Hate is the first book of the Madison Kate series and can’t be read as a standalone…ends on a cliffhanger! Oh boy this was one interesting ride! Starts with action and ends with action and so much mystery in between. I love Madison Kate and how strong she is! I wouldn’t be forgiving of Steele, Kodiak, and Archer either after what they did to her on Halloween night! And I love her idea of revenge ! She had me laughing so much! I have so many questions running through my mind about the guys and what their angle is and can’t wait to read the second book…I need answers!

✨ARC Review✨
📖: Hate
🖋️: Tate James
⭐️: 5 of 5
🌶️: 5 of 5
💬: “No matter how much I love seeing you fall for me, I’d rather you didn’t mess up that pretty face in the process.”

Tropes, Topics & Themes:
✨Why choose
✨MMA
✨Enemies to lovers
✨Revenge
✨Forced Proximity

Instead of attending a raved Halloween party, Madison decides to watch an underground fight. Instead of an exciting night watching a fighter she’s been wanting to see.

Madison finds herself in the middle of a deadly riot and running for her life when she’s saved by three mysterious guys.

When she finds herself framed for the crimes. She leaves the country for a few months. Only to return home and discover that the three men who saved her are now living in her home.

Can Kate focus on revenge when the hottest guys are walking around shirtless? Will Kate ever discover what really happened during the riot?

“I want plenty of things from you, Madison Kate Danvers.”

Archer, Kody, and Steele find themselves protecting Kate from the secrets, lies, and a stalker.

Will the boys allow Kate to sabotage their goals? Will Madison ever be safe?

I loved all the guys but Kody and Steele are my favorites. The back and forth between Archer and MK.🔥🔥

The way the book ended and the bonus scene from Riot Night. I can’t wait to see what happens next in book 2!

Thank you, state James, Sourcebooks Bloom Books, and Netgalley for this ARC. As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to Bloom Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

I have heard so much about this series but until now I didn’t know much about the actual book and it’s insane in a good way. I was left with so many more questions than answers and I already downloaded book 2 because I need more. I did enjoy this book, it took me a bit to really get into it as the romance is slow and the overall pace of this book is slow. I know this series is probably gonna get faster as it goes on and I do plan on reading the rest.

Madison Kate Danvers is the princess of shadow grove but when she is framed for a major riot night she ends up locked up for a while and then sent away by her father. A year later she is back and wants revenge when she walks into her house to find out that the men who framed her now live there. Everything she thought she knew starts unfolding and maybe not everything from that night and before is what it seemed.

There wasn’t a lot of romance in this book. It was mainly banter and flirting but I know the heat is gonna get turned up in book 2. I can’t decide how I feel about Steele, Archer, and Kody as I both hate them and kind of adore them. Madison Kate is chaotic and unhinged in her quest for revenge and I don’t blame her at all, her life was destroyed on Riot night and most of what she does is pretty tame for what happened. I love books with women out for revenge so this is giving everything I want and I feel like she is gonna be a badass in the next books.

I think I recommend this book, it is kind of hard to say after just book 1 in a series but it is off to a solid start.

Omg! What did I just read?! I didn’t mean to like this book this much! But why is this book so addictive?!

I haven’t read a reverse harem dark romance before but this one completely made me hooked! I just wanted to try out the first book but look what it has made me do. I am binge reading the rest of the books this weekend!

The series is already complete in 2020 which I came to realise after I got this ARC from Bloom Books.

I would say that this is a stalker thriller. The writing is the most addictive rather than the characters. We do not get to know much of the three guys or the main character or the side characters (her best friend or her dangerous father) or even not much clue on the stalker.

Their story revolves around a girl whose father makes sure that she is kept guarded all the time by these three guys. Archer is the one who’s grumpy and the alpha in this story. Kody is the mellow one. Steele is the flirtiest one. Well, our girl is the hot-hot mess.

Damn. I am so into this one. I am going to pick up the next book right now!

Thank you, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, for the advance reading copy.

