Love/Hate

Sealed with Ink #1

by Quinn Riley

Our story is a lie, a relationship built on fake promises and hopeful dreams.

He’s my bully.

I crave revenge.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself for my plan to succeed.

I need Korbin freaking Rose to be consumed by me.

So I can crush his black heart, leave him broken and bleeding.

Except now, with each kiss and touch, my plan shifts.

There really is a thin line between love and hate.

From author Quinn Riley comes Hate/Love, an angsty, second chance gay (MM) romance that will have readers gripped.

Genres: M M Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Second Chance, Second Chance Romance, Romance, Dark, Contemporary

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 27, 2023

About the author

Quinn Riley is a multi-genre MM Romance writer.

A collection of books from short stories to novels.

Her books range from dark to light, steamy to sweet.

After all love knows no limits.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorquinnr...

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/96488...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_quin...

Reviews

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 1 out of 5]

|| 1.0 star ||

Oh my god, this was awful. It felt like it was written by a 14-year old girl who didn’t even bother to check whether any of her writing made a lick of sense before publishing it. The sentences had no structure whatsoever, the plot gave me whiplash, and the characters were as ridiculously unbelievable as possible.
The romance had to be the most random and underdeveloped thing I’ve ever encountered; it’s a bully romance, but the book starts with the bully being halfway in love with his victim from the get-go, so the very first time we see them interact he says “sorry”, they hook up, and start a relationship. This all happened in the first damn pages, and it was simply insane.

Anyway, after I’d read about 20% of this book I knew it was utter trash, so I decided to skim the rest of it. I’ll just recap the gist of the plot, because wow, it was so dumb and I feel like people need to know just how dumb it is before choosing to waste their time on it:
Okay, so the book starts with the arsehole bully having an epiphany about lusting after the guy he’s tormented for years, so he decides to have some sort of hate make-out session with him (which the victim was totally okay with for some reason?), and then they immediately start dating and talking about love. It was super random and had no build-up. However, it gets worse, because some big “misunderstanding” happens that has the victim running away for five years, which leads to the bully being all pissy and angry at him (hypocrisy is a foreign concept for him, I guess). Anyway, this means that after the victim comes back he spends the whole rest of the book groveling and trying to win the bully back. Like… excuse me!? You’re telling me the bully gave his victim severe anxiety, OCD and dissociative disorder with his abuse, but the book decides to focus on the grovel the VICTIM gives to the bully? A grovel we NEVER got from the bully in the first place?? And the victim has to grovel for leaving for very valid reasons, because who can blame the guy for not assuming the best about his abusive bully when everyone tells him horrible lies about what the bully was planning to do to him?? I’d have left too! Well, I’d never have forgiven the bully in the first place, so the whole point is moot, but still. Just… What a mess. So frustrating.

P.S. The victim’s dad casually ended up dating and impregnating his recently legal son’s closest friend, which was totally accepted by everyone and the dad was considered the good guy in this story. I feel like that should tell you all you need to know about the quality of this book and the decency of the characters.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5**** stars

Words hurt. They cut you one slice at a time. Once said, they can never be taken back or forgotten.

I deleted my whole review and all the notes I typed out while I was reading to now keep it super short because I don’t want to spoiler anything.

Let me just say: this book was a big surprise plot-wise. I was not anticipating the direction this story would take. I loved it.

“You lose Korbin. I never loved you. I hate you.”

Still I’m rounding down my rating to four stars because there were some parts of the story that weren’t as developed as I would’ve liked. There was so much happening and not all of it was set up and build in smoothly.

Nevertheless. This was an intense read about pain and healing (please mind TWs) and a heartbreakingly beautiful love story. Looking forward to the next book.



*************
Sealed with Ink Series

Book 1 - Love/Hate - 4.5 stars

[Megan [At The Cottage] · Rating 3 out of 5]

MM Romance
Right Person Wrong Time
3 Stars ⭐️


Well, I definitely have a love/hate relationship with this book so I guess the title is fitting. Before I attempt to cobble together a review because I have a feeling this is going to be all over the place, it should be noted that this is a debut and not only does it have typos and/or missing words but I couldn’t always tell who was speaking or how we got from point A to point B. It definitely brought down my overall enjoyment reading this book but at the same time I read this in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This is one of my all time favorite tropes, right person wrong time because it almost always brings the angst and this book definitely had some. I cried reading this which is a tad strange considering I wasn’t 100% convinced Korbin and Lyric had the epic relationship the author was trying to convince me of. It just didn’t make a lot of sense at times and while I love a good redemption story, I struggled with this.

So here we go.

