This book absolutlely fits the enemies-to-lovers trope. The characters have this amazing chemistry and rapport that comes across well and the sex scenes are absolute fire! My only issue is the ending. It is completely unrealistic. I can understand suspending belief to a certain degree, but the reasoning behind what the FMC does and without consequences, is outside of that degree of disbelief.

<i> "You could write the most perfect piece of prose and I guarantee some sad sack would find some ridiculous reason to dislike it." </i>

It's me!! I'm the sad sack! I'm a hater! (Although this is far from a "perfect piece of prose.")

These two children and their stilted laughter (“We laugh.” “We both laugh.” "He laughed." etc) have absolutely no business being in a romance novel. Their behaviour <b> *at work* </b> is absolutely shocking, particularly the MMC's behaviour - <spoiler> who in their right mind would try to get someone they've just met fired, and then, no less, bitterly complain about the possibility of losing their own job?! And why on earth would you speak to someone in that way in a staff meeting?! </spoiler>

The concept of the FMC <spoiler> quitting her well-paying, stable job with <b> no back-up plan </b> is also insane. I'm glad that it all worked out for her in the end with her writing career taking off etc., but who does that?! </spoiler> <spoiler> I was also absolutely sick of the two MCs spending all of their time congratulating each other on their writing - I really do get being supportive of your friends and their writing etc. (I would like to think I am a supportive friend!!) but I don't really see the point of being like "wow, that's amazing!" every time you read a mediocre paragraph where nothing happens. Also, can these two please stop being turned on by their own writing?? ("Damn, that was pretty hot" - was it, my dude?) And, while we're at it, could they not have had their own authorial voices, rather than just repeating the exact phrases used by the author of the novel they are in to describe them and their sex lives? </spoiler>

And don’t get me started on the continuity errors and the typos on nearly every page (my rough count got me to 61, and that's if I'm being generous about comma usage). (Honourable mention here to the FMC for "read[ing] over" her work to "make sure there aren't any typos." At least someone does.) I know that some typos might appear in an ARC (although it didn't say this was an uncorrected ARC), but this many is ridiculous, and the continuity errors should have already been dealt with by now. The pacing was also totally out of whack, while the stilted dialogue, insane miscommunication, telling rather than showing, and repetition right from the first page (the third sentence, in fact) drove me up the wall.

But! There were some things I did like:
- The MMC, who is an English professor, saying "I don't get a lot of compliments in my job." Relatable and accurate, tbf.
- People assuming the auditor would be male (although the point was kind of laboured after being made four or five times in a single page).
- The ubiquitous third act breakup was blissfully short.
- The we-actually-know-each-other-IRL-but-don't-realise-it-yet trope wasn't dragged out for too long, which is something I unfortunately see a lot.
- I liked the overall concept, which is obviously why I picked the book up (although now that I've finished the book, I do have some doubts about the professor/auditor relationship concept...)

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am leaving an honest review.

✨ARC Review✨

As a lover of all things Shakespeare, this was such a fun read! Think”You’ve Got Mail” crossed with steamy Shakespearean fanfic and you get Much Ado About Hating You! This forced proximity, ENEMIES to lovers romance is so fun! I cackled so hard while reading this! My one complaint was the lack of references to Much Ado About Nothing itself. That’s my favorite play and while the banter was definitely reminiscent of the play there were no direct references which I was a little disappointed by. Seeing past that this was a really fun read that I would totally recommend!!!

- Forces Proximity💼
- Enemies to Lovers 👔
- Hidden Identity♥️

Thank you NetGalley and Afterglow books for the ARC

I'm so sorry to say this, because the premise promised me everything I could have every wanted and more: but the first chapter is where I stopped on this book. Unfortunately, I have read fanfiction that seems more natural and mature than the stilted, juvenile writing this book offers. When the word "yeah" features in every paragraph, in the narration, not the dialogue, I have to be skeptical. I love the tropes this promises to deliver, and if I could get past how cringe inducing the writing is, I may be able to enjoy this novel, but unfortunately I wouldn't recommend it for a library. Those unbothered by clunky writing may have a ton of fun with this.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I was anticipating from other reviews. I liked how fast paced this was while also not being insta-lovey. I believe this book could benefit from a more prominent focus on dialogue, but I was captivated by the narrative throughout my reading experience. I also loved the inclusion of the fanfic’s throughout the story because that gave more depth while reading. I also really loved the connection this book had to Much Ado About Nothing but was a modern take on it. Overall I really enjoyed the book/plot it was entertaining in all the right ways it had me laughing and blushing at certain points in the book. I loved Aiden he was so funny while also being rude at some points but he made up for it by the end.

