“Sometimes something big happens. And it makes you look at your life. And you realize you’ve been living it wrong.”

TLDR: I absolutely adore this book. It’s a heart-wrenching yet tender story of love, loss, grief, and the path to healing. It’s also incredibly funny—a delightful balance of emotion and humor that wrecked me in the best way possible. Do yourself a favor and grab this book and maybe a box of tissues too!

It’s easily one of my top reads this year. I’ve read it a few times now and each time the experience was completely different but equally wonderful. The first time I was captivated by Maddie and Dom, their history, their present journey, the unique travel destinations, and Josh’s deep love for them. Though he died before the book starts his presence is felt throughout the book making him a very real character in this story. I just love him! The second I was in the depths of my own grief and I literally sobbed through the book. I identified with Maddie in a way I never expected. Her hurt, her pain, and her anger. So real. Ugh, and the sweet friends that were there to love and support her as she worked through it all. I felt all of it on such a deep level. The more recent read was just an absolute delight. Even better than the first. I basked in the humor of it all. The writing is so witty. The emails, the texts, the verbal sparring. It’s so good. Oh, and Dom. He is a gem of an MMC. Top notch book boyfriend material.

Tropes + Things
second chance
brother’s best friend
forced proximity
found family
single POV/1st person

PS: I Hate You hit me like a tidal wave, pulling me into its emotional undertow. Maddie’s brother, Josh, leaves her an unusual request in his will: a series of road trips to scatter his ashes across eight destinations he never got to visit. But there’s a twist—Josh pairs her with Dominic, his infuriating best friend and Maddie’s heartbreak from the past. As they traverse miles and memories, grief reopens old wounds, and forgiveness becomes their compass. This enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity romance is bittersweet and so full of hope as well as the future. It’s a tale of healing, self exploration, and the unexpected magic of second chances.

This book beautifully explores how even in the face of loss, love and connection can prevail. A brother’s unwavering love and protection for his two favorite people from beyond the grave is truly heartwarming. If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh and cry, this book is a must-read!

Practically perfect in every way! I was 100% delighted by this heartfelt romance that dove a little deeper than most. Without giving too much away, the quest was a perfect way to introduce us to the heart of these characters and the author peeled back layer by layer until we saw our characters for who they really were. So heartfelt, but also funny and hot and romantic! Highly recommend!

This is one that deserves the high praise and buzz it's received. Somehow, it manages to have a nice balance of romance and connection while still dealing with the heavy topics of grief and loss, and the issues with abandonment that main character Maddie rightly deals with. Maddie likes to deal with things with humor, and that makes it so the story isn't too heavy. It's on the longer side for a romance, but it moved shockingly fast.

MY THOUGHTS:
Lauren Connolly’s PS: I Hate You is an emotional romance that focuses on grief. Maddie, the FMC has recently lost her brother to cancer. In his will, he gives her eight destinations to visit to scatter his ashes. The problem is that she has to go with his best friend, Dom. Maddie had a big crush on Dom in high school, and after they hooked up, he decided to marry his high school sweetheart leaving Maddie shocked and heartbroken.

I liked that Maddie had asthma since I haven’t seen that representation in books before. As someone with asthma, I was able to relate to her in certain situations. I adored Dom, and it was obvious to me from the beginning how he felt, which made him all the more endearing. The trips they went on together were creative and moving, and I loved those parts of the book.

There is so much emotional depth in Connolly’s writing, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed this story. Don’t go into this one expecting a romcom. While it has tropes like enemies to lovers and forced proximity, there is so much more to this story as it touches on sensitive topics, and it hit all my emotions. There were some funny moments and at other times I found myself holding back tears or full on ugly crying! This book put me on an emotional roller coaster, but it was a journey I was happy to be on. Definitely add this book to your TBR if you haven’t already. You won’t be disappointed

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
Karissa Vacker was the perfect choice to narrate Maddie’s story. She always brings the characters to life, and she hit all this emotions in this book. Her narration is always spot on, and I think this might be one of my favorite audiobooks that she’s narrated.

Thank you Berkley Publishing, Let’s Talk Books Promo, NetGalley for and eARC and PRH Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

If you want a book that is gonna make you cry while simultaneously giggling and kicking your feet then this is the one for you! This book absolutely tugged at every heart string known to my body. I absolutely ADORED this book. Lauren Connolly had me laughing, crying, hopeful and destitute all wrapped into one. I physically could not have put this down if I tried.

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?

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. This one packed such an emotional punch, it definitely made me veryyyy emotional and if you’ve ever lost a close loved one I think it will sucker punch you as well. It’s so much more than a grief story though, it’s a beautiful story of healing and moving forward even when it’s really difficult.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

Wow. Just wow.

