Emma Peroni has spent her whole life in politics. From her dad being the Mayor of their small town, to dedicating her adult life to helping bettering the town for the future. With her father's retirement looming, it's time for the town to choose a new Mayor. Emma will do anything for her town, but when her father asks her to be the campaign manager for Cooper Endicott, Emma's life-long friend and notorious Casanova, she's horrified. Knowing she can't say no without delving into their messy past, Emma reluctantly agrees. First on the agenda: finding a nice girl for Cooper to settle down with to lose his womanizing reputation which isn't helping the polls.

Cooper has politics in his blood: his mother is the Governor and his family founded their town generations ago. He's always known he wanted to run for Mayor, he just wasn't prepared for the drama that comes along with it. With his opponent playing dirty and digging up every skeleton from his closet, Cooper has no choice but to go along with Emma's crazy plans. The only problem? He's falling for the one person he shouldn't: the Mayor's off-limits daughter and his best friend.

This was an adorable political rom-com and I really enjoyed it. I thought Emma and Cooper's relationship was so relatable for anyone who's been in that weird "Will they? Won't they?" stage with someone. Their dynamic, especially with their two other best friends Nick and Henry, was such a highlight for me. I really liked the setting of this small Pennsylvania town that felt so cozy, and the humor was really witty and felt like real bickering, but loving, friends. The only downside for me was some scenes, especially that plot point where the main character gets sick so the potential love interest drops by to take care of them, I've seen numerous times before and in slightly better ways. Other than that, I liked this and felt myself rooting for not only Emma and Cooper's relationship, but the election itself. If you're looking for a sweet fun read, then check this one out.

Right of the bat, I can say that this was a slow burn, not just in romance, but also in the plot.

I'm not a huge fan of books that are centered around politics, so I'm not surprised when I found myself not really caring much about what was going on on that aspect, the ups, and downs that occurred. Not that it was a bad aspect of the book, it's just a personal preference that had unfortunately made me not like the book as much as I could have.

Characters-wise, Emma and Cooper weren't that bad. Emma was a bit too tense at times, but given her stressful situation, it's understandable. Fortunately, it did not take away any of her charms, as she is more relatable when she isn't thinking about work, or is just overall not in her office. Cooper, on the other hand, took a while for me to warm up to him. We don't really know what's going on in his head, and neither does Emma, so I was kind of iffy about him for a while.

As mentioned before, the plot and romance were slow. In fact, actual progression in Emma and Cooper's relationship occurred sporadically throughout the book and it wasn't until after 3/4 the of the book did it suddenly escalate. I kind of wish we saw more of their relationship after they got together, but the epilogue was satisfying, so I'll give it that.

Overall, if you don't mind a slow burn romance with a political heavy plot then maybe you should give this a go.

First, THANK YOU once again to the Publisher for inviting me to review this book. Its because of respectful publishing companies like you, that small insta-bloggers like me even have a chance still.

I love small town romances. I love the setting in general, but to the honest, you had me at 'small lake town'. =). That said, knowing this was Nina's debut novel made me anxious, but also skeptical to start reading it. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! Though I would've loved to see a POV from Cooper, I kind of understand this was meant to be a more lets say, 'feminist approach?' If anything. I liked Emma's character, don't get me wrong, but it seemed at times a bit unfair that we didn't really know what was going on Cooper's head.

I also liked the idea of working alongside each other to basically save Cooper's image, thus promoting that attraction they've felt since kids. They liked each other, but the whole ordeal needs to happen for them to realize they actually love each other.

