If you love a good enemies-to-lovers romance with snark, sparks, and a whole lot of “I can’t stand you… but also, let’s make out,” this book is for you. Think rom-com gold with just the right amount of chaos. Marina Adair delivers a hilarious, swoon-worthy read that’ll have you grinning the whole way through.

It’s easy to get behind an enemies to lovers trope because it’s fun and the building tension is explosive, or at least it should be. Unfortunately, in Love to Hate You enemies to lovers felt more like whiplash and lacked some sincerity and development. Somehow it just missed. The sibling dynamic seemed well done, but then again, I’m an only child so what do I know. It was a fun, easy read, and I wouldn’t not recommend it, but it feels more perfect for a day of airline travel than a must read.

Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Marina Adair's "Love to Hate You" is a delightful romance that takes readers on a journey from animosity to affection. The story revolves around Summer, an independent and conscientious owner of a small, cherished bookstore, and Wes, a handsome British businessman whose new chain store threatens her livelihood. Their initial interactions are fraught with tension and misunderstandings, as Summer tries to hinder Wes's progress, believing his store will put her out of business. Wes, in turn, responds with equal measures of difficulty, leading to a series of entertaining confrontations.

The narrative takes a turn when both characters are unknowingly forced together at an annual family gathering. These unexpected circumstances compel them to communicate and understand each other on a deeper level. Through their interactions, they begin to realize that their initial perceptions were misguided, and they develop a mutual respect and affection.

Summer, a twin, is portrayed as a dedicated and nostalgic individual, deeply committed to her family's bookstore and the memories it holds. Her fierce independence and conscientious nature make her a relatable and endearing character. Wes, on the other hand, comes from a less affectionate background but shows a deep concern for his brother's future. Despite the lack of warmth in his upbringing, Wes's caring nature becomes more evident, mostly after falling for Summer, making him a complex and sympathetic character.

The theme of opening oneself to love is prevalent throughout the story. As Summer and Wes navigate their emotions and circumstances, they learn to embrace vulnerability and accept true love. The family dynamics and competitions add fun to the narrative, making the obstacles they face believable and relatable. The story's authenticity and the characters' emotional growth kept me hooked from beginning to end. The transformation from enemies to lovers was beautifully executed, showcasing the power of understanding and communication in overcoming misunderstandings.

Special thanks to Marina Adair and NetGalley for providing the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. #marinaadair #LovetoHateYou #NetGalley.

From the moment Summer Russo and Wes Kingston cross paths, sparks fly—and not in the friendly, flirty way. Summer, a fiercely optimistic indie bookstore owner, is fighting to keep her romance-filled haven afloat, while Wes, a no-nonsense corporate mogul, is set on expanding his bookstore empire. Their verbal duels are sharp and entertaining, making their eventual slow-burn romance all the more satisfying.

Adair’s writing is brimming with warmth, humor, and that perfect balance of angst and swoon-worthy moments. The novel is filled with bookish easter eggs, cozy settings, and an undeniable chemistry that crackles off the pages. And when Summer and Wes find themselves unwilling vacation housemates? The forced proximity trope does not disappoint.

✨📚💙Enemies to Lovers: A competitive bookstore battle turns into an unexpected romance. The tension? Immaculate.

✨📚💙Forced Proximity: They’re stuck under the same roof on a summer getaway—cue the slow-burn yearning.

✨📚💙Grumpy/Sunshine: Wes is all business, Summer is all heart, and their dynamic is utterly addictive.

✨📚💙Ode to Booklovers: If you love stories that celebrate books, bookstores, and the power of stories, this is for you!

-Recommendation-
anyone who dreams of falling in love in the aisles of a bookstore. It’s a feel-good, heart-melting read that reminds us why we adore romance—both in books and in life. If you love banter-filled romance, tension that turns to passion, and a hero who falls hard despite himself, make sure this is on your 2025 TBR.

I enjoyed this cute enemies to lovers romance. Summer runs her family’s romance bookstore while Wes is the CEO of a bug bookstore chain (cue the You’ve Got Mail vibes). They’re perpetually at war and hate each other so much that all Summer can focus on is her summer vacation….until she shows up and discovers that her sister’s boyfriend has brought his own brother — the exact CEO she tries to avoid. This was a cute retelling of a classic.

This was a super cute read chock full of romance tropes (positive). Loved the push and pull dynamic of Summer and Wes, and I was interested to see how the competing business storyline turned out.

