Member Reviews
I finally got to this one! I really enjoyed it. So fun and I like how it was funny but the characters were real!
The title hooked my from the beginning - spite immediately told me we were getting an enemies-to-lovers moment and I was here for it!! It was the perfect blend of workplace romance and enemies-to-lovers vibes with a side of revenge. Dani Porter, an ambitious interior designer, plans revenge on her cheating ex-fiancé by disrupting his life with a construction project next to his house. When perfectionist architect Wyatt Montego joins her team, their initial friction turns into unexpected chemistry. As Dani juggles her secret revenge plot and budding feelings for Wyatt, the story unfolds with humor and all the feels. It delivered!!
Love at First Spite by Anna E. Collins is a delightful romcom that is a perfect fit for readers who adore lighthearted, humorous, and sexy workplace romances with a dash of enemies-to-lovers tension, miscommunication, and a strong focus on character growth, making it a must-read for fans of authors like Sophie Kinsella and Helen Fielding.
A solid romance read! Workplace romance + revenge on exes makes this hard to put down! I can't wait for more from this author.
Love at First Spite by Anna E Collin’s is a fun read. The main characters are flawed and lovable. They work and negotiate to resolve their difficulties in ways that feel realistic. Enjoy!
LOVE AT FIRST SPITE has a really fun and unique premise! I love a good romcom set against a renovations backdrop -- and this one did not disappoint! If you're a fan of that micro-trope, definitely check this one out!
The opening scene really caught my attention. However, I thought it was over the top for Dani to build a spite house next to her ex-fiance Sam. It felt a little messy, and I couldn't understand the level of revenge. I know many others enjoyed this book, but it was not a homerun for me. I could have used more romance, less revenge, though I do see that's the point!
Title: "Love at First Spite" by Anna E. Collins - An Unfinished Romantic Comedy
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆
I had the privilege of reading an advanced reader copy of "Love at First Spite" by Anna E. Collins, but, unfortunately, I was unable to finish this book.
The novel kicks off with the promise of a quirky romantic comedy, featuring a spunky protagonist, Sarah, who's on a mission to prove that love is nothing more than a series of chemical reactions. While the concept seemed intriguing, the execution fell short.
The characters came across as superficial and lacked the depth needed for me to connect with them. Sarah, in particular, was challenging to relate to, and her cynical view on love felt forced rather than endearing.
The humor in the story often felt contrived and predictable, and the narrative's pacing left much to be desired. While romantic comedies are expected to be light-hearted and enjoyable, "Love at First Spite" struggled to maintain my interest.
As much as I wanted to find delight in this book, I was unable to finish it due to my inability to connect with the characters and the plot.
While my experience with "Love at First Spite" was disappointing, it's possible that other readers may have a different perspective. I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to access this advanced reader copy, even though I was unable to complete it.
Enemies to lovers romance with a jilted bride and a misunderstood architect. The start of the relationship is reminiscent of The Spanish Love Deception, but that’s where the similarities end. The romance gets hot and heavy by the halfway mark, accelerated when they spend time together designing and building The Spite House, a project devised by Dani as the ultimate revenge against her cheating ex.
The angst is relatively low key with both Wyatt and Dani allowing their insecurities and mistrust from previous relationships to dictate the way they perceive each other. This invariably results in misunderstandings and mistrust. The catalyst that ultimately leads to reconciliation is surprising, unusual for the genre, and brings a bit of mystery to the story.
Love at First Spite is a welcome addition to the enemies to lovers trope and an easy read.
I received a free copy if this book from Net Galley. Dani is an interior designer who dumps her finance for cheating on her. We meet her and her cousin at a paintball game where she is ruining the wedding dress. While the she meets hee nemesis work buddy, Wyatt the architecture. She also finds a place through the bartender to live. She decides to buy the property next to her ex to spite him and to build a house that she calls Spite House as a rental. I didn't like Dani that much. I felt she whined too much. She and Wyatt develop a relationship and there is a happy ever after. I didn't like Dani or her ex and preferred her cousin. I just couldn't care about Dani but it is fast paced.
Yessss I love this trope, and while I've read several books from this trope, I feel like Anna E. Collins did a great job of making her book stand out in the crowd. Loved her characters, loved the banter, and the HEA
A cute easy read for Summer. The characters are smart & funny & the plot is fun. Bad breakups, cheating, work relationships, rumors, there's a bit of everything in it.
Thank you so much Harlequin & Graydon House for the e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
If you're looking for a quick, cute, funny romance just slightly over 300 pages, then this is the book for you!
It was a fast paced read that featured a woman wanting to get revenge on her ex-fiance that cheated on her. It involved banter, steam, interior decorating, big boss women, just a really enjoyable romance overall!
Annnnd there was a also super fun and chill lesbian granny that has to most definitely be my favorite character!
The love interest also suffered with vertigo, which I thought was executed pretty well. My dad suffers from it quite often, so it was interesting to see it in a book character!
--> Recommend if you like:
• Revenge on Exes
• Interior Decorating/House Building
• Steam
• Co-worker Romance
• Tension
It took me way too long to get through this romcom. I’m not sure exactly what I didn’t connect with, but this was not the book meant for me. I do think others will enjoy it though!
Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory.
I had a love-hate relationship with this book. I generally enjoyed the characters -- Wyatt and Dani were quite cute together, and I was rooting for them. I generally dislike romances that feature revenge plots, though, and I found myself cringing at some of Dani's behavior (and wanting to slam my head against the wall on her behalf at one point...if you know, you know).
This was fun, though, and I can see folks who enjoy revenge plots liking it...but it wasn't for me.
A fun workplace grumpy sunshine dynamic. I loved the whole cast of characters and thought the premise of this was so so fun. I had no idea what a spite house was before reading and found the plot to be original and compelling!
a cute quick rom com book that was everything I was in the mood for and loved every second of it! If you love romantic comedies and books where they hate each other at first, then read this book!
I loved these characters. The secret relationship aspect was just perfect. I loved the support characters and the humor they added to the story. I hate that it took me so long to get to this book. The storyline was just perfect and the pacing was just right.
I really loved the idea of the spite house as a way to get back at her ex. Even better, there was an element of mystery added to the story. What I didn’t like was Wyatt’s hot and cold temperament, but after reading the ending when he reveals to Dani what he knows, it makes sense. I also appreciated the inclusion of a disability to make a character resonate with readers.