A new stand alone enemies-to-lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde… has gotten himself into trouble…again.
Instead of getting him back in line, I find myself falling for his charm. And into his bed. And against the wall. And, and, and…
Except Kensington charm shouldn’t work on me. Not when I’ve sworn to never ever sleep with a client.
I had good intentions.
I really did.
But we all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
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The Hating Season by K.A. Linde is the second interconnected standalone story in her Seasons series. A story of enemies to lovers, workplace romance, inappropriate relations, and love winning over all. Told in dual POV between the powerful and confident Anna English, publicist extraordinaire to the stars and Court Kensington, the bad-boy son of Mayor Kensington who is up for re-election and needs his image cleaned up, STAT!
The power play between Anna and Court is hilarious, each trying to out-maneuver the other, with Court realizing the adverse effects of his worst behavior and with Anna’s help, learning to tone it down and make more of himself. It’s also a story of self-discovery for them both. Anna with her recent relationship woes, and Court with his parental issues and the tendency to resort to bad boy / playboy /rich boy when cornered. Also setting up the future story for some of the Upper East Side Elite, this series is enticing, rich with emotion, powerful chemistry and some great writing. Enjoy!
THE HATING SEASON is the second full-length instalment in K.A. Linde’s contemporary adult SEASONS erotic, romance series focusing on a group of connected, powerful and well-to-do friends in the Upper East Side of New York City. This is publicist / fixer Anna English (who prefers to go by English), and bad boy/heir to the Kensington dynasty Court Kensington. THE HATING SEASON can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and history. Court Kensington’s story begins in The Lying Season.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Court and English) THE HATING SEASON follows in the aftermath of a public relations nightmare wherein Court Kensington’s ex-girlfriend has been accused and arrested in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme just weeks prior to Court’s mothers run for political office. In an effort to clean up Court’s reputation, and redirect his involvement with the financial fraud, Mayor Leslie Kensington hires LA publicist Anna English to keep her wayward son out of trouble. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between English and Court, and the fall-out as issues of trust, and a second betrayal push English out of Court Kensington’s life.
Anna English knows heart break and betrayal first hand but never expected to rebound with her most recent client. Court Kensington struggles both personally and professionally in the wake of his most recent scandal but ‘working’ with Anna English is no longer a black and white issue but slowly blurring the lines of why she was hired.
The relationship between English and Court begins as a business arrangement, an arrangement of which Court wants no part. He doesn’t need a babysitter or a professional make-over but something about English draws Court like a moth to a flame, a flame that is about to burn out and spiral. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including Larkin and Sam (The Lying Season), Gavin King, Camden Percy and his wife Katherine Van Pelt, and Whitley Bowen. WE are introduced to socialite Poppy Arlington, billionaire Robert Dawson, English’s sister Taylor, her father Joe and step-mother Ashley, as well as English’s ex- husband Josh.
THE HATING SEASON is a story of family , friendships, betrayal and heart break. The fast paced premise is entertaining, inviting and engaging; the characters are energetic, animated and sassy; the romance is seductive, provocative and captivating. THE HATING SEASON is a wonderful, dramatic and intense look at the powerful elite, and the fall-out of too much, too soon.
GAH!!! I love this series! Court and English’s story was EPIC! I devoured this book in one sitting! I am not usually a huge fan of angsty books, but that exception is ALWAYS KA Linde! Ms. Linde is such a gifted storyteller! I love everything about this story! FIVE STARS!
This is the 2nd book in this fascinating series and is Anna and Courts’ story. Anna is a publicist who always prides herself at being professional, that is until bad boy Court becomes her new client. Court has a huge heart and is nothing like the persona he presents. This is a beautifully written forbidden romance story which is filled with angst, drama, and is a wonderful enemies / lovers romance story. I recommend for al readers.
* A review copy was provided by the author *
Just like The Lying Season, I was so excited to read The Hating Season. I have been anxious to read Court and English’s story since I first met these characters. I am happy to say I wasn’t disappointed at all.