Love to Hate You

I rated this book 3 stars. There are both positives and negatives about this book. First, the positives- this book was really cute. The romance was adorable, and it followed a typical grumpy-sunshine trope. Both characters were passionate, and the book touched on issues such as childhood trauma and its impact on relationships.
However, I didn’t find the book to be particularly well-written. There were some sentences where I wondered if I was actually reading a published book, or a satire making fun of bad writing. It had a cute premise, but it was unoriginal. It was a quick, easy read, but nothing more. For that reason, I rate this book 3 stars.

I was lucky enough to receive this book as an ARC!

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn't put it down and when I did, it was all I could think about until I could pick it up again.
This book was well written and all the characters were bought to life very well.  From the beginning you can feel the tension between Summer and Wes and the continuous buildup throughout the book. 

Summer is a hopeless romantic while Wes has many walls built up around him. But when these two are put together, everything just makes sense and they are able to work through their differences and help each other find their dreams. This book had a little bit of everything - enemies to lovers, sibling rivalry, pressure from being business owners just to name a few.  
The characters are very relatable.  If you are looking for a fun, light hearted book to read - pick this one!!

As a You’ve Got Mail fan, I was excited for a book inspired by the classic rom-com, and Love to Hate You delivers on the rivals-to-lovers trope with plenty of banter and family chaos.

Summer, the owner of her late grandmother’s bookshop, is horrified when a corporate bookstore opens right across the street, led by the infuriating (yet attractive) Wes. Sparks fly as they bicker, but things take an awkward turn when she heads off for a family getaway—only to discover Wes is there too, thanks to his brother dating her twin sister.

The premise is fun, and the Italian family dynamics add warmth and humor (the pasta sauce debates were a great touch). But there were a few things that didn’t quite click for me. Summer's character felt inconsistent—she let some people walk all over her while being unnecessarily aggressive toward Wes. Their romance also felt rushed, flipping from enemies to steamy moments a little too quickly. And some of the family’s meddling (like pressuring Summer and Wes to share a room) felt more cringe than cute.

That said, Wes’ struggle to save his own bookstore added an interesting layer, and the nods to classic films were a nice touch. Overall, this is a light, easy read with some fun moments, but I wished for a bit more depth in the romance and character development. If you love an opposites-attract story with a quirky family backdrop, this might be worth checking out!

A big thank you to NetGalley and 8th Note Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed seeing the characters progress in this story. The story was well paced and well written. I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it in just a few sittings.

Loved this romance.

It's an enemies to lovers romance with a lots of amazing chemistry that will have you hooked from the start.

It was my first novel by Marina Adair and this won't be my last.

I think contemporary romance just isn't for me. This is a rivalry to love situation, and that in particular doesn't work for me when there is nothing building up to it. You can't just go from hating one another to wanting to sleep together without some true chemistry + pining/tension. I'm personally over the idea of "well I hate them but they're hot so it's fine." I love a romance between book lovers so that's why I initially requested this, but it just wasn't for me. I can see other romance lovers enjoying this, though. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was a cute read, I found Wes very funny, his banter was great!
I didn’t really like Summer or Autumn. I found that their relationship irritated me, I feel like it wasn't really as true as it could be. Summer was a huge pushover and Autumn was selfish, yet they managed to resolve everything with the click of a finger.
I also found Randy to be absolutely cringey!

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC!!!
This book absolutely did not disappoint based on its name. I love me a good enemies to lovers trope and this truly delivered while also throwing in a hot billionaire as the MMC!!!! On top of that, he reads books *swoon*.

I will say that the ending felt a bit rushed as I hit 96% and therr occurred thr third act breakup. A little too close to the end of the book fot my liking. However, the delicious banter between the characters and the proposal using the bookmark really saved the book and made it a solid 4 star read.

Would highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun and spicy read!!!

Summer is a bit unlucky in love. She runs a book store that was her grandmother's, and has a flighty twin sister Autumn who Summer feels out-shines her. She's shy, a bit socially awkward, and has difficulty reading genuine romantic interest. Looking for "the One" but she never gets past the meet-cute. She also has an antagonistic relationship with handsome but cocky rival bookseller conglomerate Wes.
Get ready for:
• Family dysfunction
• Meet-cute fixation
• Forced proximity
• Enemies-to-lovers
• Opposites-attract
• Age-gap
• Dual POVs
• Open door steamy scenes

