Hi and welcome to my blog tour stop for Chloe Liese's Better Hate Than Never! If you're interested in a Taming of the Shrew retelling with fire and heart, you should check this one out.

​A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

​Summary.
Childhood enemies discover the fine line between love and loathing in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won’t even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home, and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno.

Despite their friends’ and families' pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when a drunken Kate confesses she’s only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with Kate once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn’t sure she can trust his charming good-guy act.

When Christopher’s persistence and Kate’s curiosity lead to an impassioned kiss, they realize “peace” is the last thing that will ever be possible between them. As desire gives way to deeper feelings, Kate and Christopher must decide if it’s truly better to hate than to never risk their hearts—or if they already gave them away long ago.

My review.
One of my fave things about Chloe Liese’s writing is how bold it is about being soft. Better Hate Than Never comes in blazing hot with its Taming of the Shrew dislike to enemies vibes but what really takes it to the next level for me is the moments of care from primary & secondary characters alike.

Kate Wilmot & Christopher Petruchio have been longtime enemies. Christopher has also been a longtime addition to their family gatherings, especially when Kate is traveling the world as a photojournalist.

But Kate has returned home—keeping the reasons to herself—& she & Christopher find themselves in each other’s orbit again & Christopher with a request from Kate’s dad that he try to make an effort with Kate.

I have so much adoration for a hero who tries to be strong but also has to admit that he has had feelings for the heroine for *a very long time.* Also a hero who makes homemade pasta .

Kate & Christopher belong together & it’s such a sweet relief when they are there for each other emotionally: like when she gives him a massage & he comforts her when she cries.

There’s a great sense of emotion with this book—it’s really clear why he’s fought his feelings for so long—& overall just a sense of love & respect from all of the characters.

This is my third Chloe Liese book & I’m becoming a big fan. Sooo much heart & it feels like not only could you read these & love the romance but also maybe become more empathetic too.

4.5⭐️. Out now!

CWs: Loss of Christopher's family in car crash. Reference to violent and disturbing world events.

Quotes that will make you want to pick up this swoon worthy book:

✨Mental Health Rep✨
“Medication makes me feel like I spend less time frustrated, spinning my tires, feeling like life happens to me rather than being something I actively choose.”

“Because I was tired and sore and broke and lonely. Because this life I’ve been living that used to fix all my problems started feeling like the source of them. Because it felt so going f to feel needed, and even better to know I could help.”

✨The state of the world✨
“[…] how irrevocably people’s carelessness and selfishness and hatred can destroy lives, the terroristic violence humans have normalized and accepted, how defeating it is, how hard it is to have anything hopeful to say.”

✨To make you aww aloud✨
“You aggravating, maddening, clueless woman— […] as if anyone could not want you.”

“[…] denying myself you has been like battling the tide. If I fight it any longer, I’ll drown: I’m yours, […] for as long as you’ll have me.”

“Should I tell you that I have missed you and ached for you for so long Katerina Elizabeth Wilmont, you define the words.”

“That’s you […] my tree in the storm.”

“You think once I had you, I’d ever want another soul? […] that I’d ever look at another and want anyone but you.”

“Because I have loved you a hundred different ways for so long I don’t know when loving you began, just that I haven’t spent nearly enough of my life making sure you know it”

For lovers of a slow burn that has major payoff with mental health, chronic condition rep, and neurodivergent rep? Pick this one up!

I loved this and that says A LOT because I usually despise a slow burn lol.

The one thing I love about Chloe Liese novels is that they’re about real people with real problems. Her characters worlds are not all rainbows and butterflies. Kat has anxiety problems and Christopher fights ongoing migraines. Both things are central to the plot and to our two main protagonists connection with each other and how they interact with society. I found the migraines to be especially interesting as it was the male protagonist who suffered from them a weakness that most author’s wouldn’t give their strong male character. This affliction made Christopher so much more relatable and I really appreciated how he learned to lean on Kat to help him get through.

We were introduced to the Wilmot sisters in the first novel in this series, although Kat was an honorable mention, Christopher was a side character that we got to know a little bit. I really enjoyed the family dynamics of this close knit family. A plot point that was used to create conflict for Kat in this novel. Feeling as if you don’t belong in your own family is something we’ve all felt a time or two I’m sure. Watching these sisters bond, and seeing Kat grow within that family dynamic added an additional layer to this emotional love story.

