Better Hate than Never
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4.2 • 12 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
A USA TODAY BESTSELLER!
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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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
We got a serious case of butterflies reading this slow-burn romance between childhood frenemies. Photographer Kate has been living abroad for over two years when she impulsively moves back to her quiet suburban hometown with no money or job. When she runs into her childhood next-door neighbor, hedge fund manager Christopher, Kate’s shocked by how much seeing him again impacts her—both emotionally and physically. Putting a sexy, modern spin on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, author Chloe Liese explores the thin line between tension and passion and handles her characters’ neurodivergence with sensitivity and compassion. Better Hate than Never is a fun story about finding the courage to trust in love.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Liese's charming second Wilmot Sisters romance (after Two Wrongs Make a Right) offers a loose contemporary riff on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Photographer Katerina "Kate" Wilmot marches to a different drummer, a side effect of her ADHD. Orphan Christopher Petruchio was unofficially adopted by the Wilmot family, his neighbors, after his parents' death and has loved Kate from a distance since they were both children, but covers it up with snark and hostility. Their fights are legendary among the Wilmots—but when a drunken Kate confesses to Christopher that her animosity is rooted in deep insecurity and a genuine belief that he hates her, Christopher is left determined to fix their relationship and prove his love. Liese brings this unexpected couple to vibrant life, making a case for how their differences can work together beautifully. Shakespeare fans will enjoy the clever nods to the classic throughout, but readers won't need to be familiar with the original to be swept away by this enemies-to-lovers tale. With a real depth of feeling and plenty of swoon-worthy moments, this keeps the series going strong.
