Love to hate you by Mariana Adair is an adorable romance novel. The book follows Summer Russo who loves love. She sinks her life savings into an independent book store that specializes in romance novels and beach reads.

Just as she's living her indie bookstore dreams, a big box bookstore moves in next door, run by grump Wes Kingston.

Summer tries to take a break from the bookstore battle by going on her family's annual vacation to mystic, CT. Her sister has brought along her boyfriend, who also brought along his brother. Problem with that so the brother is no other than Wes!

Feuding turns to foreplay, but will the battle of the bookstores end in love or heartbreak?

This book is perfect for anyone that loves the movie you've got mail as it definitely has similar vibes. Thank you Mariana for working with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Arrives in bookstores April 22 2025

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Love to Hate You by Marina Adair is a captivating romantic comedy that will take you on an unforgettable journey from rivalry to romance. With its perfect blend of humour, sharp dialogue, and steamy chemistry, this book delivers everything you could want from an enemies-to-lovers story.

The story follows Summer Russo, the independent and spirited owner of a quaint bookstore, and Wes Kingston, a charming British businessman whose corporate chain store threatens her small-town business. Their initial meetings are filled with tension and conflict, with Summer fiercely opposing Wes’s store, fearing it will put her beloved bookstore out of business. Wes, meanwhile, matches her resistance with equal determination, making for a series of entertaining and fiery encounters.

The story takes a surprising turn when Summer and Wes are unexpectedly thrown together at an annual family gathering. Forced to interact in a more personal setting, the two begin to see each other in a new light. Through their interactions, they come to realize that their assumptions about one another were wrong, and what starts as a mutual disdain gradually turns into understanding and, ultimately, affection.

Summer is a relatable and endearing character, fiercely protective of her bookstore and nostalgic about the memories it holds. Her strong sense of independence and devotion to her family’s legacy make her a heroine you can root for from the start. Wes, initially coming across as a cold, business-minded CEO, slowly reveals a more caring and vulnerable side as he falls for Summer. His evolution from antagonist to romantic lead is compelling and adds depth to his character.

The central theme of the book—opening oneself to love—is explored with authenticity and emotion. Summer and Wes’s journey is one of personal growth and emotional vulnerability as they move past their initial misconceptions and allow themselves to trust and love. The family dynamics and the business rivalry add richness to the plot, making their transformation from enemies to lovers feel both believable and rewarding.

Adair adds a refreshing twist to the classic *You’ve Got Mail* formula, weaving in a corporate vs. indie bookstore rivalry with a modern spin. The slow-burn romance, combined with witty banter and a forced proximity scenario, creates a delightful tension that will keep readers hooked. The chemistry between Summer and Wes is palpable, and their witty back-and-forth leads to some truly swoon-worthy moments.

Overall, Love to Hate You is an absolute treat for fans of enemies-to-lovers romance. With its charming characters, sharp humour, and a slow-burn romance that will have you rooting for the couple from start to finish, this book is a perfect read for anyone looking for a heartwarming and fun rom-com.

I love bookish characters and enemies to lovers. This was a great rep for that. I wish there was some more building of the feud with Wes, and Autumn made me angry as heck, but I really liked the ending and enjoyed it overall

This is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that blends humor, heart, and emotional growth. The story follows Summer, a fiercely independent bookstore owner, and Wes, a polished British businessman whose chain store threatens her livelihood. Their initial interactions are full of witty tension and clashes, as both try to protect what matters most to them.

Things take a turn when they’re unexpectedly forced together at a family gathering, leading to meaningful conversations and surprising emotional connection. As they begin to see past their assumptions, mutual respect and attraction grow. Summer’s loyalty to her family and deep connection to the bookstore make her a compelling character, while Wes’s hidden vulnerability and devotion to his brother give him unexpected depth.

The story is filled with warmth, funny family dynamics, and believable emotional development. With themes of vulnerability, second chances, and understanding, Love to Hate You is a satisfying, feel-good romance about learning to open your heart to love—even when it starts with conflict.

This was a really cute read! I loved the banter between Wes and Summer and it was just nice to read an easy to love romance story!
I was hooked from the get go and loved how Summer was such a hopeless romantic. I pictured Wes having his British accent the whole time ♥️

All in all I loved this book!

3.75⭐️3🌶️

Contemporary Romance
Dual POV
Age gap (6 yrs)
Rivals to lovers
Modern twist on You’ve got mail
Family Vacation


Love to hate you was a cute romcom!

While this is marketed as an enemies to lovers, it isn’t. It’s a rivals to lovers with Summer owning an indie romance bookstore and Wes opening a big box book store a few shops over, A la You’ve Got Mail. Because it mentions this in the synopsis I don’t mind that it is mentioned so often throughout the book. But there are many cultural references that put a definite timestamp on the book, like the TS European tour.

This book is as much about the feeling of being the overlooked sibling as it is about romance. The inner competition that the FMC feels for her twin sister is really heavily laid out.

The FMC, Summer, was a great representation of a softer girl who romanticizes romance. It’s her complete focus in life.

