REVIEW: The Valentine’s Hate by Sidney Halston

The Valentine’s Hate by Sidney Halston: As a child Lissette “Lizzie” Alonso loved Valentine’s Day until her nemesis Brian Anderson moved next door and started school. After the Most Disastrous Valentine’s Day ever, she hated everything about the day. When her best friend decides to get married on Valentine’s day, Lizzie takes her duty of being the maid of honor during the week of celebration seriously.

Unfortunately, she runs into Brian and gets stuck sitting near him on the plane since they are going to the same place.

Brian knew he gave Lizzie a hard time in school, but they were just kids, and he had his own issues he was dealing with. Since they were neighbors and his grandparents were friends with Lizzie’s parents, they were thrown together a lot. As an introvert, Brian hated publicity but his books were popular and he was supposed to have someone there to help him during the signing event. When Lizzie needs a place to stay, they make a deal that she stays with him and helps him handle being in the spotlight.

This was a wonderful story of two enemies whose relationship changes as they help each other and come to understand each other better. I enjoyed seeing their anger switch into a simmering romance. The main characters with their witty banter were realistic and likable. The book was enjoyable, very easy to read, and fun. I really enjoyed it and I am glad I got a chance to discover this author’s work.

Book Info:

Publication: December 27, 2022 | Avon Books |

Cupid only strikes once. At least that’s what Lissette Alonso believes. Ever since the Most Disastrous Valentine’s Day of All Time(TM) she has hated all things V-day. But Lizzie’s best friend is having pre-nuptial festivities for a week leading up to her February 14th wedding and Lissette is taking her maid of honor duties seriously, maybe too seriously. Of course of course of course who is the first person she runs into on the way to the wedding? None other than her childhood nemesis, Brian Anderson, the reason for all of her Valentine’s Day hatred.

Brian knows he messed up with Lizzie but give him a break, he was just a kid who was trying to look cool and Lizzie regularly pushed all of his buttons–both in school and out of it. He’s always been gruff and grumpy, but these days, Brian is much better off with his writing; fictional characters never talk back. Unlike Lizzie who always has something to say.

Suddenly the two are back under the same roof and bickering like old times, except that Brian has bigger problems than dealing with Lizzie’s verbal sparring. Someone Brian is desperate to avoid shows up and somehow Lizzie gets roped into pretending to be dating him. And, suddenly, the simmering anger has blossomed into something extra spicy…