My life has never been perfect, but it used to be simple. That changed in the blink of an eye when my mom decided to move us to Riverside. It was supposed to be a new start for us, and it was. Only it wasn’t one I was expecting. The simple life I knew before, ceased to exist. Knox Riverside… The town’s golden boy, took one look at me and decided he hated me, turning everyone against me as he stood by and watched his minions make my life a living hell. I didn’t know his reasons for hating me but slowly as the torment went on, I became a shell of my former self. And things will get worse when he finds out the news that he’s going to be my stepbrother soon and I’m not ready for that. But by the time he decided to change his mind, I was already too far gone in my attempt at self-destruction. Because hate like ours, might only end with death.
Knox
The moment I became aware of her existence, I hated her. Raine Carrington… Because of her I lost the most important person in the world to me. So, I knew what she represented. I let my hate rule our every interaction from the beginning. So, color me surprised when I started to feel something other than hate for her. As time goes on, I realize that I might need her more than I care to admit. She was close to breaking by the time I realized the destruction my actions caused, and I vowed that I’d make it right even if she doesn’t believe me. But I’m keeping a huge secret from her, and that secret is the reason for my hate in the first place. I don’t care about it anymore because she’s mine now and I hope she never finds out. Because I won’t let this hate, end with her death.
NOTE: Hate Like Ours is an Enemies To Lovers romance that contains some dark elements that may not be suitable for some readers. Please read the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book to note what the CWs are before proceeding. This book is suitable for ages 18+
Nikita is an introvert at heart who loves to procrastinate. She spends most of her time reading or watching crimes shows because she hates to leave the house unless it's absolutely necessary.
Her love of Dark Romance really began when she moved to the US and fell in love with reading all over again. She had no plans on ever writing a book or publishing but Cole was very persistent and now she can't think of doing anything else!
She loves writing as much as she loves reading and can't wait to bring you more dark romance reads! The journey so far has been a dream thanks to all her amazing readers and she can't thank them enough for taking a chance on her books and loving those characters as much as she does!
'🅷🅰🆃🅴 🅻🅸🅺🅴 🅾🆄🆁🆂' is the first full length, enemies to lovers book in author 'Nikita's 'Riverside Hate' duet. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.' Knox & Raine.
Did a re-read on this now that the next book is released. This just portrayed how words can have a damaging effect on someone's mental health. It was even more brutal reading it the second time around.
God these two were toxic to my very being, they sucked the soul out of me!! This took bullying up to a whole new level where I've never stepped before, it was hard to read, as she broke I broke along with her, my heart and head was in rapid turmoil. This drained and sucked the life out of me. The angst, where the whole school was out to bring her down, daily, but he may of been the worst one of them all for a reason unknown to us. A love to hate you enemyship developed between them, she was his dirty little secret, and many a time we'd see him regretting his actions and the way he'd treated her.
He hated her before he'd even met her, to honor his dead mother's memory he was out to get her, he may not have been the one dishing out the daily lashings but it was started by him.
If she wasn't fully broken before the cliffy she was subjected to finished off the job, I have a feeling who was responsible, and I hope they have what's coming to them. I'm highly anticipating the next book.
I found it really hard connecting with Knox, and because of that I didn't get any warm and fuzzy feels from him, he had a secret that we aren't privy to, a secret which started everything. He's the town's king, untouchable, a father who owns the town, the school is attended by the rich.
Raine was a good girl nerd up until she started her new school and like a switch had flipped there was nothing left of that girl. Depression and self harm walked hand in hand pushing her deeper into the darkness where she couldn't escape.
This was really easy to get into, and the author definitely switched it up with this one..
Heed the trigger warnings with this one because it does touch on a few subjects which may be a trigger for some readers.
This is the romantic equivalent of a snuff film. It was a FB recommendation which says it all.
I had to laugh as one of the 1 star reviews said that the heroine is raped by OM. She forgot to mention all the other times she was raped by the hero: when he cut her vagina, when she was unconscious. He bullies her into cutting and taking drugs then feels bad when she tries to commit suicide. What a guy.
What's even more depressing than all that is that it's rated over 4.00, and its 5 star ratings are at 50%.
After the untimely and tragic death of his mother and Knox's discovering the reason, he targets new arrival and soon to be stepsister, Raine, in a campaign of revenge. Raine is new to this Texas town and just wants to graduate with good grades and a solid future. She doesn't understand the relentless bullying she suffers from Knox, the school king, and the kids in her new school. And with wavering self-confidence, she's susceptible to their taunts especially Knox's as they both share inexplicable emotions -- hate, lust, interest -- in each other. This is a toxic romance with some of my favorite dark themes.
