Reviews

Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai

betseywj's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

deniseneutel's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

sarahanne8382's review against another edition

5.0

Wow, this was everything I'd hoped it would be.

Romeo and Juliet set up with sensitively portrayed and diverse characters and lots of steamy scenes.

Also, because I'm playing way too much Puzzles and Empires lately, I picture Sharan when I'm reading about Livvy.

fanoora's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

jemms's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

3.5 ⭐, 3.5 🌶️

Characters: 1
Plot: 0.75
Pacing: 0.25
Writing style: 0.5
Vibes: 1

A tale of family drama and what it takes to heal and love despite it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

destiel74's review

adventurous dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

It’s kind of weird reading this series in the opposite order, from the last book to the first book. As a result I do know answers to the mysteries they set up. Regardless, it was a beautiful tale full of hurt and longing. It got into the hurt the forbidden love often causes and how one needs to feel confident in one’s devotion in order to a relationship to blossom in spite of the obstacles.

whatshawnareads's review against another edition

5.0

Hurts to Love You is the third in the Forbiddean Hearts trilogy and follows Eve, Nicholas’s sister, and Gabe, the Kane’s former housekeeper’s son. There’s more unraveling of family secrets and piecing back together a chosen family.⁣
⁣
I fell even more in love with Alisha Rai’s characters in this book; Jackson’s introverted personality, Rhiannon’s boldness, and Eve who was coming into her own.⁣
⁣
Age gaps are not my favorite trope, so I thought I wouldn’t love this, but Rai’s story was so compelling I wanted more of Gabe and Eve.⁣
⁣
I absolutely loved the way that this ended and it made me even more excited for The Right Swipe since we got introduced to Rihannon here.⁣

whatshawnareads's review against another edition

5.0

This was my first Alisha Rai book and I’m so glad I picked it up.

The fact that I read it three weeks ago and still think about it sets it apart from all other romance novels I’d read up to that point.

Hate to Want You is an amazing, incredibly steamy tale of star-crossed lovers. Right off the bat it’s steamy, but the characters are also fully developed and we really get to know them beyond what they want in the bedroom.

Livvy’s struggles with mental health and racial identity are discussed in a way that feels natural and not forced. There’s also this complex family dynamic that we see with both Livvy’s and Nicholas’s families; how they’ve reacted to tragedy, how it’s influenced their individual decisions.

We also get to see Livvy and Nicholas grow throughout the story as they address all of these things.
This book has such a good balance of steam and storyline. (I don’t shy away from steam.) Highly, highly recommend.

ennitsud's review

5.0

aside from being incredibly hot and including POCs, it is a story about dealing with death, depression, and family. the way nicholas and livvy came together and apart was heartbreaking. they loved each other and there was some evil money grubbing person in the way and the young them were not capable of fighting and i–it was sad. poor livvy. poor okas-kane. one of my favorite themes of this book was how much family mattered and how both main characters tried to keep theirs together. strong, independent livvy dealt with her demons and worked to conquer them, all the while trying to revive her relationships with her family after being gone for a decade. it hurt, at the beginning, because it wasn't a welcome thing (except for aunt maile and sadia), but then, gradually, we see her get her family back and those scenes made me tear up. and nicholas, nicholas with his gramps and eve, how torn he was about livvy and how much he cares about her and jkdalsfhndklsnd. the moments between him and livvy (including something within the explicit scenes) were so intimate–like, intimate vulnerability where two people who love each other so much bare themselves for each other. it was soft. :,-)) the tattoos talk, her drawing on him, the way he relaxed around her. *sigh*

lastly, brendan can go suck ass.

indecisivesailorscout's review against another edition

5.0

2nd read: Y'all, this is seriously one of my favorite books of all time. I'm so in love with every single one of these perfectly captured characters and this heartwrenching, beautiful, delicious, and so well written romance. I have so many feelings about this book but mostly that it's perfectly imperfect and holds a really special place in my heart.

1st read: THIS WAS SO GOOD I'M CRY EVERY ROMANCE NOVEL SHOULD BE THIS GOOD