Better Hate Than Never by Chloe Liese - A Modern Twist on The Taming of the Shrew

Oh, boy, oh boy! If you're a fan of classics-turned-into-modern-romances, Chloe Liese's "Better Hate Than Never" is ready to take you on a journey. Drawing inspiration from Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew", which also inspired 90s rom-com gem "10 Things I Hate About You" and a few other faves we won't mention here (but let's be real, any Shakespeare adaptation post-2000 is pretty iconic–see She’s the Man), Liese crafts a romance that offers a fresh twist.

Enter Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio. Now, if you're thinking Shakespearean roles, you'd peg Katerina as our "shrew", but truth be told, I think Christopher might just steal that title this time around. Lifelong family "friends" (if you could even call them that with their love for tossing not-always-playful jabs at each other), their relationship has always been more hate-hate than anything else. Their 6-year age gap and past tiffs aside, Kat's return to town throws them both into a whirlwind of emotions. Is it reconciliation? Is it more? Well, it's a romance novel, so you can probably take a wild guess.

Now, y'all know I love a juicy romance. Was this one my top pick? Maybe not. But it had a lot going for it. For starters, both our leads are neurodivergent - Kat with her ADHD and Christopher (never Chris, remember that!) dealing with debilitating migraines. Now, I’m not cheering because they're neurodivergent, obviously, but rather because that's a fresh perspective in romance that you don't see every day and a form of diversity seldom spoken about in mainstream literature. And I never knew that a migraine disorder could be considered neurodivergent. Books: always keeping us learning!

Setting-wise, Liese nails it with the holiday vibes. From Thanksgiving through Christmas, the pumpkin donuts and mouth watering fall treats left me feeling cozy and craving a bakery run.

However, it wasn't all doughnuts and roses for me. A few things missed the mark. Firstly, their transition from enemies to lovers felt unearned. There's a history hinted at, but I needed more 'love' groundwork, especially given the animosity of their early interactions. Secondly, Kat's family dynamics seem crucial, but by the end, they felt unresolved. And thirdly, and maybe it's just me, but mixing childhood enemies with an age gap love story felt...off.

But wait, before I wrap up, here's a PSA: This book? It's STEAMY! Like, "turn up the A/C and take a cold shower" steamy. If you've read "The Court of Thorns & Roses" series and thought that was spicy, "Better Hate Than Never" turns up the heat even more. Kudos to Liese for holding nothing back in the romance department!

To sum it up: Despite a few reservations, "Better Hate Than Never" was an engaging read, and I zoomed through it. If you're looking for a modern Shakespeare twist with a side of spice, this might just be your next read.

My Condensed Review of Better Hate Than Never by Chloe Liese

Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ (Couldn’t do a half star emoji, sorry)

One Sentence Review: If you’re looking for a drool-worthy, enemies-to-lovers, holiday season steamy romance featuring two childhood frenemies, read Better Hate Than Never by Chloe Liese.

While Reading…

• Listen to…Pumpkin Spice Playlist on Spotify.

• Eat…warm pumpkin spice donuts.

• Drink…Irish Whiskey.