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.
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You will not expect the twistiness of the characters! So good! Elizabeth @ Carolina Chic’s Read
Burke & June are so different but yet so alike in their personalities, they have to go through a lot to get to the other side (their happy). They both experience such great loss in their lives. When they both loose their siblings in an accident leaving June as the guardian, Burke can’t see to the other side. He goes to a nowhere southern town to chase down his brothers children and bring them home. What he finds is a recipe for love and healing… even when it seems an impossibility.
5 Healing Stars
Hilarious! Brilliant! Intense! Loved this enemies to lovers book! The addition of the animals and kids completely the perfect hea for me!
This book kinda sneaks up on you and draws you in with these amazing characters that have had their share of heartache and loss. I loved the banter between June and Burke. They may have gotten off on the wrong foot but you can’t deny the chemistry. I loved June’s strength and big heart. Burke is actually really sweet, funny, and sexy. The kids are absolutely adorable and wiser beyond their years.
You will feel so many emotions throughout this book but in the end, it will leave you happy. Happy that this little family found their happy ending after so much tragedy. This may be the first book by Ella James I have read but it won’t be the last.
Hate You Not was a Perfect Read! It’s sweet and heartfelt while being laugh out loud funny! I couldn’t have loved it more. Hate you not was an emotional read but it’s also one of those special feel-good reads. It’s also my favorite kind of romance, enemies-to-lovers. I Flove enemies-to-lovers books and this one was Fabulous!!! All the hot sexual tension wafting from June and Burke is enough to get you pregnant! Their chemistry is off the charts and you crave all their encounters! I died laughing so many times throughout the book, everything was funny! Also, I’m a huge HP nerd so every bit that was incorporated was just “icing on my cake”. Wink Wink… I loved June sooooo much! The way she talks, her inner dialogue, all the happenings! It’s all Amazing! The author did an amazing job of making this book down to earth and gave you plenty of Georgia! I love connecting to a book when it comes to lifestyle, it really makes my heart swell! I connected so much with this book. The farm animals, the small-town life, the rodeo and June’s all-around little quirks! Hate You Not is definitely a book I will cherish reading! The characters are phenomenal and the story was Beautiful! I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
5 Stars
What a roller coaster ride June and Burke take us on. Though they share a niece and nephew they never knew one another, but when tragedy strikes they have no choice but to figure out a way to get along. This book will bring a few tears to your eyes in the beginning, but by the end you will spend time laughing, smiling and crying big giant tears, before a happily ever after is reached. This may not be a traditional family, and June and Burke may not be the typical couple, but everything about this pair and their family, just works.
Cara – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
I’m in love! This has to be one of my favorite books of 2020. Burke & June….phew! These two captivated me from the start and I had to see how these two would figure out life after some insane tragedy!
I loved that it was a slow burn! The tension and chemistry just had me up all night until I got to the end of the book! Make sure you’ve got several hours to dedicate to this book when you start it!
A sweet heartbreaking story about a young woman, June thrown into a life she didn’t expect, and Burke, who wants to step in and take over. One of my favorite genre’s, enemies to lovers. The banter in the story is spot on, June is a strong woman, and Burke is very sexy, and will make you laugh a lot. You will be transported into the small Georgia town, Ms. James writing is easy to follow and will completely captivate you.
I think it’s apparent from the start that the author loved writing this book. It’s got so much heart that you feel wrapped up in its warmth. I loved the sense of family she’s given us here and although a tragic event is at its core, it doesn’t dwell on the inevitable sadness that brings. Instead, the focus is on family and friendship, with June, despite being the younger member of the group, standing front and centre doing her own thing and winning at life. She’s got a fantastic personality and I loved the way she stepped into the role of parent to her orphaned niece and nephew. She’s fun and quirky, a hardworking young woman, and I couldn’t imagine anyone better to take on the responsibility for raising these adorable children. I liked her a lot.
I think it becomes clear very quickly that Burke is not really the bad guy he’s initially made out to be, although he did take some warming to. He’s used to the finer things in life and that makes him very stuck up, arrogant and selfish initially, but really he’s damaged and hurt and a little lost. I love the way he gets swept up by June’s family and doesn’t really know what’s hit him once they decide to bring him into the fold as it were.
I really enjoyed the push and pull of their relationship. Their witty banter was great as they tried to resist their attraction, until they couldn’t. Yes there’s ups and downs but overall, despite the subject matter at its centre, I would say this is a feel good story, intense in parts but overall fairly low on angst. Add in some gorgeous sexy times and a very sweet epilogue and you have the ideal enemies to lovers romance.
Burke and June have both suffered a loss but how they are handling it is different. June has to take on extra responsibility but Burke has different idea. Can they get along or do they secretly like each other?
