WSJ bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills returns with an all-new, enemies-to-lovers second chance romance between the football hottie and the feisty nerd girl he can’t forget. I want you . . . even when I hate you. Blaze Townsend: I hate you.Charisma Rossi: I hate you more. She’s been expecting this ever since their latest showdown. She had good reason. Hottest guy she’s ever seen.Former fling.… had good reason.
Hottest guy she’s ever seen.
Former fling.
Dumped her in front of all her friends.
At her own party.
So no, she’s not about to forgive and forget just because he sits next to her in class. He thinks all he has to do is turn on those baby blues, and she’ll melt right back into his arms. Please. She’d be crazy to let this cocky player affect her again. (Tell that to her body.)
Charisma Rossi.
Brainy girl with a dash of bad.
The one who got under his skin.
The one he cut loose.
Blaze knows she’s the riskiest prospect at Waylon University, but none of the interchangeable girls he hooks up with have ever made him feel the way she did. There’s absolutely no way he can have the girl and the game.
So why can’t he stop trying to win her back?
Can this wide receiver score the girl or will he make the biggest fumble of his life?
*Steamy and flirty with all the emotional feels, I Hate You is a new adult standalone romance.
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4.5 stars. Okay, I really do love these stories. So much about this one was great. I totally connected with Charisma, besides loving her name. But both of them, Blaze and Charisma frustrated me in their continuing to not give the other a chance, especially Blaze with his stupid reasoning. That’s what kept me from a 5 star on this one. This story had the total steaminess that I love in a good story by this author. I loved getting glimpses into our characters from the earlier standalone stories in the series. And of course I love the parrot. What’s fun in these stories is all the side characters and wondering if they might get their own stories in the future. Blaze was hot, hence his name fit him perfectly. And what happened at the end with him trying to impress the scouts to get a professional football career or at least in the draft, well it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but in a way I’m glad there wasn’t extra drama added that way. A fun, sexy story. Fingers crossed there will be more in this series!
This is the first book I’ve read by Ilsa Madden-Mills and I really enjoyed reading it!
The characters will take you on an emotional ride! Blaze was so broken and Charisma was so unwilling to take a chance on love. Blaze always thought that he didn’t deserve happiness or someone who cares for him, and that people would leave him in some way. Charisma didn’t believe in love because her dad had betrayed her mom before. Since then, she wouldn’t let herself felt more or get attached emotionally.
Charisma and Blaze had a short fling but it end up to meant more to them than they want to admit. They both have all these feelings toward each other which leads to some run ins where their banter is flirty and fun. They both have trouble in the ‘trust’ department so it’s worth every page to see how their relationship grows into something beautiful.
This is highly recommend!
4.5 Stars
A story of when love trumps hate but it wasn’t an easy road to get there.
These are two characters who have been through a lot and that created a lot of apprehension in starting this relationship especially Blaze. His story was really complex and we get bits and piece of that throughout the story. As his story unravels we get why he did the things he said and said the things he said. But he was definitely a character that grew and grew a lot. These are two characters who could not stay away from each other. Even when they tried to hard. They were just two ends of a magnet and they were going to find their way to each other eventually. I loved following that journey. It made for some entertaining reading. The author did a great job developing that story. I do with there was a little more depth with Charisma’s character. I did like her character but didn’t find her as well developed as Blaze. The story was funny, sweet, dramatic and overall a great read!
I Hate You was another great read by Ilsa Madden Mills. I loved it. I loved loved Blaze and Charisma. Charisma was feisty, sassy and strong. Blaze was swoony, sexy and kinda sweet! I loved the banter and chemistry. Blaze and Charm were perfect together! Loved the secondary characters and of course Vampire Bill!
As soon as the book hit my kindle i had to dive in straight away the first two books in this series i loved and this one blew away my expectations.
The thing i loved about this story is not all about the girl being a damsel in distress or the girl that has the issues especially in this book it was all about who was going to let there guards down first, who let thier wall fall down but would build them up higher again. I loved how this book was such push and pull between the the two main characters.
Blaze made my heart bleed for a character who never felt love and didn’t know what it was like to be loved or for anyone to support him broke my heart in two. What his parents put him through oh broke my heart.
Then you had Charisma who knew her family secrets and it really shaped the person she thought she should be and guard herself so high that she thought she couldn’t or even handle love and would push anyone away that got to close.
I loved this story and watching two people fight for each other and pull away harder from each other and i wasn’t even sure how they would get there act together but it was nothing short of an amazing story.