Raine is affable, a little reserved but fierce. Even with the trials and trauma Knox and classmates subject her to, she fights back. She isn't afraid of a verbal sparring or punching back. The fact that she doesn't react as downtrodden or accepting of fate because, let's face it, she is attracted to this bad boy, creates a balance in the bullying storyline. Otherwise, it would simply depict a tale of torment without recourse.
This author knows how to write a heartless, bad boy. Knox is the kind of antihero my dark heart loves -- alpha, intolerable, demanding, almost unhinged, stealthy, over the top jealous who goes caveman when his girl catches the attention of another. Yes, because she's his. She's his dirty little secret, and he can't resist, can't resist hating, pouring his anger and pain onto her and in her psyche with verbal and carnal manipulation. Expect a healthy dose of other person drama (thank you).
And yes, the spice is hot (5/5) with a hint of taboo and dash (more than a dash) of somnophilia. Knox is a dirty talker, and the two main characters share a gritty, unconquerable passion for each other.
While this is the first in a duet, there are hints of future stories with a good integration of side characters, still classic enemies to lovers with bad boys.
Progressive pace, and while my interest was held the entire book, I found that I could predict the storyline, but I was here for all of it. The writing is simple and misses some of the style that comes with seasoned writing, sometimes repetitious in word choice or passage, and transitions (lots of whens and onces). Still, I am a big fan, and that cliffhanger will keep me on edge until the next book releases.
3.5/5 🌶 Okay this could have been a 4 star if it weren’t so repetitive.. INTENSE BULLYING, H doesn’t feel remorse until the very end, I get his need for revenge, but I hate when characters take the “revenge” for something the parents did. And the fact that he was fine to his dad yet treated the only person who wasn’t aware of anything like shit 🤷🏻♀️. And well the h kept taking his shit all the time. I wouldn’t say there was any “romance” exactly, at least in this part of the duet, it’s completely true to the title.
⚠️Make sure to read the tws if you have triggers before going in, bec it has some really heavy topics.
This book was .....well...a disaster .. figuratively and literally.
I don't know why I picked this..maybe I was feeling down lately and wanted something to match my mood so picked it as it promised angst gallore and painful bully romance.
Well, it was painful all right. To the point I cringed reading some parts of it.
But why tho? Everything that was happening in this book felt like a teenager just poured out every kind of fucked up imagination in their minds and wrote an elaborate self inflicted torture manual.
And don't get me started on the characters and the quality of the writing.
I m not a cheap reader. I don't usually give seconds of my time to mediocre authors and their juvenile books which lack any character depth or actual good plot..but I just went along with this one to see how it goes.
Guess I was in hell of a ride. Thankgod I wasn't emotionally invested in this one.
The H was irredeemable. And by that I mean, he couldn't redeemed himself even if he burnt in the fires of hell. Because guess what? He doesn't WANT to redeem himself. He is actually and truly a sadist who actually enjoys hating and does what he does because he wants to do it. He doesn't feel remorse, guilty or regret. He is quite content in ruining someone's life .. even after seeing signs as what it's doing the other person.
And what was the knife scene?!!! WTF?!!
It's not your typical tormented hero does a mistake in a moment of anger and grief and later regrets it...Nope. This guy is truly evil and enjoys inflicting pain. And the character is 2 dimensional and shallow. There's no actual change in him until the last 10 % and even then it's the barely there emotion which is not enough. He still is the asshole of grade A1 because even though she's in the hospital after overdosing, the arrogant bastard thinks why she did it and why she went into that suicide spiral because he thought she was strong. Ah the inner monologues were just masterpieces- with their 4th wall breaking tactics- talking to the audience- and you think "is this guy real? WHAT DO YOU THINK GONNA HAPPEN WHEN THE WHOLE SCHOOL MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY BULLIES A SINGLE INNOCENT GIRL? Yet, he thinks he can't let go of the hate.
I was done at that point and just wanted to get it over with.
The worst book I have ever read.
The only 2 stars are because how the author shows depression accurately. The pov of the h were quite heartwrenching and sad. I felt those as they were true. So points for that.
5 stars for readability but 4.5 because there is still technical awkwardness in the writing style. I loved this. Review to come!
More thoughts:
I love a book that I can read into the night. Not sure why I decided to read this, since I had passed it over a few times, but I saw it on a GR list and gave it a go again. I primed myself to lower my expectations on the writing style, but to expect an OTT plot, and I guess I really needed that!
