Hate To Love You

I love Tijan one of my favorite authors and I loved this story as well!!! This book kept me awake all night until I finished!! I highly recommend this one!!

Good read

This book, and this author, have been on my TBR for so long. It took me a long time to warm up to and like Kennedy, but once I did, I was rooting for her. Shay is the best part of this story!! I need to check to see if there’s more for the characters in this book. I want all of them to get their HEA

No f**king joke, I was a Tijan virgin before this…and damn, why? Why did I wait so long to tackle this author (Get it? Tackle? Cuz our main squeeze, Shay, is a football god…) I’m seriously in love, and I gotta be honest, I don’t know if I’m in love with Shay and Kennedy or if I’m in love with Tijan. This book was so d*mn refreshing, and not in a “traditional” romance make me swoon kind of way, although there was absolutely #swooning. No, let’s just get this out there: Tijan has a way with consistent character flow and development, a way with dialogue, a way with story telling, and she nails all three! That’s a beautiful feat for a writer in today’s contemporary romance world. She quite literally #grabsyoubytheballs (you’ll see) and insists you pay attention to her writing, to her amazing and well-developed characters, and also to the deeper issues she discusses in her work. I love a good light romance, but here’s the thing about life: #lifeismessy, and Tijan isn’t afraid to bring her readers into the chaotic, lovely, awful, scary, wonderful mess that is the human experience. Because #real, #gritty, #stickwithyou stories are the ones that #digdeep, pull out the roots of your reading niceties, and shove a whole f**kuva lot of truth in your face. But also, because I’m a mushy chick, those stories also let you fall in love Tijan, thanks for ripping up some of my romance roots and giving me a great story to latch onto.

** spoiler alert ** I love Tijan and I love her writing.. However, I didn’t love this book near as much as I wanted to. It was a good book with a good story line, per se, but it didn’t do anything for me. Now let me explain before you go all brazilian jiu jitsu on me now..

Kennedy has rules when she starts college, she wants a fresh start, no hot boys, and no drama. Good luck honey, that’s exactly what college is.. I liked Kennedy somewhat. She had some good witty comebacks, but she seemed unhinged more often than not, and I wasn’t sure what to think when things started with Shay. I mean, if a girl is constantly telling you she hates you why would you continue your pursuit when there are thousands, literally, of other girls that are all throwing themselves at you. I understand guys enjoy “the chase” but this one didn’t work for me. Especially after she forces you to hide in a closet then all of a sudden your making out? Who does that?

Now the drama part and the realisticness (I know it’s not really a word but we’re going with it) of how cruel and relentless the other students can be when you go against the grain, that was so on point. The attacks, the drama with Casey, that was all legit and raw and real. 5 stars on that! The relationship with Shay not so much. I obsessively continued to hope that they would finally hit the point where they both opened up to each other and you could finally understand the feelings between the two, but it didn’t happen until the very end and then it was like Shay had word vomit for a total of 5 minutes and that was it. I wished there was more character development for him. Sure he’s the big man on campus and everybody loves him, but why do you Kennedy? Because of all the great sex? Yeah, no that’s called lust. I enjoyed the fact that when the going got tough they seemed to draw closer to each other, but why did it take her getting drunk for her to finally want him, and then for her to get attacked for her to finally love him.. It seemed way to forced in that aspect. I wanted it to be a hit and run kind of love in the sense that it hits you so hard and so fast you didn’t see it coming and there is nothing you can do but feel. Again, I wish there was more to Shay. He was swoon worthy enough, he just truly needed more depth, I needed to feel more from him, see more from him, have that connection with him and it just wasn’t there.

The story keeps talking about Kennedy and how she isn’t like the other girls (in her opinion), she’s more closed off and hides things about herself, like who her brother is.. I mean really? Who does that? AND why why why did her brother go along with it? I would have made damn sure to embarrass the shit out of my sibling if they ever asked me to pretend like I didn’t know them. Nope, not happening. And there’s no way in hell I would hide in a freaking bush like a stalker just to get to talk to them. You have lost your damn mind.

Now the good parts… clearly the sex was great, its all they ever did. The witty comebacks from Kennedy were pretty creative. The whole “you glow when you’re mad” that was weird but it made sense. He was saying she was feisty and he liked that she had fight in her. The “flashcards” yeah I swooned hard on that part, but that was the only point where you got to see the true love dynamic, again the rest was lust if you ask me. Oh and last but not least I truly enjoyed the drama aspect, even though that was the last thing Kennedy wanted while she was at college, that was the best part to the book.

