I was anxiously awaiting this title and so it’s absurd that my ARC review is late, but, alas, 2020 is a beast. Overall, I really loved this fake dating, second chance book with one caveat: there is a scene in here that is described as consensual but feels really not great. I know many people had an issue with consent or lack thereof in the last book and it’s really interesting because through so much of this book consent is emphasized. But then there’s this one scene that’s just mean. So, just keep that in mind as you think about whether or not you want to pick up the book. What I can tell you is that this book feels like a soap opera and I was, therefore, completely immersed.

I read this book in one sitting, which given 2020 feels like a special kind of miracle. Essentially, this book is about Princess Sophia, a winemaker and innovator, who is trying to combat the press and traditionalists in her country and save it, financially at least. It also follows Aish, a rockstar, who drunkenly spilled the beans about who the woman his band’s first smash hit was about, Sophia. This sets off a series of events that leads to Sophia being cajoled into allowing Aish into her kingdom to fake date and hopefully turn around the publicity. Of course, nothing is that easy and Sophia remains furious with Aish for how things went down a decade ago.

I found the characters so compelling and also there’s a suspense element playing out subtly in the background and that was fascinating. I really loved all the twists and turns with the suspense plot. And I am definitely looking forward to book three in this series! I’m so excited for Roman’s story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Carina, for this early review copy. I will also add that I listened to this as well on Scrib’d thanks to my lateness and I really liked the audiobook narrator. So I would recommend that version as well!

Melissa contributed this review to Really Into This

Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!

Special thanks to Harlequin for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Last year I read & loved Lush Money so I couldn't wait to read Hate Crush. While I really liked the heart of the story, there was a lot of open door romance upfront. While I don't mind that at all, it felt like the story didn't really grab me until about 60%. I still really enjoyed this one. A quick & steamy read.

Do you have a favorite trope that you love to see in a romance? Mine is a fake relationship - I am always so drawn in for those. Hate Crush started with a lot of promise for me - and a lot of tropes:

- princess
- rock star
- fake relationship
- second chance romance

Aish and Sofia had a brief relationship 10 years ago but have both moved on. Aish and his best friend John to a successful band - made most famous by a song he wrote about Sofia but never admitted who it was about.

Meanwhile Sofia was busy building a winery to bring tourism to her family’s kingdom and now needs for it to be a success. When it leaks that the song is about her - they are both given a chance to get what they need. Aish needs some positive press for the band’s next album since he’s reinventing after John’s death by suicide and rumors of stolen lyrics. Sofia needs positive press for the winery. If they pretend to be dating for one month - it can help them both out.

I really liked Sofia a lot - I love that she was a strong woman with a plan to help her country and the willingness to get it done.

However - I felt like the story went too far. It became really over the top and felt more like an overdone soap opera plot to me. I will be sharing spoilers now so stop reading if you don’t want to see them.

John was made to be such an over the top villain that I just couldn’t take it. In the past he stole lyrics, bribed people, stepped in to pretend to be Aish and left Sofia hanging when she called from the hospital. When Aish started to figure things out, he faked his own death. And then he’s back again now to continue wreaking havoc and just in general being a supervillain. It was way too much for me and really ruined what could have been an interesting story between Sofia and Aish. I don’t think it was necessary either - there could have been other reasons for their breakup and conflict.

Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for the advance reading copies.

Hate Crush by Angelina M. Lopez is a second chance romance with a fake relationship twist. Aish and Princess Sofia have history. A history that broke Sofia’s heart and has her never wanting to fall in love again. Aish sees this as his second chance as letting her go is his biggest regret. For Sofia it is fake and she is only doing this to help her business and her people. She can do this, right? She will keep her heart guarded and then move on. Aish is determined to win her back, no matter the cost. Can he show her how sorry he is and win her back?
Hate Crush by Angelina M. Lopez is emotional, a bit suspenseful, and steamy. I am definitely excited to read more of this series and from this author.

Happy reading!

