Ava Olsen is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Her New York nights series was awesome - and this spin-off continues with folks we've seen in some of those books. Oliver is a personal protection officer for a high end security firm. He and Jon met while Oliver was protecting a client from a stalker. Jon is a former cop, now a private investigator. Jon has no filter and is very much in your face. Oliver and Jon throw sparks off one another like you wouldn't believe - and immediately start fighting when they see each other. When they are thrown together to protect a friend of Oliver's boss from an abusive ex - they learn that there is a lot more going on under the surface of each other.

Both Jon and Oliver have been through traumatic experiences in their lives - so finding each other and connecting on a deeper level happens fast and hard. But for these guys - who are serious tough guys on the outside - it really works.

Overall - I recommend this one and all the other books Ava Olsen has written!

I received this via NetGalley as an ARC, but these opinions are all my own.

Hate to Love You by Ava Olsen puts a different twist on the workplace romance trope. Oliver is an ex-vet working as a bodyguard for Dax, a young actor at risk from a crazed ex-boyfriend (now stalker) Devon. Jon is the private investigator hired to work the case, much to Oliver's concern. The pair have been circling each other for nine months (having both featured in the previous book by Ava Olsen Unforgettable You). They are constantly provoking each other, and both begin to realise on this latest their banter is born from intense interest in one another. The question is whether working together and becoming involved is going to work for these two strong characters.

I loved the interplay between the two characters. Things got pretty intense quickly, if you overlooked they had known each other and worked in close quarters for the previous 9 months. They had experienced alot of in their lives, so it was a case of 'when you know you know'. The source of their disagreement was a small issue I thought, given their area of work, and their roles? Upon reflection this needed to be more significant to really have these two pushed in opposite directions and at adds. I also struggle with kidnapping plots these days but it made for some interesting suspense.

I enjoyed this one with the characters more robust than Unforgettable You. I think Mason and Dax are due for a an epilogue as well.