Thank you Harlequin and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Much ado about hating you, is a classic enemies to lovers story with a meet cute twist and a healthy erotic appetite. The story follows Micah and Aiden as they duke it out in a searing workplace battle with tons of hateful tension that eventually explodes into pages upon pages of smutty fun. As a bonus feature, the characters also unknowingly share anonymous conversations on a fanfic site where she is obsessed with his writing and he inspires her to write herself. So by day, it’s the anger bang office romance and by night they accidentally build a relationship and fall in love. The premise is just too cute.

Additionally, the read was easy, fast paced, and surprisingly full of great character building, given the relatively short page count.
My only critical note was that the banter during the fanfic DMs felt a little shallow. They’re both educated adults in their 30’s and some of the exchanges read like young teenage kids. Which feels even more strange when you read their interactions by day and they’re well spoken sharp witted adults. In my opinion, the contrast made the relationship feel less realized. A little more substance and i think it would have connected a bit better for me.

Micah, una audaz auditora financiera, descubre que su mayor enemigo en la universidad, el profesor Aiden, es también el escritor anónimo de su fanfic erótico favorito. La trama comienza con una dinámica algo forzada, donde los enfrentamientos entre ambos resultan algo inmaduros y difíciles de digerir, pero a medida que se revelan sus identidades secretas, la historia toma un giro más íntimo y apasionado.

El toque de la literatura shakesperiana reimaginada como erotismo le da un giro único y divertido. Aunque la primera mitad puede sentirse algo lenta, la segunda parte compensa con mayor desarrollo emocional y una conexión más auténtica entre los personajes. Ideal para quienes disfrutan de romances con un toque de picante y secretos compartidos.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

somewhat mediocre, sadly. the decision-making process was rather weird by all the chars and they all felt almost paper-flat. 2.5 stars. tysm for the arc.

look at that beautiful cover! while not my favorite from afterglow, much ado about hating you manages to take familiar tropes like ‘fanfic writer/reader’ and turn them on their head — our mmc is the romance writer this time! yay! i’ve been craving that so badly in a book and i was so happy to see it here. the only thing about this book is that it takes the ‘hating you’ part a liiiittle too seriously — for a standalone romance, i want to see more romantic sections. otherwise, this was a super fun academia romance.

'Much Ado About Hating You" by Sarah Echavarre Smith is an electrifying enemies-to-lovers romance that masterfully intertwines academic rivalry with clandestine online passions. The palpable tension between financial auditor Micah Mila and literature professor Aidan Scott ignites into a fervent and deeply erotic connection, blurring the lines between professional boundaries and personal desires. Smith's adept storytelling delivers a narrative rich in sensuality and emotional depth, making this novel a compelling read for those seeking a steamy office fantasy.​

Very hot, and surprisingly funny at times!

Okay, the premise? So fun. A Shakespearean fanfic writer with a secret identity and his biggest fan just so happens to be the financial auditor who’s threatening his job? Yes, please! Enemies to lovers with a hidden online friendship twist? I was in.

Buuut the first half dragged a bit for me. The initial conflict felt over-the-top and kind of immature for two thirty-somethings. I love a good grumpy/sunshine or snarky banter dynamic, but some of the antics (ahem, the hot sauce??) felt more mean than flirty. It made it hard to root for either of them in the beginning, especially Micah—her reactions didn’t always match the moment.

That said, once the secret identities are revealed and they move into spicy, sneaky rendezvous territory? It picked up fast. The second half had way more heart, better communication, and I finally started to believe in their chemistry. Also, the Shakespeare fanfic bits? Iconic. Loved that element and honestly would’ve read an entire novella of just that.

So yeah—this had all the pieces of a fave, but the first half held it back for me. If you’re into academia settings, spicy nerdy vibes, and enemies who eventually become lovers, this might still be worth checking out.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Romance, and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover and description drew me to the book, and I was excited to read it. I finished it in a few hours and tried to like it, but it was painful. The characters were immature and lacked depth. Additionally, it lacked a plot, and there was much more smut than needed.

Read if you like:
- Smut > plot
- Enemies to lovers
- Shakespear retelling

Much Ado About Hating You is the perfect blend of academic rivalry, slow-burn tension, and fanfic-fueled spice that kept me completely hooked from start to finish. Sarah Echavarre Smith delivers an enemies-to-lovers romance that is equal parts witty, steamy, and heartwarming.