I love a good second chance romance, and Hate Crush is definitely a good one. This is the second in a series, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this is a standalone - at least it was for me. I didn't have any trouble following any part of the story, and nothing stuck out as a hole that would be filled had I read book 1. Anyway, second chances. One of the things I like is that we can expect the chemistry to already be there. That said, this second chance romance is also a bit of enemies to lovers. This pair surely do have a love/hate relationship, which is another favorite trope for me. There's a fine line between love and hate, and both have one thing in common. Passion. And with that, we come to Aish and Sofia. The blurb mentions a war of wills, and I do love me some witty banter. I will say that Sofia can be brutal, and I actually felt a little sorry for Aish at times. The good thing is Angelina Lopez knows her stuff when it comes to well-drawn characters and this pair may butt head plenty, but they are also plenty great together. The story is interesting and well-paced, the characters are engaging, and the whole thing comes together for a great second chance romance.

Aish is a rock star who has not much good going for him. Some bad rumors, his best friend’s death, but it’s after losing his temper that he makes the ultimate mistake. This mistake directly impacts, Sofia, a princess, but also a wild child who is struggling to save her kingdom by starting her own wines.

When their manager decides that both together could help save their image, Sofia is furious. Aish is her first love, and he broke her heart and stomped on it. As for Aish, he wants her back more than anything…

This book is a roller coaster of emotions. It’s the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. The characters are very interesting, a bit different from what I usually read, and the chemistry is off the charts.

The story starts out strong, then it moves more into this discovery phase. I would say the only thing with this book is that I felt it dragged a little in the middle, too much information on wine for me, but that’s a personal choice. Some of it was interesting though. Also at times, the story was not so believable, but it didn’t bother me much.

There is a lot of build-up in the middle and the ending is spectacular. I love the action and thrill. It was a fun read. There are definitely some very steamy parts. I liked it, but I know not everyone does so fair warning here. Overall, I really liked the story. Aish and Sofia are a very interesting duo. I love the mix with Spanish and would definitely read the next book in this series.

A princess and a rockstar, Sofia and Aish's story is hot but also full of emotions, a beautiful second chance at romance where you will find yourself immersed in a world full of emotions, you will be reading it non stop. After having her heart broken will they be able to find themselves again? Find out in this great story.

Princess Sophia was once a wild rebellious teen but is now a grown woman. She is back home trying to revive not only her family’s dynasty in the wine business but also the wine industry in her entire village. The media isn’t focusing on her new ideas, they are dredging up her wild past and time is running out as the opening date for her winery and hotel is upon her.

Aish Salinger, a rock star is in the midst of yet another scandal about the death of his best friend and band mate. His reputation is ruined, and he can’t even write one song for the release of his new album. He is running out of options when his manager makes one last attempt to save his career.
Sophia and Aish have a history. When they were young adults they met and had a torrid love affair one summer but things ended quite badly when Aish chose his career over Sophia. She walked away hurt and has vowed to never forgive him.

Sophia and Aish are now supposed to act like the young lovers they once were for a month while they try and save the winery and Aish’s career. Aish is bound and determined to win back Sophia at all costs. Sophia on the other hand wants nothing to do with Aish and only agrees to be around him when she absolutely must. Can Aish win back the heart of the only woman he has ever loved? Will Sophia find it in her heart to forgive a man who stole her heart and crushed it?

I absolutely loved this story. Angelina M. Lopez is a brilliant writer and captures your attention in the first few paragraphs of the story. The characters are lively, sassy and witty. I loved reading about Sophia’s family and all the dynamics of each relationship in the story. This is the second book in the Filthy Rich series but it can be read as a stand-a-lone novel with no problem.