Secondary characters were fantastic (makes me think there could be room for a series?), specially Emma's mom! (Who wouldn't want a mom like that!! LOL! and the best part is Emma and Cooper's sweet HEA. I see some (but just minimum, I guess) weak moments throughout the story, where I really had to push thru. In overall, it's very sweet, very light type of story, where I just have to say, took a tad bit to pick up, but in general made me smile almost on every page :)

I give it a 3.5 star rating and big congrats to Nina for his <3

This is a lighthearted, rom-com from author Nina Bocci. The narrative is well written and contains genre specific attributes that correspond well with reader expectations. While the pace of the plot was slow to build and pieces of it were predictable, the foreshadowing did not eliminate the story's impact. Bocci's characters were relatable and infallible but she did fail to develop them equally. The angst from the enemy-to-lover dynamic exists but only at a simmer and the romantic aspects may only mollify those who prefer a more vanilla approach. The novel will definitely play well to those who prefer their rom-coms a bit on the tamer side. 3 stars.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC

Thanks, NetGalley for allowing me to read & Review this title.
Started this book late last night and couldn't put it down until it was finished. Nini Bocci has a writing style that is light, witty, and totally easy to read in one sitting. The story flows effortlessly and her characters are well developed. Nice beach or poolside read!

I found this one to be soooooo sloooooow getting started. The entire first half was just more of the same and could’ve been edited way down. The second half was better but I really didn’t care what happened to the characters. The writing wasn’t bad, it was all just drug out way too much. Just not a story that resonated with me. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review.

"Sometimes the best sex is with the people you think you hate. I don't write this stuff, lady, it's just gospel."

As soon as I saw a book pop-up from Nina Bocci, I couldn't wait to read it. I enjoyed the book she co-wrote with Alice Clayton, which is why I wasn't worried about not liking it. On the Corner of Love and Hate is the first in a new Hopeless Romantics series. Hope Lake is a small town with everyone intertwined. Cooper and Emma were childhood best friends turned to enemies. I couldn't wait to find out went down between these two. I loved the back and forth banter. I also really enjoyed the storyline with him running for office. The way they both love their town was inspiring. I was rooting for Cooper to get elected and to get the girl. I also loved the relationships with the secondary characters. I'm looking forward to more from this series.

On the Corner of Love and Hate is a quick and delicious romance. I loved the will they/won't they relationship, the female protagonist with tons of ambition (although admittedly I still wish she were the political heir apparent), the cast of supporting characters, the colorful parental relationships-- I loved it all! The local political scene served as a perfect backdrop for their story, and also, frankly, as a reminder that civic engagement can accomplish so much. Thank you, Nina Bocci, for making us feel AND making us think!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity!

What an amazing start to the Hopeless Romantics series! I really enjoyed this childhood friends to enemies to lovers slow burn romance! On the Corner of Love and Hate will have you laughing out loud one moment and then tearing up the next. It's relatable and heartfelt and I fell completely in love with Hope Lake and its residents.

Emmanuelle (Emma) and Cooper have a complicated history. I couldn't wait to find out what drove these once best friends apart. Sparks fly as they bicker and verbally spar, and I loved every zing of chemistry between them. As the book progresses, readers come to learn about all of their sweet and tender moments (the drawing under the desk!), but also the heartbreaking ones as well. The fates have never quite aligned for these two, and it hurt my heart over how much was left unsaid over the years.

I loved all the relationships in this book so much. From parent to child and friend to friend, I loved how supportive and loyal they all were to each other. The secondary characters were absolutely amazing and I don't think I could have loved Emma's mother, Sophia, more! The Chef Boyardee incident and her fashion sense had me snort laughing every time she was mentioned or on the page. I can already tell that steadfast Henry will be my favorite of the BFF quartet though. How can I not fall in love with a character who isn't concerned with sowing his wild oats everywhere and describes himself as a sexual camel? ;)

Nina Bocci's writing is witty and sharp and I laughed so hard at all the perfectly placed pop culture references. Her voice and heart really jump off the page and had me invested in these characters from the start. The epilogue left me with a huge smile on my face and I can't wait to see what's next for the town of Hope Lake!

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

Cooper, 5 stars. Emma, 2. I just could not warm to the heroine. She is supposedly a smart, kind, talented, quirky woman with her masters from Penn that somehow appeals to her brilliant guy friend, Cooper, who could be right off the pages of a Ralph Lauren ad... Frankly she comes off as bitter, sometimes amiable, and alienates herself by not answering texts and then wonders why she feels insecure like she does, but mostly she’s a hot mess with emotions all over the place as if she were still in high school.

