4.25 stars overall

Man this book is something special. I’ll start this off by saying I’m usually very hesitant reading books that deal so heavily with grief. Once it becomes a part of your everyday life you don’t really want to read about it too if that makes sense. But there was something about 𝙋𝙎: 𝙄 𝙃𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙔𝙤𝙪 that just drew me in and I couldn’t put the book down.

You will certainly get some PS: I Love You vibes while reading this but it’s so much more than that. Maddie lost her brother to cancer and she seems so lost in life and addicted to her job that she hides in a closet at his funeral doing work on her laptop. Of course the person who finds her is Dominic Perry that man she has history with and who she hates because of what he did the day after they spent a night together. Dominic has been put in charge of Josh’s affairs and notifies the family and close friends that Josh left letters for them. To Maddie’s horror she finds out that Josh has written to both her and Dominic and paired them up together to send them off to travel the country together and spread his ashes in eight different locations. Maddie follows through with the idea because of how much she loves her brother but secrets are revealed, hurt is starting to turn back into love, and there’s a lot of healing going on for all the characters involved.

Of course I cried throughout many parts of the book. There was one major plot twist than I figured out not even halfway through the story and when it was a revealed I shouted I KNEW IT! Once all was revealed I did feel like I wanted to shake Maddie, Dominic, and even Josh. I related far too well to Maddie’s fears of people leaving her whether it be voluntarily or dying. This was my first book by Lauren and I’m looking forward to reading more by her. If you decide to pick this one up please check the trigger warnings ahead of time and protect your heart and your peace.

Many thanks to Berkley Romance for my free book and Netgalley for the eARC copy. All thoughts are my own.

I loved this book. It was a romcom, but also loaded with trauma since Maddie lost her brother to cancer.

It is probably a very emotional book if you’ve lost a sibling and also probably if you struggle with feelings of abandonment, so be warned.

Definitely some P.S. I Love You vibes, but in a totally different way since Maddie’s brother, Josh, left her and his best friend, Dom, letters with coordinates and instructions to allow him to visit places left on his bucket list.

I wanted to shake Maddie, but she was also grieving and didn’t have a very good familial support system after Josh passed. Her mom and grandmother were awful to her and her dad wasn’t in her life. She felt very abandoned and I knew she was acting out.

Maddie didn’t necessarily hate Dom, but she really liked him growing up and then they briefly had a moment and he turned around and married someone almost immediately after. Maddie’s coping mechanism was to completely remove herself from the situation, which meant that years later, being forced to deal with and work with Dom as part of Josh’s wishes was difficult for her.

I loved seeing Maddie and Dom work through their grief of losing Josh together, even though Maddie was clearly upset with him and yet still struggling with attraction.

I definitely recommend the book. I loved that Maddie was flawed and no matter what happened with the romance, it didn’t cover up or replace her need to figure out how to work through her feelings and stop pushing people away, which I appreciated. I hate when real issues in a romance seem to disappear with the introduction of hot love interest because that’s not how that works.

There was grief, romance, hate, love, friendship, and even some spice in this one!

Thanks for the free audiobook @PRHAudio and to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for for the ARC.

“Dom needs to learn there’s things in life you can’t control. And I’m one of them.”

I adore this book! As a strong female myself I find that a lot of romances tend to have damsel in distress type main characters. So to have a hot man and a spicy woman is so refreshing!! I feel seen 👀 Also yesss to the asthma representation. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Respiratory Therapist over here so to say that I loved this book is an understatement.

It takes a special man to handle a strong woman. Ask my husband (love you boo). So Dom is a dream!! Overall the perfect romance that will tear at your heartstrings in the best possible way.

As for the audiobook.. if you have ever read any audiobook reviews from me I have two words. Karissa. Vacker. So *chefs kiss*. 10/10. Highly recommended. You get the point.

First thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for an electronic arc in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Maddie’s family life left a lot to be desired but she always has her brother Josh. However Josh dies and leaves her a wish to have take him to the final 8 states he didn’t get to. However he had to include her enemy Dom in the final request. She has history with Dom and not sure if she can survive grief and Dom.

What I liked: this is really good look at grief especially when your family life is not ideal. Maddie is not especially likable but she does grow and learn throughout the book. There were times I did get pretty frustrated with her but I think that shows how good of a book it is when you do get mad at a character. Maddie is also very sarcastic and loved her sarcasm with Dom.

The final journey with Josh was so nice and liked how truly personal it was. I couldn’t imagine having to do this with my one true person. I liked how it also wasn’t an instant love story but took place over an extended period of time. I like seeing books deal with grief and showing the journey it can be.