This book absolutely took my breath away. It is an absolutely masterful creation and it is so beautifully raw and vulnerable in its characters and it's depiction of processing grief. I started crying about 60% of the way through the book and I don't think I've stopped since.

This story sends Maddie on a journey due to her brother's last wishes. But not alone - she is to be accompanied by her brother's best friend, Dom aka the boy who broke her heart so many years before. Told in a series of vignettes as Maddie and Dom traverse the country, visiting different states and reading letters from her brother, the reader sees the relationship blossoming between the two characters. Maddie is an effusive person, keen on spending her time coming up with barbed quips to keep Dom on his toes during their spats. Dom is cool, calm, and collected, so nothing really phases him.

As their journey continues, we see the veneer outside each of them start to crack. We see areas where trust and love shine through, and more importantly, we see acceptance and forgiveness. This book moves people and allows them to see how their self-destructive tendencies are not the only way they can react. But overall, this book is a simple story between a brother and a sister who cared about him deeply.

Bring tissues and prepare to be gutted, but in the best way posssible.

This book completely took me by surprise in the BEST way! 🤧 it was so beautifully written and I fell in love with the FMC Maddie and I was soooo down bad for Dom!!🤧🩷
Maddie made my heart ache so so much and I don’t remember a book touching me with the topic of grief and parental emotional abuse in so long 😢😢 tears were definitely shed (like a bunch) 😪
I related to Maddie in the way she feels about feeling abandoned (it’s hard to break your way of thinking after going through it so much) so I completely understand where she was coming from, and as far as Dom (NEED HIM SO MUCH) he was the most caring MMC!!😢🩷

The way he made sure Maddie was okay with her asthma attacks and in general when he could sense she was distraught was just everything! 🩷

I adored the author’s writing and I truly can’t wait to read more of her books 🩷

Thank you Berkley for the ARC and PRH Audio for the ALC!!!🫶🏻🫶🏻

I love when a book grabs ahold of you from the beginning, doesn’t let you go and then you can’t put into words what you think about it! That was this book!

After losing her brother, Maddie Sanderson goes on a journey across the country to scatter his ashes over either destinations that he was never able to visit. The catch… she has to do it with his best friend Dominic Perry, whose she had a childhood crush on and now hates.

Their banter was top tier and I loved seeing the progression of their relationship through each destination as they worked through their issues and grief. This book had me laughing and crying!

Thank you Berkley Publishing!

“I’m not afraid of the days with you in them,” I whisper. “I’m afraid of the ones I might have without you.”

Maddie Sanderson wants to kill her brother. Unfortunately, she’s already at his funeral. When Maddie’s brother dies from cancer, she finds out he’s asked her to scatter his ashes in eight different destinations. She would be happy to do that for him, but he decided his best friend, Dom, would share the adventure with her. Maddie had a crush on Dom her entire childhood until he broke her heart.

Wow this book hit me hard. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I probably snorted once or twice. (PB&J anyone?) It’s a look at grief and family trauma and being scared to love.

Oh, Dom. He’s strong and dependable and loves things to be just so. Is he a little uptight sometimes? Sure. But he just wants to take care of everyone and everything.

Did Maddie drive me crazy sometimes? Yes, she did. But I also love her snarky humor and defensive comebacks. Her relationship with Dom in all of its stages is my favorite thing ever. She pokes at him to make him loosen up but he nudges her to open her heart. I love everything about the two of them.

I love that their story takes place over two years so we get to see their relationship ebb and flow and also allow Maddie to work through her grief and trauma over a longer period.

The trips. The letters. The adventures. The puzzles. It all stole my heart.

Read this book for:
-Asthma rep
-Grief
-Travel and adventure
-Brother’s best friend
-Single POV
-Many open door scenes

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

This book had me feeling all the emotions. I laughed and cried and needed time to just contemplate during and after reading. So that makes it an excellent book in my opinion.

The book starts at the funeral for Maddie's brother. He left behind a letter asking her and his best friend Dom to travel to 8 different states and open additional letters in each place. Dom had previously broken Maddie's heart when they were teens, and she wants nothing to do with him now. But she dearly wants every last letter from her brother.

The book takes place over a long timeline that felt appropriate to the grief process and to the story development. The pacing was so well done. I felt consistently with Maddie through every aspect of her journey, both emotional and physical. I relate so much reading about an introverted female processing grief and big emotions. And I enjoyed the many travel destinations.