Two of my favorite things in books right now are mafia and why choose and this series gave me both in a way that I truly loved. The series is made up of 4 books: Hate, Liar, Fake, and Kate; each one better than the last. Madison Kate as the pink-haired badass FMC was definitely fun to read and I loved her loyalty first to her friends and then later to the boys as she fell for each of them. Her boys though? They made this series. Kodiak Jones was the perfectly sunshine, untouchable protector who was always there to brighten things up or make them extra spicy. Max Steele was everything I wanted from a tortured artist who was also a badass with weapons. And then there’s Archer D’Ath. This man is an absolute walking red flag who has no qualms about his actions. And I loved that. He did everything in his power to keep MK safe and once I figured out what was going on I was obsessed with him. The twists and turns of their story keep me on my toes and hella stressed at times, but Tate James is an incredible writer who kept me reading even when I was getting so mad I wanted to throw my kindle. I will say that the why choose is a bit of a slow burn BUT that does not mean that there is not spice early on.

one of my first reverse harems I ever read, and it's the one I go back to over and over again because nothing hits like Tate James and the Shadow Grove World. I love love love love MK and her boys, and it's not only smut...but it has a FANTASTIC plot and world building along with it. Literally love the series. Also, don't know reverse harem until you try it because like....THIS IS SO GOOD.

Tate James is one of my favorite authors- she’s so incredibly versatile in the kinds of words she can build and she’s so refreshingly unapologetic about her character’s imperfections- the layer nuances that make them so interesting.. I’ve yet to read a book by her that doesn’t immediately enthrall me and leave me ravenous for more, and Madison Kate is probably my favorite book of hers to date. This story is addictive- it is not short, yet I somehow read it in one sitting because I literally could not tear myself away.

We’ve seen the trope before- the tough as nails heroine who finds herself living with her enemies/stepbrothers who are involved in some sort of shady business- it's one of my favorite book set-ups. Honestly, I’d never get tired of interactions, but let me tell you, Tate makes it fresh and interesting- in part because her heroine is as much the bully/aggressor, in part by the brilliant and HOOKING opening chapter, and in part because these characters are trope-defying- they are more interesting, more layered, more complex. And so damn fascinating.

The opening chapter of this series is one of the strongest I’ve read in a way- straight into the action, neck deep in trouble and thrust into the mystery and danger. It is also a beautiful case study of some of the characters we see- by seeing MK’s highs and lows in these opener, we really get a glimpse into who she is- she’s an adventurer, craving connection, tough as nails, but also weighed down by expectations and trauma. The Riot Night on Halloween ended up permanently altering MK’s life- and most of the book is a year later journey of the aftermath, when she finds herself connected to those she believes wronged her.

Our story starts out in a fight ring, and for much of the book, you feel like you are in one. Backed up in a wall, trying to figure out the next move, unsure what is happening around you, dodging punches.Tate smartly delivers this book only in MK’s pov- I’ve noticed a lot of authors doing this in the first of a bully-ish series- that way the men remain mystery, we don't know their true intentions or feelings, and here it is all the more important because MK is trying to figure some stuff out, and the boys are key- having their thoughts withheld mean we are experiencing this like MK- confused, frustrated, angry, torn- as she tries piece together all that is withheld from her/about her.

Tate is again unapologetic about creating interesting, flawed characters. This book is called Hate, our main character is fueled by it- so naturally, at times we don’t like things she does are are frustrated by are, naturally at time she’s not seeing what is around her because she’s blinded by the rage she’s built, by the narrative she’s told herself about what happened for almost a year. She’s not trusting or vulnerable, and I’m looking forward to more of her vulnerability as the series progresses, but she is so incredibly tough, so resilient. And, I love that she’s so comfortable in her skin- she’s embraced who she is and what she wants, even if at times new information makes her question her feelings. The boys are so deliciously alpha- glimmers of kindness and tenderness but mostly raw, dark, and dangerous men- we have a thoughtful one (Steele), the fun, flirty playboy who seems like he needs a hug (Kody) and the alpha leader who seems irredeemable (Archer). I get why some don’t like him, but I think once we see the truth behind him, he’ll floor us

Tate does not hold back here- her characters are flawed and not always likable, there is darkness, and the only thing you can predict about the action or the characters is that they are unpredictable, not (yet) fully understood. This story is so engaging, so unique, so addictive. And the cliffhanger? BRUTAL. Need Liar now!

