Better Hate than Never (Wilmot Sisters #2) by Chloe Liese
Publication Date: October 10th 2023 by Berkley
Pages: 360
Source: Publisher
Rating: ★★★½
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads
My
Thoughts:
Enemies-to-lovers can be a tricky romance trope. It’s hard
to wipe out the negative if the characters are super hateful to each other, but
I didn’t think Christopher or Kate crossed over the line. They were more in the
habit of being contrary to each other, each for different reasons. Kate lashed
out, because she felt hurt and rejected by Christopher over and over, and Christopher
wanted to keep her at arm’s length, to counteract his attraction to her. He had
no idea that his words and actions truly hurt Kate’s feelings.
I can’t write this without mentioning the absolutely yummy
sounding doughnuts in the story! Sentences like this: “tart apples and
cinnamon, pumpkin and pungent nutmeg, warm vanilla and rich maple syrup” made
me crave a doughnut or five, and that wasn’t the only batch mentioned!
Better Hate than Never was a fun reimagining of
Taming the Shrew. Ten Things I Hate About You is one of my all-time
favorite movies and there’s a few nods to the film in the story. I liked that
there was no over-the-top, last-minute drama once Kate and Christopher sorted out
their adversarial relationship and acknowledged their sizzling chemistry. Chloe
Liese built the tension between these two which resulted in some hot stuff! I
loved the family connections and support as well.
Book Description:
Childhood enemies discover the fine line between love and loathing in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.
Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won't even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home, and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno.
Despite their friends' and families' pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when a drunken Kate confesses she's only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with Kate once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn't sure she can trust his charming good-guy act.
When Christopher's persistence and Kate’s curiosity lead to an impassioned kiss, they realize "peace" is the last thing that will ever be possible between them. As desire gives way to deeper feelings, Kate and Christopher must decide if it’s truly better to hate than to never risk their hearts—or if they already gave them away long ago.
