Better Hate than Never is the second book in the Wilmot Sisters series and I didn’t think it was possible, but I loved it even more than the first one. Chloe Liese continues to write compelling and relatable characters that I cannot help but love.

Christopher Petruchio and Katarina Wilmot grew up together and “hate” each other, but their relationship is full of complicated feelings toward each other. Kate is the youngest of three sisters and although her family has always been loving and supporting, she has always felt like an outsider - due in part to her ADHD and other personal insecurities. Christopher lost his parents at a young age and the Wilmots have always been like family, but he has always had a contentious relationship with Kate.

Kate has spent the majority of her adult life away from home and her family while traveling for her job as a photographer. After suffering an injury and a mental burn out, she is back home trying to recuperate both physically and emotionally. Kate is feeling a bit broken and more than a little lost and she desperately hopes to avoid Christopher and any in-depth scrutiny from her family.

Christopher is disconcerted by his feelings toward Kate and his best method of defense has been to either antagonize or keep his distance. It’s not until he realizes how deeply his actions have hurt Kate that he begins to try to make amends. It takes a while, but slowly Christopher and Kate lower their defenses and what follows is a truly charming love story.

Christopher and Kate experience a lot of character growth in Better Hate than Never and learn to be vulnerable with one another and communicate effectively in order to form a true and honest relationship. They go from childhood enemies, who secretly longed for one another and hurt each other, to soulmates. The way they were so gentle with one another and took care of each other left me breathless.

I adored everything about this story and I really hope we get to see more of Christopher and Kate in Juliet’s story.

Loved it! I don’t know what else to say. Unfortunately I did not read the first book in the Wimot Sisters series but you can bet it’s on my TBR now. This was just the sweetest childhood friends, enemies to lovers rom com. Everything about it made my heart happy. Thank you for the chance to read this wonderful book and introduce me to this author.

✔️ Enemies to Lovers
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Drunken Confession
✔️ He Fell First
✔️ Retelling

Aside from the musical Kiss Me Kate, this is the only other Taming of the Shrew retelling that I've enjoyed. Mostly because the taming wasn't really happening in a "she's terrible and has to change" way; rather, it was "hey, my actions bring out the worst in her, how do I change myself to cause less pain". So lovely and my fave kind of hero's journey: once he finds out he's being hurtful, he changes and apologizes. ❤️

I do enjoy a Chloe Liese read, particularly for the rep: Christopher's migraines and Kate's ADHD are treated tenderly in the author's hands and I love how both characters found nothing but support when opening up about their struggles.

If you love retellings, cinnamon roll MMCs, and a delightfully non-angsty enemies to lovers, this is the read for you. 4⭐️. While thisnis book 2 in the Wilmot Sisters series, it's standalone and not necessary to have read the first (I haven't!)

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕

This was so intense! Enemies to lovers truly has a meaning in this book. Kate and Christopher’s relationship has always been terrible and their fights at the beginning made me hurt so bad for them and everyone else who was caught up in the middle of it. However, deep down, I could see that they both were scared and being angry was easier than letting themselves have feelings because that would mean loss could happen.

I have to say that at first I struggled with Kate. She was always so determined to see the worst in Christopher and to make him a villain. I can understand her side and feelings… but to be fair, her family never pushed her away or did anything to exclude her. I don’t really get what her problem was. I did love her character development and how she trusted Christopher in the end, and I also loved how the ending was managed. I was fearing something similar to the end of Two Wrongs Make a Right but it didn’t happen.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book. You can always count on Chloe to write the most tender romances ever. Her books feel like hugs!

Rating: 4/5
Steam level: Open door, 4-5 scenes, high level of detail

ARC provided by PRH International and NetGalley. Opinions are my own!

Better hate than never by choke liese. This is a story of two people who have passion for each other. He has always been through conflict , but now it is sparks. This is not a book that I could snuggle down and get involved in.

