2.41k reviews for:

Hate Mail

Donna Marchetti

3.74 AVERAGE

readingwright's profile picture

readingwright's review

2.5
funny lighthearted
nolelake's profile picture

nolelake's review

2.0

Me gustó mucho de principio porque es fácil de leer, la premisa es graciosa pero....
que pase tanto tiempo sin decirle quién es:
1. Cuando esta empezando una relación con ella
2. Ademas ella esta viajando por todo el pais para encontrarlo me parece feo que flipas.

Para pasar el rato funciona pero bueh
funny mysterious relaxing slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I hated how Luca pretended to be a completely different person to 1. Get closer to Naomi 2. Basically talk her with a hidden identity.
however, I liked the overall aesthetic and their story. I liked reading the mail between them both and understanding their characters more and more as the story went on. Luca’s backstory was so sad, honestly I felt so bad for him and what he went through. 

hollylavender's review

4.0
funny lighthearted sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
funny lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

sunspritebooks's review

3.0

I just didn’t like the vibes here. The letters were crazy for kids to send. The odds that he moved into her building. The way we knew who he was and she didn’t and he knew she didn’t know who he was?! Just weird. The tension was good, but the spice was mediocre. The couple and banter was cute, so I didn’t DNF, but not my fave. 

wishuponajinni's review

4.0
funny lighthearted fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

Really cute romcom in book form - I can imagine a movie adaptation! Naomi really annoyed me at one point, but at least it was short and her friend talked some sense into her. Otherwise, just such a cute book that put a smile on my face!
emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
funny medium-paced

This was a fun and unique read with a great concept that definitely had me hooked early on! Naomi and Luca have been pen pals since fifth grade, but not the cute kind—these two have been rivals from the start, trading hilarious, sarcastic letters full of insults and sass. Over time, though, the tone starts to shift, and their exchanges become something deeper… until one day, Luca disappears, leaving Naomi confused and heartbroken.

Flash forward two years, and Naomi is now a TV meteorologist. Out of the blue, a new letter arrives at her work desk, dragging all those old emotions right back up. At the same time, she has started dating Jake, a charming aquatic vet who seems almost too good to be true. And, well… spoiler alert, he kind of is.

Now, here’s where it gets tricky for me. It was completely obvious from early on that Jake and Luca were the same person. So, there was no real “twist” for me. But what bothered me more was that Luca/Jake continues dating Naomi without telling her the truth—knowing full well she’s actively trying to track down her long-lost pen pal. He even SLEEPS with her and that deceit just felt icky and unnecessary, especially considering their emotional history. It really dulled the impact of what should’ve been a heartwarming reveal.

That said, I did enjoy the letters—they brought so much personality and pace to the story. The banter was witty, sharp, and felt really authentic. And I liked Naomi as a character: she’s smart, funny, and resilient, even when she’s clearly being messed about.

Overall, I enjoyed the premise and the execution in parts, but the emotional manipulation from the male lead stopped this from being a higher rating for me. A solid 3 stars—but with a great concept and some genuinely funny moments!

i have been dying to read this book for like 6 months now, but every time i checked up on it, it still had not been published. WELL now it has!!!!!! i was a little worried that it wouldn’t live up to how much i was hyping it up in my head. turns out, i had nothing to worry about at all!!!!!

i love Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas because of the hidden identity aspect and writing letters is sooo romantic omg. the only thing these two books have in common is their epistolary relationship, but i think people who also enjoyed Punk 57 will like this comedic contemporary romance with a similar premise.