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To Have and to Hate
Marry a man I barely know to save my family from ruin.
It might’ve been simple, if my betrothed were anybody else.
On our wedding day, my husband-to-be arrived at the courthouse like a black cloud rolling over Manhattan. Walt didn’t crack smiles or pepper in pleasantries as we exchanged hollow vows in front of the judge.
His disdain for me was so palpable I assumed we’d walk out of that ceremony and resume our regularly scheduled programming. But then fate was like, Hold my beer. I got this.
In desperate need of help and with nowhere else to turn, I had no choice but to ignore a crucial rule in our contract: I shall only contact Mr. Jennings II in case of emergency. But hey, what’s a little fine print between husband and wife?
Turns out, Walt’s a stickler for legalese—I think it might be his love language. Oh, and his attitude at the courthouse wasn’t a put-on. My so-called husband is a jerk. He takes what he wants without giving any consideration to other people—specifically ME, his blushing, contractually-obligated bride!
I knew life with Walt would be no honeymoon, but a marriage of any sort should still come with a few standard guarantees:
To have and to hold.
For richer or poorer.
In sickness and in health.
But after experiencing Walt’s version of wedded bliss, I say let’s forget about all that lovey-dovey crap and just take me straight to death do us part.
It might’ve been simple, if my betrothed were anybody else.
On our wedding day, my husband-to-be arrived at the courthouse like a black cloud rolling over Manhattan. Walt didn’t crack smiles or pepper in pleasantries as we exchanged hollow vows in front of the judge.
His disdain for me was so palpable I assumed we’d walk out of that ceremony and resume our regularly scheduled programming. But then fate was like, Hold my beer. I got this.
In desperate need of help and with nowhere else to turn, I had no choice but to ignore a crucial rule in our contract: I shall only contact Mr. Jennings II in case of emergency. But hey, what’s a little fine print between husband and wife?
Turns out, Walt’s a stickler for legalese—I think it might be his love language. Oh, and his attitude at the courthouse wasn’t a put-on. My so-called husband is a jerk. He takes what he wants without giving any consideration to other people—specifically ME, his blushing, contractually-obligated bride!
I knew life with Walt would be no honeymoon, but a marriage of any sort should still come with a few standard guarantees:
To have and to hold.
For richer or poorer.
In sickness and in health.
But after experiencing Walt’s version of wedded bliss, I say let’s forget about all that lovey-dovey crap and just take me straight to death do us part.
337 pages, ebook
First published March 18, 2021
About the author
R.S. Grey
44 books11.7k followersR.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty-five romantic comedies. She loves books, chocolate, reality TV, and cold weather. She lives in Texas with her husband, two daughters, and dog. Visit her at rsgrey.com.
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March 19, 2021
Cheater
MOC
I don’t give a fuck if this is a moc, he was legally married and had a girlfriend and didn’t communicate his wife.
Her POV but the epilogue that we are graced by the Wall thoughts
HERO NOT CELIBATE AFTER MARRYING THE HEROINE AND DATING ANOTHER WOMAN HAS BEEN SIX MONTHS BEFORE GETTING MARRIED
HEROINE CELIBATE FOR A LONG TIME AND OF COURSE SHE DOESNT TOUCH NO ONE AFTER BEING MARRIED
Harry styles lives in their building!!!! Please just ask for a divorce and go to him instead I beg you
I don’t know why people liked this awful book. Why heroines always have to be a little bit shy, lonely and struggling while the heroes are rich, workaholics who also manage to fuck ow and doesn’t wear their feelings on their sleeves like heroines? Why can’t she be a strong woman?? Why can’t she be outgoing? Why can’t she toughen up and work hard to accomplish her things? Why can’t she tell people who are bad to her to fuck off? The stupid woman who let people step all over her makes me sick!
Sexual history:
- He has a hot as fuck girlfriend has been six months and is with her for the first weeks of their marriage
- He was never super serious with anyone before, but even though he was a workaholic I sense he was always with some hot woman
- Has been a long while since she last dated (of fucking course)
- Sex with him can’t compete with the college dorm sex she had before ugh
- Of course she doesn’t even kiss anyone else, I guy flirts with her but he was a jerk at one point. I wish he was cool and after being coldly reject by the robot she accepted the other guys flirtation and fuck the shit out him. I don’t give a shit if this is cheating, once the person cheated on you he set you free
- Some may say it wasn’t cheating because he told her, but he told her after being married and he didn’t mentioned he already have a girlfriend. She found out days later when he invited the ow to a dinner with her friends. Heroine felt out of place while the he required the ow to sit on his left and shea already knew his friends.
- Double standards
She like always is not allowed to have a great sex life before him. This is after he fingered her:
“You act like you’ve never done that before.” “I have!” I say in a rush, not wanting him to think I’ve spent my life inside a nunnery. “It’s just been…a while.” Also, I don’t think you can compare clumsy college-dorm-room sex to what just occurred in this office with Walt. I just catapulted myself into the big leagues, and I’m not quite sure how I’ll survive now.
His brother is so much more fun, nice, cute and a really he is a better guy. Why can’t heroines never be with the truly good guys? We don’t want the brooding not-showing-emotions is my whole personality. I want the guys who makes us swoon you know! Please give us better heroes
It looks like she was accepting any scrape of attention he throws her way. The guy is rude why the fuck do you chase him to ask what is wrong? Fuck him!!! and please if you may go fuck his brother cause I loved him 😌
The romance building is awful, when she thinks about loving him I was super confused because girl??? Why? When? What the fuck?
The time was a little off but if i understand it was like that but later it’s said they are married for a month ibased on my calculations should have been about three to four weeks
> they are married for three days when she moved in with him
> the first weekend he went and stayed night all night long so I assumed he was fucking his girlfriend
> two weeks since they got married he host a dinner in their honor, funny how she has to attend but he also invited his girlfriend. She obviously doesn’t even have any real friends in NY, much less a fuck buddy or a boyfriend
> his girlfriend broke up with him at 33% and he was upset.
I hate that heroes always have advantages compared to the heroine in romance books. He holds all the power, he is the one fucking ow, he is the one with the money, he is the one who sees her losing control over her feelings...
“So then you plan on dating still?”
I sound as if the notion shocks me. His brows furrow.
Why wouldn’t I?”
Yes, Elizabeth—why wouldn’t he?! I force out a laugh and shake my head.
“No, it’s just…I wasn’t sure. Now that I think about it, of course you’d continue dating. I wasn’t insinuating that you wouldn’t. Only…I…”
I’m fumbling here, grasping at straws as he watches carefully.
“I just assumed you didn’t have time with how much you work.” 🤮
He chuckles under his breath.
“I have no issue finding the time, I assure you.”
Whoa. Hello butterflies in my stomach. Settle down, please. He was talking about finding the time to romance other women, not me. Why would he find time for me?!
“So then it’s fine if I date as well?”
On the surface, it’s an appropriate question, but deep down, I’m only asking to prove that I, too, have romance in my life. Lots of it. Tons.
😡 She is attacked to him already:
Seeing Walt sans shirt is on par with the time I accidentally stumbled upon one of my mom’s racy romance novels when I was twelve. My cheeks flush bright red like I’ve never seen a naked torso before. It’s absolutely ridiculous. I’ve participated in live drawing classes in which we studied the nude human form, both of men and women, not to mention the fact that I’ve had boyfriends. Several. And I’ve seen them nude
🤬 After being married and after she saw him shirtless and liked, while she is alone in his apartment because they live together he was out fucking his girlfriend all night (23% )
“Walt and I don’t cross paths again that weekend, which is strange given our proximity to one another. I eat an early lunch in the kitchen, on edge, waiting to see if he’ll make an appearance, but he never leaves his office. Later that night, as I’m in my bathroom, washing my face, I hear the elevator arrive and then depart. I don’t hear him return until late Sunday morning, when I’m in the den watching TV.”
Great to imagine him fucking his girlfriend six ways to Sunday.
😪 She is already tingling from his touch at her arm before she met his girlfriend. She was already attracted to him also
I hold out my left hand for him and, without missing a beat, he takes it and slides off the gold band. I can’t help the tingles that spread up my arm from where he’s touching me. His hand is strong and steady, as confident and sure as any other part of him, I’m sure.
👹 The dinner he told her she had to attend because it was in honor of the new couple
Him worried about the ow (Camilla):
“Where did you place Camila?” Walt asks, stepping into the dining room and abruptly cutting off the party planner.
(...)
“I’d like her to be on my left,” Walt says, referring to Camila’s placement.
It’s clear that not a single one of them knows we’ve faked our marriage. They think we’re young and in love, and I have to stand there and smile and laugh as they gush about what a lovely bride I made.
Up until this moment*, I didn’t realize Walt had someone like Camila in his life. Sure, he told me he had plans to continue dating, but he maybe should have mentioned having a serious girlfriend. Seems like something a wife ought to know! Ha.
* during the dinner she went to the library to have some time alone and heard them arguing about the ring he bough the heroine and the fake weeding
Walt’s personal friends don’t want anything to do with me either, which makes sense, because Camila now stands among them. Every now and then, one of them will glance over at me with a look that says, Oh…you’re still here?
She’s wonderfully beautiful with curly black hair that cascades down her back. Her burgundy jumpsuit is slim fitting through the bodice and hips with a relaxed fit around her legs. The deep V plunging neckline is paired with a tie at the waist, and it all looks so effortlessly sexy.
“I heard you in your office earlier with Camila.”
He nods, but he doesn’t seem upset or surprised by the confession. I’m more than a little relieved. I wasn’t sure how he’d take me eavesdropping on him, even if it was just an accident.
“Is she your girlfriend?”
I press. He looks down at his drink.
“The closest thing to it, I suppose.”
He sounds a little worn out by the topic, and I’m not surprised given the argument I heard.
“Is she angry I’m here?”
“Yes,” he admits with a sigh.
“This whole situation has been hard on her. She doesn’t understand it.”
“That makes two of us.”
He smiles and glances over at me, catching my gaze. “Does she know I’m living here?”
He looks away again.
“Yes. That was…what did you say a second ago? A rotten day.”
“I could talk to her. Make it clear to her that I’m not…” I struggle to finish the sentence out loud because the notion is so preposterous. Still, I trudge on bravely. “Competition.” When he doesn’t immediately respond, I tack on an exaggerated “Obviously.” I turn beet red from head to toe. Oh my god. Say something!
“I appreciate you wanting to help,” he says, “but it’s not as simple as that.”
“Right. Well…I’m happy to leave if it would make it easier for you and your situation with Camila.”
Please don’t ask me to leave.
“No,” he replies curtly. “I insist you stay. It’s going to be a great dinner. C’mon, it looks like it’s time for us to take our seats.”
“Elizabeth? I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I’m Camila, Walt’s friend.”
“Oh, yes. Hi. It’s nice to meet you.” Up close, she’s even more beautiful than I realized.
“I really like your outfit,” I say, trying to show her that I’m not the enemy—or at least I’m not trying to be.
(This situation is humiliating for both women, I would never accepted him)
When another guest asks Walt what attracted him to me, I drink, and I listen very carefully for the lie he’ll tell. After all, lies are often based in truths. Walt’s gaze slides to me, and he seems to think for a second as he assesses me. God it’s taking him forever.
“Oh come on,” a guy taunts. “It can’t take you that long to come up with something nice to say about her.”
I blink away the tears that suddenly spring to the corners of my eyes. How embarrassing. I wish I could leap to my feet and leave the table.
🤮 I hate it when heroines accepted being humiliated like that, he invited his fucking girlfriend for fucking sakes, leave the damn dinner and go out, enjoy the city that never sleeps
“And what about you, Elizabeth?”
“Oh.” I force a laugh.
“What attracted me to Walt?” I ask in clarification.
“Yes! C’mon, we gotta know what you saw in the cold bastard,” the man across from me says with a laugh. “His…um…”
I feel Walt’s gaze on the side of my face, and I fidget in my chair.
“Butt” The table erupts with laughter, and I glance over at Walt from beneath my lashes to find even he’s smiling slightly.