5 ⭐️

Ummmm this was SUCH a good start to the series!!! I had so much fun and was intrigued from the very first page. The initial scene, the time jump, the forced proximity, all of this led to such an engaging storyline and I could not put it down. I really loved how each of the guys were so different. Though they were protective and alpha, they each had personality traits that set them apart, and I felt like any romance in this one developed at an appropriate pace. I was giggling and blushing and anxious throughout the entire story and the cliffhanger was….a lot 😂 . Left me with no idea how to feel about everything that happened and what's the truth and what's a lie!! I am so excited for book 2. My first Tate James book was very much a success!!

Tate James will always have my heart. Madison Kate just wants to be a regular girl, but when one night out results in everyone thinking she’s dead she gets sent away so she doesn’t cause any more trouble. Now she’s back and moving back into her dad’s house, or is she? Her dad and his new wife suddenly take a trip and leave MK home alone with her new stepbrother and his two friends and a mystery to solve as to what exactly happened the night she was arrested. This book is the beginning of the series, Tate James is the Queen of cliffhangers and reverse harems and this book is no exception

Immediately yes. This storyline was so intriguing. Madison Kate is a badass, albeit a little frustrating at times, but I enjoy her character a lot and I'm very invested in where this story will go. It's a little bit family drama, a little bit mafia-like, a little bit steamy, a little bit mystery, and a lotta bit angsty. I won't lie, Amazon told me this was a reverse harem enemies-to-lovers so I was expecting a little bit more BUT I have to remind myself this is a four-book series and we are building to something more. I love all three of the main male characters, but my favorite is for sure Kodiak Jones, delicious. The way this one lead off had me immediately needing book 2.

While out partying with her friend Bree, Madison Kate's whole world changes after hearing the words "Madison Kate Danvers was murdered tonight." Obviously not, she is still alive, but clearly, something is going on. A set up has her whole world uprooted. After a year away, she is back home and ready to figure out what is next. Only one problem, three of the men that were behind the setup now live in her house. Now, she is determined to show them just who they messed with and make sure they pay for what they did.

Congratulations to Tate James for her traditional publishing of the Madison Kate series! This book series holds such an amazing space in my readers heart - my first why choose romance, one of my first romantic suspense series, and one of my most memorable book boyfriends (oh Kodiak Jones I love you so much!)

I will ALWAYS recommend this series and could talk about this amazing world Tate James created ALL THE TIME!

thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this book. This is my honest review!

Love this book! It has danger, suspense, and plenty of spicy goodness!!
I thought everything worked well together and pacing was great. A good beginning to a series. Can’t wait to see what’s next.

I am a firm believer that it should be a crime to write single POV why choose. Which this is. However, the audiobooks are duet narration and that 100% saved it for me. Since the male narrator voiced all the male characters in every chapter I mostly forgot that it was single POV for a while. I’m not sure I would’ve pushed through had I been reading just the ebook or physical book.

This FMC is so damn annoying. Like almost unbearably so. I was expecting well-planned revenge, not an 18-year-old playing pranks. She comes off very immature and is definitely a “pick me” girl.

I honestly didn’t like any of the characters really at the end of book 1. Even the guys. Every character in this just makes dumb decision after dumb decision after dumb decision.

I’m intrigued enough by the plot, however, that I will continue on. I’ve had several friends say you just have to push through the Madison Kate series so you can get to the Hades series, which is supposed to be better.

Tropes/Highlights:
Enemies-to-lovers
Revenge
Slow burn
Forced proximity
Why choose series

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

I love it! Steele and Kody have my heart and I'm sure Archer will get there. The plot twists are a little bit predictable and not very realistic but that make sense considering the characters are not your average people. This is one of my all time favourite series. Its why choose, and there is so much to love.