I wanted to love this so badly! However the childish tone and overall ridiculousness of the situation left me feeling awkward. No one, it feels, actually acts like a human here. Moreover the inciting plot incidents feel so contrived and confusing, and the emotional responses of ridiculously out of touch, that it was hard to understand or root for the main characters

I absolutely love this author and this book did not disappoint. It was captivating from the beginning, and had a great amount of humor as well and romance. Vasti just does the regency era so well!

Vasti's books always prove to be lighthearted and uplifting. I'm not sure how realistic this novel is, but I wish I could crawl inside and live with these kind, accepting people.

I’ve really enjoyed this whole series and love Vasti’s characters and writing. It so fun to see how the book themes weave throughout

Lady Georgiana, a successful author of gothic novels, is set on unmasking her rival novelist, a woman who’s been using her plots almost down to the same exact words. When she finally tracks down the culprit, she realises she’s none other than Cat, her childhood crush, the butler’s daughter.

This was lovely, I’m so happy I read it! I’ll miss the Belvoir books - to me, they weren’t as light and fun as the first Halifax Hellions book but Alexandra’s Vasti’s writing is very good and the emotional connection between her characters is refreshing. We’re lucky to have her in historical romance!

Cat and Georgiana’s second-chance-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers’s romance is really good and very believable. I loved that the author explained their shared past in small ways without devoting whole paragraphs to exposition.

I also enjoyed the secondary characters very much and little puppy Bacon’s antics in the manor. Also, this has a lot of roses and their scent, which made me so happy.

The epilogue is darling and I loved the author’s note about sapphic love in historical romance and real life Regency. I’ve read all of Vasti’s published works now, she’s definitely someone I’ll keep reading!

My endless thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC!

Although this is the first book I've read in the Belvoir's Library series, I think it is likely an excellent addition. This book is witty, exciting, and deeply romantic.

As this is primarily a romance novel, let's begin there. Our two protagonists start off enemies to lovers style, but through growing understanding of one another they begin to thaw their relationship. Even when they are "enemies", you can really feel the deep longing from both characters to be together and have security. Their banter is delightful, full of smart comments and humor, but also raw honesty. The spice, while on the tamer side of some books I've read, was tastefully done, well timed, and didn't draw too much focus away from the love story or plot. My only real complaint with their romance was the hot and cold from Georgiana. I understand that's part of her character, but somewhere after the second or third time pulling away, it got a bit stale.

As far as the plot, I really enjoyed the mystery of Renwick House. I was never quite sure where the book was going to go until new clues were revealed, and even afterwards still found myself invested in the outcome. Though the book wasn't as paranormal as I was expecting, there was still an element of that included at the heart of the story.

Overall this is a very well written, easy to follow, and romantic novel. I would reccomend this to anyone interested in a smart, sapphic, romance mystery set in the Regency Era. 4.6/5 stars rounded up.

This was a sweet surprise of a book. This is my first by this author and I am ready to read more. I loved the setting and overall story. The characters were funny and witty but had their own struggles and setbacks they had to overcome which kept me invested. The mystery subplot of it really gave it something else but did not go too over the top with it.

The premise for this one hooked me. Who wouldn't want to read about a pair of sapphic Gothic novelist rivals trapped in a haunted manor in the Regency era?

This book fulfilled all its promises, and I especially enjoyed Georgiana's character arc. Her motivations and insecurities are still very relatable to modern audiences, and it was encouraging to read about her working through them in her relationships.

The pacing could have been more consistent, as I found the middle to drag more than the beginning or end, but the mystery elements kept the story engaging throughout. The end was satisfying, and I truly devoured that extended epilogue!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was not for me but give it s try! The eritijg wasn't my style.

This was the first queer live book. I like how it was about a girl who came from wealth and made someone down to earth . This book was a great representation of love

I absolutely adored this book once it got going! It took me a couple chapters to get into it, but once I was I was hooked.

I love Georgie & Cat so much! This is the first in the Belvoir’s Library trilogy I have read, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not reading the others (and I now have both books sitting on my kindle). The description drew me in, and it did not disappoint! I don’t know if this is truly enemies to lovers or just slightly confused women who don’t know how to communicate effectively and are a little scared to lovers, but I guess that doesn’t flow as well.

The epilogue was probably my favorite part and I wanted it to never end, I just want more of Georgie & Cat and their families!

Highly recommend this to anyone who loves sapphic romance with a regency vibe. But also add in gothic writers, a maybe haunted country home, mysterious lawyers, and family misunderstandings and reconciliation.

Alexandra Vasti does it again. 🥲👏🏻

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Alexandra Vasti for the ARC of Ladies in Hating - I loved it!

We’ve got lesbians, we’ve got ghosts, we’ve got a mystery; we’ve got it all, really! The relationship between Cat and Georgie was beautiful, and Georgie’s pining over Cat for years in secret made me so sad. I am so happy for both of them, and love that they get to do life together.

This was really just so much fun, I can’t get over it. My only complaint is that a lot seemed to happen in the last 20% that could’ve been spaced out to earlier in the book. Nonetheless, still a great read.

Lady Georgiana has been writing Gothic novels since she was a teenager, and is quite an established author now. So she finds herself rather frustrated when "Lady Darling" hits the scene with manuscripts nearly identical to her own. Determined to unmask her rival and set the record straight, Georgiana stakes out Belvoirs Library - only to discover her nemesis is a crush from ages past. Cat Lacey was her family's butler's daughter, but Georgiana has since cut ties with much of that life. When the two rival writers find themselves doing research at the same haunted Gothic manor, they come to an agreement of sorts, but their chemistry and feelings that stem from their pasts keep them coming back to each other.