I haven’t yet been disappointed by a Chloe Liese novel. She’s quickly become a favorite and I know I can count on her books to be interesting and make me feel. I love her characters, and Kat and Christopher are in my top 3 favorite couples in a novel by this author.

If Chloe writes it, I will read it and, odds are, absolutely love it.
Better Hate Than Never is no exception and is definitely one of my favourite reads of 2023.
The story of Kate and Christopher is filled with emotion, angst, sexual tension, compassion, love, and so much more.

Kate and Christopher are like oil and water. Christopher is more of a homebody, content to stay in the city where he grew up, living in the house his parents left to him when they passed away in his childhood, and spending time with his friends and surrogate family, the Wilmots. He gets along with all the Wilmots, except for Kate, the youngest daughter who is a free spirit, taking off to travel the world for her job as a photographer. They needle each other, argue, and, to a certain degree, resent one another for a variety of reasons that, over the course of the book, they need to work through.

As Kate and Christopher spend more time together, largely to appease family members who want them to call a truce, they grow to better understand each other and recognize that perhaps their animosity isn't really animosity, but a deep-seated attraction.

I think long-time fans of Chloe's are going to love this book and the sensitivity she brings to writing well-developed characters who also have chronic illnesses and/or disabilities and/or neurodivergencies. There are call-backs to one of the best films of the 1990s, 10 Things I hate About You, which is also based on the same Shakespeare play, and we get to catch up with character we first met in Two Wrongs Make a Right.

I love this book so much and am already excited for the third book in the trilogy, about Juliet!

Thanks to Berkley, the author, and NetGalley for an eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I really liked the chronic migraine and neurodivergent representation in this book. I think the author did a good job there. This was a decent romance for me. I would love to read more by this author.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book! I loved it!

I really enjoyed the first book in this "series," and I was so looking forward to Better Hate Than Never...and it delivered on everything I want in a good romance book!

I don't usually gravitate towards ETL in contemporary romance, but something about this Shakespearan retelling made the ETL vibes just perfection. I think we've ALL had somebody we thought hated us, so we hated them kind of mentality...this book takes that perception and twists it a bit into forcing someone into hate to you can keep your distance (convoluted, I know, but true).

Christopher and Kate are just such a VIBE in this book. I love the banter, the bickering, and then the blatant honesty that pushes them right out of that grey area into something burning red! The tension, the chemistry, OMG, get yourself a water bottle because you're going to need it!

In addition to all that, Chloe Liese just does representation right. Sensory issues, ADHD, pain management...you name it, Chloe can handle it with sensitivity and care while still shedding light on the struggles many go through daily! I appreciate that so much as I saw myself in both of these MCs at different points in the story. That just gave their romance so much additional value IMO!

This was honestly a 4.5 star romance, but I don't give half stars...so I rounded up to five!

Star Rating: 5⭐️

Better Hate Than Never was just as good as I hoped it would be. Chloe Liese is an author that I will read anything from. I liked this even more than the previous book. Loved it!

By 30% I was so totally invested in Christopher and Kate that I didn't think I could put this down. Liese has crafted one of my favorite kinds of romance- the kind where we start tearing down walls right from the beginning, and it's not a painful dance of miscommunication and hurt.

The way that Christopher and Kate open up to each other is so raw and vulnerable it practically bleeds off the page. They're both flawed and have hurt each other in different ways, but Liese portrays the active work it takes on both sides to overcome bruised feelings, communicate, and rebuild a relationship with honesty and trust.

This is a very insular book- lots of internal feelings and scenes with just Christopher and Kate, but it never feels boring or repetitive. Each time they're together, something shifts in their relationship, from animosity to wariness to friendship and on. I loved that they weren't afraid to do the hard work and it wasn't on one person to take all the blame and make all the changes to adjust the way they interacted with the other. The pace slowed down toward the end and dragged a bit, but I'll take that over a pointless third act breakup any day.

An excellently paced contemporary romance. Christopher and Kate are well developed, well-rounded characters that will delight fans of angsty, slower-burn romance.