The dog is on the cover and was more of a peekaboo pet than a fixed character in the book. I was sad that it wasn’t in the story more.

The ending felt a little rushed and jumpy.


Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for gifting me the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was...just fine. Average run of the mill romance between two bookshop owners, one British and one a nice homely girl. I've read dozens of other books like this and if you really like this then you will enjoy this one. For me the FMC was just kind of giving me I'm still in high-school vibes so much so that I really didn't care for her at all and that leeches the enjoyment from me. So just kind of meh.

Summer is a hopeless romantic who owns a romance-only bookstore that has been in her family for generations. But then a big box bookstore announces it will be opening next door and Summer realizes she needs a plan to save her store. She hopes to come up with fresh ideas during her family's annual vacation at their lake house. But once there, her twin sister, Autumn, surprises everyone by bringing along her new boyfriend. And his brother - who happens to own the big box bookstore that's moving into next to hers.

This was a classic enemies-to-lovers story about business rivals turned into lovers. While this is one of my favorite romance tropes, this story fell a little flat for me. Mostly because I felt like the switch flipped from enemies to lovers to quickly and without a lot of explanation as to why. I also didn't connect with Autumn and her boyfriend Randy and their insta-love story so I wasn't necessarily enjoying that sub-plot.

All-in-all, it was a fun, lighthearted story but not a title that stands out in the genre.

Overall 3/5
Spice: 2/3

Slightly cringy, very adorable, and the perfect bit of light fluff in this fresh take on You’ve Got Mail

Small town bookstore owner Summer (twin of Autumn, lol) has a real burning (passion) hate for big box bookstore owner next door Wes, but when her twin starts dating his brother, they’re thrown together in more ways than they can imagine (and oh, they have imagined). Can love survive competing bookstores?? A classic conundrum

The brightest light in this book was our girl Summer, a hopeless romantic who gives her whole heart to her loved ones. Unfortunately for Summer, that same grace is not extended to her and her twin is lowkey the actual worst in a way that feels comically bad- and then the family sides with Autumn in a way that baffles me!!! Luckily for Summer, Wes isn’t as bad as he seems to be, and he helps her find her voice in standing up for herself (though he could use his voice a bit less).

This book honestly felt like a perfect palate cleanser: not too deep, entertaining, and a quick read!! Thanks so much to Marina Adair and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Who doesn't love a modern Pride and Prejudice love story with an explicit nod to the classic and involving two bookstore owners.
It took me a while to like Summer and Wes because they were just too much themselves, she a people-pleaser and he too stuck-up in his ways.
But they overcome all of that. Their conflict in the relationship was painfully obvious from the beginning but the book still held my attention with the execution of the resolution.
Loved reading about a generational bookstore and family holidays. It was amazing how familial relationships were built up in the plot beyond the romance. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more by the author.

Thank you to NetGalley, 8th note press and Marina Adair for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Love to hate you is a nod to You've got Mail. I was super hyped for this as You've got Mail is one of my all time favourites.
You have Summer our FMC, she runs a small independent bookstore that has been run by members of her family for decades. Honestly Summer kind of annoyed me at times. I found her quite a selfish character and very self pitying to the point I got annoyed. Summer had a twin whom Summer refers to as being selfish and everything is done to center around her sister but I don't think that right. Summer very much played the victim card a lot.
We have Wes. Our MMC. CEO of his father's company whom are about to open a large Book Store next to Summers shop. Wes was cheeky. Flirty and also caring.
I was enjoying this book and then we got to rhe spice. This is probably a personal thing for me but I found the terminology used to be so cringe that I really didn't enjoy reading it. The fact that midway of them doing the deed they are having an almost full blown conversation aswell. It kind of took me back a bit.

Over all it was an ok read. I likes the nods to some classic rom coms.

This review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review may contain spoilers

This was a 3.75 -star read for me.

When I started this book I was so worried for our FMC, Summer. But then in swoops Wes and I just knew everything was going to be ok!!

Our girl Summer was having a bit of a rough go, but Wes just kept showing up for her and I absolutely fell in love. I love it when he falls first! Wes was just so patient with Summer and I loved their whole relationship from rivals to lovers! I enjoyed all their banter, the laughs, and the spice...umm hello breaking the bed!

Also, I absolutely loved that we got chapter titles!!! To me those are like a treasure hunt in each chapter to find the correlation between the chapter name and what happens in the chapter!! So this is a YES for me!!

Summer's sister Autumn was pretty awful but I enjoyed the growth and maturing in their relationship. The week at the summer house and Aunt Blanche added some good laughs to really round this book out. It really was everything I wanted in a romcom!

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a modern twist on you've got mail and or enjoy a good RomCom!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#LovetoHateYou #NetGalley

Love To Hate You by Marina Adair is a 2025 take on the classic romance movie, You've Got Mail. Summer Russo is the owner of a local romance bookshop and Wes Kingston is one of the heirs to a large book conglomerate opening a rival store next to Summer’s. Summer and Wes naturally clash over their businesses but are unexpectedly thrust together on an annual summer vacation when they realize their siblings are dating.

