Cruel Desire: (Upper East Side, #2) An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

The Hating Season is the second book of the Seasons series, and it’s about Court and English. They also were in Book 1, although I haven’t read that one but I plan on doing so once I have more time. What can I say? K.A. Linde is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. She’s rarely disappointed me with her romances, so I was sure I would like this one. It did have moments where I wasn’t fully convinced at the beginning, but after the first part it got better.
The main female character is Anna, that everyone know as English, her surname. She’s a famous LA publicist and she’s married with a hot Hollywood actor. While visiting her husband on set, she discovers that he cheated on her with his co-star and she gets back to New York to distract herself with work. She’s independent and strong and tries not to let her emotions get the better of her despite the situation. I liked that she didn’t let her husband’s betrayal got to her, but at some point her rage and feelings caught up with her life and she had to face them. At least her husband wasn’t an ass and he owned up to what he did.

To further complicate Anna’s emotions that she rarely shows, there is Court. Court is the son of the future mayor of New York and her client. His mother is running in the elections so she hired English to give Court a better image and help her gain voters. Court always puts himself in danger and he seems like he doesn’t have a care in the world and always does as he pleases and lives a life of excess. But there is more to Court than meets the eye, and he, like Anna, has had his trust broken by people he thought he loved. He’s attracted to English but at the same time he hates that she’s like his babysitter, always controlling that he doesn’t get into trouble.

Court and English were interesting to watch and had some issues that I could relate to. At first I thought that their relationship was going too fast, but thankfully, the pace got more believable after the 25% mark and I liked how things developed and how both of them had to face their prejudices head on. Because this story shows that even if the public paints a person in a light, it doesn’t mean that they’re right. In fact these characters show that they had to hide their true self to keep it from the public and to keep something of theirs for the eyes of the people they care only.

I am always up for an Upper East Side story with wealthy people, and next in the series will be about Camden and Katherine. We had glimpses of them in this book, since Camden is Court’s best friend, and they got me intrigued. I’ll be waiting!

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

I don’t even know how this is possible, but this is my first K.A. Linde book. And after reading this one, I seriously need to think about my life decisions and go back and read her entire backlist.

This book destroyed me, in a good way. Anna and Court were everything. I absolutely adored them in a way that has them marked in my soul, permanently.

I felt every single emotion portrayed, from the betrayal, lust, sensuality, joy, fear, love. It was pushed through in every single word written. I was on my knees, begging and pleading for things to work out. Court absolutely stole my heart in a way that I wasn’t even prepared for at all.

I seriously cannot wait to go back and read the rest of these books, but even if you haven’t, this is a complete standalone and you do not need to read them to enjoy this one.

Five stars for this fiery enemies to lovers standalone that makes you want so much more when it’s all said and done. I cannot wait for Katherine and Camden’s story!

*****5 Stars*****

“And suddenly, the scales tipped over. Straight into disaster.”

Let me just start by saying this is my FAVORITE in the series so far. Wow! I loved Anna (English) and Court when they were sprinkled in as side characters, so I had a feeling that I’d really enjoy their full story.

Court was… amazing. I loved him! He is a notorious “bad boy” who is trying to reform his image with the help of a publicist that he does not want at all. He was everything I love in a male lead.

“Strong, assertive, powerful. That was Court Kensington.”

English stole the show for me though. I love it when the female lead is strong and capable on her own, and Anna delivered. I absolutely enjoyed watching Court and Anna’s relationship develop and evolve throughout the book. I was invested the whole way through.

And now we wait for what is sure to be the craziest ride of all… The Breaking Season!

ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review

5 The Wait Was Worth It Stars!!!

I’ve been so looking forward to Court Kennsington’s book since I first met him in The Cruel Series and holy moly this book is pure perfection for an enemies-to-lovers story. There are so many hidden layers to this man that I was certain a true a-hole from the core to the surface! How wrong I was!!!

Anna English, a friend of Lark, who works for Court’s mom who, you know is the Mayor of NYC hires this girl to change Court’s image as part of her campaign. Anna has a clear focus on her job with Court but there’s things happening around her that make her more aware of Court than she was expecting.

There’s a delicious slow-burn to this book as these two change from client and handler to friends to lovers. The angst in this book was just right too. I became fully invested in this book from the very first page. Throw in that we get to see some of “The Crew” again is an added bonus. There’s more to come in this world and I think I’m a little scared to see what’s behind Katherine and all her machinations!

