**4.5 Stars**

Let me preface this review by saying I am a dog lover, and I’m incredibly close with my grandmother, who lives in senior housing, so, in many ways, it felt like Lucy Gilmore wrote this book just for me! It’s a surprising contemporary romance with a former pageant queen heroine turned senior citizen nurse’s assistant and an uptight veterinarian hero.

While on the surface, I HATE YOU MORE is just another rom-com-y adversary to lovers romance, this book seriously delivers on humor and depth. When heroines are so incredibly beautiful, people stop in their tracks to stare; the battle for me to like them is uphill. But somehow, Gilmore pulls off an extremely likable and imperfect heroine in Ruby. She’s hard-working, a little too competitive, and cares a whole lot about the people she works for. She is the perfect foil for our starchy perfectionist hero, Spencer.

This book featured two tropes I usually dislike in romance: deception and twins flirting with the same person. Both tropes resolved in unexpected ways that made me glad I decided to take a chance on this book. I was absolutely expecting the conflict to end a certain way with both tropes, and I was absolutely wrong about both – and that made the book even more fun to read!

With a quirky, loving cast of characters, a hilariously stubborn dog, and some steamy romance sprinkled in, this book was refreshing, engaging, and I found myself laughing at many of the antics our hero and heroine found themselves in. I loved rooting for Ruby and Spencer (and Wheezy the disaster dog).

The only reason I took off a half star was the book seemed to falter a little 2/3 of the way through, dragging just a touch, but it quickly found its footing again, and I adored the happily ever after.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It made me smile, laugh, and feel all the feels. I mean, who doesn’t love an uptight hero who has to unbend for a chaotic heroine? Catnip! Highly recommend.

**I received a free copy of this book in order to provide an honest review**

Any dog show fans?

I Hate You More 🎧
By: Lucy Gilmore
Narrators: Alex Knox, Macy Sterling
Publisher: @dreamscape_media
Download: @netgalley

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for access to this audiobook.

My Review
⭐️⭐️

This book started out humorous and had potential to be a more engaging storyline. I thought okay an ex beauty pageant champ Ruby Taylor now acting as a handler for a hopeless Golden Retriever in a dog show, sounded fun and interesting. I also thought it would be cute to see a romance unfold between Ruby and one of the dog show judges, Spenser Wilson. The awkward attraction between Ruby and Spencer, along with their interactions were nothing steamy and exciting IMO. Thankfully Macy Sterling’s narration helped me get through the story.

Description
Ruby Taylor gave up pageant life the day she turned eighteen and figured she'd never look back. But when an old friend begs her to show her beloved Golden Retriever at the upcoming West Coast Canine Classic, Ruby reluctantly straps on her heels and gets to work. If only she knew exactly what the adorably lazy lump of a dog was getting her into. If there's one thing veterinarian Spencer Wilson knows in this world, it's dogs. Human beings are an entirely different animal—especially stubborn, gorgeous women clearly in way over their heads. As a judge for the local dog show, Spencer advises Ruby to quit while she still can, but her old fervor for winning has returned—and she's determined to show the stern, broody-eyed judge that she's more than just a pretty face.
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#maeroxwanders #audiobook #audiobookreviews #NetGalley #DreamscapeMedia

Retired beauty queen, Ruby Taylor easily accepts the challenge of training and preparing her older friend’s Golden Retriever, Wheezy for a local dog show. As she gets in line to register Wheezy, she meet grumpy dog show judge, Spencer Wilson, who tells her to give up because that dog is not a pure bred or show dog material. Ruby trained her entire life for beauty pageants and determines to win no matter what Spencer says. How hard can dog training be?

I Hate You More is an adorable enemies to lovers romantic comedy I enjoyed listening to immensely. The red hot chemistry that slow burns between Ruby and Spencer is delicious, along with the smart, witty banter they share.

The audiobook was great but the story and I didn’t mesh well. While I loved the premise and the story did sweep me away, it wasn’t one that dug it’s claws in to me. I would recommend it but wouldn’t put it in my re-read pile.

What attracted me to this book was the pet angle. I love dogs and dog shows and was hoping this would be like the Hallmark movie about the judge and the owner. There was some of that, but it was mostly awkward dialogue and steamy interludes that didn't make sense to me in the context of the story. I think the author was going for the hate-sex attraction, but it fell short and was very cringy, in my opinion. I wonder if I would have had a different opinion if I had read it instead of listening to the audio.

I enjoyed the book, but it felt a bit slow. The dog show aspect was great and I loved how it mainly revolved around that. I feel like the romance between H and h could of bloomed more.

I LOVED the narrators! Alex and Macy did an amazing job.

