Hard To Love is the first book in the "Hard to Love" series and this series is one that carries one couple through. This is also my first Willow Winters novel that I have read and I was impressed in many ways. I just jumped straight into the pool with a mafia themed romance LOL But I love it all at the same time. I can definitely see why there is a lot of love for this author, and she writes her characters so deliciously. From the main center pieces to the side attractions, you become so drawn into the world that she creates. And I knew going into this book that there would be a cliffhanger because I had seen some of those warnings on a few reviews I had read. BUT if I hadn't know my rating would have been VASTLY different than what I put down. Because I know there are other books following this one, so I will get to see their happy ending....I just have to wait here which isn't the greatest. But I am all here for their journey.
Seth and Laura don't have the best beginning. When Laura's father is killed and since he is part of the mob, the son of the mob king ...Seth watches out for her in school and slowly they start to fall in love and build a relationship. Laura understands that he is dangerous with a capital D but there is a connection between them she just doesn't want to deny. We see different flashes of their relationship but soon a mistake that Seth makes within the mob causes pain for them all and Laura will have to battle within herself if Seth is worth the risk ....or not.
I have to say that while I enjoyed this I do wish the flow of the story had been just a bit more smoother. I kinda felt like I was all over the place with this book and it wasn't always fun LOL However, I was utterly captivated by Seth and Laura's story. Not sure why I was okay with the high school setting, but I was because it just didn't have that juvenile feel to the story. The author was allowing us to see how Seth and Laura meet and how their relationship has grown from there. I am sure in the next books we see more depths to their relationship that I can't wait to see unfold. What happens to them in this book is heart breaking and I am not going to lie about that. They really get tested here, and its a rough journey at times but you just can't help but want to stick with them through it all because you know the ending will make it all worth it.
Overall I found Hard To Love to be a stunning beginning to Seth and Laura's story and I can't wait to see them journey through the strife and hardship to get to the sweet spot I am sure this author brings her readers to.
Bernadette Kent, is a woman having little and no choice but to work as a governess, due to past scandals and the pain she has experienced. Bernadette has learned some rough truths of life, and one of them is that woman have no choice in life especially in what they wish in life or who they wish to marry. Now its Bernadette's job to make sure that her young charge and friend learn to accept her upcoming marriage that she has no choice in. Bernadette understands why Avaline who may be kind but is shy and practically shakes in fear of her new fiancee. Rabbie Mackenzie accepted the upcoming marriage at a painful time in his life. Now he has no choice but to bind himself to a girl that is barely out of the schoolroom and has no strength or courage. But his life comes alive again when he banters with independent Bernadette who fights him on every turn. But soon the opposition they both feels turns into something passionate and eventually into a softer emotion....love. But their relationship is forbidden and not just to society, but both Bernadette and Rabbie understand each others pains of the past and could help heal each other...
The Hero
Rabbie Mackenzie has suffered some of the worst pains. He lost the woman he loved and most of her family in a very painful way and ever since has continued to grieve his loss of her and has merely existed. Rabbie reluctantly agreed to a marriage for financial gain on both parties. Once Rabbie meets his future bride, he regrets his agreement but refuses to go back on his word. Rabbie is a proud highlander who has suffered some great losses in his life. But he looks out for his family and other Scots who need his help to survive with the recent joining of Scotland and England which has practically starved and decimated the Scottish people. What I truly loved about Rabbie was his protective nature toward his people. Now he can be a jerk quite a bit especially in the beginning. He has a very rough exterior, but I truly loved seeing the change in his character as he learns to let go of the past and learning to love again.
The Heroine
Bernadette hasn't had a easy life. Bernadette once fell in love and managed to elope, but she learned a painful lesson when her father annulled the marriage, and forced her fiancee to a ship to work and died a few months later and Berndatte lost even more than that....and she knows that she will never be able to have the family she always dreamed of. But it hasn't hardened or made her bitter. She still has a sweet nature, and I truly adored how passionate she was especially in defense of Avaline. Her character isn't easy to read, because of the way we are introduced to her and sets a certain tone of the story. I did enjoy her character and seeing the way she overcomes the ghosts of her past and find the happy after she deserves.
