I didn’t know I was that person. You know—the one who gets the kids. But that’s what the will said. June Lawler: Legal Guardian. My niece and nephew are 6 and 9, and all they’ve ever known is San Francisco. I arrive the day after the wreck, pack up my sister’s mansion, and fly them back to Georgia. The small-town farm where their mom and I grew up isn’t what it once was, but it’s home. That’s all … That’s all they really need.
*
I was courting an investor when it happened. Tromped all up and down the Himalayas, and he didn’t even buy in. It was a week before I found out what I’d lost. My little brother meant the world to me. Now even his kids are gone.
Spirited away to Heat Springs, Georgia—population 298.
They’re living on a farm that’s half a breath from bank foreclosure with a 26-year-old who didn’t finish high school. Nowhereville is not the place for little Mastersons. But I’ll get them back. It’s the money she must want, and I’ve got lots of that.
“June Bug” Lawler is poorer than that red dirt she comes from. I can make her dreams come true—and do one last thing for my brother.
I hate him.
She makes me crazy.
He thinks he can buy me off! I’ve never met a man so arrogant.
There’s no woman anywhere more stubborn.
I wish I had never met him.
But that’s not the story.
more
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed the experience of listening to this. The plot and the banter between June and Burke really sucked me in. The wide cast of side characters added a depth that isn’t always present. This was a slow burn enemies to lovers story with more angst than I was expecting, even given the blurb (which I actually read this time) the whole oil and water thing from the first meeting between Burke and June really made for an interesting dynamic. This had my two favourite audio narrators attached to it so it for sure gets extra points for that. Thanks to Little Dog Press and the author for allowing me the opportunity to listen and review an ALC of this. All opinions are my own.
I would not call this an enemies-to-lovers as such, because the enemy-part was over rather quickly.
June gets custody of her niece and nephew after the death of her sister Sutton and her husband Asher. Burke – Asher’s brother – was out of the country when the couple died and is determined to bring the children back to California. But soon he admits June is a good choice and the book is mostly about their insane chemistry.
I enjoyed the book but not the last part actually. I thought the tone of the story changed too much and became somber. (2020)
This book seemed like a bit of a departure from Ella’s usual style of writing. Although, It has it’s angst, It was a much lighter book than some of her others. CAptivating and a binge-worthy just the same.
Tragedy brings Burke and June together. They both want the best for their niece and nephew, however they are not in complete agreement what that is. They each have preconceived assumptions about eachother. They start to work thru them, becoming friends and finally lovers. However, they will have to work for their happy ever after.
June to Burke:
“When I’m with you, it doesn’t matter…common sense doesn’t, I mean. Do I hate that? Sort of.” Her voice quakes a little on that word. “But that’s just how some things are. I started thinking how some people just feel so familiar. When you meet them, it’s like they’re already yours. Happened when I first met Leah. Like we’d been best friends before, and there she was again; it was just natural. Sort of felt that way with you, too. As soon as I stopped wanting to slap you silly, I just…cared about you.” She squeezes her eyes shut, inhales, and then covers her face with one curved hand. “Certain people bring out certain things. Sometimes you can’t control it. Maybe it’s our duty to endure that kind of feeling. Price of having bonds with people we love.”
Wow- I was not expecting such depth of emotion- an enemies to lovers vibe story that really tugs at your heartstrings.
The characters here are what makes this story so moving. June’s life has been fundamentally altered by devastating events- not only losing her sister but now she’s responsible for her ieve and nephew- she loves these kids, but parenthood was not what she was expecting. Her brother-in-law (sister’s husband’s brother) Burke is a rich workaholic- shattered by the loss of his baby brother. Even more shattering? Realizing his brother’s children are sequestered off to Georgia with young June- so he decides to convince her to let them move to Cali with him. He tries his shady businessman techniques to coerce her, but June isn’t having it- she stands her ground. And, thus, we have two grieving individuals set up to butt heads while also fighting a burgeoning attraction to one another. IT GETS STEAMY. THE TENSION! The slower burn really helps us build the emotional ties, the intimacy.
Ella steadily and thoughtfully constructs the connection between these two characters- they start to more intimately connect, peak into their hearts and heartache, understand what makes them tick. And, they, too, start to see each other in a new light. This progression is steady, thoughtful, and caring through Ella’s well crafted prose- you FEEL for these characters, and you feel their connection. Burke in particular tugged at my heartstrings- such an examination of the impact of loss and grief.
