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I Love You, I Hate You
All's fair in love and law...
You've Got Mail meets Dating You/Hating You by Christina Lauren and The Hating Game by Sally Thorne in this sizzling rom-com debut.
Victoria and Owen are bitter rivals.
Nora and Luke are friends online.
Who would believe these two couples have anything in common?
Of all the decisions brilliant lawyer Victoria Clemenceaux has made in her life, an unforgettable one-night stand with her opposing counsel Owen Pohl is either the worst...or the best.
One thing is certain: these long-standing rivals aren't going to let their searing attraction stop them from winning the biggest case of their careers. Thankfully Victoria and Owen have someone to vent to about their nemeses. But they have no idea that their online 'friends', Nora and Luke, are the very people they hate in real life.
As Nora and Luke grow closer online, and Victoria and Owen find their undeniable attraction harder to resist, the lines between love and hate blur. When the truth comes out, will their online chemistry work in the real world, or will their constant rivalry sever their connection?
You've Got Mail meets Dating You/Hating You by Christina Lauren and The Hating Game by Sally Thorne in this sizzling rom-com debut.
Victoria and Owen are bitter rivals.
Nora and Luke are friends online.
Who would believe these two couples have anything in common?
Of all the decisions brilliant lawyer Victoria Clemenceaux has made in her life, an unforgettable one-night stand with her opposing counsel Owen Pohl is either the worst...or the best.
One thing is certain: these long-standing rivals aren't going to let their searing attraction stop them from winning the biggest case of their careers. Thankfully Victoria and Owen have someone to vent to about their nemeses. But they have no idea that their online 'friends', Nora and Luke, are the very people they hate in real life.
As Nora and Luke grow closer online, and Victoria and Owen find their undeniable attraction harder to resist, the lines between love and hate blur. When the truth comes out, will their online chemistry work in the real world, or will their constant rivalry sever their connection?
280 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2021
125 people are currently reading
3587 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 436 reviews
October 14, 2021
This was miscommunication trope if anything.
But I was entertained by their bantering and their friends.
And Owen’s cat Luke 🥺
Let me elaborate on the 4 stars even though I keep going back to 3 stars and then BACK to 4 stars because of miscommunication.
Both Owen and Victoria are lawyers and I admire them and their drive to be ruthless whether that is for good or bad. Their ambition is admirable. The romance was cute as well, he thought she was rich but she's not, Victoria works hard. Owen, he is rich and started his own firm but hates rich people. He uses his skills for better use. Victoria works in corporate law to speed up paying off her loans, otherwise, she would have joined non-profit organization sooner.
Another thing, they use twitter and haven't shared with each other that they know each other since they're under a disguise name. Since they're an opposing counsels on a case and cold towards each other in the "real world" they act different and use each other since they can't deny the bedroom chemistry but online, friendly and sweet. Owen is really sweet though and she's cold but has her own reasons. He's been crushing on her for so long.
But I was entertained by their bantering and their friends.
And Owen’s cat Luke 🥺
Let me elaborate on the 4 stars even though I keep going back to 3 stars and then BACK to 4 stars because of miscommunication.
Both Owen and Victoria are lawyers and I admire them and their drive to be ruthless whether that is for good or bad. Their ambition is admirable. The romance was cute as well, he thought she was rich but she's not, Victoria works hard. Owen, he is rich and started his own firm but hates rich people. He uses his skills for better use. Victoria works in corporate law to speed up paying off her loans, otherwise, she would have joined non-profit organization sooner.
Another thing, they use twitter and haven't shared with each other that they know each other since they're under a disguise name. Since they're an opposing counsels on a case and cold towards each other in the "real world" they act different and use each other since they can't deny the bedroom chemistry but online, friendly and sweet. Owen is really sweet though and she's cold but has her own reasons. He's been crushing on her for so long.
October 23, 2021
They detest each other in court but in their DMs they share their hearts...without knowing who each other really are.
Two rival lawyers who truly detest each other as they duke it out in court also turn out to have wild chemistry in the bed after a kiss turns into more. But Owen Pohl feels a bit torn as he explores his feelings for rival Victoria while also unpacking his heart to his Twitter friend Nora...
This was so sexy and charming. Caveat, this was written by my IRL friend from high school so I'm clearly biased, but I laughed and loved this "You've Got Mail" style epistolary romance.
wonderful nerdy jokes, heart, and steamy! Perfect combo.
Thank you for the review copy from my friend, and I cannot wait to get my paperback soon!
Two rival lawyers who truly detest each other as they duke it out in court also turn out to have wild chemistry in the bed after a kiss turns into more. But Owen Pohl feels a bit torn as he explores his feelings for rival Victoria while also unpacking his heart to his Twitter friend Nora...
This was so sexy and charming. Caveat, this was written by my IRL friend from high school so I'm clearly biased, but I laughed and loved this "You've Got Mail" style epistolary romance.
wonderful nerdy jokes, heart, and steamy! Perfect combo.
Thank you for the review copy from my friend, and I cannot wait to get my paperback soon!
October 18, 2021
I was going to rate this 3 very generous stars, but the more I think about it the more it bugs me. They're opposing counsels and they think the worst of each other, but they still hate fuck? I know that's a trope and it doesn't usually bothers me, but this isn't simply dislike, this is him thinking she's a heartless shark working for a huge corporation that's trying to destroy the livelihood of the people he represents. And it's a shame, because the book had potential and at times is very engaging, but then the writing is clunky and unpolished and pretty distracting. The heroine is secretly getting into twitter fights with trolls she deliberately provokes? I almost never say this about heroines but she sounds insufferable. I get what the book was trying to do but the execution was incredibly forced.
January 9, 2023
I really liked this book at the beginning. But after 100 pages nothing happened except miscommunication, i was close to DNF’ing this book
November 23, 2021
I’m not one to miss out on You’ve Got Mail retellings so I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of I Love You, I Hate You. It’s a good debut romance and it’s piqued my interest in checking out Elizabeth Davis’ future works.
ENEMIES TO LOVERS WITH AN ONLINE RELATIONSHIP
The enemies-to-lovers trope isn’t one that always hits the right notes for me in contemporary romance. However, this book was a surprising exception because I actually felt their dislike was a prominent part of the story. Victoria and Owen, two lawyers who work for very different companies, have disliked each other from the minute they met. They have this intense rivalry laced with all the sexual tension going on in real life. Online, on Twitter, they have an almost pen-pal type relationship. However, they are completely unaware they know each other in real life.