Classic dark bully romance. It reminded me a lot of Lana Sky's older works where the hero tries to break the heroine mentally for revenge. There is some angst in hearing how Raine feels, letting the bullying get to her, and re-lapsing into old habits. I think the writing was strong here, as well as the escalation of what the hero does to the heroine.
One bone I do have to pick is that it's very jarring to have the hero's friends normalize the hero's evil treatment of the heroine as signs that he likes her. This happened in Nikita's This Love Hurts, where they behave as though the hero's very vile treatment of her is just him pulling her pigtails. I find it quite jarring to have the hero with his gaggle of friends acting very normally as though it's a rom-com, and then having quite dark things happen to the heroine, at the hero's behest.
I was trying to think of why this would be, and the only upside to it is that it lightens the mood, and it can also signal to the reader that the hero does have feelings for the heroine. The obsession, fine line between hate and love, is clear here, and so is the heroine's attraction to the hero.
I am already reading the second book, and I really want to know what the secret is!!
Firstly, I really didn’t like the writingstyle. It felt too much like the narrator in tvshows, like gossip girl, where it was too self aware and all knowing and almost like looking back at this, whilest being in the present. It just didn’t read well for me. It also was timed weirdly.
But all that aside, lets talk about my real issue with this book. I read a lot of dark, and I do not have a lot of triggers or just stuff that makes me go nope. But, the MC raping the other MC, is one of them. And in this one, he repeatedly rapes her, a lot of the times whilest she is sleeping or passed out on meds.
I dont care if someone tries to tell ke that oh but she didnt hate it or she kinda liked it or was into it. Because as long as she has no way to tell him if he takes it too far and he does not care about her consent or emotional wellbeing, it is rape. Had this been kinkplay done right and safely for both parties, she would have had a way to say stop. But this being a bully trope, she obviously doesnt have that.
There is just no coming back from that. And im not even talking about everything else the mmc does or allows to happen to the fmc and what happens to her in the end.
Hate Like Ours has been an exceptionally emotional book to read and Nikita has done a brilliant job passing on the trauma of both main characters flawlessly. I hardly ever feel any compassion for both the bully and the bullied in books but here I could understand Knox’s pain and his overwhelming need of vengeance even if it is completely misplaced. I could recognize the guilt he felt and that also made him a victim in my eyes. As for Raine, there are no words to properly describe the utter helplessness she goes through in her new life. Make sure to check the trigger warnings before starting this moving story. I’ve cried quite a few times for both Raine and Knox, and with the brutal, brutal cliffhanger we are left with, I feel a bit crestfallen not knowing when we will be getting the second book of the duet. Nevertheless, Hate Like Ours is one heck of a sensational story. Definitely one-click worthy!
I cannot believe that this is a real book. It is even less believable that it has a rating of over 4 stars. The writing is absolutely atrocious but the content is even more unbearable. I love a dark bully romance, I really do. I can read pretty much anything with very little triggers. This however, was fucking disgusting. Knox had no redeeming qualities. There was no romance whatsoever. It screamed 2012 Wattpad but worse. Much worse. The amount of exclamation points made my head hurt. To top it off, the fact that the author decided to insert her own work into the story and praise it was revolting. I would give this 0/5 stars if I could.
I love men written by women, but we don't talk enough about the fact that many women writers don't know how to write from a man's point of view at all.
I'm going to leave this without a rating since I heavily skimmed this book and part of the second one. I thought the overall story was interesting which is why I continued on with it even though I didn't think the writing was for me. And I can say that it did get a little better near the end, yet still not enough for me to really enjoy it.
In the beginning the big problem I had was the dialogue and it all felt very odd to me but in a way I don't think I can put into words very well? Almost amateurish I guess, especially some of the inner dialogue. And then as the story went on and I got more use to the writing, the characters just weren't making me fall in love with them. Raine was an weird combination of a heroine trying to be a badass and have a backbone while at the same time just sitting down and taking the abuse since the very start of it. And then as the story went on her relationship (for lack of better word) with Knox felt very forced and not believable at all that either of them would suddenly have feelings for one another.
Look, I'm all for a dark romance and a hero that does some very messed up shit, but Knox was just not it. He was more of an overgrown baby throwing a tantrum but in the most fucked up ways. Maybe it's me and I need to take a break from any book that could be remotely dark since they all seem to be hit or miss for me lately.
Also since I already seem to be on a bitchy rant, can I just say I find it really cringey when an author will put their own books into their writing? I feel like this used to be more of a thing where authors would make their characters read other books by them either by putting the title in or by description alone and it's definitely a pet peeve of mine.