The side characters in the book including Dom’s family and Maddie’s family were a great addition and fit the story. I didn’t feel like they were forced or too much.

Overall I do recommend this book for romance, romance-com fans, and people who like a little more depth in their romance. The hype is real folks.

So. I absolutely adored Maddie and Dom’s story and how it navigated love and grief. Did I expect to be an emotional mess for most of the book? No. Would I change anything about said emotional wreckage? Also no! If anything, I want many other books just like this one. I loved the PS I Love You vibes this story had with the letters and challenges Josh created for Maddie and Dom. The chemistry and banter between the two was one of the many reasons the novel was binge worthy. I truly appreciated how realistic this story was especially with the navigation of grief, in its many forms. The opening of the letters and exploration of their associated destinations never felt forced or rushed, especially as it was spaced out to when they could both take time off.

What an emotionally heartbreaking yet beautiful story! PS I Hate You is an enemies-to-lovers, brother's best friend, second chance romance. Your heart will hurt in the best way while reading this book, the HEA being well-deserved 🥹.

Maddie is our heroine, and we see her in her most raw and vulnerable state. She struggles to mourn the death of her brother. Grief comes differently to everyone, and in Maddie's case, she couldn't cry. She closed herself off and lashed out.

Maddie has a complicated history with Dominic Perry, her brother's best friend. She hates his guts and can't forget the time he broke her heart. Now, Dom and her must embark on an adventure to honor Josh's last wishes. They must travel together and, in doing so, old wounds are mended. Let's just say Josh knew what he was doing all along 😉.

This was such a gut-wrenching and heartfelt slow burn romance that quickly became a favorite!! I loved it, wholeheartedly!

This book had me feeling all the feels.
Maddie has just lost her brother and because he knew he was going to pass, he left Maddie and his best friend Dom, a bit of an adventure.
He wants them to go together to the eight states he never made it to and spread his ashes. The only problem is that years ago Dom broke Maddie's heart and she has no desire to see him again let alone spend days/ months with him. But this is the only way to see her brother's last words to her so she will suck it up and go.
While I hated Maddie's mother and grandmother from their first scene, I loved her relationship with her brother and Dom's brothers. And every time especially in the beginning of their trek that Dom and Maddie were together, or just communicating at all, she had me laughing out loud at the zingers that she was sending his way. I loved it when they finally hashed out the past and started to grow closer, and even though the romance wasn't the focus of the story I loved it all the same. ,
Then certain parts would come out of nowhere and have me tearing up. And while I don't normally reach for books with grief as a main focus I couldn't put this one down.
I loved everything from the characters to the romance, and the relationships, and seeing both Dom and Maddie work through their grief over Josh's passing was beautiful and heartwrenching.
I will definitely be checking out Lauren Connelly's other books after reading this one.

PS I Hate You is about the relationship between Maddie and Dom. Maddie's brother, Josh, has just died from cancer. He leaves instructions for Maddie and Dom to take his ashes to places he never got to travel in the US. This leaves just 8 states for the two to visit. The incentive is at each place there will be a letter from Josh to read. Maddie is happy to have more words from her brother, but she is not pleased to be stuck with Dom as her travel buddy. Years ago the two hooked up, but then Dom broke her heart by deciding to marry his high school girlfriend, Rosaline. He did this the morning after he slept with Maddie. This is the powder keg of emotions Maddie embarks on the journey with Dom.

This story was well done. Maddie and Dom are a slow burn. Which is always fun. But in addition to their romance there is a host of characters who have platonic relationships with Maddie and they are just as important to her emotional growth as the romance with Dom.

If you enjoy stories with second chance romances, close friendships, family dysfunction, and realistic portrayals of grief then this is a great book to pick up! Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.

While not a debut, this is the first novel I’ve read from this talented voice. Heavy on emotion and featuring some of my favorite tropes (enemies to lovers, second chance, forced proximity) set against the backdrop of grief, this book blew me away and I can’t wait to read more from Connolly!

This is an emotionally heavy romance (not a rom-com, which is fine!). I love a good road trip romance, and it did not disappoint! Just be prepared for some heavy topics mixed in with all the delightful pining and sweetness.

"PS I Hate You" hit me in the feels repeatedly, yet I kept coming back for more. I laughed, cried, and felt every bit of the sorrow and love shared between Maddie and Dom. The audio was superb, thanks to @karissavacker, who brought these characters to life wonderfully.