I loved both of these FMCs so much. There was so much more to them than meets the eye. Their motivations, their actions and interactions, their way of expressing emotions - so well written! Georgiana, for example, was perceived as cold and standoffish. But the glimpses we see into her thoughts and actions tell us much more about who she really is; I found her much more relatable. Cat, of course, had a way of bringing out the best in her and understands her (eventually). I loved the little mystery and suspense component to this one, and themes of family loyalty and being true to yourself. The female friendships in this series are some of my favorite! I also loved the author's note - giving insight into some of the events and people and places she drew inspiration from.

3.75 stars
for the sake of transparency, i will say i did not know this was the third book of a series when i requested it, and got the e-ARC.
with that, i do think this does work well as a solo book. sure, the references might get lost over the pages, but you don’t really feel like you’re missing something. it did, though, made me want to read the other two (already in line for the first on libby!)
don’t let the rating fool you, i enjoyed reading this, for the most part, i think, but there were a few parts where i was rolling my eyes, and otherwise not enjoying myself. i thought, since i’m a lesbian (and a writer), i would have the time of my life. i was not entirely wrong, since the beginning and the end were some of my favorite moments in the entire book.
i’m famously not a fan of third-act breakups, and even though this lasted about one chapter and a half, it still made me feel icky. i understand the reasoning behind it, communication is free, tho, even when it’s uncomfortable.
overall, this was mostly good. they grew up on me pretty quickly---despite many things, and those last chapters were absolutely everything.
i did feel like we got lost at some point (the haunted house and writing together and whatnot), but!!! it “resolved” quite nicely in the end, i wish we would’ve had more of their banter, but they are disgustingly cute together.

My review is below- but let me just say first- OMG I loved this book. Original, fast moving, and lovely in every way. I don't usually like regencies but this book was so enjoyable- I'm definitely going to read the first 2 in the series.

Ok here's the formal review:

Lady Georgiana, once a wealthy and privileged daughter of an earl, now makes her living through her marginal earnings as a writer. So when she suspects another writer, using the pseudonym Lady Darling, of scooping her books right before she publishes them, rendering them unoriginal, and threatening her livelihood, she makes it her mission to find out her real identity.

Nothing prepares Georgiana to discover that Lady Darling is none other than Catriona, the woman whose father used to work for her own father when they were both children. Now they can’t seem to stop running into each other, including booking a stay in the same place- Renwick House- a creepy ruined manor house they each hope to write their next novels on.

When both supernatural and real-life threats start to occur ,they’re forced to work together to figure out what’s going on, leading their nascent desire to manifest into a lush and all-encompassing love affair.

Told in alternating viewpoints, with a fun literary storyline, joyous queer representation, and more than one mystery to unfurl, this steamy gothic regency will appeal to fans of historical fiction romances featuring social justice plotlines, like Evie Dunmore and Liana De La Rosa’s works.

This book tells the story of Lady Georgiana Cleeve, a celebrated authoress, and her enigmatic enemy, Lady Darling. The plot thickens when Georgiana discovers that Lady Darling is actually Cat Lacey, the butler’s daughter, and someone from Georgiana's past.

The story explores the complex relationship between Georgiana and Cat, filled with rivalry, past infatuation, and unexpected passion. When the two find themselves trapped together in an eerie manor, the narrative takes a turn, combining elements of mystery, romance, and suspense. The author weaves a tale of uncovering hidden identities, facing real danger, and confronting long-simmering desires.

This beautifully written story follows two competing Gothic novelists during the Regency era, evolving into a captivating love story. The writing is rich in description, and it's clear that the author conducted thorough research. While I initially found the language challenging to grasp, I came to appreciate its authenticity, as it reflects the way people spoke during that time.

I loved the slow build-up of tension between Georgiana and Cat, who start as adversaries, with an undeniable spark between them. The author's skillful character development allowed me to understand their motivations and actions, making them relatable.

It was particularly touching to witness a love story unfold in a period when openly expressing LGBTQ+ identities was not accepted. This made me reflect on what it might have been like to be in the characters' shoes during that time.

The writing is so vivid that I could easily visualize the scenes as I read. Ultimately, the story explores themes of love, acceptance, and finding a sense of belonging within a community. The yearning, desire, and back-and-forth dynamics between the two characters create a beautiful buildup to their romantic relationship. The novel thoughtfully addresses the challenges of being lesbian in that era, enhancing its emotional depth. 5/5!!I

The banter! The rivalry! I loved this book. It had enough funny little quips here and there for me to stay engaged even when the plot wasn't super thick. I was invested in the characters, they all felt pretty fleshed out to me. I would love to see more in this universe, specifically with Iris and that guy that was mentioned that I forgot his name.

This was so cute! 4/5 stars. I don’t usually gravitate to regency type romances, but this one just had an engaging description that I couldn’t pass up! This book was a delight to read! The chemistry between the characters was so good! And the cute dog! Ah! I love that this had a haunted mansion with spooky elements without being scary. The character development was also top notch! I’ll definitely be recommending!

I LOVED this book! Our two FMCs had such a charming chemistry and tension between them, and the situations they found themselves in were compelling and refreshing. It felt like every interaction was meaningful and paid off particularly well eventually. Vasti does an incredible job with this queer historical relationship, and even provided well researched and documented real life context for characters, events, and settings.

I particularly appreciated the level of tension regarding a sapphic relationship in the regency era kept relatively accurate but not painful, Vasti makes it clear that the FMCs world is not particularly accepting but they are not in a dangerous position.

Our "Haunted Mansion" setting is also enthralling - it's the perfectly level of spooky and dark while still cozy and warm. I highly recommend this book for lovers of Regency romance, mystery, found family, and adventure romance.