REALLY HOT SEXUAL TENSION
What really worked in this book for me was the sexual chemistry between Victoria and Owen. Yes, they dislike each other, but there’s no denying that fiery hot tension simmering over the years. The book opens up with the two giving in to their attraction in a one-night stand, which makes for an interesting narrative choice. It’s one that could have easily gone awry, but Elizabeth Davis maintains the tension in their relationship throughout the book. While they got to that physical stage very fast (in the reader’s eyes), they both had work to do to reach a stage where they were also emotionally in tune with each other. And it’s a beautiful journey filled with deliciously steamy moments and equally tender scenes. Sick-bed trope, anyone? 🙂
A FROSTY AND LOVEABLE HEROINE
While I loved both main characters here, Victoria was my favorite by a narrow margin. She grew up in a poor single-parent household and she hasn’t quite let go of that trauma of having lived in poverty. As a result, she’s determined to excel at this corporate job of hers working for a pretty gross company despite her not entirely loving the clients she’s representing. She’s also built a layer of ice around herself, so Owen sees her as an ice queen. I’ve professed my love for ice queen heroines in the past so obviously, Victoria and I were meant to be. What I loved the most about her was that though she did eventually open up to Owen, revealing the softer layers inside of her, she never changed herself for him.
AN EXPRESSIVE HERO
Owen was from an entirely different background because he came from money but chose to fight for the “little man”. There were times when he got annoyingly preachy and condescending about Victoria working for the “bad guys” but she thankfully puts him in his place. Again, this really goes to show how imperfect these characters are and I love the author for writing them. Owen offered a good balance to Victoria. He was a lot more expressive than she was. He had his moments when he was a completely adorable little puppy with his big romantic heart. How could I not adore him too?
While it personally didn’t bother me, some readers might struggle with the miscommunication in this book. When the truth about their secret online relationship is revealed, there is a little bit of drama that happens. But it’s nothing that was unrealistic. I thought it made sense for them and it was the push to get them to realize how much they meant to each other.
A+ FRIENDSHIPS
One other part of I Love You, I Hate You that I really loved was the friendships that Victoria and Owen had. Victoria’s relationship with her Twitter friends was my favorite because it showed just how deep and beautiful online friendships can be. Owen to had lovely open friendships with his friends. It was sweet to see him be emotionally open with them.
If flawed characters in a steamy romance are your jam, I wouldn’t miss I Love You, I Hate You. I had a terrific time reading this book and I think you will too!
ENEMIES TO LOVERS WITH AN ONLINE RELATIONSHIP
The enemies-to-lovers trope isn’t one that always hits the right notes for me in contemporary romance. However, this book was a surprising exception because I actually felt their dislike was a prominent part of the story. Victoria and Owen, two lawyers who work for very different companies, have disliked each other from the minute they met. They have this intense rivalry laced with all the sexual tension going on in real life. Online, on Twitter, they have an almost pen-pal type relationship. However, they are completely unaware they know each other in real life.
REALLY HOT SEXUAL TENSION
What really worked in this book for me was the sexual chemistry between Victoria and Owen. Yes, they dislike each other, but there’s no denying that fiery hot tension simmering over the years. The book opens up with the two giving in to their attraction in a one-night stand, which makes for an interesting narrative choice. It’s one that could have easily gone awry, but Elizabeth Davis maintains the tension in their relationship throughout the book. While they got to that physical stage very fast (in the reader’s eyes), they both had work to do to reach a stage where they were also emotionally in tune with each other. And it’s a beautiful journey filled with deliciously steamy moments and equally tender scenes. Sick-bed trope, anyone? 🙂
A FROSTY AND LOVEABLE HEROINE
While I loved both main characters here, Victoria was my favorite by a narrow margin. She grew up in a poor single-parent household and she hasn’t quite let go of that trauma of having lived in poverty. As a result, she’s determined to excel at this corporate job of hers working for a pretty gross company despite her not entirely loving the clients she’s representing. She’s also built a layer of ice around herself, so Owen sees her as an ice queen. I’ve professed my love for ice queen heroines in the past so obviously, Victoria and I were meant to be. What I loved the most about her was that though she did eventually open up to Owen, revealing the softer layers inside of her, she never changed herself for him.
AN EXPRESSIVE HERO
Owen was from an entirely different background because he came from money but chose to fight for the “little man”. There were times when he got annoyingly preachy and condescending about Victoria working for the “bad guys” but she thankfully puts him in his place. Again, this really goes to show how imperfect these characters are and I love the author for writing them. Owen offered a good balance to Victoria. He was a lot more expressive than she was. He had his moments when he was a completely adorable little puppy with his big romantic heart. How could I not adore him too?
While it personally didn’t bother me, some readers might struggle with the miscommunication in this book. When the truth about their secret online relationship is revealed, there is a little bit of drama that happens. But it’s nothing that was unrealistic. I thought it made sense for them and it was the push to get them to realize how much they meant to each other.
A+ FRIENDSHIPS
One other part of I Love You, I Hate You that I really loved was the friendships that Victoria and Owen had. Victoria’s relationship with her Twitter friends was my favorite because it showed just how deep and beautiful online friendships can be. Owen to had lovely open friendships with his friends. It was sweet to see him be emotionally open with them.
If flawed characters in a steamy romance are your jam, I wouldn’t miss I Love You, I Hate You. I had a terrific time reading this book and I think you will too!
October 12, 2021
When I started this book, I found myself not being able to stop reading. Elizabeth Davis grabs your attention with this fantastic hilarious romance about two opposing lawyers who hate each other, but unbeknownst to them, they are best friends online. Perfect for fans of You've Got Mail, this book will bring you smiles and swoons into your life.
I Love You, I Hate You introduces to us two people who dislike each other since the first time they meet. But then on the first chapter you read that they just had a one-night stand (!!!). So we have enemies to enemies with benefits to lovers trope over here and that's fantastic. I haven't read many romance books with that trope (I know that's so weird! It's such an awesome trope!), but I definitely want to do it more because wow oh wow. ENEMIES WITH BENEFITS JUST HITS DIFFERENT, AM I RIGHT. This is the story of Victoria and Owen.
And then that's not all, of course. You find out that they are actually friends over on Twitter while having anon accounts, so they don't really know each other or their real names. They tell each other everything, even about their nemesis (which are them in real life but they do not mention their names lmao). It's a hilarious situation that will make you have such a good time tbh. Owen and Victoria are so fun and their relationship is exciting to follow.
This book is S T E A M Y. These two go at it like bunnies and you get a front row seat. Booty calls, sick days, missing each other, every situation brings them closer together, and soon enough, they find themselves falling in love. I highly recommend this book if you love real enemies to lovers romances, because they really REALLY hate each other. I mean, the way they argue and say awful things about each other and say those thing to their faces lmao like??? at one point I'm like how are they going to come back from that. But Davis is a magnificent writer who delivered on an epic love story.
I Love You, I Hate You introduces to us two people who dislike each other since the first time they meet. But then on the first chapter you read that they just had a one-night stand (!!!). So we have enemies to enemies with benefits to lovers trope over here and that's fantastic. I haven't read many romance books with that trope (I know that's so weird! It's such an awesome trope!), but I definitely want to do it more because wow oh wow. ENEMIES WITH BENEFITS JUST HITS DIFFERENT, AM I RIGHT. This is the story of Victoria and Owen.