Hold on to your hearts, folks! If you thought the first book was a romantic rollercoaster, this sequel is like a love spaceship headed for Mars! I was all in for Jamie and Bea, but then Christopher and Kate stormed the stage, and they're stealing the show!

These two have been at each other's throats since sandbox days, and now they're adults living uncomfortably close. Kate injures her arm, putting her photography career on hold. She has no choice but to high-tail it back to her hometown, where, surprise, Christopher is still strutting around, living his hedge fund life to the fullest.

These two are as different as Netflix and opera. Chris loves his suits and board meetings, while Kate would rather skydive than sit in an office. It's like watching a rom-com where the leads start as enemies, and you're screaming at them to realize they're perfect for each other. And then—BOOM!—a boozy night leads to a closet confession. They both see they've been reading the wrong script in their lifelong drama. Kate thinks Chris despises her, but Chris is like, "Nah, I've just been too confused to realize I'm actually crazy about you." And what happens next? The lines between love and hate blur into something deliciously complicated.

CONTENT WARNING: Grief, Death of Parents (off-page, but mentioned), ADHD, Severe Migraines

Thanks to Berkley Romance for sending me a gifted copy!

Chloe Liese has been my favorite author ever since I discovered the Bergman Brothers and saw myself reflected on the pages of a romance for the first time. That is why I *begged* for this ARC, despite the fact that I don’t typically review books. It’s also why I probably can’t be truly unbiased when it comes to Chloe’s books.

The representation that Chloe Liese includes in her books in so important, and this one is no different. Better Hate Than Never is a tension-filled slow burn Taming of the Shrew retelling between a demisexual FMC with ADHD and an MMC with chronic migraines. Watching these characters seamlessly make accommodations for each other is so uplifting. There’s no third act breakup (amazing) and we also get some super fun nods to 10 Ten Things I Hate About You. Any fan of Chloe’s books will undoubtedly love Better Hate Than Never.

*Thank you to Chloe Liese, the Joyful Chaos Bookclub, and Berkley for the advanced copy of this book*

Childhood enemies to lovers in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew? I LOVE IT. Katerina Wilmont and Christopher Petruchio grew up together, they shared backyards as kids, but as adults they can't even be in the same room without.a fight breaking out. That changes, when Kat comes home for a rare visit and their animosity changes into something unexpected after a drunken confession from Kate telling Christopher that the only reason she's so hostile to him is because she's always thought he hated her. Christopher is completely thrown for a loop because all he's ever wanted was for her to hate him, to keep a distance, but he never ever wanted her to be hurt by him and now he's vowed to change it. Christopher and Kate are 6 years apart, she's the girl who is a travel photographer and is rarely home while he is the boy who has never left home. Kate feels like an outsider and that the only way she can love people is from a distance yet Christopher is scared of losing another loved one after his parents' death. Christopher has tried to distance himself from Kate all these years because her job pulls her away and he's afraid of losing her, afraid that if he begins to care for her she'll just leave and he would crumble without her. Yet when he discovers that she thinks he hates her, he can't let that be true, he wants to do everything to make her see just how much he has always loved her, has always cared about her, and he is done keeping a distance, now he is determined to prove to Kate that she is the only one for him. Kate doesn't know what to do with this whole new version of Christopher, she doesn't know if she can trust it, or him. The handsome guy who has only ever done one night stands is suddenly telling her he's been in love with her the whole time?? Yet the more Christopher persists and spends time with her the more Kate is beginning to open up her heart... but can she truly give her heart to him? Or will the fear of being hurt have her running off again? This was such a fantastic and heartfelt story. Christopher and Kate both have their own struggles and difficulties, but they care and are so sweet. Christopher suffers from painful migraines that constantly impact his daily life while Kate has ADHD. The emotional depth and care these characters had was amazing and the romance felt genuine and just so sweet. As a retelling, I adored it so much!! I would highly recommend this series!!

