Favorite Quotes:

She’d snogged boys before, obviously. Gareth Roland, who’d tasted of cheese-and-onion crisps. Wayne– she’d never found out his last name– who’d stuck his tongue so deep into her mouth she thought she might choke. Vaughan Black, who she’d had the most enormous crush on but who’d groped her so enthusiastically he’d snapped her bra strap, and she’d had to spend the rest of the night clutching her left boob against her side with her elbow.

‘You can’t feed prawns to random cats! What if it had a shellfish allergy?’ ‘A cat with a shellfish allergy? Come on. What next– vegan, paleo, keto cats?’ ‘Aren’t all cats basically keto?’ ‘Yeah, I guess. But only some of them bang on about it endlessly to their mates.’

… how many relationships could withstand one partner telling the other he was so far up his own arse he needed a candle to read his emails…

It had been the long, grueling, unsuccessful process of trying to procreate that had stopped me feeling like a desiring, desirable, sexual person and made me feel like an egg-laying chicken in a battery farm– except my eggs were no good, and I’d get turned into pet food even sooner than my fertile sister chickens.

If the recipe for a happy marriage was barely being able to say a civil word to each other, I reckoned they’d nail it.

My Review:

Although I never dealt with the same unresolved issues as this couple, I identified with their plight. I would bet good money that the vast majority of couples who managed to stay married for a few decades have struggled, to varying degrees, with a sense of red hot disappointment in how parts of their lives together panned out, I know I certainly have. And kudos to those of us who made it through to the other side once dealing with the ennui, raging inner diva of entitlement, and the dawning realization that this is it so you better get with the program. And gold stars to those of us able to make the jump to maybe it’s not all on him or even about the annoying habits that trigger sudden warp speed jumps in blood pressure.

This was my first time reading Sophie Ranald and I applaud her clever use of humor, sensitivity, and surprising insight in dealing with several prickly issues that aren’t widely discussed. The characters’ independent and united journeys contained a few potholes and landmines that aren’t all that uncommon but can weigh heavily and turn nasty on a dime. The storylines were laced together with comedic descriptions as well as real-life issues while cast with characters that were well fleshed out, multi-faceted, and quick-witted with sassy banter and snarky observations. Ms. Ranald persuasively captured their peaks and valleys and day-to-day travails exceptionally well and deftly framed them with a surprising poignancy while still maintaining an engaging, entertaining, and amusing tale.

The main character of Abbie wasn’t always likable and could be rather horrid and quite the madam, but that is what made her true to life as don’t we all have our moments? I confess to having my share, and most of someone else’s as well. I adored her patient husband Matt and held my breath for fear he would decide he’d had enough of Abbie’s self-involved orientation and distance. But she was also making an effort and saw the potential as she replayed her memories and retraced their steps. I enjoyed the trek through their story and have added Ms. Ranald to my list of new favorites.

This is a story of falling in love again. Matt and Abby’s relationship has gone stale. They are more roommates than husband and wife. Abby is determined to turn her marriage around.

I absolutely loved this book. It is a sweet book and the perfect light read. I love Matt and Abby’s relationship when the past peaks through. The story has flashbacks, which add to the story and highlights their relationship. If you are looking for a feel good book you will have any to add this to your TBR pile!

Unfortunately for this genre, this book left a lot to be desired. Abbie left me absolutely unimpressed. Because this is simply her point of view, the plot suffers, and I felt like she wasn't very nice or sympathetic of her husband's situation. For example, when she eventually exposes the major news, she is nasty and unempathetic to her husband's sentiments, then has the nerve to go bitch to her buddy group about how he requested for time to cope with the secret as if he isn't permitted time to deal with a life-changing secret. Without his point of view, Abbie appears selfish and awful. Finally, this book has a propensity to get tedious and drag. While flashbacks can be useful, some are excessively long, especially when they are repeated throughout the novel.

