Not a big fan of the enemies to lovers trope, but when done right it can be so good. Unfortunately, this wasn’t it for me. The premise sounded fun and the story itself is cute, but I simply didn’t resonate with the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have NO WORDS. I Hate You More by Lucy Gilmore is perfect for any fan of romance novels with quick wit, humorous banter, and pages and pages full of sexual and romantic tension. Five stars across the board.

While this book may seem innocent and cute upon first glance, don’t let the pretty girl and adorable puppy confuse you. I Hate You More may be about a grumpy, uptight veterinarian and an ex-beauty pageant queen with a taste for competition, but this book takes a wild, WILD sexual turn. I’m talking voyeurism, steamy dares and challenges, and the filthy whispers of two people unable to deny their attraction to each other any longer, baby! This book has got it all.

On top of that, the romantic relationship between Ruby and Spencer is anything that anyone reading a romance book could ever want. A man who is willing to fall to his knees and give up everything he’s ever loved for the most beautiful girl he’s ever laid eyes on? I’ll be honest, I was squealing the entire time.

Lucy Gilmore, I would like to personally thank you for giving me Ruby and Spencer, they are my new best friends. Everyone else, please read this book. Please. It’s so cute. I’m crying.

I Hate You More is a must-read rom-com for fans of Teri Wilson's 'Unleashing Mr. Darcy'. Lucy Gilmore wrote a cute and flirty enemies to lovers romance.

Ruby is a nursing assistant in her late twenties who gets roped into entering a dog show. One of her patients asks her a huge favor. The patient has a golden retriever named Wheezy and wants Ruby to help Wheezy win in a dog show as her dying wish. Ruby can't say no. So, she walks in to register Wheezy for the West Coast Canine Classic and the fun begins.

Ruby meets a pair of hot men who also happen to be twins, Caleb and Spencer. Spencer is one of the judges and is a bit of a stickler for the rules. He likes to have things done right and doesn't stray too far from his boundaries. On the other hand, Caleb is a flirt. He is definitely the life of the party.

When Ruby has to find a trainer to help Wheezy, Caleb volunteers for the job. And when she walks in for her first sessions with Caleb at his house, she realizes that both of the Wilson twins will be in her life for some time. That is because they live together...but separated. Trust me, you will understand when you read it.

Spencer and Ruby have instant chemistry but are so different. While Ruby says what's on her mind, Spencer likes to keep things to himself. But they both connect when it comes to dogs. Spencer is so good with them and can be so helpful with Wheezy. And as they learn more about each other the feelings follow.

I really loved Ruby and Spencer's witty banter and flirting. The author really balanced the story well. There were laugh-out-loud moments, passionate moments, and heartrending scenes that tied so perfectly together. And add in a cute dog with a fun personality and you have me sucked in.

I give I Hate You More 5 stars. It's a hilarious enemies to lovers romance that you won't be able to put down. The characters are so fantastic together and the dogs steal the show. I just loved this book because it read like a Hallmark movie. If you love romance and love dogs, then you have to pick up a copy.

“You swore on everything I love,” he said. This was dangerous territory, but he had to say it. She has to know. “That’s you. You’re everything I love.”

Former beauty pageant queen, Ruby Taylor hesitantly agrees to help her friend, Mrs. Orson, by entering her dog into a West Coast Canine Classic – a dog show. However, Wheezy is an overweight, cheeseburger-lovin’ dog that would rather take a nap.

When Ruby registers Wheezy, she meets Spencer Wilson, who quickly judges Wheezy and basically says she’s wasting her time & has no chances of winning. What she doesn’t know is that Spencer is literally a judge and he’s the owner of the competition. This makes Ruby more determined to win so she hires Caleb (Spencer’s twin brother) to help train Wheezy.

Even though they’re constantly challenging and teasing each other, Spencer can barely resist her charms and sassiness, no matter how grumpy and broody he is. The chemistry and attraction between them is unnoticeable and undeniable.

🐶READ IF YOU LIKE🐶
- dogs
- enemies to lover
- witty & playful banter
- grumpy x sunshine
- veterinary/dog show judge hero
- former beauty queen turned nursing assistant heroine
- family dynamics
- cw: mentions of starvation, gambling addiction

Parts of this were funny and enjoyable, but I had trouble connecting to the characters and the story drug for me. Also, the dog show stuff was funny but totally nutso and unrealistic. Since I show dogs myself, I think I've learned I need to stay away from books with that theme as they're never anything remotely close to real world dog showing.

Enjoyed this book. The plot and characters were well thought out and vivid. I would recommend this book to others and can't wait to read what the author does next.

⭐⭐⭐✨
Spice level= 🌶️🌶️
This was bloody adorable.

How do you make a (low-level) enemies to lovers contemporary romance exceptional? Include DOGS.

this was full of charming characters, an extremely loveable love interest, and a protagonist I really loved! I read this in one sitting, it had that can't-put-down quality about it.

