A cute little rom-com for spring, this book is adorable from all sides.
Thanks NetGalley and Publisher!

There's enemies to lovers (friendship ish first) and all the awkward stages in between. Radio silence and not having them get the last word. Its full of heartwarming moments and its light reading which is definitely a pro to this book.

Its addictive and you want to keep reading, knowing that at the end of the book you'll me squealing with joy!

Fab read, the story of Naomi and Luca. Kept you guessing. I liked how it was told from both points of view.

This is a cute and funny romcom story, slightly predictable at times, but none the less a perfectly entertaining debut novel.

I loved Hate Mail. This story is witty, funny and yet at times very emotional. The letters between Naomi Light and her penemy Luca Pichler deliver everything from laugh-out-loud moments to poignant ones when Luca pours into his letters the fury he would have directed at his father. Naomi and Luca are both wonderful characters and even with the mean beginnings of their relationship, I couldn’t help but warm to them both right from the start. I loved that their letters carried on through the years and I loved the angst that Naomi felt over continuing to write to Luca while falling in love with Jake. I don’t want to give this stiry away. Asute readers will work things out easily enough but rest assured, even when you do, there are still plot twists to keep you reading.

This book gave me heard Divine Rivals flashbacks...but so much better. Marchetti laid down the foundation of an adorable love story that lasted over 20 years. We were able to see where this started and how it grew and evolved over the years between the mains. This is a quirky light read and is the perfect book to pick up when you want something that makes you smile. I gave this 3 stars and thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

this was a really good read! Luca and Naomi had been penpals since primary school but the letters were absolutely hilarious as they were so vile to each other!! I loved this novel way of an enemies to lovers book and found it quite unputdownable! I would highly recommend this read, if reading on holiday be prepared to laugh out loud and have your neighbours on the beach asking to borrow it!

5⭐️3🌶️

Contemporary romance
Pen-pals
Dual POV
Friends to lovers
Banter
Dark humor
Secret identity
Travel
Grief

This was such an adorable romance novel. The cover is really cute. I enjoyed every second of it reading the FMC try to find the MMC. I suspected pretty early on what was going on, but I still loved how the plot rolled out.

The characters were really well flushed out. I really enjoyed the side characters and what they added to the plot.

The pacing was steady. I think the dual POV worked out great for this story.

Banter and dialogue was really good. I really enjoyed the almost enemies to friends to lovers pipeline that this book followed. The dark humor involved was right up my alley and made me laugh out loud.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own

Hate Mail was a good, fun read!
I enjoyed the long game with this romance. I love reading the character growth in such romances! I also was not expecting the twist (won’t give spoilers, promise)
The premise of the book was that Naomi and Luca are penpals from year 5 at school. However, their letters to each other are far from friendly! They build this teasing relationship through their letters and continue this right through to adulthood.
It’s been two years of no contact until Luca gets back in touch with Naomi and the investigation begins to track Luca down. Both have so many emotions tied to this pen pal relationship, they know each other like no one else does. It is very fun to follow along with Naomi’s investigation and how they grow from just pen pals to something more.
I do wish that we got more equal split of the double narration. I would have just loved to see deeper inside Luca’s head and his feelings navigating through

p.s. The book did mention some sensitive subjects (not in detail) but trigger warnings for death of parent.

<I> Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review <i>

3.5⭐️

This is a cute read, with a little snark thrown in in the form of hate mail. 'Penemies' to lovers, Naomi & Luca have written horrible letters to each other since 5th grade. They lost touch a few years ago, but now Luca has started their wicked writing back up, but with no return address.

This is a fun read, but I was frustrated to guess the 'twists' from the outset. The letters were funny &, for me, the highlight of the read. There were laugh out loud moments & one tearful chapter which I loved (I'm a sucker for crying at books 🤣). I'd be tempted to say this was a YA read & there was something that just missed the mark for me.

I really wanted to love the book, but I figured out the plot twist really early on and it kind of felt juvenile to me.
It wasn't that interesting from that point on so I just skimmed through it in hopes it will get better, but sadly, not much has changed.

On the other hand I think the book is cute for someone younger, and the characters are well written. :)

*Thank you to NetGalley and to the author, Donna Marchetti, for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly a perfect bok to read while on the go because you WILL giggle the whole time! Two (stubborn!) dorks finding love has to be the best kind of plot

You’ve got mail sprinkled with 10 things I hate about you.
This cute romance is a beautiful blend of sweet, emotional and comforting.
Weather presenter Naomi has been pen pals with Luca since the 5th grade. It all started with hate letters which turned into something deeper. After a two year absence of letters Naomi hears from Luca again. At the same time she meets Jake and sparks start flying. Can she put Luca out of her head to focus on Jake?
I really enjoyed this one which was comfortingly familiar. I loved reading the letters and having the dual points of view. This is an emotional read that still comes off as hopeful and romantic. I found the character of Anne as the best friend extremely nosy, meddling, pushy, and confusing. In fact it took away from the two main characters. She really gave me an ick feeling. I’m deducting a star for her.
Otherwise an entertaining read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for a chance to read an advanced copy. All opinions are mine.