Korbin is Lyric’s bully. Him and his friends have made Lyric’s life a living hell for the past 4 years and it changed him from an innocent kid to a jaded, angry 18 year old. Because of Korbin, Lyric has panic attacks, anxiety, OCD type rituals he does and an absolute hatred of himself. He can’t wait for the day he leaves for college to get out of this small town and away from Korbin. Korbin comes from money, he’s the popular, king of the school type of guy but he’s living in his own kind of hell. His dad is absent, always out with his different mistresses and his mom is an alcoholic pill popper who doesn’t give a shit about anything or anyone. Korbin starts bullying Lyric because the first time their eyes met, it made Korbin feel and want things he didn’t want to want. So instead he made Lyric’s life utter hell.

Lyric’s pain was written really well. I felt his anxiety, his anger and the hatred he felt towards himself just broke my heart. I wanted to wrap Lyric in bubble wrap and protect him from any and all harm. I especially wanted him to stay away from Korbin but the summer before college these two go from enemies to more. I needed more time for Korbin to grovel because it was like he realized he was an asshole and wanted to do anything to make it up to Lyric any way he could but it was so quick this turnaround happened. I just didn’t buy it. Lyric decides to make Korbin fall for him and then he’ll get his revenge by breaking his heart but things don’t go as planned. While some of their interactions and dates were really sweet, a lot of it was just sexual exploration as they were both virgins. I needed more than the sexual to feel like Korbin was worthy of Lyric and I didn’t get a lot of that.

When everything goes sideways, it’s due to a misunderstanding. Now in Lyric’s defense, I would have ran too because after everything that happened to him in high school I understood why he’d just need to leave. These two spend a total of 5 years apart and in that time a lot of really wild shit happens and they both grow as people. Lyric has no idea what is actually happening in Korbin’s life and refuses to hear anything from their mutual friends which really annoyed me. I wish someone had gone out to California and just told him wtf was up but it got dragged out for years. 🤦🏻‍♀️ The problem I had with all of it was the things Lyric did to keep the memory of their relationship alive when he thought Korbin fucked him over made no sense. There’s just no way you’d want those memories.

However, I did like the fact that no matter what happened during this 5 year period they never got over the other and because of that I didn’t have to read sex scenes with other people or deal with other men that could come between them. They had a shit ton of other crap that came between them but at least that was one area I didn’t have to deal with. Because they still pined for each other it made what happened at that 5 year point the best part of the whole book. I felt like the author finally made me see the true potential these two had as a couple and I liked that this time Lyric had to grovel. I also liked that the author took the time to show Lyric getting the help he needed to conquer his mental health issues. I always say if an author is going to write about heavy topics they need to take it seriously and get their characters the help they need and this was very well done. There was absolutely no way these two could have had any future without this being part of the story.

There were some really great side characters in this book and I definitely want to read Maddox and Zane’s book next. I am so so curious how they know each other and I’m hoping the book will be a lot smoother because this author will have more experience. That being said, in this author’s note at the end, she mentions writing dark romance before and losing her passion for it and this book helped her love writing again. That tells me she has another alias and I would love to know what that is. Anyone know?

Anyway, this review feels totally all over the place but I liked the relationship they built after the 5 years and the life they have going forward even though some of it was just a bit too corny for me. I wish the first part of the book showed a deeper connection between them then just sex. That being said though, they were both virgins experiencing everything and each other for the first time and I understood how the lines could blur into more. The issue was the author spent a lot of time summarizing how they spent their time and what they talked about but didn’t show me. Had she showed me like she did after the 5 years apart, I would have liked this a lot more.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We were never meant for happily ever after, two teens who clung to the false taste of happiness"

Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
POV: Dual
HEA: Yes
Spice Rating: 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review

Overall Opinion
Wow, just wow!! This was one of my favourite reads ever by far, and absolutely rendered me useless for several days while I tried to recover. This was the authors debut novel, and her writing style was so beautiful and had me in such a grip I could not put it down, and was as if all my favourite authors came together and had a book baby, except somehow even better. The emotions this book threw at me completely threw me for a loop, the MCs went through one hell of a journey to try and get their happy ending. It was angsty and heartbreaking and took my soul and ripped it apart. It spans several years, and getting to see both Lyric and Korbin try overcome their demons and grow as individuals was deep and raw and heartwarming. The chemistry between Lyric and Korbin was fiery and set my kindle on fire! Overall this was such an amazing book that I will be thinking about for a long long time and the author is definitely going on my auto-buy list!

Read if you like:
❣️ M/M Romance
❣️ High Level Angst
❣️ Enemies to Lovers
❣️ Second Chance
❣️ Single Dad
❣️ HEA

Trigger and Content Warnings: Anxiety, bullying, homophobia, panic attacks, death of side characters, illness of side characters, drinking, drug use.

[Renae Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.***

Hate/Love is such a complicated and messy love story that spans over five years. It contains many tropes including: former bully romance, a second chance romance, and elements of instalove. I enjoyed the many facets of Lyric and Korbin's love story. They are many things, soul mates, enemies, lovers, and friends.