Thank you so much to the author Angelina M. Lopez, Harlequin and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. It was fabulous! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

Wow. No “sophomore slump” here. This book shot off like a firecracker right off the jump.
I loved Angelina’s debut, “Lush Money”, so I was eager to get my greedy hands on the follow up, which is the story of Princesa Sofia & her rockstar former flame, Aish Salinger.
This book took me through it. A true lovers to enemies to... friends with benefits(?) Second chance romance for the books. As we got farther along into the book it was becoming clear to me that Aish wasn’t the perception Sofia had. And neither was she. So many damaged layers for them both. Sofia did NOT give in to Aish too quickly in any capacity and he honestly didn’t deserve it. Aish has a lot of self reflection to do, and a lot of growing. Sofia had mastered the art of self preservation (or so she thought).
This book wrapped a rope around my heart and squeezed SO TIGHT.
Angelina strikes gold again with her hot as HELL sexy times and her rollercoaster up and downs of drama and conflict. I adored this book.
Many thanks to Carina Press, Harlequin, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC

Grab a glass of wine and dive into this contemporary romance set in a wine-growing region in Northern Spain. Hate Crush is the second book in the Filthy Rich series. The female protagonist is Princess Sofia (Princesa Sofia Maria Isabel de Esperanza y Santos) and the male protagonist is Aish Salinger. Aish and Sofia met each other working at his uncle’s winery in California. They hit it off right away and had a pretty steamy summer romance. The present-day part of the story is a second chance romance, ten years later.

While Sofia is a princess, her parents squandered a lot of their money and Sofia is a self-made millionaire with her winemaking technology. She is definitely vulnerable in matters of the heart and has just focused on her work and friends. Aish had chosen his career over Sofia, but now his life is falling apart and he is trying to redeem himself. Sofia has long been dogged by the paparazzi and they had falsely documented some of her wilder exploits. So each character has some personal struggles they are going through.

Sofia is getting ready to launch her new winery on her family property. She needs the buzz of the wine industry, so she invites wine experts, journalists and bloggers. She also invites Aish at the urging of her PR person. His fame could be enough to give the winery its needed push for the big launch. Sofia does not want to interact with him and writes a script for their interactions on camera. She really wants nothing to do with him when the camera is not rolling. However, it is difficult to deny the chemistry that still exists between them. Everyone notices and it even starts trending on social media.

Things I really liked about this book are the details about wine growing and winemaking, the Spanish setting, the mysterious saboteur, the hot chemistry between Sofia and Aish and the twisty resolution at the end. I also really like how fiercely loyal Sofia is to her close friends and her siblings. It adds more of a feel-good vibe outside of the sizzling romance. You should totally kick back with a glass of wine and get this book today for a feel-good summer read.

A second chance at love story with this second book in the series. Begins with Aish Salinger who is a rock star being asked Nemours questions from his band while they are all drinking. The main one is about a song which was there first hit and who it was written and about. When he answers it everyone is surprised by who he names. Well not as surprised as the public for there was a camera and he was being recorded which he did not know about. There was also something else going on but you find out more as you get into the story.
The person who Aish named is Princess Sofia who does not need this publicity for she is working on a new wine for her small country and all this does is cause a delay. You see ten years ago she and Aish were an item that not many if anyone knew about. She was at his uncle’s vineyard in California, she thought that they would be together forever but that was young love now she does not believe in love especially anything from him.
Everyone wants Aish to come to her vineyard to change the opinion, though her body liked to see him she does not like what he has become. This is when the story really picks up and you go back and forth between past and present and you get to see what had happened and you begin to wonder who is causing all of the turmoil that is going on now and when you find out you are surprised but not really. A really good story with strong characters and with just enough surprises to keep you the reader wondering what will happen next. Very much worth the read.

Angelina M. Lopez is a new-to-me author, but I love romances that feature royalty, so I was immediately drawn to "Hate Crush" after reading the book's synopsis. I'm so happy that I took a chance and picked it up because this story was steamy, angsty escapism at its best, and I absolutely loved it.

"Hate Crush" is a refreshingly different take on a royal romance featuring a compelling, almost compulsively readable plot and incredibly complex, well-developed characters. I couldn't help losing myself in the relationship between main characters Aish and Sofia; I was still turning the pages long after my bedtime because I wanted so badly to know the truth behind what had happened between them 10 years earlier, not to mention what had happened to Aish's best friend and bandmate, John. Their story kept me on the edge of my seat with quite a few unexpected twists and turns, but no matter the obstacles in their way, I found it very easy to root for Aish and Sofia to work out their problems and end up together in the end.

