[ARC REVIEW] “Love The One You Hate” By: R.S. Grey

Check out my ARC review of Rachel’s new book, just released today!!

Official Synopsis:

Nicholas Hunt is the man I hate.
For good reason.

His opinion of me is tainted by prejudice even before my arrival at his grandmother’s estate, and my first impression of him is just as abysmal.

His arrogance and icy demeanor make it clear that he’s the type of man who’s best handled at a distance.

Fortunately, space shouldn’t be an issue inside this Gilded Age mansion and its lush gardens. If I stick with the servants and he keeps to his sailboat and vintage Porsche, we should hardly cross paths at all. Unfortunately, at Rosethorn, I find that all roads eventually lead to Nicholas Hunt.

Sparks fly as we spar at the dinner table. Fighting words are flung in the shadows of the palatial halls.

We hang suspended in our hatred of one another, painfully oblivious to the heat and tension that build with every moment we’re left alone. We’re liable to kill one another, I think…right up until my eyes land on his lips and a new feeling grips hold of me: lust.

What’s worse?
He knows it.

They say you should keep your enemies close, but when Nicholas tightens his grip on my waist and draws me near, I’m not sure if it’s out of loathing or love.

One thing’s for sure—I intend to find out.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review:

Rachel is back with another great new adult novel! The book is an enemies-to-lovers romance, which is always a favorite of mine. The circumstances seem a little far fetched, but that is acknowledged by Maren a few times, which sort of adds more realism into the plot. As Maren assimilated more into the world of the wealthy people, her vocabulary changed, too. Actually, throughout a lot of the book, her vocabulary was much more proper than most people talk. Not so much that it was distracting, but it was something that I noticed.

Cornelia, Nicholas’s grandmother, was such a sweet, generous lady! (It also helped that her name reminded me of Taylor Swift’s song, ‘Cornelia Street’). Although I expected a bit more explanation about the relationship between her and her friend at the nursing home where Maren works at the start of the book, that was really just a stepping stone to spur on the plot of the rest of the book.

I loved Maren’s friendship with Tori, the granddaughter of one of Cornelia’s friends. Her friendship helps to get Maren out of her shell a bit, and gain a bit of her self-confidence. I actually would’ve loved to see more interaction between Maren and Mary Anne, a character whose identity I don’t want to spoil! (I know that seems like a big shift right there, but I promise you it’s not!) Although not necessary, I think it would’ve been a nice addition to the story.

As an enemies-to-lovers, I thought that the book was slightly a slow burn romance. It took awhile for the two of them to actually get together, but there was a lot of witty banter beforehand that is a staple of Rachel’s books. As love interests go, I thought Nicholas was a good one. His proper upbringing and overall personality made him really not that much of a jerk, and he was respectful and it was intriguing to read the chapters from his perspective.

Overall, this was another great book by Rachel! I tore through it in just over 24 hours. Since it is new adult, I’d recommend it for 17+ just as a baseline, but I really didn’t think the book was all that explicit. It also takes place during summer, so if you’re looking for a fun summer new adult read (Maren is 23, Nicholas is 29), this is a great pick! The book is out now, so you can check it out on Kindle Unlimited!

*I received an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review.