At the beginning of the story, I was a bit caught off guard at how quickly Lyric and Korbin's dynamic changed from being strictly enemies to something more. As the story progressed I was able to understand and see how significant Lyric and Korbin's bond was and why they felt so strongly for one another.

Hate/Love is a love story that spans over five years and contains many angsty moments that are further complicated due to miscommunication. Miscommunication is one of my least favorite relationship complications, but I found this story allowed the second chance aspect to not linger too long making their reunion bittersweet.

Overall this is a well-earned love story that made me so happy that Lyric and Korbin were able to finally have their HEA. It was not an easy one to achieve, but when it did I was so happy.

[⋆｡°✮ Lucy InTheSky ✮°｡⋆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to roast the hell out of this book.
But I'll give it 2⭐, simply because I made it through this garble and I'm here to give an honest review.

This is my first take on reading this book, because



This was badly written. It was so, so hard to get into it, I don't even know where to begin.

Let's start with the tropes.

🟢 Enemies-to-lovers, bully trope

No. It wasn't happening. I will say that the foundation was really good, but it lasted only for a few pages. There should've been so much more said about Lyric and Korbin's dynamic ever since they met at 14.

I did like the premise though, it's a popular, closeted rich jock falling in love with a gay guy from a trailer park.
Korbin is tall, popular, handsome and the only person he ever falls in love with is Lyric, the poor kid who goes to the same upper class high school.

The bullying was done well, but there wasn't that much of it. That needed another 50 pages to really portray what both felt, went through and when it finally came to them talking and kissing, what a big step that was.



See, this pic shows such promise and I really expected a lot from this book, but at almost 10% in we're losing the trope and these two start dating, literally dating. That turn-around wasn't believable at all , they just both fell into it, almost with no second thoughts.

They date for the summer, calling each other boyfriends, when the real world comes crashing down and that's when we get the

🔵 Miscommunication trope

Ah, yes, just what this book needed, another thing to make it even more hard to read.
It was childish and stupid and the story just kept getting complicated with things that could've been solved with one simple phone call.

5 years pass until they both see each other again and then, when they finally get to talk it out and decide to give it another go, everything, literally everything that had to be resolved in their story, is done in one afternoon .
Things just kept piling up, Korbin's kid gets another dad, they get a home, he gets his business handed to him, they have money now, and the cringiest thing to ever cringed was Lyric showing Korbin the amount he had on his bank account.



The writing was so bad I just couldn't get into it, there's almost 400 pages of trying to tell Lyric and Korbin's story and it didn't work.

So many things bothered me, I could be the only one here, but this was just some of them;

🟣 "Korbin mother fucking Rose" 😄
That was said SO MANY TIMES in the book, oh my god! Should I laugh or cry???

🟡 Locusts. 🤨
Damn, that's the first time I've heard of swarm of locusts used as a figure of speech instead of butterflies .

For a moment there I was thinking, I'm from Europe and I'm probably ignorant not knowing that it's a term used somewhere, so I google the damn thing and absolutely nothing comes up that would point out it's the same meaning as butterflies one feels when they're attracted to someone.
Plague of locusts came up. I don't know, I'm not smart enough for this one.

And the fact that at 18 Korbin had no idea what the feeling of butterflies in the tummy means, is damn crazy.

🟠 Smirk. 😏
Smirk smirk smirk smirk smirk
Man, these guys were smirking all over the place!

The work "smirk" is used 110 times in the book! It seemed like a bad play you go to see in elementary school the way these guys were communicating with each other. It was just weird.

🌶️ Spice was decent, but not developed. The emotional part of their interaction again, not developed.

Lyric professed his love in the most unfeeling way.

""Korbin... I know you're staying at the house but let's make it official, move in with me. Marry me." The air gets taken from my lungs as Lyric goes down on one knee, producing a black box. "What?""



The execution of Lyric and Korbin's love story was just terrible.
I do get their story and I was down for it, but this book needed a really, really good editor, the editor let this author down, big time. This wasn't good.

I don't know if the author is english-native speaking, but some figures of speech seemed like they were from another language and badly translated. Almost like google translate. And google translate is bad.

In terms of the bully and enemies-to-lovers trope, as in many books I read with this theme, it's not well thoughtout, no development there and it ends prematurely and I have yet to find a book that comes even close to what a bully/enemies book should be.

⭐ Few that come to mind ; Hood River Rat from K. Webster and Take My Body from K.A. Merikan - that's the real deal and then there are so many books who try to come close, but they don't, at least not for me.


I'm not sure I'll be reading this author again.

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

✰ 4.25 stars ✰

How could you hate someone for breaking you? Yet, love them at the same time? The saying is right. There is a thin line between love and hate.