Overall, "Hate Crush" was an outstanding book that I could easily see making my top reads of the year list. I highly recommend it for all fans of angsty contemporary romance and will definitely be keeping an eye on this author to see what she writes next.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Although the cover doesn't do the book justice: the coloring is a bit flat, while there is a lot of chemistry going on, the story is high voltage. And even when you have not read part one (Lush Money), you can easily slip into this story. Princesa Sofia is a headstrong woman, who is determined to revitalize the winery business in her small kingdom. However, she needs to fight against the old order and the people who are stuck in 'the old ways'. Angelina paints a very accurate picture of females around the globe, who are struggling with the same issues: to be accepted as an expert, even when your ideas don't stroke with the established order.
So, when Sofia's PR manager, and good friend, wants to use the fame of Aish Salinger, Sofia's old ex, to get Sofia's ideas launched into the world, Sofia agrees. After a decade has gone, she should be over the hot as hell singer, who left her high and dry. The only feelings Sofia harbors for Aish now are feelings of hate. But as soon as Aish sets foot in her kingdom, she realizes that the old attraction is still there. But a fake whirlwind romance is not easy to pretend. Especially not, when Sofia's feelings are all over the place.
Can she and Aish convince the world that there is love and that Sofia's winery has a future? With the past catching up on them, and eyes and ears everywhere, a lot of unexpected twists and turns appear. A wonderful story of trust, second chances and life altering decisions. Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

This book had everything I love in a good modern romance! Rockstars, princesses, young love, second chances and all the hate and angst you could ever want! I found reading this book that I quickly fell in love with both Aish and Sofia from the start. Author Angelina M. Lopez did an amazing job layering these characters, making very relatable and real. I was definitely on team #Aishia from the get go, even knowing that they had A LOT of work to do to make this happen.

The third character of the book, Bodega Sofia, Princess Sophia’s new winery was fascinating to read about. I enjoy a glass or two of vino here and there… and now after all the details and scenes at the winery I feel like I know so much more of the process- I love when I learn something new!

Overall this book grabbed onto my heart form the start and took me through an emotional roller coaster ride. At one point I was questioned if I could handle the next blow that was dealt to Aish and Sophia… knowing that the HEA was on the horizon gave me the reassurance to continue on. I was definitely happy I did! The end was so sweet and perfect. I think as I wait for the next book in this series, I will be finding myself a copy of the previous book!
As always, Carina Press delivers the happily ever after I crave! A dramatic read that I totally recommend!

Hate Crush by Angelina M. Lopez is scheduled to release June 30th, 2020.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin and the Harlequin Publicity Team. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.


#HateCrush #AngelinaMLopez #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

Princess Sofia, her female MC in Hate Crush, was introduced to us in Lopez’s debut last year, Lush Money. I immediately liked Sofia. She seemed complicated and misunderstood and one of those MCs that the public and paparazzi love to hate when constantly in the public eye. And IRL as well as in books – I am always here for rooting for the underdog, especially when it’s a vilified woman.

Sofia is a woman that is headstrong and seen as a party girl for her past for simply hanging out with men and having been caught in some mildly compromising situations. She’s out to prove herself to her people, the public, and most of all, herself. I loved all of that. She’s determined and that was something I loved to see – she’s trying to start her own business and there’s some really interesting commentary I think the book is trying to do here with being in the public eye and how harsh that can be. The juxtaposition of reading this book and watching what the media does to Meghan Markle is certainly…interesting.