The Hating Season is a standalone novel that is a spin off from K.A. Linda’s Cruel Trilogy. After reading all these books, it is my recommendation to read them in order. Yes this book is a standalone, but I think you will appreciate the storyline and characters much more if you read these books in order. This book was both entertaining and sexy. I loved this story. I am normally not a huge fan of enemies to lovers stories, but this one worked out well for me. Maybe because I was so invested in these characters that I was sucked into their story right from the start!!! I had a hard time putting this book down.
In this book we follow Court Kensington and Anna English. Court is the older, more crazy brother of Penn (Hero in the Cruel Trilogy). He was just totally burned by his ex girlfriend and has kind of got a bad reputation. So his mother hires someone to come in and clean it up. In comes Anna English. Anna is Lark’s (heroine from The Lying Season) friend. Anna is happily married and living her best life….until she isn’t. Now just focused on cleaning up Court’s image….she starts to crack the whip. I loved Court and Anna’s dynamic…something about them just drew me in and I couldn’t help but root for them.
This is a fairly quick moving story, but it lacked for nothing. We got all the ups and downs and feelings we normally see in a K.A. Linde book. I thought the pace and flow of this book worked well. The storyline is well developed and was well written. This book isn’t as angsty or drama filled as the Cruel Trilogy was, but I am ok with that.
I enjoyed seeing some of the Crew in this book, although I would’ve liked seeing more of Penn and Natalie in this book. I have to admit I am kind of scared for Katherine’s book. I haven’t liked her much throughout this series of stories and I am not sure she is redeemable at this point. I guess I’ll have to wait and see.
If you are a fan of an enemies to lovers romance story, then this is one you will want to read. This is a book that should be on everyone’s TBR list!!!
I really hate to admit this but this is my first K.A. Linde book I have read. I have so many on my TBR but haven’t gotten around to reading them and am kicking myself for that now! I loved this book! Court and English are perfection! I was sucked in right from the start. English is a total badass who doesn’t take shit from anyone when is comes to her job. Court comes off as an entitled Upper East Side prick but there is so much more to him that he doesn’t let anyone see. They both have bruised hearts but they can’t deny their attraction to each other. Their chemistry is crazy hot!
I cannot wait for more from this series! I love all characters that also appeared in this book and want more of them! I am definitely going to read the first book in this series as well as the Cruel series as this is a spin-off from that.
4.5 Stars for The Hating Season
If you are looking for a book to get your teeth into and you love enemies to lovers look no further than this story because this has to be one of the best in that genre that I have read this year.
Court Kensington is a hot Playboy who needs his image cleaned up and he has employed the best PR company to do this and that means working with Anna English or English as she prefers to be called. English prides herself on her professionalism and Court should just be another client but when her world comes tumbling down she finds its Court who is there helping her pick up the pieces ………
This book has all the feels, you never know what’s going to happen next and you find yourself sitting on the edge of your seat with anticipation, the characters are likeable and their story enjoyable, you will be captivated but you will be left wanting more and you will be left needing The Breaking Season which for me can’t come soon enough. Great read from a very talented author.
4.5 Stars!
Linde did it again, another fantastic book! Court is a charmer he puts off this playboy persona but that is not really him. He pretends he does not care what people think of him but deep down inside he is a sweet guy with a good heart. English is jaded due to a bad break up so she does not automatically give guys the benefit of the doubt. The two have tons of great banter! I thought the storyline was fantastic. Great build up for the relationship between the two. The secondary characters a great bonus to the book and leaves the reader wanting more immediately. If you are looking for a book you are not going to want to put down with the perfect amount of angst, perfect blend of emotions in a forbidden romance/enemies to lovers story, this is the book for you! I cannot wait for Camden and Katherine’s story!
I swallowed this story up in a day!!! The Hating Season had me completely forgetting everything but this story. English was amazing! She loves fiercely. He husband was an idiot, but K.A. Linde put some magic in her story and had me actually liking Josh a smidge. They truly seemed like a great couple until they weren’t. But that adds up to another part of the story that you will find out almost at the end.
