharp, fun, and often had me smiling. You can really feel the chemistry in their dialogue, and those moments reminded me why I usually fly through her books.

That said for some reason I just couldn’t fully get into this one. The storyline itself is unique and on paper exactly the kind of plot I thought I would love more than I did. Unfortunately the miscommunication at the very beginning of the book really threw me off and made it harder for me to fully settle into the story. It lingered in a way that pulled me out instead of pulling me in.

Overall this was still an enjoyable read with strong characters and great banter but it didn’t quite hit as hard for me as I hoped. If you love interconnected romances and witty dialogue it’s still worth checking out even if it wasn’t a full hit for me.

[Anna (annasbookstacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy release day!!

4.25 ★ I loved this so much! I was absolutely obsessed with Here For the Cake by this author so I was super excited for another book in this world. This book was fast paced and immediately had me hooked on Cecily and Dom’s story. I read 60% in one sitting!! The banter, tension, and chemistry between these two was soooo good. I was so obsessed and had such a fun time with these two. I loved each character both together and individually and i really enjoyed reading from both POVs. I also absolutely loved getting so much content from the last book’s characters <3 The accidental marriage plot was so fun and made for such a dramatic, entertaining read. The first half of the book was literally addicting and I couldn’t stop reading. I also really loved and appreciated the story with Cecily’s grandmother and the connection they had. That part of the story had me sooo emotional. The dynamics of Cecily’s family really added to this story for me. The 60-75% mark kind of lost me bc the story and connection between Cecily and Dom became super lusty and physical, and I was missing that emotional connection that I think could’ve been built upon even further, especially during the road trip. Either way, I really freaking loved this book and would absolutely recommend it. The writing, pacing, plot, characters, and relationship building was all so good and delivered what I hoped it would <3 I had such high hopes for this book and it came through!! thank you valentine PR for the arc!!

[Kate Dash · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐ 4.5+ stars (a very soft 5)

Hard Feelings completely surprised me—in that quiet, sneaky way books do when you expect a fun rom-com and end up emotionally invested.

This story starts with instant chemistry and an equally instant nope. One overheard moment derails everything, and instead of talking it out, feelings curdle into resentment, assumptions, and sharp edges. What I loved most is that the book knows this is messy. The miscommunication isn’t romanticized—it’s uncomfortable, human, and it leaves emotional residue that follows the characters into every interaction afterward.

Where this book truly shines is in its balance. It’s funny—often laugh-out-loud funny—but it also knows when to slow down and sit with grief, family baggage, and the quiet ache of wanting to be seen. The road trip setup could’ve been pure chaos (and sometimes it is), yet it becomes a space where walls come down piece by piece. The forced proximity isn’t just physical; it’s emotional, and watching that tension unravel felt incredibly earned.

The romance itself is a chef’s kiss slow burn. The banter crackles, but underneath it is patience, restraint, and genuine care. There’s something deeply satisfying about a love story where affection grows through consistency rather than grand gestures. And yes—he falls first, and yes—it works beautifully here.

Family dynamics add another layer entirely. They’re frustrating, loving, invasive, protective, and complicated in the way real families are. The grandmother, in particular, is unforgettable—tender and fierce all at once, the emotional anchor of the story without ever feeling like a plot device.

If this wasn’t a full five for me, it’s only because the opening conflict lingered just a touch longer than I personally prefer. That said, once the emotional payoff hit, it hit hard.

This is one of those romances that feels warm, sharp, and sincere all at once—the kind you finish with a smile and a small ache in your chest.

Tropes & Vibes
• Loathe-to-love
• Accidental marriage
• Forced proximity (road trip + shared spaces)
• Black cat FMC × golden retriever MMC
• He falls first
• No third-act breakup 🙌
• Sharp banter & emotional slow burn
• Family chaos
• Dual POV

If you love romances that mix humor with heart, bite with tenderness, and chaos with sincerity—this one is absolutely worth your time.

