Great narration, wonderful enemies to lovers romance with a mystery and dangerous adventure embedded in the storyline. Beautiful portrayal of Maine and contrast with the glitz of the Miami area.

I know the premise was far fetched but I enjoyed the book anyway. I mean that is the point of reading right is to experience something different. I’d been reading a lot of psychological thriller type books so this one was a good book to take a break with and read something different. I really like this author and her books written under her other pen names.

A romance story with a dash of spice for those who want a quick light read

Hate Mail revolves around modern-day arranged marriages within high-class families. The main characters must overcome the long tradition of marrying to preserve power and wealth. They start talking through letters when they are very young in an effort to get to know each other but that leads to years of hate mail between them.

A few months before they are supposed to tie the knot, Slade visits Cambell at her home so they can plan the wedding. Knowing about their bitter correspondence over the years, the story moves terribly fast in another direction. The "switch" happens much too fast and feels somehow unrealistic.

"Enemies to lovers" stories are frequent, but when it comes to Hate Mail, the relationship between the characters feels rushed. It feels like there's a lack of development that could have made the story a lot more thrilling. It's hard to see the chemistry between them.

There are a few spicy moments that fans of the genre will enjoy. The book has a good premise and a vivid backdrop. Winter Renshaw is a good writer, but somehow, she didn't get these characters quite right, however, the Papercuts series had the potential to gain a great fan base.

This has so much potential. I really liked the synopsis but the execution fell flat for me. My biggest issue is the transition from not liking each other to being together. It was so abrupt that it completely disrupted the flow of the book for me. There needed to be more build up or at least more acknowledgement that they had some feelings there that were growing. I just couldn’t connect with the relationship after that.

The other family drama that happens toward the end was pretty good. I knew there were hints that something was up but I didn’t see it coming. I was shocked that they did that!

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
I’ve read 1 other book from Winter Renshaw and was a huge fan! I was very excited to read this one! I loved it - I did feel it kept a fast pace, I loved the switch in chapters of reading their letters to each other as kids to the current day. I will say there were some spicy scenes, but nothing that was intense. It wasn’t an out of the park hit, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend!

I loved this book so much.

The author did a great job of weaving in the backstory, using the childhood letters and then filling in the details later.

The bad guy in their story was NOT who I expected it to be, which is always fun.

Yes, it requires some amount of suspension of disbelief, but don't all romances?

I absolutely adore anything Winter writes to be honest. This book kind of fell flat for me. It was a pretty predictable grumpy to love romance that had me rolling my eyes half the time. But it was pretty solid listen cause the voice actors were spot on representations of these characters and their banter. I can admit that Slade sounds really attractive but he’s an utter D BAG that I was ready to punch within a min of meeting him. And Campbell( dumb name btw) was aggravating at times but for sure my favorite character out of the two by a mile. I loved her style and her humor for sure.
For the plot it was really predictable and kind of disappointed me. The love interest is such an ahole that I still don’t like him. A emotionally damaged billionaire with a heart of gold. A little bit if an eye-roll how it was handled with them finally getting together. Kind of unbelievable and unsatisfactory.
I wanted him to actually have to suffer and work for the forgiveness for being a d*ck to Campbell for 20+ years. But it was like, let me read some journal entries and let’s have sex. Now we are good.
Overall a kind of paint by the numbers arranged marriage romance. Would I recommend it? I’m leaning towards no cause the cons outweigh the pros in my opinion. And that ending was just dumb and basic. I won’t be continuing this series.
My rating: 2 stars
Thank you to the folks of NetGalley and Dreamscrape Media for a copy of this book. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings toward this book.

Campbell and Slade have been engaged since infancy. Their families, both incredibly wealthy, still prescribe to the benefits of arranged marriages, even in the 21st century, Slade and Campbell exchanged their first letters as children--but "Dear Campbell, I hate you." isn't an auspicious start. Their letters don't get any kinder over the years, and the story starts about six months before their wedding. In lieu of flashbacks to communicate their relationship, their letters are peppered throughout the story.

Is this a groundbreaking, revelatory, life-changing romance? No. Was is fun? Yes. Was the premise believable? Not really. Does that matter? Also not really. I loved watching the two of them realize that even though they'd been sending each other hate mail for years, they might actually love each other, if given half a chance. There's a dramatic twist at the end, but I'll be honest and say I saw it coming.

