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3.5 stars - An interesting story with good main characters and some funny moments, this book was an enjoyable listen. As with most rom coms, there were some frustrating "miscommunications" and character behaviors, but overall not too much. Loved the dog!

This book was a sweet read. There was low drama a bit of steam and the characters were likeable. The narrator was awesome! This is a book that I’m glad I read but wouldn’t necessarily be a reread for me.

A romcom with all the doggies - you know I was all over this one! I listened to I Hate You More as an audiobook, and it was such a fun listen!

Ruby is a former pageant queen, but is now a nurse’s aide at a retirement home. But when one of those residents asks Ruby to show dog at the local dog show, Ruby breaks out her former beauty queen tricks.

The only problem standing in Ruby’s way is Spencer - who runs the dog show and is set on keeping her dog, Wheezy out of the show.

I couldn’t help but love the dynamic between Caleb and Spencer, and Spencer and Ruby. Oh, and Mrs. Orson stole every scene she was in.

This was perfect light, summer reading - not too heavy, not too steamy (a little steam), and not too serious.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

When Ruby Taylor tries to register her friend’s dog for the West Coast Canine Classic, she has no idea what’s she getting herself into. And judge Spencer Wilson has no idea what his dog show has opened itself up for.

Ruby can see that Mrs. Orson’s golden retriever Wheezy is not a champion dog, but when she was trying to register him, and that judge acted like neither Wheezy nor she were good enough for his precious show, Ruby knew that she had to bring her A-game. She spent 18 years in beauty pageants, so she knows what it takes to be a winner. She just has to take this lazy dog, put him on a diet and exercise regime, and get him some dog training, and they should be golden. And when the judge’s twin brother Caleb hands her his business card, Ruby takes it. He’ll know just what it will take for Wheezy to win that dog show.

Spencer, meanwhile, can’t help but feel stunned. He had never seen such a beautiful woman, or a dog so unsuited for an AKC-approved dog show. But he couldn’t say no to Ruby. He didn’t want to say no to Ruby. He really wanted to say no to Wheezy though. But if she can get him in shape, and teach him how to present himself at the show, then she deserves to have a shot. And it will be good for Caleb to have something else to do.

As the weeks go by, with Wheezy on a diet and Ruby taking him for long walks, through training sessions with Caleb, Ruby isn’t seeing enough change in him to win the show. But every time she happens to see Spencer, she knows she can’t give up. She has to win that dog show, to prove what she can Wheezy can do. To prove that she hasn’t lost her edge. But she also can’t deny her growing attraction to him. And when she finds herself alone with him, things heat up quickly.

Spencer knows that it’s not a good idea for his, as a judge, to get involved with a woman who is showing a dog at the show, but he can’t help himself around her. She is gorgeous, yes, but she’s also smart and determined. He has spent so much of his life being the responsible twin, being the strong one, the one who follows the rules. Now he just wants to follow his heart, but he’s not sure he knows how to do that. So when he offers to fix the dog show so that Ruby and Wheezy win, he’s following his heart. But when she turns against him, he can see he did the wrong thing. But what was it? And how can he possibly make things right with Ruby?

I Hate You More is a steamy rom com all about competition, dogs, and finding your passion. Told in alternating viewpoints of Ruby and Spencer, this fun love story by author Lucy Gilmore, known for adding dogs into her rom coms, is charming and fun.

I listened to the audio book for I Hate Your More, and the chapters are narrated by Macy Sterling and Alex Knox alternatively. Having two narrators add to the heat and the laughs of this book, creating extra tension and interest with their growing attraction to each other. I thought both narrators did an excellent job finding the voice of their character, although there are some scenes that are not safe for work, so be careful when and how you listen to this one.

I really enjoyed I Hate You More. Ruby is a very strong character, even if Wheezy steals all her scenes. But this is a fun book with lots of heat, more than a few laughs, and a couple of cheeseburgers to help with motivation.

A copy of the audiobook for I Hate You More was provided by Dreamscape Media through NetGalley, with many thanks, but I liked it so much I bought the ebook for myself.

I had huge hopes for this book as it sounded so interesting and the dog on the cover is absolutely adorable. However, I struggled so much with the audiobook and liking these characters. It started out so strong but after awhile it just became too dull.

Umm… I’m not sure how I feel about this.

I don’t know, there was something about this book I couldn’t 100% vibe with. But at the same time, I also liked some aspects of the story.

For example, I enjoyed reading about some of the dynamics, especially between Ruby and Caleb (Spencer’s twin brother), and also Eva. Though I gotta admit, Wheezy was the cutest golden retriever I’ve read about in a book. And I was more interested in Spencer and following his storyline with Caleb. I wasn’t on board with their dynamic at first, but as the book progressed I warmed up to them.

What I didn’t appreciate was how awful some characters were to Ruby, especially Mrs. Orson, Ruby’s patient. I couldn’t stand her manipulative and deceitful behaviour to get Ruby to do her bidding; like that pissed me off so much, I couldn’t stand it.

