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bookschaosnart's review against another edition
3.0
The story on a whole didn't connect with me. It was well written but I wasn't able to enjoy either of the main characters. I'm not sure why hence the 3 star review. It wasn't actively un-enjoyable but at the same time, I couldn't explain why I liked any of the characters or story either.
julianicole's review
4.0
This book was a first for me in many ways. My first story with a truly Bi character (not just bi-curious or confused). My first book with the kink being humiliation (there was also one scene of piss play and fisting--both a first for me to read). So if none of that is something you are interested in reading then I wouldn't bother with this book.
That being said I thought this was a great book of two people starting out hating each other and having hate sex to falling in love. They both go through a journey of excepting the kinky sex they want to have and realizing it's okay.
Side note--there does seem to be a lot of Jewish customs and traditions included in this story. Of which I know nothing about so I can't say if anything is accurate or anything. As a reader with no real knowledge, I feel like we were given enough information for it to make sense for the struggles of the character.
In all, I enjoyed this book. It was fast passed and fun.--Don't take how long it took me to read it compared to the first a sign I didn't enjoy it. I got really sick right in the middle! Otherwise, I would have finished it sooner.
That being said I thought this was a great book of two people starting out hating each other and having hate sex to falling in love. They both go through a journey of excepting the kinky sex they want to have and realizing it's okay.
Side note--there does seem to be a lot of Jewish customs and traditions included in this story. Of which I know nothing about so I can't say if anything is accurate or anything. As a reader with no real knowledge, I feel like we were given enough information for it to make sense for the struggles of the character.
In all, I enjoyed this book. It was fast passed and fun.--Don't take how long it took me to read it compared to the first a sign I didn't enjoy it. I got really sick right in the middle! Otherwise, I would have finished it sooner.
karentje's review
5.0
Absolutely amazing!! How did I not know about this book before!! Love this story, the characters, and so pleasantly surprised by the delicious, not so mainstream, kinks the MC's discover together.
friends2lovers's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
_isabel_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
One of my favourite reads of the year so far.
"Heartless" is utterly fantastic and it screams "ME" so much I'm firmly convinced Kate Hawthorne wrote it with yours truly in mind.
Kidding, but seriously: "Heartless" has everything I usually love in romances, and then some stuff I didn't think I'd love, but here you go... *wags eyebrows*
This book is another reminder of why I read romances so much: it gave me freaking everything. And I already know this one is going to be my favourite of the series (and probably of Kate Hawthorne's entire backlist).
James and Levi's story is what my reading dreams are made of: enemies-to-lovers and hate sex extraordinaire (plus a double dose of "you infuriate me, but I can't stop thinking of you"), a whole lot of steam and kink (ft. a few kinks I didn't think I'd love but here we go: degradation kink, water sports, fisting), the dirtiest dirty talk I've ever had the pleasure of reading about, two absolutely insufferable, stubborn and ridiculously lovable idiot MCs (grumpy X grumpy at its finest!), found family, banter and a good dose of angst.
I loved every single second I got to spend with James and Levi, and I never wanted to leave: even when they were being childish and mean and stubborn, I loved them.
Their dynamic was addictive, explosive and so damn fun, and I adored them together: I loved how reluctantly obsessed they were with one another, how the hate slowly transformed into love, how even when they were firmly in the lovers phase of their relationship, their dynamic was still mean (but consensually™) and brutal, but also infused by love and care and affection. GAH, I just loved them so damn much.
And the found family! The Motel brothers individual and group relationships are never easy and simple, but the love and affection between them comes through loud and clear. And Simon and Levi's relationship is equally complex and believable: I know Simon is supposed to have a story somewhere, I need to look into that, and I know there're a few more books in this series left, but the bond between these two left me deeply heartbroken, but also hopeful they'll finally and thoroughly mend their relationship in the future.
I loved the writing, I loved every single side character, and I cannot wait to read Charlie's story. I'm beyond excited for him to finally get his chance at a HEA.
"Heartless" is utterly fantastic and it screams "ME" so much I'm firmly convinced Kate Hawthorne wrote it with yours truly in mind.