The emotional whirlwind of feels, Love/Hate hit me with was something I was not expected. Quinn Riley's heart-wrenching debut novel is the story of two young teens, Lyric and Korbin, who get caught up in an intensely fierce enemies to lovers relationship that suffers from a tragic misunderstanding resulting in a bittersweet fall-out. Cut to five years later, and both of them are not the same men they used to be - not emotionally, mentally, or physically. And with that, comes growth and change and acceptance and eventual forgiveness when they both realize that they really can't love to hate each other.

Wow, this book really packed a punch - and I mean it in the best possible way. My heart opened for both Lyric and Korbin - so much could have been avoided if they could have just communicated better or just not ignored what was right in front of them, but if it would have been that way, then there really wouldn't have been such a beautiful story, right?! :)

I'm really still reeling from some of the dialogue - the push and pull Lyric and Korbin had through their interactions - their attraction was so palpable, you couldn't help rooting for them. Korbin and Lyric were hurting in their own ways, but with the strong support system they had built around them, I felt so happy that they could find a way to their happiness. 🥰🥰🥰

And I know this is such a little nitpick, but I...I felt it was a bit unfair that when Lyric returned to his hometown, he just expected Korbin to accept him again after walking out of his life. It was a tad undeserving to just not value Korbin's feelings, especially when he, himself, has gone through so much (I won't spoil it), but yeah, that didn't really sit well with me. *sighs*

Still, it was a lovely painful yet hopeful read. I was immediately drawn into their lives, felt so much with ever vivid heartbreak and intensely heated times, as well. And I know no one mentions the tattoos much, but it was such an integral part to the growth for all it's characters, that it makes me very much intrigued to see what other heartbreaking story this series has to offer for it's other pairings in the future. 😊😊

[Ky · Rating 2 out of 5]

* 2 stars *

Drama, misunderstandings and miscommunication. I feel like that's a pretty good summary of the story. At times, the plot rivaled that of a soap opera's.

I'm not rating lower because I kind of liked the characters and it did keep my attention enough to not skim very much—yeah, I did skim some...

The events take place over five years give or take (that's in the pros column for me) but the characters aren't always together. There are some big time jumps and they have no contact for about five years, each going about his own life. That didn't bother me though.

When the story started, they were both eighteen years old, just out of high school and still thinking about what they wanted to do in their lives. So the miscommunication and the immature behavior didn't bother me too much because it was expected that they wouldn't handle everything perfectly. That they'd make mistakes, that they'd overreact or act first and think later.

As the years passed though and they got older I was expecting more from them. Twenty four is still pretty young but given what they'd been through I'd expect them to be more mature and have different reactions.

The main thing that moved the plot along was the miscommunication. So many things left unsaid, so many conversations interrupted, so many stubborn characters refusing to listen. Their whole separation was the result of a misunderstanding. I'm glad they got the time apart, because they needed it, especially Lyric, but I wish it would have been for a different reason.

The tropes used to weave the story were unimaginative and common. There was always an emergency, a thing going a different way than it was supposed to, a surprise chunk of money to solve the problem, a bad parent, a secret to be revealed later. There are some pretty big coincidences, mushy scenes and enough drama to last a few more stories.

The characters had some OTT reactions and they were prone to violence. They used their fists a few times (either on walls or on each other) and there's even a kick in there and it was all framed as being normal reactions. I don't even know what to think about the use of the word p@ssy so many times with a negative meaning.

I finished the book and only skimmed a little bit, but it doesn't have the tightest plot or the strongest characters.

I sincerely hope the book gets a thorough editing before it's released because there were so many issues with the text. I read an ARC so it wasn't the final version of the story and my rating isn't affected by the state of the text, but I couldn't not mention it since it was a constant throughout the story.

I don't think I'll read about the next couple. They were both interesting characters but I'm not prepared to sit through another round of miscommunication and drama.


~ Copy provided by Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ~

[E.L. Ough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content warning see authors note before you read.

OMG I loved this book, I spoke to Quinn and this book made her fall in love with writing again, I’m so glad she found her love of words again because I loved every one I read.

This book made me cry not once but twice!! And I’m not a crier! It was an emotional rollercoaster for sure.

Lyric was tormented and bullied at school so much it affected his mental health, the self loathing and hate that grew inside him was all because of one boy. One boy that he fell for, one boy that ruined him, he done the only thing he could…….he run.

Korbin knew what he was doing to the kid in school but didn’t realise how it was destroying him from the inside, one summer is all it took to realise his mistakes but with his toxic dad and friends that summer come crashing around him and changed his life forever and in the process he lost the boy he hated to love.

This book had all the angst you would want in a story, it’s full of pain and heartache, these two boys grew up with hate but learned to love, until miscommunication separated them for 5 years, but in that time we get to see them both grow and it was so beautiful and emotional and tough at times to read, but trust me it’s worth it in the long run! It hurt my heart but healed it too, I loved the journey you go in in this book these boys grew into men and both just wanted to be loved.