Aish is a rock star from Sofia’s past, and the story is told in alternating past and present timelines, which worked for me here because I was kept on the edge of wanting to know exactly what he did to Sophia to make her hate Aish so very much in the present. And when we find out that information, let me tell you I hated him too. Sophia, and the readers, deserve some major groveling. And throughout the book we get to see how incredibly sorry and confused he is about everything. He does a LOT to make up for the sins of his past…but honestly? Not enough for me. I wanted more groveling! Because the media and the public spent most of the book buying into Aish and accepting that HE made everything better. While in reality it was Sophia doing the hard work. Aish did come along and help, but she was the true hero of it all.

Okay so everything above mostly worked for me – and I really enjoy the soap opera feel to this – that’s a compliment! But the ending falls apart a bit although I can’t really say how without giving large spoilers, and there’s a major OTT plot point and the bleak moment did not work well for me. I like OTT moments! But this one…was too much for me as it has the villain be almost excessive and it tied up a few things just too tidily for me and I like things messy and realistic. Her resolution with her mother seemed too complete for me as well for how complex it had been.

Overall I just wish the ending had held up better for me but Sofia was the real star of the entire book.

CW: for mentions of suicide and depression

HATE CRUSH by Angelina M. Lopez is book Two in the Filthy Rich Series. This is the story of Aish Salinger and Sofia Maria Isabel de Esperanza y Santos. I haven't yet read the previous book, so for me this was a standalone book. This was a great second chance at love story along with the fake relationship story line. Sofia and Aish had a past together in which Aish had messed up but now he has been waiting for his chance back into Sofia's life even if she thinks its fake. This was a page turning read that I couldn't put down. I do plan on reading more from this author in the future.

Do you like second chance tropes? I admit they are a hard sell for me. I need a good solid, believable explanation as to why two people who love each other stayed away from each other for years. Often I find this explanation not believable. Unfortunately, this is the premise that Hate Crush is built on. Party Princess and Rock Star playboy had a hot and heavy affair as young kids, split up for the shittiest most douchey reason possible, and then are forced back together ten years later when they need to use each other to fix up their images.
I wanted to love this book. I really did. I liked the first book, Lush Money, even though I had problems with it. I thought it showed a lot of potential and I was really looking forward to this one.I love a reformed rake trope or in this case a fuckboi redeemed trope. Sadly, Aish began as an immature boy and ended as an immature boy in love? His reason for breaking up with her in the first place was infuriating. And then he did nothing to get her back in ten years even though he was still in love but get ugly tattoos and sing moody, love songs about f*cking her. Apparently, this was his way of showing her he loved her. My eyes rolled so far back into my head, I am still looking for them. I hated Aish. Hated him. All his character did was whine and stare moodily at Sofia. I had the same problem with the hero of the first book and his lack of development. I liked Sofia okay but hated her hot and cold act that went on for 60% of the book! The plot moved like molasses and then everything happens at the last 10%. The love scenes were hot and numerous but since I wasn't invested in the characters, I skimmed them. The Spanish grammar was better this time but their Spanish nicknames for each other made me LMAO. Also, NO ONE SWITCHES TO SPANISH IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE. IT'S RUDE AF. Why does it happen in books? It annoys me greatly. Anyway, if you're a fan of slow burns, second chances, imperfect heroes, and weird sex Spanish then I recommend this book. It didn't work for me on any level. Thanks to @netgalley
And the publisher for my free copy.
⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
🍆/5

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Hate Crush by Angelina Lopez is the second book in her Filthy Rich series. It can be read as a standalone, but I really loved the first book and highly recommend reading it too. Ten years ago, Princesa Sofia Maria Isabel De Esperanza y Santos fell in love with Aish Salinger, but he decided that being a Rock Star was more important than their relationship. He’s regretted that decision every day since, but Sofia has vowed never to fall in love again. Aish ends up in a drunken viral video that outs their previous relationship just as Sofia’s about to launch her winery, and as a defence against all the negative publicity, Sofia’s PR woman and Aish’s manager propose a fake relationship for the press and the public. I really enjoyed this story, Sofia and Aish have fantastic chemistry, both experience significant character growth over the story, the drama and angst are over the top, perfect escape reading and the HEA is well deserved. Content warning Miscarriage, Suicide. Medium Steam. Publishing Date, June 29, 2020. #HateCrush #AngelinaLopez #NetGalley #RockstarRomance #PrincessRomance #ContemporaryRomance #bookstagram #CarinaPress #HarlequinRomance

