The Valentine's Hate: A Novel

Written by Sidney Halston

Narrated by Karla Serrato and Sean Crisden

A delightful enemy to lovers/fake engagement rom-com themed around Valentine’s Day! Jennifer Lopez’s new movie Marry Me meets Erin Sterling’s holiday themed The Ex Hex.

Cupid only strikes once. At least that’s what Lissette Alonso believes. Ever since the Most Disastrous Valentine’s Day of All Time™ she has hated all things V-day. But Lizzie’s best friend is having pre-nuptial festivities for a week leading up to her February 14th wedding and Lissette is taking her maid of honor duties seriously, maybe too seriously. Of course of course of course who is the first person she runs into on the way to the wedding? None other than her childhood nemesis, Brian Anderson, the reason for all of her Valentine’s Day hatred.

Brian knows he messed up with Lizzie but give him a break, he was just a kid who was trying to look cool and Lizzie regularly pushed all of his buttons—both in school and out of it. He’s always been gruff and grumpy, but these days, Brian is much better off with his writing; fictional characters never talk back. Unlike Lizzie who always has something to say. 

Suddenly the two are back under the same roof and bickering like old times, except that Brian has bigger problems than dealing with Lizzie’s verbal sparring. Someone Brian is desperate to avoid shows up and somehow Lizzie gets roped into pretending to be dating him. And, suddenly, the simmering anger has blossomed into something extra spicy…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Dec 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9780063286412

Sidney Halston

Sidney Halston is the USA Today bestselling author of the Panic series, the Worth the Fight series, and the Iron-Clad Security novels. She worked as an attorney before picking up a pen at thirty to write something other than legal briefs. Born in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents, she lives with her husband and her three children, in whom she’s instilled a love of nature and an appreciation for the planet.

Reviews for The Valentine's Hate

[Andrea Author · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lizzie travels to Cancun for her best friend's wedding. There, she encounters Brian, her childhood neighbor and nemesis, now an acclaimed author. After a mix-up with her hotel room, he comes to her rescue. Spending time together, their old animosity fades and they embark on an affair. Can they have a future together?

Lizzie and Brian are likable, clever, and kind. Neither are sentimental, but the emotion between them is strong. The story and side characters are fun.

As a person with social anxiety, I wasn't quite comfortable with the suggestion toward the end of the book that Brian should seek help for his anxiety. If he's happy with his life except for public appearances and interacting with fans, then maybe he should just say no to public events. People who aren't neurotypical don't need to be "fixed." They need to be accommodated.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.