Also, I love books that involve eclectic characters in nursing homes? With cute dogs? Amazing

Only one thing annoyed me in this book, and that was how so many chapters ended on dialogue - more of a personal peeve, but didn't distract from the enjoyment this book gave me! I will say parts of the story did feel a bit cluttered - parts of it such as the family dynamics and character backstories could have been better flushed out, but it was still an enjoyable, fast-paced read.

Am still thinking about that living room scene damnnn

Thanks to NetGalley and SourceBooks for allowing me to read an arc! 🥰

On paper, I HATE YOU MORE should have been everything I loved. Grumpy-sunshine trope? Enemies-to-lovers? Sign me up. In practice, this book was actually...not what I was expecting.

Firstly, the characters. While I liked both Spencer and Ruby, they both seemed a bit flat. Along with this, their friends Eva and Lawson had approximately no development besides having kids and owning chihuahuas, respectively. Caleb was arguably the most developed character in the book, and that's saying a lot.

Second, the plot was a bit hard to keep up with. The whole drug thing seemed like it was thrown in as an afterthought and I completely missed how Spencer came into running the dog show. Along with this, there really was no need for all the scenes with the old ladies. Other than being Wheezy's owner, the old lady added nothing to the plot. The scene at the Wilson's house was completely unneeded, too.

The best part of this book was Wheezy, hands down. I loved him. Unfortunately, that was the only thing I loved about this book.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for making this book available to me on #Netgalley
Ruby has given up on the pageant life but she has not really picked up or gone after what she actually wants. She seems to have just settled with what she could get. With that she has been working as a Nursing Assistant (Care Assistant for those in the UK) at a Residential Home (Care Home). She seems to have a routinely peaceful life until when one of her old friends asks her to sign up her dog for a dog pageant (I did not know that it was a thing).

This brings Ruby back into the life she thought she has left behind. This is when she meets Spencer a veterinarian who runs the show. He know everything about dogs and one thing he know is that Ruby's lazy lump of a Golden retriever is not going to the win the pageant no matter how hard she tries. She is hell bent on proving him wrong.

With this book you might think you know what is going to happen but I can promise you that you are wrong. I would hate to be the one to spoil it for you but just be ready to get your heart broken.

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers, for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I've DNFed this novel at 30%.

I love the enemies to lovers trope and I had a Golden in my childhood. This should've been the perfect novel for me, a true five star.

Instead, I find this didn't read like a romance novel. By the 30%, there was a lot of family drama and oddities in this book. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and at the 30% mark of this only 22-Chapters book, the romance wasn't flowing. I get it read as a slow burn but I wasn't buying the banter and Caleb felt like an odd annoying character to include in this romance story of Spencer/Ruby.

Overall, I could see some people liking this novel, but it wasn't for me.

This book was ok. There was one really hot scene, but overall I just didn't care about the main characters. Their relationship (beyond the one scene) was boring. There are so many better contemporary romances out there.

Ruby works in a retirement community and loves the ladies there. She agrees to enter Wheezy, Mrs. Orson's Golden Retriever, in the West Coast Canine Classic. Spencer, a veterinarian and one of the judges, does not think Wheezy has a chance to win. Ruby is out to prove him wrong. She has won so many beauty contests herself and believes her experience will help her with Wheezy. I loved this book, and it was a quick read. Ruby is such a good-hearted person. Spencer is so serious and she is bound and determined to show him how to enjoy life. Ruby's relationship with her mother and Spencer's relationship with his twin brother is entertaining and thought-provoking. Great book full of comedy and romance.

CW mentions of disordered eating
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I HATE YOU MORE is an enemies to lovers romcom following Ruby and Spencer. Ruby hesitantly agrees to use her experience as a former pageant queen to help whip her friends dog, Wheezy, into shape so that they can participate in a dog show, where she meets one of the judges, Spencer. Spencer is a handsome veterinarian who immediately tells Ruby that she’s wasting her time, which of course only makes her more determined to win.
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I had a nice time reading this book. I went through it pretty quickly and easily, but unfortunately I didn’t connect with any of the characters. It had its funny moments, it had its sexy moments, but overall I wasn’t invested in the plot. If you like cute dogs, hot twins and lots of innuendos, give this book a try!
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3 stars, I HATE YOU MORE by Lucy Gilmore is available November 2, 2021!
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Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review.

Okay so the first portion of the book I really did enjoy! Spencer & Ruby made me laugh so much, along with really connect with them as characters. I really appreciated how we were able to peel back the layers to who they were because of their past. The sexual tension between them was a little lack luster I will say & at times when the story was progressing I felt as though it just didn’t have a natural flow. It felt a little awkward & forced once I hit the 50% mark. This is a slower burn which I did appreciate but I felt once they did get together it was almost rushed. I just wish there would have been a little more build up before they finally gave in to each other! The spice was decent, not super heavy with the detail but it was cute. I think the angst with them was done well but my favorite part had to be the banter. This was a quick cute read that is good for those who want to dip their toe into the spicy world without going full fledge smut.

