I adore Chloe Liese; she remains a must-read for me. Her ability to make me fall in love with Shakespeare through the Wilmont sisters' retellings is a delightful surprise. These books are a heavenly slice of immersion; I can vividly describe the way the air tastes, even though she makes no mention it explicitly. I am eagerly awaiting the next book. Read if you enjoyed "10 Things I Hate About You" or any enemies-to-lovers stories.

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley, thank you to them. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Chloe Liese does it again with this winner. This modern retelling of the Taming of the Shrew was filled with sexual tension from the beginning. We needed more of Kat and Christoper from the first book. I'm glad we got it!

Another great read from Chloe Liese. This is the second book in The Wilmot Sisters series and this time we follow Kat, Katerina, the world traveler who has finally come home, and Christopher, who is basically part of the family. Kat and Christopher have been at each other's throats since they were kids and being adults has not changed that. But after a talking to and some drunk confessions things slowly start to change, but will it last?

I can't wait for the next in the series as I loved watching this one play out.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

This felt like a really weak enemies' to lovers, and having read that trope A LOT, I expect to have a true enemies to lovers situation from books. There was banter which I love, but it felt like "The Hating Game" which I personally found really childish. The fact that the male MC knew katie since she was a baby was a bit of a weird theme and it made the romance feel off. Unfortunately this book really missed the mark for me

I really enjoyed this book. Kate and Christopher are childhood family friends, but somewhere along the way developed an adversarial relationship. Kate is a photo journalist who documents the world's injustices and Christopher is a hedge fund manager (who specializes in ethical investing) so they butt heads constantly. After a blow up at Thanksgiving, Kate's family asks Christopher to mend things with her. He realizes how he's hurt her by keeping her at arms distance to protect himself and they quickly fall for each other.

Things I liked: the social issues/feminist issues attempts, the strong female lead, the male main character with emotions, the excellent spice

Things I didn't like: their interactions often felt really childish.

I'll definitely read Chloe Liese's other books and recommend her. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chloe Liese takes on my favorite Shakespearean play, "Taming of the Shrew", and gives it her own unique flare in "Better Hate than Never." Honestly, I have yet to read a Chloe Liese book that I don't like. "Better Hate than Never" is a beautiful, enemies to lovers story with excellent communication between the two love interests and, best of all, NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP! I love the demisexual representation (and that sexy scene!), not to mention the ADHD and migraine rep! Liese proves time and again that she is a master at romance. I cannot wait to read more!

I enjoyed some aspects of this book. Occasionally struggled with the age gap/family history deal. But overall a solid romance. Dual POV. No third act break up, which I appreciate.

After reading the first book and loving it, I was excited to read the second book and continue the story.

This book delivered very well the way I hoped for and hit the right plot points.

I related to Kate's wanderlust/ lack of tradition as well as the representation for ADHD and disability!

AND as always, we love a good enemies to lovers!

Unfortunately not nearly what the first book in the series was. Two Wrongs Make a Right was funny and clever, and while not much happened (it's romance, not epic fantasy) it still was interesting and you learned to love all of the characters. Better Hate than Never is missing that interest and love in the characters.

🎧Song Pairing: Love Has No Limits - Fleurie

💭What I thought would happen:

Fall vibes! Sezzy time! Cutest cover ever! Can hear the crunch of leaves looking at it.

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

I honestly couldn’t fathom why they had sticks up their butts. I was bored by the immaturity.

Still waiting for that chemistry to set in. Think I’ll be waiting awhile 😂

I’ll probably give the author another chance since I liked 2 Wrongs well enough! Curious about that third sista!

⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of Better Hate Than Never by Chloe Liese.

I loved Two Wrongs Make a Right but I simply cannot bring myself to pick this one up. I keep having to stop mid-chapter because nothing about Kat and Christopher was drawing me in. I think I'll have to give this another shot eventually but I think I just need to call it for now.

4.5⭐

After finishing TWMAR over the summer and enjoying the hell out of it, I was very much looking forward to Christopher and Kate's story. Getting a small taste of their vibe together in book one, I knew I'd be in for a treat. And it did not disappoint! It was angsty and passionate, raw and emotional, firey and intense. Where Jamie was the sweet and stoic cinnamon roll, Christopher was the overprotective, alpha caveman, albeit still sweet and stoic. And where TWMAR made me ridiculously happy, BHTN had me feeling feisty and fired up.

You can expect a little opposites attract, hate to love, and childhood frenemies to lovers.

Chloe’s romances, while playful and fun, are also rather fierce. Each character is as passionate as the next and when that passion collides, the story rackets up a few notches taking the reader right along with it. Your body humming with that nervous energy and anxious anticipation while reading. The raw feeling and intensity really bleeds off the page and ignites fireworks in the bloodstream. Or at least it did something like that for me! It was hard to sit still and take in alot of this story at once. There were definitely times where I needed to take breaks while there were others where I could hardly read the words fast enough. Talk about electrifying lol. Not to mention the connection and chemistry on the page!

One thing I really appreciated was no third act break up!!! That was a relief, and refreshing, to say the least.

Otherwise, there were minor things that got under my skin, just like with book one, but none were overly dramatic enough to take away from the enjoyment and meaning of the story.

