This book has been on my tbr since Two Wrongs Make a Right so I was looking forward to reading it. It did not disappoint. It’s childhood enemies to lovers, the enemies part wasn’t dragged out for too long and you could understand the reasoning for both sides behind the squabbling.

I love grovelling in books and whilst Christopher didn’t grovel as such, he worked and put the effort in to win over Kate and show the depth of his feelings. There is also no 3rd act breakup, which we could all do with more of!

A little disappointed with this book, because I was not enjoying it at all. I absolutely loved Two Wrongs Make a Right and was excited to get my hands on this, but I did not enjoy this couple at all and I was struggling to be engaged in the plot.

My first read by Chloe Liese, and my goodness she can write romance!

Katerina and Christopher’s story is beautifully told. Enemies to Lovers is the ultimate trope, the angst, the tension, but the best part is always the reveal. And I was not disappointed, The Dual POV was perfect for this and understanding Christopher’s past and why he endeavours to push Katerina away.

I really enjoyed the diversity of the characters, especially the Neurodivergent representation. Katerina is written so well throughout; she is fiercely strong, and I truly just loved her. It was a real eye opener reading about her daily struggles and it has Left me with a better understanding of ADHD.

He's Italian, built like Henry Cavill and empathetic, do you really need any more reasons to read this book? Now, where can I find a Christopher?

Read if you enjoy:
•Enemies to Lovers
•Slow Burn
•Dual POV
•Neurodivergent representation

And if you still need convincing to read this book; check out these quotes, that stole my heart:
I can’t- I cannot- live in a world where Kate believes, even if she only reveals it in her most unguarded moments, that I hate here.’

‘I can’t let tears wet her eyes and that ache or heart-deep pain pinch her expression. I can’t live with myself, knowing I hurt her.’

‘I can’t do it anymore. Denying myself you has been like battling the tide. If I fight it any longer, I’ll drown. I’m yours.’

‘My tree in the storm.’

‘I want to chart the years of his life with my eyes, my hands my camera, when those faint lines at the corner of his eyes etch themselves deeper from so much laughter we’ll share.’

‘Because I have loved you a hundred different ways for so long, I don’t know when loving you began, just that I haven’t spent nearly enough of my life making sure you know it.’


Thank you Chloe Liese, Netgalley and The Little Brown Book Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely love for this book. I adored this more than words can describe. Cute and swoonworthy. I highly recommend this book and Chloe Liese. Realistic romance with heart and a whole lot of love.

From the beginning, the book had my attention and didn’t disappoint!

In the book, we get childhood friends to “enemies” to lovers, which was great! I had a very good time reading this book.

The author did a very good job representing mental health, I just loved the care.

It was a book I truly enjoyed.

Arc generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Better Hate than Never, the second book from Chloe Liese in the Wilmot sisters series, was a total joy to read. As with the first book in the series Two Wrongs Make a Right, Better Hate is inspired by one of Shakespeare’s plays and this time it’s The Taming of the Shrew; meaning if you Loved 10 Things I Hate About You (who didn’t?!) you’re in for a treat.

Liese begins her novel with an author’s note explaining the content warnings within her book and reaffirming her belief that each and every one of us is worthy of finding love, if we do desire it, and that we should be valued and appreciated for exactly who we are. She is once again brings neurodiverse characters into mainstream contemporary romance and I’m so here for it!

In Better Hate than Never we have a glorious childhood enemies to lovers situation. Kate and Christopher have grown up as neighbours and have never gotten along. Whilst Christopher has been wholeheartedly taken in by the rest of the Wilmot family, he and Kate continue to never see eye to eye. But with Kate now returned home and a drunken confession about why she’s always been hostile towards him, Christopher vows to change things. And when Christopher's persistence and Kate's curiosity lead to an impassioned kiss, they realise 'peace' is the last thing that will ever be possible between them…

I really enjoyed this one, the main characters were written with great depth and felt messy and real. Their enemies to lovers evolution worked well, they were really harsh to each other, but when they came to understand why that was, things slowly began to shift and change. I loved how much Kate and Christopher wholly accepted each other as they were, neither one asking the other to change. Each of them go on their own journey within the book and are lovingly helped by the other. Also there’s no third act break (yes!) and instead proper adult communication! I also loved that we got to see a little more if Bea and Jamie. I only wish we could have seen how Kate’s parents reacted to their being together, though maybe we’ll get more if that in Jules’ book.

Overall this was a great read and I can’t wait for what Leise has in store for us next.

Thank you for my eARC of this book. I really enjoyed this story, there were small moments that I didn’t love or brought me out of the story a little bit, like some of the couples interactions, but overall I loved it.

BOOK REVIEW: Better Hate Than Never by Chloe Liese

3 Stars

I am gutted to be rating this book 3 stars as I adored the first in the series (rated 5 stars).

Better Hate Than Never is about Kate Wilmot, a woman in her late twenties who is a travelling photo journalist. She has come home and is living with her sister Bea. The lead male Christopher is a successful businessman in his mid thirties. He is close with the Wilmot family as he grew up next door to them. His family have all passed so he spends a lot of time with the Wilmots. However Kate and Christopher do not get on to the point it get really quite nasty.