And then that's not all, of course. You find out that they are actually friends over on Twitter while having anon accounts, so they don't really know each other or their real names. They tell each other everything, even about their nemesis (which are them in real life but they do not mention their names lmao). It's a hilarious situation that will make you have such a good time tbh. Owen and Victoria are so fun and their relationship is exciting to follow.
This book is S T E A M Y. These two go at it like bunnies and you get a front row seat. Booty calls, sick days, missing each other, every situation brings them closer together, and soon enough, they find themselves falling in love. I highly recommend this book if you love real enemies to lovers romances, because they really REALLY hate each other. I mean, the way they argue and say awful things about each other and say those thing to their faces lmao like??? at one point I'm like how are they going to come back from that. But Davis is a magnificent writer who delivered on an epic love story.
July 5, 2022
4⭑
Let me tell you this book was soooooo good. It was an enemies/rivals to enemies with benefits to lovers kind of situation and I loved every minute of it.
Victoria and Owen are both lawyers and find themselves always going against each other in court. But they have recently formed a friendship over Twitter not knowing that the person they are talking to is their rival. I LOVE THE ANONYMOUS IDENTITY TROPE!!!!!!!!
The enemies aspect of this book is phenomenal. They literally despise each other and then after a few drinks end up having hate sex!!! This then leads to them hooking up while still not liking each other.
They both soon realise they are growing feelings for the other person but then Owen messes up BIG TIME.
I loved Victoria. I thought she was such a strong character and I liked that she always held her ground. Owen is just soooo dreamy and he definitely did the right amount of grovelling for Victoria to forgive him.
This book was excellent and I 100% recommend if you are looking for a book with the hating game kind of vibe.
Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Let me tell you this book was soooooo good. It was an enemies/rivals to enemies with benefits to lovers kind of situation and I loved every minute of it.
Victoria and Owen are both lawyers and find themselves always going against each other in court. But they have recently formed a friendship over Twitter not knowing that the person they are talking to is their rival. I LOVE THE ANONYMOUS IDENTITY TROPE!!!!!!!!
The enemies aspect of this book is phenomenal. They literally despise each other and then after a few drinks end up having hate sex!!! This then leads to them hooking up while still not liking each other.
They both soon realise they are growing feelings for the other person but then Owen messes up BIG TIME.
I loved Victoria. I thought she was such a strong character and I liked that she always held her ground. Owen is just soooo dreamy and he definitely did the right amount of grovelling for Victoria to forgive him.
This book was excellent and I 100% recommend if you are looking for a book with the hating game kind of vibe.
Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 14, 2022
1.25 stars
I Hate You, I Love You is an enemies with benefits to lovers romance novel, and I think the with benefits is important here because I didn’t know that going in and if I had known that the plot was going to be executed in such a way, I would’ve moved on.
Because I really didn’t enjoy the plot and execution with this one. To the point where it pretty much ruined everything else for me.
Did the two leads make sense together by the end? Yes, I guess?
But the journey to get them there? Wasn’t doing it for me, AT ALL.
For starters, I didn’t like where this story starts off - with pants off so that there is not nearly enough payoff because the sexual tension can’t be cut with a chainsaw let alone a butter knife if they’ve already fucked.
Truly, I had a real hard time investing in the leads' relationship. Because their eyeroll inducing assumptions of one another due to their weird hate-fuck relationship coupled with their genuine online connection just amalgamates into this one sided realization in which miscommunication runs rampant. And the drama was just too much - I hit my threshold and wanted to throw in the towel but I strangled the instinct and let my masochistic curiosities get the better of me.
And I've regretted it ever since.
So basically, thanks but no thanks. Have a nice day.
I Hate You, I Love You is an enemies with benefits to lovers romance novel, and I think the with benefits is important here because I didn’t know that going in and if I had known that the plot was going to be executed in such a way, I would’ve moved on.
Because I really didn’t enjoy the plot and execution with this one. To the point where it pretty much ruined everything else for me.
Did the two leads make sense together by the end? Yes, I guess?
But the journey to get them there? Wasn’t doing it for me, AT ALL.
For starters, I didn’t like where this story starts off - with pants off so that there is not nearly enough payoff because the sexual tension can’t be cut with a chainsaw let alone a butter knife if they’ve already fucked.
Truly, I had a real hard time investing in the leads' relationship. Because their eyeroll inducing assumptions of one another due to their weird hate-fuck relationship coupled with their genuine online connection just amalgamates into this one sided realization in which miscommunication runs rampant. And the drama was just too much - I hit my threshold and wanted to throw in the towel but I strangled the instinct and let my masochistic curiosities get the better of me.
And I've regretted it ever since.
So basically, thanks but no thanks. Have a nice day.
May 1, 2022
*Thank you Headline Eternal for sending a copy of this book my way!*
This book had the complete potential to be a four or five star read for me, it was that good. I just had a couple of hang ups. But if you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers office type romance, look no further.
While I love a book that dives straight into a couple of spicy scenes, I think this one was a little too rushed for my liking. We dive straight into the messy part of a situationship with almost no background information which was a little confusing. I would’ve liked a more gradual build up where we get to properly know the characters and how they ended up in the situation they’re in first, because it felt too glossed over and rushed.
Despite that, I absolutely adored these characters both alone and as a couple. They were actually so lovely despite their (miniscule) flaws and had amazing chemistry. Their tension and the back and forth will they, won’t they was a whole lot of fun in here and I liked how direct some of it was as well. The scenes they have together are either ridiculously cute or hot and I loved every second of it. I do wish there was a little more tension and slow burn though, as their ‘rivalry’ is very slight. They could have gone all in with this one and it would’ve been fun.
While for the most part this was a really fun book, I couldn't ignore how coincidental and chiche it felt at times, to the point of it being a little unrealistic. I know it’s fictional, but I love nothing more than fictional worlds that feel wholly realistic. Especially when it comes to romance arcs. It was a little cheesy at times, especially in the speech and the fact that Victoria always had so much to say about Owen and his upbringing and lifestyle when she knew almost nothing about it. I wish she gave him a chance instead of pushing all these assumptions onto him and as a result completely pushing him away.
I wish that the synopsis of the book didn’t give away the fact that they’re speaking online to each other as well as in real life, I wish the reader could have figured that out themselves. It would’ve been predictable and easy, but I would have preferred it than just being outright told in the synopsis. I also wish that there were more real world scenes and more about them at work. They’re lawyers which could have added a lot of fun stuff to the plot, but in the end their careers almost took a back seat and we never saw them actually at work being ‘rivals’ as it’s described.
Overall I really really liked this and it had amazing potential to be even better than it was. While it was still good and I was left satisfied by the ending, I had too many hang ups about various aspects to rate it any higher.
This book had the complete potential to be a four or five star read for me, it was that good. I just had a couple of hang ups. But if you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers office type romance, look no further.