I really liked the concept of this book and the love/hate relationship trope but the hate was all on Emma’s side. And honestly, I found the relationship with Cooper, her supposed Lifelong friend, unlikely, unrealistic; she would say they weren’t really friends but then still continued to work with him through the years and then even on his mayoral campaign. I just could not see the appeal of her mercurial moods as attractive to the rich playboy persona of Cooper. I did come to like her at the end when she was making more sense about Cooper, becoming the brave woman we wanted her to be, and being honest with herself about her love and jealousy but it really came too late for me to genuinely cheer for her: “There’s a difference between finding someone attractive and being attracted to him,” I said confidently. “Hell, you can even argue that there’s a third difference, that being, whether or not you’d ever act on feeling attracted to someone or finding someone attractive.”

Still, I think it’s a solid debut book. I didn’t love it but I liked it. I suspect there are more small town romances primed for the community of Hope Lake.

This was a cute one. To be completely honest it took me a little while to get into it because It. Was. So. Slow.
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I felt like the characters were fun and likeable...even if they were very predictable.
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I finished with 3 1/2 stars. Not terrible, but forgettable 🤷🏻‍♀️.

This felt like reading a hallmark channel movie, it was very charming with amazing characters! I can't wait to read more books from this author!

This is the story of Cooper and Emma. Cooper broke Emma's heart many years ago when they were young. Now he wants to become mayor of his town and needs Emma's help to polish him for the position.
I didn't like Cooper, I thought as the novel went on he would become more likable ... wrong.
The plot is very slow building and you almost give up and put the book away.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book

On the Corner of Love and Hate is filled with such a colorful cast of characters that I felt like I got to know each one. The town itself has a rich history, where the focus centers around local politics. At the heart of this story are two childhood best friends that have grown apart due to misguided and miscommunicated chances. When Emma has the opportunity to support Cooper in his election for mayor, she has to set aside her personal grievances for the young man that broke her heart, and step up to be the woman who could eventually break his heart. The slow build between these characters was a treat to read; flourishing with lots of tension. In the end, there’s a pleasant surprise, backed by a happy ending.

3.5 Stars!

"In a lot of ways, Cooper was like the sun: you couldn't fly close to it, or him, without getting burned."

On The Corner of Love and Hate was on my most anticipated reads of 2019. I fell in love with Nina Bocci's writing when she co-wrote Roman Crazy with Alice Clayton. So, when I heard that Nina was venturing out on her own, I couldn't wait to see what she would bring to the table. 

On The Corner of Love and Hate is a small town enemies to lovers romance that will leave you begging for more. If you are a fan of a super slow burn, this book is totally for you. 

On The Corner of Love and Hate follows the story of Cooper and Emma. Cooper is well on his way to being the town's next mayor. The only problem? He doesn't take much seriously and his imagine is in desperate need of a makeover. And who better to help him out, but Emma. Emma wants nothing more to say no to Cooper, but their past and family connections keep her from turning him down. This new position will test Emma in ways she's unprepared for. Cooper will do whatever it takes to clean up his image and land the job of a lifetime....

Overall, I thought this book was an ok read. I thought the story-line was fun and refreshing. I love small town romances and enjoyed the politics of the story. I thought this story had a really good enemies to lovers vibe. We have Cooper who is the town's golden boy and total ladies man. He's too charming for his own good. And then we have Emma. Emma is hardworking, stubborn and takes life far too seriously. Cooper certainly knew what buttons to push and just how to get under Emma's skin. And while these two get on each others nerves, it was nice to see that they were actually pretty solid friends and have known one another for a long, long time. There weren't a ton of steamy moments between our two main characters, but the ones that we did get were satisfying. 