Hate Crush is the second book in the Filthy Rich series, which is set in a small winegrowing principality in Northern Spain. The heroine, Princess Sofia, is the sister of the hero from the first book Lush Money. Both books portray in great details about the wine industry, from growing the vines to processing the grapes to making the fine wine. Hate Crush is about first love having a second chance, a strong princess, a wounded rock star who has groveled hard to win back the love of his life...

I love Sofia ❤️! While she was born a Princess, she has never been treated as one. Growing up in the care of her nanny, she’s craved for the love of her parents, who have been too busy running their own wild lives and slowly destroying their kingdom. Yet, she’s grown into an independent woman, a self-made millionaire, and a brilliant winemaker with steadfast devotion to her people. I admire her strength and her bravery, feel her vulnerability, and cry for her broken heart 😭... I love to see her grow and soften up over the book, with strong support from her brothers, her mentor, villagers who believe in her, and her former lover, one who had utterly destroyed her heart ten years ago and now comes back to her life asking for another chance...

Aish Salinger met Sofia when they interned at his uncle’s winery in California. Their instant chemistry bonded them from the get-go. But as a young musician, he decided to choose his budding music career over Sofia. Fast forward ten years later, his career is going down, his reputation on the line, he’s given an opportunity to come help Sofia with her new winery launch, while getting himself back on track. Little did he expect the coldness and hatred in her eyes when he stepped into her kingdom. But no matter how much Sofia tries to deny him, their fire still burns high 🔥...

I truly enjoyed the plot line, character development, surprised twists and turns, and the great hate/love chemistry between Sofia and Aish. However, I feel that the pace could have been faster, the writing is quite long winded, and sometimes it gets repetitive. Then everything comes rushing at once that makes the conclusion sound a bit forced and less plausible. Other than that, I like the overall story and look forward to the next book featuring Sofia’s half brother Roman.

4⭐️ read for me!

*Special thanks to Carina Press for sending me the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

✨Release date: June 29, 2020✨

Hate Crush follows the story of Princess Sofia who owns a winery and is trying to shake up the industry despite her odds. Many people don’t like her new ideas to change the winery industry and try to sabotage her family’s business. In order to bring positive PR to her winery she reluctantly reunites with her old flame, Aish, for a fake romance for the press. Sofia and Aish are both haunted by their tumultuous past. Aish wants to reconcile things while Sofia cant stand the sight of him. Can they make this fake relationship work?

The novel constantly flashes past and the present showcasing the relationship between Aish and Sofia over the years. They have both been through a lot in their lives and are still struggling with grief and family issues. It’s a painful process for the both of them as they try to work through things. I loved the lush descriptions of the Monte vineyard. It seems seems like an idyllic escape. I could picture the wine gardens, vast land, and cozy interior of wine tasting rooms. It s historic and that’s why it means so much Sofia to boost their business. She wants to prove her rivals wrong.

This is most definitely a slow burn romance novel with many steamy scenes. There is a lot of sexual tension between the two and clearly there is still passion. They have to try clear the air between the two of them in a forced proximity situation. They take the time to work through the baggage and how they treated each other. There is also a lot personal work to be done for Aish and Sofia as they sort through their emotions.

Is its an emotional roller coaster of a read too. Their is a lot of pain embedded in the past. Though Aish and Sofia have people trying to bring their careers down they keeps moving forward. I also love the support system that Sofia has. Her family, with the exception of her mother, and her team have got her back at all times. They work hard to keep the winery going and also butt into #Aishia’s relationship’s to help them both heal.

The later half of the book threw in some suspense plot twists which added to the story. The action packed scenes gave the climactic ending a boost. I’ll be reading more from Lopez in the future.

TW: Mentions of drug/alchohol abuse, violence, miscarriage, suicide