This is an enemies to lovers story which is usually my favourite but this one didn't work for me. It was almost too nasty and for too long. It made me struggle to connect with the characters as so much of it was so horrible. The second half was much better but it was a hard slog to get there and I struggled not to DNF. Also the enemies aspect didn't even have a good reason behind it which made it even more frustrating. I also felt like I had read this book before (but better) in The Hating Game as the plot, the paintball scene and the feel to the characters were very similar.

Kate (in the 2nd half) was really interesting. She suffers from ADHD and has trauma from people treating her badly. She had a lot of personal growth, becoming more open and vulnerable.
I loved Christopher in the 2nd half, he is a really kind and loving man that struggles with the loss of his family.
The romance is fast and I wish they had had more time to grow. It felt like a race, but it was cute and the smut was well done.
The story wasn't up to Chloe's usual standard. It is a shame as there is a lot of potential.

Overall, my least favourite book by Chloe Liese. I wanted to love it but I struggled to get through the first half. However I will continue this series as I did love the first book.

Please note that I was #gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Another wonderful book from Chloe Liese

While I'm not usually a fan of reformed playboy and virgin age-gap plot, it was well written. The main characters are loveable individually and it was great to see Bea and Jamie from two wrongs make a right. Looking forward to the next installment!

Thanks so much to Little Brown Book Group, Chloe Liese and Netgalley for the eARC, all opinions expressed are my own!

I am convinced that everything Chloe Liese write will automatically be a 5 star read and this book is no different!

Better Hate Than Never by Chloe Liese deserves every one of its five stars and more! This modern reimagining of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" is a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and a dash of enemies-to-lovers magic.

Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio have known each other since childhood, but as adults, they're worlds apart, fueling their fiery animosity with every encounter. The sparks that fly between them are nothing short of explosive, and Chloe Liese crafts their dynamic with incredible skill!

What truly sets this novel apart is the depth of character development. Christopher's determination to mend fences and Kate's vulnerability as she confronts her misconceptions are beautifully portrayed. As their banter turns into something deeper, the reader is taken on a journey of passion, vulnerability, and self-discovery. The representation of ADHD and migraines are well portrayed showcasing some of the struggles the characters face in their day to day lives.

Chloe Liese's writing is as enchanting as it is relatable, pulling you into the complex world of Kate and Christopher. The push and pull of their emotions, the magnetic attraction that refuses to be denied, and the emotional rollercoaster they embark upon will keep you glued to the pages. Whilst the character transformation is truly excellent, the ending is based on open communication (although I did think that it unravelled a little too quickly and would have loved to have seen Kate's family respond to their new romantic relationship!

Better Hate Than Never is a captivating romance that explores the transformative power of love, forgiveness, and second chances. If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers romances with depth, heart, and sizzling chemistry, this book is an absolute must-read. Chloe Liese has truly outdone herself!

I was a bit wary of reading this book after reading that it was about someone who suffered migraines and someone who was neurodivergent. As someone who comes in under both of these "categories" I often struggle to find books that I can relate to and find that when they're written by someone who is neurotypical, it falls a bit flat.
This book, however, is incredible. I so wish I'd read the first in the series before this one but I'm going to rectify that immediately!

I loved the dynamic between Kate and Christopher from the very beginning and it only got better the more I read. The way that Katie's internal struggles with ADHD are written and the impact it has on her life are amazingly done, and the way that Christopher supports her is just *chef's kiss*.

The spice was 🔥🔥🔥 and it was refreshing to read about a demisexual character and what this means for them.

I honestly enjoyed this book so much and now I've come to review it, I can't think of all the things I want to say about how wonderful things I want to say about it!

Everyone needs to read this book!

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I am a big fan of Chloe and her writing. this one was a perfect book to get me out of the slump I've been in for the past few weeks. Her writing and her characters are next level. they just hold your attention and you get lost in the book and the time flies and everything else disappears. Love it .I will always recommend Chloe and her books.how could I not?

Chloe Liese has done it again! This book had me kicking and squealing. The slow burn, the dual pov, the representation!

I adored Two wrongs make a right. I didn’t think this would beat it but it did.I love Christopher and Kate. The development and that paint ball scene. I loved seeming other characters again, especially Bea and Jamie.

Just do yourself a favour and read it! (I should not have read the exert of the next next book because I’m gutted I have to wait for it, luckily I’ll just have to read the Bergman brother books)

I think maybe the Wilmot Sisters series isn’t for me. While Two Wrongs Make a Right wasn’t a bad book, there was a third-act breakup that killed my love for me. I only stayed for Jamie. However, there is no one I want to stay for in Better Hate Than Never.

There is an age gap in this book, which I would usually be all for, but in this book, Christopher, the leading man, was there when his love interest, Kate, was born. They’d grown up as neighbours, which meant seeing each other grow up, babysitting and all that jazz. And while Christopher saw Kate's two older sisters as his own sister, he didn’t with Kate, and never had. Creepy.

