Reading this book was an intense and emotional experience for me. The story of losing a brother and the deep grief that follows was portrayed so vividly that I couldn’t help but feel connected to the characters. The author did an incredible job of capturing the raw pain of such a loss, and I found myself deeply moved by the sister's journey through her grief.

As the story unfolded, I felt a deep connection to the sister as she navigated her way through the unimaginable pain of losing someone so close. Her bond with her friend became a lifeline, a way to cope with the overwhelming sadness. Their journey together wasn’t just a physical one, but an emotional and spiritual quest to find meaning and healing. The way they supported each other, even in their own moments of vulnerability, added a layer of depth to the narrative that I truly appreciated.

What struck me the most was how the book balanced the heaviness of grief with moments of hope and connection. The sister's relationship with her friend provided a sense of solidarity and understanding, showing how important it is to have someone by your side during the darkest times. By the end of the book, I felt a sense of closure, not just for the characters, but for myself as well. It was a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love and friendship to help us heal.

This story stayed with me long after I finished reading. It was heartbreaking, yes, but also a powerful exploration of loss, love, and the journey toward healing. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a deeply moving and thought-provoking read.

A human life is fleeting. We only get so much time before we run out. Sometimes, there is no warning. Sometimes, you get a heads up that the end is inevitable. Either way, death is a reminder of our ticking clock, and often shines a spotlight on what is important, and what is not. This is a theme that has come up a lot in my reading this year, and it strikes home every time. Because we're all alive, and one day, we won't be. What are we going to do with the time we have?

Before Josh Sanderson died of cancer, he wrote some letters to those he left behind. To his mother, his grandmother, and his friends. But to his best friend Dominic and his sister Maddie, he left a task: travel to the last eight states he never got to visit using the coordinates he left, scatter some of his ashes there, and read the letter he left for each place - together. The only problem is, Dominic Perry is the reason Maddie fled PA for the west coast all those years ago. If it were under any other circumstances, Maddie would've told them both to kick rocks, but Josh was the only person in the world who loved her, and she'll do anything read the letters he left.

I think my favorite part of the whole adventure was that Josh didn't spell out his reasons for sending them on their quest, leaving Maddie to speculate what his intentions could possibly have been. She comes up with several theories along the way, each of them making her reconsider everything she thought she knew.

I was pulled in from the very beginning by Maddie's snarky, heartbroken voice. Her backstory is devastating, and she's developed unhealthy coping mechanisms to survive. In the depths of her grief, she clings to them harder than ever, but the journey through the eight destinations illuminates the need for changes.

Dominic is the strong silent type. Through so much of the book, all we really see from him are 'looks'. He's staring at her, he has a strange look on his face, you know the drill. It leaves a lot of room for the reader to project what they want him to be thinking, which is clever. The one complaint I have is that Connolly WAY overused the phrase 'the man', when referring to him, especially at the beginning.

The themes in his book are heavy, but it reads very much like a rom-com. There is plenty of banter to enjoy, and a lot of personal growth for our MC. There is a fun cast of friends which make me hope there might be another book featuring one of them (Tula?) still to come. This was my first Lauren Connolly book, and it certainly won't be my last!

Thank you to Berkley & Netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released on December 3rd, 2024, but it is currently available for pre-order!

ARC Review: PS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly
Pub Date: December 3

Thanks to @berkleyromance for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thanks to @bookswithnopictures and @justtalkingtomyshelf for arranging this traveling ARC! I had such a good time reading this one.

When Maddie's brother dies, he asks her to do one final thing for him - spread his ashes in the states he didn't get to visit. Josh was the biggest adventurer and Maddie...is not. But she agrees to do this for her brother. The only problem is that he also asked his best friend, Dom, to undertake this journey with her. After Dom broke Maddie's heart when they were younger, she has no interest in rekindling any sort of relationship with him. But, she can't ignore her brothers last wishes so she reluctantly agrees to go on these trips with Dom.

My GOSH you guys this book - it's a heartbreaking story of grief, loss, and protecting yourself from hurt - I cried multiple times towards the end. Like literal tears running down my face. But it also made me laugh out loud?!? It's honestly the perfect mix for this book, I have absolutely no notes.

The banter between Maddie and Dom is absolute perfection - Maddie is also just such a complex character and all of her actions throughout the book make a lot of sense given the context of her experiences. Going from enemies to almost friends to lovers felt like the perfect arc for Maddie and Dom's relationship. And I actually like that this book is single POV! I think Maddie has so much to work through that it's helpful to be in her brain the whole time but also I think readers can clearly see that Dom has loved her the whole time. So watching Maddie come to that realization is really satisfying.