Back to present, English found something she did not know she was missing. Over the charts chemistry! Court brought it and they were explosive together! There is still some hidden secrets with the crew that stayed in the back of my head. But of course they are not uncovered. The Hating Season is like watching a reality show in your mind. But it pumps up the adrenaline that you can’t get anywhere else but here. I am loved the way the story evolved and the ending was perfect. The Hating Season is another winner that I won’t stop talking about! Now I can’t wait for Camden and Katherine’s story next!!
Holy moly what a start to the story! It hooks you right in and you just have to know what happens to Anna English!
English is a celebrity publicist and after discovering her husband has cheated on her flies back to New York to her celebrity bad boy client Court Kensington who epitomises the very words ‘bad boy’! Trouble seems to find her there too.
Court is not quite who he was portrayed, it’s always good to find a character has layers and isn’t the shallow type of person you expect. He is quite a simple person in reality yet complex in many other ways. Anna is at such a crossroads that it’s hard for her to develop a level of trust necessary to form a healthy relationship. She’s an interesting character, one filled with a lot of determination and drive as well as inner strength.
The whole life of celebrities and Upper East Side New Yorkers is mind boggling and certainly is another world far, far away. Interesting but it just showed how happy I am to be little old me. This entire crew is amazing and there are some fabulous secondary characters. I’m very intrigued with the next story about Camden and Katherine, bring it on.
Reviewer: Robyn
Holy moly what a start to the story! It hooks you right in and you just have to know what happens to Anna English!
English is a celebrity publicist and after discovering her husband has cheated on her flies back to New York to her celebrity bad boy client Court Kensington who epitomises the very words ‘bad boy’! Trouble seems to find her there too.
Court is not quite who he was portrayed, it’s always good to find a character has layers and isn’t the shallow type of person you expect. He is quite a simple person in reality yet complex in many other ways. Anna is at such a crossroads that it’s hard for her to develop a level of trust necessary to form a healthy relationship. She’s an interesting character, one filled with a lot of determination and drive as well as inner strength.
The whole life of celebrities and Upper East Side New Yorkers is mind boggling and certainly is another world far, far away. Interesting but it just showed how happy I am to be little old me. This entire crew is amazing and there are some fabulous secondary characters. I’m very intrigued with the next story about Camden and Katherine, bring it on.
The Kensington brothers are everything.. I mean I thought I loved Penn and he was my main man for a while, but Court? oh boy I wasn’t expecting him to be this incredible, Miss Linde outdid herself with this amazing story. Court and English were more than what I was expecting, I read this story in one sitting and then I couldn’t pick up another book for like a week! I can’t wait for the next book!
Court Kensington has lurked in the background of K A Linde’s Cruel series and the previous Seasons series book, The Lying Season. He’s troublesome and troublemaking, so much so that he needs Anna English, a glorified babysitter (aka a publicist handler) to keep him on the straight and narrow. As Linde hinted in The Lying Season, Court and English’s hate is soooooo close to rip-your-clothes-off-NOW passion.
English, though, wants to steer clear. She has, as she tells us (a lot), rules for proper PR decorum, and sleeping with your client isn’t on that list. She is also, as she tells us (a lot), very good at her job. So maybe she could get away with a little hot headboard rocking with Court and still take care of business?
There aren’t a lot of surprises here, but that is more than made up for with Linde’s feisty and frisky writing. As I write this review, we are in the midst of the coronavirus shutdown. A book like this–one that lets you escape into the world of Upper East Side privilege–is a lovely antidote. I wish Court and English had been a little better developed, particularly her. Much of their agency is sort of lost in the fever of their relationship. Court, for instance, has a secret passion that sort of stalls.
One thing I enjoyed tremendously was seeing Katherine and Camden. Those two fascinate me more than anyone else in the Crew, and Linde gives you a preview of their book at the end of this one. I can’t wait for it. I feel like we’ve been building to the revelation of what’s going on between them, and I am giddy over its possibilities.
Yum!! This book was one I devoured as it span its enemies to lovers magic! English and Court are fantastic protagonists; one angry and hurt, the other hiding their true selves behind a successful mask of living the high life and not giving a damn about anyone else or consequences. From this solid bedrock springs a book full of revelations, banter wit and characters rich in background and story.
