REVIEW: Better Hate than Never by Chloe Liese

In Better Hate than Never by Chloe Liese, Kate Wilmot has known Christopher Petruchio since she was a baby. Literally. They grew up next to each other, their families close friends until tragedy struck, taking Christopher’s parents from him in a car wreck. Kate’s parents pulled him into their family circle even more after that loss, with him becoming more like an older sibling than a neighbor. And even now as adults, she and Christopher seem to revert back to the childish arguing and teasing they’ve always done in the rare times their paths now cross. But with photojournalist Kate back in the States for the foreseeable future, she’s got to figure out a way to ignore the attraction she has for Christopher. And forget the nice things he’s been saying to her recently.

“Been keeping tabs on me, have you?”
“Solely to avoid the displeasure of your foul company.”
“And there she is.” He checks his watch. “Took all of twenty seconds for the Kat to find her claws.”

Christopher knows that at thirty-three to Kate’s twenty-seven, he should be enough of an adult to be able to stay away from her. And he tries. Goodness knows he tries. But between their overlapping friend group and weekly dinners at her parents’ place next door to him, Christopher can’t seem to stay out of Kate’s path. Maybe someone’s trying to tell him something. After years of denying what he’s felt for her, it seems the only way to move forward is to confess his intent–and to do everything in his power to keep Kate safe and happy. Because if he goes all in, Christopher will have to make darn sure he doesn’t lose one more person he loves.

‘God, I want her. I want her so deeply, so badly, it’s an ache in my marrow. I don’t know if I can fight that ache anymore when she’s here, in my arms, and finally, she wants to be.’

A modern retelling of The Taming of the Shrew, Better Hate than Never is the ultimate sigh-worthy romance. With its neurodivergent main characters, fun bickering that led to tons of sparks, and a lovely, diverse found family, Chloe Liese’s writing wowed me right from the first page.

”As if anyone could not want you.’ I haven’t let myself dwell on what he said the other night. Because I’m scared I might latch on to those words. Count on them. Hope in them.’

CW: View Spoiler »Dealing daily with ADHD & chronic migraines, tragic parental loss (historical). « Hide Spoiler

Better Hate than Never might be the second book in Chloe Liese’s Wilmot Sisters series, but it’s number one in my heart. As much as I enjoyed Bea and Jamie in Two Wrongs Make a Right, I connected with Kate and Christopher immediately. They were perfect for each other. Everyone could see that. But they fought their attraction–and their feelings–with everything they had in them. And there was a sad, understandable reason why Christopher in particular distanced himself from Kate. While I might not have liked that they were at odds with each other so often, I think it felt realistic given their history together since childhood and the personal things they both struggled with.

In this case, though, the enemies to lovers portion of the storyline didn’t come across as completely malicious, so it was more comical and (lovingly) frustrating than maddening. It did mean that Christopher and Kate’s romance was a slow burn. But once things really heated up between them? Look out! It was all kinds of steamy, passionate, and unendingly sweet.

What I loved most about them together was how–once they turned a corner in their relationship–Kate and Christopher talked things out like adults. And it wasn’t just regarding their emotions toward each other. It was also about Kate’s ADHD, Christopher’s chronic migraines, as well as how the loss of his parents when he was a teen affected him so deeply. That tragedy was what brought Christopher even more into his neighbors, the Wilmot family’s, fold. It also meant he had a lot to lose if things went south should he and Kate give a relationship a try. But the way their story came to a close turned out to be just the right compromise between them, allowing Kate to spread her feminist wings and Christopher to keep funding ethical social causes. How can you not root for two do-gooders, right?

QOTD: Liese included some fun bits from other Taming of the Shrew retellings like 10 Things I Hate About You and Kiss Me, Kate. Are you a fan of finding these “Easter Eggs” in books?

Book Info:

Publication: Published: October 10th, 2023 | Berkley | The Wilmot Sisters #2

Childhood enemies discover the fine line between love and loathing in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won’t even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home, and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno.

Despite their friends’ and families’ pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when a drunken Kate confesses she’s only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with Kate once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn’t sure she can trust his charming good-guy act.

When Christopher’s persistence and Kate’s curiosity lead to an impassioned kiss, they realize “peace” is the last thing that will ever be possible between them. As desire gives way to deeper feelings, Kate and Christopher must decide if it’s truly better to hate than to never risk their hearts—or if they already gave them away long ago.