Thanks Valentine PR and author for opportunity to read ARC in exchange of honest review

[OM · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's an okay story. There were the good parts, like the forced proximity and the witty banter with tension. The whole premise of their road trip was really moving. I liked the idea of this story

Then there was the miscommunication trope, which might be the bane of my existence and made me very annoyed with the characters. I was just never able to care about them after that. And there were small moments where I liked the dialogue or the feelings that were elicited, but overall, it was just eh.

[Gosia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was super excited for this book, the marketing for both Here for the Cake and Hard Feelings worked wonders on me but then… I knew on the very first pages that we’re in 3 stars territory 😬

I struggled to read this book. I kept picking up and finishing other books. If it wasn’t an ARC I would probably DNF (yes, I know you can DNF an ARC but I struggle with it 😅).
I can’t pinpoint what exactly went wrong but this is why I’m going with 3 stars and not lower.
Even the first 50 pages already felt like this book is too long, it really didn’t need to be so long. Something in the writing made me think of fanfics I wrote and read in middle school.
I’m not opposed to miscommunication trope but this one was so badly done 😬 same for them to be enemies. It made little sense and affected how I felt about their dynamics later.

I expected a 5 star read and was rather disappointed. The marketing for both books on insta really worked on me but I don’t think I will be going back to read book 1.

Thank you ValentinePR for the eARC! I’m really sorry it didn’t land better for me, I wanted to love it so much but just didn’t 😔

[Lark _thebookchamber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored Dom and Cecily’s story so much! From their first date you can feel how much chemistry and tension is between them! When Cecily overhears Dom’s conversation, I just knew there was no way he could be talking about her with how great their date was going. Fast forward to their friend’s Vegas joint bachelor/bachelorette party… and what happens in Vegas definitely didn’t stay in Vegas. A drunken night of marriage joined these two together. And what they thought would be a quick annulment, ended up becoming a family road trip as Cecily’s grandmother’s dying wish.
There’s tons of banter, emotions, and swoon worthy moments throughout that will have you not wanting to set this one down! I loved every character and the different dynamics they brought to the story! Overall, a great read that dips into the emotions of grief but is heartwarming and charming as well! 🥲💖

[Bookedwithstephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You just tell me what you need from me, alright? I'll give it to you."

After reading Here for the Cake last year, I was really excited for this book. Hard Feelings was a fun read, I really enjoyed it.

We start with Cecily and Dom going on a date, Cecily overhears something and bolts. She wants to avoid him forever, but they soon run into each other again at a friends celebration. One drunken night in Vegas, leading to waking up realizing they’re married. They then find themselves going on a roadtrip with Cecily’s family, what could possibly go wrong?

I loved Cecily and Dom’s relationship, they had such great banter. Once they realized there was a misunderstanding, they had such an understanding of one another. Their growth was wonderful, learning to trust each other. I loved this book!

Thank you Jennifer Millikin and VPR for the ARC!

[Anca A · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Review: *Hard Feelings* - Jennifer Millikin - ARC [18+]
4.8/5✨
3/5🌶️

Everything had started with a date which turned out pretty wrong, even though there was an insane chemistry between them. That's how it was born that loathing situation between Cecily and Dominic. Only, on a crazy night in Vegas, they did something which might tie them together for a while. And to complicate things more, they had to go on a road trip with Cecily's entire family, as her grandma wished. That shouldn't be that hard, right?😅

This story had such a weird mix of comedy, reflective moments and sadness. I was captivated by the fun and strange situation Dom and Cecily were in and I was so curious to discover all those things they had to go through during that family trip. Cecily's family was a bit delulu, because they were always afraid that people would take advantage of them and what they represented. It was inevitable not to have my heart stolen by Cecily's grandma, who was such a sweetheart, but who also exuded so much power and who had so much wisdom. All that happened during that road trip was so lovely to follow, Cecily kept on having those intense hateful feelings towards Dom, because of what he did to her. I liked how conflicted she felt about Dom and how her attraction became stronger with each day she was in his presence. Dom was that cute cinnamon roll, with whom it was impossible not to fall for. I liked how he acted around Cecily's family even if she was still acting strange around him. Also, he was so mesmerized by everything regarding Cecily and loved that he never gave up on fighting for her.