Plot and Story Line
Hard Hearted Highlander is a wonderful romance that has a strong angsty beginning. What I truly loved about this book was seeing the growth and changes in our characters. At the beginning of the book, there are shields around both Bernadette and Rabbie. These shields are because of some painful experiences these two have had to struggle through. And I understood where they were coming from but they tended to bicker and banter like children and there were times it could be amusing, but other times I felt a bit frustated but then I don't think I was in the mood for a angsty romance. But it didn't take very long to get into the frame this book has set. Now we have another character Avaline. I will admit there are times I learned to like her, but honestly she drove me nuts. She was fearful of everything and was so weak in so many ways. I understood why she was the way she is....her parents left much to be desired. However she does get some backbone. I really enjoyed the way this story progressed and didn't quite turn out the way I expected and I liked that. There are some predictable moments, but other moments that happily surprise you. What made this book so wonderful though was the ending. Because man...this author had me crying and laughing in the same moment which is rare. And yeah I fell in head over heels with this couple pretty quickly especially in the way you see how they help each other emotionally. It really brings these two together in such a poignant way.
The Cover
What a beautiful cover and so perfect for april, I love the spring tone of the purple and their embrace is so passionate
Overall View
Hard Hearted Highlander is a simply fantastic romance that is full of fun yet angsty bantering, an emotional whirlwind of desire, grief and brings a perfectly satisfying story!!
Lucy and Joshua are rivals and from the first day they started working together began their hating game. A game they have played for months. Their interactions are full of dislike and hatred. They work as assistants to co CEO's of a publishing house. But the stakes become even higher when both Lucy and Joshua are up for the same promotion and their game becomes even more elevated. Lucy has a love/hate feeling toward her nemesis and even though her deep hidden desire is for them to be friends she knows it is impossible. But suddenly their game boundaries changes after a steamy kiss in a elevator that surprises both of them, how possessive Joshua seems to be, and when Lucy finds herself in a game she is not prepared for....a game that could threaten their jobs when they attempt to try a new and exciting change if they are both up for the challenge...
Plot and Story Line
You know I have heard about this book for months and months and I don't know why I kept resisting picking this up. But when it became available for audio at my local library, I knew that it was a sign I needed to give in and try it out and boy I am glad that I did. This book was one of the best enemies to lovers romances I have ever read. This is a trope I don't get a chance to read as often as I would like, and for a debut novel from a new author, the book was simply fantastic and I just didn't want to put my headphones away. These two were so adorable. The story sets off with these two being so antagonistic towards each other, their quick witted bantering was delightful and I got a kick out of their comebacks toward each other.
❝Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them. I've had a lot of time to compare love and hate, and these are my observations.
Love and hate are visceral. Your stomach twists at the thought of that person. The heart in your chest beats heavy and bright, nearly visible through your flesh and clothes. Your appetite and sleep are shredded. Every interaction spikes your blood with adrenaline, and you're in the brink of fight or flight. Your body is barely under your control. You're consumed, and it scares you.
Both love and hate are mirror versions of the same game — and you have to win. Why? Your heart and your ego. Trust me, I should know.❞
But then we start to see a slow change. It becomes slow though, and then their relationship starts to change to a whole different level. They like each other alot and Lucy doesn't know what to make of it. She has always hated Josh, and she does get confused by the new status of trying a different "game".
The Kissing Game goes like this, Shortcake. Press, retreat, tilt, breathe, repeat. Use your hands to angle just right. Loosen up until it’s a slow, wet slide. Hear the drum of blood in your own ears? Survive on tiny puffs of air. Do not stop. Don’t even think about it. Shudder a sigh, pull back, let your opponent catch you with lips or teeth and ease you back into something even deeper. Wetter. Feel your nerve endings crackle to life with each touch of tongue. Feel a new heaviness between your legs. The aim of the game is to do this for the rest of your life. Screw human civilization and all it entails. This elevator is home now. This is what we do now. Do not fucking stop.
Now Joshua he was delightful and I loved him to pieces. Josh we see truly cares for Lucy, and I love the way he cares for her in little ways without giving too much away. Joshua hasn't had good history with women, they always tend to burn him and so he is pretty closed off.
Shyness takes so many different forms. Some people are shy and soft. Some, shy and hard. Or in Josh’s case, shy, and wrapped in military-grade armor.