I can’t wait for Zane and Maddox story.

This book has:

Single dad
Second chance
Enemies to lovers
Mental health rep
High angst
Socially awkward mc
Bullying
Hurt/comfort
So many emotions

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

[haletostilinski]

DNF @ 14%

I don't know, I just didn't connect with this from the start.

I didn't like the writing style, there was improvements to be made for sure.

For example, one second Lyric is leaving the shop and rounding the corner *alone* and then all the sudden Korbin has dialogue he's speaking to Lyric like he followed him or was with him the whole time, with no direction from the writing. No "Korbin followed Lyric out" or "Lyric jumped in surprise when he heard Korbin's voice." Like Lyric was all alone and then all the sudden Korbin is there, speaking and Lyric doesn't act surprised.

Things like that happen several times. It just felt sophomoric to me. The way they wrote Lyric and Korbin's interactions, I just wasn't feeling it.

And at this point, I skimmed ahead and it looks like it's melodrama central, and in a way I'm not up for. Such as, Korbin slept with this girl he doesn't even like and sometime down the line she gets pregnant. Oh and also sometime around when she's gonna have the baby, she and Korbin's friend get in a wreck and they die, but the baby lives and Korbin becomes a single dad.

All this happens as Lyric runs away because of what he hears from other people instead of going to Korbin directly.

Oh and also 5 years later Zane, who is Korbin's older half brother and friend of Lyric's, has cancer.

This just wasn't for me. Writing wise, plot wise, character wise. I just couldn't bring myself to read more.

[Gabs (gaybism) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know why I keep subjecting myself to misery…

At first I was like “okay, cool”…let’s read this. I didn’t read the blurb so I was expecting a silly little book.

Then as I kept reading it went a little like “EXCUSE ME?…What?…He what?…And then he WHAT?….And they what?” and then came the misery…I first got hit with “3 years later” and was the blindsided by a “2 years later” as well. It was all very sudden and it hurt my feelings.

I loved Lyric’s character growth and I understood his actions. What he went through hurt so much and he had to escape.

When we first met Kobrin I couldn’t believe that he could have been one of the bad guys. The more comfortable he got, the sweeter he was. He got hit by life so suddenly and had to grow up so fast.

Unfortunately, and i hate to admit this, I feel like everything that happened between them was a must. Otherwise, I feel like they wouldn’t have lasted. This was a good second chance romance.

[Miki_reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was certainly a book 💀

This is one of the strangest paced stories I've ever read and the level of ridiculous rivals those soap operas my mum used to watch growing up. It was to the point where something sad would happen and I'd literally start laughing.

I also honestly felt gaslit by this story. Rather than actually redeeming Korbin he was just given a bunch of ridiculous trauma to make the reader feel sorry for him but I literally don't give a fuck. You gave Lyric PTSD from the bullying bro, him leaving your ass is the least of what you deserved. Idk how Korbin ends up the victim but to each their own.


I wasn't bored, though, so I give extra points for that even if nothing made sense.

[Julie Workman|Bookaholic Sisters Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book!!
It's one of the best MM romances I've read EVER. it's beautiful and raw and all-consuming,  I could read it again and again.
Lyric and Korbin's story isn't for the faint-hearted, their journey is raw and painful but absolutely beautiful, it made me feel every single emotion.  Their chemistry is explosive, I was rooting for them from the very beginning.
The way that Quinn has weaved this beautiful story hits deep, it's one that will stay with me for a long time.
If you're a lover of MM then definitely one click this now!!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solidne 4.5 RTC

[Robyn Corcoran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story packs a punch right from the beginning and the hits keep coming all the way through—yes, it is an angsty, emotional love story that will swallow you whole, but will also leave you with a feeling like no other!

I love enemies to lovers stories and this one is up there with the best. My heart literally broke for Lyric with his trauma-filled high school days. I desperately wanted to whack Korbin and his friends over the head. It’s amazing how you feel when the other side of the story is explained. It doesn’t dissolve or excuse what happened but it does make you think more deeply about things. And that’s what this book does in a nutshell! There is so much to this story than pure romance; small town prejudice, class consciousness and restriction’s, bullying, miscommunication, repressed feelings and so much more. Mental illness is such a sensitive area to write about, however, in this story it is carefully explored and the results are expertly executed and smoothly delivered.

Korbin and Lyric’s romance is filled with so much emotional baggie and all of the things just listed, no wonder things went pear shaped. The struggle for both is similar in a way and extremely clever in its execution by this author. The way she crafted the scenes is brilliant. I’m still gobsmacked by the full circle of this story!

Without giving anymore away and spoiling it I will simply say… you need to read this book! It’s impact is mind-blowing and I know will stay with me.