I don't use the term "palate cleanser"--I don't like it, and I think it does the genre as a whole a disservice--but if you're looking for a romance to listen to while doing other things--a story that's easy to follow, even if it doesn't get 100% of your attention, Hate Mail by Winter Renshaw is a great option! And the narrators deliver great performances--Nick Mondelli is a great Slade and Fiona Aarington does a wonderful job with Campbell. Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for my ALC. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

I liked this storyline - - it starts as what feels like a basic enemies to lovers but it's so much more in my opinion. Slade and Campbell are told at a young age that they will marry one day. Neither wants to marry the other one and Slade decides if he's rude enough, maybe he can get Campbell to walk away. The problem is his inheritance is tied to this marriage and Campbell's basically is as well. Without their wedding and future children, neither of them will benefit from their family money.

The author does a nice job of developing the characters in a way that helps you to understand their motivations and emotions. Once that happens, I really invested in their story and ultimately the outcome of their relationship. There is so much more to both of them and why they respond the way they do. You just need to get their background history and it starts to make more sense. They were just a couple I had to cheer for.

I received the audiobook for this and found it quite enjoyable. The narration was good and I felt it fit the characters and storyline. Thank you to NetGalley for this early copy. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Hate Mail
Winter Renshaw
Slade Delacorte and Campbell Wakemont were never given a chance to choose their own mate. From the time they were babies their parents arranged their marriage. Their parents had the two children to write letters to each other. Slade did not hesitate to tell Campbell that he hated her. For the most part Campbell made an attempt to be pleasant but not Slade. As they grew older the letters did not improve. On Campbell’s 24th birthday she and Slade were married in the lavish ceremony planned by Campbell’s mother.
I would like to start by discussing the characters. I like Campbell, she had a pleasant personality, however, she allowed everyone to walk all over her, her mother, her father, and her fiancé all treated her like dirt. Slade was difficult to like. He treated Campbell really bad but I couldn’t help but be touched by the love he showed to his father. Now let’s discuss Campbell’s mother. What a selfish mother. She treated Campbell terrible, the scene right before the wedding sealed it for me…this woman was a b***h. Then I have to mention the uncle. I liked him a lot. He was good to Campbell, so I was surprised at the way the author used his character. It didn’t feel right. Ok the guy was sleazy and a heavy drinker but I never thought he was a complete douche.
I kept asking myself why Slade and Campbell went along with the planned marriage. Once we learn about Slade’s mother, we can understand why he agreed to marry someone he doesn’t love and doesn’t even like. My thought is she was brow beat by her parents, especially her mother and did not dare say no.
Slade and Campbell suddenly fell in love. I wanted to see him ask her out to dinner, take her on dates but instead he gave her a book and kissed her… that’s all it took. Once Slade realized he loved Campbell he was careful, protective and passionate. Then the uncle’s situation was just not right.
For the most part this book was predictable. I knew Campbell and Slade would discover they loved each other. I think the arranged marriage bothered me. A couple should find each other and fall in love. I do not think parents have the right to choose a mate for their child.

Imagine knowing your entire life who you were going to marry

Love that idea? Check out HATE MAIL by Winter Renshaw, an enemies to lovers, arranged marriage romance that is filled with wealth, family and so much hate.

I loved the letters written throughout - they really gave a feeling of their level of maturity throughout the years and how they felt about their marriage. Though I would have loved a bit more character development, it was a lovely story that hit the spot.

READ FOR:
💍Arranged marriage
😠Enemies to lovers
💰Billionaire romance
❤️Slow burn
🔥Spicy
⭐4 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC! Opinions are my own

#rochellereadsit

Cute concept, enemies to lovers, conflict at the end felt a bit...rushed? Easy? Nothing too cerebral here. A nice little story but not much depth. Don't expect much and you will enjoy it at face value. The letters themselves were the best part of the book.

The beginning was bumpy, but I got into it. I enjoyed the interspersed penpal letters even if Slade was a total jerk. I appreciated their growth and even non-growth. I wish there was better banter sometimes and more in-person chemistry so we could actually believe when the walls came down...
...WTAF WAS THAT ENDING? First, Slade's about-face made no sense and there was no chemistry to build up and if I was Campbell I'd run screaming when he decided to play nice. But Oliver - did the author tack on a mystery to the end for shits and giggles? That was ridiculous. Just No.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an advanced copy of the audiobook Hate Mail by Winter Renshaw, narrated by Nick Mondelli and Fiona Aarington.

From the moment they were born, Slade Delacorte and Campbell Wakemont were shackled by an old family tradition that had planned their lives together through an arranged marriage. Bound by fate, their parents conceived a peculiar idea to ease their inevitable union - exchanging letters. However, instead of building a connection, Slade chose to pen a venomous letter that set the tone for their uncertain relationship.