I had a really great time reading this book, loving it's vibes and those lovely characters. I got so attached to them and I felt all those emotions that journey brought to surface. It was mostly fun, but it had some reflective parts and others which were pretty sad and these made me need tissues at some point🥺. Amazing book!

Thank you Valentine Pr and Jennifer for accepting me for this beautiful e-ARC.

✨Tropes
▫️Loathe To Love
▫️Road Trip
▫️One Bed
▫️Married In Vegas
▫️He Falls First
▫️Forced Proximity
▫️No Third Act Break Up
▫️Fun Grandma

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

"Hard Feelings" by Jennifer Millikin sure does start with hard feelings, that's no lie! When they say "enemies to lovers," this is exactly what they mean because this book does the trope justice! The main characters, Dom and Cecily, loaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaathe each other... and it is simply *delicious.* Their mutual disdain makes their chemistry electric, their banter fiery, and their eventual make-up all the more satisfying. I really appreciate how the initial miscommunication, what Cecily overheard Dom saying about her (aka the reason she hated him and ended their first date), got cleared up early on in the story. If it had been dragged out, I would have been seriously annoyed! Cecily and Dom are both compelling characters individually as well. Cecily has a lot of daddy issues and baggage related to her family. Dom has some issues with his parents, as well as some work troubles. This book is so much more than a romance between two people who can't stand each other. It also involves a drunken "oops" marriage in Vegas, the reconnecting of a fractured family, and the impending death of the family's grandmatriarch, also known as "Savage Grandma." Savage Grandma has concocted a scheme to get her estranged family, her granddaughter and her new husband, to come together one last time before she dies... in the form of an almost month-long road trip! Forced proximity, enemies to lovers, tons of tension and chemistry between characters, lots of resentments opened wide... all of these things make for one heck of an entertaining book! It made me laugh, it made me tear up, and it made me think about what I would do in a situation like this. I loved the silliness of Grandma's antics and unfiltered comebacks. I enjoyed seeing Cecily and her family slowly rebuild themselves over the course of their road trip. I really liked the kooky stops along the way, the snacks they got that reminded me of road trips I have taken in the past, the fun ways Dom tried to worm himself into Cecily's life, how he was always sweet on her and obsessed with her, how they eventually fall in love for real and don't want to get an annulment after all. This book has a bit of everything: chaos, humor, heart, and tear-jerking heart-to-hearts. It's not too terribly long and is extremely well-paced. I dug it a lot!

Thank you to Jennifer Millikin and Valentine PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here for the Cake, the first in this connected stand-alone series, we one of my favorites a few years ago, so I was excited to get to return to this world. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with this love story in the same way - but you might!

Months ago Cecily and Dom had one disastrous first date that left Dom confused and Cecily deeply entrenched in enemies territory - but they couldn’t avoid each other because their best friends are getting married and there’s a joint Vegas party to celebrate the upcoming nuptials. Too many tequila shots later, as the sun rises on a new day, Cecily and Dom find they’ve fallen down the drunken Vegas rabbit hole and gotten married. But plans for a quick annulment are thwarted when Cecily’s grandmother announces she’s dying and intends to take the entire family, including Cecily’s new husband, on an impromptu cross-country road trip. Being married to Dom might be only slightly less awful that being trapped in a motor coach with her entire estranged family. Thus begins a chaotic road trip romance where Cecily and Dom discover they might just be meant for each other.