While I love a book that dives straight into a couple of spicy scenes, I think this one was a little too rushed for my liking. We dive straight into the messy part of a situationship with almost no background information which was a little confusing. I would’ve liked a more gradual build up where we get to properly know the characters and how they ended up in the situation they’re in first, because it felt too glossed over and rushed.
Despite that, I absolutely adored these characters both alone and as a couple. They were actually so lovely despite their (miniscule) flaws and had amazing chemistry. Their tension and the back and forth will they, won’t they was a whole lot of fun in here and I liked how direct some of it was as well. The scenes they have together are either ridiculously cute or hot and I loved every second of it. I do wish there was a little more tension and slow burn though, as their ‘rivalry’ is very slight. They could have gone all in with this one and it would’ve been fun.
While for the most part this was a really fun book, I couldn't ignore how coincidental and chiche it felt at times, to the point of it being a little unrealistic. I know it’s fictional, but I love nothing more than fictional worlds that feel wholly realistic. Especially when it comes to romance arcs. It was a little cheesy at times, especially in the speech and the fact that Victoria always had so much to say about Owen and his upbringing and lifestyle when she knew almost nothing about it. I wish she gave him a chance instead of pushing all these assumptions onto him and as a result completely pushing him away.
I wish that the synopsis of the book didn’t give away the fact that they’re speaking online to each other as well as in real life, I wish the reader could have figured that out themselves. It would’ve been predictable and easy, but I would have preferred it than just being outright told in the synopsis. I also wish that there were more real world scenes and more about them at work. They’re lawyers which could have added a lot of fun stuff to the plot, but in the end their careers almost took a back seat and we never saw them actually at work being ‘rivals’ as it’s described.
Overall I really really liked this and it had amazing potential to be even better than it was. While it was still good and I was left satisfied by the ending, I had too many hang ups about various aspects to rate it any higher.
December 27, 2021
Utterly compelling and undeniably addictive, this enemies to lovers rom-com debut was incredible—it’s You’ve Got Mail with a modern (twitter based) twist and I absolutely loved it!
“All’s fair in love and law...”
Victoria and Owen are bitter rivals.
Nora and Luke are online friends
Who would believe these couples have anything in common?
As a brilliant lawyer, Victoria Clemenceaux makes many decisions, but her one night stand with her opposing counsel (and bitter rival) Owen might just be the worst she’s ever made... or the best.
The one thing these rivals won’t do is let their attraction for one another ruin the biggest case of their careers. Thankfully they have an online friend to vent about their nemeses. The only problem is ‘Nora’ and ‘Luke’ are the very same people they hate in real life—and neither has any idea.
As Nora and Luke grow closer online and Victoria and Owen’s attraction becomes harder to resist, the lines between love and hate begin to blur. When the truth comes out can their chemistry work in the real world or will their rivalry be their downfall?
This was a really quick and utterly enjoyable read. The pacing was good, the writing was genuinely compelling and the characters were incredibly endearing. I loved seeing the POVs of both Victoria and Owen—with getting to know them it was easy to see they were perfect for one another. Their chemistry was off the charts and their interactions (on social media and in person) was absolutely perfect.
Overall, an absolutely fantastic and enjoyable read that I’d recommend to all rom-com and contemporary romance fans.
Also, thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the arc.
“All’s fair in love and law...”
Victoria and Owen are bitter rivals.
Nora and Luke are online friends
Who would believe these couples have anything in common?
As a brilliant lawyer, Victoria Clemenceaux makes many decisions, but her one night stand with her opposing counsel (and bitter rival) Owen might just be the worst she’s ever made... or the best.
The one thing these rivals won’t do is let their attraction for one another ruin the biggest case of their careers. Thankfully they have an online friend to vent about their nemeses. The only problem is ‘Nora’ and ‘Luke’ are the very same people they hate in real life—and neither has any idea.
As Nora and Luke grow closer online and Victoria and Owen’s attraction becomes harder to resist, the lines between love and hate begin to blur. When the truth comes out can their chemistry work in the real world or will their rivalry be their downfall?
This was a really quick and utterly enjoyable read. The pacing was good, the writing was genuinely compelling and the characters were incredibly endearing. I loved seeing the POVs of both Victoria and Owen—with getting to know them it was easy to see they were perfect for one another. Their chemistry was off the charts and their interactions (on social media and in person) was absolutely perfect.
Overall, an absolutely fantastic and enjoyable read that I’d recommend to all rom-com and contemporary romance fans.
Also, thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the arc.
October 14, 2021
I Love You, I Hate You had all the right elements, but they just didn't come together the way I expected them to.
This is a You've Got Mail retelling, but instead of AOL, they are using Twitter. Nora and Luke chat daily and have a really strong connection. But, they agreed that no personal information would be shared between them. Nora wants a distraction and it's too afraid to open up. She seeks solace through her online friends and prefers to keep it that way when Luke suggests they meet in real life.
You need to suspend disbelief in order to really get into the story and believe that "Nora and Luke" aka Victoria and Owen had such a strong connection/friendship without suspecting who they really were outside of their online bubble.
And sure, I tried my best to imagine that scenario. But the magic that you get from the characters of You've Got Mail was just missing from I Love You, I Hate You. There was a lot of steam, but I really missed more banter, more flirty moments, or vulnerable moments. I wanted to see these two falling madly in love with each other, but the connection wasn't there.
I still enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers aspect and the fact that they were such strong players against each other in court. I'd be willing to read more from Elizabeth Davis in the future, but this was just an average read for me.
This is a You've Got Mail retelling, but instead of AOL, they are using Twitter. Nora and Luke chat daily and have a really strong connection. But, they agreed that no personal information would be shared between them. Nora wants a distraction and it's too afraid to open up. She seeks solace through her online friends and prefers to keep it that way when Luke suggests they meet in real life.
You need to suspend disbelief in order to really get into the story and believe that "Nora and Luke" aka Victoria and Owen had such a strong connection/friendship without suspecting who they really were outside of their online bubble.
And sure, I tried my best to imagine that scenario. But the magic that you get from the characters of You've Got Mail was just missing from I Love You, I Hate You. There was a lot of steam, but I really missed more banter, more flirty moments, or vulnerable moments. I wanted to see these two falling madly in love with each other, but the connection wasn't there.
I still enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers aspect and the fact that they were such strong players against each other in court. I'd be willing to read more from Elizabeth Davis in the future, but this was just an average read for me.
October 22, 2021
I love enemies to lovers. I love Nora Ephron movies. Based on the description this book looked like it would be a slam dunk for me. Sadly it was not.
This read like a rip-off of You've Got Mail (I read the acknowledgments I know this was inspired by the film, but too much of this felt like it was taken straight from the film) written by someone that hates white people, rich people, and ESPECIALLY rich white people. I appreciate when a book has diversity, I appreciate when a story is written to point out social injustices and help us learn from them and how to change them. That was not what I got from this book though.