Kidding, but seriously: "Heartless" has everything I usually love in romances, and then some stuff I didn't think I'd love, but here you go... *wags eyebrows*
This book is another reminder of why I read romances so much: it gave me freaking everything. And I already know this one is going to be my favourite of the series (and probably of Kate Hawthorne's entire backlist).
James and Levi's story is what my reading dreams are made of: enemies-to-lovers and hate sex extraordinaire (plus a double dose of "you infuriate me, but I can't stop thinking of you"), a whole lot of steam and kink (ft. a few kinks I didn't think I'd love but here we go: degradation kink, water sports, fisting), the dirtiest dirty talk I've ever had the pleasure of reading about, two absolutely insufferable, stubborn and ridiculously lovable idiot MCs (grumpy X grumpy at its finest!), found family, banter and a good dose of angst.
I loved every single second I got to spend with James and Levi, and I never wanted to leave: even when they were being childish and mean and stubborn, I loved them.
Their dynamic was addictive, explosive and so damn fun, and I adored them together: I loved how reluctantly obsessed they were with one another, how the hate slowly transformed into love, how even when they were firmly in the lovers phase of their relationship, their dynamic was still mean (but consensually™) and brutal, but also infused by love and care and affection. GAH, I just loved them so damn much.
And the found family! The Motel brothers individual and group relationships are never easy and simple, but the love and affection between them comes through loud and clear. And Simon and Levi's relationship is equally complex and believable: I know Simon is supposed to have a story somewhere, I need to look into that, and I know there're a few more books in this series left, but the bond between these two left me deeply heartbroken, but also hopeful they'll finally and thoroughly mend their relationship in the future.
I loved the writing, I loved every single side character, and I cannot wait to read Charlie's story. I'm beyond excited for him to finally get his chance at a HEA.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
k8books's review against another edition
4.0
The second book in this compelling series was written just as well as the first! Ms. Hawthorne has a way of making her characters sexy and relatable.
James - The asshole brother in the family. Pushing everyone's buttons because he can...Until Levi.
Levi - The amazing baker, complicated family dynamic and newly found friend of Cameron's.
Levi pushes James to the point of breaking, but in a way that James never expected. Now James is questioning what he thinks of himself and wondering if he has always been this way or if he has finally found someone who can give him what he needs. While Levi is able to give James what he needs he finds himself resisting that this might be more then a quick moment.
Although I enjoyed reading the journey of James and Levi, the kink in the book pushed passed my limit of comfort. I truly enjoy the main parts of their story and was able to work past some of the scenes I had issues with because Kate is such a wonderful writer. I cannot wait for the next one in the series!
James - The asshole brother in the family. Pushing everyone's buttons because he can...Until Levi.
Levi - The amazing baker, complicated family dynamic and newly found friend of Cameron's.
Levi pushes James to the point of breaking, but in a way that James never expected. Now James is questioning what he thinks of himself and wondering if he has always been this way or if he has finally found someone who can give him what he needs. While Levi is able to give James what he needs he finds himself resisting that this might be more then a quick moment.
Although I enjoyed reading the journey of James and Levi, the kink in the book pushed passed my limit of comfort. I truly enjoy the main parts of their story and was able to work past some of the scenes I had issues with because Kate is such a wonderful writer. I cannot wait for the next one in the series!
r2dash2's review against another edition
5.0
What I expected going into this book was not what I got, and that is absolutely the best thing I can say! Not that I anticipated a bad book (NOT AT ALL), but the enemy to lovers’ story trope always throws me for a little bit of a loop before going in. But BOY did Heartless completely throw me off-kilter, in a good way, and I adored every minute of the ride!
What do you get when two hot-headed, and feisty men hate each other from the moment they lay eyes on each other? Well, James Motel and Levi Kadish of course! The Bratty and snarky Hotel owner and the not-so-kosher local baker. The more these men fight and hate each other the more the tension builds until they reach a point in which hatred spills over so fast and uncontrolled that it HAS to become other physical actions or emotions to release. So, we as the reader get rug burn! I promise you’ll like this type. ;)
But all the fun aside I truly enjoyed this book and the levels to which Levi and James could fight and yet see through each other. As time progressed with them never have I felt trust and the fight against your own brain to trust someone else, so vividly laid on the pages of a book. Each of their moments, you could see how they were going deeper and deeper for each other, without even realizing it for themselves; and in their moments of pure vulnerability, it actually felt like you could reach out and tangibly touch their emotions.