The family dynamics, and Cecily’s grandmother in particular, were my favorite part of this book - and how their accidental marriage actually ends up reuniting Cecily with her family. I did like how they resolved the miscommunication from their first date early on in the book, but it was a pretty avoidable miscommunication in the first place to have carried on for so long in the timeline. Unfortunately, for me, it was the connection between our main characters that didn’t resonate with me. I really liked them both individually, but didn’t buy in to their romance - but perhaps you will!

🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: Wesley Mercer and Marissa Clay do a really great duet narration and if you grab this one, I think audio is the way to go! (10 hrs, 16 mins)

[Jess (GetbookedwithJessica) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a first-time reader of Jennifer Millikin, Hard Feelings completely hooked me with its perfect blend of sharp comedy, heartfelt banter, and genuine emotional depth - the way it makes you laugh out loud one moment and choke up the next feels effortless and real.

The dynamic between the characters, especially between the MMC and FMC, was an absolute highlight; their back-and-forth was witty, electric, and had me smiling from the page. The road trip, forced proximity, and family chaos brought so much heart and humor, giving this story real layers beyond just a rom-com romp — it’s about confronting assumptions, untangling complicated family relationships, and learning to be honest with yourself and others when it matters most.

Jennifer’s gift for balancing laugh-out-loud moments with quiet, sincere emotion made this such a fun, moving, and unforgettable read.

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

เปน dislike to love จากความเข้าใจผิดที่อิฉันไม่ค่อยซื้อ
ถึงจะเคลียร์กันค่อนข้างไว แต่อิฉันก้ยังไม่เก็ตความคิดนางเอกหลังจากนั้นเท่าไหร่อยู่ดี จะพุชแอ่นพูลไรมากมาย เหตุผลคือไรรร

ก้คืออ่านครึ่งแรกแบบเออๆ 55555

แต่ครึ่งหลังดันชอบมากกกกก นางเอกเข้าที่เข้าทางละ
ส่วนพระเอกฟอลฮ้าด สิบสิบสิบตั้งแต่ต้นจนจบ
เส้นเรื่อง family roadtrip ที่ตอนแรกอ่านแบบลอยๆ หลังๆ ก็อินเฉย

สี่ดาวจ้า

spice: 3/5

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

What could be worse than a drunken marriage in Vegas?
How about a family road trip with the bride’s extended family in an RV through Arizona?
I loved Savage Grandma! She ruled with an iron fist and took no prisoners. She knew how to set people straight and Cecily and Dom were good sports about it.
Rainbow was an interesting character and helped balance the intense vibe the rest of Cecily’s family brought.
Alls well that ends well even for a quickie marriage that ends up going the distance.
Thanks Valentine PR for the advance copy.

[Maddy Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh this was sweeeeeet 💌

first off, thank you to Jennifer & Valentine PR for sending me a copy of this!!! I’m still amazed every time I get book mail 🥹

What a fun plot - getting drunkenly married in Vegas & then thrown into a road trip with her entire family??! AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND!!!

This just had the perfect mix of everything I love: slow-burn, great banter, comedic side characters, and lots of emotional depth.

Him? WHAT A MAN. He called her sugar. SUGAR!!! And she was such a sweetheart, but so strong at the same time. And of course I loved Savage Grandma 🥺

Overall this was just a great, feel-good, funny romance that put me in the best mood. Would highly recommend.

[Lindsey Domokur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dom and Cecily have a disaster first date. After that Dom is left trying to figure out what he did to get Cecily to loathe him so much when he was actually really into her. In fact, he thought the date went well, and was shocked to find her gone.
Cecily overheard Dom say some not so nice things and assumed they were about her and she fled. But why is he being so nice to her if he doesn't like her?
If there is a Married in Vegas book that comes out, you know I am going to read it. I liked the premise of this book, but I felt that the married in Vegas part didn't work as well for me as I would have hoped. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this read and it was a little more emotional that I was expecting. I am so glad that Dom was there for Cecily and her family. Dom was the exact kind of hero I like in my romances.

[chelseabrookelikesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer is hands down one of my favorite authors ever, and Hard Feelings is another reminder of why.

What starts as a chaotic, tequila fueled Vegas mistake turns into something so much deeper…a story about miscommunication, vulnerability, family, and choosing to show up even when it’s uncomfortable. And the banter?? I was cackling. The back and forth between Cecily and Dom was sharp, sarcastic, and so perfectly timed. Every jab, every eye roll worthy comment, every moment of tension had me grinning like an idiot.

Cecily and Dom’s dynamic was everything for me. The resentment, the slow unraveling, the way the banter softened into understanding and trust.

The road trip + forced proximity + family chaos added so much heart and humor. This wasn’t just a rom com…it had layers. It was about confronting assumptions, dealing with complicated family dynamics, and learning how to be honest when it matters most.

Jennifer Millikin absolutely nailed the balance between laugh out loud rom com energy and emotional depth. I laughed, I swooned, and I felt the weight of those “hard feelings” right alongside the characters.

If you like…

🌵 Oops, we’re married
💛 Road trip
🌵 Loathe-to-love
💛 Forced Proximity
🌵 He Falls First
💛 Only One Bed

…this one is a must-read.

[Chelsea Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much 🥹❤️ The banter between Cecily and Dom was amazing and had me cackling, as well as the banter between all the characters. Cecily and Dom had insane chemistry and the things this man said to her?! 🤤🫠. The way this man showed up for her and showed her that the opposite was true of how she had been made to feel about herself her whole life 🥹❤️. Cecily’s grandma was one of my favorite characters. I loved her meddling and how she just wanted her family to work through their issues. While yes, parts of this were hilarious, it also had me super emotional and I definitely cried a few times 🥹. I also loved the mentions of Olive Township and the cameos of some of those characters! I haven’t read the first book in this series, but after meeting Paisley and Klein in this book I definitely need to go back and read their story! Jennifer’s writing is so good and it had me hooked from the very beginning! Cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really needed a genuinely well written romcom, and I was lucky enough to realize that Jennifer Miliken had written a sequel to Here For the Cake! I loved Klein and Paisley’s story, and I really remembered enjoying their banter and that the plot actually seemed fleshed out and interesting. This book was no different. We all know I love a marriage trope of any kind, but I do have a soft spot in my heart for the “Oh shit, we just got married in Vegas, but we literally hate each other!” trope. I think this one was really well done with the miscommunication at the beginning and the constant forced proximity.

[Heather Houghtaling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dom & Cecily were oh so sweet to read. The slow burn of it all was so perfect. I cried the last 25% of the story, no spoilers, but wow. The family roadtrip part cracked me up. It was so silly but so well done. I loved this book soooo much. Thank you VPR & Jennifer Millikin for this ARC!

[Courtney]

I really enjoy the way this author builds not only the dynamic of the couple but the family dynamics.

[c.kingreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️.

I devoured in one setting. WHAT A WONDERFUL BOOK! I truly enjoyed it. It has everything. Funny scenes. Family moments. Emotional scenes. I cried. I laughed. I smiled.

Also, Cecily and Dominic had an incredible chemistry. Cute and sizzling. I liked both of them. I felt relatable to them in many scenes.

[Madzieł · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nie mogę jednak powiedzieć, że do końca czuję się usatysfakcjonowana. Czytałam przed Hard Feelings książkę, która też miała motyw ślubu w Vegas i myślałam, że fabuła, którą stworzyła Jennifer, utrzyma dobry poziom. Jednak zabrakło mi lepszego początku i później to stworzyło lekturę trudną do czytania. Widoczne były sinusoidy, pomiędzy dobrym i konsternującym mnie wydarzeniem, wątkiem. Tak, opis w miarę przejrzyście naprowadza na fabułę i wyżej wymienione motywy. Teoretycznie wiedziałam, na co się decyduję, ale praktycznie po skończeniu historii nie czuję, że jestem w stanie podpisać się pod nią dwiema rękami.