I didn't actually see diversity in this book at all. The only ethnicity pointed out was that the two main characters are both white. There was one character that based on context clues I assumed was a person of color, but even that was not definitive. Early on in the novel Nora/Victoria rants about watching bad tv and hallmark movies with "blandly pretty" white people. Then she's gushing over Nora Ephron films never once pointing out that THOSE movies are filled with predominantly white casts.
These grievances aside, this was hardly enemies to lovers as the two of them end up hooking up and experiencing feelings in Chapter One. Also, there are only so many times I can take the two main characters in a love story saying horrible awful things to one another and then coming back from it as if it never happened. Both individuals at some point come to the conclusion that their online relationships start to feel like cheating when they are together in person. Yet neither of them ever actually confront that situation or do anything about it. They just feel guilty and continue.
This read like a rip-off of You've Got Mail (I read the acknowledgments I know this was inspired by the film, but too much of this felt like it was taken straight from the film) written by someone that hates white people, rich people, and ESPECIALLY rich white people. I appreciate when a book has diversity, I appreciate when a story is written to point out social injustices and help us learn from them and how to change them. That was not what I got from this book though.
I didn't actually see diversity in this book at all. The only ethnicity pointed out was that the two main characters are both white. There was one character that based on context clues I assumed was a person of color, but even that was not definitive. Early on in the novel Nora/Victoria rants about watching bad tv and hallmark movies with "blandly pretty" white people. Then she's gushing over Nora Ephron films never once pointing out that THOSE movies are filled with predominantly white casts.
These grievances aside, this was hardly enemies to lovers as the two of them end up hooking up and experiencing feelings in Chapter One. Also, there are only so many times I can take the two main characters in a love story saying horrible awful things to one another and then coming back from it as if it never happened. Both individuals at some point come to the conclusion that their online relationships start to feel like cheating when they are together in person. Yet neither of them ever actually confront that situation or do anything about it. They just feel guilty and continue.
September 14, 2023
What an eye-roll! Full of sex, but an eye-roll.
So they both lie to each other, but he’s the one to blame? And where is the love bit? Victoria looks as if she’s just addicted to having sex with Owen. That’s all. But then we’re told they’re in love, so...
I say to skip this one.
So they both lie to each other, but he’s the one to blame? And where is the love bit? Victoria looks as if she’s just addicted to having sex with Owen. That’s all. But then we’re told they’re in love, so...
I say to skip this one.
June 17, 2022
This is very much the hating game mixed with mr wrong number & I enjoyed it immensely. This is a quick & fun romance read with the perfect amount of spice & fluffy moments
September 20, 2021
3 Stars
Smut Level: 3/5
I Love You, I Hate You is a fresh take on the classic "You've Got Mail". It involves two "enemy" lawyers, Victoria and Owen who go head to head on cases in court, but who are also unknowingly friends on twitter using false names who talk daily and rely heavily on each other.
The storyline was a typical enemies to lovers which I enjoyed but it also involved a lot of online communication which made it a little bit different. I loved the use of Victoria's online group of female friends for her to debrief. It was pretty basic and quite obvious but it was well done so I did really enjoy the overall story.
The characters were my favourite thing about the book. Victoria is such a smart, independent woman who grew up poor and wants to do the best she can for herself and her Mum. I loved her vulnerable side and how she slowly opened up through the book from a rather closed off isolated and lonely person, to someone that accepted support and friendship. Owen was an interesting character that I don't think we got the full potential from. A rich kid growing up, he has his own law business focused on helping those hard done by, especially from large corporations. I loved his generous nature and felt he was misjudged too much by Victoria just because he has money. He is a kind and caring guy but I wish he had a little more personality.
The writing was good and I liked the dual POV and use of twitter messages and emails to break up the text. The formatting on the e-ARC wasn't great but I am sure that will be fixed for the book.
I was a little disappointed in the romance as I wanted more scenes of Victoria and Owen being open with each other and flirting! There were plenty of sex scenes but sometimes quality is better than quantity and unfortunately I didn't actually find them very sexy or sensual to read.
Overall, an interesting take on a classic with good characters and a fun format to read. Although not a book I would read again, I will definitely keep an eye out for more books from this author.
Please note that I was gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Smut Level: 3/5
I Love You, I Hate You is a fresh take on the classic "You've Got Mail". It involves two "enemy" lawyers, Victoria and Owen who go head to head on cases in court, but who are also unknowingly friends on twitter using false names who talk daily and rely heavily on each other.
The storyline was a typical enemies to lovers which I enjoyed but it also involved a lot of online communication which made it a little bit different. I loved the use of Victoria's online group of female friends for her to debrief. It was pretty basic and quite obvious but it was well done so I did really enjoy the overall story.
The characters were my favourite thing about the book. Victoria is such a smart, independent woman who grew up poor and wants to do the best she can for herself and her Mum. I loved her vulnerable side and how she slowly opened up through the book from a rather closed off isolated and lonely person, to someone that accepted support and friendship. Owen was an interesting character that I don't think we got the full potential from. A rich kid growing up, he has his own law business focused on helping those hard done by, especially from large corporations. I loved his generous nature and felt he was misjudged too much by Victoria just because he has money. He is a kind and caring guy but I wish he had a little more personality.
The writing was good and I liked the dual POV and use of twitter messages and emails to break up the text. The formatting on the e-ARC wasn't great but I am sure that will be fixed for the book.
I was a little disappointed in the romance as I wanted more scenes of Victoria and Owen being open with each other and flirting! There were plenty of sex scenes but sometimes quality is better than quantity and unfortunately I didn't actually find them very sexy or sensual to read.
Overall, an interesting take on a classic with good characters and a fun format to read. Although not a book I would read again, I will definitely keep an eye out for more books from this author.
Please note that I was gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2021
This book is not what I expected. I thought I'd be reading an enemies to lovers romance.
In real life, the MCs are opposing counsels. They seem to hate each other with a vengeance, yet they hate-f*** like bunnies.
Their virtual alter egos met on Twitter, where Victoria likes to rile up Internet trolls. They talk regularly and complain about their RL nemeses.
There is chemistry between the MCs, in both incarnations. However, the story felt convoluted due to all the online chats, the dialogue was clunky and the book felt much longer than it actually was.
I know where the story was supposed to go, but it didn't work for me.
In real life, the MCs are opposing counsels. They seem to hate each other with a vengeance, yet they hate-f*** like bunnies.
Their virtual alter egos met on Twitter, where Victoria likes to rile up Internet trolls. They talk regularly and complain about their RL nemeses.
There is chemistry between the MCs, in both incarnations. However, the story felt convoluted due to all the online chats, the dialogue was clunky and the book felt much longer than it actually was.
I know where the story was supposed to go, but it didn't work for me.
April 26, 2024
3,5 ⭐️
Myślę, że gdyby nie liczba scen erotycznych to oceniłabym wyżej. Niestety było ich tak dużo i były tak dosłowne i szczegółowo rozpisywane, że po którejś z rzędu miałam już dosyć i po prostu je pomijałam.
