I loved this one so much! I read this series out of order by starting with this one and it immediately convinced me to go buy copies of the previous two books in the series. I will definitely need a printed copy of this one to have on my shelf. And this one is my favorite of what I've read of the series so far!

Such a fun read! rival gothic female novelists who have secretly been in love with each other for years, sign me up!

Very cute regency sapphics with an even cuter fluffy dog. This is my first from this author and was really delighted. Although I wish Cat and Georgiana were rivals for a bit longer (because the tension was delish) and that their stay at the supposed haunted mansion was longer too, I did like the compromise of getting more mushy in love scenes. I am nothing without my love for domesticity.

At first is took me awhile to get into the book. I think it's because although it was rivals-to-lovers, it was really one-sided and short lived. Rather quickly Georgiana realized that Cat was not trying to be her rival. It almost felt like a second-chance romance, but the first chance was unrequited love. There was a warmth and love between Cat and Georgie that was so sweet. They both had a village behind them supporting them, even though Georgie didn't see it that way for a long time. Alexandra Vasti was able to tell their love story in a bubble of support and acceptance, so it didn't feel cliche. It acknowledged the difficulties queer people faced without making it the only experience.

Will Iris be getting a book? I hope so!

I loved this book, gay historical romances are some of my favorite historical romances! I really enjoyed Georgiana and Cat's chemistry as well as their character development, and how essentially everyone in their life was pushing for them to be together. The authors note and inspiration from real queer historical romances was so lovely and added a really cool element to the story that fit in with the characters' research. Overall, I read this in one sitting and definitely recommend for fans of historical romance and/or sapphic romance!

I picked up Ladies in Hating because the concept sounded incredibly unique—a sapphic rivals-to-lovers story set in a historical fiction backdrop, featuring two female writers competing under pen names. The story opens with Georgina accusing Cat of plagiarism, only to discover later that their similarities stem from shared past experiences, not deceit. This dynamic had so much potential to explore deep emotional tension and nuanced character growth.

Unfortunately, while the writing style initially drew me in (reminding me a bit of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies), the plot quickly became overwhelming and unfocused. The story introduces a gothic manor, possible paranormal elements, societal pressure, family complications, and romantic tension—but rather than resolving or developing these threads, the book just keeps layering more on top. I was left with a constant sense of, “Wait… what happened to that plot point?”

Key elements—like whether the manor was truly haunted or if they were being harassed for their relationship—were left unresolved. Characters, like the mysterious groundskeeper or Cat’s adoptive brother (who abruptly runs away around the 80% mark), are introduced and then seemingly forgotten. Despite all the chaos, I somehow still found myself bored, scanning pages and skipping ahead just to reach the next piece of dialogue.

By 82%, I had to DNF. When I’m only reading the dialogue and still struggling to stay interested, I know a book just isn’t for me. I really wanted to love this story—sapphic historical romance is a space I’d love to explore more—but Ladies in Hating felt like it needed more focus, more resolution, and tighter editing to bring out the magic that was buried underneath.

That said, I still think the premise was a creative one, and I hope others find more enjoyment in it than I did.

Georgie and Catriona are the black cat + black cat lesbian pair that you didn’t know you needed to invite to your 18th century murder mystery party. These rival gothic novelists just can’t quite stay away from each other, despite how much they might despise (long for) each other. Alexandra knows how to write desperation and desire, whether it’s in a haunted mansion with an enchanted rose garden or in your besties dirty (but not dusty) library office.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Not as tight as the previous 2 books but still enjoyable. I struggled with the second chance vibes of this book since we really don’t have much groundwork laid for these characters. Perhaps if we had met Cat before or Georgie’s had hinted at her reasons for not marrying before? The steam was good but maybe a bit more present than the romance. Georgie really felt too different in this book which was another thing I struggled with - her character didn’t really seem consistent with what we knew of her in the last 2 books where she had anxieties yes but seemed to be much more sturdy in the face of distress - it was hard to believe some of the responses she had to things here.

The story itself started out promising but then quickly became not about the house or the rival author/gothic mystery - which threw me off a bit. I would have liked for the story to remain focused on our MCs and the goings on at Renwick House. Having secondary characters take the limelight in such a profound way was very jarring considering how little time we spent with them early on. I liked that the families got their stuff figured out but I wish it had been more like Book 2 were the romance served to include the families rather than happening on the sidelines of family drama.