I also do not for one second believe that the hate and vitriol these two spat at each other for the 28 years Kate has been alive was actually them trying to cover up that they were in love with each other and that they realised that so quickly. Going from nothing to five spicy chillies in less than a week. Side note – Christopher confessing that his one-and-done with so many women was just an attempt to not think about Kate … sus, man. If you wanna bone down with as many women as possible, go for it, but don’t be all ‘it was you even while I was fucking them’ about it; that’s gross.

One thing I did like was the ADHD rep, it was very cool to see a character I could identify so much with about my disability. It was the only reason I made it as far as I did through this book.

I did not enjoy BETTER HATE THAN NEVER, and this has truly upset me. I've recently become a major fan of Chloe Liese through the Bergman Brother series, and I am eagerly awaiting the upcoming and final book to be released with bated breath. I also really enjoyed the first book in the WILMOT SISTERS series, despite the problems I had with it (the ending let me down).

What mostly impacted my enjoyment of this one was the age gap. While the age gap was not massive, it was still significant in other ways that just gave me the ultimate ick. Christopher has known Kate since the moment she was born, and had taken part in caring for her as she grew up. At some point the line between caring for her as someone who was a part of the family became blurred, and it was never really made clear *when* this happened. In fact, several paragraphs suggest the fact that Christopher began to take a romantic interest in her before she was 18 (and he a grown adult, he was in his mid-20s when she turned 18) - this is why he stayed away from her and essentially bullied/tormented her to stop those feelings developing. Christopher also remarks at one point that he was never able to see Kate the same way he saw her sisters, who he thinks of like *his* sisters . . . once again indicating that he always had *some* underlying feeling about her / attraction towards her when she was a minor and he was considerably older. So, major ick and creepy vibes from this. I don't mind age gap romances (to some extent), but this one just did not handle it well at all.

I also don't feel as if Christopher and Kate were well developed at all. Putting aside my feelings on the age gap, their romance went from 0 to 100 real damn quickly. After all those years of shared resentment and hate and just being generally terrible to each other they were able to get over it pretty quickly, with minimal discussion.

And while I was glad there was no third act break up (the book was tumultuous enough as is) the ending ironically felt so insta-lovey with them preaching devotion to each other.

I also felt the side characters all began to blur together in personalities. I kept forgetting who was with who and who was who and why I should even care in the first place. They barely even played a role in this story.

So overall I just did not enjoy this book, any moments of cuteness were then ruined by my brain reminding me of the age gap, or Christopher would think something weird and it would take me right out of it.

I hope the next book in the Wilmot Sisters series is better, and I hope Viggo's book doesn't let me down. (I've had some issues with the content in previous Liese books (not to this extent) that I've sort of gone "yikes" at.)

All in all this one was just a giant miss for me.

I will post my review to GRs in accordance to the publishers reviewing guidelines (to not publish any earlier than 2 weeks prior to publication without approval).

I have loved every book this author writes, this one is no exception! I loved the characters, I didn’t love the reformed playboy and virgin plot but I did think it was done well regardless. The main characters are both loveable and I loved the cameos of Bea and Jamie from two wrongs make a right.

I LOVED THIS! For an antagonist to lovers story it was undeniably tender and soft while maintaining that snark and banter that we would expect. I've been excited for this one since the sneak peek at the end of Two Wrongs Make A Right and it exceeded my expectations. I loved getting to see Christopher and Kate realise where they misunderstood each other and how their actions have impacted one another, then working at knocking down those walls they've erected around themselves. I loved the little nods to 10 Things I Hate About You and getting to see more of the friend group we'd grown to love in TWMAR and their continued dynamics. I thought the demisexual representation was wonderful and I think the sex scene is one of the most tender and beautiful I've read in a while- just perfectly paced as Kate becomes more comfortable and confident, while maintaining the heat and tension necessary. The caregiving in general was beautiful throughout and I loved that we got to see it going both ways. The only thing I wish we got was the relationship reveal to Kate's family and their friends. While there are suggestions that they knew what was going on, I still would have liked to have seen their reactions -not that I think they would have reacted badly and I wanted the drama, but I just think they would have been surprised but very sweet.

I am a big romantasy fan. I rarely step away from that for my romance books, but having read Two Wrongs Make a Right and discovering Liese, I knew I had to make an exception when this popped up to request. I wasn't disappointed.

Kate and Christopher were wonderful, and I am a sucker for any sort of enemies to lovers. I also loved the ADHD and migraine rep! It felt very similar to my own experiences and it was refreshing to see it included in a book.

So excited for Juilet's book now!

Normally I stay away from books that have something to do with real life but Chloe Liese is Is my go to author for a pick me up read. As a person who has a chronic condition her books make me feel I can have a happy ever after! Her books are a feeling and I’m all here for it!

After Two Wrongs Make A Right, I had such high hopes for this. It did fall a little flat in comparison to the first book in The Wilmot Sisters series, but I still adored it. Childhood enemies, slow burn and the cutest chemistry. My favourite thing about Chloe's writing is her sex scenes. They're realistic and top tier communication. Loved Christopher, loved Kate, loved this! :)