I listened to the audiobook version of this story narrated by Cindy Kay and JF Harding. This is a 3.75 star read for me so I rounded it up. This story had some really good things and some that I didn't enjoy as much. I loved the narration. JF and Cindy did an amazing job with that. I liked the premise of secret writers that hate each, turned secret pen pals, turned lovers. Loved the smexual tension between them and I love how supportive Micah was of Aidan with his father issues, and how supportive Aidan was of Micah's writing. On the other hand, the steamy scenes didn't do much for me. I also disliked how childish Aiden was regarding Micah's job. Otherwise, the story does have some great banter and again, the narration was perfect.

Always a fan of books about books, Much Ado About Hating you has an interesting meet cute.

Micah, an auditor, is often loathed by those she works with. Her job is to report to a facility and figure out how to cut the fat. In this case, she reports to the college where Professor Aidan Scott happens to teach literature.

When Aiden hears an auditor is coming in, he mocks the process in the elevator up to work one morning...
What could a business brain like an auditor have to contribute to the academic world he quips, loudly, with Micah in the elevator.

And so the spicy hatred between these two begins. Add in the layer of smutty Shakespearean fan fiction that Micah reads at night, which happens to be penned by none other than Aiden... and now you've got quite the conundrum.

It's a fun little rom com with lots of banter and Shakespeare thrown in.

I ended up really enjoying this book! It was super smutty, and I liked the characters.

The story follows Micah, who is a financial auditor, and her latest work assignment has sent her to the local university’s English department. That is where Micah meets Aidan, who ends up being a thorn in Aidan’s side as soon as she steps through the front door. Both Aidan and Micah like to blow off their steam by reading and writing smutty fan fic, and when Micah discovers that the man getting under her skin is the man writing her favorite fan fic- their hate for each other becomes something more…

I enjoyed the pacing of the book, it didn’t linger too long on the characters being enemies, which kept the story moving and allowed plenty of space for their relationship to grow. The chemistry between both Aidan and Micha was electric! That intense kind of hate that often masks the characters’ deeper emotions, so that when they finally admit they liked each other, it creates the perfect amount of spice!

I loved the ending. I liked that they were both able to do something that they were passionate about together. Especially after everything that her ex said about her writing. I think that Aidan was able to really help her see her potential and pushed her to do scary things.

Overall, this was a really cute book, and I would recommend it! It’s a super quick and fun read. 4/5 stars~

2.75 Stars. I got an advanced copy of the audio for this through NetGalley and based off of the description I was really excited, but after finishing it, I was a little disappointed. The plot had great
potential and the characters had some potential, but I feel like the plot and the character development were both sacrificed for the sake of spicy scenes. And don’t get me wrong. I love a book with good spice, but this one felt like it was trying a little too hard When it came to the spicy scenes and then not trying very hard at all when it came to the plot. I also just don’t quite see how these two characters would make it work long-term because their communication was terrible even after they get together and I just don’t see it being something That would be a healthy relationship long-term. I feel like there’s a lot of little hints dropped in this book about character backstory that had some serious potential to make for a really interesting plot, but those tidbits were not really expanded on or even really talked about much beyond the moment that they happened in, and that led to a lack of true character, growth or development and the story kind of unsatisfying. I feel like if this book had been 75% plot and 25% spice. It could’ve been great but it was a little bit more 50% plot 50% spice and the plot definitely was what suffered.

WE NEED MORE BOOKS ABOUT FANFICTION!!! This was very fun and cute and spicy! The concept of this book was so fun however the pacing was a bit jarring. While I love a good instant connection turned sour when they open their mouth and even workplace enemies to lovers, the transition between these phases was almost non existent. It wasn’t even hate sex to a stronger connection it was just wow they might not be as annoying as I thought after the first sexual encounter. I also really struggled with the MMC who was instantly rude to the woman just tweeting to do her job. He kept blaming it on her specifically as if her not having this job would mean none of this would have happened. If she wasn’t auditing then someone else would and the audit doesn’t automatically mean she’s getting everyone fired. His verbal aggression towards her was very unnecessary and flipped on and off at the weirdest times.

On a more positive note I did appreciate how straight forward they were when finding out certain secrets about the other. In a lot of books they’ll let it fester leading to future miscommunication but they talked through almost everything instantly (besides her job). I did think their relationship was sweet and I zoomed through this book almost entirely in one sitting.

