Alexandra has done it again, writing another incredible story filled with romance, humor, and of course Francis Bacon.
I absolutely adored this entire story – seeing Cat and Georgie go from rivals to lovers was so fun and the tension between them had me squealing. Cat is so gentle, caring, and in love with Georgie that I couldn’t help but grin to myself throughout the entire book!

The mystery elements added something fun & unique to the story without overshadowing the other elements and the romance.

I’m the biggest fan of all of Vasti’s work, and I really can’t recommend the Belvoir’s trilogy enough! Alexandra has written the sapphic, gothic book of my dreams with this one and I can't wait to have my own copy in my hands.

Thank you to SMP & Alexandra Vasti for the advanced copy!
Pub date: 9/23/25

First I would like to thank netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the advanced copy!

I absolutely loved this book! I’m a big fan of historical books. The main characters kinda grew up together when one of their fathers worked as a butler for the others home (again period piece). They end up enemies due to similarities in their books and end up needing to solve a mystery at a location they were going to use for their next books. I don’t know what more someone could want in a book and the best part is this is the third book in the series!! Thank you again and I highly recommend!!

THE COVER!! Shut up, I love it. This book is so cute! I felt all of the warm tingling as I read through it. It was not overly long, but it definitely was a well-rounded story.

What a gorgeous sapphic enemies to lovers romance about two gothic novelists! The very idea of this book made me excited to read. The characters are very easy to love and there is some humor in a lot of their conversations. This felt like a warm hug.

There were definitely parts that were more serious in tone, but overall I enjoyed the story and felt like each difficult topic was handled kindly.

Spice level definitely open door and I'm here for it.

I have a soft spot for Regency romances. The restrictive elements of society, the pining, the meddlesome families... I come to Regency romances for certain tropes and themes, many of which are greatly enhanced when you make them sapphic. How do two women in a society that only values them as wives for men make a life together?

Well, Ladies in Hating answers that question immediately as both of our leading ladies are successful writers able to financially support themselves. They have no need to marry, nor any pressure to either. They do not participate in upper class society. Their families are accepting of their preference for ladies.

In other words: Why is this even set in the Regency era?

Our two ladies in hating (a title I wish was more accurate) could have lived in a number of different eras to the same result. Hell—this could have been a contemporary romance and still worked. There's nothing wrong with that exactly. I didn't dislike either lady or their romance with each other. They were fun! And steamy! And I wanted them to have a HEA. I'm just not sure how I feel about this as a historical romance. I've read other very optimistic and happy sapphic Regency romances and still felt like the time period was done justice. The Regency era definitely doesn't have to be sad and miserable for queer people. I just need a sense of the time period existing in the story beyond aesthetics.

That's just me though. If you're not actually big on Regency romances or just don't care how a story portrays it, there's a lot to love here. The pink cover suits the tone perfectly. It's very light and airy and sweet despite being about two gothic novelists who visit a creepy mansion. The ladies are just too smitten with each other (even when they're fighting) to let a spooky vibe last. I had fun reading this even if it's not quite what I want from a Regency romance.

This was a third (and final?) entry in Alexandra Vasti's Belvoir Library series, and it was another good one!

While this wasn't my favorite from Vasti, it was still a fun and cute regency (Gothic!) romcom. Cat and Georgie are both such loveable characters, although their rivals-to-lovers vibe was not really to my taste, personally. The payoff was worth it though! They grew together in a satisfying way and their relationship was well written.

The mystery plot was fun and wacky, and definitely a unique spin for a historical romance. Pacing was good, even though I tend to enjoy something with a quicker burn. Another refreshing romance that I would recommend.

really well written and swoony read of a romance with some interesting ideas. awesome characters, too. would definitely recomend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This was one of my favorite books of the year and I think an excellent conclusion to this series, but also just a great stand-alone love story. Georgie and Cat are two characters who have been through a lot, and have a shared history that I adore in romance. There were moments of humor, and I adored their rivalry. It provided for so many great moments of misunderstanding, fun, and angst (but in the best way). I could not put this book down when I started it, and like all of Vasti's writing found it super easy to get into. The author does a great job of creating dynamic characters that feel like people you know in your life.