“Hate Mail” is a delightful debut that breathes new life into the romance genre, proving that the art of crafting heartfelt and engaging love stories is very much alive. From its eye-catching cover to the catchy title, this book promises a unique reading experience and delivers it in spades.

The novel kicks off with Naomi and Luca as fifth-grade pen-pals, embroiled in an epic battle of wits and words. What starts as a series of hate-filled letters evolves over the years into a deep, coast-spanning friendship—until a sudden silence. Two years after their last exchange, Naomi’s world is rocked by the unexpected arrival of a new letter from Luca, reigniting old flames and unresolved tensions.

What makes this book stand out is its masterful blend of humor, romance, and emotional depth. The frenemies-to-lovers trope is executed with a fresh twist, enriched by the pen-pals dynamic and dual points of view. The slow burn romance is perfectly paced, and lept me eagerly turning pages until the very end. The chemistry between Naomi and Luca is palpable, their banter and emotional journey striking a perfect balance between heartwarming and heart-wrenching.

The addition of Naomi’s friend Anne and a cast of animal characters adds layers to the narrative, offering moments of levity and charm that complement the main storyline. While the animals didn’t particularly resonate with me, they’re sure to be a hit with pet lovers, adding a universal appeal to the story.

As a debut, “Hate Mail” is a remarkable achievement. It’s rare for me to find a contemporary romance that manages to surprise and delight in equal measure, but this novel did just that. It’s a testament to the author’s skill and creativity, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

In conclusion, “Hate Mail” is a refreshing, engaging, and thoroughly enjoyable read. It’s a book that will make you laugh, swoon, and perhaps even shed a tear, but most importantly, it will leave you eagerly anticipating what the author writes next. Highly recommended for anyone in search of a romance that’s as smart and funny as it is sweet and sincere.

I wanted to love this and there were definitely parts I laughed out loud at but most of the time I found the idea of the hate mail letters they sent each other so cringeworthy. I’m not a big fan of enemies to lovers because I can’t understand why anyone would be able to set aside the previous ill treatment or behaviour and I found this the case here. I don’t want to spoil anything either but the twist in the end was hard to imagine someone just moving past. I enjoyed it but didn’t love it but think those that enjoy the enemies to lovers tripe will eat this up.

I received an early (digital) reader copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

First thought: This is a must read! I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers but add in an origin story of being penpals for decades and the buildup of tension. It was just absolutely binge worthy, I was blown away to find out this was a debut novel.

Naomi was so excited to have a penpal, then she got her first letter. She had never read such mean words before, who was this Luca and what was his problem. Luca was having a bad day and he may of taken it out on a random stranger, but hey he was a 5th grade boy. This started a multi decade exchange of hate letters between Naomi and Luca.

Flash forward to present day Naomi is a weather reporter on the news in Miami it’s been a few years since she received a letter but today she got one. The only thing is this time there is no return address, so she had no way to respond. So her and her bestie decided a plan to go to places Lucas once lived to try and get more information to find him.

Sitting in her favorite lunch spot Naomi bumps into her upstairs neighbor, his name tag says Jake. Heinz is an aquatic vet and the local aquarium. He asks her out and she decides to say yes. They hit it off, they have a lot of similar interest and have a playful teasing relationship.

The only issue is Jake has a big secret he’s afraid to tell her. Naomi also hasn’t told him about her decade long penpal who’s secretly making her question if she has feelings for him. Things are just a giant tangled mess and they will have to just figure it out.

Literally Themes you’ll find:

* Enemies to Lovers
* Penpals since 5th Grade
* Weather Reporter FMC
* Aquatic Vet MMC
* Dual Timeline
* Dual POV
* Mild Spice

☀️💌🐱☀️💌🐱☀️💌🐱☀️💌🐱☀️

This was a cute enemies to lovers romance. I felt it was a little youngish for me. More of a YA than I had anticipated but cute overall.

Honestly, this was super cute. I loved the first part with the hate letters, it was SO FUNNY!!! however, i felt like it was missing something? I think that the ending was a little bit obvious, but i really liked it nonetheless

Thanks, NetGalley, Harper Collins UK & One More Chapter for having me along for the ride on this eARC 😇

Penpal enemies to lovers? YES PLEASE!

This genre is not my usual realm, but holy heck, here I am swooning over the cutest love-letter couple 💓

Naomi & Luca have put us on an emotional roller-coaster as we go through excitement, angst, frustration, heartache, romance, anger, and lust.

💓Whitty Banter
💓Love to Hate Letters
💓Marine vs Weather Reporter
💓Spicey Romance 🌶🌶
💓Dual POV
💓HEA

"Love, Your Husband." ~ Luca

I loved the hate between Luca and Naomi. It made me laugh and I could just picture the two of them sitting down to write their letter to the other and figuring out how gets to outdo the hatred. But in amongst the hate, there was love and understanding and it was perfect.

This book was so fun! Naomi and Luca have sent each other letters since they were in school. The letters where less than nice but neither of them realising how much they needed those letters at the time.
Naomi hasn’t heard from Luca until he sends her a letter with no return address to play a game. Suddenly her feelings return for Luca but, her handsome neighbour has her questioning her feelings.
This was fun from beginning to end. I love the letters between them. This story is filled with banter, romance and some hate mail that will have you laughing.