Overall this book was cute and fun but I think it could’ve benefited from adding maybe 100 pages allowing them to slowly transition their feelings.

The enemies vibe was strong here and I lived up every moment. Poor guy could not catch a break, he kept putting his foot in his mouth. So many laughs. He writes fanfic in his down time and posts it online and she reads and comments. They become online friends who vent about their annoying co-worker, while in real life they hate each other, her more than him. Fast paced workplace romance and they get stranded one night together after a storm. Fun times.

This was cute and simple and I definitely found myself cackling in the beginning with the characters hot sauce antics.
I loved that we had them interacting in the fan fic space and getting to know each other, i do wish that that would have gone on longer and so been more of a reveal than what we had.

Needs unite! As someone who is writing a smutty novel myself this is so perfect. It’s smutty and sexy and the banter is so perfect. The hatred they feel towards each other in the beginning and I can’t get enough! Their dirty talk is so hot and I just can’t handle it.

Also… JF Harding is PERFECTION. I would listen to him read a phone book. The narrators were a perfect match and I loved them together.

Workplace enemies? Check
Secret Fanfic writer identities? Check
Banter and Tension? Check
Slow burn with some serious spice? Check
A damn fun read? Double Check!

This was such a fun and unique book! I loved the dynamic of enemies by day but spicy fanfic writers who enjoy each other’s writing by night.

This is very fast paced, the writing is well done and I had a fun time reading this (even though I have some issues with the ending but I won’t spoil it).

The audiobook by Cindy Kay and JF Harding is such a good time and I highly recommend listening to it!

Thank you Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for an early listening copy!

⭐️⭐️💫 | 🌶️🌶️🌶️

I wanted to love this so much more, but it just fell really flat for me. I felt the characters lacked depth and development. Then the plot and pacing was so surface level.

The spice was great, I enjoyed the aspect that they’re fanfic and romance writers. So, reading their stories in this book was a lot of fun, but I felt those stories had much more page time than I think made sense. But they were my favourite parts too, so no complaints I guess hahah.

Overall, was a quick smutty read, but was lacking some depth and dimension to have really reeled me in.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for this ALC!

This book sounded like a good fit for me, but it turned out, I was wrong. When it comes to enemies-to-lovers, I like banter, not open hostility. DNF ~16%. The audiobook narrators did a good job of capturing the angry tone of the book.,

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Much Ado About Hating You was a super cute and pleasantly spicy read that I absolutely adored! I listened to this as an audiobook and was immediately drawn in by the dual POV narration. Cindy Kay and J.F. Harding did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. Their performances added so much charm and chemistry to the story.

I’m a total sucker for a well-done enemies-to-lovers trope, and this book delivered all the playful tension, witty banter, and satisfying romance I hoped for. What really surprised me, though, was the emotional depth, particularly the exploration of Aidan’s character’s complicated relationship with his father. It added a heartfelt layer that made the story even more compelling.

5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The main characters gave me extreme ick. They were both immature and annoying. I did enjoy the spicy scenes but everything else fell flat. Props to the narrarators and publication, though. They did a wonderful job!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the gifted ALC.

***Five Stars***

The SPICE!!! This one was steamy and the chemistry was so good!

Micah is an auditor and Aidan is an English professor at the college Micah is auditing. Of course everyone at the college is weary of her because what she reports could cost them their jobs. Aidan gets caught with his foot in his mouth about half a dozen times. It's so ridiculous. LOL
After the worst days at work both Micah and Aidan go home, Micah to read spicy fanfiction and Aidan to write it. Little do they know the flirty chat they've started with their favorite author and favorite reader, respectively, are each other. One snowed-in night at the college later they discover the truth. 

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book. I really enjoyed it!

Micah Mila is an auditor. She comes in to trim the fat. Her latest assignment is the English department of a University. She runs into the most obnoxious, rude man when she arrives. Her only solace is the fan fic she reads each night by her favorite fan fic author. Aidan Scott is an English professor who's department is being audited by the most infuriating woman he's met. His only relief is the fan fiction he rights on the side. And now he's falling for one of his readers who he's only met online, whom he can confide in and trust. Will these two realize that their crush is actually their mortal enemy? Can they even have a chance when they're on opposite sides of an audit?

