DNF at 15%. The premise sounded really cute but unfortunately the execution didn’t work for me - I’m not enjoying the characters and decided to stop reading. Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

The dog makes everything better in this book. The idea of a canine contest sounds horrible, and the dog in this story made sure that his entry is as horrible as the idea it's hilarious. Even though I by principle love the dog, I couldn't care less about the romance, the insta lusting didn't work out for me at all. The writing was also too bland to my taste.

All romcom tropes I've come to love. Enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine trope. This will definitely fit for fans of Tessa Bailey. I Hate you More was a really enjoyable book that I couldn't help get sucked into. Good Character development and a really cool plot, I Hate you More will and should be added to everyone's christmas TBRs.

This was a cute rom-com with characters that I loved watching go from hate to love. I'm a sucker for a good enemies to lovers, and I got one with this story! I really enjoyed the dog show storyline, and the adorable pup Wheezy!

I’m in love with this book! I was expecting a cute romcom read and got so much more.
You really fall for the characters and their story. I love the relationship between Spencer and his twin brother. It was nice to see a realistic twin relationship and the struggles.
I was not expecting the book to have steamy scenes and was thrilled to find that it does! I found the start of the relationship a bit to fast but afterwards I was in love!
I cannot forget about Wheezy the dog! He is my favorite character. I love that he is pretty much untrainable. He is hilarious when he doesn’t listen to commands and just gave the story so much more.
Definitely recommend reading this amazing dog romance!

This was a cute and quick romantic comedy read! I loved the dynamics between the characters and the story line was engaging and not super typical!

Overall this was a cute and fun book. I loved everything about the dogs and dog shows. I loved the old sassy ladies at the nursing home. I liked the hero and heroine, and hope we get a book for Caleb! I think this book would have benefited from dual POV. I struggle with third person and I think because of that it took me a bit to get into the book. Once I hit about 40% I was really enjoying it.

I Hate You More is a fun and steamy enemies to lovers romance featuring a grumpy dog show judge and a former beauty queen who is determined to get her friend’s naughty golden retriever to win the show.

Any book with a dog on the cover automatically grabs my attention. I’m glad I grabbed this one because it was so much fun! There was a ton of snarky banner, very spicy chemistry and lots of steamy scenes, and of course, PUPPIES! It has its share of emotional moments and family tension to round it out, and those moments really gave the characters some emotional depth.

Overall, loved the sass and sarcasm, the love, and the pups. Of course.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Just ask Layla (my sleepy mutt), un-pedigreed, lazy dogs are my favorite creatures on the planet. The dog star of this book, Wheezy, is a golden retriever (supposedly) who responds to commands only when he feels like it and looks like a disaster. Ruby is badgered into showing the dog by one of her patients. Her competitive spirit from pageant days of the past sparks to life again despite the impossible odds. And the dismissive, superior attitude of a certain judge only stokes the flames. Ruby does not back down from a challenge.

There were some excellent sources of tension in this story. Most central is the spicy enemies-to-lovers dynamic, but the characters have interesting baggage beyond that. Ruby's ambivalence towards her beauty pageant past is wrapped up in her relationship with her mother, who coached her. Spencer's relationship with his twin brother has become strained over the past few months while Caleb serves out his house arrest under Spencer's roof. It makes for some hilariously stupid decisions and also for the surfacing of lifelong misunderstandings.

I enjoyed so many things about this story, but I also didn't personally feel like everything was resolved by the end. I struggle with the fact that it's real to life for things to always be messy and open-ended, but I love when a romance gives us a full arc of emotion and catharsis for our characters. While both our leads have some vital realizations, some toxic aspects of their lives are left standing. It was a cool move to have Ruby reconnect with her pageant self to find drive in life again, for example, but I noticed some lingering body image and other psychological issues from those experiences that were never addressed. Also, Caleb's casual brand of sexual harassment is deemed unattractive by Ruby but ultimately categorized as benign. None of his family or friends ever call him out on his behavior. It's just accepted as part of his charms, be they genuine or questionable.

This was a fun, heated contemporary romance with adorable dog content, hilarious and sometimes cutting banter, and a colorful cast of characters. If you're not as eager for closure in every aspect of characters' lives, I think you'll have perfect enjoyment. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read and review this book!

The title of this novel is a little misleading…Spencer and Ruby never hate each other. So, if you are a fan of healthy competition as foreplay, this is definitely a read for you. Both Spencer and Ruby push each other to be better and isn’t that the best kind of relationship? Plus there are dogs.
4.5 stars

I received an e-arc of I Hate You More by Lucy Gilmore from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had fun reading this enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance. It was a quick read with some levels of depth to its characters. There were humorous parts and also touching moments spread throughout the story, giving it a nice balance.

This cover is a 10 for me. Unfortunately the book was a bit bland and unmemorable. I think there was too much dog talk and not enough romance!

Thank you NetGalley & Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eArc of this funny romance in exchange for an honest review!!!!

Rating: 4/5 stars

I honestly really enjoy good banter in a contemporary romance. It doesn't feel so unbelievable. Mind you, it's a sunshine & grumpy trope. I eat that up. I LOVE IT! The incorporation of dogs and the competition made it even cuter.
We follow Ruby who signs up one of her resident's dog in a canine competition & her love interest Grumpy vet & judge in said competition, Spencer. I love that we get to see how Ruby battles some trauma from when she was younger and some of her own development when facing her family. I like that we get to see into the dynamic duo that is Spencer & Caleb. I do feel that in the beginning of the book I was worried about who was going to be the love interest because 1. they are twins 2. both were flirting with her & helping her 3. the non existent but existent love triangle left me a little disappointed.