I also loved all of the side characters - Maddie's friends who don't let her hide from them and her brother Josh (because even though he's no longer alive, he is absolutely a side character here!).

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and lovable. The pacing was perfect and left you wanting to read more. I can't wait to read more by this author!

This book took me on a journey of adventure and emotion. I really could not put it down until I finished it. I highly recommend this book to everyone, and I mean everyone! My patrons will love this one!

This book had be crying from the get. I loved this one. The relationship between Dom and Maddie was at once fraught yet always tender. I loved the examination of grief within the romcom genre. Watching each of them learn how to leave space for the other to grieve, while also learning how to be close to one another was something I haven't seen often in a romance. Overall, a great read, but come prepared to need some tissues.

Went into this expecting just another romcom-y enemies to lovers fluff story, but was pleasantly surprised by how much more it had to offer. It still had some pretty good enemies-to-lovers dynamics but the characters were nuanced and relatable, and the portrayal of grief and loss felt authentic and believable. This is probably one I would re-read.

While this is a second chance, slow burn romance, it's also a book about grief. A messy, real book about grief and connection and trauma and mistakes and healing trust and growth. I didn't always agree with the choices the characters made, but I appreciated how real life this felt. And I loved the travel destinations I'm adding to my bucket list. ❤️ It's a great one to discuss.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me. All opinions are my own.

This was everything I needed in a contemporary romance novel!!!
Maddie and Dom have a strained relationship at the start of the book. They were once friends, had a one-night stand, and now are basically strangers, at least from Maddie’s point of view.
I adored the whole plot of Josh using his funeral as a means to bring Maddie and Dom back together, without them realizing it until halfway through the book. The adventure through different states and the reveal of each letter was both heartwarming and heartbreaking to read. Usually, I have a dislike for books that contain time skips, but this one does it so well, contributing to the plot without feeling unnecessary. I love how the story takes place over two years, with the main characters only meeting up every season for the next letter. I adore the character growth that takes place during the time skips.

Josh is the central heart and soul of this book. We know from the start that he has died, but the story keeps his soul alive throughout the novel by reminiscing about his memory and all the fun times the characters had with him till the very end. This was by far my favorite part of this book.
This was a story about loss, grief, and learning to move on while still holding those we love dear to our hearts, as well as a story about second-chance romance...
My main issue is that the romance aspect of this book could have been easily solved years ago if only the characters had communicated with each other. That’s my main irk about it. I would have loved this even more if it was a dual POV to get the male lead's side of the story, as he didn’t speak much until the second half of the novel. I think this would have made for a more fleshed-out conclusion, as it felt like something was missing for me.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book hit me hard, making me embrace my own grief process, which is nasty, painful, and never completely heals. Even though the bleeding stops, the wound is always there, triggered by a small memory, a word, a place, or sometimes a person.

This bittersweet, emotionally compelling, but also promising enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, self-exploration, and second-chance romance is engaging and well-written. It takes two people on a journey, both literally and metaphorically, to understand their pasts, learn forgiveness, and discover themselves, thereby changing their future paths. Maddie and Dominic have a task to complete a bucket list for someone they love, someone they never wanted to lose, and whose disappearance from their lives hurt more than they could imagine.

Maddie Sanderson returns home for the funeral of her brother, the only family she had after years of dealing with an abusive grandmother and narcissistic mother, abandoned by their father at a young age. Her plan to attend the funeral in Philly and return to Seattle without looking back changes when her brother’s best friend Dominic, who is the main reason she left home at 19 after he broke her heart, is there to read his will. The worst part is that her brother's dying wish is for her and Dominic to visit eight different cities, spreading his ashes, starting from Delaware to Alaska—a journey that may take them two years to complete.

Maddie is initially against her brother's decision to take a long farewell trip with the man who hurt her feelings, making her insecure about people who may always choose to leave her like her father, ex-boyfriends, and now her brother. But she cannot betray her brother’s last wishes, and with each coordinate they reach, they open a letter he wrote. These letters are the only things left from her brother, motivating her to continue this journey.

During their travels, Maddie confronts her resentments and finds missing pieces of her past relationship with Dom. She realizes her hatred turns into forgiveness, and she starts thinking they can even be friends because they need each other. But the hardest thing is not falling for the man who broke her heart into pieces. Can she manage that when he's all she can see, and what if their feelings are mutual? Can Maddie get over her insecurities and learn to open her heart, destroy her walls, and give happiness a chance?