All in all its an okay read. I won’t necessarily say it’s bad and I won’t call it great. Just okay. Hence the 3 stars. Tijan is one of my all time favorite artist and it hurts my heart to not be able to give a 5 star review for this book as I have for the other 15 (literally) books of hers I have read, but this one just truly wasn’t her best work.

Why, oh why?! I’ve heard so much about this author and I can’t believe it took me so long to finally pick up one of her books.

Although I do read college romances occasionally, it’s getting harder to find well written ones that really interest me. (I believe that’s especial-ly the case the older I become.) Anyway, I had some troubles getting into the story at first; otherwise I would have given it more stars. Kennedy was kind of a weird girl. I get why she was like that but it made it so much harder or almost impossible to connect with her character. It felt like that at least for me. I’m probably a too nice person and would be the in-visible one at college. But moving on, I worked my way through the first few chapters and got to like the story more and more or rather began to love it after a few bumps.

You’ll find the typical college dramas, sexual experiences, weird room-mates, hateful stares and comments as well as embarrassing encounters in this book.

And although the story has the usual clichés and well known college-moments it’s still somewhat different. Maybe it’s because I haven’t read a lot of college romances in the last few years but I think that especially with Kennedy Clarke’s character, there was a different way about it. Also Shay Coleman, captain and quarterback of the college football team, usually a cocky bastard, was not as coldhearted and ass-like as one would believe. There’s more to him than one might think. Prejudices are quite common in our society and they are worst at college.
So try to think and see the whole of it before you judge someone; there’s always more to a person than one would think because people rarely wear their hearts on the sleeves.

The Story:
Kennedy Clarke is definitely not a wallflower, she has all the good looks and hot body, but still, she sets up her rules of no boys and no drama at college. High school had not been fun despite or especially because of her two big brothers and all the attention she’s gotten. Now it will all be different because she decided to stay in the background, make a few low-key friends and study her ass off.

But she hadn’t counted on Shay Coleman making his way into her life. He’s hard to shake off and his captivating looks require double takes. This screams for trouble and Kennedy soon finds herself in a whirlwind of chaos with not wanted emotions making its way to the surface. Problems are inevitable and the lines of her rules start to blur.

Thoughts:
Like I mentioned before, the beginning was a bit bumpy for me but as I got used to the writing and the characters strange way of thinking and behav-ing, I started to like it a lot.

I was surprised at how much I liked Shay Coleman as I was used to the ha-tred usually accompanying such character. Star quarterback and hottest guy at college, every girl wanted to do him and every guy wanted to be him. This was mostly a warn signal for the main female character to a person causing troubles. Anyway, he was cocky and he was a smartass but he was al-so really nice, loving, smart, caring, protective and passionate. I wasn’t used to those characteristics of such a cliché person. This threw me for a loop.
Shay’s personality was otherworldly. I don’t know how else to describe him. There’s no way a man like him exists in the real world. He’s most certainly most woman’s (wet) dream.

Gage was a nice character as well and although he was a heartthrob, he was lovely and cared for his sister.

The story also dealt with some tougher topics although they weren’t really dealt with in a way I would have liked but rather grazed. Though I get it, because the main character was partly just indirectly affected and dealt with it in her own way how she thought acceptable.

Kennedy appeared to be a strong person and she partly was really tough but she also tried to avoid a repeat of what happened to her in high school. That’s why she acted tough and it was mostly because she didn’t want to be classified as vulnerable. Kennedy just wanted to protect herself and not get hurt again.

I liked the differences that I made out to other typical college romances although there were few. But it was a well written, enjoyable and enter-taining story. It wasn’t really a road down memory lane for me because col-lege in my country is so much different but I couldn’t stop reminiscing about the past.

Although I like to read college romances here and there I, prefer the HEA kind of reads and no matter how high school or college romances end, there is always a stale aftertaste because you never know how life will really continue for the characters. Because, come on, how many HEA do you know in real life that started in high school or college? I mean, there might be a few but out of how many? I’m sure you get what I mean. Anyway, I still liked the ending of this book.

Now I really have to catch up on those other books I already have from this author because this book definitely whetted my appetite for her stories.