“My butt?” he teases. I shrug playfully.
“It’s nice. What can I say?” Camila scoots back from the table suddenly, shooting to her feet.
“Excuse me for a moment.” Her napkin falls to her chair, and Walt and I stand at the same time, as if we’re both going to follow after her. It’s funny considering the two of us are likely the last people she wants to see right now. I sit back down after Walt shakes his head, just once, before excusing himself from the dining room. To say the tension around the table hits an all-time high after that is an understatement. It’s clear to everyone now that there’s something odd going on, and without Walt here, I’m left to endure the whispers and side conversations all on my own.
ASSHOLE he just left her alone to deal with his friends and followed another woman who is not the wife. Fucking hell
AHHHHHHH FUCKING GREAT TO KNOW HE IS SPENDING TIME WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, but like he said, he always find the time to date even though he works a lot, I am imagining a quick fuck during lunch now
“What’s it like living here with my brother?”
“Like living here absolutely alone, really.”
“Is he gone that often?”
“I don’t think I’ve seen him more than a handful of minutes since I moved in. Before, I thought it was just because of work, but I imagine he’s been spending time with Camila too.”
He nods in agreement.
HIS BROTHER IS WAY BETTER THAN HIM I WISH THE BOOK WAS ABOUT HIM INSTEAD OF THE WALL (sorry, Walt)
“Well, I’d like to see what you do. I know a few people who might be able to point you in the right direction.”
“Are you serious? You’d do that?”
“Sure. You’re my sister-in-law now, aren’t you?”
A great relieved laugh pours out of me. Finally, someone willing to poke fun at this odd set of circumstances.
“I’m completely kidding, by the way,” he says, with a sheepish smile.
“I can’t look at you like that. I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to find your sister-in-law attractive.”
“Oh.” The sound falls past my lips, forming a surprised O. “Was that not smooth? Damn. Sorry. I just got out of a relationship before the holidays, so I haven’t really been in the dating scene for a while. Here, let me try again.”
He shakes out his shoulders as if trying to relax, then he glances at me with full-on sincerity and says simply, “Elizabeth, you’re hot.”
🤮🤮🤮 his girlfriend and heroine are his type, brunettes and hot. 🥰
🤢 heroine is already into him. Literally the same night she met his girlfriend she is having lust thoughts about him
“So is that your type?”
“I mean, do you normally go for smarty-pants?”
I ask after clearing my throat. His smile is gentle when he shakes his head. “I don’t really have a type.” “Not true!” Matthew interjects quickly. “Not true at all and you know it, man.” He jostles his brother’s shoulder and Walt glances down, taking the side of his bottom lip between his teeth in a sheepish grin. My stomach squeezes tight as I watch him. The sight of him looking so boyishly handsome is something I never thought I’d see. I wish I could freeze time. Grab a camera. A paintbrush. Something. “Brunette.” Matthew starts listing, ticking qualities off on his fingers. “Long legs. Smoking hot.” I’m grinning until he turns and points to me. “Take Elizabeth, for example.” If I had champagne in my mouth, I would spit it out. “Excuse me?” “Sorry, just…it’s true,” Matthew laughs. Walt glances up at me and narrows his eyes. I do the same right back, filled with liquid courage. We have a stare-off for a long moment until I finally cave and roll my eyes, trying to lighten the mood. It’s obvious Matthew is only teasing. “Well that’s not fair. Now you know his type. What’s yours?” Matthew asks teasingly. Walt. That’s what my brain thinks before anything else. Just one word. One name. Walt.
😡 she just met his girlfriend but is already worried about feelings for fucks sakes. Where is her self respect?
Worse, I’m starting to think I might actually like my husband. How…disconcerting. I do think this arrangement would have worked best if we’d kept up pretense and only interacted with one another when it had to do with the business arrangement we struck in that courtroom. But then he agreed to let me move in, and now we’re (read: I’m) liable to catch feelings. Feelings are messy. My feelings are messy. Walt seems perfectly capable of reining in his feelings so at any given moment they’re nothing more than a pesky fly he can flick away with a wave of his hand.
The morning after the dinner the ow arrived at their house and the heroine is already jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great, just great ohh and she also feels like a third wheel. Romance is not dead people
Their definitive break up but the heroine doesn’t know that and is crazy jealous later wondering if they are still fucking
I peer around the doorframe. I see them hugging in the entryway, Camila’s face buried in his chest. Walt’s arm is wrapped lovingly around her shoulders, and now it feels as if there’s a painful lump in my throat as I turn away quickly and scurry to my room. (37%)
After his break up, a couple days later, he is mad she isn’t wearing the ring he pick up for her! The ring the bought when he was dating ow. Disgusting asshole, he doesn’t respect both women
Only at 48% he tells her he isn’t dating the ow anymore and isn’t sad about it and didn’t loved her. Well, big fucking deal Wall you were fucking her anyway while married. Heroine had already made a fool of herself asking his brother to talk to Wall about Camila to see if they were still together.
She is pathetic, she went after him to his office, he fingered her and then she was super embarrassed and wouldn’t even look at him ??? I was ashamed on her behalf, own your sexuality woman stop being stupid
🤡 His point of view at the end is pure bullshit 🤡
I never imagined I’d be standing here today, a decade since I first married Elizabeth at the courthouse. I’ll never forget walking up and seeing her that day clad in her short dress and heavy boots. She should have run for the hills when I approached, but she looked up at me, her green eyes shining. She was so unabashedly hopeful, so stubborn. I thought of her constantly, even in the early days, even before she moved into my apartment. I’ve told her that before, shared with her how quickly I developed feelings for her. She laughs every time I remind her, like it shocks her all over again.
“You sure didn’t act like it!” she loves to tell me. Yes well, what was I supposed to do? It was scary even to me.
Come the fuck on author, don’t even try, the poor guy was so scared he went and spend the night at his girlfriend house uh? So fucking interested in her that he was working but sure as fuck he could manage time to date (the other women) hahahah yeah honey not even him buy this shit
Bla bla bla I can’t take it anymore I just bother writing a review because I was pissed o though this book was good. It is not.
These people are zero realistic and I know is a romance book but cmon write someone who resembles a normal human being
She is so desperate I’m embarrassed, she was acting like a lunatic with his brother wondering with he was still dating the ow (he wasn’t but for fucks sake woman stop and go for the brother) rsrs
MOC
I don’t give a fuck if this is a moc, he was legally married and had a girlfriend and didn’t communicate his wife.
Her POV but the epilogue that we are graced by the Wall thoughts
HERO NOT CELIBATE AFTER MARRYING THE HEROINE AND DATING ANOTHER WOMAN HAS BEEN SIX MONTHS BEFORE GETTING MARRIED
HEROINE CELIBATE FOR A LONG TIME AND OF COURSE SHE DOESNT TOUCH NO ONE AFTER BEING MARRIED
Harry styles lives in their building!!!! Please just ask for a divorce and go to him instead I beg you
I don’t know why people liked this awful book. Why heroines always have to be a little bit shy, lonely and struggling while the heroes are rich, workaholics who also manage to fuck ow and doesn’t wear their feelings on their sleeves like heroines? Why can’t she be a strong woman?? Why can’t she be outgoing? Why can’t she toughen up and work hard to accomplish her things? Why can’t she tell people who are bad to her to fuck off? The stupid woman who let people step all over her makes me sick!
Sexual history:
- He has a hot as fuck girlfriend has been six months and is with her for the first weeks of their marriage
- He was never super serious with anyone before, but even though he was a workaholic I sense he was always with some hot woman
- Has been a long while since she last dated (of fucking course)
- Sex with him can’t compete with the college dorm sex she had before ugh
- Of course she doesn’t even kiss anyone else, I guy flirts with her but he was a jerk at one point. I wish he was cool and after being coldly reject by the robot she accepted the other guys flirtation and fuck the shit out him. I don’t give a shit if this is cheating, once the person cheated on you he set you free
- Some may say it wasn’t cheating because he told her, but he told her after being married and he didn’t mentioned he already have a girlfriend. She found out days later when he invited the ow to a dinner with her friends. Heroine felt out of place while the he required the ow to sit on his left and shea already knew his friends.
- Double standards
She like always is not allowed to have a great sex life before him. This is after he fingered her:
“You act like you’ve never done that before.” “I have!” I say in a rush, not wanting him to think I’ve spent my life inside a nunnery. “It’s just been…a while.” Also, I don’t think you can compare clumsy college-dorm-room sex to what just occurred in this office with Walt. I just catapulted myself into the big leagues, and I’m not quite sure how I’ll survive now.
His brother is so much more fun, nice, cute and a really he is a better guy. Why can’t heroines never be with the truly good guys? We don’t want the brooding not-showing-emotions is my whole personality. I want the guys who makes us swoon you know! Please give us better heroes
It looks like she was accepting any scrape of attention he throws her way. The guy is rude why the fuck do you chase him to ask what is wrong? Fuck him!!! and please if you may go fuck his brother cause I loved him 😌
The romance building is awful, when she thinks about loving him I was super confused because girl??? Why? When? What the fuck?
The time was a little off but if i understand it was like that but later it’s said they are married for a month ibased on my calculations should have been about three to four weeks
> they are married for three days when she moved in with him
> the first weekend he went and stayed night all night long so I assumed he was fucking his girlfriend
> two weeks since they got married he host a dinner in their honor, funny how she has to attend but he also invited his girlfriend. She obviously doesn’t even have any real friends in NY, much less a fuck buddy or a boyfriend
> his girlfriend broke up with him at 33% and he was upset.
I hate that heroes always have advantages compared to the heroine in romance books. He holds all the power, he is the one fucking ow, he is the one with the money, he is the one who sees her losing control over her feelings...
“So then you plan on dating still?”
I sound as if the notion shocks me. His brows furrow.
Why wouldn’t I?”
Yes, Elizabeth—why wouldn’t he?! I force out a laugh and shake my head.
“No, it’s just…I wasn’t sure. Now that I think about it, of course you’d continue dating. I wasn’t insinuating that you wouldn’t. Only…I…”
I’m fumbling here, grasping at straws as he watches carefully.
“I just assumed you didn’t have time with how much you work.” 🤮
He chuckles under his breath.
“I have no issue finding the time, I assure you.”
Whoa. Hello butterflies in my stomach. Settle down, please. He was talking about finding the time to romance other women, not me. Why would he find time for me?!
“So then it’s fine if I date as well?”
On the surface, it’s an appropriate question, but deep down, I’m only asking to prove that I, too, have romance in my life. Lots of it. Tons.
😡 She is attacked to him already:
Seeing Walt sans shirt is on par with the time I accidentally stumbled upon one of my mom’s racy romance novels when I was twelve. My cheeks flush bright red like I’ve never seen a naked torso before. It’s absolutely ridiculous. I’ve participated in live drawing classes in which we studied the nude human form, both of men and women, not to mention the fact that I’ve had boyfriends. Several. And I’ve seen them nude
🤬 After being married and after she saw him shirtless and liked, while she is alone in his apartment because they live together he was out fucking his girlfriend all night (23% )
“Walt and I don’t cross paths again that weekend, which is strange given our proximity to one another. I eat an early lunch in the kitchen, on edge, waiting to see if he’ll make an appearance, but he never leaves his office. Later that night, as I’m in my bathroom, washing my face, I hear the elevator arrive and then depart. I don’t hear him return until late Sunday morning, when I’m in the den watching TV.”
Great to imagine him fucking his girlfriend six ways to Sunday.
😪 She is already tingling from his touch at her arm before she met his girlfriend. She was already attracted to him also
I hold out my left hand for him and, without missing a beat, he takes it and slides off the gold band. I can’t help the tingles that spread up my arm from where he’s touching me. His hand is strong and steady, as confident and sure as any other part of him, I’m sure.
👹 The dinner he told her she had to attend because it was in honor of the new couple
Him worried about the ow (Camilla):
“Where did you place Camila?” Walt asks, stepping into the dining room and abruptly cutting off the party planner.
(...)
“I’d like her to be on my left,” Walt says, referring to Camila’s placement.