I wanted to love it, but it was hard. I love a good bully/enemies-to-lovers, but this one was a toughy.
My connection to Knox is pretty much non-existent. I don’t find anything redeeming about him. Whatever his mom wrote to him, can’t be so insane that he grows an immediate hate for someone who has nothing to do with parents’ actions. So much hate that he constantly and continuously body-shames Raine.
It’s actually really heartbreaking to watch Raine spiral. To be honest, there was some grooming going on and it tore my heart out to read him abuse her over and over again.
It’ll be interesting to see how the author writes Knox’s redemption. But if I’m being completely honest, I’d love a Raine’s Revenge story where she destroys everyone (yes, Knox included), finds her self worth, learns to love herself and gets a man that loves her inside and out from beginning to end.
Y’all, this book is INSANE. I don’t even know what to rate this. Like this isn’t even bullying anymore, it’s full on torment, abuse, etc. Not only is it verbal bullying but physical, like literally punching her, kicking her, pushing her. And then what he did in the cafeteria?!?!? Like what?!?! And the degradation in this is INSANE. You know, some of us like a little sprinkle of degradation, but this, this is over the top. Like what the fuckkkkk. This dude and basically everyone else is constantly threatening to kill her, like my goodness. This is a true enemies to lovers, sheesh. Please read triggers because this is not for the faint of heart, and I feel like some content warnings were left out too🫣. This poor girl went through so much, and all she did was move to a new school. And we don’t even know why he targeted her yet. And that cliffhanger????? Like things started to look up at least from Knox’s side, and then that happened. Goodness. This man better has the best redemption ever. And this poor girl deserved the world, like if she doesn’t have the best HEA, I’m rioting.
Side note, there was an overwhelming amount of exclamation points used like WAY too much
*p.s. original rating was 3 stars but I changed it after finishing the second book because it was 🙄*
Favorite quotes/scenes:
“She is beautiful—like take your fucking breath away beautiful in that classic and calm sort of way. It’s the type of beauty you’d notice from a mile away without her even trying to get your attention. She just naturally grabs it.”
“I want to ruin her. I want to be her worst nightmare. I want her to feel the wrath that I’m going to unleash on her. By the time I’m done with her, I want her on her knees, begging me to stop.”
“Why are you doing this?” “Because I fucking love the look of fear on your face. It’s taking all I have in me not to fucking bury you right now. I’ll just have to settle for the fear right now. I want nothing more than to hurt you. Every time you look at me, all I want you to feel is pain,”
“I’ve always loved storms. I’d find any excuse to sit outside in one. For some reason, they always make me feel at peace, as though the rain will cleanse my soul and wash away all the pain and hurt in my heart.” (Raine)
“Hate like ours is meant to only end with death.”
“I wish someone would reach out for me like that and love me and tell me that everything will be okay. Even the people who act strong everyday need to be told that they’re loved and that everything will be okay.”
“As much as I hate her, I can’t stop obsessing over her. The fact that she’s called me out on it a few times already, just serves to piss me off even more. Somehow she’s captivated me without even doing anything.”
“Why the fuck can’t I stay away from you? It’s like you’ve cast a spell on me, witch.” “That’s the first real thing you’ve ever said to me. Then you must be a warlock because you seem to have cast the same spell on me.”
“I was never on the list of people you love. All I was ever given was your hate.”
“I’d like to go back to when you hated me.” “Well too bad, not happening. I know you hate me right now and I don’t blame you. But guess what, baby? I’m going to make you fall in love with me.”
Holy cow. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. This book isn’t even for just the casual bully romance lovers out there either. This book is a DARK, heavy trauma, not sure how either one can survive, let alone develop romantic feelings for one another, bully romance. That being said, if you have any sort of triggers, definitely, as always check trigger warnings before starting a dark romance anything.
Overall very well written, the trauma/bullying scenes felt very realistic and raw emotion. I’ll read book two, but after a bit of a pause.
I need to start noting why I'm putting certain books on my never-read-this-shelf because I always wonder why I did it later. In this case, it's Vintage's review.
This gem of a book is VERY VERY DARK. If you are new to Dark Romances, this probably isn’t for you right now. Please read triggering warnings before reading. I LOVED this book!! Holy heck. If you’ve read Brutal King and Bleeding Crowne also by Nikita, Mason King has nothing on Knox Riverside. That ending!! I can’t wait for the next one Nikita.
