This was a cute read. It was not the best romance I have ever read but I still enjoyed it. The romance was cute.

Summer Russo has put everything she has into her new bookstore. She believes so wholeheartedly in love and happily ever after's that she specialized her business around it. She wants everyone to see how special love can be when it's found, even if she hasn't experienced it yet herself. She is hoping her books can bring joy to those who purchase them and in turn her business will grow... but that plan hits a little snag when she gains a new neighbor.

Love to Hate You is an entertaining enemies to lovers story that is destined to bring a few smiles and many laughs. The tension between Summer and her new neighbor Wes can easily be felt throughout, they are constantly battling at every turn all the while secretly eye-balling one another. Neither one wants to give in and admit defeat... which makes for some fun banter and serious heat!

I loved watching this delightfully penned love story unfold, it was the perfect blend of spice, humor, and emotion and it's charming characters had my heart and attention at first meet! Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley request, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

i found this book a nice read for a vacation when you want something easy but also spicy and with some plot.

i enjoyed summer as a character. she was nice, soft and romantic while also had a strong opinions and personality. she was very defensive of herself which i actually appreciated.

wes sounded british to me and i don’t remember if he is. he called summer - love - almost every time and sometimes it was too much. i read love 3 times on one page and i wish he used that less for a bigger effect. overall, he is a basic romance book boyfriend who would do anything for his girl. the end was very sweet because of his actions and i loved his softness toward summer.

i’m starting this argument again. this book is heavily marketed as enemies to lovers… but they were never enemies. from the very beginning wes liked summer and would call her love. he was kind of cold toward her in first chapters but he was never mean, rude or aggressive towards her.

why not 4 stars? it lacked chemistry and normal dialogues even though the tension was crazy good!!

This book was cute, the enemies to lovers tension snapped really early and turned to cute moments pretty quickly, but I was here for that as well. I felt for both of them because they both had a lot of baggage with family issues, but I thought it was cute how they kept showing up for one another and they had an ally in the other. Wes was a businessman and only thought of himself, and by the end he was a new man. Summer brought out something in him that he had hidden deep down and it was adorable the way he fell so hard.
Thanks to 8th Note, Netgalley and Marina Adair for an early copy.

3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book a lot actually the pace that was going at and the characters specially Wes was so fun and supportive.
101 husband material.
Summer however, needed a lot of confrontation to do, she sounded like she pathologically people pleaser and she needed to do something about it specially with her family but the girl did nothing she just took that out on Wes in the first sign of trouble.
Regardless, I loved and enjoyed the story so much.
thank you netgalley for allowing me the chance to be one of the readers of this book and thank you Mariana for this cute book

I totally love the movie ‘You’ve Got Mail’ and have seen it numerous times so I was really looking forward to a book inspired by this movie.
‘Love to hate you’ is about Summer, who owns her granny’s bookshop and is suddenly confronted with an big-box bookshop across the street and it’s obnoxious CEO Wes. They bicker, they fight, and Summer is worried her bookstore is going under. So she’s happy to get away from it all and spend some time with her family. You can imagine her surprise when her twin sister Autumn shows up with a boyfriend and his brother: Wes! So what happens next?

I liked the plot, but I had some issues with a few things.
Being a twin myself, I feel Summer and Autumn being fraternal twins would have made more sense, instead of mirror twins. Wes and Summer hated each other so it’s unrealistic to expect that Wes accepted his brother’s invitation to join him and Autumn on a family holiday after meeting Autumn, who is so much alike his competition, Summer.

Summer’s character was variable. She often let people walk all over her, like the dog owner in chapter one (I would have demanded him to pay for my ruined dress!) and most of the times her sister, but she was verbally very aggressive towards Wes. I felt uncomfortable with her harsh words.
Wes, in turn, wasn’t nice towards her either. For example he rescues her when she falls into the river but ends up tossing her back in. And I felt he was a bit overly sensitive. He had mommy issues, okay, but he was hurt that Summer wanted him gone from their family holiday - of course she did, he’s the competition and they’re not friends! I understand his feelings but I’d expect a grown man to feel that way with friends or relatives, not complete strangers.
The speed in which Wes and Summer get physical was off putting to me. One moment there’s hate, the next there’s flirting and moaning. I would have liked more relationship building and less cheesy attempts at flirting, which often felt totally off the mark. And her relatives basically pushing her towards Wes and making all kinds of suggestions like using a condom or her father urging Wes to sleep in Summer’s room was very weird, to say the least. Autumn, I just wanted to strangle her, she’s so incredibly selfish and both she and Randy were immature.

I did love the Italian roots this family has, the bickering about who makes the best pasta sauce. I loved the old movie references, like Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief. I love love love these old movies.
I also liked that Wes needed to rescue his big bookstore, too, albeit from the stockholders and the mismanagement of his stupid brother.