It’s clear that not a single one of them knows we’ve faked our marriage. They think we’re young and in love, and I have to stand there and smile and laugh as they gush about what a lovely bride I made.
Up until this moment*, I didn’t realize Walt had someone like Camila in his life. Sure, he told me he had plans to continue dating, but he maybe should have mentioned having a serious girlfriend. Seems like something a wife ought to know! Ha.
* during the dinner she went to the library to have some time alone and heard them arguing about the ring he bough the heroine and the fake weeding
Walt’s personal friends don’t want anything to do with me either, which makes sense, because Camila now stands among them. Every now and then, one of them will glance over at me with a look that says, Oh…you’re still here?
She’s wonderfully beautiful with curly black hair that cascades down her back. Her burgundy jumpsuit is slim fitting through the bodice and hips with a relaxed fit around her legs. The deep V plunging neckline is paired with a tie at the waist, and it all looks so effortlessly sexy.
“I heard you in your office earlier with Camila.”
He nods, but he doesn’t seem upset or surprised by the confession. I’m more than a little relieved. I wasn’t sure how he’d take me eavesdropping on him, even if it was just an accident.
“Is she your girlfriend?”
I press. He looks down at his drink.
“The closest thing to it, I suppose.”
He sounds a little worn out by the topic, and I’m not surprised given the argument I heard.
“Is she angry I’m here?”
“Yes,” he admits with a sigh.
“This whole situation has been hard on her. She doesn’t understand it.”
“That makes two of us.”
He smiles and glances over at me, catching my gaze. “Does she know I’m living here?”
He looks away again.
“Yes. That was…what did you say a second ago? A rotten day.”
“I could talk to her. Make it clear to her that I’m not…” I struggle to finish the sentence out loud because the notion is so preposterous. Still, I trudge on bravely. “Competition.” When he doesn’t immediately respond, I tack on an exaggerated “Obviously.” I turn beet red from head to toe. Oh my god. Say something!
“I appreciate you wanting to help,” he says, “but it’s not as simple as that.”
“Right. Well…I’m happy to leave if it would make it easier for you and your situation with Camila.”
Please don’t ask me to leave.
“No,” he replies curtly. “I insist you stay. It’s going to be a great dinner. C’mon, it looks like it’s time for us to take our seats.”
“Elizabeth? I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I’m Camila, Walt’s friend.”
“Oh, yes. Hi. It’s nice to meet you.” Up close, she’s even more beautiful than I realized.
“I really like your outfit,” I say, trying to show her that I’m not the enemy—or at least I’m not trying to be.
(This situation is humiliating for both women, I would never accepted him)
When another guest asks Walt what attracted him to me, I drink, and I listen very carefully for the lie he’ll tell. After all, lies are often based in truths. Walt’s gaze slides to me, and he seems to think for a second as he assesses me. God it’s taking him forever.
“Oh come on,” a guy taunts. “It can’t take you that long to come up with something nice to say about her.”
I blink away the tears that suddenly spring to the corners of my eyes. How embarrassing. I wish I could leap to my feet and leave the table.
🤮 I hate it when heroines accepted being humiliated like that, he invited his fucking girlfriend for fucking sakes, leave the damn dinner and go out, enjoy the city that never sleeps
“And what about you, Elizabeth?”
“Oh.” I force a laugh.
“What attracted me to Walt?” I ask in clarification.
“Yes! C’mon, we gotta know what you saw in the cold bastard,” the man across from me says with a laugh. “His…um…”
I feel Walt’s gaze on the side of my face, and I fidget in my chair.
“Butt” The table erupts with laughter, and I glance over at Walt from beneath my lashes to find even he’s smiling slightly.
“My butt?” he teases. I shrug playfully.
“It’s nice. What can I say?” Camila scoots back from the table suddenly, shooting to her feet.
“Excuse me for a moment.” Her napkin falls to her chair, and Walt and I stand at the same time, as if we’re both going to follow after her. It’s funny considering the two of us are likely the last people she wants to see right now. I sit back down after Walt shakes his head, just once, before excusing himself from the dining room. To say the tension around the table hits an all-time high after that is an understatement. It’s clear to everyone now that there’s something odd going on, and without Walt here, I’m left to endure the whispers and side conversations all on my own.
ASSHOLE he just left her alone to deal with his friends and followed another woman who is not the wife. Fucking hell
AHHHHHHH FUCKING GREAT TO KNOW HE IS SPENDING TIME WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, but like he said, he always find the time to date even though he works a lot, I am imagining a quick fuck during lunch now
“What’s it like living here with my brother?”
“Like living here absolutely alone, really.”
“Is he gone that often?”
“I don’t think I’ve seen him more than a handful of minutes since I moved in. Before, I thought it was just because of work, but I imagine he’s been spending time with Camila too.”
He nods in agreement.
HIS BROTHER IS WAY BETTER THAN HIM I WISH THE BOOK WAS ABOUT HIM INSTEAD OF THE WALL (sorry, Walt)
“Well, I’d like to see what you do. I know a few people who might be able to point you in the right direction.”
“Are you serious? You’d do that?”
“Sure. You’re my sister-in-law now, aren’t you?”
A great relieved laugh pours out of me. Finally, someone willing to poke fun at this odd set of circumstances.
“I’m completely kidding, by the way,” he says, with a sheepish smile.
“I can’t look at you like that. I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to find your sister-in-law attractive.”
“Oh.” The sound falls past my lips, forming a surprised O. “Was that not smooth? Damn. Sorry. I just got out of a relationship before the holidays, so I haven’t really been in the dating scene for a while. Here, let me try again.”
He shakes out his shoulders as if trying to relax, then he glances at me with full-on sincerity and says simply, “Elizabeth, you’re hot.”
🤮🤮🤮 his girlfriend and heroine are his type, brunettes and hot. 🥰
🤢 heroine is already into him. Literally the same night she met his girlfriend she is having lust thoughts about him
“So is that your type?”
“I mean, do you normally go for smarty-pants?”
I ask after clearing my throat. His smile is gentle when he shakes his head. “I don’t really have a type.” “Not true!” Matthew interjects quickly. “Not true at all and you know it, man.” He jostles his brother’s shoulder and Walt glances down, taking the side of his bottom lip between his teeth in a sheepish grin. My stomach squeezes tight as I watch him. The sight of him looking so boyishly handsome is something I never thought I’d see. I wish I could freeze time. Grab a camera. A paintbrush. Something. “Brunette.” Matthew starts listing, ticking qualities off on his fingers. “Long legs. Smoking hot.” I’m grinning until he turns and points to me. “Take Elizabeth, for example.” If I had champagne in my mouth, I would spit it out. “Excuse me?” “Sorry, just…it’s true,” Matthew laughs. Walt glances up at me and narrows his eyes. I do the same right back, filled with liquid courage. We have a stare-off for a long moment until I finally cave and roll my eyes, trying to lighten the mood. It’s obvious Matthew is only teasing. “Well that’s not fair. Now you know his type. What’s yours?” Matthew asks teasingly. Walt. That’s what my brain thinks before anything else. Just one word. One name. Walt.
😡 she just met his girlfriend but is already worried about feelings for fucks sakes. Where is her self respect?
Worse, I’m starting to think I might actually like my husband. How…disconcerting. I do think this arrangement would have worked best if we’d kept up pretense and only interacted with one another when it had to do with the business arrangement we struck in that courtroom. But then he agreed to let me move in, and now we’re (read: I’m) liable to catch feelings. Feelings are messy. My feelings are messy. Walt seems perfectly capable of reining in his feelings so at any given moment they’re nothing more than a pesky fly he can flick away with a wave of his hand.
The morning after the dinner the ow arrived at their house and the heroine is already jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great, just great ohh and she also feels like a third wheel. Romance is not dead people
Their definitive break up but the heroine doesn’t know that and is crazy jealous later wondering if they are still fucking
I peer around the doorframe. I see them hugging in the entryway, Camila’s face buried in his chest. Walt’s arm is wrapped lovingly around her shoulders, and now it feels as if there’s a painful lump in my throat as I turn away quickly and scurry to my room. (37%)
After his break up, a couple days later, he is mad she isn’t wearing the ring he pick up for her! The ring the bought when he was dating ow. Disgusting asshole, he doesn’t respect both women
Only at 48% he tells her he isn’t dating the ow anymore and isn’t sad about it and didn’t loved her. Well, big fucking deal Wall you were fucking her anyway while married. Heroine had already made a fool of herself asking his brother to talk to Wall about Camila to see if they were still together.
She is pathetic, she went after him to his office, he fingered her and then she was super embarrassed and wouldn’t even look at him ??? I was ashamed on her behalf, own your sexuality woman stop being stupid
🤡 His point of view at the end is pure bullshit 🤡
I never imagined I’d be standing here today, a decade since I first married Elizabeth at the courthouse. I’ll never forget walking up and seeing her that day clad in her short dress and heavy boots. She should have run for the hills when I approached, but she looked up at me, her green eyes shining. She was so unabashedly hopeful, so stubborn. I thought of her constantly, even in the early days, even before she moved into my apartment. I’ve told her that before, shared with her how quickly I developed feelings for her. She laughs every time I remind her, like it shocks her all over again.
“You sure didn’t act like it!” she loves to tell me. Yes well, what was I supposed to do? It was scary even to me.
Come the fuck on author, don’t even try, the poor guy was so scared he went and spend the night at his girlfriend house uh? So fucking interested in her that he was working but sure as fuck he could manage time to date (the other women) hahahah yeah honey not even him buy this shit
Bla bla bla I can’t take it anymore I just bother writing a review because I was pissed o though this book was good. It is not.
These people are zero realistic and I know is a romance book but cmon write someone who resembles a normal human being
She is so desperate I’m embarrassed, she was acting like a lunatic with his brother wondering with he was still dating the ow (he wasn’t but for fucks sake woman stop and go for the brother) rsrs
March 21, 2021
While I was just typing that zara should look away at this rating, she was already 10 steps ahead and called me out. 🥴🏃♀️
Despite the god-tier tropes that To Have and to Hate has, my expectations for any new R.S. Grey books are low, since I pretty much hated her last 2-3 books.
Elizabeth Brighton (h) and Walter Jennings II (H) have to enter a marriage of convenience, since it would help Elizabeth's parents who are broke and Walt can have access to the trust fund his & Elizabeth's grandfather set up with a clause. After trying and failing to find an affordable apartment in NY with her artist salary, Elizabeth asks Walt to move into his home.
What are my issues:
➸ Even after Walt and Elizabeth are married, they said that they would date other people and that their marriage is just on paper. Walt still had a girlfriend (Camila) few weeks after their marriage until he broke it off one event when Camila was making a scene during one event when Elizabeth was there. It wasn't mentioned if Camila and Walt were intimate or not during those weeks when he was seeing there since the book is completely from Elizabeth's POV. So that drama was a little annoying.
➸ I love a good slowburn between the two main characters, but I just didn't feel the romance between Elizabeth and Walt, maybe it was partly bc Walt still had a girlfriend and nothing happened. But even after Walt and Camila broke up (it took until close to 58%, I think, when Elizabeth knew that Walt and Camila weren't together anymore), Elizabeth and Walt felt more like roommates. They have barely any scenes together in the first half. Walt is working all the time or avoiding Elizabeth. They go days without seeing each other despite living together. I just felt so disconnected from the romance. The few scenes they have together (more so in the last 20-30%) I really liked it like when Walt got sick and Elizabeth made soup for him and they watched some crime show together. CUUTE!! The problem was that there wasn't enough!
➸ I kinda wish Elizabeth and Walt talked to each other more. Part of the allure of the sunshine grumpy dynamic is that the grumpy one isn't saying much, butttt I was bored with Elizabeth monologues, since I knew Elizabeth and Walt when they talk, they had some good banter in them. Exhibit A:
➸ Who is Walt? Even though Walt is the Hero of this book... I still don't know anything about him besides that has a younger brother and is a workaholic. It would have helped if would have gotten some of Walt's POV, now it was all about Elizabeth's struggles, the drama with her family, Elizabeth trying to find a job and nothing about Walt.