In this 2nd book of the Wilmot Sisters series, Liese gives her readers a delightful, modern interpretation of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. Christopher Petruchio suffers from chronic migraines and anxiety and has spent 20 years (since his parents died in a car accident) trying to keep himself from letting anyone else too close for fear of losing more people he loves. His neighbors, the Wilmot family, pretty much adopted him, but it’s Kate Wilmot, six years his junior, who really captured his heart, although he masks his feelings by acting like she’s the bane of his existence practically from the moment she was born.

Kate, the youngest of the three Wilmot sisters, has ADHD and has always felt like she doesn’t quite belong. Her parents have a loving relationship, her older twin sisters have each other, and Christopher is the son they never had. However, her feelings for him have never been brotherly, despite the animosity between them that escalated once they both reached adulthood. She’s convinced that Christopher hates her when all he ever wanted was for her to hate him, to keep her at a distance. Unfortunately, after years roaming the world as a photojournalist, she’s home indefinitely and is being forced to face the feelings she ran away from years before. Is it possible for two people, who have seemingly hated each other and purposely kept their distance, to mend the rift while still protecting their hearts?

Liese, who is neurodivergent herself, is a master at writing feel-good romances featuring characters dealing with chronic illnesses, neurodivergency, or both, proving that they are able to find their happily-ever-afters despite their disabilities.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Overall this was fun and just fine. Classic trope of messy dysfunction heroine meets wealthy manwhore that has his own baggage. There were some good parts and some eh parts so solid 3 stars. Romance novels are definitely in that between stage where they want to be updated and inclusive (amazing), but you don’t need to hit the audience over the head with things. I think subtly would work better!

This one is cute!! I liked it a lot and loved the fall theme. The romance was perfect for me and this was my first book by this author. I think I’ll check out her other one now!

As always, Chloe Liese fills her novels with humor, heat, and grace.

Better Hate than Never, the latest book in her Wilmont Sisters series (all inspired by Shakespeare plays) grabbed me from the first page. This modern retelling of The Taming of the Shrew is reminiscent of many people's favorite romantic comedy, 10 Things I Hate About You. Christopher is a progressive, caring, playboy (a man of contradictions) and Kate is a tenderhearted yet fierce advocate for what she believes in. After decades of clashes in front of their friends and family, these two set their weapons (harsh words) aside and discover passion has been hiding behind all that animosity. Full of tender moments and heartfelt humor this book is a must read.

I fell in love with Chloe’s writing with the Bergman siblings: each of them uniquely perfect with voices that were all so relatable and endearing.
She started as an indie author but there was 0 doubt that she would be picked up because her voice is one that leads heartwarming love stories.

When I saw her post about this one, it felt like it was meant to be for me to read. While I don’t have ADHD, my son does. And my other son has chronic migraines. I felt like I needed this to hear their love stories even if only by fiction.

No surprise that I loved Katerina and Christopher (my husbands name!) enemies to lover’s story, but beyond that HEA was feeling like I got into the heads of my kids and saw their invisible struggles played out on paper.

So grateful for this. And falling for the Wilmot sisters in the same way I did the Bergmans.

Thank you Berkley and the author 💛

I'm sorry but this was just... really not good!

Ignoring the fact that calling this a Shakespearean retelling is like saying Netflix's Persuasion is a solid adaptation, the entire premise of "enemies to lovers" in this book is so flimsy it's akin to a house of straw. In the very FIRST chapter it is clear the characters are attracted to each other, and in the very SECOND they are staring at each other's mouths and breathing heavily in front of all their family. No build-up, no tension, no slow discovery of the other.

Also, it is SO EXHAUSTING reading about white characters who cry about vague world news as a way to show that they are ~so enlightened~ and ~so morally developed~. Kat's entire characterization was "this is a brazen woman who cares about the world" without showing any real, tangible evidence of it. In fact, there were distinct moments that read as too close to white saviorism for comfort. A lazy way to write a character at best, offensive at worst.

Both Christopher and Katerina were shallow characters that I did not connect with in the slightest. I wanted to DNF from nearly the get-go but something forced myself to get through this. I'd give it 1.5 stars.