Koncept bardzo fajny, chociaż tradycyjnie miałam wrażenie, że mało było „hate” w tym hate to love. Intymne zbliżenie już na początku książki też trochę zepsuło mi zabawę, bo zdecydowanie lepiej wciągnęłabym się w tę historię, gdyby przez jakiś czas bohaterowie po prostu ze sobą rywalizowali, zbliżając się jednocześnie do siebie.
Lubię motyw podwójnych tożsamości. Podobało mi się, że bohaterowie „nienawidzili” się w normalnym życiu, ale przyjaźnili w wirtualnym, bo nie mieli pojęcia, że ze sobą piszą. W wielu kryzysowych sytuacjach moim wsparciem były osoby, które poznałam na Twitterze i będę im za to dozgonnie wdzięczna już chyba zawsze, dlatego tak dobrze rozumiałam Victorię i jej potrzebę zawierania takich relacji.
Dawno nie poznałam postaci, z którą utożsamiałabym się tak bardzo jak z Victorią. Te jej problemy z pewnością siebie, stronienie od bliskości, ostrożność, niepodejmowanie ryzyka i poczucie większego bezpieczeństwa w świecie wirtualny niż w realu, a także strach przed pokazaniem komuś prawdziwej siebie był uderzający i łudząco podobny do moich własnych odczuć.
Ogólnie książka mi się podobała, kiedy omijałam sceny erotyczne, chociaż przyznam, że byłam momentami zmęczona relacją głównych bohaterów. Seks, kłótnie, seks, kłótnie, seks, kłótnie. Ile można? Mimo tego ich finalne pojednanie było urocze i cieszyłam się, że w końcu im się udało. W akcji nie odczuwałam jednak tej ogromnej chemii, którą opisywała autorka i bardzo irytował mnie ten brak szczerości i problemy z komunikacją, która powinna być fundamentem związków dojrzałych ludzi. Victoria i Owen woleli jednak docierać się w łóżku, zamiast prowadzić rozmowy.
Polecam miłośnikom pikantnych romansów i silnych postaci kobiecych.
Myślę, że gdyby nie liczba scen erotycznych to oceniłabym wyżej. Niestety było ich tak dużo i były tak dosłowne i szczegółowo rozpisywane, że po którejś z rzędu miałam już dosyć i po prostu je pomijałam.
Koncept bardzo fajny, chociaż tradycyjnie miałam wrażenie, że mało było „hate” w tym hate to love. Intymne zbliżenie już na początku książki też trochę zepsuło mi zabawę, bo zdecydowanie lepiej wciągnęłabym się w tę historię, gdyby przez jakiś czas bohaterowie po prostu ze sobą rywalizowali, zbliżając się jednocześnie do siebie.
Lubię motyw podwójnych tożsamości. Podobało mi się, że bohaterowie „nienawidzili” się w normalnym życiu, ale przyjaźnili w wirtualnym, bo nie mieli pojęcia, że ze sobą piszą. W wielu kryzysowych sytuacjach moim wsparciem były osoby, które poznałam na Twitterze i będę im za to dozgonnie wdzięczna już chyba zawsze, dlatego tak dobrze rozumiałam Victorię i jej potrzebę zawierania takich relacji.
Dawno nie poznałam postaci, z którą utożsamiałabym się tak bardzo jak z Victorią. Te jej problemy z pewnością siebie, stronienie od bliskości, ostrożność, niepodejmowanie ryzyka i poczucie większego bezpieczeństwa w świecie wirtualny niż w realu, a także strach przed pokazaniem komuś prawdziwej siebie był uderzający i łudząco podobny do moich własnych odczuć.
Ogólnie książka mi się podobała, kiedy omijałam sceny erotyczne, chociaż przyznam, że byłam momentami zmęczona relacją głównych bohaterów. Seks, kłótnie, seks, kłótnie, seks, kłótnie. Ile można? Mimo tego ich finalne pojednanie było urocze i cieszyłam się, że w końcu im się udało. W akcji nie odczuwałam jednak tej ogromnej chemii, którą opisywała autorka i bardzo irytował mnie ten brak szczerości i problemy z komunikacją, która powinna być fundamentem związków dojrzałych ludzi. Victoria i Owen woleli jednak docierać się w łóżku, zamiast prowadzić rozmowy.
Polecam miłośnikom pikantnych romansów i silnych postaci kobiecych.
February 14, 2022
As it’s Valentine’s Day what better review to post than a romance. Billed as a cross between You’ve Got Mail and The Hating Game this is a modern version of the former using Twitter rather than dial up internet and email.
Victoria could come across to some as a bit of a man hater but to me she was a vulnerable but slightly prickly, misunderstood woman who has put her love for her mum before her own moral code. Working for a company that pays well even though she knows it uses questionable behaviour towards it’s employees. Raised by a single mum with very little money she knows what poor is so when “rich boy” Owen keeps taking her company to court it puts him on the morally right side but on the wrong side of her.
They may hate each other with Owen calling her Your Majesty or The Ice Queen but the chemistry was undeniable and holy hell the sex scenes. While all this is going on Victoria has an alter ego Nora which she originally used to bait men on Twitter but is mostly used now just to truly be herself and speak with her fiercely feminist female friends and Luke the one man she is open and vulnerable with.
This had so many misunderstandings and monumental moments where the truth could spill but something always cropped up. They had me grinning one moment then banging my head against the wall with frustration the next. Both their hearts are in the right place just their beats are out of sync.
If you like an enemies to lovers trope and sex that would make a porn star blush then I highly recommend this. Plus it has a cat which is always a winner with me!
Victoria could come across to some as a bit of a man hater but to me she was a vulnerable but slightly prickly, misunderstood woman who has put her love for her mum before her own moral code. Working for a company that pays well even though she knows it uses questionable behaviour towards it’s employees. Raised by a single mum with very little money she knows what poor is so when “rich boy” Owen keeps taking her company to court it puts him on the morally right side but on the wrong side of her.
They may hate each other with Owen calling her Your Majesty or The Ice Queen but the chemistry was undeniable and holy hell the sex scenes. While all this is going on Victoria has an alter ego Nora which she originally used to bait men on Twitter but is mostly used now just to truly be herself and speak with her fiercely feminist female friends and Luke the one man she is open and vulnerable with.
This had so many misunderstandings and monumental moments where the truth could spill but something always cropped up. They had me grinning one moment then banging my head against the wall with frustration the next. Both their hearts are in the right place just their beats are out of sync.
If you like an enemies to lovers trope and sex that would make a porn star blush then I highly recommend this. Plus it has a cat which is always a winner with me!
April 28, 2025
3,75/5 ⭐
Świetna rozrywka, strasznie lubię książki z motywem korespondencji internetowej.
Do tego dobrze rozwinięta relacja, na początku niby stricte fizyczna, ale potem także na poziomie emocjonalnym.
Plus za narrację trzecioosobową, miałam dosyć pierwszoosobowych przemyśleń w romansach.