☆.｡.:*
I've been talking all about what bothered me, because I tend to have a much easier time writing down the 'bad' than the 'good' of a book. But why this was still a solid read for me is, because I did like the heroine and hero. When Elizabeth and Walt were together and did something like a domestic couple, it was cute and I loved those scenes. The epilogue was also cute.
Not my favorite R.S. Grey romance, but To Have and to Hate was a lot better than the last few releases I read by Miss Grey.
– 3 stars
Despite the god-tier tropes that To Have and to Hate has, my expectations for any new R.S. Grey books are low, since I pretty much hated her last 2-3 books.
☆ marriage of convenience
☆ slowburn romance
☆ sunshine-grumpy (lowkey)
☆ age-gap
Elizabeth Brighton (h) and Walter Jennings II (H) have to enter a marriage of convenience, since it would help Elizabeth's parents who are broke and Walt can have access to the trust fund his & Elizabeth's grandfather set up with a clause. After trying and failing to find an affordable apartment in NY with her artist salary, Elizabeth asks Walt to move into his home.
What are my issues:
➸ Even after Walt and Elizabeth are married, they said that they would date other people and that their marriage is just on paper. Walt still had a girlfriend (Camila) few weeks after their marriage until he broke it off one event when Camila was making a scene during one event when Elizabeth was there. It wasn't mentioned if Camila and Walt were intimate or not during those weeks when he was seeing there since the book is completely from Elizabeth's POV. So that drama was a little annoying.
➸ I love a good slowburn between the two main characters, but I just didn't feel the romance between Elizabeth and Walt, maybe it was partly bc Walt still had a girlfriend and nothing happened. But even after Walt and Camila broke up (it took until close to 58%, I think, when Elizabeth knew that Walt and Camila weren't together anymore), Elizabeth and Walt felt more like roommates. They have barely any scenes together in the first half. Walt is working all the time or avoiding Elizabeth. They go days without seeing each other despite living together. I just felt so disconnected from the romance. The few scenes they have together (more so in the last 20-30%) I really liked it like when Walt got sick and Elizabeth made soup for him and they watched some crime show together. CUUTE!! The problem was that there wasn't enough!
➸ I kinda wish Elizabeth and Walt talked to each other more. Part of the allure of the sunshine grumpy dynamic is that the grumpy one isn't saying much, butttt I was bored with Elizabeth monologues, since I knew Elizabeth and Walt when they talk, they had some good banter in them. Exhibit A:
“Morning.” I make a point of not replying. “Did you sleep well?” he asks.
I hum in response. “I slept great. Solid seven hours.”
“I didn’t ask,” I say, flipping my page.
“Then this morning, I woke up at 5:00, got some work done, went for a run.”
“I can see that. You don’t have to tell me—I can smell your sweat from over here. Plan on showering sometime today?”
➸ Who is Walt? Even though Walt is the Hero of this book... I still don't know anything about him besides that has a younger brother and is a workaholic. It would have helped if would have gotten some of Walt's POV, now it was all about Elizabeth's struggles, the drama with her family, Elizabeth trying to find a job and nothing about Walt.
☆.｡.:*
I've been talking all about what bothered me, because I tend to have a much easier time writing down the 'bad' than the 'good' of a book. But why this was still a solid read for me is, because I did like the heroine and hero. When Elizabeth and Walt were together and did something like a domestic couple, it was cute and I loved those scenes. The epilogue was also cute.
Not my favorite R.S. Grey romance, but To Have and to Hate was a lot better than the last few releases I read by Miss Grey.
– 3 stars
April 3, 2023
ALMOST FOUR STARS
I must say, in recent years finishing a RS Grey book is actually a WIN for me.
To Have and To Hate was an enjoyable read, did I have some issues with it? Sure! But overall it was a solid romance novel.
And if you love a slow burn, marriage of convenience and an age gap (ten years) you’ll enjoy it too. Also, it included a rather new trope, a sunshine/grump pairing. The first time I read about this pairing was in Act Your Age, Eve Brown and I’m loving it.
Starting out there wasn’t much chemistry between Elizabeth and Walt, at least not at first. It was a marriage of convenience, and besides them knowing each other from family functions, they had no other connection. And if I’m honest, they didn’t have anything in common either, except for their love for art. So their slow burn romance made sense, and worked for the book. Would I have liked a bit more oomph? Absolutely! But not every romance has to be sizzling and hot. I enjoyed the slower pace.
Also, I’m a big fan of playing house, and that’s pretty much what Elizabeth and Walt did. And as always forced proximity, in their case living in the same apartment, leads to certain situations which I adored. Also, the more these two were around each other, the more their personalities came out to shine. Walt, especially surprised me with being generous and kind when it came to Elizabeth’s well being.
I also felt that Elizabeth had a good grasp on Walt’s personality, he wasn’t into PDA, he was private, guarded, restrained even and a bit cold. Also she had this habit of making him smile against his wishes. And I loved that he started to come out of his shell around Elizabeth. Her sunshine personality was the perfect complement to his cooler personality.
In the end, I feel that the book would have profited from Walt’s POV, he was very quiet and hard to read, and his thoughts would have made him more approachable. Especially since these two didn’t really talk that much with each other. And dialogues are key in certain situations, especially in preventing misunderstandings.
Overall, I had NO trouble finishing this book in one day. It got me hooked. And although it was far from perfect, it wasn’t bad either. It was solid.
I must say, in recent years finishing a RS Grey book is actually a WIN for me.
To Have and To Hate was an enjoyable read, did I have some issues with it? Sure! But overall it was a solid romance novel.
And if you love a slow burn, marriage of convenience and an age gap (ten years) you’ll enjoy it too. Also, it included a rather new trope, a sunshine/grump pairing. The first time I read about this pairing was in Act Your Age, Eve Brown and I’m loving it.
Starting out there wasn’t much chemistry between Elizabeth and Walt, at least not at first. It was a marriage of convenience, and besides them knowing each other from family functions, they had no other connection. And if I’m honest, they didn’t have anything in common either, except for their love for art. So their slow burn romance made sense, and worked for the book. Would I have liked a bit more oomph? Absolutely! But not every romance has to be sizzling and hot. I enjoyed the slower pace.
Also, I’m a big fan of playing house, and that’s pretty much what Elizabeth and Walt did. And as always forced proximity, in their case living in the same apartment, leads to certain situations which I adored. Also, the more these two were around each other, the more their personalities came out to shine. Walt, especially surprised me with being generous and kind when it came to Elizabeth’s well being.
I also felt that Elizabeth had a good grasp on Walt’s personality, he wasn’t into PDA, he was private, guarded, restrained even and a bit cold. Also she had this habit of making him smile against his wishes. And I loved that he started to come out of his shell around Elizabeth. Her sunshine personality was the perfect complement to his cooler personality.
In the end, I feel that the book would have profited from Walt’s POV, he was very quiet and hard to read, and his thoughts would have made him more approachable. Especially since these two didn’t really talk that much with each other. And dialogues are key in certain situations, especially in preventing misunderstandings.
Overall, I had NO trouble finishing this book in one day. It got me hooked. And although it was far from perfect, it wasn’t bad either. It was solid.
March 15, 2021
4.75/5
the international implications that this book has, the clearance that this has, the influence that this has, the profile that this has— sighs, sighs, sighs.
the past couple of books that i have read by R.S. Grey have not been a good experience, and initially i thought it was just the way her characters + plot had been lately which was not working for me. but when i read the blurb for To Have and To Hate i was immediately hooked like i always am with her books, but at the same time i kept my expectations low because i didn’t want to be disappointed from all over again.
HOWEVER, To Have and To Hate turned out to be surprisingly such a deliciously wonderful treat that has been added to my top reads of the year. from the cover, to the characters and the plot, everything was executed to its utter perfection like you know when you don’t want a book to end when you have not even gotten halfway past it—there’s no denying the fact that it is going to become one of your favorite feel good romances.
⤿ a breakdown of the book:
↬ the characters:
Walt Jennings II and Elizabeth Brighton were well written characters who had the ability to hold their own without needing anyone else. Walt and Elizabeth are complete opposites of each other, and yet, they work so well together especially because no matter how many times an author uses the grumpy + sunshine trope, it. always. works. i loved the contrast between Walt and Elizabeth’s personalities and auras. i think that’s what’s so great about this trope that there’s one character who expresses themselves like the sun whereas the other character is so closed off, but when it comes to each other and love, their language is so loud.
Walt is one of my favorite types of male characters. he is so quietly intense who dominates his surroundings without even actually trying to be an alpha though he is. he is soft spoken and comes off as emotionally cold, and it may look like he is, but really he’s just reserved and shy. whereas Elizabeth was R.S. Grey’s classic type of female character who is quirky, a bit clumsy, a bit shy, and basically awkward, but she was also headstrong and tried to be on her own despite her upbringing. i think my only reason for not giving this book an exact five stars is because of Elizabeth’s character. i didn’t mind her, i actually did like her and found her little artistic self cute, but her type of character has been overdone in the majority of Rachel’s books. sometimes, it works like in this case, but the other times it gets annoying and repetitive. i just wished Rachel would also try to write a different type of female character i mean i get it she does this for the romcom effect, but still i would like to see a different type. however, i definitely liked Elizabeth more than Rachel’s previous female characters, especially more than the ones in her recently released previous books.
↬ the plot + overall pacing of the story:
i loved the balance between the characters and the actual plot because the entire story is from Elizabeth’s point of view, but Rachel did a great job describing Walt and peeling his character’s layers off through Elizabeth’s eyes which was sufficient enough without having a point of view from Walt’s side.
so Walt and Elizabeth’s story serves as a marriage of convenience trope when both come together to save their families' dynasties. technically, despite knowing each other as young adults, they are complete strangers to one another because of the ten year age gap and having different social circles. the story starts right off from page one, and it kept moving at a natural pace til the end.
also, i’m the type of person who loves reading about couples set in a domestic situation and the story being revolved around them; them doing nothing and everything. especially, with marriage of convenience and being total opposite strangers who don’t know what to make of the other so other just assumes it’s hate comes a lot that can be explored with or without external drama. even though this story did have external drama, not as intense, it brought out so many emotions from Walt and Elizabeth that just fit in so well with the structure of the entire plot. both, Walt and Elizabeth are so frustrating as characters because there's push and pull from both sides especially from Walt and usually i do get annoyed easily when it is the same thing over and over again, but here it was just so well put together because for me, the angst served.
also, the epilogue has my heart, it was so adorable and soft and just really gave me all the feels: a sweet conclusion to Elizabeth and Walt’s story.
↬ me and my gloriously endless thoughts:
To Have and To Hate is one of my top and most favorite reads of the year, and i think it is actually the first one among my reads for this year to take those titles because i don't think i have rated any book higher than four stars until this book came along.
it’s such a feel good and lighthearted type of romance that i personally crave from time to time. one of the interesting things about a romantic comedy is the fact how most of them are based on clichés, yet some authors can just take those classic tropes and twist them into modern day romance that hits the spot. so no matter how many times one reads those classics style modern reads, they just hit differently each time.
and, to end this review a bang: the best part of reading romance is soaking in the smallest details and gestures that no one would notice, yet they hold so much excellence that—
the amount of times i reread that line, let me just say, i think R.S. Grey is finally back in the game.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
the international implications that this book has, the clearance that this has, the influence that this has, the profile that this has— sighs, sighs, sighs.
the way i get a serotonin boost when slow burn + marriage of convenience + age gap + hate to love romance is delivered with such preeminence that leaves you with nothing, but MAJOR butterflies and happiness behind— phew. AND, when character a is shouting, and character b kisses character a to shut him/her up or when character a is sick and character b takes care of character a and during that time character a slips up by expressing its tender love— bless the holy trinity of romance.
the past couple of books that i have read by R.S. Grey have not been a good experience, and initially i thought it was just the way her characters + plot had been lately which was not working for me. but when i read the blurb for To Have and To Hate i was immediately hooked like i always am with her books, but at the same time i kept my expectations low because i didn’t want to be disappointed from all over again.
