I Love You, I Hate You by Elizabeth Hayley

​ROMANTIC COMEDY

Publication date: 10/09/2018
Kindle Unlimited: No
Cliffhanger: No

There’s nothing really obnoxiously wrong with this book. But it’s supposed to be a rom com. The cover is super rom com-y, and it’s listed in the rom com category on Amazon. But there’s one big problem with this as a rom com.

It’s. Not. Funny.

I’ve run into enough unfunny rom coms lately to suggest that, perhaps, authors and publishers are confused as to what a rom com is. See, folks, the “com” in rom com stands for COMEDY. If your book isn’t funny, it’s not a rom com. It’s just as simple (and complicated, apparently) as that. 

(*takes a deep breath for composure before carrying on*)

Now that my mini rant is out of the way, about this book…

This is an enemies-to-lovers romance. I normally really love that trope. But in most enemies-to-love romances, the main characters don’t REALLY hate each other that much. Especially in workplace enemies-to-love romances like this one. They’ll usually take little swipes at one another, but it doesn’t generally get super hateful or downright mean because, well, they’re supposed to eventually love each other. Naomi and Sebastian, the main couple in this story, REALLY hate each other. They’re HORRIBLE to each other. They say stuff to each other that I’d never forgive if someone said it to me. They don’t even mind sniping at each other in front of their co-workers and boss (which I found totally unprofessional). I found their eventual relationship to be really unlikely. It tripped my bullshit meter, frankly.

Other than that, this isn’t a bad book. The writing is fine, the sex scenes are fine, the characters’ backstories are interesting. The book’s pacing is decent. Dialogue has a nice, realistic feel to it. But since this is a romance, and the biggest problem I found with the book was that I didn’t find THE ROMANCE believable...well, I had to deduct a couple of stars for that. Romances must have a good romance at their core, just like ROM COMS SHOULD BE FUNNY.

And that’s all I have to say about that.

Full disclosure: We received a free ARC from NetGalley.       

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
It’s fairly stigma neutral. It lives safely in “meh” land.  

Other reading suggestions
For an awesome enemies-to-lovers workplace romance, try Christina Lauren’s Dating You/Hating You. ​

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