Yes, another great example for enemies to lovers combination with semi- bitchy, ambitious sunshine meets the snarky grump troupe!

A former beauty Queen heroine who always gets her way with bacon lover- exercise hater- a little overweight Golden Retriever ( oh my god: this definition is so close to my husband’s appearance!!!) and grumpy-snarky- controlling- neat freak but also protective, a veterinarian/ dog whisperer hero and his flirty, funny, sassy twin brother who is on probation : is it quiet interesting combination? Absolutely it is!

When I first read the blurb, I didn’t expect to enjoy this story so much. Maybe I expected something lighter and full of cliches but there are some chapters are actually laugh out loud and so impressively funny. And this is truly unique, different, sarcastic, extremely hilarious story!

Emotional depth of the character stories were also resonating and heartwarming.

The parts about Ruby’s relationship with her mother and twin brothers Caleb and Spencer’s complicated dysfunctional relationship dynamics were the most interesting elements of the novel kept me hooked up.

At the opening: we’re introduced: strikingly beautiful and stubborn Ruby who is extra convincing to help lovely and chubby Wheezy’s application process for the Canine Classic competition and she bumps into two identical twin brothers who are characteristically polar opposite of each other. Caleb flirts with her, offering his help to train her dog and Spencer does everything in his power to prevent the dog join the competition as one of the judges.

But Ruby wins the first round and she embraces her inner ultra competitive side she hid when she resigned from racing at pageant competitions.
She already suffered throughout her childhood, trying to hard to be perfect and being valued by her appearance. She also endured painfully problematic relationship with her own mother who was also her coach.

Now she tries her best to help the elder people as one of the nursing assistants of Parkwood Manor. Actually Wheezy is one of the occupants : Mrs. Or son’s dog but when she forgets the dog’s papers before the competition, she takes over to help and now she’s trapped between two brothers who equally share the same house. ( if one of them cross over the line: there are repercussions as like paying it by doing fifty push-ups which may be enjoyable experiment for Ruby to watch two hot men’s sweating! )

As you may imagine Ruby already attracted in grumpy brother Spencer who insistingly pushes her buttons and Spencer cannot resist her charm and smart mouth.

Overall: it’s more entertaining and sweeter, quicker read than I expected. The cover is also fantastic! I highly recommend it to readers who are looking for quick, riveting feel good romance !

I’m giving four in the name of dog lovers, sassy, snarky, stimulating, sarcastic stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Ruby Taylor, former beauty pageant queen, is tricked into entering an overweight, lazy golden retriever into a dog show. She is determined to win the show for the dog's owner, but will the moody judge, Spencer Wilson, stand in her way?

Golden retrievers and an enemies to lovers story, what more could you want? I think that a story revolving around a dog show competition is such a fun concept. I loved the main dog, Wheezy, and he reminded me of my two golden retrievers in a lot of ways. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me, and I did not connect with the characters. It was a very strange blend of family drama, finding oneself, and romance, and the combination just didn't quite work. The first half of the book was very slow, and I was not drawn into the story immediately. The only character I really enjoyed was Eva and she wasn't even a main character. Give me a follow up story about Eva and her family!

A former beauty pageant contestant is coerced to enter a “pure bread” golden retriever into the local dog show. One of the judges is not going to have it, but Ruby’s determined, unrelenting nature will push her to enter the dog and win the show.

I like this book a lot more than I thought I would. It hooked me from the beginning with Caleb’s character, he was fun and eccentric. Then you get to know the dog, Wheezy, whose stubbornness adds so much to the story. The main characters, Ruby and Spencer, were not as memorable as the supporting characters, but they grew on me. I think one of the main things was that I felt Ruby was too sexualized. She drove Spencer to do things with her body and I felt that rather degrading. Like all those years as a pageant star and showing off her body it’s all she felt she had, but she didn’t want people to think of her that way, yet she flaunts it when she wants something because she know it will work. I also don’t think the title fits the story well. The cover is great! And again… I loved the story! It was an easy and entertaining read. Made me laugh in so many places. A true romantic comedy.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC. This might be a fun book club read, a good deal to unpack.

Ruby is a former beauty queen who works in an old folks home. One of the patients had conned her into entering her dog, Wheezy, in a dog show.Spencer is a veterinarian and a judge in the contest. He also has a twin brother out on probation who has offered to train Wheezy. But Wheezy is untrainable. As Ruby tries to get Wheezy in shape, the more futile it becomes clear. But that only brings out the competitiveness and drive of the former beauty queen. And that will and strength of character are what Spencer begins to fall in love with.
What a sweet, fun book. The cast of characters includes an octogenarian who makes pot banana bread, a mother who saved everything pageant related from Ruby’s childhood, a twin brother under house arrest who has put duct tape across the floors so his brother Spencer doesn’t cross onto his half of the house.
However it does not stand out enough for me to guarantee the budget to purchase for my patrons.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I've never read anything by Lucy Gilmore, but this book was a fun and sexy read! Definitely recommend to dog show lovers. 3.5/5