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Chloe Liese can do no wrong in my book! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Kate and Christopher need to be protected at all costs. This Taming of the Shrew retelling is modern and fresh. The story is cozy - a truly perfect fall read. Kate and Christopher’s relationship seemed so natural, as well as the reason why they do not like each other. It felt like I was reading about two friends. This is one of Chloe’s strengths - her character development is so rich. All characters in this book feel so real. Kate’s prickliness was frustrating, but felt familiar as a reader. You are able to connect with Christopher’s fears. You want to go to the Edgy Envelope and hang out with Sula and Toni. This story is so rich and full of swoons and steamy moments. This is going to be an automatic recommend for all romance readers who are looking for a fall romance.

In this captivating story, the duels between the characters are incredibly intense and filled with raw emotion. The way their relationship shifts from animosity to affection is portrayed with such depth and authenticity, evoking a whirlwind of feelings. I was completely drawn into their world, feeling every moment of longing and desire as if it were my own.

The balance between love and loathing kept me on the edge of my seat, yearning for more with each clash. The transformation from enemies to lovers felt so real, like a storm of emotions that I couldn't escape. As the story reached its conclusion, the characters' journey left me utterly enchanted, making my heart race and my soul ache in the most beautiful way possible.

It was a fitting finale to a story that had woven its way into my heart, leaving an indelible mark. This book is not just a read; it's an unforgettable experience that will resonate with me for a long time to come.

This was a lot better than the first in the series. It's a well done re-telling of The Taming of the Shrew.

Kat and Christopher have known each other all their lives and have always rubbed each other the wrong way. Now Kat is home indefinitely from her globetrotting career as a photojournalist and her dad asks Christopher to take it easy on her. Once they're not riling each otter up, it's clear some feelings have been there for a long time. Now that they don't hate each other, what are they supposed to do?!

Enemies to lovers can be hard for me because sometimes the characters are just SO MEAN to each other that I can't get over it. That wasn't the case here. Their rivalry is perfectly understandable and even comic at times. Watching them grow into loving each other was a joy.

Highly recommend for romance readers.

Chloe Liese is a fluffy romance QUEEN. I love the Wilmot sisters series and was so excited to continue with Christopher and Kate’s story! Like Bea & Jamie’s book, this book also was loosely based on one of Shakespeare’s plays. Since I am a huge fan of the movie 10 Things I Hate About You, which is also based on The Taming of the Shrew, I was so excited to read Chloe Liese’s take on it!

In Better Hate than Never we have Kate who is Bea’s younger sister, and Christopher who has been a neighbour and friend of the Wilmots (well most of them anyway…) since he was a child. One of the best parts of Chloe Liese’s writing in this series is her inclusion of diverse characters specifically relating to mental health and having neurodivergent MAIN characters. I feel like sometimes representation in romance books is limited to side characters, but both Bea and Kate have repped different facets of Neurodivergence, Bea who is Autistic and Kate with ADHD. In addition Christopher who is seen struggling with chronic pain, and Jamie with anxiety. I also appreciate that the inclusion doesn’t just end with a description of the character but rather is formulated into the story with the interactions and relationships. I feel like this is part of what makes the romance so special, because we see the characters learn and adapt to each other’s needs. I really enjoyed how Kate and Christopher went from their flaming banter, to really understanding each other. I am always a sucker for an enemies to lovers romance and this one did not disappoint!

It was also nice to see Jamie & Bea’s relationship thriving throughout this book, and we even get to see some sisterly love and a bromance form😉 Overall this book was fluffy, warm and relatable, which I love about Chloe Liese’s writing!

Thank you to Berkley for providing an ARC for review!

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for providing advanced copies of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I was mildly nervous going into this book. On one hand, I absolutely adore Chloe Liese's stories. On the other, I really (really) didn't like the ending of Two Wrongs Make a Right. And I was nervous about this having a similar fate.

But this book was fantastic (and no 3rd act breakup!).

This is following the youngest Wilmot sister, a photographer, traveller, and free-spirited risk taker. After an accident and some setbacks, she's home for an extended visit for the first time in her adult life. But she has immediate regrets about her stay the moment she runs into their family friend, neighbor, and her nemesis. The guy who can't seem to stand her very existence. But beyond their bickering, attraction lies.

One of my favorite aspects of ever single Chloe Liese book, is the chronic illness & neurodiversity rep she includes. And this was no exception. Following a hero with chronic migraines and a heroine with ADHD, so much care and thought was put into these characters.