The story was cute and extra spicy. I always like a "secret identity" storyline. But I didn't feel like I truly got to know these characters. I didn't feel the build up of attraction to warrant the interactions they had. It was a quick, spicy read, but not a reread for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and @HarlequinBooks for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Much Ado About Hating You by Sarah Echavarre Smith—it completely won me over. And honestly, if Aiden were real, I’d be first in line to claim him! If you're into enemies to lovers, Shakespeare and workplace romance, this book is a must for your TBR. It releases on May 27th, so don’t miss it—it’s seriously steamy.

Micah is brought in to audit the English department at a university, and that’s where Aiden, the brooding professor, comes in. From the start, they’re at odds, and Aiden quickly knows how to push Micah's buttons. But beneath all the tension, both characters are dealing with their own issues. And let’s not forget Micah’s twin, who wisely points out that some “hand and mouth” action can be exactly what you need when you're not quite ready for a relationship!

Things really heat up when Micah and Aiden secretly start chatting on a fanfic site, bonding over... Shakespearean erotica. Trust me, this is a twist you didn’t see coming, and it’s absolutely delightful. The banter between them is sharp and witty, the chemistry is undeniable, and the fanfic element? It just takes things to a whole new level of fun. Can't forget to mention the amazing narrators who brought the characters to life. They both did an amazing job!

This book is a fast-paced, entertaining read, packed with humor, chemistry, and just the right amount of steam. If you’re craving a romance that’s equal parts playful and passionate, Much Ado About Hating You has got you covered. Don’t sleep on this one—it’s a gem!
5 Stars!!!

#NetGalley, #HarlequinBooks, #MuchAdoAboutHatingYou, #EnemiestoLovers, #SarahEchavarreSmith

First of all, thank you to the publishers and authors for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book, steamy. Like what the hell steamy. It follows Micah, a financial auditor and Aidan, an English professor who not only writes Shakespeare steamy fanfic in his spare time, but is also on the staff that Micah is currently auditing. What follows is a steamy, secret identity, rivals to lovers story.

Aidan writes fanfic, Micah loves his fanfic. Micah doesn’t know she’s reading Aidan’s fanfic. Micah hates Aidan and I guess since Micah might be cutting teachers at the end of her audit, Aidan also hates Micah. This was really entertaining and pretty damn steamy guys. Worth the read!!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ARC audiobook.

In my opinion, this book had a great premise but unfortunately didn't quite deliver. I love the idea of workplace rivals/enemies to lovers and secret romance, but the plot was very surface level and the character development was severely lacking. The rivalry seemed overly immature (especially the reactions of the FMC) and their interactions seemed very unbelievable for a professional setting. I felt like the steamy parts needed more build-up and romantic tension and should have been reigned in a bit; there were just way too many of them in my opinion...it got redundant and a bit boring.

The narrators were fantastic, so that helped me hang on and finish the book.

A reader who like a lot of spice with little storyline might enjoy this book, but ultimately it just wasn't for me. 2.5 stars rounded up.

I wanted to love this book. Enemies to Lovers? Check. Hot professor? Check. Shakespeare *and* fanfic? Double check.

Alas, this is a 2 star for me.

The spice is spicing, but the characters and plot are forgettable and repetitive. The dialogue and inner monologues were stilted and both the FMC and MMC seemed to lose the sense of self that they'd been developing outside of past relationships or family stuff in the haze of their hate hookups.

I'm a nerd. I don't read sports romance. No judgement, but it's not me. If you dangle a carrot in front of me that looks like a hot Shakespeare professor who can pen his own steamy smut, don't be surprised if I gag a little at the hockey romance that worked its way in there.

Anyway, all that to say - the premise was fun, the spice was good, but it really would have benefitted from a beta reader or two.

Thank you to the author, their publisher, and NetGalley for an ALC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️

This book follows an auditor/consultant, Micah, who must help the English Dept. at a Tennessee university, become more efficient. She must decide if classes need cut or combined or if certain staff/faculty need let go. She immediately makes an enemy with outspoken Aiden, a professor in the department. He is also a secret fanfic writer that Micah loves.

Fanfic is having a moment this year and I feel like lots of publishers are trying to cash in on the craze. This results in books that lack a lot of substance. This one fell short for me. The characters just didn’t resonate with me. I didn’t feel any sort of connection to them.