I really loved Maddie's two best friends, Tula and Jeremy. Indeed, I would have loved to see even more of them. And I also adored Dom's younger twin brothers. All of the secondary characters were so nuanced and alive, whether I liked them or not.

And then there's the second chance romance. And I found it just as heart-wrenching as other parts of the story. I know this book is one that I will sit with for a long time.

Karissa Vacker performed the audiobook incredibly well. Some of the emotion I felt (and tears) are owed directly to how amazingly she voiced Maddie's character.

4.5 stars rounded up

This is one of those books that I can’t adequately verbalize how much or why loved it. The short explanation is that I will be getting the trophy, rereading, annotating AND re-listening via audio. So there’s that.

Dominic Perry. New book boyfriend unlocked.
If you’re a fan of Abby Jimenez MMCs, you’re going to love Dom.

📖The book opens at Maddie’s brother’s funeral, where she finds out that Josh’s last wishes are for her and his best friend, Dominic, to spread his ashes among 8 destinations…together. Of course she has history with Dom that has left her hurt and resentful for many years (7 years to be exact). So now she has to travel the US with Dom while she is simultaneously not dealing well with the grief of losing Josh.

Dom really takes it to the next level the way he shows up for Maddie while she works through things. The letters from Josh and how they each responded really got me. But I really loved how we got to see more of Josh through his last letter.

There were tears. I cried multiple times. So many emotions from this book, and I loved every minute of it. I related to Maddie on many levels, but mostly how she handled her emotions and compartmentalized her relationships. If you’re looking for an emotional romcom — this is it.

Don't let this cover fool you, this isn't a super fun lighthearted read, but it is an amazing one with a few laughs for sure.
Maddie's brother has just passed away leaving her reeling. Everyone leaves, she doesn't let anyone in and she is trying to process her grief. His best friend, and her nemesis, Dom has been tasked with his will and he let's Maddie know that Josh wrote them a letter. Dom and Maddie need to travel the US and visit places that Josh missed out on and spread a little of him in each place. Maddie is not on board with this plan, but she has no choice because this is one last thing she can do for her brother and she isn't willing to let him go just yet.
While doing these little tasks, she learns more about Dom than she expected and their relationship is more open and honest than it has ever been. She starts to realize that maybe when he broke her heart years ago, they both just were kids and Dom made the choice he thought was best at the time. There were sooooo many heart breaking moments in this book and I am crying just thinking about them as I write this, but there were so many beautiful, loving ones as well. Maddie's relationship with herself, her mother, her brother and Dom were all so complicated and it was such a journey to see her process everything. It helped that she had some amazing friends too. I loved this book and would give it more than five stars if I could.
Thanks to Berkley, Netgalley and Lauren Connolly for an early copy.

Have you ever read a romance that immediately makes you giddy? It makes you laugh, it makes you cry. You want to kick your feet in the air because the banter is that good. You want to become best friends with the main characters. You never want to put the book down because you have to know what happens next.

I’ve read very few romances that make me feel that way and PS: I Hate You is one of them.

I love a romance that makes me feel a lot of emotions, that has a believable storyline, and is bingeable. This book checks all three of those boxes. I can’t wait to read more by Lauren Connolly.

PS: I Hate You is perfect for readers who love an emotional romance that might make you cry. It features a single POV, forced proximity and sibling’s best friend tropes.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

In P.S. I Hate You, when a man dies of cancer, he leaves a series of letters addressed to his sister and his best friend, instructing them to visit a list of places he never got to see. And each place had a certain task to be completed. The story is told through the lens of his sister - grieving and trying to still live her life in the face of it. This book broke me. The grief, the guilt, the regrets were so raw and so real. The pain and sorrow was tangible. But it was also funny, heartwarming and full of hope, resilience and forgiveness. Some close proximity, some enemies to lovers, some second chance romance, all mixed in this bittersweet romcom. Such a tender and sweet book.

The premise of the book is a clever one. The eight destinations Maddie and Dom must visit serve as both literal and metaphorical settings for the characters' emotional journeys. Each destination offers not just a physical location to visit but also an opportunity for the characters to reflect, grow, and heal. As they travel together, their relationship shifts and deepens, slowly unveiling the reasons behind their past heartbreak and the pain they both carry.

Thank you Penguin Random House Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Maddie is completely broken-hearted, mourning the loss of her brother, Josh. During the reading of his will, Maddie learns that Josh has left instructions for her to spread his ashes in eight different states, and embark on this adventure with his best friend, Dom. Though these two both miss Josh severely, Maddie cannot stand being in the same room as Dom, and the forced proximity of these trips causes tensions to run high. While clinging to the last pieces of Josh they still have, Maddie and Dom reminisce about the person they are both missing and the memories they share, stripping them slowly of the impenetrable walls that were once in place between them.

This is another romcom that while full of humor, is also full of grief. Taking place over the course of two plus years, we follow Maddie from the pits of despair, to the highs of love and friendship, and then all the places in between. She often handled pain by lashing out with witty insults and sarcasm, but also felt like such a realistic character following her unique and challenging journey. This is all from Maddie’s perspective, and while at times I missed Dom’s point of view, I think it added to the story, even if his character often felt a little flat. This one comes out tomorrow and I highly suggest for fans of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez.

This is my first Lauren Connolly read and I honestly don’t know what I’ve been doing with my life not knowing about her. Thank goodness for holiday shopping because I’ve already added some of her books to my cart and I can’t wait to read them.

This story took me completely and pleasantly by surprise. This time of year is always so busy. I’ve been working all Thanksgiving weekend long, but every single spare minute I’ve had, I’ve been glued to this story. I loved meeting Maddie. She might just be my spirit animal. She loves puzzles and reading, has a bit of an anxious brain, and is just a down-to-earth girl that reminds me of my best friends. She’s going through a lot with the loss of her brother, and the grief she is grappling with is just so…moving. The way she’s dealing is so…vulnerable. Her brother Josh really leads this story with his letters and encouragement of his sister and best friend. I also love the way Maddie is with The Perry family and especially Dom.

Maddie and Dom are on an adventure and it spans a few years but it goes by wayyyy too fast. This book clocks in at a little over 400 pages but it definitely reads like a breeze. I love the destinations that Maddie and Dom visit, especially the glow worms and cozy cabin. (Message me when you’re done reading this so we can moon over the places together!) I loved their character development, their angst, and the way they learn and grow together. From the minute I met Dom I really, really liked him. He’s a mystery. He’s responsible. He’s used to always putting people first. I love what Maddie brings out in him.

This story has so much heart and I couldn’t wait to come back to be with the characters. It is such a heartwarming, thoughtful, tender read that I highly, highly recommend!

“𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒘?” “𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒆.”

WHAT👏A👏BOOK👏

If you're a big fan of P.S I love You, let me tell you this book is going to top it!!!! Yes, I said it! This story is emotionally and devastatingly beautiful, and I could talk about it all day long. 🥹✨

The book follows Maddie Sanderson, who has recently lost her brother, Josh. His final wish? To take a trip to eight different states to spread his ashes. At each destination, there's a letter waiting for her. Easy, right? NOPE. Josh also insists that his best friend, Domenic Perry, accompany her. The problem? Maddie and Domenic have a history, and she is not ready to reopen those old wounds or forgive him lol she definitely hates him.

The author did an incredible job making this story feel so realistic! I was worried it would be rushed, but it wasn’t. The timeline felt authentic, showing just how long it actually takes to spread ashes across eight states (it took around two years). Each time Maddie and Domenic tackled another letter, let’s just say… Josh knew what he was doing 👀

Maddie Sanderson’s heartbreak was raw and relatable. The way she processes her emotions isn’t perfect (honestly, we all struggle), but that’s what makes her journey feel so real. Some heartbreaks leave scars, and with her past, you can feel her struggles and most importantly her growth. Meanwhile, Domenic starts off as this quiet, stoic character, but once he begins opening up? OOF. I fell hard for him. 🥰

“𝑴𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏.” “𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑰 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓? 𝑰 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.”

"𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆, 𝒊'𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑵𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒃𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒚 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒘."

Now, let’s talk about the romance. 🫠 The miscommunication in this book will have you wanting to slap everyone involved. But honestly? It’s what makes the story so believable. Once you understand their history and circumstances, you might find yourself thinking you’d react the same way. TBH, I just want to hug EVERYONE in this book and never let go. 🫂💖

"𝑴𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒕"

Why 5 stars?
1. I CRIED LIKE A BABY. SO. MANY. TIMES.
2. I was invested! The characters, the journey, the emotions—it all pulled me in.
3. This was my first book by Lauren Connolly, and now I can’t wait to read more from her! 🥹👏

Highly recommend this heartfelt, gut-wrenching, and ultimately beautiful read.

Tropes
🧩 brother's best friend
🧩 forced proximity
🧩 witty banter
🧩 enemies to lovers
🧩 miscommunication past
🧩 he falls hard and never lets her go

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

Read this if you like:
•childhood crush
•found family
•sad romances

This book was heavy on the grief but it was also heavy on the laugh out loud moments. The characters were real, raw, and relatable. The found family was amazing. The story was absolutely beautiful.