I flew through this audio. It was such a sweet and easy listen. Dogs. Dog shows. Hot twin brothers. What more could one ask for.

The title of this one confused me a bit. I don't think Ruby ever hated Spencer but they had an interesting banter going back and forth. She surprised me on more than one occasion.

Her friend at the nursing home was by far my favourite character. As a nurse who has worked in long term she had me laughing.

I was a bit disappointed by this book. The premise sounded cute enough, but the characters weren't very engaging for me. Like other reviewers, I initially thought this might be a love triangle story between Ruby and the two brothers, and I was relieved when that wasn't the case. Ruby was my favorite character by far. I just wish overall that there had been more. More chemistry, more of an obstacle for them to overcome, more depth to the characters, something. It was a bit boring, to be honest. Not ruling out Lucy Gilmore in the future, but I'm reticent to recommend this particular book of hers.



Thank you to #Netgalley and #DreamscapeMedia for providing me with a complimentary ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

I was excited to read this, however it fell a little short over all. I enjoyed it, but this wasn’t one of the authors better books in my opinion. I think the star of the book is Wheezy, the dog. Over all Spencer and Ruby had great chemistry. I would love to read a story about Spencer’s brother.

I received this ARC through #netgalley and I am voluntarily reviewing this book

While predictable, this book was fun. I loved the dog show and the pageant aspect. A good enemies to lovers is definitely also a favorite. I enjoyed the audiobook and the narrator.
I loved the side characters so much and would totally love spin offs of both the brother and the old lady (I cannot remember their character names.)
There were points where I thought the description of a pageant contest and women in general were not done very well, but as someone who did not really participate in pageants, I do not have the best inside view. I could see this possibly being an issue for some readers.

this is a cute enemies to lovers book but there were a lot of issues with pacing imo. the way their relationship develops has a weird pace. i did really like both the characters. ruby is a former beauty queen turned cna and spencer is a local veterinarian/dog show judge. spencer is such a good brother and a really well developed character. the side characters were also enjoyable as well and i would read their books if they get one.

I hate you more is an enjoyable romp of a contemporary romance featuring a former beauty queen with a chip on her shoulder and a heart of gold, two couldn't-be-more-different-even-though-they-look-the-same gorgeous twin brothers, several precocious dogs and kids as well as a few ancillary characters who spur the main characters on.

This enemies-to-lovers themed romance has at it's base premise a kind-hearted lady with an "untrainable" dog whom she wishes to show in an upcoming canine contest. She is determined to win and finds herself at odds with the gorgeous veterinarian/dog show judge who can't resist a challenge. Sparks fly, hijinks ensue, and love blossoms (even if the main characters are slow to see it) in this clever and funny book. Chapter 9 and Chapter 12 are decidedly steamy.

The narrators did a wonderful job with the content and the various characters in the book. I found myself enjoying driving around and spending a little extra time in the car just to listen to their engaging voices.

I listened to the audiobook, provided to me as a courtesy by Dreamscape Media through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity!

This one was just pure FUN. Ruby was forced into pageants as a child by her mother and now that her sash has been hung up she is working at an assisted living home and when one of the residents cons her into entering her dog into the local pageant what can she do but go all in. Wheezie is definitely not pageant material, she is overweight, doesn't listen to commands, and parentage is questionable at best but Ruby is determined. Spencer who is not only the local vet but also a judge does everything to keep Wheezie from being entered but when Caleb, his twin, steps in and volunteers to train Wheezie, all bets are off. Sibling rivalry just adds to this rom-com and the banter between Ruby and Spencer and Spencer and Caleb and oh-wee the chemistry between Ruby and Spencer and this one was a hit from the start! I loved this one!

This was a cute love story revolving around 2 dog lovers. The alternating points of view provide 2 sides to the same story. In this audiobook, I especially liked how the voices of each of the characters switch in the narration.

✨I don't understand why books keep handing me hot doctors while having the audacity to make them fictional✨

This book is described as a mix of The Hating Game and Best in Show and I think that is a great description of this book.

I definitely enjoyed this book, it was a fun, easy, short read that I think any lover of the enemies to lovers trope will enjoy.

Tropes:
- enemies to lovers
- slow burn
- great chemistry & banter
- strong heroine
- grumpy, hot veterinarian hero

Before I even begin the review, there is a group of old women in here who read erotica. If that doesn't have you picking up this book, I don't know what else to say to you.

I had initially requested this book because I love the artist who made the cover and I will read any of the books she illustrated. I am so glad I picked up this book.

It is a great slump buster. I have been in an awful book slump because I just keep getting sick and I have been having a really rough college semester. So when I picked up the audiobook for this, I really needed a pick me up. this book gave me exactly that.