[Janet Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hate/Love is a fantastic bully romance that had me rooting for them throughout the whole story. Lyric is the quintessential geek in the beginning who is bullied by Korbin and his crew. But things change and he turns into the bad boy that Korbin craves. Korbin is the rich kid in town and can do no wrong. Lyric and Korbin’s dynamic shifts halfway through the story. Hate/Love spans over five years before they finally are able to grow up and get their HEA. This was a phenomenal first story by this author. I cannot wait for more in the series they have planned. Well written with pacing that is addicting and kept me engaged and flipping the pages!

[DLB2572 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love & Hate

Holy Cow! This is one of those stories that will stick with me for a bit. Lyric and Korbin go through so much together and apart and it all breaks you down. We get built back up though and get to experience their great HEA. I'm anxious to get to Zane & Maddox's story now.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this 6 stars if I could. I took this to bed to 'read a few chapters' before sleeping, and the next thing I knew, the book was finished. This was such an emotive story, it's heartbreaking, then gets a little better, and then breaks your heart all over again AND then you get to a misunderstanding which makes you even more heartsore. This is not a good feels book, this is a toil of two people, an emotional rollercoaster that takes you along for the ride. One of the best books I've read in a long time. I cannot wait for Maddox and Zane's book.

I received an ARC for an honest and voluntary review.

[Marnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

All love and tears for Hate/Love

“Love and hate are two sides of the same coin. Any moment, it can flip the other way. One can become the other.” – Sadhguru.

We all know this saying, but what about where someone hates to love another person??? Where that hate is so strong, so integral to the makeup of a character, that it permeates and infects the souls of the people involved? What if it damages them beyond repair?

What if, even, love and self realisation manages to flip that coin? Is it even sustainable?

From Lyric’s heart-breaking rundown on anxiety and self hate in the prologue, to the last words in the HEA, author Quinn Riley held my damaged and tortured heart in her hands and eventually healed it with her beautifully written and emotive words. With HATE/LOVE, her debut MM book, she will totally blow this release out of the water in my humble opinion!!!

Seriously, I don’t have adequate words to describe how amazing this book is – all I can squeeze out in my gobsmacked mind is that you absolutely must read this book!

Every word, every written action as the book switches between Lyric and Korbin’s POV emotively gives the conflict, the lust and the confusing feelings as Lyric works to separate the hateful Korbin from the Korbin who is shy, relaxed and highly attracted to him. Whereas on Korbin’s side, the realisation that Lyric has been the one attraction he’d buried, hiding behind the hate and bigotry, and now having to face the truth of what his actions had done to the one he now needs to spend time with, broke my heart.

The sheer chemistry between these two young men is incendiary! Opposites attract. Sodium metal and water. Absolutely explosive 💣💥 Then I was hit with love and emotion. The delicate and romantic movement of hair being moved and a palm across a jaw...

My heart beat heavy in my chest as I watched these two fall in love. Knowing that this is a second-chance book, I was loving the build of their relationship all while dreading where it would fall apart.

Ms Quinn’s love for her characters bled onto the pages and tore my heart to shreds and as she painstakingly stitched it together, I was on the verge of tears, hell, actually in tears for the last third of the book. Tears of heartbreak, healing, love and finally a realisation that our boys might just get their happily ever after.

Don’t get too settled though!! I was left gagging, yes gagging for another book. And when you get to the end of Hate/Love, you’ll know what I’m talking about! Seriously, I need to be reading this next book like yesterday, but as we know, all good stuff comes to those who wait, however impatiently. In the meantime, it’s a highly freaking recommended book from me and allllllllllllll the stars!!!!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

#mumsalwaysreading #bookblogger #bookreviewer #marnsreads #marnsj

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words hurt. They cut you one slice at a time. Once said, they can never be taken back or forgotten.

It doesn’t matter what you do, you will never fit in with them.
Wear the same clothes as them.
Walk alongside them in the hallways.
Fall for who society says you should be with.

They will never let you forget where you’ve come from…nothing more than the trash they so easily throw away.

And, Lyric Blackmore? Well to hell with trying to fit in as now he owns the labels that they assault him with each and every day. With a sneer on his face, his cocky attitude and owning the dark clothing with piercings to match, Lyric is counting down the days until he is free of the judgmental hateful town.

Of the ones that have done nothing but, tormented him for being born of no privileged claimed name and for being gay.

I’m going to take you to the edge. Have you begging for me, and then I will destroy you.

One in particular has made his life a living hell…Korbin freaking Rose…

And, now something unexpected has happened…something that Lyric had never even suspected…an unforgettable kiss.

A kiss that is about to be the opportunity that Lyric needs for his plan to seek revenge on Korbin. It’s simple really…Make Korbin fall for him…then rip his heart out destroying everything that he believes is good and wreck his life.

Just, so Korbin can feel beaten down and lonely…A taste of how he made Lyric feel.

