This book cute and a bit spicy (personal opinion). its an easy read and I assume cozy.
with the trope enemy to lovers & romcom you can enjoy this book all the way till the end, its an easy read but a bit difficult for me to focus because its in 3rd pov.
Overall I enjoy and I love it.

This is a cheesy romance story in book form. There is definitely heavy inspiration from the 90s romcom You’ve Got Mail alongside some crashing family vacations, forced proximity, and twin sisters dating brothers (take that as you will). It has great elements of cutesy elements of meet cutes and meet uglies juxtaposes with a good mix of heavy conversations about familial relationship struggles.

My biggest complaint is the whiplash of emotions. Maybe it’s due to the story being told in third person, but often times the story jumps from sharing Wes’ emotions and thoughts to Summer’s. Not only do the character trains switch, but how each character feels jumps—which this is a great representation is the thin line between love and hate, it was difficult to fully comprehend. Ultimately, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a short and fun read.

I have not read a Marina Adair book in a minute and enjoyed every moment of my return back. This is a super cute book about Summer, a down-on-her-luck bookshop owner, and Wes, the bookstore king who is opening up his newest location next door. This had all the feelings of You've Got Mail with a completely different result and setting. Summer is all too glad to head to the beach for a week away from the stress of the impending competition from Wes's store. She is then devastated to find her twin, Autumn, has come with her new boyfriend and his brother, Wes. These two just cannot get away from each other.

This was a fun enemies to lovers and a delightful ending. I adored Wes. He was the perfect blend of strong and sweet. I love that he championed Summer while also staying true to his work. The banter between these two made me laugh so many times. The setting at the beach with a small-town feel was perfection. The ups and downs of vacationing with family, complete with the crazy aunt, were spot-on. I smiled throughout my reading of this one. I just love the fun, lighthearted feel that Adair brings to her characters. This was a solid romance with a great ending!

This book was an easy summery read. Unfortunately I struggled to connect with the characters. Autumn was just awful (the write does a great job at making this known) but I felt like it was overpowering at times and it left me with a bad taste.

Summer's relationship with Wes could have been a bit more romantic. I think it went from enemies to lust too quickly and their thought felt contradictory to their actions most of the time. The setting at the beach house was nice, personally I don't enjoy reads where there at too many coincidences but it was okay overall.

2.5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Marina Adair and 8th Note Press for the ARC!

I liked the premise of this book which is why I requested it. Book giant comes in and threatens to wipe out little bookshop. Who doesn’t love “You’ve Got Mail”? This should have been a winner.
But, I kinda wish I had added this to my DNF pile, sadly. The writing wasn’t great and there were some serious cringe worthy moments. The characters felt very 2 dimensional because they were all placed into very basic binaries. The twins were opposites of each other. The FMC and MMC were opposites. He was good at running a multi-million dollar business and sex and otherwise couldn’t handle emotional relationships. Can we please do better by characters in books? Can they be more than two things? This is so overdone with male characters, especially.
Anyway, rant over. I’ll give it 2.5 stars, but I’m rounding it down to 2.

I requested this from NetGalley because… books about books are my fav romance books.

Love to Hate You by Marina Adair was an ok read. I liked the character dynamics especially the MMC’s character development. However, the plot didn't blow me away, it was predictable. Overall, a decent “hallmark romcom.

All thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Such a fun twist on “You’ve Got Mail” I loved how the two MCs were complete opposites and shop rivals to begin with, however over the course of the novel we learn they actually have a lot of similarities. Once they finally come together they put their differences aside they learn they quite similar and it’s worth giving it a chance. The banter was 🤌🏼✨funny and flirtatious. Summer Russo is the perfect epitome of a hopeless romantic and rightfully so. She dreams of true love and is not afraid to wear he heart of her sleeve making her very lovable and relatable. Then we have Wes Kingston who is a total strait-laced suit type who doesn’t do serious relationships. He closes his heart to save himself from pain only to open up to Summer in the end. Overall it was a great fast-paced romance that I would read again. 🩵
🩵Sunny x Stormy MCs
📖 Indie Bookstore owner x Bookstore CEO
🩵 Hopeless romantic x pessimist
📖 Opposites attract
🩵 Forced Proximity

Rating: ★★★★☆

Love to Hate You by Marina Adair is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that offers a fresh twist on the classic You’ve Got Mail narrative.

Set against the charming backdrop of Mystic, Connecticut, the story follows Summer Russo, a passionate indie bookstore owner, and Wes Kingston, a pragmatic CEO of a big-box bookstore chain. Their initial rivalry over competing businesses evolves into a compelling romantic journey filled with witty banter, emotional depth, and undeniable chemistry. 

Adair masterfully crafts characters who are both relatable and endearing. Summer’s unwavering belief in true love and her determination to save her bookstore are inspiring, while Wes’s transformation from a solitary businessman to someone open to love adds a satisfying depth to his character.
The interplay between their contrasting personalities creates a dynamic and engaging narrative.  