However, I did have a couple of issues with this story. The first being the slow burn. Now slow burning romances are something that I struggle with from time to time. Don't get me wrong, I love a good fleshed out romance that just oozes tension. But, I found this one to be lacking. Sure I think that Cooper and Emma could have just been great friends and I could be ok with that. But, I think the story could have benefited with some chapters from their past, showing us the connection and chemistry between the characters. Also, I think it would have been nice to get inside of Cooper's head. See what made him tick and show his feelings for Emma. As a reader, I felt like I needed more from Cooper and Emma. I needed more steam, more chemistry, more will they/won't they moments, that sexual tension that just builds and builds until you want to explode. I needed to see why these two should be together and why I should be rooting for their happily ever after. For me, I found the romance to be lacking--almost like a women's fiction story instead of a contemporary romance. I personally didn't get a real romancey vibe until almost the end of the story. Like it took both of these characters FOREVER to come to terms with their feelings. And that might work great for some, but for me, I needed more.

Overall, I thought this book was an ok read. It was fun and entertaining. It was filled with politics and drama. The characters were easy to connect with and fun to get to know. I thought the story was written well and has some really great potential. And while this story wasn't a 100% hit for me, I'm still glad to have checked it out and given it a chance. I think this series has great potential and I do look forward to seeing where it will go from here.

When I first read about Nina's book I was curious. I first met her as PR for some authors I've follow through the years, and then I read her debut, Roman Crazy, with Alice Clayton (I loved that book btw). Now she take us to a little town called Hope Lake, and I couldn't love her more.
Small town romances have some kind of 'magical factor' about them that I'm unable to resist; besides, this frenemies-to-lovers story was the perfect mix between comedy, romance with a size of drama and politics.
With a mayoral election in the horizon, Copper needs to fix his public image and Emma is the girl for the job. They were friends at first, but in some point that friendship turned into a heated animosity... but they say there's just a step between hate and love. But to address their feelings, they'll have to take careful steps and keep their eyes opens because the mayoral campaign is as dirty as a bloody war.
I really enjoyed the book, I loved the friendship between Henry, Cooper and Nick, and their relationship with Emma, I also loved the banter between Emma and Cooper, their dialogues and the chemistry in every single scene they're together.
Hope Lake was a pleasant place to visit, its people was hilarious and sweet, and I can't wait to read what's next in this series.

I admit the cover is what had me picking up On the Corner of Love and Hate in the first place, and of course the promise of an enemies to lovers romance – can’t ever get enough of those.

More often than not I like the heroes more than the heroines. I don’t know why that’s the case, but it has happened too often for it not to be true. In the case of Emmanuelle and Cooper I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Because unfortunately neither character was someone I could connect with.

Cooper is portrayed as a manwhore, which he kinda is, but that’s not even an issue, the issue is that he is immature, unreliable, and because of it I could never be interested in him. He has some significant growth throughout the book, but it’s hard to change a first impression, especially if it’s such a glaring one.

Emmanuelle, isn’t much better if I’m being honest. She has a lot of resentment hidden deep within her. Although hardworking, I wish Cooper had only half of her drive, she is missing a bit of a backbone. And she’s too set in her way, too hardheaded and stubborn at times to change the status quo, which thus drags out some of the issues way more than it should have. It’s so frustrating when things can be made so much easier if people just talked to each other.

I love animosity, sexual tension, the push and pull that comes with an enemies to lovers trope. The novel had some of it, but not enough to make a difference. And it didn’t help that the chemistry was a bit lacking, and except for their past, I couldn’t see the attraction at all.

I admit I started skimming and skipping throughout the book. The plot alone, even though the part about small town politics was interesting, wasn’t enough to keep me captivated. It was missing something – spice, sass, wit – anything to keep me engaged.

Nevertheless I can see the potential, and I’m looking forward to the other books in this series, and would recommend it to anyone that loves enemies to lovers, and a slow burn romance.