HOWEVER, To Have and To Hate turned out to be surprisingly such a deliciously wonderful treat that has been added to my top reads of the year. from the cover, to the characters and the plot, everything was executed to its utter perfection like you know when you don’t want a book to end when you have not even gotten halfway past it—there’s no denying the fact that it is going to become one of your favorite feel good romances.
⤿ a breakdown of the book:
↬ the characters:
Walt Jennings II and Elizabeth Brighton were well written characters who had the ability to hold their own without needing anyone else. Walt and Elizabeth are complete opposites of each other, and yet, they work so well together especially because no matter how many times an author uses the grumpy + sunshine trope, it. always. works. i loved the contrast between Walt and Elizabeth’s personalities and auras. i think that’s what’s so great about this trope that there’s one character who expresses themselves like the sun whereas the other character is so closed off, but when it comes to each other and love, their language is so loud.
Walt is one of my favorite types of male characters. he is so quietly intense who dominates his surroundings without even actually trying to be an alpha though he is. he is soft spoken and comes off as emotionally cold, and it may look like he is, but really he’s just reserved and shy. whereas Elizabeth was R.S. Grey’s classic type of female character who is quirky, a bit clumsy, a bit shy, and basically awkward, but she was also headstrong and tried to be on her own despite her upbringing. i think my only reason for not giving this book an exact five stars is because of Elizabeth’s character. i didn’t mind her, i actually did like her and found her little artistic self cute, but her type of character has been overdone in the majority of Rachel’s books. sometimes, it works like in this case, but the other times it gets annoying and repetitive. i just wished Rachel would also try to write a different type of female character i mean i get it she does this for the romcom effect, but still i would like to see a different type. however, i definitely liked Elizabeth more than Rachel’s previous female characters, especially more than the ones in her recently released previous books.
together, Walt and Elizabeth were such a CUTE couple with plenty of banter, angst and subtle flirtation. i just loved seeing Walt coming out of his shell whenever he was around Elizabeth and flirting with her out of nowhere, it just made my heart swell with love and made me smile so big. and, i read most of this book in public so IMAGINE how weird i looked smiling at my screen and then looking up from my phone and blushing as if i was Elizabeth who was going through it.
↬ the plot + overall pacing of the story:
i loved the balance between the characters and the actual plot because the entire story is from Elizabeth’s point of view, but Rachel did a great job describing Walt and peeling his character’s layers off through Elizabeth’s eyes which was sufficient enough without having a point of view from Walt’s side.
so Walt and Elizabeth’s story serves as a marriage of convenience trope when both come together to save their families' dynasties. technically, despite knowing each other as young adults, they are complete strangers to one another because of the ten year age gap and having different social circles. the story starts right off from page one, and it kept moving at a natural pace til the end.
also, i’m the type of person who loves reading about couples set in a domestic situation and the story being revolved around them; them doing nothing and everything. especially, with marriage of convenience and being total opposite strangers who don’t know what to make of the other so other just assumes it’s hate comes a lot that can be explored with or without external drama. even though this story did have external drama, not as intense, it brought out so many emotions from Walt and Elizabeth that just fit in so well with the structure of the entire plot. both, Walt and Elizabeth are so frustrating as characters because there's push and pull from both sides especially from Walt and usually i do get annoyed easily when it is the same thing over and over again, but here it was just so well put together because for me, the angst served.
also, the epilogue has my heart, it was so adorable and soft and just really gave me all the feels: a sweet conclusion to Elizabeth and Walt’s story.
↬ me and my gloriously endless thoughts:
To Have and To Hate is one of my top and most favorite reads of the year, and i think it is actually the first one among my reads for this year to take those titles because i don't think i have rated any book higher than four stars until this book came along.
it’s such a feel good and lighthearted type of romance that i personally crave from time to time. one of the interesting things about a romantic comedy is the fact how most of them are based on clichés, yet some authors can just take those classic tropes and twist them into modern day romance that hits the spot. so no matter how many times one reads those classics style modern reads, they just hit differently each time.
and, to end this review a bang: the best part of reading romance is soaking in the smallest details and gestures that no one would notice, yet they hold so much excellence that—
“He motions for me to lead the way, and as I step forward, his hand presses lightly against the small of my back. I jerk in surprise and glance down to see him take his hand away and curl it into a fist.”
the amount of times i reread that line, let me just say, i think R.S. Grey is finally back in the game.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2021
⭒ 1.5 stars ⭒
I know this is not a harry styles fanfic, but why is she pining after boring walter when harry lives in the same building???
I know this is not a harry styles fanfic, but why is she pining after boring walter when harry lives in the same building???
March 19, 2021
"I reach up to try to push him away, but instead, he grasps my hand against his chest and pushes it harder against his heart so I can feel its beat."
i can tell i'll be rereading this book 15489 times this year and i love that feeling! this is now one of my comfort reads. old rs grey is back and included all the tropes i adore with my whole heart.
- forced proximity ✓
- grumpy/sunshine ✓
- marriage of convenience ✓
- slow burn ✓
- taking care of the other one because they are ill ✓
- kiss to shut up the other character ✓
- mutual pining ✓
- flying across the world to declare their love ✓
"I'm about to stand when his hand reaches out to touch my thigh. His grip is gentle, his way of asking me to stay, I think. I freeze right where I am and his hand doesn't move from where it sits, just above my knee. He hangs on to me as his breathing steadies out. He's asleep again now, his lips slightly parted, his face as tranquil as I've ever seen it."
(the ow drama was VERY irrelevant and annoying. and i would love confirmation if walter had sex with camilia in the early stages of being married to elizabeth. this felt like cheating to me and so doing my best to forget about that detail, lmao.)
also, i wish the ending was a bit longer as it felt rushed!
26/02/21
no but i’ve been waiting for rs grey to release a book with marriage of convenience for YEARS now and it’s paired with hate to love trope???? god i am begging this has to be incredible or i will cry pls
March 19, 2021
4 Stars
me throughout the book
“No.”
“I wave for him to continue down the stairs, and for a moment his eyes crinkle at the sides, like he doesn’t exactly love me telling him what to do. I smile, relishing this tiny victory”
A sad laugh bursts out of me as I realize the truth. “No one. Honestly, there’s no one I can call.”
I ask the question out loud, and to my utter horror, Walt looks as shocked and appalled by the kiss as I do. “You kissed me!” I exclaim. “You wouldn’t shut up!” he says, throwing his hands into the air.
“Don’t ever kiss me again!”
“You’re my wife—I can kiss you anytime I damn well please,” he replies, almost lazily.
I glance behind me, and my smile immediately freezes once I see Walt leaning back in his chair, his gaze intently focused on the back of my legs, right where my skirt cuts off.
Plot
Recent graduate Elizabeth is trying to start her art career in New York when she gets a call from her mom asking her to get married to an almost complete stranger, Walt just to save the family from loosing their current lifestyle. Elizabeth is loyal to the core and agrees to sacrifice herself, even though her family totally didn’t deserve it. It was just supposed to be marriage on paper but Elizabeth then finds herself looking for help and the only person she could think of was her workaholic husband Walt. One thing leads to another and they end up temporarily living together.
The thing I liked the most is that they didn’t immediately start humping each other. They both took their time to understand one another and let their relationship grow. Yes, which means there was some push and pull between them but that just added up the angst level.
I honestly just loved Elizabeth here as she was a quirky, cute and a selfless main lead. Someone I wouldn’t mind being friends with. Walt, he was respectful, understanding, sweet, hot and most of all very supportive towards Elizabeth. Even though they were the complete opposite of the other, one being moody and the other being quirky they still somehow were the perfect match.
Also Walt confessing his love for Elizabeth was cute af. He was so awkward omg 😂😂😂
The ending was a little too quick for me. Like they got back together and then we go straight to the epilogue that’s a few years down the line. Idk maybe I’m being greedy as usual and wanted a little more of Elizabeth and Walt as an official couple before the epilogue started.
me throughout the book
“No.”
“I wave for him to continue down the stairs, and for a moment his eyes crinkle at the sides, like he doesn’t exactly love me telling him what to do. I smile, relishing this tiny victory”
A sad laugh bursts out of me as I realize the truth. “No one. Honestly, there’s no one I can call.”
I ask the question out loud, and to my utter horror, Walt looks as shocked and appalled by the kiss as I do. “You kissed me!” I exclaim. “You wouldn’t shut up!” he says, throwing his hands into the air.
“Don’t ever kiss me again!”
“You’re my wife—I can kiss you anytime I damn well please,” he replies, almost lazily.
I glance behind me, and my smile immediately freezes once I see Walt leaning back in his chair, his gaze intently focused on the back of my legs, right where my skirt cuts off.
Plot
Recent graduate Elizabeth is trying to start her art career in New York when she gets a call from her mom asking her to get married to an almost complete stranger, Walt just to save the family from loosing their current lifestyle. Elizabeth is loyal to the core and agrees to sacrifice herself, even though her family totally didn’t deserve it. It was just supposed to be marriage on paper but Elizabeth then finds herself looking for help and the only person she could think of was her workaholic husband Walt. One thing leads to another and they end up temporarily living together.
The thing I liked the most is that they didn’t immediately start humping each other. They both took their time to understand one another and let their relationship grow. Yes, which means there was some push and pull between them but that just added up the angst level.
I honestly just loved Elizabeth here as she was a quirky, cute and a selfless main lead. Someone I wouldn’t mind being friends with. Walt, he was respectful, understanding, sweet, hot and most of all very supportive towards Elizabeth. Even though they were the complete opposite of the other, one being moody and the other being quirky they still somehow were the perfect match.
Also Walt confessing his love for Elizabeth was cute af. He was so awkward omg 😂😂😂
The ending was a little too quick for me. Like they got back together and then we go straight to the epilogue that’s a few years down the line. Idk maybe I’m being greedy as usual and wanted a little more of Elizabeth and Walt as an official couple before the epilogue started.
March 20, 2021
A friend recommended this book to me.Our friendship is over.
March 23, 2021
GENRE: contemporary romance
TROPES: arranged marriage, slow burn, age gap, forced proximity
HOTTIE METER: 3🌡
RATING: 5 ⭐
SONGS: watermelon sugar
empty space
finally, a book that I couldn't put down and for that and the feelings it gave me..and to keep reading until 2 am - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
this was just what I needed to read right now!!
plot
Elizabeth our heroine just graduated from art school. She is from a privileged background but wants to be independent and doesn't have much contact with her family. She is trying to make a name for herself as a painter in New York. Speaking of her family they are in a dire financial situation. There needs to be a marriage between her family member and their business partner's family for a trust fund to be unlocked. Enters Walter , a ten year older CEO of their company. They need to get married. NOW. These two know of each other but are not on a first-name basis. After marriage in name, only Elizabeth needs a favor from her new husband and one thing leads to another and they are roommates.
Everything would be fine if they are not so opposite...if Walt wasn't such a grump and well has a girlfriend. Elizabeth pushes his buttons, their banter is amazing and chemistry is palpable.
A slow burn at its finest!
why this book worked for me
📌 I loved the heroine
📌 I liked that we didn't get insta love as many times in marriage of convenience/arranged marriage books, these two have normal question and hold-ups and behave as strange towards each other, so the fact that they are married isn't a plot device for them to suddenly be soulmates but their connection developed over time
📌 I love when we have two strangers who have to live together
📌 pinning
📌 I had a smile on my face while reading this I love all the snark and inner Elizabeth thoughts
📌 that curling fist a la Mr. Darcy looove it
Sure our heroine does blush a lot and the name Walter kind of grew on me..
but other than that this was DELIGHTFUL, FEELGOOD & ADORABLE!!
TROPES: arranged marriage, slow burn, age gap, forced proximity
HOTTIE METER: 3🌡
RATING: 5 ⭐
SONGS: watermelon sugar
empty space
finally, a book that I couldn't put down and for that and the feelings it gave me..and to keep reading until 2 am - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
this was just what I needed to read right now!!
plot
Elizabeth our heroine just graduated from art school. She is from a privileged background but wants to be independent and doesn't have much contact with her family. She is trying to make a name for herself as a painter in New York. Speaking of her family they are in a dire financial situation. There needs to be a marriage between her family member and their business partner's family for a trust fund to be unlocked. Enters Walter , a ten year older CEO of their company. They need to get married. NOW. These two know of each other but are not on a first-name basis. After marriage in name, only Elizabeth needs a favor from her new husband and one thing leads to another and they are roommates.