When I want a heavy dose of college drama, Tijan is my #1 go-to. I just love how she writes all of her characters. I did think this dragged on in some spots and I wish that it was in dual POV, I’m a fan of dual POV. Having said that, I still really liked Shay and Kennedy (best name ever btw, it’s my daughters name). Kennedy has a huge wall built up around her, she comes off as a hard ass. That girl had one helluva senior year. Shay, Mr. Football McHottie, was lucky enough to break down that big ole wall. He’s the man in this book. Some of the things he said to her, girly sigh. That’s why I like dual POV, I wanted to get into his head so bad. It’s okay, still loved reading it.

Oh and, hello cover. I’m not hating that cover at all. *wink wink*

Another solid story, I really enjoyed it!

WHOA!! What a ride.

There were times I didn’t understand Kennedy at all, I wanted to. I could see her “side”, I could see her reasoning, but I couldn’t always get behind her anger. Also the time line seems a bit off to me, but that wasn’t so bad.

Shay was a dream from start to finish.

A lot more drama than I anticipated, but it all flowed and fit nicely.

it was amaxing

Based in a college setting, Kennedy “Kenz” Carter is attending her first year of college and along with that, all the drama that comes with it. She is the youngest in her family and has always lived in the shadows of her older brothers. In High School she learned real fast that the only reason the girls were friends with her in the first place, was because of her older brothers. Everyone got close to her, to get close to them. And after one bad situation in particular, she decided that she wouldn’t allow that to happen in college. To protect herself from getting hurt again and from getting surrounded by fake friends, she has rules now and plans to abide by them: #1 No hot guys, #2 No drama, and #3 New year, New place, New me. All those rules are tested when Shay Coleman, the college football captain and quarterback is in one of her classes and seems to have a fascination with annoying her and getting under her skin. He pushes all her buttons and makes her break her rules. She battles with her head vs her heart and soon finds herself completely enamored by him, but she fears he is just like everyone else and in the end will just hurt her. But as they spend time with each other, Shay begins to get Kennedy to come out of her shell and live some. Their secret relationship becomes their norm and gradually becomes more. But having a relationship with the star football player has its own drama and as much as Kennedy told herself she was going to avoid drama, it seems to have found her. Can they get past Kennedy’s insecurities? Of course having a relationship with the college star football player doesn’t come without its own drama. Can Kennedy live with that?

I will admit, I was drawn into this book originally because of the cover *wink* and then I read the blurb. I knew I had to read it after that because I thoroughly enjoy hate-to-lovers type stories. There’s usually a feisty heroine and an a**hole guy and those type of characters just indulge my obsession with reading that type of storyline. AND add to that, the fact that this novel is based in a college setting…SIGN ME UP. But unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. Shay and Kennedy’s story fell flat for me a little over half way through the novel. As I said, I was expected an enemies-to-lovers story, but I don’t even feel that is the correct labeling for this story. They “hated” each other for like a hot minute and then they were on each other and I didn’t even feel that that was because of the hate element, more of just a physical attraction thing. I was hooked for the first half of the book because of the prospect of the bickering, ista-attraction and hate s*x, but even that fizzled away.

And then the characters…there were TONS! Kennedy’s personality became unpredictable and quite odd as the book went on. She would flip to #psychomode, as I now call it, in a heartbeat, even I was put off by her. Then Shay, he’s seems perfect (if not clueless at times), but I would’ve liked to have gotten his POV, even if it was just a couple chapters because by the end of the novel, he still felt like a mystery to me. I needed more depth with his character. I felt as if his “back story” was just glossed over and rushed in a couple paragraphs at the end without much resolution. We could’ve had less of the added drama throughout the story and used some of his trials in life to make up more of the storyline.

I also did find the dialogue confusing at times. I would catch myself re-reading a sentence to figure out WHO is talking/thinking now. There were so many secondary characters that I almost considered making a list at one point to keep them straight. And then the abrupt ending…they didn’t seem to be in a “good” place in their relationship AT ALL and I honestly didn’t see them having much of a future without more communication. I guess I would’ve liked less obstacles and more openness throughout the book for them. They still seemed to be in the “friends with benefits” stage of their relationship.

All in all, I did finish the book and I really enjoyed the first half, but the second half lost me. I am fairly new to Tijan’s novels (the ones I’ve read, I’ve LOVED), so it saddens me to not love this one as well, but that happens sometimes. I feel if you are a fan of this authors writing, give it a chance, you may love it, if you’re new, I guess it’s up to you. Maybe you love books packed with college drama. I’ve seen others give it 5 stars, so some people love it!

3 stars!