To summarize, this book has good parts and parts that didn’t really work for me, but it is a nice and light read with a happily ever after. I am sure many people will enjoy it, for me it was sometimes difficult to remain engaged in the story.
Content 411: In addition to a moderate amount of secular and religious swearing, there are also a few descriptive sexually intimate scenes.
Thank you Netgalley, Dragonblade Publishing and Marina Adair author for providing an advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed it; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Strong plot that didn't follow through very well. The story had whiplash moments where their relationship went from enemies to lovers in just a few pages. Summer kind of sucked. She never truly grew a backbone while her family walked all over her, and one apology supposedly fixed everything? On top of that, the miscommunication trope was present throughout the entire book, which I did not enjoy. Just one adult conversation could have fixed a lot.

This was a wonderful, quick read! Summer and Wes both have similar goals but different ways of going about them. Can they get over their distrust and animosity to fins a common bond? Can they learn to stand up for themselves when it really matters? I love books about bookstores and I am a sucker for a HVE!

Thank you to NetGalley, 8th Note Press, and Marina Adair for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so cute! I rate it a strong 4.5. It was enjoyable, light, and funny.

A modern retelling of You've Got Mail, this book is about two rival booksellers who are dealing with logistics of opening up a large bookshop next to a small town romance only bookshop. Summer is fighting to keep her bookstore alive with the behemoth bookstore opening, and while she's fighting, she's fighting head to head with Weston Kingston, the man working for the rival bookshop next door. They had amazing banter and witty repartee that made the book so much fun to read. I loved seeing Wes and Summer together as they fought and as they faced forced proximity.

The book was sincerely fun and will be one I remember for quite a while.

This was the perfect enemies to lovers, spicy romcom! Summer is a people pleasing, hopeless romantic who wears her heart on her sleeve. I loved her character! Wes, a British CEO of a big bookstore company who uses his charm to will his way into the hearts of those around him. The two of them were full of banter and chemistry, which was definitely my favorite part of the book! Plus who doesn’t love a book talks about books and has all your favorite reading tropes!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a cute, easy read. I’m a huge fantasy reader so this was the perfect book to take a break from all the heavy world building. I loved the characters, the storyline was different than what I’ve read in the past.

Love to Hate You is like if You’ve Got Mail got a modern reboot, but with extra sass, steam, and a meddling family that just won’t quit. This book delivers all the best romcom tropes—enemies to lovers? Check. Rivals to lovers? Double check. Forced proximity with tension so thick you could slice it with a hardcover? Absolutely. Plus, a dash of meddling siblings who mostly made me want to shake them and also tell my own siblings they are stupid.

Summer Russo is an idealist who believes in true love and happy endings—both in life and in the romance novels she stocks at her struggling indie bookstore. Wes Kingston, on the other hand, is all business. As a CEO of a big-box bookstore chain, he sees expansion as success, not as a personal attack on small businesses—until he meets Summer, who is determined to fight him every step of the way. Their rivalry is sharp, their banter even sharper, and their chemistry undeniable.

The added twist of their siblings bringing them together under one roof adds an extra layer of forced proximity (and frustration), making their slow shift from enemies to something more all the more satisfying. While I found the family dynamics interesting, there were moments where the siblings felt more like obstacles than meaningful additions to the story.

If you love enemies-to-lovers, rivals-to-lovers, and forced proximity tropes, this book delivers them in an entertaining and romantic way. The mix of humor, tension, and emotional depth keeps the story engaging, while the romance itself is filled with just the right amount of spice.

This updated take on You’ve Got Mail was an entertaining and romantic read. I would imagine Nora Ephron would be pleased with the main characters and their small book shop vs big bookstore rivalry. The added twists of their siblings was interesting although I found myself annoyed with them more than anything. Love to Hate You will be loved by romcom book lovers who enjoy the tropes of enemies to lovers, rivals to lovers, and forced proximity. There were moments of humor, great spice, and of course romance.

Marina Adair's Love to Hate You is a delightful contemporary romance that brings together the elements of rivalry, humor, and undeniable chemistry. The story centers around Summer Russo, an optimistic indie bookstore owner, and Wes Kingston, a pragmatic CEO of a rival bookstore chain. Their worlds collide in an entertaining blend of tension and attraction. What I loved about the book are the engaging characters—Summer's belief in true love and her determination to save her bookstore are endearing, while Wes's no-nonsense attitude and hidden vulnerability add depth to his character. The humor and wit are also highlights, especially the playful banter between Summer and Wes, which is both entertaining and a key driver of their evolving relationship. Adair masterfully builds the romantic tension between the characters, making their journey from adversaries to lovers both believable and enjoyable. The story includes heartfelt moments that explore the characters' pasts and motivations, adding emotional depth to the narrative. However, some plot points are predictable, following familiar romance tropes, and some supporting characters could have been more fleshed out. Overall this book is a heartwarming and entertaining read that romance fans will likely enjoy. Adair's writing style is engaging, and the chemistry between Summer and Wes makes for a compelling love story. If you're looking for a feel-good romance with a touch of humor, this book is a great choice.