Love To Hate You covers a lot of romance tropes, including: enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, secret will stipulations, and meddling family members. I’m a lover of tropes, but at times, the excessive use of cliches makes the characters seem one-dimensional. There is clearly sexual chemistry between Summer and Wes, but I feel like there was a lot of telling rather than showing their developing relationship. One of my biggest gripes with You’ve Got Mail is the lack of true grovel by Tom Hanks’ character, Joe Fox, after he forces the closure of Kathleen Kelly’s indie children’s bookstore. Thankfully, Love To Hate You changes the plot and the outcome of the Summer’s romance bookstore is much more satisfying. Love To Hate You is not a deep, romantic novel but is a great contender for a light summer poolside read if you’re a fan of classic romcom plots.

Honest review in exchange for an ARC from 8th Note Press and NetGalley.

3.5 ⭐️

This is a super cute, easy to read story. It could even be labeled as a beach read. It is a fun rivalries to lovers.

Summer is a third generation romance book store owner. And Wes is a big box book store owner who’s building his store right next door to Summer. They spend months antagonizing and pranking each other. Summer despises Wes and his threat to her store. While Wes enjoys antagonizing Summer. He likes the sparks he gets out of her.

Summer is very close with her family, almost to a fault because she tends to try to please everyone to her own detriment. Especially in the dynamic with her outgoing twin sister Autumn. Summer folds like a deck of cards to her sister every time. The only one who Summer truly stands up to is Wes.

Wes is in town temporarily. He has to follow the terms of his father’s secret will or lose the business to the board. One of those stipulations is he can’t tell his brother. Wes didn’t grow up with his half brother and father and never fit in with his family because of it. He’s always felt like no one has chosen him. Once this store is open he plans to open the next and return to London.

Summer’s favorite week every year is their family week at the lake. It’s all about their twin-ness. Only this year her sister has a fiancé and it happens to be Wes’s brother. During this week Summer becomes her sister’s third wheel and ends up spending most of her time sparring with Wes. Only their sparring becomes so much more and they truly fall for each other. Their sparring also gives Summer the confidence to finally stop pleasing everyone else and put her needs first.

What happens when both their stores have a popular author for her book signing but on the same day? The conclusion of this story made me believe that anything is possible when you learn to compromise both in love and with family.

Thanks to NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the ARC opportunity.

Cute, entertaining read! I enjoyed the premise of them being rivals yet each being secretly attracted to the other. Overall a fun read.

Cute, entertaining read! I enjoyed the premise of them being rivals yet each being secretly attracted to the other. Overall a fun read.

Do you like Hallmark movies? This is the book for you.
Is a cozy romance, big shot CEO hoes to small town and meets small bookstore owner.

This was a lot of fun to read,made cry for a minute while reading it on my flight home. I think at the beginning it was a little confusing with the fast pace change of scenes and some info dump. Thats why 4 stars but it got better, a lot better after the first couple of chapters.

I loved the banter, how they were able to talk to each other about anything. I loved the close knit family.
I absolutely hated her sister. 🙄


Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

Love to Hate You by Marina Adair is my first introduction to her writing and I really enjoyed it! I feel like we've seen the rival to lover book store owner/CEO storyline before but this one had a lot of heart. At times, I was beyond annoyed with Autumn (our main character's twin sister). However, I really enjoyed our main characters. It was a cute good time.

Rating-
3.5/5 stars
(Rounded Down)

Genre-
Contemporary Romance

Age Rating For It-

Tropes-
📚 Forced Proximity
📚 Enemies To Lovers
📚 Small Town

Thoughts/Would I Recommend This?
This book was a really cute, easy book to read that I enjoyed reading. It’s definitely one of those books that are just super easy to read and a good fluff piece for in between other heavier books if you need a break. I loved how we saw Summer go through the growth she did, realizing she can’t always be the peacemaker and give up what she may want for others want just to keep the peace. The only thing I didn’t really love was the 3rd act breakup because it was like 5 pgs long, and then they were back to normal. So, I wish the author had made it longer to actually make it seem more needed or just not included it because I don’t know if it really needs it. All in all though, a great book, I’d definitely recommend as a good light read!

Marina Adair’s books always feel like a warm hug, and Love to Hate You is no exception!

Dual POV
Opposites attract
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Lots of family
British swagger
Rival bookstores
Slower burn
Spicy spice
You’ve got mail vibes


Weston Kingston and Summer Russo play out loathing to loving in this breezy romantic comedy. Love to Hate You feels like you are back in the bliss that was early 2000s rom coms. So many “meet cutes” and “meet uglies” bound to make you laugh—and root for Summer to find her HEA.

Now…Summer’s twin sister Autumn. When I was looking over my notes, I found that I really, really hate her. I cannot remember the last time (if ever) I hated a character so much. I think my main critique of this book is the lack of Summer just flat out taking down Autumn for her selfishness. I mean, this kind of needed to happen if there was a chance of her redemption. Alas, Summer is still kind of a push over.

Thank goodness for Summer’s dad, her best friend Cleo, and Wes having her back in the “Autumn only matters” family vacation.