Sorry Nikita 🥺 I was really excited for this release but it just didn’t do it for me in some ways
I love bully romance books, but this was just constant information overload. I get authors have word counts etc but they ramble on for pages and change subjects to quick during their internal dialogue that it bored me.. I ended up skim reading to skip over it because most of it was unnecessary.
It didn’t flow, we jumped from one point to another so fast I got booklash (like whiplash but from a book 😂) I just couldn’t process how they all sounded like 14 year olds, honestly if it their last year how are they not a little more mature? I’ve read some really dark dark bully books but this… 🙄 the non stop swearing was over the top too.
**Spoilers ahead from this point on**
Raine liking Knox at first, yeah I see it but as the abuse and harassment went on she was still all fuzzy feelings for him? Sorry but no.. if someone treats you like crap straight away, you instantly don’t have feelings for them and obsess?
Raines mum suddenly getting married to Knox dad not even a few weeks after his wife died? I can’t fathom how fast this relationship popped up? No build up just jumped straight from the funeral, Raines family moving literally after Knox mum dies and bam they are getting married..? And basically ignore her!!! Her mum should of seen something was wrong knowing she had an eating disorder! (Yes I’m aware the two parents were sleeping around together from the beginning but have some goddamn respect and not jump straight into being the replacement wife)
Knox.. yeah you are mad, I get that but he takes it to far with pulling his pee wee out in the cafeteria and wanking off in front of all his friends. It’s a bit hard to imagine an entire school would clear the cafeteria even if the most popular ass said so. You just take and take and take to the point the poor girl was broken and you ended up losing her.
I ended up skipping over a lot of things because it just frustrated me how well this book could have been but it fell flat for me. It’s not really a bully romance, it doesn’t even show Knox at all ever being redeemed after the stunts he pulled and I hope to gosh above that Raine isn’t going to just accept it! I will hold out hope for the second book where she becomes the ass and gets revenge, walks away from Knox and actually gets her happy ending without him because any other ending would just be a waste. No redeeming qualities for Knox at all.
But I left out the last chapter!! But god that really was a breaking point I cried for Raine even with her crazy feelings for the asshole I still think everything she went through wasn’t deserved and the end.. she’s done, that least thread holding her broke with what those scums did to her and I have feeling it was Ivy and Trent 🔪🔪
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Holy eff this book was dark on every level, an I just devoured it like it was my last breath! Now I’m sitting here half mad that I read it in just over 7 hours because I need book 2 now, like yesterday!
It touches on many sensitive subjects, so make sure you read the trigger warnings! Be cautious, and make sure you are in a good head space if you do read it.
My heart has broken multiple times in last couple hours reading the torment and bullying Raine had to experience all because she got moved to a new town, and unbeknownst to her, the town “king” had deciphered a plan to ruin her way before she even crossed over into the city! And like Raine, and the confusing feelings she felt between her bodies reacting to her tormenter and the way she should hate him, I was laying a crying an blubbery mess all the while the heat coming off my body had me stripped down to tank.
I don’t know if I love Knox or I hate him, but I know it’s not going to end well for whoever just decided to make Raine there plaything for the night right while Knox is away at his game!
What’s the secret Knox has been hiding from everyone that his mother left for him before she took her own life? Will he succeed in his plan to make Raine fall in love with him after seeing just how badly his game of hate an anger an damaged has destroyed her? How’s this going to end now that there parents are married and they are STEP SIBLINGS??? Who knowss? One thing I do know is , I will be stalking this authors every account to find when we get book 2!
I need to get to sleep but I know I won’t find that soon seeing as I’m high off everything this book just made me feel!
(Having struggled with drug abuse myself , I appreciate more than words can say now well Nikita described everything Raine went through, she described it to a T, the constant inner battle with your thoughts, how it takes the pain away, and quiets the inner monologue of the voices in your head constantly telling you you aren’t enough , thank you🥹❤️)
First and foremost- the writing *shudder* felt like an adolescent 13 year old girl's doing. So painfully juvenile, my head hurt. Stupid sentences like: “Now fucking stop talking so I can fuck my fat cunt!” She is after all, my three-hole slut. Had my eyes rolling so hard because who the hell talks like this??! Then came the endless exclamation marks!!!!! You don't have to constantly use them in order to convey a message!!!!!! For real! Also, the very unsubtle way in which she introduced us her previous and future work through sub-characters- her narration and references felt too forced. There will be a sequel, and your book This Love Hurts rocks- we get it (!) Also, the abused word "asshole" was mentioned 192 times(!!) That was very unnecessary and unimaginative.