I loved the gradual unfolding of Court’s character, revealing unexplored gold, while English, left spinning by events, needs to learn to trust again.
A fabulous, richly plotted read which has left me champing at the bit for Katherine and Camden’s story, which promises to be an absolute humdinger!
I freaking love an enemies to lover’s romance and add boss and client….YUMMY!
Court and Anna’s love story will melt your heart and set your kindle on fire. They were explosive together, with lots of angst and emotions. The heroine is a strong very independent woman, coming from a horrible breakup, and not wanting to cross the line with her client and friend. The hero is your typical bad boy, man-whore or so it seems, in this story we really get to see is true side, and man he make you swoon for sure.
The second installment in the Season series, it can be read as a standalone, but read The Lying Season too, you won’t be disappointed.
I am loving this new series by K.A.Linde! 5 stars for this one! If you haven’t started it yet grab book 1 and get moving, you will not be disappointed!
Follow the story of Anna, or as she is referred to in the story, English. She takes care of PR nightmares, but when her own nightmare strikes, she buries herself back into the job that brought her to NY, making sure Court stays out of trouble until his mother is re-elected. Easy right? Well not when Court is involved, and she has one rule, don’t sleep with clients…yea ok, so follow along as they navigate their working relationship, and keep her personal feelings out of it!
I love this book, I could not put it down! Make sure you grab this one ASAP!
This was my first book I have ever read from K.A. Linde and it won’t be my last now. I went into this book completely blind to her writing. I just knew the blurb sounded good. I’ll be honest, at first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. BUT, I kept reading and I loved it. I became invested with the characters and wanted to live through them in New York City and LA. I loved how feisty English was and how much Court grew throughout the book. I loved their hateful relationship they had and how it developed. I loved the concept of the whole book and how we were introduced into a whole world of fame and the dark side of fame. The writing did keep me entertained, the characters were dimensional, and the concept was sexy.
Also, I HAVE to know what happens between Katherine and Camden next. I cannot wait.
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Honestly my mind is blown at this intriguing story!
If Court Kensington can get his act together! There is hope!
I especially loved the way English “handles” him! She is his publicist after all and what a tumultuous ride we are sent on! No word of a lie, I often wondered how his story would go and who holds his interest!
The Upper east side group certainly has alot of drama, secrets and turmoil that will have you wondering what will happen next! This book was an absolute pleasure to read and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!
Can English tame the proverbial playboy or is he not what he seems? You just have to read it for yourself to indulge in the ultimate Upper East Side drama! Cant wait for more! Loved it!
I have been a KA Linde fan from the get to. I have read just about every book she’s written. And with each book, I love her writing and storytelling even more.
I am a HUGE fan of enemies to lovers and angst. KA Linde writes fantastic angst and this book doesn’t disappoint.
Anna English is hired to be Court’s publicist. The person who will keep him in line – the Upper Eastside born, entitled manwhore who needs reigning in while his mother is vying for re-election.
Anna English is an up and coming publicist who is no-nonsense and always professional.
Once things blow up for English with her Hollywood star husband, the sparks ignite between these two and it’s always brewing. The fine line between love and hate is blurred
I knew when we met Court in The Lying Season he was a force to be reckoned with, a man who was misunderstood. Anna English was just the right woman, at the right time to help him figure it out. Court also was what Anna needed. The road was bumpy and hot AF!!
As always, KA Linde delivers a fast-paced, well written, super hot and riveting story.
I CAN NOT wait for Katherine and Camden’s story next. h
They say never judge a book by it’s cover. How many times have we all heard it? Yet that’s exactly what everyone does with Court Kensington. The guy has more layers to him than an onion and he keeps most of them close to the vest. Rarely does he let anyone see anything but the Upper East Side playboy that they’ve all come to expect. English is a master fixer, but even she has her hands full with her latest client. Misconceptions, lies, and betrayal play a big role in the lives of Court and English. Can they see through the haze and get to the core of who they are? There are so many layers to this story, just when you think you get it, something else is revealed and another loop is thrown our way. I really like this group of friends and am eagerly awaiting the next story, just to be able to see their world from another point of view.