Streszczając fabułę, już od początku dostajemy cykl przyczynowo (wiadomość SMS do Cecily od Dominica z zaproszeniem do klubu) - skutkowy (Cecily ucieka, pomimo dobrej atmosfery, ponieważ podsłuchała rozmowę telefoniczną Dominica). Koniecznością było tutaj wprowadzenie misscommunication thrope, gdzie nie do końca był dla mnie wyważony i taki mocny w postawie, który naprawdę dałby początek relacji loathe to love.

Nie znając dobrze bohaterów, po całej tej akcji, postać i zachowanie Cecily było dla mnie niczym innym jak infantylnym zachowaniem, bo ogółem ta akcja poszła w dziwnym kierunku. Nie była to do końca jej typowa reakcja. Jasne, poznamy dopiero później dlaczego, ale sam fakt przedstawienia tego, dlaczego ona w ogóle musiała poszukać Dominica, jest trochę dziwne. On tylko wyszedł odebrać telefon, a Cecily za nim poszła, kiedy miała odpowiedzieć znajomej-barmance, czy chce jeszcze jakiegoś drinka. Wychodząc, wyjaśniła, że na to pytanie musi odezwać się Dominic.

Później to przekierowało głównych bohaterów do jednostronnej nienawiści Cecily do Dominica, ale że tak powiem, 8 miesięcy później spotkają się ponownie na połączonym panieńskim i kawalerskim kuzyna Dominica i przyjaciółki Cecily. Który jest w Vegas- już sami musicie ułożyć puzzle, co z tego wyszło.

Trzeba jeszcze nieco powiedzieć, o wątku wspólnej wycieczki z rodziną Cecily i tak, jak myślałam, że może to jakoś przejdzie i zatrzyma mnie bliżej siebie, no to nie mogę przejść obojętnie. Tutaj trzeba się pochylić nad personą Savage Grandma i tego, jak została przedstawiona. Rozumiem, że autorka chciała pokazać, że babcia jest takim wzorem dla Cecily i wsparciem. Jest osobą, która jeszcze trzyma Cecily bliżej rodziny pomimo wszystkiego, co się wydarzyło…ale coś mi tutaj nie grało. Nie chodzi o to, że w książce autorka sięgnęła po lekko spirytualistyczne podejście do tematu opuszczania lądu (d@th doulA i te sprawy), ale o to, jak sztucznie to wyglądało. 2-3 razy mieliśmy do czynienia z takim podejściem, gdzie naprawdę bohaterowie zaczęli się oczyszczać z tego trzymającego zła. Na pewno ta wyprawa zmieniła całą rodzinę Hamptons (nie zaprzeczę), ale wydaje mi się, że bez spirytualistycznych aspektów cały przebieg historii byłby taki sam. Zamiast osoby Rainbow i gadki o aurach i vortexach, mogli nadal się udać na tę wyprawę. Albo w drugą stronę - dać trochę więcej tego klimatu i idąc tym tokiem dać Rainbow więcej niezależności.

Ciężko też było patrzeć na to, jak Dominic, się agentem literackim i jego wewnętrzne myśli były przepięknie poprowadzone (każdy czytelnik, który czyta książki i cały czas kształtuje swoją wyobraźnię, na pewno znalazłby z nim nić porozumienia), a ciąg wydarzeń żył zupełnie innym tempem, w końcu samej wycieczki, która była stworzona po coś.

Ogółem jest to średnia książka. Cały przekaz, który miał prawdopodobnie wybrzmieć do mnie, mieszał się z różnymi wątkami, czy scenami zbliżeń, czy ślubu w Vegas, przez co nie mogłam się skupić. Moja początkowa ekscytacja zmieniła się w dalsze dłubanie przez wątki z celem ukończenia tego szybko. Plus zauważyłam, że z każdym procentem do 70% miałam tylko sporadyczne ataki energii na czytanie.