I still give it a 3 because the writing is good and the overall book is enjoyable but this is definitely not Vasti’s best work and probably the weak link of the series.

Also I’m confused by the author’s note - is there not going to be a book for Iris and Will? It felt like this was set up by the story here - maybe it’s a spinoff and not part of this series? I hope so. I really enjoy Iris and was hoping for her to get her book too!

I am a big fan of Alexandra Vasti's novellas and shorter form fiction, but have been disappointed by the entries in the Belvoir's Library trilogy until now. The previous two books felt unbalanced- like she was working out how to write longer form fiction, but in "Ladies in Hating" she has written a winner. This book was excellent and everything I wanted it to be: funny, well-plotted, well balanced, and with good chemistry between the two leads. I loved the setting, the heroines, all of it. Very excited to hear what she is writing next!

3.75 stars! Wow, I finished this in one day! Ladies in Hating was a believable rivals to lovers story (loved that the rivalry was one sided and both parties knew it was just a case of a weak ego) that somehow incorporated a haunted house, an overaffectionate dog named Bacon, a case of accidental almost plagiarism, an estranged family, and a library of illegal smut. I really enjoyed the first 50% but found that after that, there were a few too many steamy scenes for my taste - but I have a low tolerance for that so it’s not a huge issue! I think the plot dragged a bit in the second third of the book but picked up again at the end with an actual whirlwind of an ending. Overall a feel good romance that I’d recommend especially when it comes out because of its Gothic autumn/winter setting.

Honestly an amazing enemies to lovers in the most beautiful and hot way. I love the back story and how everything gets tied up in the end. I was curious how the solicitor was going to end up, bad or good, and I’m so terribly pleased with how everything turned out. Incredibly written and honestly fantastic love scenes.

I feel very blessed to have been given an e-arc of one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and even more blessed that I enjoyed it as much as I hoped to. And isn’t it just a delight when the inside of a book match its stunning outside?

Where to even start? This book does not shy away from being unapologetically fun, for which I’m extremely grateful since historical queer romances are so seldom as joyful. It is a grab bag of many fun tropes executed fabulously in a setting most fit for a gothic romance.

Disgraced Lady Georgina Cleeve, successful gothic author, has good reason to believe she is being plagiarized by rival author Lady Darling. In frustration, anger, and fear for her livelihood, Georgina schemes to confront this Lady Darling only to discover this most aggravating Lady Darling is in fact Catriona Rose Lacey, the object of her teenage affections. What ensues is a wild ride that includes forced proximity, witty banter, angst, ghosts (both literal and metaphorical),a haunted manor mystery, and so much more—made livelier with an endearing supporting cast. I would’ve loved for there to be more build up between the leads and for there to be more time spent in the manor, but these things did not detract from my enjoyment.

This is the first novel I’ve read from Alexandra Vasti and it will not be the last—especially so if she decides to write another sapphic novel; and who could blame me when she seems to have a penchant for writing interesting, multidimensional women in a time most inhospitable.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ladies in Hating was a great historical romance that had yearning, mystery, and a bit of spice. I enjoyed reading about Cat and Georgie's rivalry-turned-romance. This story is a romance novel at its heart, so I was a little disappointed by the lack of spooky ghost hijinks when they were in the supposed haunted estate. I wish the mystery had been a more central focus in the story than the romance, but overall, reading this book was a great experience. My favorite character was Bacon. Vasti has done her research and presented a compelling story.

What an absolute blast! I flew through this sapphic regency romance in one day because I was having such a great time reading it. Ladies in Hating follows two rival Gothic novelists who end up having to share the same crumbling (potentially haunted) manor while on a research trip for their next books. I loved learning about how Georgiana and Cat knew each other in their youth before. There was such amazing chemistry between them. And outside of the romance there’s interesting plots with their families and a mystery of what exactly is going on with Renwick House.

Historical romances aren’t always my favorite because I can get pretty bored by descriptions of gowns, balls, and the strict rules for debutantes. So I was happy to see that in this book that stuff doesn’t really come up since the characters are for the most part existing outside of high society. I loved getting to see the ways that they were able to exist together as a queer couple, but still also have the book acknowledge the hardships.

Definitely check this out if a steamy, sapphic romance with some Gothic atmosphere sounds interesting to you! It’s full of wonderful characters, an interesting mystery, and a beautiful relationship.