Overall, this is a beautiful, meaningful, angsty, bittersweet grief journey, with two people finding themselves lost in the dark, holding each other to see the end of the tunnel. I hated Maddie’s mother and wanted to punch her every time she opened her mouth to push insecurities on her daughter with her abusive words. I loved Maddie’s tough healing journey and her chemistry with Dom. What more can I add? I loved this book and have added Lauren Connolly to my auto-approved authors list!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sharing this amazing novel’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Disclaimer: This is a book that you should read while hugging a comfort person, pet, blanket, stuffed animal, pillow, etc. because you'll need it. I read the last 30% of this book curled up against my sleeping partner in the wee hours of the morning crying my eyes out.

This was a slow-burn, forced proximity, second chance novel with mild to medium spice that I've been obsessing over the past few days (to the point where my partner suggested that I take a break from reading). This book made me laugh out loud at times, my jaw drop in disbelief on a few occasions, had me giggling with glee and anticipation numerous times, and had me on the verge of tears and bawling my eyes out more times than I can count. I had a really hard time putting down this book whilst also doing whatever I could to prolong my reading experience (by re-reading certain interactions over and over again) because I didn't want the story to end.

The story follows Maddie, a chronically asthmatic 26/27 year-old, who is grieving the loss of her older brother, Josh. At the funeral, she discovers that Josh left her and Dom (Josh's best friend) instructions on how to scatter his ashes, including a series of letters addressed to both her and Dom for them to open together and read at specified destinations across the U.S. The only issue? Maddie absolutely hates Dom for breaking her heart 7 years ago. But Maddie is determined to fulfill and honor her brother's wishes, even if it means spending time with someone who brings back painful memories of their shared past.

This was a beautifully crafted, emotional, and heartbreaking story with loveable characters and heartwarming relationships.

First, let's talk about Maddie. Maddie goes through various stages of grief and emotional distress as she grapples with the loss of her brother and with her feelings towards Dom while bottling up all these feelings by losing herself in her work. She's angry at the world and at Dom and comes across as snarky and mean but we quickly learn that she has a morbid and dry (and very funny!) sense of humour that she uses as a defense mechanism. She's also a workaholic and is constantly throwing herself into her work instead of taking time off to grieve and work through her emotional stress. Maddie was such a well-developed and oftentimes funny character who is going through so much in life - I found her to be incredibly relatable and really connected with everything that she was going through. To top it off, I found her puzzle, sweatshirt and cheese addiction very endearing (can we be BFFs?!)

Then there's Dom. A looming, serious, and responsible man, Dom is a very loyal friend to Josh, and also incredibly patient with Maddie's anger and occasional outbursts. I really liked experiencing how Maddie's feelings towards Dom changed as she slowly came to the realizing as to just how much Dom loved Josh and is also grieving as much as she was. I also loved their banter and texts (Dom is a worrywart and I love that!). Maddie's scared to trust and open up to Dom (I don't blame her, given their history), so I really loved seeing Dom work on and slowly gain Maddie's trust.

I also want to acknowledge the amazing side characters. I loved Dom's younger twin brothers, Adam and Carter (Adam, mainly). They're like Fred and George from Harry Potter - they're so funny! Maddie's best friends Jeremy and Tula are also amazing (the moment I first read about Jeremy, I knew there had to be a Jeremy-Dom interaction and I just couldn't wait for it!). I loved all of these characters so much, I would love to read a book (or short story) about them.

Finally, although this is a romance novel, this is also very much a book about grief, loss, and acceptance. This book handled these themes perfectly and I had a really good cry (for the first time in a really long time!).

Overall, I loved the themes that this book tackled, the romance, the friendships, the humour, and the banter. This is definitely one of the best romance novels that I've read in a while.

Also, I would LOVE it if the author published another version of this book from Dom's POV.

"P.S. I Hate You" is a refreshingly honest and engaging novel that perfectly captures the complexities of love and hate in a tumultuous relationship. The author skillfully develops the protagonists, whose fiery interactions and palpable chemistry make for a compelling read. The story delves deep into the characters' emotions, exploring their vulnerabilities and growth in a way that feels authentic and relatable. The witty banter and intense moments of conflict keep the narrative lively and dynamic. While the plot follows some familiar romance tropes, the unique character dynamics and unexpected twists add a fresh spin to the genre. Overall, "P.S. I Hate You" is an entertaining and heartfelt read that will resonate with anyone who has experienced the thin line between love and hate.

Maddie always harbored a secret crush on her big brother's best friend, Dominic. One summer her wildest dreams are fulfilled when they finally hookup. However, Dominic shattered her heart by proposing to his on-again, off-again girlfriend the very next day.

Devastated, Maddie moved across the country to start her life anew. Now, many years later, at her brother’s funeral, she discovers that he had a dying wish: for her to travel to seven U.S. states to spread his ashes with Dominic- now divorced- the very last person she wants to see again.