Przesympatyczna para, z pełną świadomością ich wad. Tacy realni ludzie, którzy rzeczywiście mogliby istnieć.
A tytuł nie jest przypadkowy, konsekwentnie mamy przypomnienie o tej nienawiści i miłości.
Świetna rozrywka, strasznie lubię książki z motywem korespondencji internetowej.
Do tego dobrze rozwinięta relacja, na początku niby stricte fizyczna, ale potem także na poziomie emocjonalnym.
Plus za narrację trzecioosobową, miałam dosyć pierwszoosobowych przemyśleń w romansach.
Przesympatyczna para, z pełną świadomością ich wad. Tacy realni ludzie, którzy rzeczywiście mogliby istnieć.
A tytuł nie jest przypadkowy, konsekwentnie mamy przypomnienie o tej nienawiści i miłości.
September 8, 2024
ocena: ⭐⭐⭐.5/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
przeczytane: 08.09.2024
gatunek: obyczajowa
forma: ebook
moja opinia: Długo szukałam książki podobnej do mojego filmowego guilty pleasure, i nagle natrafiam na tą książkę. Nie będę ukrywać, że jestem zszokowana jak szybko mi się udało ją przeczytać. Bardzo prosto napisana przez co płynie się przez nią. Jednocześnie cały motyw love-hate relation jest boski. Książka na oderwanie się od rzeczywistości i na pewne zastoje czytelnicze.
przeczytane: 08.09.2024
gatunek: obyczajowa
forma: ebook
moja opinia: Długo szukałam książki podobnej do mojego filmowego guilty pleasure, i nagle natrafiam na tą książkę. Nie będę ukrywać, że jestem zszokowana jak szybko mi się udało ją przeczytać. Bardzo prosto napisana przez co płynie się przez nią. Jednocześnie cały motyw love-hate relation jest boski. Książka na oderwanie się od rzeczywistości i na pewne zastoje czytelnicze.
February 16, 2022
I didn’t like the female protagonist that much, but apart from that I was pretty charmed and read it in one sitting. Does everything a good rom-com should. Would have been four stars but the drama at the end irked me. 😅
March 3, 2022
Brilliant. Gave it to my nan after reading it, then remembered half of it is graphic sex. Hope you enjoy Heather!
March 3, 2022
This book is good but it’s not outstanding. It was enjoyable to read and I love their little relationship but it was cliche at times. I feel like the ‘Moment’ thing gave off episode vibes like is she going to make this choice or the other one bit the good choice always costs diamonds so they always screw up.
October 14, 2021
This book was cute
December 10, 2021
Book version of you’ve got mail (but with smut)
January 23, 2024
I said about a month ago that for You've Got Mail, my favorite set up of all time (epistolary! Usually secret introverts sharing vulnerability! Enemies irl yes, motherfuckers, I even like the choices of miscommunication and when to communicate!), it's basically an auto 3. That's why this 3 is a little painful. Here we have a Minnesota author mentioning Minnesota things (😍) writing with a feminist bend (eh, sometimes it was a little OTT and misandrist, but I do love Owen understanding his privilege)
But that 3rd act breakup was bullshit. I extremely get "being wrong" even if you aren't for the sake of another person and moving on, but I'm critically concerned about half of this couples ability to understand compromise - even in communication. Like, Victoria apologize. You've been stomping on Owens heart ALL book that you are damn lucky that everything comes easy to him or you'd be spending your life alone. The grand gesture was a nightmare of epic proportions. It didn't work for me, and I am not convinced it would work for these people, which is why this mostly pleasant, extremely sexy, sometimes funny book that is my absolute favorite loose plotline is a 3, and just.
I'll be reading Davis again. It was fun and easy. But the end. Ugh.
But that 3rd act breakup was bullshit. I extremely get "being wrong" even if you aren't for the sake of another person and moving on, but I'm critically concerned about half of this couples ability to understand compromise - even in communication. Like, Victoria apologize. You've been stomping on Owens heart ALL book that you are damn lucky that everything comes easy to him or you'd be spending your life alone. The grand gesture was a nightmare of epic proportions. It didn't work for me, and I am not convinced it would work for these people, which is why this mostly pleasant, extremely sexy, sometimes funny book that is my absolute favorite loose plotline is a 3, and just.
I'll be reading Davis again. It was fun and easy. But the end. Ugh.
November 27, 2022
Very fun!
The conflict is a little contrived but it‘s fine and generally this was unexpectedly great
The conflict is a little contrived but it‘s fine and generally this was unexpectedly great
August 26, 2023
Mega fajnie się przy niej bawiłam, uwielbiam książki "enemies to lovers ale nie wiedzą ze piszą ze sobą i się lubią"
January 25, 2022
One star is probably too generous here. And it's not because the writing was bad or the editing sucked or the writer lacked talent. It isn't even because the sex was on the excessive side and not very believable.
So why did I hate it?
Because I really, really hated it.
And my reasons are valid, whether they are received as such, or whether they cause offence.
I am heartily sick of hearing about privilege.
White privilege. Male privilege. Rich privilege. Pretty privilege.
Fuck. Off.
This book spends far too much time taking not-so-subtle shots at so-called privilege and god damn it pissed me off in a way I hate. I avoid certain topics by design simply because they bring out the worst in people and I struggle enough to find the good in most people as it is. But this book is just another, albeit miniscule, example of the fucked up social issues of this country and the sheep mentality of those who are either too stupid or too cowardly to think for themselves. It also sharply highlights the twisted need of humans to make others feel bad for circumstances over which they have no control.
Most will probably disagree, but the heroine here, Victoria/Nora, is not at all admirable. She comes from humble beginnings and while it is admirable that she worked her arse off to secure a successful career and future for herself, her attitude cancels out the positive. She's a cold fish, a bitter ice queen that paints everyone blessed with wealth with the same brush. Like if you have money you're automatically a lazy shite weasel and deserve to die.
Come fucking on.
Jealous much?
Writing someone off simply because they are wealthy - or attractive - without knowing anything about them and assuming they are lazy or arrogant and have never had to struggle is so shitty. It doesn't matter if your assumption is correct. It's shitty. It's a rush to judgment.
And then there's the constant banging on about privilege. The word itself has begun to make the hair on the back of my neck rise, I'm so over fucking hearing it. The whole argument is a lot of sour grapes as far as I'm concerned. People in disadvantaged circumstances are always so anxious to blame ANYONE and ANYTHING for said circumstances because it's far easier to fucking sit on their arse and piss and moan than it is to get up off it and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Maybe stop worrying about what everyone else has that you don't and choose to make your own happy. People who whinge about being disadvantaged and wallow in it aren't worthy of respect. People who refuse to be eaten up by envy and bitterness and fight their way up are the ones to admire.
And I'm not talking about starting another bloody hashtag movement or villianising people over net worth or gender identity or skin colour.