Micah and Aidan’s dynamic crackles with tension in all the best ways—her no-nonsense approach as an auditor versus his passionate, slightly exasperated professor energy makes for some truly entertaining clashes. But the real magic happens when their anonymous online identities collide, turning their late-night escapes into something far more intimate. The reveal? Chef’s kiss.

Smith nails the pacing, balancing their professional (and personal) battles with swoon-worthy moments and just the right amount of angst. Nothing drags, and the chemistry is absolutely electric. If you love workplace enemies-to-lovers with a fandom twist, this is a must-read.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I wanted to like this book, the premise sounded fantastic, however I struggled to get through it.
I’ll start with that I enjoyed about this book:
I liked Micah, she was smart and capable. I enjoyed the relationship we saw between her parents (even if only briefly) and the relationship she had with her sister. The author writes siblings very well, both Micah and her sister, and Aiden and his brother.
Now let’s talk about Aiden. I found him almost impossible to like until around the 60% mark. He is immediately rude to Micah at the meeting when they’re introduced to her, she’s the auditor that’s been hired by the university to report on the English department, where he’s a professor. She’s speaking in this meeting, while Aiden is talking with his best friend in the back of the conference room, like 12 yr old boys, then when she calls him out for being rude he tears into her, mocks her degree, and puts her down in front of everyone. As the story goes on he does more things that make him look like a jerk, he even internally acknowledges that he owes her an apology, as well as voicing it to his brother, yet when the opportunity to apologized it presented he doubles down and then blamed Micah for his treatment of her.
Micah and Aiden move past their differences, he finally offers an apology, and I started to like him (if we’d seen this side of him with office banter rather than outright hostility, I would have been on board), however as we get to the end he tells Micah she shouldn’t do the job she was hired to do, blaming her for the university wanting to make cutbacks and telling her she should quit and pursue a dream of writing. Aiden have off a lot of misogyny and just overall whining, the entire book.
There was also a small random side plot about one of his friends no longer liking his brother or hockey, this plot went nowhere and I genuinely don’t know the point of why it was included

Thank you so much to Sarah Echavarre Smith and Harlequin - Romance | Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the eARC of this title. First off this book is SPICY! But we love that in a good retelling. Smith did a great job with the pacing and plot. Nothing dragged out for longer then it need to which I loved. Trope wise I would say it's a workplace enemies to lovers romance and a quick read. Highly recommend.

I recorded a digital ARC of this from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a review.

When Micah has to audit the English department at East Nashville University, she immediately makes “enemies” with a professor there, Aiden. To unwind after the long days and fights with Aiden, she logs into a fanfic site to read from her favorite author there ShakespeareInLust. One night, she decides to comment and they start a conversation on the website. Micah enjoys their conversations and they vent to each other about work and life. Unbeknownst to her, Aiden is ShakespeareInLust. Cue tension, drama, romance tropes, and some spice

I devoured this book in two days. It’s a fun, fast-paced romance with witty banter, amazing spice and fun characters. Sprinkle in some fanfic writing and heated arguments and you have this novel. It was a fun read and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC!

This is a pretty quick, spicy read with good moments, but some bad moments that are hard to overlook.

So I’ll start with my positives,
- Shakespeare retelling
- Goos smut
- Fanfic love (yes this is important to me!!)

On to the negatives,
- I feel like this could’ve gone through one more round of editing. There were some instances where certain phrases/words were repetitive or just unnecessary. I feel like the author wanted to tell us how the character is feeling instead of describing how that emotion manifests.
- some of the dialogue seemed… out of place
- Them doing the deed was supposed to mean more to the FMC, but it was written so casually with no emotion.
- They’ve known each other for SIX weeks btw
- Lastly, the MMC was so mean. like unforgivably mean. There were times where I noted “And I’m supposed to like him??” He only stops being mean when he finds out he’s been chatting with her online. I feel like he should be nice to ALL women, not just women you want to hook up with.

Okay, so was this life changing? no, it wasn't. I don't think it was trying to be either. I think that the workplace romance kinda vibe is always going to be a great trope though. this was also giving massive enemies to lovers vibes., which i'm obsessed with. I however, think that Aiden could have been a touch more understanding about her job and maybe a little bit less hateful. The spice was crazy good, the romance itself felt rushed. This story could have used another 50-100 pages of just them falling in love., This was an easy fun read however.

I enjoyed this Shakespeare inspired retelling more than I thought i would. But Much ado about nothing makes for great retellings.