3.5! I've enjoyed Alexandra Vasti's other books in her regency series, and I was interested in this one when I saw it's about two rival gothic female novelists who have secretly been in love with each other for like a decade. I'm not sure it fully lived up to my expectations. There were so many elements that I enjoy included her: regency lesbians, rivals to lovers, haunted houses. Unfortunately, the execution was lacking. These lesbians annoyed me more than I would've liked.

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

Alexandra Vasti is a must-read for me by now, and the third installment in the Belvoir's Library trilogy doesn't disappoint. Focused on dueling Gothic novelists whose books are starting to have too many plot elements in common to be a coincidence, this romp takes you from London to the countryside and back again. Add in siblings, parents, friends, hiding in shrubbery, a meddling ghost and a creepy estate, and you have all the makings of a classic historical romance romp. The feelings between Cat and Georgianna develop quickly but have depth, and their breakup to makeup moments are swoony and sweet. A warm, hopeful, sweet, fun book that belongs on every romance reader's list for the fall.

I wanted to truly love this book—and there’s a lot here to admire—but I struggled to fully get into it.

The premise is really intriguing: two female Gothic authors writing eerily similar stories during the Regency era, brought back together by fate, a haunted house, and some very unresolved feelings. Once childhood acquaintances with a spark between them, that yearning has clearly lingered into adulthood. The story follows their reunion, rivalry, and eventual reconnection.

There’s definite appeal here for fans of slow-burn historical romance. The pacing felt deliberate and atmospheric, which I think would really work for readers who enjoy richly layered Regency settings. For me, though, it didn’t quite click—I found myself drifting at times, even though I liked the concept.

What I did enjoy: the dual POV helped deepen each character’s inner world, the banter was clever, and the sapphic romance was given the space it deserved. I appreciated that the love story felt central without being overly modernized.

All in all, it’s a unique take on a historical rivals-to-lovers setup that will definitely work better for the right audience

A wonderful sapphic romance. Enemies to lovers, pining, secret glances, a hint of danger...what's not to love about this novel. Georgians and Cat are gothic authors that shine of the page. Their rivalry is only replaced by deep affection. I liked the tongue in cheek humor. I adored the hints of danger. This was a stellar romance.

Oh my goodness I loved this book! A perfect balance of historical, spooky, and romantic.

I did not expect this book to have as much of a mystery as it did, and it was the most pleasant surprise! I truly was surprised by every twist and turn and was on the edge of my seat!

The romance was perfectly inserted and never felt like it got in the way of the plot. I do think they went from enemies to lovers a little quicker than I normally enjoy, but I still thought it was a beautiful and realistic sapphic romance!

Definitely read this if you are looking for a cozy fall read!

A huge thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s Griffin and author Alexandria Vasti, for providing me with the eARC of “Ladies in Hating”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: September 23rd, 2025
Reviewed on Goodreads: July 12th, 2025

This book. I have found myself at a loss for words. It was incredible.
Thank the universe for sapphic regency romance.
These ladies truly had me smiling, giggling and kicking my feet.

Read this if you like:
- Sapphic romance
- Regency romance
- Enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Reconnection/Childhood crushes

Georgiana and Cat are both popular writers of gothic novels.
Georgiana seeks to discover Cat’s true identity and confront her, as aspects of her books seem much too similar to her own, and she suspects that Cat is somehow stealing her ideas.
When the two women finally encounter one another, they are surprised to learn that they have already met before.
A rivalry is sparked, and they try desperately to avoid each other. That is, until they find themselves staying in the same supposedly haunted estate.
All of the time spent together brings old feelings back to the surface.

SO GOOD. Actually so good.
The romance here? I was dying. I was begging for more. I was living for these two together.
Georgie and Cat are just so freaking adorable it hurts.
This is the type of story that engulfs you so much, that you forget that it’s fiction.

The writing is incredible, and it felt super personal.
I don’t always love when romance is written in the third person. I think it takes a very skilled author to make it work. Alexandria Vasti is without a doubt, one of those authors that knows how to do it!
The characters are written and developed so so beautifully, and their romance is just on another level.
I loved it.

Fantastic, fantastic, FANTASTIC. Everyone should read this.
I am so excited for this book to release, and I definitely will need a physical copy for my collection!
I am so looking forward to reading more from Vasti in the future.