A fun romcom for a palette cleaner read.

Full review coming soon on here, goodreads and Instagram soon.

The premises of this book were interesting and I hoped in a good story, but the female main character was so annoying and immature that I didn't enjoy the story at all.

Thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for a review copy of this book. A bucket list, heart broken by older brother’s best friend might sound like familiar tropes but in Connolly’s hands it becomes a moving narrative of coming to terms with a dear brother’s death and confronting and understanding the past.

After her brother Josh’s untimely death Maddie is tasked with spreading her brother’s ashes in places he never got to visit and read the letters he wrote for each designated place. Normally she would be glad to do something that connected her brother, the one person in her life who she was truly bonded with, but her brother also tasked his best friend, Dominic, to share this with her. Before the funeral Maddie hadn’t seen Dominic for six years, not since the night he broke her heart and she left for the west coast the next day. Conflicted she begins the task with him and as the time goes on and their past and present begin to unfold Maddie realises that there was so much to understand about herself and her brother and Josh. There are compelling and poignant moments that help deepen the story and characters and create the tension that moves the story to a warm and feeling ending.

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0 STARS

This was perfection.

That's the whole review.

Lauren Connolly’s PS I Hate You is a delightful blend of humor, sass, and heartfelt moments. The enemies-to-lovers trope is executed beautifully, with sharp-witted banter and undeniable chemistry between the main characters that had me grinning throughout. The tension and dynamic between the leads felt authentic, and their growth—from animosity to understanding—was paced perfectly.

What stood out most to me was the depth of the characters. They weren’t just two people trading snarky remarks; they had layers, vulnerabilities, and motivations that made their journey compelling. I also appreciated the way the book balanced lighthearted humor with moments of emotional honesty, making it more than just a fun romance.

Connolly’s writing style is engaging and easy to get lost in, and her ability to create characters you want to root for is a testament to her storytelling talent. If you love romance with a side of fiery banter and a whole lot of heart, PS I Hate You is a must-read.

Overall, it’s a solid, feel-good romance that left me smiling long after I turned the last page. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good enemies-to-lovers story!

Wow this book made me feel all of the emotions….joy, sadness, anger, excitement, surprise and of course, love ❤️

It is a beautiful story about Maggie who tragically lost her brother, and his best friend Dom, Maggies first love. Together they grudgingly travel across 8 states directed by the brother in his last letters. Ever so gently the author drip feeds past traumas, to begin with I couldn’t stand Dom but as the story went on I really felt for him. Maggie was such a strong lead character, her humour was dry and I was constantly laughing at her sarky banter.

Strangely one of my favourite characters was the brother, Josh. He was so full of life and taken far too soon.

Someone said in an earlier review that if you enjoyed Mrs Nashes Ashes or You With a View, you will love this book and this is so true!

Easy 5 stars for me!

I really enjoyed PS I Hate You, it follows Maddie, who has lost her brother to cancer. His will sends her and his best friend on a road trip to scatter his ashes in the 8 states he didn't get chance to visit.

Gorgeous story! Told from the perspective of Maddie as she is instructed to go on a road-trip with her brother's best friend, through the will of her brother who passed away, this story has all the elements that tugged on my heartstrings. The way that grief was portrayed, plus the road-trip aspect were beautifully done.
Maddie and Dom had a complicated history, and undeniable chemistry, which made every scene with them riveting. Each of the secondary characters: loved, especially Adam of the Perry twins who added levity to the story, and Carter whose quiet presence shone bright.
This story is a journey, with its hard moments and moments that will make readers feel seen. I really enjoyed it!
The story took a bit of time to build up, and I would have loved to get Dom's perspective, which is why it is a 4 stars for me. In any case, I did love the writing, and plan to read more from the author.
Thank you Quercus for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow! What can I say, I really enjoyed reading this book... So much that I read it in one night! This book is full of heartbreak, sadness, tension, missed opportunities, love and healing! It's a big mix of emotions, which was amazing. It definitely had me crying at points throughout the story, but the ending made my heart happy 🩷

I absolutely loved this book, and it is the one book I will get a copy of to keep on my bookshelf once it is published and out. Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for providing me with this ARC. But also to Lauren Connolly for writing such a beautiful book!

Trigger warning **it does involve cancer and death and goes through the stages of grief! **

The premise of the story is amazing. After losing her brother to cancer, Maddie is send on a whirlwind trip. Together with her brother’s best friend, Dom, they get the assignment to visit all eight states Josh never got to visit. Each destination would have a letter to read and one eighth of his ash to spread.

However, the history between Dom and Maddie makes it a difficult task and Maddie is torn between going to all eight places as quickly as possible to get rid of Dom, or to drag it out as long as possible to keep her brother with her.

I am torn about this book. The first half of the book was difficult to read for me. Maddie irritated me and especially her attitude. I mean, come on, I can understand being upset with the guy who broke your heart, only to then be dependent on him to hear your brother’s words, but honestly, she behaved like a spoiled child.

The second half of the book we saw her falling back in love with Dom, but she also started behaving like a rational human being.

So for me three stars, loved the second half, had some difficulty with the first half!

A very bland book. Filled with Cliches and was dull from start to finish. There was no character development at all and the writer seems to be relying on old tricks to try and create a story.

This book was an absolute joy to read, funny, witty, emotional, and everything I could've hoped for and more. The writing style is so easily digestible, and I really appreciated how Lauren Connolly handled such sensitive topics like grief and cancer.

As someone who's experienced both, I felt like her portrayal of these emotions physical and mental was incredibly well done and deeply authentic.
This story was so much more than just a romance for me. It felt personal, like it spoke directly to my own experiences. It was warm and comforting, reminding me that I wasn't alone in the feelings I've had about loss and hardship.