I really loved this book and the overall plot and storyline and characters. As an MMC I loved Christopher. He takes responsibility for his actions, he works to correct past wrongs, and he’s very self aware IMO. I also really liked Kate and I understood her motivation for treating Chris the way she did at first but I did find her very hard headed at times and I wanted to shake her just a little bit.

The spice was great, there’s no third act breakup because Kate and Chris have a very rational adult conversation instead (other authors take notes). I only wish we got her familys and friends reactions to them getting together because I low key loved all the side characters

The more Chloe Liese writes, the better it gets. I loved this story. I liked the revisit to the Wilmot sisters’ world. I loved the 10 Things I Hate About You Easter eggs/parallels. Chloe writes so beautifully…I love the lyrical way she describes settings and feelings and characters…and the spice! She gives us characters with neurodivergence and/or disability representation, for lots of inclusivity. (And can we talk about the cover?! Gorgeous.) Will be anxiously awaiting Jules’s story and any nugget I can get of these characters.

Thank you to Chloe Liese, Berkeley Publishing, and Netgalley for this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Chloe Liese just gets it. Characters that you fall in love with and want to be friends with? Check. Tender moments that make you swoon followed by moments that moves you to tears followed by laughing at a piece of dialogue that is hilarious and perfect? Check.
This story was beyond amazing, and I read it at a moment when I really needed it so that made it even more meaningful. Kate Wilmot has my whole heart and I want to protect her forever♥️ Run to buy this book when it comes out in October, y’all.
Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for a free ARC.

Chefs kiss💕✨❤️


Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

I am thoroughly enjoying this series and am really hoping to read Juliet's story next. I enjoyed seeing the way Kate and Christopher overcame their animosity (though I found it a little hard to believe that years of negative behaviour could be overcome so quickly) to find their happily ever after.

5/5
Better Hate Than Never is an exemplary hate-to-love romance surrounding the misperceptions that come from protecting ourselves and those we care about, and how we can break down those barriers and better ourselves. Part Shakespeare retelling, and all things hot and vulnerable, Liese’s tremendous talent for portraying personal transformation and vulnerability is at its height. Kate and Christopher truly are the moment, with an open communication that is worth angsting over and longing for. Liese will give you standards you didn't even know you needed, like a man who makes you pasta at the drop of a hat. Better Hate Than Never is not only a fantastic love story, it’s Liese’s best work to date.

A full review will be posted on my blog closer to publication!

I loved Two Wrongs Make a Right so I was super excited to get to read this one! I liked this one too. My favorite thing about it was all the Fall cozy vibes. I identified with Kat a lot since I too am a donut aficionado, neurodivergent, and really hate doing laundry. The friends to lovers mixed with enemies to lovers tropes in this book didn't have the same vibrancy that I felt with Two Wrongs Make a Right, but overall it was a sweet romance that I will recommend to any romance lover out there!

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5 (4.25)
rep: chronic migraines, ADHD, demisexual MC
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for an ARC copy! I love Chloe Liese’s books, and I was extra excited when I heard that this had chronic migraine rep as someone who suffers from them. As usual, Chloe nailed it with her disability rep. In every book of hers, it is so clear that so much love, care, and thoughtfulness has gone into making sure that the various disability/mental health rep is accurate. Her books are truly some of the best for disability rep in my opinion. However, this book was unfortunately not my favorite of hers. I really enjoyed Two Wrongs Make A Right, but I think I preferred it to this one. Maybe it was just me, but I didn’t feel as connected to the story and I had some trouble staying engaged. Other than that, I enjoyed this! Kate and Christopher are so sweet together, and there were so many amazing and lovely quotes that I highlighted throughout. All in all, I can’t wait to see what’s next from Chloe! Thank you again NetGalley!

Wow, I really enjoyed this one! This was my first book by Chloe Liese, and I honestly can’t wait to read more from her. This was as sweet as it was charming, and I didn’t want to put it down!