This book was such an emotionally powerful love story with the perfect mix of humor and lighthearted coziness. I loved the addition of the second love story from the house's original builder and how it reflected in Cat and Georgie. I cried so hard in the last few chapters with not only the love letters, but also the family love that shined through. The ending was beautiful, satisfying, and emotionally poignant. I'm so excited to read this book again, that's how amazing it was and one that I think will stick with me for some time.

I really enjoyed Ladies in Hating! It had drama and love and some spice. I think the “plot hole” would be the stockings. Georgiana never gave Cat the stockings. Everything else was answered. Nothing else stuck out to me that made me wonder what happened. I loved the happy ending. 🖤
I haven’t read any of the other Belvoir books, but this one definitely made me interested. As far as I can tell, I didn’t miss anything by reading this one first. I think they’re pretty independent of each other.
I would absolutely recommend Ladies in Hating to others, especially if you love sapphic romances with a little twist of mystery.

I love Alexandra Vasti’s writing — so clever and deeply meaningful while remaining unserious enough to be fun. This novel was a beautiful exploration of 19th century queer love, and Vasti could not have picked a better vehicle than “enemies-to-lovers gothic lesbian novelists trapped in a haunted (??) mansion.” Perfect book, no notes.

i received an arc from netgalley! please enjoy my honest review!

this was hugely delightful. seriously, i gushed about it at my book club last night and i will do so again. alexandra vasti continues to be absolutely hilarious and also so emotionally in touch with her characters at the same time. the absurdity in her novels doesn't take away at all from the beauty of her stories, and having the little moments of hilarity makes the emotional bits all the more impactful.

anyways, georgiana and cat are both brilliant characters, there was an excellent cast of side characters and found family and one silly little dog, and i don't know that i have ever read an arc so fast.

as always, alexandra vasti's characters get it on at the absolute worst of times, but i think it's growing on me. like yeah, sure, why not? life is short, have the sex.

ok but seriously, this is an excellent book from one of my favourite histrom (histromcom?) authors, and she is just as brilliant with a sapphic romance than she has been with the straight ones (this is one of the only authors that will get me to read straight books, and seeing her write a queer one is filling me with so, so much joy).

and last but not least: the title and the tagline are great, and thank you to whoever approved them at the publisher, because i will be forever grateful to you!

Ladies in Hating is Alexandra Vasti's last book in her Regency romance series, Belvoir's Library series. I've reviewed every book in this specific series, and my experiences with the first two books have colored my opinion on Ladies in Hating. Vasti has become one of my favorite up and coming authors in the Regency romance subgenre. I loved her first two books (especially Earl Crush which was one of my favorite romances last year) and so I was very excited to pick up Ladies in Hating.

This story is a sapphic romance taking place in a Gothic setting. I was excited since a Gothic setting is a nice change of pace from the typical Regency romances, which are mostly set amongst the Ton in London. This is also childhood acquaintances to lovers (not quite childhood friends to lovers). Although the characters were cute, I didn't enjoy Ladies in Hating as much as Vasti's other two books in the Belvoir series. I typically am a sucker for childhood friends to lovers but this story was missing a spark for me. I felt like there wasn't enough tension built up between the two characters throughout the book.

It's not a bad book but for me it's a little forgettable. I'm giving Ladies in Hating 3 out of 5 stars.

LOVED IT. Cat and Georgie’s story was SO good. The tension and animosity at the beginning was so entertaining. But the way they intentionally cared for each other by the end was absolutely 🤌🏻 also, Georgie’s family made me so teary-eyed!!

Okay, maybe an unpopular opinion, but I don’t usually reach for Bridgerton-style period romances…even when queer. But the romantic, Gentleman Jack-meets-gothic-literary-rom-com vibes had this genre-jumping mood reader hooked from page one.

Full disclosure: I didn’t read Vasti’s first two books in the Belvoir’s library series, so I went in with zero emotional attachment to the characters — and honestly, it didn’t matter one bit. I immediately fell for these awkward, literary, goth girlies and their deliciously slow-burn, will-they-won’t-they foemance (And when they finally did? I was very pleasantly surprised by the sapphic steaminess of it all.)