And it could be heart breaking at times seeing the way he is with Lucy. He takes things really really slow with her, which drives Lucy kinda crazy. She just doesn't understand why he is taking things so slow with her and they have to build a new level of trust. These two have their ups and their downs, a certain level of crazy and sexy chemistry that captivates the reader from the first page. Now there was some moments in this book that seriously made me want to shout out. Literally, especially that breakfast moment with Josh's dad...boy I kinda fell in love with Lucy---so fierce and protective of Josh, I had to replay it a few times because I got such a kick out of it. I honestly couldn't get enough of these two and their chemistry. I love their bantering, the humor, the rich emotion that filters through and a couple that wins your heart. I think the only thing I would have changed was the ending, I would have liked to know the outcome of the promotion and see Joshua grovel to Lucy's folks.
The Narration
What a fabulous narrator we have here....at first I wasn't sure if I would like her. But she grew on me very VERY quickly. She brings in the humor of the book so well and her voice is just the right fit for the tone of this book. I loved the way she showed the levels of emotion and wit with just the right voice and she portrays the book so superb. If you like audio books, you definitely need to try this narrator out.
The Cover
I am not a fan of the cover, I will admit. I don't care too much for cartoonish covers but I like the colors used.
Overall View
The Hating Game is a delightful mix of angsty romance, silly yet fun bantering, a full belly satisfying love story that will leave you with a smile on your face.
I haven't wanted you this long, and gone through so much, and given up so much, to have you for one night. It's not enough."
Hate To Want You is the first book in the Forbidden Hearts series by Alisha Rai. Alisha Rai is a new author for me, and I finally decided that it was time I needed to try this book out especially with how many good things I had heard about this one and I have to say that I am so relieved that I finally picked this book up and LOVED this book to pieces. This is a story that has a similar tone to the shakespeare play "Romeo and Juliet" only you are guaranteed a happy ending.
Hate To Want You is a story where we have two hearts that have been divided. Nicholas and Livvy were once high school sweethearts. They knew even while they were so young, how much they loved each other. But when a tradegy struck and their families were divided and became enemies, their love was forbidden. Every year they meet in secret and share in pleasure in each other's arms. Now Livvy has moved back home, set up her tatoo parlour and to be closer to her mother who has had some health problems. Now Nicholas and Livvy are in close proximity with each other. Soon Livvy and Nicholas will need to face up to the secrets of the past and embrace what they have been hiding from everyone including themselves.
Hate To Want You is a powerful story, and one that I didn't want to put down. I have a weakness for those "forbidden love" romances and this is at the top of the best I have ever read and most especially in a contemporary setting. This book took me in all forms of directions and feels and sighs. Its a story that is a magnetic force and pulls its readers this way and that way and leaves you needing more of this author and these families and engaging characters. At first I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book. I was pretty nervous about reading it beforehand, especially with the hype it had been getting since being published. I can say though with a certainty that it was worth every moment. In the beginning we see how Livvy and Nicholas truly care about each other, but its too painful for both of them to share their emotions so they release it all in one night every year in the bedroom. But now its different because they are living so close to each other and have to face up to their own pain and frustrations and the true depth of love they share with each other. We see the way they have to face up to their past, and as they do so, their bond with each other really blooms here. I couldn't get enough of seeing the way our hero faces up to his father, and fights for his girl and the way he woos her is swoon worthy.
“I’m scared.” “So am I. Let’s be scared together.”
We get some fun moments with characters you are guaranteed to fall in love with and people who you can't wait for their stories.
Overall Hate To Want You is a delicious tale of heartbreak and loss, but also of courage and strength and the depths of love. Its a vibrant and vividly portrayed romance you can't resist!!
This is just a quickie review, especially considering that this book took me about 45 minutes to read. I knew it wouldn't take very long to read, so I just read it last night right before I went to bed. Have You Any Rogues is a very interesting take on a "Romeo and Juliet" theme. The majority of the book involves flashbacks, and sometimes I didn't mind, but others I got a bit frustrated with it a bit. I am not a huge fan of flashbacks, but I did understand by the end why the author put all the flashbacks in. The characters were interesting, through the flashbacks you see how they almost get their HEA but something disrupts their trust in each other, and boy this heroine got married quite a bit. I did enjoy the ending and the reconciliation between them. I do love the theme of the most recent series by this author. It had a charming quality to the story, and I loved the way the story turned out. I do plan on reading more of this author, because I am fascinated with her writing style. Even though it had a couple aspects to the story I didn't like so much, overall a fun romance that will wet your appetite.
Summary 
Click To Buy On Amazon 
Summary 