Reading all the previous characters and getting thier happy endings and the way they were incorporated into this story was exciting.
I just loved this story I loved Charisma & Blaze and I am loving all these books as well as Ilsa Madden-Mill’s writing it was absolutely fantastic. Massive 5 stars for this baby.
WOW! The Queen of College romance is back with another instalment from the guys at Waylon University, and what a book it is!!!
I Hate You is Book three in a series of standalones following a group of friends as they make their way through Uni. This book gives us Blaze and Charisma’s story, and I have to say, it’s my favourite so far, enemies to lovers is a favourite trope of mine!
Their story is a complex one. One that started freshmen year and peaked before crashing and burning when Blaze pushes Charm away. Both of them carry wounds and insecurities from their past which they are allowing to shape the future for them.
The angst, the emotions, the push and pull between these characters is pure dynamite. This story is a powerful one, it’s words addictive, leaving your heart beating so fast as you anticipate their next moves, the will they? Won’t they?
No one writes college romance quite like Ilsa does, she writes about realistic characters with very relatable issues which enables the reader to become deeply involved in the story and has us laughing, crying, shouting and throwing our kindle with every twist and turn we experience whilst reading her amazing stories!!!
I have loved reading this series, I adore the characters and the individual journeys the must go on in order to get their Happy Ever After.
I can’t recommend this book enough, it gets a huge 5 stars from me!
I HATE YOU is the latest sport romance offering from WSJ bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills. Football hottie + feisty nerd girl = witty rom-com gold!
Wow! I loved every minute of it! This is an emotional enemies to lovers, football, second chance, funny, romantic romance by Ilsa Madden-Mills. Ilsa knows how to write a sports romance! It was heartbreaking, funny, sexy and steamy. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone.
The author takes us on an emotional journey with Blaze and Charisma. Blaze hasn’t had an easy life. He experienced the loss of his parents at a young age and had to go live with his aunt and uncle who already have their hands full. It’s been an uphill battle ever since. Football is his one constant. That is what he is counting on, to make it to the NFL. That’s his one chance to be someone, and he can’t let anyone or anything interfere with that. He has a few nights of passion with Charisma. He isn’t capable of giving more than those few nights. He breaks up with her in a public fashion that devastates her. This earns him her hate. Maybe he should have told her those few nights was all he was capable of giving. Maybe then she wouldn’t hate him. He sure would like a chance to talk to her again and
Charisma is smart, sexy, and a dash of nerdy college student with a bit of self-image issues. She doesn’t do relationships. She hasn’t had positive exposure when it comes to relationships. Especially after Blaze devastates her by breaking up with her in an embarrassing and humiliating fashion. She hates him! How dare he embarrass her like that. She thought they had something special. Oh how wrong she was! She was wrong, wasn’t she? Before the beginning of the new college semester, she summons the courage to face him. It’s been three months. She’s over him right? This shouldn’t be a problem. That is until she sees him and her traitorous body has other ideas. Can Charisma put her libido in check and prove to him that she is over him?
Ilsa Madden Mills does a wonderful job of writing a touching, funny, emotional (I may have shed a tear in one part of this book) love story filled with missed opportunities, misunderstandings, hurt feelings, betrayal, lust, love, and some seriously steamy scenes. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I loved the push and pull and chemistry between Blaze and Charisma! Blaze stole my heart and Charisma was funny and charming with a side of kickass! Blaze was broken but so sexy and swoony. I loved him! I highly recommend reading this story.
****ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.****
4.5 Love-me-always stars
Holy geez! I have so much love for this book!! Hot damn, these two have chemistry, passion, and intensity that light up the page!
Blaze and Charisma to phenomenal characters. Both are so complex with layers like little onions. Toting so much baggage, neither knows how to unpack and let their walls crumble to truly love each other. Ohhh my heart struggled with the angst! But it’s sooo good! The slow burn coupled with the intense self doubts had me wanted to hold both of them like a mama bear. These two were meant to be together to heal their hearts. They seriously melted me.
Ilsa writes some of the best new adult angsty stories I’ve ever read. Blake and Charisma will capture your heart and leave you feeling ALL. THE. FEELS!! Enjoy dolls
I Hate You is an enemies to lovers, second chance romance that revolves around Blaze, the popular jock and Charm, the sassy nerd.
I Hate You is the third book in the series, but they are all stand-alones. They don’t have to be read in order.. thank baby Jesus because this was my first read of the series. Anywayyyyy.. I enjoyed this story between Blaze and Charm. I got a little aggravated with how hot and cold the characters were with each other.. As soon as I felt like things were heating up, one of them backed away.