All of the characters were well-developed and relatable. Dom was so dependable and kind that I fell in love with him instantly. I felt a deep connection to Maddie, the asthmatic introvert, as the story unfolded over the course of a year. Believe me when I say I loathed her and Josh’s mother; she is the most selfish character I've encountered in a while. 😩 The support from their friends throughout the story was beautiful. Everyone deserves to have friends like them. The extended timeline allowed Maddie and Dom ample time to grieve and say goodbye to their brother and best friend without feeling rushed.

“Sometimes something big happens. And it makes you look at your life. And you realize you’ve been living it wrong.”

TLDR: I absolutely adore this book. It’s a heart-wrenching yet tender story of love, loss, grief, and the path to healing. It’s also incredibly funny—a delightful balance of emotion and humor that wrecked me in the best way possible. Do yourself a favor and grab this book and maybe a box of tissues too!

It’s easily one of my top reads this year. I’ve read it a few times now and each time the experience was completely different but equally wonderful. The first time I was captivated by Maddie and Dom, their history, their present journey, the unique travel destinations, and Josh’s deep love for them. Though he died before the book starts his presence is felt throughout the book making him a very real character in this story. I just love him! The second I was in the depths of my own grief and I literally sobbed through the book. I identified with Maddie in a way I never expected. Her hurt, her pain, and her anger. So real. Ugh, and the sweet friends that were there to love and support her as she worked through it all. I felt all of it on such a deep level. The more recent read was just an absolute delight. Even better than the first. I basked in the humor of it all. The writing is so witty. The emails, the texts, the verbal sparring. It’s so good. Oh, and Dom. He is a gem of an MMC. Top notch book boyfriend material.

Tropes + Things
second chance
brother’s best friend
forced proximity
found family
single POV/1st person

PS: I Hate You hit me like a tidal wave, pulling me into its emotional undertow. Maddie’s brother, Josh, leaves her an unusual request in his will: a series of road trips to scatter his ashes across eight destinations he never got to visit. But there’s a twist—Josh pairs her with Dominic, his infuriating best friend and Maddie’s heartbreak from the past. As they traverse miles and memories, grief reopens old wounds, and forgiveness becomes their compass. This enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity romance is bittersweet and so full of hope as well as the future. It’s a tale of healing, self exploration, and the unexpected magic of second chances.

This book beautifully explores how even in the face of loss, love and connection can prevail. A brother’s unwavering love and protection for his two favorite people from beyond the grave is truly heartwarming. If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh and cry, this book is a must-read!

Practically perfect in every way! I was 100% delighted by this heartfelt romance that dove a little deeper than most. Without giving too much away, the quest was a perfect way to introduce us to the heart of these characters and the author peeled back layer by layer until we saw our characters for who they really were. So heartfelt, but also funny and hot and romantic! Highly recommend!

This is one that deserves the high praise and buzz it's received. Somehow, it manages to have a nice balance of romance and connection while still dealing with the heavy topics of grief and loss, and the issues with abandonment that main character Maddie rightly deals with. Maddie likes to deal with things with humor, and that makes it so the story isn't too heavy. It's on the longer side for a romance, but it moved shockingly fast.

MY THOUGHTS:
Lauren Connolly’s PS: I Hate You is an emotional romance that focuses on grief. Maddie, the FMC has recently lost her brother to cancer. In his will, he gives her eight destinations to visit to scatter his ashes. The problem is that she has to go with his best friend, Dom. Maddie had a big crush on Dom in high school, and after they hooked up, he decided to marry his high school sweetheart leaving Maddie shocked and heartbroken.

I liked that Maddie had asthma since I haven’t seen that representation in books before. As someone with asthma, I was able to relate to her in certain situations. I adored Dom, and it was obvious to me from the beginning how he felt, which made him all the more endearing. The trips they went on together were creative and moving, and I loved those parts of the book.

There is so much emotional depth in Connolly’s writing, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed this story. Don’t go into this one expecting a romcom. While it has tropes like enemies to lovers and forced proximity, there is so much more to this story as it touches on sensitive topics, and it hit all my emotions. There were some funny moments and at other times I found myself holding back tears or full on ugly crying! This book put me on an emotional roller coaster, but it was a journey I was happy to be on. Definitely add this book to your TBR if you haven’t already. You won’t be disappointed

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
Karissa Vacker was the perfect choice to narrate Maddie’s story. She always brings the characters to life, and she hit all this emotions in this book. Her narration is always spot on, and I think this might be one of my favorite audiobooks that she’s narrated.