Little did they know that their disdain for one another would only complicate matters worse. Against all odds, Campbell finds herself inexplicably drawn to her husband. Yet, Slade remains stubborn, unwilling to relent and open his heart to Campbell's unexpected affection.

Will he be able to put aside his animosity and embrace Campbell's love, or would he forever be consumed by his grudge against his wife?

✨Thoughts✨
The idea of hate mail instantly grabbed my attention. I’ve always been fascinated by the complexities of arranged marriages and the evolution of love from animosity.

Campbell and Slade unwittingly became pen pals, engaging in a continuous exchange of letters despite their aversion towards each other. It was both humorous and heartwarming to witness this unusual connection while their parents orchestrated this outrageous wedding. However, I must admit that I had hoped for more combustible chemistry between them. The letters sizzled with good banter, but once outside the correspondence, they reverted into different people. I realized that this is very relatable to real life since writing is more personal, while face-to-face interactions may give different impressions.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in this audiobook. The narrators did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life, ensuring that the listener is thoroughly entertained.

Overall, this book is perfect for romance lovers who enjoy slow-burn and arranged marriage tropes.

This was a cool twist to the enemies to lovers concept! Born to be married to one another, they were told from a young age that they were promised to each and forced to start writing letters to each other as pen pals to help them get to know one another. Unfortunately, as most 7 year old boys are fans of girls, this pen pal escapade started out as hate mail and soon just became a hate habit. Now that they are actually being forced to walk down the aisle will they or won't they be able to find a way to coexist or even start to like each other? A great premise that was well plotted and interesting characters to add dimension to the story line. Throw in some twists, turns and a nefarious plot twist and you have an interesting and fun book. The audio version really enhanced the story with dual narration to bring the individual characters more fully to reality. It was a fun read, with light spice to entertain and delight the reader for a few hours!

This was...okay. The blurb really caught my attention, as I love a good enemies to lovers, and I loved the idea of writing letters back and forth, but it was a little bland. I did like the letters back and forth. I was expecting it to be a little more spicy, but the slow burn was enjoyable.

This was a really good audiobook. I loved the dual narrators, I felt like they really kept the story going.

Hate Mail is about Slade and Campbell who were betrothed since they were born. Their mother's thought it would be a good idea for them to write letters back and forth for years to get to know each other until they were old enough to marry. Slade was a total jerk the entire time and I'm not sure why Campbell continued to write to him.

The twist at the end was really good because I honestly didn't see it coming. The only reason I didn't rate this higher was because it's just not a memorable book, if that makes sense?

Slade and Campbell have been promised to each other since they were babies. As they grow older, they get to know each other in the form of letters, or hate mail, with neither keen on the union their parents have bestowed on them. I don't know why but I expected this to be a steamy read. Instead, it was much slower paced with more emphasis placed on the character's feelings, with both our duo only connecting at 78% in. I did not mind the slow pace and actually really enjoyed the storyline.

Quick Summary: A love to hate you, love to love you romance

My Review: Hate Mail by Winter Renshaw is book 1 in the Papercuts series. Narration was performed by Nick Mondelli and Fiona Aarington.

About the Book: Slade Delacourt and Campbell Wakemont were promised to each other by their parents before they ever had a chance to explore the concept of love. As a result of their modern day marriage contract, Slade rebelled, opting to send hate mail to Campbell without giving her a chance. She, on the other hand, tried to be civil, understanding, patient, empathetic, and present. No matter how hard she tried to show kindness to Slade, he bucked and treated her horribly. After a great loss and an unfortunate disconnect, things changed. Will these enemies find love before it's too late?

My Final Say: I genuinely liked Slade and Campbell. They were in a peculiar situation, to be sure. Still, it was evident early on that they felt something for one another. Gotta be honest...I didn't expect what happened to them to occur. That climactic ending came out of nowhere. It made for a sweet realization.

Other: The narrators performance was well done. I enjoyed their take on Slade and Campbell's story.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Audiobook: Yes
Series: Yes
Status/Level: 🌶
Narration: +

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley, who granted access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounding down due to plot points I wanted hashed out more. I listened to this entire book during a weekend road trip. I adored the epistolary aspect of this romance. I enjoyed some of the ideas of American royalty. I enjoy a good redemption story and adore hate to love. I never read the author and thought it would be smut but loved the slow burn angle of this one. The sex scenes were tastefully done and I enjoyed them. It got a bit old how perfect and sweet and empathetic Campbell was and how intelligent and observant Slade is. Generally, I enjoyed the binge and losing myself in their story. I know who I want in a future book but it sounds like they might not get a book.