I did yearn for just a little more eerie manor exploration (even more hidden passageways, paranormal rose gardens and homo ghost rumors please!), but honestly, the swoony romance and sweet, neatly wrapped-up ending left me feeling all cozy, content and ready for Soft & Subtle Spooky September. (Which is my cozy/ witchy/ gothic reading transition before heading into straight up eerie/ scary af - horror October.)

5 out of 5. Highly recommend preordering now for your Soft and Subtle Spooky September read…already ordered mine - the cover art is just too pink and too cute to pass up!

( 2.5 )

All of my stars given was for the relationship between Cat and Georgina. Seeing their love was refreshing in a regency era, one that is usually dominated by manly men and dainty women. Their banter was playful and interesting.

The plot began with the two of them being rival gothic authors. I liked the idea that they had similar stories because they had similar experiences. However, from there, the plot just went haywire. I couldn’t bring myself to care to understand the plot once there was a murder and a mystery that they ignored to make love to only bring it back in the end.

I also found out this is the third of a series which is on me for not researching but, maybe I would’ve been more invested if I had known this. I’m usually a huge fan of any books set in regency era, and I didn’t hate this one! I just couldn’t get into it unfortunately.

Lovely writing by the author Alexandra Vasti. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for an ARC! The atmosphere of this book was cozy and gothic – the best combination. Dueling authors, second chances, haunted mysterious mansions, and a dog named Bacon? This book truly has come of my favorite things. The pacing of this book was just right. I enjoyed the alternating POV between our lead characters, Georgiana and Catriona. The little verse at the beginning of each chapter added a fun element for the reader.

One of my favorite elements of this book is the inner dialogue of these characters. They’re clever, insecure, silly, and trying so hard not to drool over each other. My only criticism (which prevented this from being 5 stars) is the selling of the romance. Georgiana has been in love with Catriona for years, since their childhood. When they are reunited years later, Georgiana finds her feelings are easily reignited, if they had ever truly simmered in the first place. However, Catriona was not harboring feelings for years in the same way. I thought that the intensity of Catriona’s feelings for Georgiana came on a bit too fast; I wasn’t totally convinced. Catriona is so patient, however, with Georgiana’s feelings and insecurities, that it did not prevent me from enjoying this and rooting for them.

I will definitely be picking up a copy to add to my shelf when this is released in the fall – it would be perfect to re-read when the weather turns cold and the fog rolls in.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a cute book, I liked it! It definitely was not what I was expecting in the best way! I love romance novels, but this was a new type of novel for me.

I enjoyed both Cat and Georgiana’s banter throughout the book! They both kept each other on their toes, and it was adorable. They were both such complex characters, but it was great to see their growth throughout the book. Towards the end, they were able to start trusting each other more and could admit they liked each other. I loved the slow burn and the buildup of their romance. While it might be a slow burn, there is quite a lot of spice! There is a ton of tension between them, and it turns into more than lust.

I loved the mystery aspect of the novel. I wasn’t expecting it, but I liked the way that Cat and Georgiana worked together to try and solve it. I loved how it all fit together so well in the end.

I really liked the writing in this book and the pacing as well. I felt like the pacing worked well because nothing felt like it lasted too long. There were moments in the book where I was laughing so much, and other moments where I felt for what the characters in the story were going through.

Overall, I really liked this novel and would recommend it!

Omg!! I loved this book! I have never read anything by this author before but when I saw Ladies in hating was a sapphic historical romance about two rival authors I knew I had to read it. This book was so sweet and also heartbreaking at the same time. I laughed, I cried and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend to anyone who loves historical romance and WLW.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Griffin for the ARC of this book.

I am not usually a reader of historical romances but the love and understanding that bloomed between Georgiana and Catriona was too good to pass up. I loved reading about these independent and head strong ladies every step of the way they took to each other. I look forward to reading more works of Alexandra Vasti.

An enjoyable gothic romp. Mystery, banter, sapphic rivals-to-lovers, a ghost(?), even a duke! This story follows two rival gothic novelists (Cat & Georgie) on a journey to find each other and family. The rivals to lovers portion happened early in the book, but there was still a bit of story left to figure out more about Jem and for family reconnection. Overall it was a fun and cozy read and I enjoyed it! Thanks for the opportunity to read the ARC.