I really enjoyed reading this.
It was my first book by this author so I didn't know what to expect.
I think I liked it because I could see some parts of my marriage in it. It was quite mind-boggling, to be honest. I could relate with a lot of things.
The writing was really good, there were many emotional moments, but also some funny ones.

I'm going to circle back to this review, because I need to process the book a bit more and put my thoughts in order.

this was a cute read but I definitely had higher expectations after reading the description.
First of all, the title is completely random. Abbie and Matt DO NOT HATE EACH-OTHER. They've been dating for 20 years so the romance is stale. that's it.
So, yeah, my biggest pet-peeve is that the title is misleading, especially for people who don't want to know too much about the book before they read it (like me).
in this case I knew what the book was about because I requested an ARC on Net-Galley so I wasn't really surprised, but still.
The cover is also misleading (there's a couple fighting), but Matt and Abbie almost never fight. And their fights are... chill. like there's no screaming etc... (which is fine and healthy... but that's not what's on the cover).
I feel like this novel was based on the author's personal experiences (or her friends' experiences) because there was stuff that was VERY specific, like Abbie being chased by cows? how do you come up with that? or the fact that Matt gifted her RATS on her birthday. like, come on. that's straight out of a nightmare. if that had happened to me, you would see a Vitt-shaped hole in the wall because there's no WAY I'm staying in a relationship with someone that gifts me RATS.
plus the author uses english slang CONSTANTLY. Like, I get it, you're english, that's how your characters speak, it just gets cringey after a bit, that's all.
Anyway, I love second chance romances so I overall enjoyed this book, but still, there was something missing for me (hence the 3 stars). If you love second chance romances and like reading books set in England, this one's for you. I also think it's perfect for readers that enjoy reading romances that are kinda chill. Like there is no spice (except for one scene at the end that is literally one page long so not much). the couple is CHILL. there's no other way to say it. They're the kind of couple that got together when they were in high school and are still together now, and basically think that everyone is jealous of their romance, when people actually roll their eyes when they say things like "my husband was my first! ehehe". you know exactly what I mean. If you don't know, it means YOU are part of the annoying couple.
As I said, I received an arc copy on NetGalley, this has not influenced my rating or my review whatsoever.

I don’t understand the title for this book. Never did the two main characters ever seem to hate each other.

P.S. I Hate you is about two high school sweethearts that are struggling in their marriage. Abbie realizes something has to change in order to save her marriage with Matt.

After confiding in her friends, Abbie’s start to reliving past experiences with Matt to reignite their love for each other.

P.S. I Hate You missed the mark for me. It was slow and a little on the boring side. This book is probably helpful for someone who is also questioning their marriage and looking for help to save their relationship.

Also, I wanted I was hoping more for the ending. It landed flat for me.

⚠️ trigger warning: infertility and miscarriage

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a couple of P.S. I Hate you in return for an honest review

I absolutely loved this book. It spoke to my soul. If you’ve ever been stuck in a rut or your life has felt stale you’ll find something in here to identify with! Funny and uplifting.

tw: Miscarriage tw: infertility

I've read a few of Sophie Ranald's previous books, so I was excited to get the chance to read her latest.

First up, this is a second chance romance, heavy on flashbacks, with a married couple, so if that isn't your thing, this might not be for you. Personally, I thought the flashbacks really added to the narrative, especially as this was a couple who'd been together for such a long time. The OO's nostalgia was strong, which I personally loved.

I don't understand why this particular title was used though, because this wasn't really an enemies to lovers. More a bored, stale relationship that needed a spark. I found the first third a little slow, but this was a slow-burning rekindling romance, with Abbie and Matt having to navigate all of the ennui and unresolved pain that people who have been together for so long naturally bring to their everyday lives.

I liked that Abbie's friends were rooting for the couple, and throughout, I never doubted Matt's love, and would have loved to have read some of his POV. This was a couple who'd had to find a way through pain, and there was a sweet ending.