However, Ruby wasn’t the easiest to like. Her competitive nature came off as rather rude and I couldn’t buy into her need to win this dog show (Wheezy wasn’t ever her dog, she was forced to enter by Mrs. Orson, Wheezy’s owner). I also couldn’t relate to her beauty pageant history, so maybe that’s why, but I was still annoyed with Ruby’s character. Also, why did everyone keep mentioning how beautiful Ruby was?! It was literally every time they were talking about her and how much Spencer liked her. Like we get it, she’s the most beautiful girl you’ve ever seen; just don’t mention it a million times.

Lastly, Spencer and Ruby’s romance did nothing for me. There was no flavour, no spice, no true chemistry between them. They had no real reason to hate each other either. So their romance fell flat for me.

I would recommend this if you enjoy reading about loveable dogs and vanilla-a** couples.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Woof. I just wasn't connected to these characters or the storyline as much as I would have liked. It didn't feel multidimensional, and at some times felt like I was trying to just get through it. This is one of those storylines that sometimes bugs you because one tiny misunderstanding becomes a hate-to-love trope. But I didn't sense any real hatred even at the beginning of the feud. It just wasn't my favorite, and won't be at the top of my list for recommendations.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was cute. I'm a romantic & I love a good romance.

Although it is not appropriate for my middle school readers, I really enjoyed this audiobook. What's not to love about romance and golden retrievers??

4.5 this was way spicier than I anticipated! I loved it! The dog aspect is adorable and I really love Spencer and Caleb.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. Hmm was not a fan of this book. The story itself could have been cute and I liked it when I started it but as the book went on it just went down hill for me. The language is strong and it was just unrealistic in parts of it.

I love enemies to lovers and steamy books. This had the right amount of steam and great characters.

I enjoyed the audiobook and felt that the narrators did a great job.

Ruby's friend at the senior living home was my favorite!.

Thanks to netgalley for the gifted audibook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is just fine, but nothing too special. I like the heroine's history of her being a beauty queen, rather than another ugly duckling story. I had a hard time getting a sense of the hero, or understanding his motives. This follows a pretty typical contemporary enemies to lovers. I would recommend it to people looking for more of that, but I didn't particularly enjoy it.

An enemies-to-lovers rom-com about a dog show? Say no more! There’s nothing I love more than doggie sidekicks (even the stubborn ones), and a dog show seemed like a fresh new setting that I was bound to enjoy.

Ruby had great banter with pretty much all the other characters. She was clever and snarky, and I really liked how she handled herself. Mrs. Orsen was my favorite side character–I adore interesting older women, and she and her nursing home friends were a hoot.

Caleb and Spencer’s relationship was comically dysfunctional. Their method of dividing the house is definitely something my brother and I would do if we lived together. Spencer reads romance novels for research a la The Bromance Book Club.

And I have to admit, after a slow start, this book got surprisingly hot! Beware, this isn’t just a cutesy closed-door rom-com. I can’t tell you how many cringeworthy sex scenes I’ve read, but this one was actually steamy in a good way. (Although, I take umbrage with the number of times the author used the word “mons”. This is not a sexy term. I’m at a count of three. I told Pat and now he won’t stop whispering “mons” whenever we’re in the same room.) Other than “mons”, though, the sex scenes were great.

Audio Review: This rom-com was read by a cast of two, Alex Knox and Macy Sterling. I liked both the male and female narrators. Both did a good job of varying their voices for different characters, and their diction was clear and easy to understand. I thought Macy was the perfect fit for Ruby’s character with just the right amount of snark added to her inflections. I haven’t listened to anything else by either of these narrators, but I would be happy to listen to them again in the future. Top points to the audio production!

“Life is so much better when you live it on your own terms.”

This was funny and cute! The characters relatable and story was easy to follow along. Writing was smooth and kept you engaged.

This book did not work for me. The beginning was so convoluted that I was rolling my eyes. I had no real connection with either character. I found myself skimming pages in a race to finish.

I Hate You More. By Lucy Gilmore, Narrators: Alex Knox & Macy Sterling. 2021. Dreamscape Media, LLC (ARC audiobook).

I very fun romance to listen too. Narrators are versatile and fitting for their characters.

this was a very nice and light audiobook. i really liked the narration and everything was very well put together.

as far as plot goes, it started off really well. The story follows Ruby, an ex pageant queen, currently working at a nursing home, who agrees to enter a residents dog, Wheezy, in a canine competition, the problem is that Wheezy is a very lazy golden retriever.

Enter, Spencer, the towns vet and one of the competitions jury. it was hate a first sight. i really enjoyed the banter at the beginning of the book, but men, i really was thrown by a particular smutty scene half way through the book. the pacing and motives were just weird after it.

overall it was an ok read. nothing i hated too much about it, but it just wasn't perfect for me.

All of the stars. I loved this story. I loved Ruby so much, and Wheezy was by far the star in my opinion. I'm a sucker for dogs in books, so this had me hook line and sinker. The narrator was wonderful, and I really enjoyed listening to this story. Definitely one I will pick up and add to my bookshelves!