Love to Hate You by Marina Adair follows hopeless romantic and book store owner, Summer Russo and contends battles with the owner of the new chain book store that’s opening up next door, Wes Kingston. When Wes shows up to Summer’s family holiday sparks fly and these enemies decide if all their meet-cutes will result in them becoming lovers after all! This was a nice read, I liked the characters of Summer and Wes and their banter was entertaining. I found it a little difficult to remain engaged in the story and at times the cheesiness and dramatics read like a Hallmark movie. thank you to NetGalley, 8th Note Press and the author for this ARC!

The tension is intoxicating, the banter is razor-sharp, and every moment crackles with that push-and-pull that makes enemies-to-lovers so irresistible, turning every clash into foreplay and every moment into a battle neither wants to lose. Loved it.

This was a cute, funny, and flirty rom-com that makes for a good summer read. Some parts seemed to drag on but the story and characters were great.

Such a perfect enemies to lovers rom com. Has the perfect amount of fluff and spice! Would be the perfect read for a warm sunny day or a day on the beach! However I can't say enough good things about this book! The characters have wonderful chemistry and the story was delicious!

~ quick stats ~
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Stars ~ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

A modern take on the 1998 film, “You’ve Got Mail,” Love to Hate You follows the book-owner rivalry between the hopeless romantic Summer Russo, a small, family bookshop owner, and the handsome Wes Kingston, who inherits his father’s bookstore chain. However, when Summer is ready to relax and enjoy her family’s annual beachside holiday (away from her rival), guess who arrives with her twin, Autumn, and her new boyfriend, Randy. Of course, Wes! The forced proximity, witty banter, charm, lust, spice, and rivalry was intriguing and makes you want to continue seeing their relationship develop.

Summer and Wes’ chemistry was captivating to read, but also their constant back-and-forth which inevitably leads to sparks and butterflies, effortlessly sets up the “love to hate you” dynamic between the pair. The secondary characters, like her twin, Autumn, were fun and developed. But it was frustrating and sad having to witness Summer’s family constantly making her an outsider, especially through their inside jokes about her that made her feel extremely excluded.

I found that the writing style was quite simplistic and confusing at times. For example, I couldn’t precisely picture certain scenes in my head straightaway. There were also a couple times where I was briefly confused on which perspective I was reading. And as for the enemies to lovers trope, I found that it didn’t last long (or as long as I’d hope) before lust was introduced and the idea of being enemies was only an outward appearance, contrasting their inner feelings for each other.

Additionally, as a Swiftie, I found the references to Taylor enchanting and a cute addition in the story!

Overall, a cute, cheesy love story with so many meet-cutes and romance tropes!

The cutest story! You've got mail, but in book form (so it's even better).

Summer is all about romance. She runs a romance book store, looks for a perfect meet-cute, and wants to find her HEA. Her life is not all pink and fluttery thought. She has a series of meet-uglies, and the big-box bookstore moves next door, threatening all that she built, and on top of that thing with her twin, her other half and a bit tense.

She hates that book store and most of all she hates its owner, Wes. They have an epic prank war, that reaches its peak when her sister unexpectedly brings a boyfriend she never even heard of to a family vacation. And he comes with his brother, who happens to be Wes.

Forced to share a room and spend time together, their chemistry becomes undeniable. They stick together, through family drama and get really, really, close.

But they still have an epic battle to finish.

It's a true enemy to lovers' romance, with so much tension that is sure to make your heart beat faster. :)

Highly recommend it!

Thank you very much for the complimentary ARC! All opinions expressed here are completely my own.
Wow! This felt like a feel-good 2000s enemies-to-lovers rom-com in a book!
In terms of main characters, Summer is a hopeless romantic who craves nothing more than to find the love of her life, get married, and spend the rest of her life like she is in a romance book (very fitting for a romance bookseller). On the other end, Wes views life as one business deal after another and doesn't see romance in his future. However, as the book goes along, we start to realize that these opposites-attract characters have a lot more in common than we thought.
The banter is so good between Summer and Wes. From the very beginning you can feel their mutual loathing (they're rival bookstore owners!!) but are still able to get an underlying sense of attraction and pining. In the beginning, you have the pranks and fights between these two rivals, and then toward the end, you get cute little meet-cute moments that have you craving more of these characters.
On top of the loathe-to-love trope, we have some 'forced proximity' at a beach getaway. Speaking of which, this whole section of the book was so much fun and gave me Cheaper By The Dozen 2 / Parent Trap summer camp vibes with all of the games and competitions.
Moving on to side characters ... I don't think I've ever disliked a side character more than I disliked Autumn. Not going into details but man oh man was she selfish and self-absorbed. I know there was some resolution of this towards the end of the book but I don't know if I fully believe that such a self-absorbed person could have a change of heart quite so quickly.
Lastly, the only thing I didn't really love about this book was the third-act conflict. This was mainly because it came out of nowhere and also very late in the book. The resolution was adorable and showed Weston's love for Summer, but I don't think the conflict itself actually served any kind of purpose and felt very abrupt.
Overall, this book was a feel-good time that still managed to deal with some big emotions. I will definitely be picking up more books by Marina Adair!