I’m glad Charm and Blaze got the happy ever after they deserved. After Blaze was dealt a crappy hand and Charm was left on the dance floor, I’m glad they could find their way back to each other.
That was so freaking good! I’m giving it 5 out of 5 stars. This review is for an ARC, and reflects my honest opinion.
From what I remembered from the first two books, I liked both Blaze and Charisma (Charm). I couldn’t remember much though as it’s been a while since I read this series. After finishing this, I know I love both characters. Charm was so much like me in a lot of ways. She had insecurities, she had been bullied, she was smart and sassy, etc. I loved the previous female main characters, but she might have been my favorite.
I don’t think Blaze was my favorite from the guys, but I still ended up loving him. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say he didn’t have a very good childhood, and my heart went out to him so many times. I’m glad him and Charm found each other, and that they got their happily ever after. That epilogue was beyond cute! Also this book made me cry some, so get ready for all kinds of feels.
Once again I got sucked into the story, town, and the college experience. Although to be fair, I was expecting more sightings of past couples, but oh well. I wouldn’t say this was exactly enemies-to-lovers, or even slow burn, 100%. Yes, it was slower paced for much of the book, and yes, they didn’t get along at the beginning…but it felt like it was a separate trope almost. Maybe more of a second chance romance with a hint of something else? The sexy times were fire, and I loved how they trusted each other completely in the end. I highly recommend this entire series. It’s so good if you love sports, or new adult, romances.
Charisma Rossi was publicly humiliated when her boyfriend broke up with her at her own party but now she is going to get up the courage to face him and let him know that she is over him. Now if she could only convince her body that she wants nothing to do with him.
Blaze Townsend is a football star at his college but he needs to get attention for the NFL scouts if he is going to make something of himself. But for as much as he is focused on football he also can’t get his ex-girlfriend, Charisma off his brain.
When Blaze and Charisma end up in the same class together can they get over their hate enough to call a truce between them?
This is such an amazing book and I enjoyed it from start to finish. It was filled with laughs, attitude, romance and a few tears – a perfect book!
I thought Charisma was an awesome character and I loved the attitude and humor that she had. The humor was also to guard her heart from being broken again as she had a few more curves than many of the girls at college. She had some bad luck when it came to her internship but I hoped she would bounce back and find something better.
I really liked Blaze and the more I got to know him, certain things became so much more clear. Blaze had a very difficult past and never really fit in and it was super sad. Everything fell into place and I wondered how he was going to overcome it all.
The banter between Charisma and Blaze was so good and I especially loved when they were in Dr. Cartwright’s class and having to write down their train of thought.
I absolutely hated Archer and I can’t believe everything he did to Blaze out of spite and jealousy. I was so happy to have Blaze get through it all in the end.
The chemistry between Charisma and Blaze was great and I was happy when things started moving in the right direction but I was also really worried about each of their insecurities and how that would play out.
The end was so good and I may have done a little happy dance at the end!! Everything ended as it should have and I loved it!
4.5 Stars
I Hate You is the latest enemies to lovers story by Ilsa Madden-Mills. Even though it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Holy WOW!!! This book!!! I devoured it. These enemies to lovers/second chance/sport romance books are my jam and man, did Ms. Madden-Mills deliver. I Hate You is swoony,emotional, and unputdownable.
I loved Blaze and Charisma so freakin’ much. Blaze is the wide receiver at Waylon University. He is hot AF and knows it. He and Charisma had a few week fling and he ended it publicly-which made Charisma mad as hell. Now months later, neither one can forget the other. But how can they both move on from their insecurities and give in to their feelings?
Man oh man did Blaze’s past break my heart. He deserved love and I wanted him to get his HEA so badly. Charisma was a ball-breaking character whom I ADORED! Overall, I Hate You was an amazing read and I highly recommend reading it!
Blaze, you sexy beast you! He stole my heart from the very beginning and only made me want to junk punch him a time or two. His character was so multidimensional and layered. Not just a jock with a pretty face and stunning physique, Blaze had some serious turmoil brewing deep within him from his past. His history and the way he felt about love absolutely crushed me and brought me to tears. I wanted to hug him and hold him tight. I felt so empathetic forwards his character which is unusual for the hero in a novel like this.
Charm was simply amazing! I adored everything about her character, from her sassy NY demeanor, to her embracing her luscious curves, to her vast and unrelenting way of loving and caring for others. She was the total package! Smart, sexy and confident but so genuine and compassionate.