The novel also delves into complex family dynamics, particularly between Summer and her twin sister, adding layers to the storyline. Adair’s writing is both heartfelt and humorous, making for an enjoyable read that balances romance with personal growth.

Thank you to NetGalley, Marina Adair, and Zando/8th Note Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. Love to Hate You is a charming and emotionally resonant novel that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance

Thank you 8th Note Press for the ARC.

A quick entertaining romance. I enjoyed the main couple and the banter and hate to love was a fun ride but also wasn’t anything that would stick with me for a long time. I wish they would’ve taken more time to work out their issues while in a relationship rather than 80% of the book being a build up to them getting together. I think if they would’ve spent more time as a couple in the book we would’ve got to see them work through more personal issues with each other that went deeper because they are romantically involved.

My main issue though was with Autumn and Randy, but mainly Autumn. She was just insufferable. So incredibly selfish and Summer deserved so much better than the apology she got. Autumn just continuously took advantage of Summer’s kindness and only thought of herself and it was so frustrating. The entire Randy and Autumn relationship in general was irritating me because it just seemed so immature and neither of them were being logical. It really took me out of the story and made it hard for me to feel for them.

I also found the smut to be quite cringey and the language used, like comparing it to an F1 race, took me out of the scene because it was just odd.

Summer and Wes’ banter really carried the story for me and I think Wes overall was super sweet and him and Summer were a very good match. Seeing how he fixed his mistakes and talked through his insecurities was really nice to see.

Overall it was a fun read but nothing super memorable.

Love to Hate You had an interesting premise of an indie romance bookstore owner going up against corporate millionaire and somehow finding ground to fall in love. I was so here for all of that.

I think if you’re looking for that quintessential hallmark movie feeling that has a certain level of absurdity, that takes on the 90’s + 00’s romance cliches, with a fair bit of spice and tension, you’ll really love this. It’s a silly, fun time and would make a great audiobook for in the car or even a fun movie.

Unfortunately for me, I found it a tad juvenile and really lacked the heart and depth I enjoy from characters

“Love to Hate You” delivers a fiery enemies-to-lovers romance with just the right amount of angst and banter. The chemistry between the characters is undeniable, and the slow-burn tension keeps you turning pages. Perfect for fans of steamy, trope-heavy love stories that don’t hold back on emotional depth. A fun, satisfying read that proves hate really can turn into something much hotter.

An enemies to lovers romance, the story of Wes and Summer. Set around rival book stores, with you've got mail gives a fun read, told from both points of view.

Thank you Netgalley, 8th Note Press, and of course Marina Adair for an ARC!

Pros-
I loved the banter between Summer and Wes in the first half of the book. Great plot/storyline. Quick and easy read. He falls first. Wes was not afraid to standup for Summer. The ending worked out perfectly and rounded up the story greatly.
Cons- You can only have one meet-cute, yet they compare something everyday as their meet-cute. That annoyed me. The sister Autumn was a selfish B, but redeemed herself in the end. It's 3rd person POV. About 30% of the book got on my nerves for the way Summers family was treating her.

This was just so fluffy, cozy, cute, and emotionally healing, and I don’t think I could have enjoyed any second of it more than I already did. This isn’t necessarily anything that hasn’t already been done, but it was a good time nonetheless and it was super easy and fun to read.

I already know that this is going to be a really really really popular book with all of the people that enjoy an enemies to lovers, hate to love, forced proximity, small town romance. Even more so because it is a modern twist on “you’ve got mail” which so many people ADORE.

Did this kind of seem like a checkbox of tropes to me? Yep, but I wasn’t that mad at it. I know sometimes it can be annoying to just obviously see the tropes so plainly, but I never think it hurts in books that are this fluffy and true to the romance genre because you know EXACTLY what you’re getting (and its a great time with very low stakes)

The only reason this didn't personally get a higher rating that 3 stars (3.5) is because while it was easy to read and pretty fun, it was very predictable at times, and some of it felt a bit too far fetched which really jarred me and took me out of the story a little bit, BUT, it was still as enjoyable as any Elsie Silver, Monica Murphy or Elle Kennedy book!

The enemies to lovers was sooo good!! The banter between them and the rivalry between book stores was amazing!
I really enjoyed the twins dating brothers and the fact that they were so different with their personalities. The mmc was so caring and attentive after had started catching dealing for the fmc. Overall this was such ha cute romance, and even better with the fmc loving romance books!

Rating: 3.5
Spice: 3
Tropes: Rivals to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Hate to Love You

A modern twist on the classic “You’ve Got Mail”. Summer Russo has been dreaming of the perfect “meet-cute” with her special someone her whole life. She has had countless “meet-uglies” that end in disaster or with the guy wanting to get closer to her twin sister Autumn. Summer owns a small romance bookstore and when the big box bookstore announces their opening next door she tries to do everything she can to stop it.