It is chalk-full of humor and wit while also being emotional a real a times.

I loved all the animals in this book. They were so stinkin adorable.

Ruby was such a wonderful character. Normally, I am very apprehensive about reading about stunningly perfect white women as main characters because they are so different from who I am and everyone around them is always singing their praises that it honestly begins to pluck at my insecurities. But Ruby was so self aware and so badass. I never felt out of place or insecure when I read this book. I loved her as a main character.

And Spencer. Ooooh Spencer. His forearms and grumpiness had me blushing. I love emotionally constipated men who learn how to open up and be loved.

I enjoyed the steam in this book, it definitely made it more enjoyable when I was listening to it on audiobook.

While I did enjoy the book, I will admit that the book had many meh parts. I think I enjoyed this book because I really just needed a simple, uncomplicated book. It definitely was boring at some points. There were some subplots and conflicts that I felt were unnecessary as well.

I would definitely recommend this book, just keep in mind that it can get a little meh sometimes. But for me, the meh parts of the book actually worked at times because I was in such a bad reading slump, I needed something that wasn't doing the most.

If you can pick up the audiobook, I would suggest that route of reading the book as it certainly made the book more entertaining for me.

⭐⭐⭐.5/stars | 🌶🌶.5/ 5 steam

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca, NetGalley, and Lucy Gilmore for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion ❤️

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for my copy of I Hate You More by Lucy Gilmore in exchange for my honest review.

I was very excited for this one after I had seen it compared to The Hating Game and that it has dogs in it. But the romance feel flat and felt forced for me. I had planned to push through it and finish it, but after that steamy scene in Spencer's house about half way through, I just couldn't do it. That scene felt to awkward and there was not enough build up for it for me. It turned me off from finishing it.

However, I was enjoying the narration by Alex Knox and Macy Sterling, and that played not part in me not finishing the book.

I will not share a review on retail outlets since I was not able to finish the entire book.

Under different circumstances, I would have DNFed this book, but I personally would find it disrespectful to do so for an ARC. Unfortunately, this book was painful to get through. The concept behind the story is playful and comedic, but in execution, the characters are very two-dimensional. The main character lies to the male love interest for almost the entirety of the book, and when he finds out, he just accepts it, finds it endearing, then offers to throw the entire dog show competition in order to offer her an unearned victory.

I wanted more of a deep dive into Spencer's life doing house calls as a veterinarian. I wanted more of an insider's perspective into Ruby working as a nurse tech in a geriatric healthcare environment. Those are manageable additions to the story without bringing down the lighthearted, rom-com nature into serious-romantic-drama territory.

On the bright side, the audiobook narrators were rather enjoyable. I love receiving audiobook copies of books whenever and however I can get my hands on them!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with a free audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

While I enjoyed this book, there were quite a few things that knocked down the rating. One is really not the fault of the author at all. I just couldn't get over the lead character's name being Spencer. My boss' name is Spencer so it was really hard to separate that from the book. Again not the author's fault at all. The other issue I had was some terminology used in the steamy scenes just took me right now of it. It made the scene weird and awkward. There were other little things about the plot like how she was hiding her job from him but it was obvious that he would not have cared once he started having feelings for her. The way they also had to have their "breakup" moment also felt weird and out of character for Spencer. I did love the banter between the characters though. the narrators were really good too. I did enjoy the audiobook outside of the few things I had issues with.

Meh. This was just okay. It was a quick listen - the narrators were fine. I didn’t really like the characters, and the love story was unbelievable. It just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to @NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media for my ARC!

I Hate You More
by Lucy Gilmore
Narrated by Alex Knox, Macy Sterling

I received an audiobook galley of this book from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by this author who apparently has a number of other dog oriented contemporary romances. I do love a dog in a book myself. The main dog in this book is named Weezy and Weezy is hilariously untrainable but loveable anyhow.

Our hero is a buttoned up, rule following veterinarian (I pictured that dancing vet from all the tik tocks but in a dress shirt) who also runs a dog show with his fellow vets.

Our heroine is a former beauty queen who has lost her inner sparkle and while she loves her job assisting the residents of a nursing home and they love her - entering Weezy - one of the residents pets into a dog show at the residents request may be just the push she needs to find her direction and sparkle once again.

The interactions between these two are endearing and sometimes surprising. Especially the first steamy scene. 😉 They’re rather different people but surprisingly they each recognize in the other the key to getting out of their funk and to enjoy life better together.

This was a fun and funny steamy romance audiobook with plenty of heart and self discovery through the story arcs. The narration was excellent. 5/5.