Scan barcode
thephdivabooks's review against another edition
4.0
Personally I find enemies-to-lovers to be the most fun type of romance to read, because I love that tension when the main characters think they are at odds, but I just know something is brewing between them! I also love when they realize they are attracted to one another, and that they challenge one another to be a better version of themselves. This was no exception!
Emma is the daughter to the Mayor of Hope Lake (which is an adorable town nestled between a lake and a mountain that I definitely wanted to move to) and she works for the local government for the town that is so important to her and her family. Cooper is her former best friend from childhood, and now the current thorn in her side at work. And let’s not let Cooper off the hook for what exactly turned their friendship to a battle ground.
Emma ignores Cooper at work for the most part, until the day that her father asks her to assist with Coopers run for Mayor and help him improve his image. Cooper should be a lock for Mayor, having grown up as the son of the current Governor, but Cooper has a bit of a play-boy image to contend with, and Emma’s father thinks she is the one to help fix that.
The chemistry between Emma and Cooper is evident from page one, but of course these two have quite a few hurdles to overcome before they acknowledge it. Their best friends Nick and Henry and some other quirky townspeople will help push them along, since Emma in particular is not interested in discussing what led to their falling out. Filled with snarky banter and fantastic characters, this one was easy to lose myself in for a few hours!
This is also quite timely since the mayoral election is front and center in the book, and there is a consistent message of the importance of voting and getting involved, especially in local politics.
Full of small town charm, humorous dialogue, and heart-warming moments—this is sure to a be a great escape read!
Thank you to Gallery Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Emma is the daughter to the Mayor of Hope Lake (which is an adorable town nestled between a lake and a mountain that I definitely wanted to move to) and she works for the local government for the town that is so important to her and her family. Cooper is her former best friend from childhood, and now the current thorn in her side at work. And let’s not let Cooper off the hook for what exactly turned their friendship to a battle ground.
Emma ignores Cooper at work for the most part, until the day that her father asks her to assist with Coopers run for Mayor and help him improve his image. Cooper should be a lock for Mayor, having grown up as the son of the current Governor, but Cooper has a bit of a play-boy image to contend with, and Emma’s father thinks she is the one to help fix that.
The chemistry between Emma and Cooper is evident from page one, but of course these two have quite a few hurdles to overcome before they acknowledge it. Their best friends Nick and Henry and some other quirky townspeople will help push them along, since Emma in particular is not interested in discussing what led to their falling out. Filled with snarky banter and fantastic characters, this one was easy to lose myself in for a few hours!
This is also quite timely since the mayoral election is front and center in the book, and there is a consistent message of the importance of voting and getting involved, especially in local politics.
Full of small town charm, humorous dialogue, and heart-warming moments—this is sure to a be a great escape read!
Thank you to Gallery Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
beckyrendon's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Ahh yes! The drama of unrequited turned spurned. Nothing says I hate you like I loved you and you didn't love me back! It also makes the juiciest stories! On The Corner of Love and Hate is one such story. Best friends and bad choices with a bitter misunderstanding and an exorbitant amount of things not said culminated into this story.
On the Corner of Love and Hate is feisty. Too much miscommunication leads to dialogue dripping with sarcasm (which was my second official language!) Get ready for rocky emotions, tense situations, and blatant denial. I feel like poor Emma isn't just chilling On the Corner, she's actually in The Frogger tournament of her life. She's going back and forth without a break trying to avoid the traffic until she realizes she is the biggest meanest car in her way.
This sweet second chance at their friendship story is just what you need especially if you're a romantic like me. Hope is just what they didn't realize they needed. Hope Lake is their town. It's their safe place. It's the perfect place to settle down. Now if only Henry were interested....
Ahh yes! The drama of unrequited turned spurned. Nothing says I hate you like I loved you and you didn't love me back! It also makes the juiciest stories! On The Corner of Love and Hate is one such story. Best friends and bad choices with a bitter misunderstanding and an exorbitant amount of things not said culminated into this story.
On the Corner of Love and Hate is feisty. Too much miscommunication leads to dialogue dripping with sarcasm (which was my second official language!) Get ready for rocky emotions, tense situations, and blatant denial. I feel like poor Emma isn't just chilling On the Corner, she's actually in The Frogger tournament of her life. She's going back and forth without a break trying to avoid the traffic until she realizes she is the biggest meanest car in her way.