On top of that, the sexual chemistry was off the charts. This was enemies to lovers done right. There is so much animosity between the two, but the tension and chemistry was also there.

I just had such a good time with this romance. The hero worships the utter ground the heroine walks on, but wants nothing to do with her wild lifestyle and only wants to see her safe and secure. The way this two pushed, challenged, and balanced each other was fantastic. And I always love when an author can find a way to weave and HEA without someone giving up their dreams and self.

I absolutely cannot wait for the final book in this series!

I always enjoy Chloe Liese books and I really liked book one in the Wilmot Sisters series - Two Wrongs Make a Right so I was really looking forward to Better Hate Than Never but this one fell short for me.

I love Chloe's writing and style but this enemies to lovers was a little too enemies for me. But you don't really know why they hate each other and he's almost like an adopted son to her parents so their hatred was a little too much.. I wanted more of a storyline and I didn't really feel like there was one and this was meant to be a Taming of the Shrew retelling. This was one of the steamier books that Chloe had written though.

If you're a Chloe Liese fan you'll like this book but I wouldn't go on with high expectations.

I was fully prepared to not like this book. The thanksgiving scene made me absolutely dislike both characters. I absolutely was not rooting for them at all but was instead thinking they both deserved each other. Things changed around the half way point and I found myself invested in the story. I’m not sure if it was Christopher’s way of trying to convince her he was sorry or Kate going more in detail with her adhd struggles. As someone who was diagnosed as a child, there was a lot that hit me hard at that point. I definitely ended up enjoying this book at the end but the beginning was definitely rough for me.

4.5 stars rounded up!

This was an amazing addition to the Wilmot Sister series! I truly enjoy Chloe Liese’s writing, every book I have read by her has been such a fun and unique experience. Christopher and Kate’s story was vulnerable, complex, and overall absolutely beautiful.

This book is a childhood enemies to lovers romance with elements of Shakespearean’s “Taming of the Shrew”, which made this book extremely fun and intriguing immediately! I have never read anything like this one and the way that Chloe set up and developed their storyline was amazing! Christopher and Kate were both such guarded individuals that kept their emotions and struggles kept away, but were able to communicate extremely well.

I love how this story was a slow-burn with passion, tension, and angst. I enjoyed how Christopher and Kate were able to understand what they have done in the past to build up this hatred towards each other, and communicated why they felt that way. Christopher was fast to realize that he has misunderstood the relationship they have had their whole lives and was able to connect to Kate on a deeper level, which was touching to read.

The dynamic of these two was so enjoyable to experience, they have such an intense pull to each other that made the slow burn even more rewarding. I love how caring and supportive both characters were to each other, even after being enemies and bantering their whole lives. It was clear that the attraction and chemistry between Kate and Christopher ran deep, these two are undeniably perfect for each other!!

This book was such a great representation of enemies to lovers in the romance world, I loved the banter and teasing between these two that turned into such a heartfelt and meaningful connection. I also always love how Chloe is able to display affection and love through actions AND words! There are so many swoon worthy moments where her characters care for each other through acts of service, which I absolutely adore!

Read if you love/Things to note:
- 10 Things I hate About You
- Childhood enemies to lovers
- ADHD representation
- Chronic migraine representation
- Acts of service (cooking for her, buys her flowers, massages, etc.)
- Demisexuality representation
- Angst & Tension
- Dual POV
- Found family

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review 🩷

This book made me feel right at home. Childhood enemies to lovers can be one of my favorite tropes, and Chloe Liese knocked it out of the park with this one. The secret pining was so delicious. Christopher was such a sweetie, Kate was so relatable, and their banter and chemistry is off the charts.

Since it's Chloe, you know the representation is going to be top-notch. We have a demisexual MC, chronic migranes, and ADHD rep. I really enjoy the opportunity to learn more about these conditions through books like this.

I love reading about this family. Their friend group is so much fun, I really want to be a part of it! I loved how many Bea and Jamie cameos we got. It was nice to see a whole lot of them after loving them in Book 1. I can't wait to see more of all of these characters in Jules' book!