Everything would be fine if they are not so opposite...if Walt wasn't such a grump and well has a girlfriend. Elizabeth pushes his buttons, their banter is amazing and chemistry is palpable.
A slow burn at its finest!
why this book worked for me
📌 I loved the heroine
📌 I liked that we didn't get insta love as many times in marriage of convenience/arranged marriage books, these two have normal question and hold-ups and behave as strange towards each other, so the fact that they are married isn't a plot device for them to suddenly be soulmates but their connection developed over time
📌 I love when we have two strangers who have to live together
📌 pinning
📌 I had a smile on my face while reading this I love all the snark and inner Elizabeth thoughts
📌 that curling fist a la Mr. Darcy looove it
Sure our heroine does blush a lot and the name Walter kind of grew on me..
but other than that this was DELIGHTFUL, FEELGOOD & ADORABLE!!
December 16, 2022
just how far below this author have fallen that she couldnt even hack the one trope that can do no wrong: marriage of convenience. 😩 i mean, this wasnt bad, but it wasnt good either. it reminded me a lot of
Marriage for One
by Ella Maise, except a lot more dull. especially the H was another version of Jack Hawthorne, except a lot less swoonworthy.
i liked all the interactions between the H & h, but there werent enough of them to make me buy into their relationship, which was disappointing considering they lived together but they rarely saw each other. on the one hand, their dynamic and the slow burn was believable, BUT i was also craving for more domestic scenes with just the two of them.
the epilogue was really cute tho, i cant. 😭 this author has become another Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward for me because i cant seem to deny myself from reading her books even though they ended up being an average read for me more often than not. so yeah, no lesson learned for me as i doubt this will be the last time you see me with an RS Grey book.
(read as an audiobook)
i liked all the interactions between the H & h, but there werent enough of them to make me buy into their relationship, which was disappointing considering they lived together but they rarely saw each other. on the one hand, their dynamic and the slow burn was believable, BUT i was also craving for more domestic scenes with just the two of them.
the epilogue was really cute tho, i cant. 😭 this author has become another Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward for me because i cant seem to deny myself from reading her books even though they ended up being an average read for me more often than not. so yeah, no lesson learned for me as i doubt this will be the last time you see me with an RS Grey book.
(read as an audiobook)
March 19, 2021
I loved it.
There's angst.
There's a hot jerk hero.
There's a non-virgin, though young, heroine.
There's slow-burn.
There's art.
There's marriage of convenience.
It's just everything I wanted to read right now.
There's angst.
There's a hot jerk hero.
There's a non-virgin, though young, heroine.
There's slow-burn.
There's art.
There's marriage of convenience.
It's just everything I wanted to read right now.
February 22, 2022
3.75 stars
This book would have been 10 times better if it had a dual POV narrative because all we get of Walt is bits and pieces till he actually starts to talk. The starting was a) uneventful and, b) slow. The book picks up decently after the first half though but I need tension and chemistry
🗡️What I didn't like:
💫What I liked:
Even still, this is an example of how you turn that "barely any chemistry" between characters into a working communicative decent relationship with some character growth 💅🏼
This book would have been 10 times better if it had a dual POV narrative because all we get of Walt is bits and pieces till he actually starts to talk. The starting was a) uneventful and, b) slow. The book picks up decently after the first half though but I need tension and chemistry
🗡️What I didn't like:
1. The name Walter Jennings - c'mon get me something heavy, wtf is WaLt??
2. Lack of communication from Walt's side in the beginning.
3. whyy was the 10 year age gap factor not capitalized ?!?
4. what EXACTLY did his parents think of their marriage lmao.
5. Lack of possessiveness from Walt's side - SIR, your WIFE 💍😤
6. Lack of possessiveness from Elizabeth's side - MA'AM, your HUSBAND 💍😤
7. Elizabeth's family, enough said.✋🏼😒
💫What I liked:
1. The way they cared for each other.
2. Especially when Walt got sick.
3. Man was in heaven with his head on Elizabeth's pillow LMAO. 😌
4. Once they got into it, they actually communicated really well.
5. Walt's brother, Matthew.
6. People will hate me BUT - Olivier because the man had balls to flirt with a married woman in front of her husband - he really was ready to risk it all lol
Even still, this is an example of how you turn that "barely any chemistry" between characters into a working communicative decent relationship with some character growth 💅🏼
November 3, 2021
To Have and to Hate is a mediocre enemy turns lover romance. Miss Grey not putting so much heat into the story.
The thing is with enemy to lover trophe, I need heat and vulnerable/ sweet moment of their turning point.
Elizabeth is too naive in this story. I do not feel the sexual chemistry between Walt and Elizabeth. It does not burn enough.
Overall it is still OK book.
3 stars
The thing is with enemy to lover trophe, I need heat and vulnerable/ sweet moment of their turning point.
Elizabeth is too naive in this story. I do not feel the sexual chemistry between Walt and Elizabeth. It does not burn enough.
Overall it is still OK book.
3 stars
March 19, 2021
This book seemed perfect, it had the three tropes I love most; slow burn, marriage of convenience and grumpy+sunshine MCs.
But it was too good to be true.
The book felt like a biography of an artist with how many descriptions and inner monologues Elizabeth had about art, it made the romance aspect to take a backseat instead of being the focus.
There was no POV of the hero, so I couldn’t tell what were his intentions, specially in this scene that got on my nerves:
The MCs were okay to have a bf or gf since the marriage was just a transaction.
I’m okay with that, I don’t consider it cheating because they weren’t in a relationship, in fact, they barely knew each other.
But it’s not okay for the hero to bring his mistress to a wedding celebration dinner, and everyone attending knowing he was fucking her.
It’s just disrespectful and embarrassing for the heroine to endure that type of thing.
But it was too good to be true.
The book felt like a biography of an artist with how many descriptions and inner monologues Elizabeth had about art, it made the romance aspect to take a backseat instead of being the focus.
There was no POV of the hero, so I couldn’t tell what were his intentions, specially in this scene that got on my nerves:
The MCs were okay to have a bf or gf since the marriage was just a transaction.
I’m okay with that, I don’t consider it cheating because they weren’t in a relationship, in fact, they barely knew each other.
But it’s not okay for the hero to bring his mistress to a wedding celebration dinner, and everyone attending knowing he was fucking her.
It’s just disrespectful and embarrassing for the heroine to endure that type of thing.
Read
March 18, 2021I’m not sure how to rate this one. Since I skimmed a good bit of it. A little bit boring And some unnecessary stuff In it. I felt bad for Elizabeth and the way her family treated her and if I’m honest I think she deserved better than the hero.
This book probably would have been better with his POV since I’m not sure how he felt for the whole book.
The hero had a girlfriend of like six months.like why??? This is where I wish the heroine had something too but of course not. She did have a guy that seemed to like her and I was hoping that it would go somewhere she deserved that. The hero didn’t take their marriage serious and only a business deal so why not her too.
The ending was rushed and so not worth it.
This book probably would have been better with his POV since I’m not sure how he felt for the whole book.
The hero had a girlfriend of like six months.like why??? This is where I wish the heroine had something too but of course not. She did have a guy that seemed to like her and I was hoping that it would go somewhere she deserved that. The hero didn’t take their marriage serious and only a business deal so why not her too.
The ending was rushed and so not worth it.
March 19, 2021
Is the old RS Grey back? sadly not for me, not yet, but I guess she's going that way 🤷🏻♀️ (still a little boring, kinda a 2.5-3 stars reading honestly)
This was a good read with tropes that should be a guaranteed hit (for me), but the weak link was the love relationship between the main characters.
I liked both characters (yes, even considering the male character's name was Walt), but 1) I don't know why Walt's girlfriend was around for so long, and 2) the slowburn didn't give me the feels I was hoping for. Like, sometimes their interactions felt so... dry? IDK. Also the point of a slowburn for me is to build the relationship through the book, with moments of obvious tension and a push and pull, but here half the time I was like "okay... but now what? Give me something else".
This was a good read with tropes that should be a guaranteed hit (for me), but the weak link was the love relationship between the main characters.
I liked both characters (yes, even considering the male character's name was Walt), but 1) I don't know why Walt's girlfriend was around for so long, and 2) the slowburn didn't give me the feels I was hoping for. Like, sometimes their interactions felt so... dry? IDK. Also the point of a slowburn for me is to build the relationship through the book, with moments of obvious tension and a push and pull, but here half the time I was like "okay... but now what? Give me something else".
March 19, 2021
Fuck this asshole
And fuck her too for not having a brain
And fuck her too for not having a brain
January 26, 2022
There weren't any sweet or dream-worthy moments between the leads, being a sexy rom-com, it's quite a necessity...
Things I liked:
💗 Nice for people starting out the trope of Arrange Marriage. But, Regular readers of the trope won't find anything new though.
💗 I liked the narrator's voice of the audiobook. It was very clear and great with the expression of things.
💗 The leads'profession as a painter was refreshing and nicely shown.
Things I didn't like:
⚫ Way longer than it should've been. The editor should've edited a big chunk of Elizabeth's monologue of life. 9 hours as an audiobook was quite much.
⚫ I particularly didn't find the high chemistry that I expect from cute romcom couples.
⚫The epilogue was so damn cheesy!
Things I liked:
💗 Nice for people starting out the trope of Arrange Marriage. But, Regular readers of the trope won't find anything new though.
💗 I liked the narrator's voice of the audiobook. It was very clear and great with the expression of things.
💗 The leads'profession as a painter was refreshing and nicely shown.
Things I didn't like:
⚫ Way longer than it should've been. The editor should've edited a big chunk of Elizabeth's monologue of life. 9 hours as an audiobook was quite much.
⚫ I particularly didn't find the high chemistry that I expect from cute romcom couples.
⚫The epilogue was so damn cheesy!
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March 20, 2021
3 stars.
I really wanted to like this book. I used to be a big fan of R.S. Grey and this book seemed promising with the marriage of convenience and age gap tropes (two of my favorites), but it didn't live up to my expectations.
The premise was good and I was really into the first 25% of the book, but the story and characters didn't deliver on that good start. There's gonna be some *spoilers* in this review because I can't express my opinions without spoiling some things, sorry.
First of all, I was not emotionally connected to characters and I didn't ultimately believe in Elizabeth and Walt's feelings for each other. I found that the dialogue and interactions with all of characters mostly came off as over exuberant, insincere and cheesy. The attempts at humor didn't work for me. I really didn't care for the heroine, Elizabeth. She's very immature and naive throughout the whole book. I'm not actually sure how old she is or how old Walt is, for that matter. We just know there's a 10 year age gap. Elizabeth claims she's experienced sexually, but she's blushing non-stop like she's a 12 year old who's never heard a bad word before. When Walt and Elizabeth finally get intimate and he fingers her in his office (which was pretty tame btw) she acts like it's the most illicit thing in the world, can't look at him, blushes, tries to flee because she's "embarrassed", can't talk to him...like...he fingered you. Act like an adult, please. lol.
Other things I didn't like about Elizabeth...she really subscribed to the "I'm not like other girls" mentality or I feel like that's how the authors were trying to have her come across with her artistic, doc marten-wearing aesthetic. She acts like she's not some entitled trust fund princess, but then also acts like her art is deserving of being immediately featured in the most prestigious galleries right after she graduates and also expects to live entirely off of selling her art in NY city. If the authors were really committed to making her character feel more authentic and relatable as an independent young artist trying to make it on her own she would have had at least one part time job not related to art, lived with roommates in Brooklyn and been featuring her art in indie galleries while slowly building acclaim like any other nobody artist in NY city. If they wanted to make the 'she's such an amazing artist she can get a show in Paris right away' plot line work then having her be lauded as some prodigy in school, having her featured in galleries before graduating, etc. would've made it more believable. Instead it seems like she just expects everything to fall into place for her like any other naive trust fund baby would and would you look at that it does because *fiction*, but it didn't work for me. Her art also sounds bad lol but that's neither here nor there.