Overall Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Heat Rating: 🔥
Emotional Rating: 🥰🥰😭😭😂

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*

(I will also upload my review to Amazon UK on release day.

Abbie is the star of the book., Everything about Abbie and Matt is relatable and you feel for Abbie, I went into this book a little blind but I am so happy I did. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you for the publisher and NetGalley for granting me access to this ARC.
Abbie and Matt have known each other since high school fell in love and stayed together throughout university while their love for each other growing. Now married for 9 years and at the age of 37, Abbie is feeling the spark has died between them. The relationship is cold and clouded by routine and as if they hit the end of the road. Therefore, Abbie's friends suggest she recreate their most loved, precious, and memorable moments between her and her husband maybe it will help ignite their spark again. Will they be able to go through their memories and the past again? Will that help them? Will their relationship survive or is separation the only solution?

The development of the story is so slow, it has potential however I wasn't interested at all and found myself just flipping the pages to reach the end. It wasn't for me but that doesn't mean it's that bad maybe you will love it. It's worth the try.

P.S I hate you was a very easy, laid back read. It’s a storyline you can really relate to if you’re in a long term relationship. I find it’s nice sometimes when you can put yourself in a book and relate with the characters and understand how they feel.

It was a sweet storyline, with a predictable yet welcoming ending. A proper Sunday cosy read .

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.

If you change one thing, you change all. At what point does a relationship sour?

It’s been quite some time since I have stayed up to finish a book (cough years cough). Sometimes that’s actually part of the fun, you get to stretch out the story, making it last infinitely longer than you would have in your younger years. That said it’s 12:51 am where I am, I’m utterly exhausted, but I could not put this book down.

Abbie is at a crossroads in her relationship. It’s one that most of us have experienced at one point or another. Should you stay with the one you’re with? Do you even still love them? At what point was everything so right, and when did it become so wrong? If you could go back, relive your past, change it even, would you? If you changed one thing, you’d change all. What started with a teaspoon turns into a sort of comedy of errors involving Shrimp, a rather adult ad campaign, and the help of a group of girlfriends who aid Abbie as she fights to find the love she had for her husband.

In this book the author challenges the expectations society pressures couples to fulfill, and their individual responsibility in the resulting roles. It covers heartbreak, loss, the fight to keep a love that might already be gone. Do you stay or do you go? You’ll have to read this one to find out one couple’s journey to understanding themselves, each other, and the answer to the inevitable question, “Should I stay or should I go now?”

Abbie and Matt were high school sweethearts. Now twenty years later, it's the little things in a marriage that have Abbie questioning if she still loves her husband: The dirty spoon left on the counter every morning, or the wadded up wet towel on the bathroom floor. And we're not even going to mention the lack of intimacy in the bedroom for much too long! It doesn't help that they're always together,
both work from home at opposite ends of the dining table. With the help of her friends, Abbie comes up with a way to try and rekindle the romance by reliving the best moments from the past. But everything she comes up with just seems to end wrong. And when secrets from the past come out, will anything work to bring them back together?
Marriage is hard! I think every couple hits rocky times and it takes hard work to stay together and not give up. I was laughing at her rage about the spoon because I have my own frustrations in my marriage about the little things and the more you bite your tongue the more the rage festers. I have to admit for the first half of the book I really didn't like Abbie. But after reading about their difficulties, similar to my own, I understood. Matt just seemed oblivious through most of it but in the end you see he realized there was a problem, felt guilty but didn't know how to fix it. The story was emotional, relatable, but just ok for me.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

I unfortunately couldn’t connect with the story. I think this story is a hit or miss. It’s not the common romantic story.