This was a quick fun romance read with a good amount of spice. Summer was a lovable, relatable character who is struggling with the change happening in her life. Wes was a hate-able and love-able character throughout the book and as much as I tried, I didn’t really predict how things would shake out in this book. The first kiss scenario was not believable at all. It really took me out of the moment to be thinking “how have they not run out of breath at this point”. Other than that, this was a good book.

I really enjoyed this fun twist on the rom-com movie classic You've Got Mail. Wes is the bigshot billionaire building his big-box bookstore just down the street for Summer's small family-owned romance book shop. Summer's shop is already barely treading water, so Wes moving in on what she sees as "her turf" clearly means war!

I really just wanted to hug both Summer and Wes. Summer has a rather toxic relationship with her twin sister Autumn, and is pretty much a human doormat that puts her own wants and needs aside repeatedly to ease the way for other people - EXCEPT when it comes to Wes! I love that he brings out the feisty, fighting part of her, and helps her learn to use that more in her daily life. And then there's Wes of the Tragic Backstory, who also just needs ALL the hugs. He's so sweet, and I'm so glad this novel is written in a dual POV so we get to see events from his viewpoint as they unfold.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Ooof. Im really sad this book had to come to an end. I wasn’t ready to let these characters go!

Oh the emotions this book had me feeling. The pure rage Wes had me feeling in the beginning was unmatched. I seriously couldn’t comprehend how this was going to turn to love when I hated this guy so much. As concerned as I was, it was definitely surprising when Wes switched up on me and suddenly I loved this guy so much I was taken fictional bullet for him.

Summer grated on my nerves a bit at first, but I certainly learned to appreciate her. The poor girl had no back bone. I’m pretty sure her selfish twin absorbed it in utero. But as much as I wanted to scream at this girl to knock some sense into her sister, I appreciate the author for giving Wes the opportunity to help Summer grow as a person. Where she lacked strength, he stepped him and lent her his. And instead of fighting her battles for her, he stood by her side and showed her that she can stand up for herself. He taught her that she is deserving of love and protection of her own peace.

I seriously can’t praise Wes enough.

If transforming my rage to love wasn’t enough, the story takes a turn and BAM, my heart shatters. It was right at the end too so the fear I felt when I realized I might not get an HEA… omg! The stress! But I’m happy to report, my heart was swiftly mended and I won’t be spending the next three days under the covers in tears. Oh yes, we get our HEA and it did not disappoint!

As for the spice… *chefs kiss*

Our characters finally have physical intimacy well after the 50% point but I’m not upset. I honestly appreciated the timing. With all of the character and relationship building, I would have been seriously pissed had they rushed into a physical connection.

The level of spice is definitely open door but it wasn’t overdone or ghost pepper spicy. Honestly, perfect for those looking for a great story with spice sprinkled in at the perfect times.

As for myself, I would not hesitate to read this book again.

I recommend to anyone looking for an enemies to lovers with a side of family drama. Especially if you are someone who enjoys books that have you falling in love, getting heartbroken, and then having your heart mended.

Love to Hate You was the first novel I’ve read by Marina Adair, and it definitely won’t be the last. The story follows Summer, who owns a small, independent romance bookstore and believes that true love exists for everyone—and that, in the end, love will always prevail. Then there’s Wes, the CEO of a large chain bookstore opening near Summer’s shop. The two are rivals, constantly engaging in witty banter. When Summer heads off on a week-long vacation with her family, who should show up with her twin sister and her boyfriend? Wes, of course.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of Love to Hate You from 8th Note Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. And here it is:

I absolutely loved everything about this book! It gave me all the feels—exactly what I look for in a great read. I felt for Summer, especially with the way her sister treated her, and I loved how Wes would always stand up for her. The banter between the characters had me laughing out loud. And the enemies-to-lovers trope? Always a winner in my book.

You've Got Mail is one of my ALL TIME favorite movies, so you know I love books and movies about books. This story had the same trope of a wealthy man with a big store coming in and pushing a small, local bookstore out of business. However the whole family summer vacation and competition was a unique part of the plot. With the set up of the book in the beginning I kind of expected one thing from the book and then all the sudden it become this different thing where they all went away for the summer and ended up at the family's house for a family trip, and then when they shifted back to the bookstore setting it felt a bit like two different stories for me. I felt like those two pieces of the story weren't fully working together, so it felt sort of like the beginning and end were a different book than the middle to me? That being said, I really liked the family characters of the aunt and uncle and especially the father. I really struggled against my dislike of Summer's sister, Autumn. Where I felt Randy made up for his more troublesome role a little bit in the way he was willing to sacrifice everything for Summer towards the end, I felt like it was very difficult to believe that Autumn wouldn't see that her actions and behaviors were hurting her sister, if they really were as close as Summer described. While I felt like all of the pieces didn't fully come together for me for this book, I did really enjoy some of those pieces, and this book had lots of tropes I enjoy reading like rival bookstores, forced proximity/there's only one (bunk) bed, rivals/enemies to lovers, they break the bed, and billionaire(?).