See the thing about all this 'social awareness' and being 'woke' (🙄) is that it ISN'T making things better. People spend far too much time being angry over perceived privilege or injustice or racial issues - and the list can go on - but all it accomplishes is to make people MORE angry and MORE resentful and MORE separated from one another. So, if that's what all this social awareness wanted to accomplish, congrats. You've given everyone reason to hate one another even more. Cheers to ya 🍻.
I can't be certain from the profile photo, but the writer appears herself to be a WHITE woman. And the heroine also appears to be white. But yet the bias against the white race and in particular white males suggests otherwise. So, I'm left to assume that the writer subscribes to the idiotic notion that if one is born white, or wealthy, or male, or attractive then they should be ashamed of themselves.
Uh, no.
The ones who should be ashamed are the ones who believe that.
The writer also appears to embrace militant feminism and seems to dislike men.
Because the arsehole expected to grovel and make a humiliating spectacle in this novel was NOT the hero, yet he wound up doing just that.
The heroine hated him for no other reason than he was an attractive, wealthy white male. She made several false assumptions of him and his character and never once did she answer for it. Never once did she take responsibility for being an envious, bitter cow or apologise for any of her actions.
Oh, no.
The hero was portrayed as the only one who did anything to forgive - which was lying by omission because he loved her and was afraid to lose her, the cad. How dare he? 😑
Meanwhile, the heroine with her prejudicial, borderline racism sits smugly with her fucking tarnished, crooked halo. She didn't evolve at all and that is a massive failure in this reader's eyes.
Oh, also - quick lesson here.
Anytime a male wants to help or makes a suggestion, a woman should NEVER take those things as legit. And men are in fact threatened by independent women and will automatically attempt to undermine them. All males believe themselves superior and any offers of help are just condescension towards the weaker sex.
🙄☠️☠️☠️🖕🖕🖕
Oh, my fucking life. Please spare me.
I pity anyone who believes that rubbish. People cannot be categorised as such and not everyone is out to get you.
Does it happen? Yes. So does everything else I've mentioned in this rant disguised as a review. HOWEVER, it is still the exception rather than the rule.
The negative aspects of this novel overshadowed all the positives to it. Using social issues or current events or even controversial elements on which to build a plot is fine. But a romance novel is not the place to showcase personal bias. Others won't have a problem with this, but I do. And since this is MY review on a book I made a real effort to give the benefit of the doubt and actually finish, I'll say what I like. I don't support writers that try to force their beliefs down readers throats and therefore do not recommend this book. I will also not be reading anything further by the writer.
So why did I hate it?
Because I really, really hated it.
And my reasons are valid, whether they are received as such, or whether they cause offence.
I am heartily sick of hearing about privilege.
White privilege. Male privilege. Rich privilege. Pretty privilege.
Fuck. Off.
This book spends far too much time taking not-so-subtle shots at so-called privilege and god damn it pissed me off in a way I hate. I avoid certain topics by design simply because they bring out the worst in people and I struggle enough to find the good in most people as it is. But this book is just another, albeit miniscule, example of the fucked up social issues of this country and the sheep mentality of those who are either too stupid or too cowardly to think for themselves. It also sharply highlights the twisted need of humans to make others feel bad for circumstances over which they have no control.
Most will probably disagree, but the heroine here, Victoria/Nora, is not at all admirable. She comes from humble beginnings and while it is admirable that she worked her arse off to secure a successful career and future for herself, her attitude cancels out the positive. She's a cold fish, a bitter ice queen that paints everyone blessed with wealth with the same brush. Like if you have money you're automatically a lazy shite weasel and deserve to die.
Come fucking on.
Jealous much?
Writing someone off simply because they are wealthy - or attractive - without knowing anything about them and assuming they are lazy or arrogant and have never had to struggle is so shitty. It doesn't matter if your assumption is correct. It's shitty. It's a rush to judgment.
And then there's the constant banging on about privilege. The word itself has begun to make the hair on the back of my neck rise, I'm so over fucking hearing it. The whole argument is a lot of sour grapes as far as I'm concerned. People in disadvantaged circumstances are always so anxious to blame ANYONE and ANYTHING for said circumstances because it's far easier to fucking sit on their arse and piss and moan than it is to get up off it and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Maybe stop worrying about what everyone else has that you don't and choose to make your own happy. People who whinge about being disadvantaged and wallow in it aren't worthy of respect. People who refuse to be eaten up by envy and bitterness and fight their way up are the ones to admire.
And I'm not talking about starting another bloody hashtag movement or villianising people over net worth or gender identity or skin colour.
See the thing about all this 'social awareness' and being 'woke' (🙄) is that it ISN'T making things better. People spend far too much time being angry over perceived privilege or injustice or racial issues - and the list can go on - but all it accomplishes is to make people MORE angry and MORE resentful and MORE separated from one another. So, if that's what all this social awareness wanted to accomplish, congrats. You've given everyone reason to hate one another even more. Cheers to ya 🍻.
I can't be certain from the profile photo, but the writer appears herself to be a WHITE woman. And the heroine also appears to be white. But yet the bias against the white race and in particular white males suggests otherwise. So, I'm left to assume that the writer subscribes to the idiotic notion that if one is born white, or wealthy, or male, or attractive then they should be ashamed of themselves.
Uh, no.
The ones who should be ashamed are the ones who believe that.
The writer also appears to embrace militant feminism and seems to dislike men.
Because the arsehole expected to grovel and make a humiliating spectacle in this novel was NOT the hero, yet he wound up doing just that.
The heroine hated him for no other reason than he was an attractive, wealthy white male. She made several false assumptions of him and his character and never once did she answer for it. Never once did she take responsibility for being an envious, bitter cow or apologise for any of her actions.
Oh, no.
The hero was portrayed as the only one who did anything to forgive - which was lying by omission because he loved her and was afraid to lose her, the cad. How dare he? 😑
Meanwhile, the heroine with her prejudicial, borderline racism sits smugly with her fucking tarnished, crooked halo. She didn't evolve at all and that is a massive failure in this reader's eyes.
Oh, also - quick lesson here.
Anytime a male wants to help or makes a suggestion, a woman should NEVER take those things as legit. And men are in fact threatened by independent women and will automatically attempt to undermine them. All males believe themselves superior and any offers of help are just condescension towards the weaker sex.
🙄☠️☠️☠️🖕🖕🖕
Oh, my fucking life. Please spare me.
I pity anyone who believes that rubbish. People cannot be categorised as such and not everyone is out to get you.
Does it happen? Yes. So does everything else I've mentioned in this rant disguised as a review. HOWEVER, it is still the exception rather than the rule.
The negative aspects of this novel overshadowed all the positives to it. Using social issues or current events or even controversial elements on which to build a plot is fine. But a romance novel is not the place to showcase personal bias. Others won't have a problem with this, but I do. And since this is MY review on a book I made a real effort to give the benefit of the doubt and actually finish, I'll say what I like. I don't support writers that try to force their beliefs down readers throats and therefore do not recommend this book. I will also not be reading anything further by the writer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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