The ass has gotten under my skin like a damn parasite and dug his way into my flesh.

However, once you strip away everything a person is…you start to see them for who they really are. As a twist of fate Lyrics plan is starting to unfold the more time he spends with Korbin.

The fine balance of love and hate they are both walking leads them both on a path that neither of them saw coming. Life is soon pulling them at different sides, of what is right and what is the unknown.

The truth is a whisper away from tearing them both apart and dreams are either going to be chased or blown up before their very eyes.

How could you hate someone for breaking you? Yet, love them at the same time?

First book in the series and my gosh if this is the standard then hold tight as your emotions are going to be on one hell of a roller coaster!

This story jumps straight into it with the characters' situation, only glimpsing back on occasion into the past when needed and this means the story is moving forward with the time that passes.

I love the two main characters Lyric & Korbin…wow…truly epic male characters that tell their stories beautifully. This more than a love/hate revenge plan, each of these characters have depth beyond what is first told about them. The detail brings them to life, you feel/believe their connection to not only each other but those around them.

This story touches on many elements too, Quinn was not afraid to push all of her characters and bring day-to-day situations to light, exposing her characters to this.

Lyric & Korbin story is not a simple love story, it’s brutal, raw, passionate and builds them both to how they are years later. It’s a page turner that makes you wonder what will happen to each of them…and the characters around them as they are also on a journey woven into this world that has been created.

Think I’ve been marked and now I can not wait to see what else Quinn will bring to this series!

No one else exists, making the last of the thorns fall from my heart.

[Jane aka Coughy019 (Safety info included) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes: bully romance, second chance, hate to love
Feels: 4/5
Steam: 4/5
Kinks: none (maybe some people think tattoos and piercings are kinky?)
Angst: medium-high (too happy of an ending to say high)
Triggers/potential icks: homophobia, bullying, mental health struggles (anxiety, panic attacks, OCD), death of minor characters by car accident, minor character very ill with cancer

Reread Sept. 15 2024

This was a really good book. The relationship between Korbin and Lyric was complex, well developed. Their history was tough but laid the groundwork for them having something special.

There were some small things in the execution that weren't quite there, so I'm not giving it five stars. Some moments were a little jerky where the characters made quick decisions all of a sudden. Lyric's relationship with Beatrix was a bit more out of the blue than it should have been because they kept sending her over to someone else's house and there wasn't much on page interactions, so I was like, why you calling this guy Papa so quick? And there were typos.

But the emotions they both felt were so real, and I'm not limiting that to just what they felt for each other. Korbin's struggle with his sexuality, his dealing with his family struggles, him trying to be a good dad and brother, Lyric's mental health struggles and healing, how being away met some need for him... it worked. I loved the tension that was there, the steam level, the feelings, that they had to work for it, and that this relationship was it for both of them and neither of them really ran from that once they cleared up their misunderstanding. This book had me crying a lot, the characters were both in a lot of pain apart.

Can't wait to read Zane and Maddox's book. I knew from the moment that Maddox paused when he heard Lyric was from a small town in Colorado and had worked at a tattoo place there, that he knew the owner. And seeing Maddox stress over Zane's health just warmed me up to read their story.

Some notable moments:

Sweet moment of parental love "She stops and turns to us, her bottom lip curling over. All three of us freeze. In the three years Bea has been in our lives, we still haven’t worked out how to stop the sharp pain in our hearts when her bottom lip curls. I’m on my knees in front of her in seconds. “Bumble Bee, what’s the matter?”"

"“A little birdie told me someone likes chocolate cupcakes, and I need help eating them.” His words make me wonder what the hell he’s talking about as an excited yell comes from beside me. “Me, me. I do.” Bea jumps in her seat before she races around the desk and stands in front of Lyric. “Me, Me!” she shouts, holding her hand in the air. I stand as Lyric squats down and lifts the lid showing a box full of chocolate cupcakes."

This kind of love, when it hurts so much to imagine that loved one not here, sigh! "I suck in a breath. The thought of Lyric not in this world steals the air from my lungs, my throat constricts, robbing my words as Eric squeezes my shoulder."


*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.

**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.

[Babara-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVENGE IS SWEET….

Oh my word this book! The blurb gripped me as I love bully romances and second chance love and the story had me enthralled from the first chapter of their journey till the last!

An emotional rollercoaster of a ride lay’s ahead for the reader filled with first love summer romance followed by a devastating heartbreak which endures for five years…

Revenge is sweet they say but it is also a dish best served cold but in the case of Lyric and Korbin it drove them apart….

In the end you have two broken souls needing to repair what is damaged inside but will they fight for the happiness they both deserve?

They both hurt each other, they are both survivors of heartache and tears; they both loved and hated each other but now will they both learn from their mistakes, own it and not waste a second chance when Lyric returns home?….