A bit formulaic, with obvious comparisons to "You've Got Mail." Cute enough, and the "love to hate you" schtick was entertaining. The obvious acknowledgement of tropes was fun (as was the running joke of the dating app). Personality-wise they seem well-matched, with both of them being family caretakers of self-centered siblings. I liked the development of their relationship as they stopped seeing each other as enemies. I had a hard time getting past the 8-year age gap, though. There's a big difference in life experience and maturity between 24 and 32, and having Wes be that much older than Summer felt mildly infantilizing for her character. Although she didn't defer to him, she did come across as immature at times. I am likely over-thinking it and your own mileage may vary, but the age gap took me out of enjoying the story a bit. Suspend disbelief for best results! Fun trope-heavy escapist read with an HEA, great if you're looking for a quick and light weekend read. 3.5 stars. Publishes April 22, 2025. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

2.5 ⭐

Oh, how I wish I trusted my gut and just DNF'd this book. How many times should we readers tell you that hate/rivalry to love does not equal hate to lust?? Please, I need tension, I need pining. I don't need "I love you, let's shaka laka boom boom." I just hated this book with every fiber of my being.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Thank you so much Netgalley and 8th Note Press for approving my request for the eARC 🩷💋

‘Love to Hate You’ is a classic enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance story, which is full of tropes, including grumpy x sunshine and close proximity.

We follow the FMC, Summer, and MMC, Wes, as they go from locking horns over their competing businesses to being forced to spend time together and deal with their feelings.

The book also tells the tale of a young woman coming into her own, after a lifetime of being a self-proclaimed people pleaser, and explores the fragility of family ties. I really enjoyed these aspects of the book because it helped me to connect with the characters, particularly the FMC.

I gave the book three stars as I struggled with the writing style and felt like it took me a long time to read for the size of the book, but this is more of a personal preference.

Overall, ‘Love to Hate You’ is a fun read and I would recommend it to fans of the iconic rom-com movies of the 90s and 00s!

I would like to thank NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★★★★
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

This book? Absolutely slaps. From the first page, I was hooked. It's fluffy, it's fun, and it's got that perfect amount of "ugh, they're annoying but also kinda cute" energy.

Wes and Summer? They're the definition of a chaotic couple. The whole "enemies to lovers" thing is done so well in this book. Like, you can feel the tension jumping off the page. They're constantly going at it, whether it's about their bookstores or just, like, existing in the same space. It's hilarious and also kinda hot, ngl.

Marina really nailed making them hate each other, but in a way that you know there's something more bubbling underneath. It's the kind of will they or won't they that keeps you up at night, furiously turning pages.

What truly made this book special, though, was the emotional depth. It wasn't just a fluffy romance. Summer's passion for her bookstore, her belief in true love, it all felt so real and genuine. And watching Wes's walls slowly crumble as he spent time with her? Chefs kiss! Like he goes from this emotionally unavailable dude to this swoon-worthy guy who's down to make sacrifices for love.

And Okay, can we talk about Autumn? She seriously needs to chill! Like, from page one, I was side-eyeing her so hard. I'm all for sisterly love, but Autumn's treatment of Summer throughout the book? It made me wanna throw my Kindle across the room and i love how Summer found her own voice and power to finally stand up for herself.

The way Wes and Summer eventually start to see each other differently? Absolutely beautiful! It's not just about physical attraction (though, let's be real, that's definitely part of it). It's also about them realizing they might have misjudged each other and that there's more to the other person than meets the eye. It's cute, it's sweet, and it gave me all the feels.

Thank you so much Netgalley and 8th Note Press for approving my request for the ARC <3

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Billionaire romance, age gap, enemies to lovers, opposite attract, forced proximity

"Love to Hate You" by Marina Adair is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that kept me entertained from start to finish. The chemistry between the main characters is electric, and their witty banter adds a fun layer to the story. Adair's writing is engaging, with well-developed characters that feel authentic and relatable.

While the plot follows some familiar tropes, it still manages to surprise me with its twists and turns. The emotional depth of the characters adds a nice balance to the humor, making for a well-rounded read. My only minor critique would be that some parts felt a bit predictable, but overall, it's a captivating story that will leave you rooting for love. A solid 4-star read!

The story follows Grace, a determined woman trying to rebuild her life, and Noah, a cocky, successful man who seems to have it all—except the ability to stay out of Grace’s way. After a series of unfortunate (and hilarious) run-ins, their animosity simmers beneath the surface, eventually turning into undeniable attraction. But with their past baggage and differences, can love really win?

What I Loved in this book was the strong enemies to lovers tension. Their banter was witty and kept me turning the pages!! :) plus, i really liked the slow burn.
I also really enjoyed how the book had humour, and explored themes like personal growth, healing, and trust. And Adair was such a funny character, i loved her!!! :)

I would totally recommend this book if you love a swoony romance with banter and chemistry.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for giving me an arc of this book in exchange of an honest review!