THE POWER WITH WHICH I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
When it comes to Shakespeare inspired stories, anything inspired by Taming of the Shrew usually works VERY WELL for me. I really loved Kate and Christopher. I thought the reason for the animosity made sense in the beginning, and it just didn't ever get cleared up until the issue was forced. The chemistry between these two was off the charts, and the way they work through the anxiety and other struggles in the relationship was truly fantastic. I can't say enough good things about this author, and will continue to keep reading from them.

Spoilers ahead:
The second book in the Wilmot sister's series gives us another Shakespeare retelling, this time with Taming of the Shrew. Christopher is back and this time it's his turn in the spot light. When the baby Wilmot, Kate, returns from her photography job in Scotland, tempers hit the fan almost immediately. Kate and Christopher have not gotten along in a very long time and it looks like this year will be no different. Until, Jamie and the Wilmot patriarch propose that Christopher "make peace". His plan is to just hide in the background until Kate goes on another globetrotting adventure. Except this time she just won't leave. Now the two have to decide if they are going to let sleeping dogs lie and maybe discover that the hate was never real to begin with.

I really enjoyed the first Wilmot book (and all of Liese's books to be honest) so I was not surprised to really enjoy this one as well. Chris was a fun side character in the first book and getting his story was a good next step. I do enjoy a good enemies to lovers and "Taming of the Shrew" is one of my favorite Shakespeare's for modern adaptations. Add to it that Liese is very obviously a "10 Things I hate About You" fan and this was an all around enjoyable read. My up of the book was that the three quarter breakup moment was very easily rectified by the characters having an actual conversation (imagine that). My down was that while I do love the "boy next door" angle, I kept getting tripped up with the whole "the Wilmot's are my second family, but I'm in love with the youngest daughter who is 6 years younger than me" part.

Loved reading the love story of Kate and Christopher!

Growing up together, Kate was always chasing after her twin sisters and pseudo-brother, Christopher. The latter wouldn't give her the time of day. Feeling excluded all her life, Kate chose a wanderer's life, traveling the world in search of ways to help others.

Christopher always admired selfless Kate, but thought by keeping her at arm's length he could hide his feelings from her.

When Kate comes home to give some stability and purpose to her life, she finds that her antagonistic relationship with Christopher picks up right where they left off. But after an epic blow-up at Thanksgiving, both are forced to really examine the relationship they have with one another. And that's when it all changes.

This was my first Chloe Liese read, and I am IN!! I immediately finished this one and started right in on Bea Wilmont's book. Bravo to the author for a meaningful, heartfelt story featuring neurodiverse characters. Her representation was masterfully done, with the most deft touch. Will be recommending to all.

Thanks to the author, Berkeley/PRH and Netgalley for this early copy to review!

I’ve been a huge fan of Chloe Liese since her first book came out. I always get so excited when I see she has a new one out. I’m happy to say, I loved this one!

This book is a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance. It’s also told in dual POV. I loved the characters in this book, and once they get together, it gets very steamy! I love how realistic the characters in this book are, and how they deal with real life issues. If you’re a fan of open door and steamy romances, you’ll love this one. I recommend checking it out!

In this Taming of the Shrew retelling, Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio have been neighbors and enemies since they were kids. When their families ask them to finally find peace with each other, can they do that or will the tension in a new direction?

Ugh I have such mixed feelings about this book. I go into any Chloe Liese book with incredibly high expectations because they have notoriously been five star reads for me. This one just didn’t feel the same. I love how she writes characters that grow and learn and share. But this time I couldn’t actually understand why they hated each other for so long and it started to bother me.

I still really enjoyed this book even if it wasn’t my favorite of hers. I love the way Chloe does representation in such a fully fleshed way.

Read for ADHD rep, migraine rep, a touch of holiday spirit, enemies to lovers, and a really fun friend group,

I love this series! I have to say the way he talked though threw me out of the story because it was just too good to be true. I felt the last book read more authentic with all the deep and honest talks. This was at times just too much and pulled me back to my reality which is not my favorite in a book.

3.5 Stars

Enemies-to-lovers can be a tricky romance trope. It’s hard to wipe out the negative if the characters are super hateful to each other, but I didn’t think Christopher or Kate crossed over the line. They were more in the habit of being contrary to each other, each for different reasons. Kate lashed out, because she felt hurt and rejected by Christopher over and over, and Christopher wanted to keep her at arm’s length, to counteract his attraction to her. He had no idea that his words and actions truly hurt Kate’s feelings.

I can’t write this without mentioning the absolutely yummy sounding doughnuts in the story! Sentences like this: “tart apples and cinnamon, pumpkin and pungent nutmeg, warm vanilla and rich maple syrup” made me crave a doughnut or five, and that wasn’t the only batch mentioned!

Better Hate than Never was a fun reimagining of Taming the Shrew. Ten Things I Hate About You is one of my all-time favorite movies and there’s a few nods to the film in the story. I liked that there was no over-the-top, last-minute drama once Kate and Christopher sorted out their adversarial relationship and acknowledged their sizzling chemistry. Chloe Liese built the tension between these two which resulted in some hot stuff! I loved the family connections and support as well.