I received an ARC for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yet again, K.A. Linde has written another out of this world enemies to lovers’ novel. Seriously, she is the queen of writing this genre and I will always auto-buy. If you are a fan of enemies to lovers this book is going to hit your happy spot.

English, whose first name is Anna, has been put in charge of making sure the playboy of New York Court Kensington stays out of trouble long enough for his mother to win the election. English was just got the worst news ever after finding her 5-year marriage wasn’t as strong as she thought it was. Though with being around Court 24/7 now, she isn’t sure she will be able to keep her feelings for him from coming out.

“You are the playboy of the Upper East Side. I was literally hired to make you look like a good person. Just because I am fooling everyone else does not mean that you can try to fool me.”

Court Kensington has been fooling people his whole life, he just hasn’t let anyone see the real side of him. That is until English becomes his full-time babysitter. After learning that the woman he loved for two years swindled him and others out of millions of dollars, he now has to be on his best so his mother can be re-elected. Being on his best behavior isn’t Court’s forte. English isn’t giving him much of a choice but to change his stripes. However, Court can’t help but to have feelings for English and show her sides of him he has kept from others. Though will English be able to get over her ex and be with him or she will go back to her movie star husband?

“You catch the ball in the head of the lacrosse stick. The stick part is called the shaft…..head and shaft” English
“I can’t with you.” Court

This book was everything I was expecting for Court and English and so much more. The playboy has a soft side and English may be a tough as nails PR rep, but damn she has come clawing up from the bottom. Everyone was written perfectly. I want nothing more than to be besties with English, not because she could get me out of sticky situations, but she is driven and doesn’t let anyone get away with S*&%. When English wants the truth she doesn’t wait, she goes right to the person and gets it out of them. I love that about her. Court is not the person I thought he was, he is sort, but oh so hard in all the right ways! I was also able to understand his background with little her and there from his mom and brother and of course not so great history with his dad.

In true K.A. Linde fashion, she gave us a snippet of Katherine and Camden’s upcoming book. You guys I am on pins and needles about finding out what’s going on with that crazy couple. Until then I think everyone needs to read this book. Yes, this book is standalone, but if you want a little more info on both English and Court, I recommend reading the one before this.

Every time KA Linde releases her next book, I wonder how she is going to top the last one, and every book she does just that. She surpasses my expectations and shocks me around every corner. The fireworks she has created between Court and English in The Hating Season are packed with so much chemistry and desire, I was simply in awe of their story.

In The Hating Season we meet publicist for the troublesome playboy Court Kensington. Recent trouble has landed him his very own watchdog, in the form of one badass PR Anna English. English is fresh off of a split with her cheating Hollywood heartthrob of a husband, English has been tasked to keep Court in line before his mother’s primary election. When English breaks her number one rule of never to sleep with a client, things begin to unravel in ways neither of them could have ever anticipated. The passion, the hate, the desire between them made this story so much fun to read and triggered my own blushing several times throughout its pages. How can you truly fix someone’s image at the same time you are trying to not become a part of it. English and Court are simply everything I wanted in his story.

Kyla just has a way with her characters of bringing everything together in such a manner that the twists she has planned you don’t see coming, and all the things you crave of her stories are so well portrayed throughout every page. I simply adore this group of Upper East Siders and was thrilled we got another look into the lives of all the Crew. I cannot wait for Catherine’s book!

This is English and Court’s story we got glimpses of them in The Lying Season and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Enemies to lovers is one of my favourite genres especially when it’s done well and this is a good one. Their story starts with utter heartbreak for English and even though I’d read it in book one it still hurt to read. The fun begins when she is brought into try and repair Courts public image. Let’s be honest at times he is like a naughty school boy who just can’t stay out of trouble but he did make me giggle. I loved their back and forth, the witty comments where you could cut the sexual tension with a knife. I felt like I really got to know the real Court and not just the public face he puts on. English is struggling to overcome the betrayal her feelings of mistrust is written really well it feels believeable. This was an enjoyable story that made me smile with characters I really liked.