Dom and Maddie were such a delight to read about. Their banter was on point, with just the right amount of flirtation and chemistry. It was the perfect slow burn romance, and I loved watching them grow both individually and together throughout the story. The way their journey unfolded, especially as they fulfilled Josh's wishes, felt like a tender, heartfelt adventure. Given my own experiences with grief and loss, it honestly felt like a warm hug.

The way Maddie's family struggles and personal issues were portrayed felt raw and real. The same goes for Dom, his backstory and personal challenges were developed in such a genuine, yet heartbreaking way.
These characters were well-rounded and deeply human, making them easy to connect with.

Overall, PS I Hate You strikes a perfect balance between humor, love, and grief. It's a story that touched me emotionally, gave me something to reflect on, and left me with a sense of warmth. I'm definitely going to be picking up a physical copy when it's released in Australia.

Buena idea, no tan buen desarrollo.

Mi gran problema con la historia fue que Dom dice amar a Maddie, pero nunca la puso como prioridad, estuvo 7años en un matrimonio sin amor y prefirió eso a luchar por el perdón y amor de Maddie. Además de que solamente tienen una oportunidad por el hermano de Maddie, Josh, quien resulta que también es su mejor amigo, si no fuera por él, nunca en la vida Dom se habría atrevido a hablar con ella.


Gracias NetGalley y a la editorial por el Arc a cambio de una honesta opinión.

Thinking about the 5 stages of grief, Maddie dips in and out of them all. It is done with raw expressions of feelings but with a hilarious twist.
It has been a while since I’ve laughed and cried in the same paragraph.
What a beautiful story of friendship and love. Not to mention a perfect example of how we can’t choose our family.
I’m excited to explore more from this author.

ARC - PUBLICATION DATE 16TH JAN 2025

5 ☆

『 tropes 』
•brother’s best friend
•road trips
•forced proximity
•enemies-to-lovers
•miscommunication
•second chance
•found family

『 plot 』
maddie would do anything for her big brother, the most important person in her life, and the last thing her brother has asked her to do, is via his will; a request that she scatters his ashes in 8 different places, places he never got to visit on his travels. the only thing is, she’s got to do it with his best friend, dominic, someone she was hoping to avoid once the funeral was over, she’s done it for the past 8 or so years, so it should have been easy to do, but she can’t deny her brother his last dying wish. even if that means she has to do this with the guy who broke her heart.
over the course of 2 years, 8 different places, thousands of miles, and a long complicated history, maddie and dominic embark on this journey to say their final goodbyes to the one person they both loved more than anything.


『 my thoughts 』
this is one book i will accept no criticism of, none. at all. this story was perfect, it was everything i enjoy in a book. maddie is complex, insecure, heartbroken and scared to death of people leaving her. her brother, josh, was the only person who showed her what family and love is supposed to be. dominic is grumpy, mr responsible, a bit standoffish and serious, he’s always the one looking after everyone else. but they are both so loveable, intriguing characters. this book made me laugh, cry, blush, kick my feet, and was just beautifully written. i can’t quite put into words how much i loved this story and how much it moved me.

it was a story full of heartbreak, grieving, tension, angst, missed chances, second chances and healing. it was bittersweet, it was beautiful, it quite literally broke my heart and then put it back together again.

obsessed. obsessed. obsessed. it has become one of my all time favourite books and i am so so glad i stumbled across this book.

A great read
A book I read in one sitting
An excellent written book with emotion and romance
Thanks NetGalley

This is a book about love, grief, and trauma. I cried several times throughout the novel as Maddie and Dom travel across the country on a trip orchestrated by their recently deceased brother/best friend. It spans across a couple of years, so you see the journey of their grief and the deep roots that trauma-based fears play in interpersonal relationships.

Dom's urge to control the situation and take care of everyone paired well with Maddie's fear of being left. It was interesting to bounce in and out of their interactions together, and I never felt like I was missing any pieces.

The only negative for me was that the time jumps didn't really translate. I had to remind myself that a year or two had passed.

I enjoyed this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

‘PS: I Hate You’ by Lauren Connelly is a second-chance, brother’s-best-friend contemporary romance that explores themes of grief and childhood trauma.

Despite the heavy topics, particularly in the first half of the story, I found myself wanting a bit more depth. I think the frequent time jumps contributed to this feeling. Every time I felt Maddie and Dom’s relationship was about to deepen, the chapters would end abruptly, and suddenly, several months had passed.

Overall, I was intrigued by the concept of the story and, to some extent, the characters, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite work for me.

2,75⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for providing me with this ARC.

Although this story is fundamentally a rom-com, the main plot is centred on Maddie's grief following her brother's death, and bad parenting decisions by her mother and grandmother, which continue to affect her mental state. Despite the title, this is not an enemies-to-lovers story - it’s more of a second-chance/contemporary romance, so I’m not sure the title accurately reflects the content - although Maddie is a bitch to him, Dom is consistently nice and thoughtful towards her. Her protestations that she hates him at least once a page and the reiteration of why, particularly in the first 30%, wore on the nerves - but at around the 30% mark things seemed more genuine and I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the story - particularly the adventures which Josh sent them on. If you can get past the first 30%, this is a great read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for allowing me to get an early copy of the book, which is out on 17th January 2025.

Funny, sexy, moving, and with a heroine you can really get behind. Maddie is struggling after her brother's death, but his last request of her is to travel to all the states he never visited, along with his best friend Dom, who broke Maddie's heart when she was a teenager. The trip is life-changing, for both of them, allowing them to finally lay to rest the ghosts that have haunted them for a decade.
The writing is sharp and witty and the story packs a proper punch. I loved it.