This duo broke my heart over and over. It seemed like every step forward, ended in 2 steps back. I yearned desperately for them to reveal their honest and unguarded feelings for one another and just get on with it. The slow burn of their romantic story was worth savoring and enjoying.
Ilsa Madden-Mills wrote an incredible tale of two unlikely sparks that kindled together to burn so bright and hot. This romance read was captivating from beginning to end. I couldn’t put it down! The epilogue made me swoon, cheer and shed tears of joy. I need more Waylon U in my life after this!
I don’t even know where to start with this one. I knew Blaze and Charm would steam up the pages and they certainly did not disappoint! I couldn’t get enough of them.
Charisma is smart, sassy, and full of wit and fire and was totally the kind of girl I could see myself hanging out with her. I found myself wanting to be her best friend.
Blaze is EVERYTHING! I loved him from the start. My heart ached for him and the more I learned of his past the more I hoped for him to find some happy.
I love love loved their story. I was hooked form page one and couldn’t put it down. I am a sucker for a good love/hate story and this one was executed perfectly. I highly recommend this one!
Ilsa Madden-Mills is back with her third book in the Waylon University world. I did read the first two books and some of the characters from those books are also in here, but this is a complete standalone. It’s a steamy, sports romance with an enemies to lovers trope and I loved every second of it! Charisma and Blaze had a relationship 3 months ago and he broke up with her out of nowhere. His reasons will break your heart though. Blaze has some real demons in his past and he’s pretty lonely even though he’s constantly surrounded by other people. This part of the story was particularly heartbreaking for me. On the other hand, Charisma is hilarious, nerdy, sassy and quirky. Their banter had me laughing so hard! And their chemistry was explosive! This is my favorite book in this series, and they are all so great! But, that epilogue was absolute perfection! If you didn’t already guess, I highly recommend this one!
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 “Promise me you’ll stay” stars!
Charisma Rossi used to be life of the party. Outgoing and fun, she knew how to have a good time. Things changed, though, when her popular football boyfriend dumped her in front of everyone at her own party. Her confidence took a hit and she’s been hiding out ever since.
Now, with the start of the new semester, she’s ready for a “new” Charisma. She plans to keep her distance and move on but when her ex comes back into the picture, he proves just how hard it is to stay away when he seems to want her back.
I love sports romances and I love second chances so I couldn’t have been more excited that I Hate You has both. Add in swoon, steam, angst, and feels, and you’ll easy find yourself engrossed in this story.
When we see Charisma and Blaze together, there’s still a spark and the sexual tension is off the charts! I could feel their connection so I was desperate to know what really went down. I know that sometimes things aren’t always as they seem so was thinking up all different rationales. I loved the way the story unfolds and I wasn’t disappointed.
This book gave me two endearing characters that were multi-layered and complex. My heart hurt for Blaze and the childhood he had. He is such a sweet guy and I felt his conflict while he wrestled with his feelings. He’s swoony and sexy, and I am so glad he was only a player on the field. It was refreshing and made me fall a little harder for him. Charisma had her own insecurities and fears that shaped her life. She had to face them and I was happy when she did.
I loved both Charisma and Blaze individually but I felt like I got to know them better when they were together. They are intense and the emotions are all over the place but you can really feel their connection. They turn up the heat but it’s when they open up that the real relationship forms. It’s more than just physical and I enjoyed the friendship and love that sneaks up on them.
“Can you see me, Charm? Can you see the man I really am underneath all this? Can you look at me and see that I can’t go on without you?”
The push and pull is a little too much and I found myself frustrated at times. I understood the reason they held back but it took longer than I’d like to fully commit and trust each other. And just when I think things are going well there’s another setback. Still, the journey is worth the pain because when they are finally a couple, everything comes together beautifully. My heart was full and I was giddy over their HEA, especially after the epilogue!
I love the other books in The Hook Up series so it was nice to see characters from I Dare You and I Bet You . I hope we get more of this group of characters!
Oh my Blaze and Charisma these two had issues in spades. I loved these two together the banter. And all those small moments where you get a glimpse inside what they are truly feeling . Blaze is such a lost little boy inside and Charisma is so afraid she will become her mother .
I have to say I loved this book !
This has been of of my favorite books by Ilsa Madden Mills. I thought Charmisa and Blaze were such a great couple. Their story sucked me in and I could not put them down.
There’s not much I can say about Charm and Blaze except WOW!!! This is such a good book! Nice and light with enough angst to make it interesting and fun. I absolutely adore Charm and want her to be my best friend. The way Ilsa develops the relationship is great and the dialogue is fabulous as well.