HATE YOU NOTE is a beautiful enemy to lovers’ story that was brilliantly written, heartwarming and full of emotional angst. It had me totally captivated throughout this addictive page-turner. I was hooked from the very first page—laughing, swooning, fanning, and highlighting awesome quotes. Burke Masterson is a very wealthy city guy from San Francisco who is very tall, handsome, cynical, arrogant, and demanding—he is out to prove that money can buy anything, including June Lawler. Burke is on a mission to get his brother’s kids back in San Francisco with him. June Lawler is a good old southern girl from Georgia who is feisty, stubborn, sassy, and obstinate. June is very poor living on a farm, and after a devastating accident with her sister and her husband who lived in San Francisco, she was given guardianship of her sister’s two children and this change the course of her life. June will take on anyone including wealthy Burke if he tries to take the kids—and they were adorable! Burke and June have a unique—hate/love relationship. They will fascinate you and frustrate you at the same time. Their chemistry is off-the-charts. I loved the banter between Burke and June, and as well as the way they come around to their realizations at the end of the story was really well done. Ella James delivered an emotional ride where guilt gives way to determination and as hate transforms to love. The book will pique your interest and draw you in from the beginning to the very end. I would HIGHLY recommend this book!
I received this book with the understanding that I could leave a voluntary and honest review.
In this book we meet June Lawler and Burke Masterson. June was named legal guardian for her nice and nephew right after her sister and brother in law were killed in a car crash. She has no real clue what to do with the kids but love them and hope she is doing the right thing moving them from everything they knew in California to her home in Georgia. She believes she can do right by the choice that her sister made but she worries is she enough for 2 children who have had their whole lives changed in the blink of an eye. Burke can’t believe he wasn’t around enough to really be there for his brother. In fact it took him a week to find out that they had been killed because he was on a mountain top with a none working sat phone. He is back though and he is determined to do what he thinks is right this includes getting his brother’s children back to California and where he can watch over them. The thing is he isn’t sure about the woman who was given guardianship of them. He tries to get information but there isn’t really anything out there and her pics are from when she was much younger. One look at her though and he can’t believe this beautiful woman is the one he has come to take the children from. The more time they are around one another the more the line between hate and love gets blurred. Will these two find a HEA that will be there for all of them or will one of them take things a step to far and find there is no way back?
This is a an amazing story. There are so many dynamics to this story that I want to tell you about. However I don’t want to ruin the story for any other readers. I will say this author brings this issue of loss and understanding it to a fabulous light that really gives a better understanding to those who haven’t gone through something like that. I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Small-town Romance was one of my favorite genre. June Lawler wasnt expecting her life to change in such an instant time. The story was emotional and beautifully written. Who knew to find love during an unexpected moments? The resistance was sexy and adorble.. sexy hello…
June and Burke had made me smile throughout the story..
Hate You Not by Ella James is the story of June Lawler “June Bug” and Burke Matheson.
June lives in Heat Springs Georgia on a farm when she finds out about the lost of her sister and that she is the Guardian of her Niece and Nephew. Of course she goes to get them in San Francisco where they lived in a more wealthy environment. Burke was late learning of his younger brother’s death and his sister-in law because he was out of the country. Burke heads to Georgia planning on getting his niece and nephew but things start turning around where he is the one that has found a place in the crazy mixed up farm. Enjoyed their story.
Hate You Not by Ella James was absolutley incredible! This book was… more. It had everything you could possibly ask for and I fell in love instantly with the characters, the book, the country folk and the town.
The book was a planet of its own. It held so much humour, so much emotion and love and pain and wonder and hope. It was so incredble to read to experience, to laugh with the characters, to want to console the characters. It was packed with everything you could ask for in a book and I was so glad to be given the opportunity to read it.
As a lover of enemies-to-lovers romance, this ticked all the boxes. The chemistry spittomg between Burke and June set my kindle alight, and made my sides split laughing, a lot. I loved them when they were spareing against one another, or when they sweet and kind to each other. I just adored them.
And 5/5 for the steam factor. Packed with intensity, it definitely did not disappoint.
There were also a lot of side characters that i fell in love with, and I very much hope to see in the future *cough* Leah…
And to the two little cuties in the book, i want to smoosh your cheeks so much!
Overall, this book was an absolute delight to read. It was funny, emptional, intense at times and steamy. The characters were a hoot to be with, and I hope to see them (and the couple) again in the future.
5/5!
Burk’s brother is married to June’s sister when tragedy strikes and June’s sister and brother in law are killed in a wreck. June is named guardian of their two children and moves them to San Francisco with her. Burk then shows up being a total butt wanting to take the kids and raising them himself.
Ella James reeled me in with her small town enemies to lovers story, Hate You Not. James takes us to small town Heat Springs, Georgia where a young woman is embarking on a new journey as guardian to her niece and nephew. Moving them from San Francisco to her small town, she doubts her ability to parent these two little lost souls. When their millionaire uncle, Asher, shows up and voices the very heart of her concerns they form a very tumultuous relationship while both reeling from their loss.
Although this is a very deeply emotional book, James managed to create the perfect two characters and enough witty banter to really lighten the overall feel. Yes, this book made me tear up. Who couldn’t possibly with the thought of two kids understanding death. However, the fun loving banter, intriguing side characters and the overall feel of family really engaged me to this book. I loved the nicknames (She gets made props from the Potterhead fan in me!) and fun flirtation between Asher and June. As a true southerner, I totally understood the dialect and the battle of accents between them too! Just another layer that really lightened up this story.
