I loved this book!! It was fast paced and kept my attention enough. It was a cute little love story of Dani and her life. I’d definitely recommend it for a quick cute read.

Usually, I like reading enemies to lovers romance trope. But Love at First Spite did not really fit the mold of enemies to lover romance trope. It's more of forced proximity with a dash of miscommunication romance trope.
Dani plans out her revenge in the best way possible: building a gorgeous house next to her ex's house. Unfortunately, she would need help with this project. She would have to ask her nemesis co-worker, Wyatt. He is very talented in his work that he tends to be very direct. It mostly rubs people in the wrong way, but he changes his tune whenever he talks to Dani. She does not know it yet.
I am telling you miscommunication in romance stories causes so much more drama than it needs to be. If Dani had just expressed her feelings about the reason for the project, then it would not be a bigger mess than it needed to be. Ma'am, I understand you got hurt from your former fiance cheating on you, but don't be messy about it.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

One of my all-time favorite tropes is enemies to lovers, even better if they're work place enemies. So when I saw the description for this one I was so excited to read it. I really liked the book at first too - there was some great banter, I loved the concept of the revenge rental property and it was entertaining! Dani just got to be too much for me - she was a little too whiny for me by the end. And her and Wyatt had like zero communication skills. By the end of the book I just had trouble believing that they were going to be able to make it work. This was still a very entertaining read and I'd recommend it because I did like it - it just wasn't a great read for me.

There were some funny, quirky moments and likeable side characters. Still on the fence about Dani. Overall, a decent read.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The recently released Love At First Spite by Anna E. Collins was a very quick read with humour, revenge, and a co-worker to lovers trope. I enjoyed it for what it was - casual entertainment and a lighthearted read that made me smile (and cry once or twice.) The chemistry worked for me and I loved the cast of characters.

I LOVED this book so much. I did not want to put it down. I loved both Dani and Wyatt, their interactions were cute and grew as they worked together on things. But I also loved Mia, Iris, and the dogs, they formed an unlikely trio who I enjoyed just as much as Dani and Wyatt. I love how it all turned out in the end.

Love at First Spite by Anna E. Collins is a really fun read. Dani and Wyatt’s chemistry jumps off the page from the very beginning. Although I wish Dani had gotten over her revenge plot sooner, I loved seeing how she progressed as a character. The banter was witty and each secondary character found a way into my heart, especially Iris.

The story was okay. The character development was shallow, and the romance wasn't particularly sizzling.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC.

This was a cute read! I thoroughly enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine trope and the banter made it even better. A fantastic addition to romance literature and I tip my hat to Anna E. Collins on a great, debut novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed Love At First Spite. I felt like it was a unique story that I haven’t read before. I read a lot so it’s a true treat when I find something that’s different. I definitely felt some frustration with the main characters during the story due to lack of communication. There were a couple of plot twists that kept me on my toes! The only thing negative is that at time s the story felt a little long and I found myself rushing through those areas.

Overall I’d give this 4.25 stars.

I received this book via NetGalley for free for my honest review which is posted on GoodReads and StoryGraph. Also, I realized that this was already released as an audiobook and I could get it for free from my library via Hoopla. I chose to listen to it that way.

The Review

This was such a charming and witty romance novel. The author struck just the right amount of chords to draw in readers that enjoy narratives that blend equal amounts of romance with humor. Right off the bat, the friendship and bond that Dani shares with characters like Iris and her cousin Mia were so wonderful to see explored not just as a secondary storyline, but as an important aspect of Dani’s character as a whole.

What stood out to me aside from the amazing chemistry between Wyatt and Dani and their character developments overall was the sheer depth of emotions the author explored with these characters. From the hilarious banter Dani had when dealing with her ex to the vulnerable moments when Wyatt let her see the real struggles he has in his personal life outside of the firm and the way they each evolved over time, this novel gave readers a truly engaging and well-rounded view of what a true romance should look and feel like.

The Verdict

A beautiful, entertaining, and heartfelt romance, author Anna E. Collins’s “Love at First Spite” is a must-read novel of 2022! This women’s fiction and romance novel were so beautifully crafted, and the author did such a wonderful job of making the reader feel immersed in the novel’s world. From vibrant settings and relatable characters to an emotional connection to the romance brewing between these two protagonists, this is a book romance and women’s fiction fans will not be able to put it down.

Dani’s fiancé is caught cheating with their realtor a month before their wedding. What’s worse? He didn’t buy the vacant lot next door like he said they would, for her potential future business. So Dani plans payback: buy the vacant lot, and build an eyesore… a spite house. But because everyone in town seems to be busy, she needs to enlist the help of her slightly cranky architect coworker, Wyatt.