Thank you Berkley Publishing, Let’s Talk Books Promo, NetGalley for and eARC and PRH Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

If you want a book that is gonna make you cry while simultaneously giggling and kicking your feet then this is the one for you! This book absolutely tugged at every heart string known to my body. I absolutely ADORED this book. Lauren Connolly had me laughing, crying, hopeful and destitute all wrapped into one. I physically could not have put this down if I tried.

Maddie Sanderson returns home for the funeral of her brother, the only family she had after years of dealing with an abusive grandmother and narcissistic mother, abandoned by their father at a young age. Her plan to attend the funeral in Philly and return to Seattle without looking back changes when her brother’s best friend Dominic, who is the main reason she left home at 19 after he broke her heart, is there to read his will. The worst part is that her brother's dying wish is for her and Dominic to visit eight different cities, spreading his ashes, starting from Delaware to Alaska—a journey that may take them two years to complete.

Maddie is initially against her brother's decision to take a long farewell trip with the man who hurt her feelings, making her insecure about people who may always choose to leave her like her father, ex-boyfriends, and now her brother. But she cannot betray her brother’s last wishes, and with each coordinate they reach, they open a letter he wrote. These letters are the only things left from her brother, motivating her to continue this journey.

During their travels, Maddie confronts her resentments and finds missing pieces of her past relationship with Dom. She realizes her hatred turns into forgiveness, and she starts thinking they can even be friends because they need each other. But the hardest thing is not falling for the man who broke her heart into pieces. Can she manage that when he's all she can see, and what if their feelings are mutual? Can Maddie get over her insecurities and learn to open her heart, destroy her walls, and give happiness a chance?

This bittersweet, emotionally compelling, but also promising enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, self-exploration, and second-chance romance is engaging and well-written. It takes two people on a journey, both literally and metaphorically, to understand their pasts, learn forgiveness, and discover themselves, thereby changing their future paths. This one packed such an emotional punch, it definitely made me veryyyy emotional and if you’ve ever lost a close loved one I think it will sucker punch you as well. It’s so much more than a grief story though, it’s a beautiful story of healing and moving forward even when it’s really difficult.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

Wow. Just wow.

This book absolutely took my breath away. It is an absolutely masterful creation and it is so beautifully raw and vulnerable in its characters and it's depiction of processing grief. I started crying about 60% of the way through the book and I don't think I've stopped since.

This story sends Maddie on a journey due to her brother's last wishes. But not alone - she is to be accompanied by her brother's best friend, Dom aka the boy who broke her heart so many years before. Told in a series of vignettes as Maddie and Dom traverse the country, visiting different states and reading letters from her brother, the reader sees the relationship blossoming between the two characters. Maddie is an effusive person, keen on spending her time coming up with barbed quips to keep Dom on his toes during their spats. Dom is cool, calm, and collected, so nothing really phases him.

As their journey continues, we see the veneer outside each of them start to crack. We see areas where trust and love shine through, and more importantly, we see acceptance and forgiveness. This book moves people and allows them to see how their self-destructive tendencies are not the only way they can react. But overall, this book is a simple story between a brother and a sister who cared about him deeply.

Bring tissues and prepare to be gutted, but in the best way posssible.

This book completely took me by surprise in the BEST way! 🤧 it was so beautifully written and I fell in love with the FMC Maddie and I was soooo down bad for Dom!!🤧🩷
Maddie made my heart ache so so much and I don’t remember a book touching me with the topic of grief and parental emotional abuse in so long 😢😢 tears were definitely shed (like a bunch) 😪
I related to Maddie in the way she feels about feeling abandoned (it’s hard to break your way of thinking after going through it so much) so I completely understand where she was coming from, and as far as Dom (NEED HIM SO MUCH) he was the most caring MMC!!😢🩷

The way he made sure Maddie was okay with her asthma attacks and in general when he could sense she was distraught was just everything! 🩷

I adored the author’s writing and I truly can’t wait to read more of her books 🩷

Thank you Berkley for the ARC and PRH Audio for the ALC!!!🫶🏻🫶🏻

I love when a book grabs ahold of you from the beginning, doesn’t let you go and then you can’t put into words what you think about it! That was this book!

After losing her brother, Maddie Sanderson goes on a journey across the country to scatter his ashes over either destinations that he was never able to visit. The catch… she has to do it with his best friend Dominic Perry, whose she had a childhood crush on and now hates.

Their banter was top tier and I loved seeing the progression of their relationship through each destination as they worked through their issues and grief. This book had me laughing and crying!

Thank you Berkley Publishing!