The story is sweet- and the banter is charming, but there is also heart hear with themes about finding love amidst profound loss. A charming and emotional read!
This book had all the feels- funny, sweet and sad.
June is given custody of her niece and nephew and she brings them back to her ranch in the small town she grew up in and still lives in. June’s character is written so well, she is quirky funny clumsy and sweet. Burke thinks he knows what is best for his niece and nephew and that small town isn’t what he thinks. So Good I loved it!
This story was something else! It was so sad at times but had me cracking up other times. June is so quirky. You can’t help but fall in love with these characters.
Hate You Not by Ella James was an adorable, comical, heartbreaking enemies to lovers romance that I enjoyed.
June just got custody of her niece and nephew after her sister and her husband are killed. These kids are super adorable, and my heart broke for them.
Burke is their uncle the brother of the kids dad. He’s thinking June has a different agenda for wanting the kids. I loved the banter between Burke and June. These two were very entertaining
I really enjoyed this book. It’s definitely a very slow burn romance, and the characters are relatable. The storyline held my attention and kept me entertained. The only issue I had was I felt the story was very wordy. Way too many details at times. I was skimming those parts. But all in all a great enemies to lovers that you’ll want to read.
A slow burn enemies romance. Burke and June brought together by grief and no one knows by how much until the end. A solid book read. Standalone HEA.
This was a 4.5 read
This was such an emotionally charged read.
June and Bourke clashed hard. Both wanting what’s best for their neice and nephew.
It’s what happens when they both realise they both want the same thing when things start to heat up.
Chemistry between these two is hot.
This was a gorgeous journey of loss and love and that happily ever afters do exist.
I was given an ARC… i voluntarily reviewed.
The blurb on this book grabbed my attention; I’ve seen a couple movies with this type of theme and thought I’d really enjoy a book like this.
June gets awarded guardianship of her sister and brother in laws children after they pass away in an accident. Considering everything raising them would entail and both California; where the children lived before their parents died and where June currently lives she decides to take them home to Georgia with her. She has a great community and family surrounding her to help, so for her its a no brainer. However, Burke who was raised in California finds a huge problem with his niece and nephew being whisked away to some small town somewhere in Georgia that he thinks couldn’t possibly offer them the same life opportunities that California and he could.
With the intentions of bringing them back to California to live with him, he heads to Georgia. What he didn’t prepare himself for was the fireball that June Lawler is. Shocked by the fact that pretty much all his assumptions were incorrect; he gets to know June, her life and everyone around there.
Now he has choices to make.
June’s character was strong and loyal to her way of life; which I absolutely loved. It was probably my favorite thing about her. Burke earned brownie points with me because he loved sweet tea and cornbread. I was basically raised on those and there probably wasn’t a day in my childhood that I didn’t have those two items at least once a day. The banter between these two could be pretty funny at times; even had me laughing out loud a couple times.
This was not my first Ella James book; however it’s the first one I had any issues with. The plot itself was okay but it had a slow start. It wasn’t until around 20% that I really started enjoying the book. Even then, there were too many spots where the author lost me. I got more descriptive writing rather than actual interaction between the main characters. Descriptions of the setting is always great but I don’t need that much; I felt she gave too much on that. Especially in the beginning. Some of the interactions between Burke & June just felt off; kind of weird and forced.
Unexpectedly enjoyed this book! At first I was a little confused on how this would pan out, but as I continued reading I became so invested! June gets custody of her sister’s children, unbeknownst to her that she was appointed their guardian if something were to happen. She makes the decision to take them back to her hometown, the one place her sister left from and never looked back. When June’s brother-in-law’s actual brother finds out what happened and where his niece and nephew are, he devises a plan to get them back by using blackmail and money to persuade her. The back and forth between these two over the children and guardianship becomes comical after the back and forth and trying to one-up each other, and that banter turns into more. With Burke then going hot and cold, and June getting another surprise, the pair end up getting their HEA after Burke addresses his demons as well as June. I really liked this book and enjoyed how it ended and would love to see a book for June’s best friend!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This book was unlike most of any other book I’ve read by James before.
Although characters were brought together by tragedy; it was a story full of humor, tenderness, and bright characters.
Family ties are woven together perfectly, to make a love story sure to touch the heart and soul alike.
As Always, Happy Reading!