This one was more of a mix between a romance, and a revenge story. And frankly, I really enjoyed it because I’m a Petty Betty 😂. I really enjoyed the story, I really enjoyed the characters, and I would love a spin-off story for Mia, and a prequel for Iris (please?).

Also, I love when books have Spotify playlists that go along with them! This one is so fun!

Trope: Enemies to lovers (kind of), workplace romance
Romance: ❤️❤️❤️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Revenge: 🔪🔪🔪🔪

TW: adultery, chronic illness (vertigo)

Thanks so much to Harper Collins Canada/HCC Frenzy for a copy of this book for review!

I think Anna E. Collins absolutely knocked her debut novel out of the park. I was a little shocked when I went to Amazon to find what else she had available to read, and this was all that was listed. Her style was very Sally Thorne-esk in my mind and others have compared her feel to Emily Henry and Kate Bromley. I haven’t read Talk Bookish to Me yet, but I can totally see the similarities to Henry.

I loved the grumpy goodness of Wyatt and the hyper focus of Dani and I cannot wait to see what else Collins comes up with.

This was such a cute romance, despite it being a book about spite. If you're looking for a fun workplace/opposites attract story with lovely side characters then this is a book for you. It's an easy, and enjoyable read, that will cause you to ask yourself "how did I read 100 pages already?". While it has drama, it isn't as intense or over the top as many romance titles. It also doesn't have in depth steamy action. The word to describe this story as a whole truly is cute.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This funny novel would make a great romantic comedy. It is somewhat predictable, but thorough enjoyable.

BOOK REVIEW: Love at First Spite by Anna E. Collins
Publication Date: January 4

⭐️⭐️⭐️️

CONNECT WITH THIS BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
If you rely upon making assumptions, consequences will "move in" and create clutter to clean up!... ✨😎✨

T.I.M.E. Book Review: A light and breezy romantic comedy filled with both relatable and (sometimes) self-sabotaging circumstances... Give yourself (and the characters) a break though. And enjoy this story involving an ex, a future and the journey we can all relate to in getting from one to the other. Bonus: Perfect theme for HGTV fans... Live, read and learn, ladies!... ✨😎✨
Pages: 298
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sub-Genre: Workplace Romance | Steamy Romance
• T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating:️ 🌶🌶 (Medium Spicy)
Time Period: Present Day
Location: Seattle

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: I Flipping Love You by Helena Hunting
Movie: The Money Pit

--------------------

All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This was a fun and cute read! I enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine trope and the banter. A wonderful addition to the rom-com literary world!

The premise of Love at First Spite makes for an amusing read. I mean, it's kind of fun to think about getting back at an ex by moving next door. I prefer to think about moving next door and being totally happy without them, but that's not exactly what Dani has planned. The romance is an enemies-to-lovers love story between Dani and Wyatt, who I just loved to pieces, and since this is a favorite romance trope for me, I settled into the story pretty quickly. This is Anna E Collins's debut novel, and I really enjoyed her wit in this RomCom. So, if you're looking for a witty, entertaining romantic comedy to escape from reality for a few, Love at Frist Spite is a pretty good choice. It made for a fun weekend read for me, and I'll be looking forward to whatever this author does next.

Super cute quick read! I loved this. I loved the relationship between Dani, Mia, and Iris. It was just a feel good read def. Recommend.

Love at First Spite by Anna E. Collins is a romance novel following Dani who quickly dumps her fiancé when he cheats on her and finds herself building a house on the land directly next door to her now ex-fiancé. With the help of an architect, Wyatt, she starts building The Spite House to block the ocean view of her ex and get revenge. However, Wyatt may through some complications into her revenge as they closer and closer.

When I saw the premise of this story, I knew I had to read it. the characters in this novel were wonderful and I really felt for Dani. I was especially glad she didn't keep her ex around and dumped him promptly. Wyatt was also a delight and I loved that he truly was a sweetheart with a heart of gold. The chemistry between the two leads was obvious and I loved their banter. At times Wyatt and his communication were frustrating, but the way he and Dani handled it was great. Plus, the supporting characters of her cousin Mia and her landlady Iris were great.

The opening at the beginning of the book draws the reader in. The plot was medium-paced and I thought the revenge plotpoint created a fun atmosphere. I do think the revenge plot could have been less emphasized later in the book, but I still appreciated how iti resolved by the end.

Overall I found this to be a fun romance with a unique premise and fun characters. I highly recommend this to romance readers!

Many thanks to the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.