I really enjoyed the banter. The hot sex scenes (especially w/ the strokes OH BABY) made this a hit in my book and I'm curious to see if the series will continue. I'm curious to see who will get the HEA next!

If you enjoy any of the popular cont. romances from authors like Lyssa Kay Adams or Tessa Bailey, you will enjoy this one!!

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca & Netgalley for the advanced egalley.


I Hate You More was a cute enemies to lovers romance set around a dog show. Our leading lady, Ruby is a former pageant Queen determined to make golden retriever Weezy a winner at the West Canine Classic. The judge, Spencer is the grumpy handsome judge who stands in her way. Weezy is a chonky boy who does what he wants and he basically steals the show, or book. I liked the premise, setting and the steamy times. The book felt like it read pretty quick and short so I felt like there could have been a few more scenes added in to flesh it out.

Sidenote: I love when heroines have elderly friends that are always up to something. Makes me think of my nana. ❤️

I was also very excited to read that Spencer has a bulldog named Caesar. My one problem with this storyline was that Caesar loved his owners twin more than him and Spencer will do whatever it takes to make those he loves happy, so he basically gives Caesar to his brother telling him he loves you more anyways. As much of a dog lover that Spencer is I would have liked to see him fight for Caesar’s love.

Also, can I request more Bulldogs in romance please?! With more page time.

3.5 stars! This is another romcom I would reccomend for dog lovers! I apologize for the long rambling run on sentence review this turned out to be.

the premise of this book was really intriguing, a rather grumpy dog show judge and a former beauty queen that is determined to win a dog pageant with a crazy golden retriever named Weezy.

I have never read a book liked this before, with such a big focus on dogs. I really enjoyed it!

this book was a good enemies-to-lovers book, with a lil bit of ✨spice✨ added into the mix!!! i liked this book, however after around the 60% mark i felt a bit bored and wasnt as invested in the book as much - hence the 3.5 rather than 4 ⭐️ nonetheless, definitely do recommend this book! i did enjoy it ☺️

I am not sure I was aware of Danger Words. ;) hmmm 

Ruby, a former child beauty pageant star is now taking care of a group of retired seniors at a care center. I love whenever senior characters are in stories they always add an extra pizazz and hilarity that only older people that realize that there are no f#cks left to give can give.

Well she has been tasked to enter one of their geriatric dogs into a local dog show. And here comes the grumpy host that is a stickler to rules but his carefree twin who thinks Ruby is gorgeous backed him into a corner.

This book was so cute. So many family issues and growth from some preconceived notions that were so wrong.

Do you ever think your parents or family care more about a sibling or don't care enough? But then find out later they assumed you were more than capable and were "favoring" another cause you didn't need the help it seemed. But we all need care and love whether we look like we do or not. 

Ruby was born with drop dead gorgeous looks and she either gets handouts or gets hit on. The challenge that Spencer, the attractive vet dog show judge, is too good to pass up. It gives her the motivation she hasn't had since her pageant days (but she also has a form of PTSD from those days too). Beauty is a blessing and a curse. You can't really live a normal life without thinking someone has an ulterior motive. But can she really complain when she hit the genetic lotto?

Totally enjoyed this book and the duct tape dare was so freaking steamy. Hmm 💡

The side characters were great! I also will do favors for anyone if they will watch my children for 48 hrs. The elderly women with their erotica book club and edibles- can I join at least the book club? And Spencer's twin Caleb was so charming but so opposite the uptight buttoned to the throat Spencer. And those buttons all down up were doing it for Ruby 🔥🔥

Thank you sourcebookscasa and netgalley for e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

It's more amusing and sweeter than I imagined, and it's a quicker read. Also, the cover is great! It's a must-read for everyone looking for a short, gripping, feel-good romance!

Fans of enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine tropes, and dogs will devour this book! I Hate You More is a hysterical romcom that feels fresh and original. The banter between Ruby and Spencer is great as well as the overall banter between all of the characters in this book. The chemistry between Ruby and Spencer jumps off the pages from the first time they meet. I do appreciate that for a romcom, a big part of the story was Ruby trying to find herself and realize that she is more than just a former pageant queen.

I really like that within the overall plot, there are some family dynamics thrown in that help add to the plot. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and had fun reading it.

3.5/5 stars

Ruby Taylor grew up on the pageant stage, but as soon as she turned 18 she quit and never looked back. That is until one of the senior residents at Ruby’s work begs her into entering their dog in an upcoming dog show. Weezy, a golden retriever, is absolutely hopeless— he refuses to listen and would rather just lay around all day.

When Ruby shows up with Weezy for sign ups, Sam Wilson, a veterinarian and one of the judges, advises her she should save herself the time and quit now. Ruby refuses to be overlooked and her competitive nature takes over. How dare someone, especially a man, assume she’s just a beauty queen. Ruby will do whatever it takes to train Weezy, even if it means working with a dog trainer who just so happens to be Sam’s twin brother.


This was so cute and such a quick read. I really enjoyed the competitive nature between Ruby and Sam, as well as the obvious tension. The banter between the two is so satisfying to read as well.

Read if you like:
• GRUMPY SUNSHINE trope
• enemies/hate to lovers trope
• a strong woman proving herself
• DOGS
• a man who is good with children/animals
• dual POV (third person)

Enemies to lovers, cute dogs, grumpy sunshine. This book has a bit of everything! I found the chemistry and feelings between Ruby and Spencer super relatable. I was rooting for them from the get go! This is a slow burn, but the banter between the two MC’s and the wittiness of the story really bring it all together. A great, lighthearted rom com! *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.