Hate to Want You Forbidden Hearts

THEY OWN MY HEART SJDJDHD

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance 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!!   [foogallery id="45609"]

I really enjoyed and sped through this! I really enjoyed the character dynamics and how much was about coming to terms with family stuff, and I will definitely grab the rest of the series ASAP.

This is the best book I've read this year so far. I can't wait for Sadia's book.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

*3.5 ⭐️ For the past ten years, every year Nicholas and Livvy spend one night together. But when the pattern is broken and Livvy shows back up in town, they must both confront their past. I can easily see why so many people love this book. There are a lot of tropes here that I really like: forbidden romance, second chance romance, reluctance to love. But I’m afraid these things weren’t enough to completely save it from the stuff I wasn’t so keen about. Livvy is most certainly a new favourite heroine. She’s incredibly strong willed and knows her worth. But it wasn’t always like that as we learn throughout the novel that she suffers with depression. I thought it was depicted very well and was never the main focus but also never brushed to the side. It’s so nice to get a depiction that doesn’t just show the darkest parts but that there is light amongst the shadows. She was just such a complex character and it was so rewarding to see someone who’s survived so much get a happy ending. Nicholas on the other hand was definitely not it for me. He’s pretty closed off for the most part, understandably so as we find out, but it just made me not connect with him. Another reason I don’t really like him is that quite a few times when he went to see Livvy it was almost in a stalker like way. The opening scene is him parked outside her work place and creepily looking at her from his car. Just because you know her and she sees you doesn’t mean it’s not icky. There are a few more spoilers incidents where Livvy doesn’t want him to contact her but he does so anyway. I didn’t completely buy the romance either. Some of the scenes were brilliant and others just fell completely flat. As Nicholas seems so cold a lot of the time then I just didn’t buy his love for Livvy a lot of the time. What Alisha Rai does know how to write is a good sex scene. All of them always put consent at the forefront. I give this book to those who say ‘consent isn’t sexy’ because it sure as hell can be done. It doesn’t necessarily have to disrupt the flow of the scene. The side characters all have clear motives and personalities which I appreciate so much. I also really love the emphasis on family and how important it is. I can’t exactly pinpoint what I didn’t like about the plot, but I know I was bored at times. Perhaps it was the supermarket empire that just wasn’t for me. But I guess with not enjoying the romance as much as I wanted to the rest felt very lacklustre too. I also think there was almost too much push and pull, like it was just being a bit over dramatic. The ending wasn’t my favourite either. Everything was just so rushed. All in all, if you’re looking for a romance with great sex scenes, wonderfully complex familial relationships and a Japanese- Hawaiian main character living her best life, look no further. I’m definitely eager to check out more from Alisha Rai. Content warnings in the spoiler tag below: (view spoiler)[Abandonment, emotional abuse, death of loved ones (past), talk of Japanese Internment camps (hide spoiler)]

Livvy and Nicholas meet for an illicit night of sex once a year. There are two rules - one night only, no one can know. Childhood sweethearts, they broke up after a terrible accident and a terrible deal broke their two families apart. After a decade of one nights, Livvy doesn't text Nicholas. When he finds out she has returned to their hometown, passion, temper, and family drama threaten to either finally bring them together or forever end everything. SO GOOD. Ugh. I need to process and will write a better review later. Second Read - ALL THE STARS. I'm so into the Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers, enemies to lovers tropes. Thank you Baz Luhrmann for forever marking adolescent Beth. Alisha Rai grips you from the first pages of this splendid romance. It is highly emotionally charged, erotic yet tender, and so full of a cast of wonderful characters. I re-read this to prepare for Hurts to Love You and I am so happy I did. (view spoiler)[I love that while both Livvie and Nicholas obviously had other lovers, they both had special things they kept sacred to their relationship. I love that Nicholas denied himself BJs because they were too personal, to connected to his feelings for Livvie. I also loved how Livvie used her love of tattooing to put a permanent tribute to every one of her birthdays spent with Nicholas on her body. When they both discover these things, I die. (hide spoiler)]

Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads. Alisha Rai's Hate to Want You was one part second chance romance, one part forbidden love and it 100% made me wonder why I haven't read any of her books sooner. Her writing was absolutely gorgeous, the story was engaging and I loved her characters. Despite never having read any of Alisha's books before, I was really excited when I saw this one in my Avon Addicts package a couple months ago. I LOVED the cover and the blurb definitely caught my attention. Once I saw high ratings and flails from some of my fellow bloggers, I was even more stoked to read this one. When I finally got around to starting it, I found myself sucked in by the writing from the very beginning. The characters were interesting to me and I was intrigued by their agreement to only meet once a year. Despite the animosity, it was pretty obvious there was a lot more than just physical desire between them. I wanted, no NEEDED, to know what happened between them and I hoped they could overcome it.  Both Livvy and Nicholas were wonderful characters. She was strong, sassy and independent, but there was something softer underneath. I want to be her friend. Nicholas was swoony and thoughtful. Together, they were magical. They truly made the other better. There were plenty of obstacles in their way — and quite a bit of angst and feels for me, personally — and I loved reading along as they overcame them. There wasn't a single doubt in my mind these two belonged together.  Hate to Want You was a fantastic read. It did drag a little bit for me in a couple parts, but that could've been my mood, too. Despite the slower parts, I never even considered NOT finishing the book. I had to know if Livvy and Nicholas could get the happily ever after they were robbed of all those years ago. This was a great introduction to a new series — and for me personally, to Alisha's books. I'm already waiting for the second book, Wrong to Need You. I'll be jumping into that one as soon as I get my hands on it. I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. FAVORITE QUOTES Love rarely conquered all, the true villains almost always went unpunished, and happily ever afters? Ha. Sometimes all you could hope for were secret stolen moments with one messy, royally bad girl. "I know you're not good for me, but I can't seem to stop wanting you." Pleasure and pain. It's a circle. You're just stuck in the pleasure part of the circle. "Livvy, for God's sakes. How can I be with anyone else when I spend three hundred and sixty-four days waiting for you to draw me a map?" "When shit goes down, storybook princes are unreliable. I nee a man who's going to stand by my side in the cold light of day."

April 2021 group/buddy read with the Gotta Have Romance with a Kick group. 4.5 emotional ⭐️ I loved this, much more than I expected to. Alisha Rai's writing has improved no end between this and her earlier indie books (which I did enjoy, just not as much as this).

Why have I not read Alisha Rai sooner!? I adored this second chance romance!! Review to come! Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.