As a first time reader of James, I can easily say that I’m definitely impressed and ready to read more. Once I downloaded this one, I was in it for the long haul- reading it cover to cover in under 24 hours. It was that good, that engaging and that sweet burn of romance between characters. I truly hope you take a chance on Hate You Not and fall just as hard as I did for this sweet families Happily Ever After.
I couldn’t get enough of June Bug and Berkie!! This book is great! An enemies to lovers story that will make you swoon and wishing for their HEA! After an unfortunate tragic accident, June is now the guardian to her niece and nephew. She moves them all back to her farm in Atlanta. Margot and Oliver are trying to adjust to country life and June’s southern accent. Burke doesn’t understand why his brother didn’t give guardianship to Margot and Oliver, but he is determined to bring them back to San Francisco so they continue the life they are used to.
I was laughing, smiling and swooning for Berk and June. The sassy southern girl met her match with the fast talking city boy. Ella James wrote an amazing story with so much heart and emotions. I wish there was more of their story. I loved every page and this is a must read!!
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and oh my is it brilliant. I was not disappointed all and neither will you be either. This book is a must read.
June gets her life totally flipped upside down after a major tragedy happens and throws many peoples lives up in the air. She didn’t even know that she was the person that would get the call and would go to if anything did happen. June’s sister and her husband died in an accident and June got the call to take care of the kids, her niece and nephew are still young at age 6 and 9. They go and stay on her parents farm in the small town in Georgia and June has to now try and navigate being a second mom to these young children and her heart. June is a real cool sassy women who wont take any crap and you have faith in her to be able to manage anything that is thrown at her.
Burke is a really sweet, loyal man,who is also very rich and sexy to boot. Al he ever does is work and is quite obsessed a total workaholic. At first he does come across to June as quite mean but she later learns the reason for his moodiness.
When they first meet they don’t get along very well but when other things start to happen and go wrong they are both forced to put there differences aside for the sake of the children. Burke will try anything to get the children so he can bring them up on his own, only it doesn’t play out that way.
Can they put there own problems aside and do what is best for the children ?
Can these souls really have there own happily ever after ?
( NO SPOILERS ).
There chemistry is off the charts and they both drive each other crazy with there banter which is quite sweet to see, they both find each other incredibly sexy and there sexual chemistry is sizzling. This book is a slow burn romance and a total enemies to lovers romance. I feel myself really rooting for these characters to work everything out and find myself turning the pages non stop to see what was going to happen. I genuinely couldn’t put this book down. I really liked this authors writing style and I cant wait to read more of her work.
This book will really pull on your heart strings and will have your emotions all over the place. This book has a lot of heartbreak and you really feel for what they are going through, all of them including the children are suffering with loss and are grieving. It will totally pull on your heart and is very very raw to see. I really liked the characters in this book and at first I didn’t think I was going to like Burke but he changed my mind.
This author has written this story so beautiful and really makes you feel everything, the hurt, the pain, the loss and then the love that they all feel together.
I will recommend this book to everyone because it was very beautiful to read and everyone should read it.
Thank you to the author and to the publishers for allowing me to read an early copy of this book.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
This book is out now.
When June’s older sister tragically passes away with her husband, she finds herself guardian to her niece and nephew, whom she takes back to her small-town farm. Burke is the children’s’ uncle and he is determined to bring them back to the city where they belong. This is a beautifully written story which is intense, emotional, heart-breaking, humorous, and a fantastic enemies /lovers romance story. I was totally hooked and intrigued throughout this addictive page turner, and I highly recommend this gifted authors’ work for all.
4.5 Sweet & Steamy Stars!
I loved this enemies to lovers romance! June and Burke were totally opposites. June was a southern bell who worked hard running her family’s struggling farm, and Burke was a rich, workaholic, city boy. Burke was heartbroken when he returned from an extended trip abroad to find out he lost his brother and his wife in a tragic accident, and their kids were now with her sister, June, across the country. He knew the kids deserved better than living on a run down farm and he was determined to bring them back to the west coast so he could give them the privileged life he could provide. He had so many preconceived ideas about June and her life, and he wasn’t afraid to voice them. June was not who he thought she would be. She was not going to let her cold, brother in law bully her and take the kids. She wasn’t rich in money but she was rich in love, support and community. Burke and June had a hard time seeing past their first impressions, but that didn’t stop the sparks from flying between them, and their chemistry only fueled their desire for each other. But the kids came first no matter how they felt about each other. This heartfelt romance was so fun, sweet, and steamy. June was such a great heroine, from her crazy southern sayings, and sassy attitude, to her innate desire to take care of everything and everyone, she is someone I want as my best friend. Burke started as arrogant, but he really was kind, patient, loving and totally swoony! I also loved Junes supportive and quirky family and friends who made this story even more fun and authentic.
Zachary Webber and Ava Erickson’s narration made this story and these characters come to life to me. They had perfect tones, cadence, and emotion that made me laugh, cry, and fall in love. They completely pulled me in to this world and I felt like I was right there with Burke, June, and the kids.
**Edited to add audio thoughts**