Reluctantly, Maddie agrees and embarks on a journey with Dominic. As they go on these uniquely curated road trips together, they slowly begin to let down their walls, unravel their past, and ultimately realize that their love never truly faded.

This emotional romance delves into heavy topics like grief and childhood trauma, while also featuring beautiful travel scenes and the joy of found family. Fans of second chance romances with intense emotional depth will enjoy this novel.

Recommended for fans of Kate Clayborn.

This was such an incredibly beautiful story!! The author seamlessly weaved the love story in with deeper themes of grief. This allowed me to really connect to the characters and their story. I loved the travel aspect and it was just so fun to read about. Second chance romance will forever be one of favorite tropes and I think the author did an incredible job with it. I loved this book! Thank you for providing me with an arc!

Phenomenal. PS I Hate You really gut punched me and had me sobbing several times. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author. Highly recommend!

Seriously run and pre-order this romance by Lauren Connolly immediately! This is the fifth book I've read by this author and certainly my favorite and her best work. I don't cry easily at books, and the epilogue had me so emotional I was tearing up!

Read this for:
- Road trip
- She hates him but really loves him
- Forced proximity
- Brother's best friend
- Asthma rep
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Childhood crush
- Second chance

Maddie Sanderson is forced to go on a road trip spreading her dead brother's ashes as her brother's last wish to her and his best friend. The problem is that the stoic Dominic Perry is not anyway she wants to be around having shared a tumultuous past with him leaving her heartbroken.

The story takes you on extended road trips happening over a couple years of going from one destination to another to read and enact Maddie's brother's wishes in all the states and places he couldn't end up getting to when he was alive.

This book explores what it means to grieve. How the past trauma we experience can effect our current way of processing the grief. There is no timeline and no set way to go through it, only that you have to go through it.

Maddie comes from a past of neglect, and that trauma really impacts her when here brother "leaves" her when he dies. Even though it was not his fault, her anger throughout the story is palpable. As she is forced to get closer to Dom, she starts to let her walls fall down, and think that maybe he deserves another chance.

Dom is able to ride the waves of Maddie's emotions and know what she truly needs and provide that caring nonjudgmental space for one another. He truly knows her and supports her in any way he can. The chemistry between these too is extremely intense and once they give into it, it is something that cannot be denied.

I really loved seeing how much growth Maddie had throughout her journey of grieving. She was stubborn, but eventually she started to really see how she was in her own way and let down her walls to be vulnerable with Dom and her friends that really cared for her.

I felt like this book had such a unique and emotional storyline that will have you laughing, crying, and blushing. The best things you want out of a romance! This one will be staying with me for a long time and I can't recommend it enough.

Thank you to Berkley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Talk about a tear jerker. I 100% cried multiple times throughout this book. Maddie's feelings and worried of loneliness and loved ones leaving her really affect her grieving over her brother's death... this story is an amazing journey across the country that is fueled by love.

Besides the emotional toll this book has put me through... 😭 let's talk about our MMC Dom.... 🥵 where can I find one? This book is not only emotional and heart wrenching, it's also fun with banter and hot with spice. Lauren Connolly really went ALL OUT.

Preorder this book. It's a must. It read so smoothly and was so amazing... I'm going to go contemplate my life choices and call my brothers now.

Thank you Berkley, Netgalley, and the author for review copies. Lauren is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I’m so proud to have read her Berkley debut, PS I Hate You. Lauren provides us with content warnings in the beginning which is helpful because this book is not a light-hearded romcom. However, as someone who is too familiar with grief and loss, I feel like Lauren completely nails all of the complicated feelings that come along with losing someone you care about, including finding some of the humorous moments amidst devastating sadness. Brother’s Best Friend is a top-tier trope IMO and paired with the second chance and traveling/forced proximity, this book also packs some strong romance punches.

If you’re a fan of Abby Jimenez, Jessica Joyce, Emily Henry – that is, if you’re in the reading mood to feel your feelings, I cannot recommend this book enough.

I loved this book! The depth of the characters and the grieving process resonated with me. I love the plot line and the characters growth.

I recently found Lauren Connelly and I have to say she is a brilliant author. However, this book is just a masterpiece.

Maddie is dealing with the loss of her brother, a toxic family and is now expected to travel with a man she loved from afar but rejected her as soon as he had her. Maddie has so much depth and character and I feel her pain and her love. This is not just a story of love, it’s a story of growth, of loss, and of found family.

I could not put this down. At all. I stayed up late and got up early. This has been in my brain from the moment I picked it up.

All I can say is that is this book is all I see.