I am always so excited to read something from an author I have never read from before, and for that authors work to be compared to Christina Lauren's? I knew I had to read On The Corner Of Love And Hate. I was not impressed in the slightest. There was so many times that I almost put this down, but I held out hope for something that did not even come. I thought this was considered a romance, but this book was basically, based on candidates and elections until after 83% through, and quite honestly NOT one of my favorite tropes either. I was a little confused on this authors thought process when it came to the main characters, because it was like she forgot things they had said, and it contradicted what was later stated. Which in turn made things even more confusing, and made it seem as if there was no development in the characters or the story. I also can not for the life of me stand the Hero, he legitimately ruined this book for me. He was selfish, and inconsiderate. Enjoyed putting his workload on others, and half**ed everything he did. I seriously could not take him as a 30 year old man, when he acted like a teenager. He treated women as of they were scum on the bottom of his shoe. When I think of him, I think of a soulless ***** that will do ANYTHING to get his way, with no regard for any ones feelings. I am so glad I can finally put this book down, so I never have to pick it up again.

A poor little rich boy known for his womanising ways needs someone to keep him in hand. After all, his mayoral ambitions are in jeopardy. Who better to do so, than a longtime friend who always had the hots for him but was cruelly subject to his numerous hookups over the years, to become his campaign manager and keep him on the straight and narrow for better media reception of the reformed manwhore?

That should have been my warning sign.

Some books do get better as you go on. For others, you get a sinking, cringey feel from the very start.

Unfortunately, ‘On the Corner of Love and Hate’ fell into the latter category. Admittedly, I wish I’d given the blurb more than just a side-eye before I’d even begun, but it was Nina Bocci and I wanted to have an enthusiastic go at her attempt at romantic dramedy.

Shallowly flaky, lacking moral fibre and substance, Cooper was a manchild with manwhoring ways, made even unforgivable because his weakness for women was something he was unrepentant about—not that he seemed to make any effort to get together with Emma. Having this thrown in my face time and time again made the story hard to go on with, let alone the excruciating pining that Emma had going for decades (!) for someone who always supposedly wanted her but took it up with many many other women instead because he was either ‘young and stupid’ or trying to get her attention and having the best of both worlds. That there was the constant presence of a college fling and a now friends-with-benefits secondary character—a typical mean, beautiful but bitchy one—made the entire story feel like a pool of circling sharks hungry for blood and a piece of Cooper’s arrogant arse.

As a result, there was little of the romance I saw, more so because this was entirely written in Emma’s POV, of Emma’s own jealousy and well-hidden hurts as the pages wore on and her perception of Cooper’s lack of initiative for anything except for flirting and women.

Perhaps this was done, ironically, too well. Bocci's writing keeps you outraged on Emma's behalf, frustrated by her own attraction that she can't seem to shake off. So much so that the attempt to position Cooper as a ‘good man’ with a half-hearted rationale of his behaviour over the years to show some redeemable qualities in him merely left me with the poorest impression of a character who shouldn’t have even been a worthy of the status of a romantic hero.

That Emma fell like a house of cards after spending a hot night with him made her no better than the other women who were ready to fling their panties at him at the sight of his gigawatt smile.

I couldn’t do it. I skimmed, skipped, and cringed too much to be able to go on, then finally threw it in.

I really wanted to like this book, but it was just okay for me.

I did like the behind the scenes look into a local election. And I think there are decent characters in which to build this series. Bocci’s Hopeless Romantics series does have potential with the town, family, and friends of Emma and Cooper.

There were some inconsistencies in this book. There was a past scandal with a woman who at one point in the book was mentioned as having a forty year age difference with Cooper. Then later Emma thinks this woman is close to her own age when Emma sees her up close. Then this woman is seen on a Facebook post and Emma says she looks really enhanced. ?

Also “everyone” thinks Cooper will be a great mayor, yet I didn’t see much evidence of that from Cooper’s actions in the book until midway through the book. Emma wants to work to get him elected and thinks he’ll be great for the town, but disparages his character frequently. Cooper want to win, yet he initially is distracted and unfocused like he doesn’t. Then he sabotages his campaign by revisiting the previously mentioned old scandal.

I think the book could have been greatly enhanced by giving a few chapters to Cooper for his point of view. Perhaps his actions would have been explained and the reader given insight to his thinking process, both to his campaign and feelings about Emma.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC