i was so hopeful about this book when i saw the cover and read the synopsis. nothing is better than enemies to lovers in a vaguely academic setting.

however, this book is basically just a HR report begging to be submitted, executed like a poorly written wattpad story. even the fanfiction (written like an english professor no less) is terribly written.

i’m so bummed, the synopsis was was so promising and the cover was so beautiful!!

it wattpad is your jam and you want more steam than substance, this book is for you. otherwise, i unfortunately wouldn’t recommend.

thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Listen I hate to say I wasn’t expecting much of this (I apologize) because it was so FUN and hot??? 🥵

Chemistry off the charts, bickering and banter galore. I was eating up every second of it.

The writing can be a bit clunky, I’ll admit but that didn’t take away too much!! I think it’s a great story with a good execution and I can’t wait to share more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This was a nice quick read but wasn’t the best. I found myself skimming pages and having to go back and read them again. I love a good enemies to lovers, but this fell a little flat to me. It’s missing something… I just can’t put my finger on what it is. That being said, I did get through it pretty quickly and there were parts I did enjoy but as a whole it just didn’t hit like I was expecting it to. I would love to read something else from this author though, there is some great potential.

I wanted to love this. The cover is stunning and the premise of a spicy Shakespeare fanfiction was so promising, but the enemies to lovers angle was silly and the pranks got a little too elementary school for me. Unfortunately, a DNF at 40%.

Another book I just couldn’t put down. Aiden loves his job as an English professor but loves writing spicy Shakespeare fan fiction on the side. Micah is just trying to do her job as an auditor, but that annoyingly sexy professor is making it difficult. The fights these two would get it had me excited and kicking my feet waiting for them to become lovers. That first kiss was WOW, and I had to just keep going. The parts of this book that Sarah wrote for the fan fiction were also super spicy and had me kicking me feet. Highly suggest you like writing if you want the enemies to lovers satisfaction to be fulfilled.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I found the characters and plot to be cringy instead of fun and cute. There is a massive misunderstanding and poor communication that stars our MCs off on the wrong foot. I will say I felt like the 'enemies' aspect of this story was well done. A lot of the times I fine enemies to lovers is more like 'not friends' to lovers. These two started off hostile. Then the progress to romance did not flow well. I also just didn't enjoy the characters much. This wasn't for me.

Much Ado About Hating You by Sarah Echavarre Smith

Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 3/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Harlequin, Afterglow Books, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Much Ado About Hating You is an enemies to lovers romance centered on Micah and Aiden. Aiden is an English literature professor and Micah is a financial auditor who is tasked with finding ways to save money when it comes to Aiden’s department. They immediately dislike each other. However, even though tempers flare, they soon discover that it’s quite difficult for them to resist their attraction for each other.

The premise of this book was certainly interesting and the Shakespearean elements were intriguing, however, character development could have been more significant and the story did feel rushed at times. Nonetheless, this is a quick, easy read with some good aspects.

I had so much fun reading this story! It's a little snack of a story and easy to read in one sitting.

Aidan, an English professor, can’t help but continually insert his own foot into his mouth when it comes to Micah, an auditor who has come to the university to help decide the fate of his job. While there is attraction, the very existence of Micah and her job make it impossible for Aidan to be himself around her. A shame, really, because online, unbeknownst to the two of them, they are flirty penpals who bond over steamy fan fiction and a mutual love of Shakespeare.

Quickly, hate turns to fast and dirty encounters but continued misunderstandings keep Aidan and Micah from truly learning about one another. That all changes when the storm of the century forces the two together and secrets are inadvertently revealed.

Spoilers ahead!!!


Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. The premise was promising. Enemies to lovers, work place romance, forced proximity and of course secret identities are my personal jam. However, I felt like this book was so rushed and the characters were not fully flushed out. Aidan is meant to be this sweet, caring guy but he says some pretty awful things to Micah. Micah is somehow still attracted to Aidan after that and for a woman who seemingly has a spine of steel, her reaction was so puzzling to me.

I was also perplexed by multiple adults telling Micah she should quit her job if she’s unhappy when she didn’t have anything lined up. Just quit and then what? She was living in her sister’s home rent free until she could get back on her feet. Telling someone in that position to quit and also making them feel bad about hating their job and not quitting was honestly such a terrible move. I just didn’t vibe with Aidan, to be completely honest. His character didn’t make sense to me. I wish the author would have spent a bit more time in redeeming him for the readers because as it stood, he just sucked for me.

This novel stars Micah Mila, a financial auditor tangled in a tempestuous relationship with an English professor, Aidan Scott, whose sharp wit matches his hidden passion for spicy literature.

While the book promises a tantalizing blend of Shakespeare, secret romances, and high heat levels, I personally found the writing style underwhelming, with a plot that leaned towards the frivolous side. Despite this, the story might appeal to readers who delight in "enemies to lovers" tropes, relish intense character chemistry, and enjoy a bit of quirky, fan-fiction flair.

For those who love Shakespearean undertones and are fans of narratives filled with steamy, clandestine romances and quintessentially charming yet nerdy male leads, this book could very well be a delightful escape. However, it wasn’t quite my cup of tea.

Thank you to Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel.

This book had so much potential for me. I love both workplace romance and enemies to lovers, but it didn't hit the mark. I found both characters to be laughably immature for being in their 30s. I expected more out of a professor and someone in corporate auditing. The smut was decent though, and sometimes the online written smut seemed to be better written than the book.

I loved the premise of the book, but the writing itself was lacking for me personally.

2.5 stars rounded to 3.

The tension in this was perfect from the start! I did get a little exacerbated by Aiden's constant high horse; as a fellow English major & English teacher, I get that we can have a deep rooted love for what we do without much understanding form others, but it felt a bit contrite at times -- the exact reason we're stereotyped to begin with. I did like the ending, though, and I thought the fanfic plot line was fun and new!

Aidan and Micah are the perfect match but their prides are hurt and they become instant enemies. There is lots of good tension moments and and extra spicy scenes. I enjoyed the plot on this one and how nicely it played out. It was easy to see this happening in real life. I loved the fanfiction Snippets and mini plots and there online personas were great. I would have loved more of the lectures on Shakespeare in the modern day as I was actually really invested in the lecture. Great book.

The book had a little too much first person commentary for my liking, it tried to give clarity on certain perspectives I don’t think was necessary but I did enjoy the book for what it was. It did get steamy. I personally enjoyed the fanfic writing, it was very refreshing to see incorporated into the story. The characters had their faults which made it feel very real, I was rooting for a happy ending for these two.

I like this book and the mmc Micah yeah, he's hot. I wish the book was longer and had more plot but all in all it is a good read.

Much Ado About Hating You by Sarah Echavarre Smith is a steamy romance about Micah and Aiden. Aiden is an English literature professor, and Micah is auditing his department for the school, looking for ways to save money. They immediately hate each other, and as tempers flare, they find they can’t resist their attraction for each other. Will hate turn to love?

I loved the premise of this book. However, I felt the characters did not develop throughout the story. Aiden in his professional life was a major creep and should have been reported to HR. Even if Micah’s report could cost Aiden his job, he was extremely unprofessional, rude, and inappropriate. While Micah’s revenge was inappropriate as well, Aiden’s behavior was extremely troublesome at work. He seemed like two different characters between his work and home lives. I enjoyed the fanfic tie in. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy enemies to lovers and aren’t bothered by unlikable male characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is HOT!

I now realize I need a lot more Shakespeare fan fiction in my life. The romantic tension is off the charts and the spice is spicing!!! If you are in a reading rut (or you just want to read a really awesome romance) do yourself a favor and grab this book!!! I am going to need a paperback of this as soon as it releases.

...Off to find everything else Sarah Echavarre Smith has ever written.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

Much Ado About Hating You is definitely a spicy, enemies-to-lovers book. While this book had all the tropes I typically look for, the romance fell short for me. Despite this, the spice definitely made up for it. Both of the main characters work in a very professional environment; both are in their thirties, yet I found it quite immature and unrealistic that they would play pranks on each other within the workplace. About 60% through, the romance does pick up, which, for me, is a little too long to be hateful towards each other. For me, the characters seemed to lack connection, not physically but romantically. Around 85%, I started to feel more of a love connection between the two characters. I did, however, love the epilogue and wished they had more intimate moments like this throughout the book. Additionally, a plus for me was the cover of this book; just looking at it drew me in and made me eager to read it. Overall, a good read, but I prefer romance and connection over smut.

Automatic request for any Sarah Echavarre Smith book. Much Ado About Hating You can be added to my reread pile in a few months (which I do with all of her novels). A super cute, steamy enemies to lovers book.

A spicy enemy-to-lover romance in academia setting? Of course I had to read it. While I know some Shakespeare, I must admit that Much Ado About Nothing is not a story that I was familiar with.

So Aiden, the MMC, is a professor who teaches about Shakespeare and also writes spicy Shakespeare retelling fanfic in is free time. (yes, please!) And then you have Micah, the FMC who is an auditor and is here to audit the English literature department. The enemy-to-lover part of the book is spot on. The spice is good and the fanfics are cute. BUT... I struggled with the writing, and I found the characters quite blend. I really wanted to love this book, and I couldn't. I had to force myself to finish it in case it got better but, for me, it failed.

Listen, I hate to leave a bad rating and you have to keep in mind that I read an ARC of this book. Maybe all the grammatical errors I saw (and I usually don't really see them because English is not my first language) will be fixed before the book gets published. I also think that new adults might be the right public for this book, even if the characters are in their thirties.