“4/5 Beaming Brains!” – Lit-Up My Mind
What a slow burning read that will have you crying and hating throughout this read
I love Ella James and every one of her books I’ve read. This book, Hate you (Not) is definitely one of my favorites. It has a bit of everything, sadness, heartbreak, humor, slow burn romance and sizzle! June is a very strong woman who is thrown into parenthood suddenly. Burke was kind of a jerk, thinking he could come in and take over. They definitely overcame the “hate”. There were so many laugh out loud moments in this emotional book. I highly recommend reading it
There are some stories that are just sweet and make you smile as you’re reading, for me this was that kind of story. Everything about these characters feels authentic and at times I could almost smell a country summer; pretty amazing in Michigan in February. The story itself is simple and sweet with enough complications to keep it realistic. Read the book and let yourself smile.
To be honest I started reading this one while hungover by another read that has been playing with my emotions for a few days. So this might not be an accurate account of the story. I found it difficult to get into and keep my mind engaged with the characters, again, I was still hung up over another book.
Awhile into the story, when June Bug Lawler is barreling at the rodeo and she gets injured is when the book picked up for me and I was invested in the story. Brent Masterson is a multimillionaire with bucks to burn but unable to commit to a relationship with anyone, regardless of his restlessness he is trying to get his feelings under control. They both have momma issues that the need to address in order for them to build a solid foundation. June lost her sister due to an accident the same one that caused Brent’s brother, Asher’s death, leaving their two children orphans. June was granted custody while Brent was thinking about challenging the decision, that was until he found his way to Georgia and fell in love with June Bug. It’s a sweet enemy to lover’s story.
When the book started I didn’t really like Burke. But the more I read the more I enjoyed him and June.
June jumped in immediately when her sister and husband was in a car accident in San Francisco. Her sister’s in laws wasn’t the type of people that her sister wanted to raise her kids. Just lives in a small little town in Georgia on a dying farm.
Burke wasn’t in town when his brother died and now all he wants is to get his brother’s kids and take them back to San Francisco. So he sets off to Georgia to get his niece and nephew and he is determined to take them home.
This was a funny and sweet and passionate story. The chemistry between June and Burke was off the charts. They had a sort of hate/love/want you type of attraction and the back and forth banter was so good. But the more time they spend together you get to know different parts of these characters. Burke might seem like the happy go luck type of person but he has some issues going on too. So this was maybe just what he needed to sort himself out. Definitely a story I can recommend!
Ella James has been one of my favorite authors for years, and I was excited to get an ARC of this book!!
Hate You Not is an enemies to lovers romance that is definitely worth the read.
After a tragic accident, June is given custody of her late sister’s children. The children were raised with priviledge in San Fransisco but June has a struggling farm in Georgia. The children’s paternal uncle Burke, who missed his brother’s funeral due to being out of cellular reach, looks into June and decides the kids are better off with him. Of course, June is going to fight him tooth and nail to keep those kids… until they fall in love.
There are a few unexpected twists in this story that made me tear up..I really felt for both Burke and June’s history. I thought it was hilarious though all the stereotypes of the south that Burke had… I totally understand why he thought the way the talked was so funny.
Although i will have to admit that i was confused by the downtown Charlie Brown…. in the 80s, it was all about Downtown Julie Brown from MTV.
Fantastic story – I whole heartedly recommend this book!!
I received an ARC for my honest review.
Hate You Not by Ella James is June Lawler (June Bug) and Burke Matheson’s story.
June and Burke’s story will have you just using boxes of tissues…it will totally hit you in the feels!! The heat meter also is working overtime…sizzle, pop, steam!! That’s the chemistry that you feel between June and Burke. Totally worth all the rollercoaster moments, angst, heartache and hurt that happens to get to the joy, laughter, forgiveness, healing , passion, love and that HEA. This is one sweet read that was fantastic to read.
My Rating: 4.5 stars **********
A good read that got better and better as it went. I enjoyed this story soooo much more than I thought I was going to. An Enemies to Lovers story, there is lots of chemistry between the main characters, but it is full of funny moments and lots of angst.
June and Burke are Enemies, although this is the first time they have met. There siblings were married and when they die in a car accident the children come to live with June, Burke is no where to be seen. He doesn’t accept his niece and nephew move from city life in California to a farm is the back blocks of Georgia, he also questions June’s intentions, and tries everything to have her hand them to him.