This sweet second chance at their friendship story is just what you need especially if you're a romantic like me. Hope is just what they didn't realize they needed. Hope Lake is their town. It's their safe place. It's the perfect place to settle down. Now if only Henry were interested....
readfrenzy's review
3.0
As far as enemies to lovers stories go, my favorite ones are romantic comedies where the animosity between characters generates witty banter and an overall lightheartedness. On the Corner of Love and Hate is more of a contemporary romance, which is fine, but I did miss that humorous factor.
Emma and Cooper are former best friends whose relationship is now strained.
I understand Emma’s frustrations with Cooper, particularly in the beginning of the book, but ultimately she comes across as self-righteous and unnecessarily mean. Her pointed digs about Cooper’s manwhore past last well into the second half of the book. It lacks a sense of teasing or flirtatiousness.
Between Emma’s obvious disdain and my ambivalence towards Cooper’s character, I wasn’t invested enough in their relationship. As much as I enjoy a good slow burn romance, the lack of spark just makes the story feel slowly paced. There are several interesting conflicts established, including press leaks, scandals and backstabbing rivals, but the resolutions are too abrupt.
The brightest aspect of the book is its setting. The picture perfect small town inhabited by eccentric residents is exceptionally well developed. I loved Cooper and Emma’s caring friends, the artisanal creamery, the gossipy senior citizens, and the tree-lined streets. I would book a vacation to Hope Lake in a heartbeat.
Recommended for fans of:
Contemporary romance
Electoral races
Bicycles
Small towns
Emma and Cooper are former best friends whose relationship is now strained.
I understand Emma’s frustrations with Cooper, particularly in the beginning of the book, but ultimately she comes across as self-righteous and unnecessarily mean. Her pointed digs about Cooper’s manwhore past last well into the second half of the book. It lacks a sense of teasing or flirtatiousness.
Between Emma’s obvious disdain and my ambivalence towards Cooper’s character, I wasn’t invested enough in their relationship. As much as I enjoy a good slow burn romance, the lack of spark just makes the story feel slowly paced. There are several interesting conflicts established, including press leaks, scandals and backstabbing rivals, but the resolutions are too abrupt.
The brightest aspect of the book is its setting. The picture perfect small town inhabited by eccentric residents is exceptionally well developed. I loved Cooper and Emma’s caring friends, the artisanal creamery, the gossipy senior citizens, and the tree-lined streets. I would book a vacation to Hope Lake in a heartbeat.
Recommended for fans of:
Contemporary romance
Electoral races
Bicycles
Small towns
*I received an early copy of this book to voluntarily read.*
lauren_soderberg's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
An interesting story line with some nice banter. A great read for those who love the friends-to-lovers/enemies-to-lovers trope. I also really enjoyed the setting and supporting characters.
An interesting story line with some nice banter. A great read for those who love the friends-to-lovers/enemies-to-lovers trope. I also really enjoyed the setting and supporting characters.
jstrykerrr's review against another edition
5.0
I got this book in a Goodreads giveaway and it certainly did not disappoint! Emma and Cooper are two best friends in a small town who go off to college and drift apart only to return to their hometown and work together. When Cooper decides to run for mayor as Emma's father's successor, everyone in their families agrees Emma is the perfect choice to help him with his campaign. They finally get to hash out what happened all those years ago and get past it to be together and I loved it! I absolutely can't wait to read Henry's book next!
bookswritingandmore's review against another edition
5.0
I don't think I can gush enough about this book to do it justice. From the beginning I fell i love with the quick wit and banter of Cooper and Emma. From childhood friends to enemies to coworkers, these two couldn't seem to get it right, that is until Cooper asks Emma to run his campaign for him for town mayor. It makes sense to everyone sense Emma's dad has been mayor for over 20 years and her work with the CDO helps too. Emma is not interested though. Although she knows he'd be a good candidate, she can't imagine spending that much time with him. Then the other candidate plays dirty and Emma decides why not with some rules Cooper must follow though. Can these two work together without killing each other? Will either of them ever realize where their anger comes from?