Have your tissues handy for an amazing emotional read and watch out for that book hangover….

[patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea when I started this book the emotional journey I was about to be put through. I am having a hard time trying to sum this book up in a few sentences. I don't think it is possible. I loved every word written in this book and I loved both MCs. I loved how the author actually started the story when the MCs were young instead of just telling us about what happened between them. We actually get to read about their younger selves and experience their emotions. We grew along with both MCs. At times it is a hard story to read, but so worth it in the end. I definitely recommend this story to anyone who loves second chance romances, you won't be disappointed. I can't wait to read Maddox's and Zane's story!!

[Bkwrm24 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Korbin and Lyric ❤️
5 Incredible Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"He hated the boy, but he loved the Man"

OMG....this book was phenomenal, the depth of emotion captured by this author...Wow, just wow!!! I ugly cried not once, not twice but three times! I did not see this book coming but I'm so freaking glad it came!!

I honestly don't even know where to start except to say these two characters, Korbin and Lyric captured my heart and my emotions from page one. They never once let go until the end and even then I am still reeling. This was such a roller coaster of beautiful emotions, it is tragic yet touching.

I refuse to spoil...so just a little taste of what to expect: It was hate, fury, first times, lust and love, it was growth, it was heartache, it was loss, it was second chances and it was found family, all wrapped into a beautiful story. It's not often that a book touches me in a way that I can honestly say that I will remember it years from now. I have a couple on my list and this just became one of them. I will never forget the way this book has truly and utterly touched my heart. This was my first read from this author and it will not be my last, The next book in this series cannot come fast enough... I need so much more from these characters and this author. I 100% wholeheartedly recommend this book and I would give it a million stars ⭐️ if I could!

* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Korbin was a total bully, while Lyric the kid who got screwed up by that bullying. It’s a rollercoaster of a book, full of emotions and teary moments. Is it difficult to read? Yes, but also takes us through a path of forgiveness. It’s a great read to start off the year.

[Leonie Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful journey, pain and many other things to overcome. It's not an easy sweet story, it has guts and eventually a HEA. It is a very good gritty read and I loved it! I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Shelby | Spicy.booknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemporary MM • Bullying / Revenge • Tortured Hero• Second Chance• Hate to Love • Mental Illness Rep • Revenge Spice

This one is a pretty fast and easy read. I love revenge stories….and I really love when characters use love or sex as revenge. Maybe I’m depraved. Or maybe because I’m a Scorpio 😂

Korbin is the stereotypical rich boy jock that makes life hell for Lyric. Bullying Lyric all through high school to the point that it changes Lyric as a person, physically and mentally. After graduation, Lyric is ready to get out of the small town, but a very odd encounter with Korbin has his plans for the summer shift. Lyric now has the chance to exact revenge and destroy Korbin.

A lot of stuff happens in this story. Like, a lot. I don’t want to give away too much, but this is labeled as second chance so that should give an idea that there is some passage of time, some growth and healing. I enjoyed the story. I read it in a day, it definitely kept my interest. It’s one of those stories that I felt got better as it progressed, so I’m glad I stuck with it.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ - Lyric was incessantly bullied throughout high school. So much so that he developed debilitating anxiety and panic attacks. He had built a wall around himself and let almost no one in. He came for the wrong side of town and just needed to escape. He wanted Korbin to get a taste of the disgusting treatment he’d been subjected to for years.

Korbin was one of the bullies but not for the reasons anyone knew. He felt things for Lyric that terrified him and could ruin the life he’s always known. But once graduation had passed he wanted nothing more than to finally be with Lyric. He had no idea the damage he and his friends had inflicted on Lyric.

Lyric had no intention of falling for Korbin but Korbin did everything he could to prove to Lyric how much he cared for him and how truly remorseful he was for his actions. There was this passion and connection neither were prepared for but they also couldn’t resist it. Lyric began to find happiness for the first time.

As they started to build a relationship, Lyric noticed how his anxiety had began to improve but then a series of events and lies would tear them apart for years. When they finally saw each other again, they were so different and yet they still burned for each other. It’s so angsty but has a beautiful HEA!

Korbin was a giant ass that didn’t deserve forgiveness for the heinous things he did and encouraged to be done to Lyric. But I think that was one the things that made Lyric so special. He allowed himself to see Korbin for who he wanted to be rather than the scared boy he was hiding in school. Lyric was so brave! Korbin eventually had to face his life in his own and it changed him, hardened him. But they were destined to find each other and repair their hearts.

[Jill Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read from this author and it is complicated for me. I really love the writing style and that it is a somewhat different enemies to lovers type but the book was more intense than my usual. All-in-all it was a very good read though!

[Cristy Elizondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book. But I will say it had a lot of angst and a lot of heartbreak, but it was well worth it and there was a HEA.