Also, it didn't really make sense that she wouldn't take money from the trust because of the "strings attached" to her family, but she'll marry a stranger for life for her family (that hates her btw)? Excuse me, but there is nothing on earth that has more strings attached to it than a marriage. So the whole premise of the marriage of convenience was kind of wonky. Also why she would even do anything that extreme for her family in the first place when they treat her the way they do is a little confusing...and then that whole family plot line is never resolved by the end of the book.
Lastly, Walt (not the best name choice lol) is a pretty secondary character which is why I haven't had a lot to say about him. He's working a lot so even though they live together (yay forced proximity!) much of this book was them living totally separate lives which isn't great for a romance. Walt also had a girlfriend for a good portion of this book and was possibly still having sex with her after they got married? That wasn't clear, but even though Walt and Elizabeth agreed they could both discreetly date other people I don't love that in a romance.
Overall, I complained a lot in this review, but I didn't hate this book. It had it's cute moments, but it could've been a lot better.
I really wanted to like this book. I used to be a big fan of R.S. Grey and this book seemed promising with the marriage of convenience and age gap tropes (two of my favorites), but it didn't live up to my expectations.
The premise was good and I was really into the first 25% of the book, but the story and characters didn't deliver on that good start. There's gonna be some *spoilers* in this review because I can't express my opinions without spoiling some things, sorry.
First of all, I was not emotionally connected to characters and I didn't ultimately believe in Elizabeth and Walt's feelings for each other. I found that the dialogue and interactions with all of characters mostly came off as over exuberant, insincere and cheesy. The attempts at humor didn't work for me. I really didn't care for the heroine, Elizabeth. She's very immature and naive throughout the whole book. I'm not actually sure how old she is or how old Walt is, for that matter. We just know there's a 10 year age gap. Elizabeth claims she's experienced sexually, but she's blushing non-stop like she's a 12 year old who's never heard a bad word before. When Walt and Elizabeth finally get intimate and he fingers her in his office (which was pretty tame btw) she acts like it's the most illicit thing in the world, can't look at him, blushes, tries to flee because she's "embarrassed", can't talk to him...like...he fingered you. Act like an adult, please. lol.
Other things I didn't like about Elizabeth...she really subscribed to the "I'm not like other girls" mentality or I feel like that's how the authors were trying to have her come across with her artistic, doc marten-wearing aesthetic. She acts like she's not some entitled trust fund princess, but then also acts like her art is deserving of being immediately featured in the most prestigious galleries right after she graduates and also expects to live entirely off of selling her art in NY city. If the authors were really committed to making her character feel more authentic and relatable as an independent young artist trying to make it on her own she would have had at least one part time job not related to art, lived with roommates in Brooklyn and been featuring her art in indie galleries while slowly building acclaim like any other nobody artist in NY city. If they wanted to make the 'she's such an amazing artist she can get a show in Paris right away' plot line work then having her be lauded as some prodigy in school, having her featured in galleries before graduating, etc. would've made it more believable. Instead it seems like she just expects everything to fall into place for her like any other naive trust fund baby would and would you look at that it does because *fiction*, but it didn't work for me. Her art also sounds bad lol but that's neither here nor there.
Also, it didn't really make sense that she wouldn't take money from the trust because of the "strings attached" to her family, but she'll marry a stranger for life for her family (that hates her btw)? Excuse me, but there is nothing on earth that has more strings attached to it than a marriage. So the whole premise of the marriage of convenience was kind of wonky. Also why she would even do anything that extreme for her family in the first place when they treat her the way they do is a little confusing...and then that whole family plot line is never resolved by the end of the book.
Lastly, Walt (not the best name choice lol) is a pretty secondary character which is why I haven't had a lot to say about him. He's working a lot so even though they live together (yay forced proximity!) much of this book was them living totally separate lives which isn't great for a romance. Walt also had a girlfriend for a good portion of this book and was possibly still having sex with her after they got married? That wasn't clear, but even though Walt and Elizabeth agreed they could both discreetly date other people I don't love that in a romance.
Overall, I complained a lot in this review, but I didn't hate this book. It had it's cute moments, but it could've been a lot better.
September 7, 2023
Relatable heroine!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚❤️
Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌍
Character development: 🙁😉☺️😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Elizabeth - she is an artist who recently finished graduate school. She comes from a fairly wealthy family and gets a call from her mother who is disturbed that her sister ran away with her driver. Her mother was upset because her sister was supposed to marry Walter Jennings, and now that her sister can’t do the job, she wants Elizabeth to marry him instead because her father spent all their money on bad investments. It turns out her sister lied about running away with the driver, but she doesn’t find out till it's too late.
The Hero: Walt - He is a billionaire (the .01 percent of the 1 percent) and is the CEO of Diamedica, a medical device company. His grandfather and Elizabeth’s grandfather started the company and they set up a trust so the next generation wouldn’t spend all the money and bankrupt them and the company. It is a good thing they did, because Elizabeth’s father is terrible with money and Walt’s father is an alcoholic.
The Story: The trust requires someone from each of their families to get married, at which point the money from the trust is released. Walt is the conservator of the trust and made a deal with Elizabeth’s parents that they would get a stipend from the trust after he and Elizabeth got married. Elizabeth would also get a stipend, but she doesn’t want it. She lived under her parents' thumbs for so long that she now wants to live within her own means.
I liked this story, and the character of Elizabeth, who is down to earth despite her wealthy roots. Though she got pushed into this marriage without knowing anything about the trust or its stipulations. She had one days' notice before she had to show up to the courthouse and Walt was so stiff and stuffy, he just saw the wedding as a nuisance and was too busy to bother explaining everything to Elizabeth. So, he ends up having his PA send her all the legal documents, which includes his contact information which she should only use in an emergency. Walt is a bit one dimensional and his character isn’t fleshed out much.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Aubrey Vincent and Alexander Cendese. Aubrey has a nice voice though she speaks a bit fast, and her tempo is a bit stilted sometimes, also her male voice doesn’t sound male at all. Alexander Cendese is great and has a terrific voice which was perfect for Walt though, most of the book was told from Elizabeth’s POV, he only did the epilogue.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚❤️
Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌍
Character development: 🙁😉☺️😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Elizabeth - she is an artist who recently finished graduate school. She comes from a fairly wealthy family and gets a call from her mother who is disturbed that her sister ran away with her driver. Her mother was upset because her sister was supposed to marry Walter Jennings, and now that her sister can’t do the job, she wants Elizabeth to marry him instead because her father spent all their money on bad investments. It turns out her sister lied about running away with the driver, but she doesn’t find out till it's too late.
The Hero: Walt - He is a billionaire (the .01 percent of the 1 percent) and is the CEO of Diamedica, a medical device company. His grandfather and Elizabeth’s grandfather started the company and they set up a trust so the next generation wouldn’t spend all the money and bankrupt them and the company. It is a good thing they did, because Elizabeth’s father is terrible with money and Walt’s father is an alcoholic.
The Story: The trust requires someone from each of their families to get married, at which point the money from the trust is released. Walt is the conservator of the trust and made a deal with Elizabeth’s parents that they would get a stipend from the trust after he and Elizabeth got married. Elizabeth would also get a stipend, but she doesn’t want it. She lived under her parents' thumbs for so long that she now wants to live within her own means.
I liked this story, and the character of Elizabeth, who is down to earth despite her wealthy roots. Though she got pushed into this marriage without knowing anything about the trust or its stipulations. She had one days' notice before she had to show up to the courthouse and Walt was so stiff and stuffy, he just saw the wedding as a nuisance and was too busy to bother explaining everything to Elizabeth. So, he ends up having his PA send her all the legal documents, which includes his contact information which she should only use in an emergency. Walt is a bit one dimensional and his character isn’t fleshed out much.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Aubrey Vincent and Alexander Cendese. Aubrey has a nice voice though she speaks a bit fast, and her tempo is a bit stilted sometimes, also her male voice doesn’t sound male at all. Alexander Cendese is great and has a terrific voice which was perfect for Walt though, most of the book was told from Elizabeth’s POV, he only did the epilogue.
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March 19, 2021
So disappointed by this😩
March 23, 2021
It’s been ages since I’ve read a book by R.S Grey. I do believe the last book I read by her was His Royal Highness. But when I read that this book so many tropes I adore,
a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance, I wanted it!
Unfortunately for me, though an enjoyable read nonetheless, I wouldn’t say I loved it.
Unfortunately for me, though an enjoyable read nonetheless, I wouldn’t say I loved it.
March 14, 2021
R.S. Grey delivers a sweet, lighthearted and easy to read story with a dash a sexiness leaving me with a happy and pleasant feeling.
➵ Plot/Pace : After being coerced by her mother into marrying an almost stranger in order to save her family from total devastation, Elizabeth Brighton thought she’d carry on with her life business as usual. But her struggling artist plans don’t turn out as she’d thought and ends up moving in with her in-name-only husband.
Though she tries to disrupt Walt’s life as little as possible, she’s a breath of fresh air in his life and it’s impossible for him to ignore how she slowly but surely melts his icy exterior. But can they truly have a real marriage?
➵ Heroine : Elizabeth is a sweet and selfless young woman who is loyal to the core. Even when her family mostly ignores her and doesn’t support her career choice and views her as a means to an end, she’s willing to sacrifice for them. She’s also strong and independent wanting to stand on her own. Besides, who wouldn’t like a character who always brings a book to parties?
➵ Hero : We only get to see Walter Jennings II through Elizabeth’s eyes. At first he’s cold and aloof, but soon we see he���s actually a very thoughtful man who respects and supports Elizabeth very much.
➵ Sexiness : Elizabeth and Walt’s romance is a very slow burn. They become friends of sorts first while their relationship evolves and they figure out that they not only balance each other out, but that they’re perfect for one another.
➵ Facts: To Have and To Hate is a standalone contemporary romance by author R.S. Grey. Written if first person and from the heroine’s POV except for the epilogue with a happy ending. Other tropes: arranged marriage.
Amazon -> pending
★ I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via InkSlinger PR. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. ★
Stalk me on Instagram ★ FaceBook ★ More reviews
➵ Plot/Pace : After being coerced by her mother into marrying an almost stranger in order to save her family from total devastation, Elizabeth Brighton thought she’d carry on with her life business as usual. But her struggling artist plans don’t turn out as she’d thought and ends up moving in with her in-name-only husband.
Though she tries to disrupt Walt’s life as little as possible, she’s a breath of fresh air in his life and it’s impossible for him to ignore how she slowly but surely melts his icy exterior. But can they truly have a real marriage?
➵ Heroine : Elizabeth is a sweet and selfless young woman who is loyal to the core. Even when her family mostly ignores her and doesn’t support her career choice and views her as a means to an end, she’s willing to sacrifice for them. She’s also strong and independent wanting to stand on her own. Besides, who wouldn’t like a character who always brings a book to parties?
➵ Hero : We only get to see Walter Jennings II through Elizabeth’s eyes. At first he’s cold and aloof, but soon we see he���s actually a very thoughtful man who respects and supports Elizabeth very much.
➵ Sexiness : Elizabeth and Walt’s romance is a very slow burn. They become friends of sorts first while their relationship evolves and they figure out that they not only balance each other out, but that they’re perfect for one another.
➵ Facts: To Have and To Hate is a standalone contemporary romance by author R.S. Grey. Written if first person and from the heroine’s POV except for the epilogue with a happy ending. Other tropes: arranged marriage.
Amazon -> pending
★ I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via InkSlinger PR. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. ★
Stalk me on Instagram ★ FaceBook ★ More reviews
March 18, 2021
oh gosh this book is everything! arranged marriage is one of my favourite tropes and sometimes the relationship can feel forced but that is definitely not the case here. from the moment we meet walt and elizabeth there's this pull between them that is undeniable. i loved seeing their relationship develop — the slow burn killed me but i was a hundred percent here for it. by the end you truly feel how deeply they love each other and have naturally come to care for the other person. i think rs grey did a fantastic job with merging this somewhat difficult trope into her signature rom-com style. definitely a 5 star read for me!