A witty, romantic novel that will make you smile constantly.
A witty, romantic novel that will make you smile constantly.
simplyxkate's review against another edition
3.0
This was just okay for me. I wouldn't consider the comparisons to Christina Lauren accurate or this a sassy or sexy romance as mentioned in the blurb. The first half is very slow, almost to the point where I considered not finishing it a few times. The second half does pick up and I did end up enjoying it but it's not a book I would recommend. I only pushed through because I have seen Nina's name mentioned by several authors that I admire and I wanted to give her a chance.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC for an honest review.
kdurham2's review against another edition
5.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
The first book in a series that takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania where two people have lived most of their lives. Emmanuelle and Cooper grew up in small town PA and Emmanuelle's father has been the mayor for many many years. As he is getting ready to retire, Cooper has decided that he would like to take the reigns and Emmanuelle is ready to help him win the seat. With an interesting opponent and a will they won't they plot, this book was a fun ride in a small town!
The first book in a series that takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania where two people have lived most of their lives. Emmanuelle and Cooper grew up in small town PA and Emmanuelle's father has been the mayor for many many years. As he is getting ready to retire, Cooper has decided that he would like to take the reigns and Emmanuelle is ready to help him win the seat. With an interesting opponent and a will they won't they plot, this book was a fun ride in a small town!
anasatticbookblog's review
3.0
On the Corner of Love and Hate by Nina Bocci
Narrated by Dara Rosenberg
1st in the Hopeless Romantics Series of Standalones
**Looking for a quick review? Skip down to the Down & Dirty**
I have worked with Nina Bocci in the book world for many years now, so I was excited for her to release her first solo novel. I started reading my ARC of On the Corner of Love and Hate and honestly just couldn’t get into it, but that seems to be the case a lot for me lately, so I waited for the audiobook which definitely held my interest more than reading it.
Emma and Cooper grew up in the small town of Hope Lake. Politics are in their blood. Her dad is the mayor, and his mom is in politics too. Cooper and Emma both work in the city planning department, but Cooper is running for Mayor because Emma’s dad is retiring. The relationship between Emma and Cooper has been strained for a while.
“If you two got your heads out of your collective asses, you would make the perfect pair.”
Emma is doing all of Cooper’s work while he is out campaigning, and the little mouse just bitches to herself instead of slapping this jerk right upside the head. He is the town playboy, so much so that his bedroom escapades are all the town talks about instead of taking him seriously for Mayor.
“In a lot of ways, Cooper was like the sun: you couldn’t fly close to it, or him, without getting burned.”
Honestly, he did seem completely immature and unqualified. He seemed like he had no substance, and I never really fully warmed up to him or rooted for him. While I liked Emma at first, I felt like she let herself be taken advantage of by this guy, and never saw the reasoning behind her feelings.
On the Corner of Love and Hate reminded me very much of another co-worker hate-to-love book that will soon be a movie, but it had so much less romance and I never really fell for the main characters. That being said, I never felt like I wanted to put it down but I also never felt the need to go and share my love for it on socials.
Likes:
- •I liked the town and it’s quirky residents.
- •All of the side characters.
- •I love an enemies to lovers read.
- •The friendships.
- •The small town was charming and really written well.
- •Good parents and family life.
- •Her inner monologues.
- •Some cute moments that made me snicker.
- •I love the covers of the whole series.
Dislikes:
- •Moved too slow for me.
- •Only her POV, this story really needed his as well.
- •Neither character was likable enough for me to root for, and it seemed that they felt the same about each other.
- •The political race was stupidly cutthroat for this little town and overshadowed the romance.
- •No chemistry.
The Narration:
I hope to see Dara Rosenberg do more contemporary romance because I really enjoyed her narration.
The Down & Dirty:
On the Corner of Love and Hate by Nina Bocci had good bones and some great moments, but as a whole it was just an OK read for me. It almost shouldn’t be classified as romance. I never felt the chemistry; I never felt the push and pull. I never felt any reason she would even like him. But it kept my interest which is more than a lot of books have done lately.
Rating: 3 Stars, 2.5 Heat, 5 Narration
Purchase On the Corner of Love and Hate by Nina Bocci