This Upper East Side World has been a crazy world to immerse myself in. I’ve disliked so many of these characters in this series since One Cruel Night and Natalie and Penn’s story. It’s really crazy to see how KA Linde can make me forget how much I dispised them. Really I find the details and the ways this group of friends forgive each other and the way, in the end, the support each other. Linde has really created a group of friends so close their like family in the way the love and betray each other. Seriously, the fact that I always end up liking them and rooting for them is a nod to the way Linde forms the stories!

I was addicted to the drama and angst thrown in between these covers. I do wish the love between English and Court developed a little bit more authentic feeling… not as spontaneous, I guess. I could have used a little bit more of the enemies side! One of the best things about Linda’s storytelling is the way we get to visit with some of the previous characters and the build up she starts to line up for upcoming books!! I can’t wait for more!!

I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.

I received a free copy of this book from the author.
You get a glimpse of The Hating Season in The Lying Season. In this book, English and Court are still working together to clean up his image. Well as much as Court will allow English to clean up that is.

You get a better insight as to what English is going through with her husband and his cheating self. She takes her wedding vows seriously and he just stomped all over them.

Well…that means she’s fair game right? Y’all know you should give yourself time to leave one relationship before you jump into another but in fiction that’s not always the case.

I wouldn’t really call what English and Court have, initially, as a relationship. It’s more like a hater-ship. Not to mention he’s her client. It would be terribly wrong for her to get involved with someone she’s trying to clean up their image. Especially when hers is falling apart!

I struggled a bit with this book. Not sure if it’s just the current world happenings or if it was the characters. Court has a lot to own up to and English has her work cut out for her. There’s a lot of baggage to dig through to get him, and his image, cleaned up.

Give it ago and tell me what you think. If you’re a K.A. Linde fan like me you’ll want to read it just because she wrote it.

Overall Grade:

K. A. Linde’s The Hating Season is a compelling contemporary romance that tells the story of a “playboy” Upper Eastsider in New York and his PR guru who seeks to turn his image around from the “bad boy of the Upper East Side.” This is a “hate at first sight” type of romance, and K.A. Linde crafts that hateful but fiery chemistry between English and Court well. The power of this story lies in Linde’s ability to bring these seeming opposites together. At the beginning of her story, that task seems difficult because English and Court lack respect for each other. However, as all hate-to-love romances tend to go, nothing is as it seems. This is the case for The Hating Season, underscoring the idea that people’s judgments of us initially are never really true to the reality of that person.

From the start, Linde grabs her readers with the story. There is no holding back on introducing difficult moments into this book. As the story progresses, Linde continues to pull her reader into her story as English and Court’s chemistry grows and builds. Even more, The Hating Season is an ancillary story to Linde’s popular Cruel series and the first book of this Season series, The Lying Season. I find readers attach to a romance when they recognize former characters from other stories. While I hadn’t read the other series, Linde grabbed my attention through the introduction of the bigger Linde universe of characters, and I’m interested to read this other series after reading The Hating Season. All of these parts of her storytelling engage her readers in English and Court’s romance.

While the message of this story isn’t new to romancelandia, it’s power is a reminder that we all want to be seen and acknowledged as we are. English’s character is interesting, as she works in Public Relations. That Linde would use her experience in the book to illustrate the way that personas are manufactured for public consumption is a nod to her message. This is insightful and a testament to Linde’s careful plotting. Additionally, through the character of Court, Linde illustrates the consequences of living behind a mask. As Court and English battle against each other, through careful revelation, Linde illuminates common human behavior: “judging a book by its cover.” When English finally “sees” Court’s truth, the narrative shifts, and the hate between these two dissolves. It alleviates the tension until Linde uses other tertiary plotlines to build the tension again. One of the strengths of The Hating Season is the ebb and flow of its story as it embodies the message of looking deeper into someone before fully appraising them

There were times in the narration, however, where the story lost some of this power. It loses a bit of its musicality. I found my mind wandering at those times; however, Linde brings the reader back into her romance by offering more action. It is a small criticism, not impacting the overall perception too greatly.

I wanted to read the ARC for The Hating Season because I adore the ‘hate-to-love’ romantic trope. K.A. Linde succeeds in managing this trope well in the context of her newest book. I pined for the stories of the other characters as their backstories were revealed, and I found myself searching the synopses and reviews of those stories for details. For this reader, that curiosity is key. It means that Linde has done her job well of offering a story that piques my interest. After reading the bonus scene for her next book, The Breaking Season, you can count me in for more of Linde’s romances.