I like that you follow their story and how they fell for each other and how not always there’s an easy path in marriage

P.S I hate you by Sophie Ranald

Rating: 2.9/5

I want to start off and say I did not dislike this book. It just wasn’t for me. This book is not your typical rom-com/romance novel. Yes there are some elite tropes like second-chance romance, some plot points, secrets and cute moments between couples and friends, but this is a realistic story of the truths, complexities and possibilities of young sweethearts and dealing with the idea of not loving them anymore.

I did enjoy both Matt and Abby’s characters and they carried the story for me. They were both assertive, grounded and the chemistry between the 2 was clear through the help of the flashbacks and through the clear writing. I was really rooting for them which was a good sign. There were funny moments which I appreciated and there is a sense of a love story between the 2 if I never connected with the character.

But the thing that fell flat for me was that the plot seemed to be going in circles and I never actually understood what the characters had achieved and how. All I got was that there was a flashback that would pay relevance to the next chapter, Matt and Abby talked, something was brought up, which would lead to arguing and then Abby constantly asking the question: does he love me? I found it sort of pointless after the 4th time.

I would have loved to see some actual clear plot development instead of it either being stand-still or suddenly happening out of the blue and conveniently coming up.

I may not be the target audience for this book (I’m 18 and nowhere close to being married) hence me not enjoying it as much as others so check this out for yourself as you may enjoy it!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Sophie Ranald and the publisher for this eARC.

I received a complimentary copy from Bookouture and thus all opinions expressed are entirely my own

The book follows Abbie and Matt a couple that have been together for the longest. Because they have been together for long ,they find themselves in a stall mate with their romance as they are no longer 'in love'. P.S I Hate You is a story about what it means to truly love someone and what it takes to be in love and remain in love.

Abbie and Matt have been together for 20 years, embodying the ‘perfect couple’ the people around them long to be. But being in a relationship for so long can take its toll on two people, and the spark can die down. With the help of her bestfriends, Abbie will try to save her marriage by launching the ‘Operation Memory Lane’.

If it wasn’t for the book synopsis, I would have been thrown off by the title, because this book is more of the second chance
romance than a lovers-to-ennemies-to-lovers.

This story takes us in all stages of Abbie & Matt’s relationship, from the very first sparks of romance to the daily routine of the couple, and through the happier (and sadder) times. I was expecting a light and funny book, but it brought more than I could have thought. The story gives us an insight of what the weight of society’s expectations of a married couple.
The realness of the characters make this story heartwarming, as we learn more about them through the pages and end up hoping and cheering for Abbie & Matt.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange of an honest review!

Blurb: Matt and Abbie have been together for 20 years. Now they’re both 37 years old, living together & fighting over the most inconsequential things. Abbie will try “Operation Memory Lane”, to remind her husband - and herself - about all the times she loved him and rescue her marriage.

I enjoyed it. It had almost everything I enjoy in a book. It was Witty, funny, and heartfelt. There were very emotional scenes, depth to the characters, and from those as well as other daily & domestic little things that span throughout the course of 20 years, we get to see in a real light what a relationship is all about.

The author did a wonderful job with the main characters, This second chance at romance book is perfect for fans of You Deserve Each Other, Relight my Fire, Landline & People We Meet on Vacation

This is a different take on second chance romances, for sure. The couple is not getting back together. They have been married for 20 years and they are trying to rekindle their relationship. It's one sided though. Matt seems to be fine. Abbie is feeling like she wants to get a divorce because their life has gotten dull. I do not like the title as she never seems to hate him. The title would better fit an enemies to lovers trope. I also feel like it needed more conflict. There is a bit of a serious side to the book because they are struggling to have kids.so beware if infertility is a trigger for you. The timeline bounces around to present and past, which I enjoyed. I really loved all of the sweet, cute moments that they were recreating. I also really loved Abbie's friends. I hope they are in following books. I do recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Bookouture for the ARC! This is my honest opinion. Get this book March 3rd!

Thanks for letting me read this one is was a good second chance romance trying to rekindle a marriage, the flashbacks and forwards were really fun to see how the relationship was before and is now