Also, this book explored so much more than these two men coming together. It also showed them growing and developing as individuals. It wasn’t just THEIR story. It was THEIR story and the story of their relationships with family/friends and accepting and understanding other types of love in their lives.
This is also one of those books where I felt Hawthorne really hit her stride and shined the best, with what I have felt has always been her strongest signature writing move; bringing out the heart in the most complicated and untraditional relationship dynamics.
Spoilers -------->
Two scenes, in particular, have stuck with me after reading this story and I just have to bring up how much I loved how they trusted in the growth of their play that they were able to make it so uniquely them.
One: THAT HAIRCUT! IT was so beautiful and so explicitly their own developed type of ownership and love, that it felt more poignant than even some of the best-collaring scenes I’ve ever read.
Two: The Fisting - the love poured off the page, and I was as exhausted and as euphoric as they both did as it happened. I felt that that somewhat ending was absolutely perfect for them and wrapped up all the things we needed to see on the page to know James and Levi.
What do you get when two hot-headed, and feisty men hate each other from the moment they lay eyes on each other? Well, James Motel and Levi Kadish of course! The Bratty and snarky Hotel owner and the not-so-kosher local baker. The more these men fight and hate each other the more the tension builds until they reach a point in which hatred spills over so fast and uncontrolled that it HAS to become other physical actions or emotions to release. So, we as the reader get rug burn! I promise you’ll like this type. ;)
But all the fun aside I truly enjoyed this book and the levels to which Levi and James could fight and yet see through each other. As time progressed with them never have I felt trust and the fight against your own brain to trust someone else, so vividly laid on the pages of a book. Each of their moments, you could see how they were going deeper and deeper for each other, without even realizing it for themselves; and in their moments of pure vulnerability, it actually felt like you could reach out and tangibly touch their emotions.
Also, this book explored so much more than these two men coming together. It also showed them growing and developing as individuals. It wasn’t just THEIR story. It was THEIR story and the story of their relationships with family/friends and accepting and understanding other types of love in their lives.
This is also one of those books where I felt Hawthorne really hit her stride and shined the best, with what I have felt has always been her strongest signature writing move; bringing out the heart in the most complicated and untraditional relationship dynamics.
Spoilers -------->
Two scenes, in particular, have stuck with me after reading this story and I just have to bring up how much I loved how they trusted in the growth of their play that they were able to make it so uniquely them.
One: THAT HAIRCUT! IT was so beautiful and so explicitly their own developed type of ownership and love, that it felt more poignant than even some of the best-collaring scenes I’ve ever read.
Two: The Fisting - the love poured off the page, and I was as exhausted and as euphoric as they both did as it happened. I felt that that somewhat ending was absolutely perfect for them and wrapped up all the things we needed to see on the page to know James and Levi.
min_deore's review against another edition
5.0
James and Levi are jerks, in the best possible way. What starts as a passively rude meet-cute turns into getting mad at just the sight of each other. Which means my absolute favorite... enemies to lovers! They are so snarky with each other I can’t help but laugh. James is brusque and kind of a jerk to everyone, it’s his shield, he's really kind of sweet when his guard is down. Levi is more agreeable, a little bit arrogant but has enough going on that he has no patience for someone with an attitude problem. James needs to be knocked down a peg and Levi is more than ready to assist. They’re pushy and explosive. I loved seeing James let go and how Levi claims him. Their personal arcs (Levi’s brother Simon is a mess!) fleshed out the story beautifully and the transformation from sworn enemies to relationship/commitment felt natural and perfect for them. They’re still their snarky and bratty selves in the end, but it’s full of love (and maybe a little exasperation) rather than hate. These two are definitely among my very favorites from Kate.
clumsycrane's review
2.0
I'm really sad that this book didn't work for me. It felt like the author wrote it out of order and in pieces. Which is fine because I know that works for some, but if you do that, then you need to read through it once it's all together. I was confused sometimes and frustrated others. The first half of the book was better than the second. The second half was a cluster. It was difficult to figure out what the MCs were even trying to communicate to each other. It just felt half put together and needed a content editor or honest betas. All that being said, I'm still going to read the next book in the series because book one wasn't disappointing.