REVIEW: Love to Hate You by Marina Adair

Love to Hate You by Marina Adair: Summer has always believed in fairy tales, soulmates and the healing power of a good romance novel. Which is why restoring an old bookstore has always been her dream, so when she opens Bard’s End, her very own cozy little store dedicated to love stories, you could say that she’s finally living her dream. That is, until Wes Kingston moves in next door. He’s the buttoned-up CEO of a chain bookstore, talk about less than ideal. With the grump next door determined to ruin all her hard work, Summer needs something to take her mind of all the doom and gloom, luckily she has her families annual vacation to look forward too. Only thing no one told Summer that Mr Grumpy himself would be joining them at the picturesque beachside cabin… Now Wes doesn’t believe in fate, love at first sight or really even happily ever afters. What he does believe in is strategy, success and keeping things strictly professional; until a family vacation gone wrong traps him with his biggest competitor. As witty jabs turn into lingering looks and rivalry melts into undeniable attraction, Summer and Wes find themselves caught in a tug of war between head and heart. But can a woman who lives for love convince a man who’s sworn it off that the best stories are the ones you don’t see coming?

LOVED!! Love To Hate You was everything that I love about reading a cute silly romcom novel, this book had some strong You Got Mail vibes meets The Hating Game. Simply put this book was just perfect from start to end. We get such a nice mix of slow burn angst, sweet and tender moments and a good punch of feels, Adair did a brilliant job in crafting this small town romance with some wacky towns folks and meddlesome family members that will get you hooked from the very first chapter.

Summer was just the sweetest, I loved our leading lady to absolute bits, she is quirky, idealistic and full of fire. She believes in the magic of love stories, happy endings and the idea that books can bring people together. I just loved the amount of passion and love that she poured into her book shop, you could clearly see that this was more than just a business to her, this book store was an extension of herself. One of the things that I really liked and related to about Summer was her desire to still want to believe in fate and meet cute love stories, while being an adult in the real world. I really enjoyed getting to see her grow and adapt to life as a businesswoman but not give up on her ideals. Now for our hero, well Wes was more on the serious and buttoned up side compared to Summer. Wes came across as more guarded and wounded by past loss, he doesn’t believe in the fairy tale happily ever after or storybook endings. As the book progresses we really get to see his character grow and open up, Wes undergoes a transformation from emotionally detached businessman to someone who learns that vulnerability isn’t weakness. With the help of Summer he begins to see the value in connection and empathy.

I just ate up the slow burn, enemies to lovers vibes between these two! There was angst, tension, some swoon and smoulder and just one cute happily ever after. Their banter is electric, laced with frustration and flirtation, but it’s the quiet, vulnerable moments; when masks slip and true fears surface that give their relationship heart. I really liked the fact that this book goes beyond just being about opposites attracting, but more about two people that challenge each other to grow, heal and love.

I just adored reading this book, Love To Hate You was the prefect blend of humour, heart, and healing. If you’re a sucker for the small town dynamics, bookstore rivalries and opposites-attract romance with a modern twist, this one deserves a spot on your TBR!

Book Info:

Publication: April 22, 2025 | Zando – 8th Note Press |

Summer Russo believes in the power of destiny and true love . . . which might be why she sank her entire life savings into reviving a nearly-bankrupt independent bookstore that specializes in romance novels and beach reads. But just as she starts to get the hang of the new business, a big-box bookstore moves in next door, run by the grumpy and arrogant Kingston, who seems determined to ruin her day (and her livelihood).

Wes Kingston is a cut-throat CEO who doesn’t believe in love — or failure. He runs his business the way he runs his alone. And he isn’t going to let a fiery femme fatale take him down. Especially when she is dead set on stopping the opening of his new bookstore.

At least Summer has her family’s annual vacation in Mystic, CT to look forward to as a break from the standoff. But when she arrives at the beachside cabin, she realizes that her usual summer respite may not be so carefree after all. Her sister has brought along not only her boyfriend but his brother, who just happens to be the very same surly-but-infuriatingly-sexy bookstore mogul Summer thought she was getting away from.

The bookstore war is still on, and neither Summer nor Kingston will go down without a fight. But when one thing leads to another and fighting turns to foreplay, both find themselves stuck in a battle for the bookstore — and for their hearts.