August 13, 2021
Elizabeth moved to NYC after graduating art school to pursue her artistic career. She had no clue that almost immediately after moving there she’d be marrying Walt Jennings II, who she barely knows, who is is a decade older than her, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her. Why did she marry Walt? Because her family needs access to a trust and the only way to free it is for Elizabeth to marry Walt—and so she does, for the sake of her family.
Walt ends up moving Elizabeth into his apartment, buying her a diamond ring, putting a wedding announcement in the New York Times. Their marriage appears real to outsiders, but only they know the truth. As Walt & Elizabeth spend more time together, though, the lines start to blur and Elizabeth is left to wonder if this sham of a marriage is actually for real.
To Have and To Hate by RS Grey is an age-gap marriage of convenience romance. I wouldn’t say this is enemies to lovers, but it has the sunshine & grumpy dynamic. This was a cute romance with a premise I loved. I wish we had both Elizabeth & Walt’s POVs, as this is a single POV book (Elizabeth’s). Since Walt is the silent, brooding type, it’s hard to know what he’s thinking at all until the epilogue. The age-gap doesn’t play much of a role in the romance; Elizabeth’s age is used to diminish her artistic potential for the most part. I personally can’t connect to all the art references, but I can appreciate them playing such an integral role in the story. If that’s something that appeals to you, I definitely recommend picking this one up! 3.5/5 stars.
Walt ends up moving Elizabeth into his apartment, buying her a diamond ring, putting a wedding announcement in the New York Times. Their marriage appears real to outsiders, but only they know the truth. As Walt & Elizabeth spend more time together, though, the lines start to blur and Elizabeth is left to wonder if this sham of a marriage is actually for real.
To Have and To Hate by RS Grey is an age-gap marriage of convenience romance. I wouldn’t say this is enemies to lovers, but it has the sunshine & grumpy dynamic. This was a cute romance with a premise I loved. I wish we had both Elizabeth & Walt’s POVs, as this is a single POV book (Elizabeth’s). Since Walt is the silent, brooding type, it’s hard to know what he’s thinking at all until the epilogue. The age-gap doesn’t play much of a role in the romance; Elizabeth’s age is used to diminish her artistic potential for the most part. I personally can’t connect to all the art references, but I can appreciate them playing such an integral role in the story. If that’s something that appeals to you, I definitely recommend picking this one up! 3.5/5 stars.
August 22, 2021
One (wo)man’s trash is another (wo)man’s treasure.
Okay not really because it turns out I didn’t love this book either but the OW drama had absolutely nothing to do with it. I actually dig girlfriend-drama lol.
My problem was, I just didn’t like Elizabeth very much?
She’s nosy, messy, a pushover, so obvious, so careless, she treats other people’s stuff like they’re hers immediately without asking (☞ which is a pet peeve of mine, please ask first and don't just assume and take/use stuff), she’s kinda immature,...
I’m not saying that I’m super mature or I’m the cleanest person ever. She just… aggravated me in many situations. I don’t have any problems cutting off toxic family members for instance and can tell them exactly what I think very easily while here it seems like Elizabeth just bites her tongue and dances to her mom’s and sister’s tune all the time.
My whole point is, I don’t think I could be friends with her because we’re so different in character and wouldn’t mesh well which is probably the main reason why I gave this book 3 stars.
I also agree with some other reviews that say they would have liked Walt’s POV too. I actually like these subtle changes in an inscrutable hero but only if they can be interpreted in a clear way and it stays like that throughout the majority of the book. He can be mysterious from time to time but Walt’s actions were so confusing sometimes, his POV would have helped tremendously then.
Okay not really because it turns out I didn’t love this book either but the OW drama had absolutely nothing to do with it. I actually dig girlfriend-drama lol.
My problem was, I just didn’t like Elizabeth very much?
She’s nosy, messy, a pushover, so obvious, so careless, she treats other people’s stuff like they’re hers immediately without asking (☞ which is a pet peeve of mine, please ask first and don't just assume and take/use stuff), she’s kinda immature,...
I’m not saying that I’m super mature or I’m the cleanest person ever. She just… aggravated me in many situations. I don’t have any problems cutting off toxic family members for instance and can tell them exactly what I think very easily while here it seems like Elizabeth just bites her tongue and dances to her mom’s and sister’s tune all the time.
My whole point is, I don’t think I could be friends with her because we’re so different in character and wouldn’t mesh well which is probably the main reason why I gave this book 3 stars.
I also agree with some other reviews that say they would have liked Walt’s POV too. I actually like these subtle changes in an inscrutable hero but only if they can be interpreted in a clear way and it stays like that throughout the majority of the book. He can be mysterious from time to time but Walt’s actions were so confusing sometimes, his POV would have helped tremendously then.
May 13, 2022
I didn’t like any of the characters, the story was boring and there was not even enough steam to account for all the flaws. Maybe I’m more judgmental when it comes to audiobooks, but the narrator sounded so pretentious that it made me dislike the main heroine even more.
I dnf-ed it first and I should have probably left it unfinished, but seeing all the nice tropes I decided to give it another chance.
Well, next time I see an artistic soul falling for a billionaire, I will surely say “no” much faster.
I dnf-ed it first and I should have probably left it unfinished, but seeing all the nice tropes I decided to give it another chance.
Well, next time I see an artistic soul falling for a billionaire, I will surely say “no” much faster.
March 18, 2021
All the stars!!
Oh, my gosh! I love, love, loved this book. Marraige of convience stories are my jam right now and this one takes the cake!
To Have and To Hate is the latest romance from author R.S. Grey and it doesn’t disappoint. From the moment I picked up this book, I was sucked in. Elizabeth and Walt were the most unlikely pair, getting married for all the wrong reasons. You see, Elizabeth would do anything for her family, even if they don’t deserve it. So, she marries Walt as a way to save her family. But, don’t think Walt is in this marriage out of the goodness of his heart. He’s got an agenda of his own and is used to getting what he wants. Unfortunately for Walt, Elizabeth is way more than he bargained for…
To Have and To Hate is a fun read from beginning to end and is everything I look for when reading a marriage of convenience romance. Told from Elizabeth’s point of view, the reader is sucked in from the very first page. Elizabeth is smartly written with a touch of snark and isn’t going to put up with Walt’s crap. She may have been born rich, but in no way acts like it. She’s just a girl who’s always been ignored that wants to find her own way and make a name for herself. She is everything Walt should stay away from, but can’t. And Walt…Walt was seriously rocking the whole “Mr. Darcy” vibe. He had this quiet intensity about him. You could never tell what he was truly thinking or feeling. His intensity added so many amazing moments to this story. Those will they/won’t they moments that just leave you begging for more. The slow burn started oh, so slowly, and turned into a raging hot inferno. Yes, if you know me, you know I’m not always the biggest fan of the slow burn, but boy did it ever work for this story!
To Have and To Hate checked off all of my boxes. The tension. The snark. The angst. Ugh! I just gobbled it up. Seriously! All. The. Feels. This book is easily a top read of mine for 2021. Simply put, I loved everything about this story, and is one I can see myself re-reading many times. To Have and To Hate is an absolutely fabulous read and I hope you’ll fall head over heels for Elizabeth and Walt as I did.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
Oh, my gosh! I love, love, loved this book. Marraige of convience stories are my jam right now and this one takes the cake!
To Have and To Hate is the latest romance from author R.S. Grey and it doesn’t disappoint. From the moment I picked up this book, I was sucked in. Elizabeth and Walt were the most unlikely pair, getting married for all the wrong reasons. You see, Elizabeth would do anything for her family, even if they don’t deserve it. So, she marries Walt as a way to save her family. But, don’t think Walt is in this marriage out of the goodness of his heart. He’s got an agenda of his own and is used to getting what he wants. Unfortunately for Walt, Elizabeth is way more than he bargained for…
To Have and To Hate is a fun read from beginning to end and is everything I look for when reading a marriage of convenience romance. Told from Elizabeth’s point of view, the reader is sucked in from the very first page. Elizabeth is smartly written with a touch of snark and isn’t going to put up with Walt’s crap. She may have been born rich, but in no way acts like it. She’s just a girl who’s always been ignored that wants to find her own way and make a name for herself. She is everything Walt should stay away from, but can’t. And Walt…Walt was seriously rocking the whole “Mr. Darcy” vibe. He had this quiet intensity about him. You could never tell what he was truly thinking or feeling. His intensity added so many amazing moments to this story. Those will they/won’t they moments that just leave you begging for more. The slow burn started oh, so slowly, and turned into a raging hot inferno. Yes, if you know me, you know I’m not always the biggest fan of the slow burn, but boy did it ever work for this story!
To Have and To Hate checked off all of my boxes. The tension. The snark. The angst. Ugh! I just gobbled it up. Seriously! All. The. Feels. This book is easily a top read of mine for 2021. Simply put, I loved everything about this story, and is one I can see myself re-reading many times. To Have and To Hate is an absolutely fabulous read and I hope you’ll fall head over heels for Elizabeth and Walt as I did.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
July 14, 2022
the writing was just so amazing, development could’ve been a bit better but the small glances and everything just were perfect
August 29, 2021
Marriage of Convenience
Slow Burn
Forced Proximity
Grumpy Hero /Sunshine Heroine
Was this really a 5 Star read for me? No, not really, but the last 35% of the book was so damn good, I loved it! That last part gave me all the feels, feels I had not felt at all before the 65% mark. It was such a huge contrast. I remember at one point wondering why I was still reading it because nothing exciting was happening. I wasn't feeling anything particularly special towards the characters or the story. Walt was dry and Elizabeth was meek. And I didn't see the connection between them because they hardly spend any quality time together. It didn't seem to go beyond a physical attraction. But there was something that kept me hanging on. I'm so glad I kept going! The angst factor really kicked in and I don't know, I just got deliciously swept away. I even got emotional and misty-eyed over Elizabeth. I was relieved to see her grow a backbone. And Walt...swoon! These characters suddenly came alive. Wow, what a comeback. I have to admit, whenever a book ends fabulously, I tend to disregard its former shortcomings. 'To Have and to Hate' may not have been a solid 5 Stars and I probably would have rated it 4 Stars, but then I saw that rabid reviewer at the top of the community reviews, and I thought, "Fuck it." 5 Stars it is LoL
HEA: Absolutely. Includes a super cute epilogue.
For the Safety Gang:
Is there cheating? Not in my opinion. Settle your feathers and let me explain. Walt and Elizabeth's marriage was 100% on paper only. In fact, they were supposed to go their separate ways as soon as they signed on the dotted line. For the first half of the book, they hardly interacted. He had a girlfriend for 6 months before he married and he was still with her for a few weeks after. There is no mention of him having sex with her before or after. And he never loved her, or anyone else before Elizabeth.
Note to Self: I'd read the book again in the future. It's got angst, a bit of grovel, and a fabulous HEA.
Slow Burn
Forced Proximity
Grumpy Hero /Sunshine Heroine
Was this really a 5 Star read for me? No, not really, but the last 35% of the book was so damn good, I loved it! That last part gave me all the feels, feels I had not felt at all before the 65% mark. It was such a huge contrast. I remember at one point wondering why I was still reading it because nothing exciting was happening. I wasn't feeling anything particularly special towards the characters or the story. Walt was dry and Elizabeth was meek. And I didn't see the connection between them because they hardly spend any quality time together. It didn't seem to go beyond a physical attraction. But there was something that kept me hanging on. I'm so glad I kept going! The angst factor really kicked in and I don't know, I just got deliciously swept away. I even got emotional and misty-eyed over Elizabeth. I was relieved to see her grow a backbone. And Walt...swoon! These characters suddenly came alive. Wow, what a comeback. I have to admit, whenever a book ends fabulously, I tend to disregard its former shortcomings. 'To Have and to Hate' may not have been a solid 5 Stars and I probably would have rated it 4 Stars, but then I saw that rabid reviewer at the top of the community reviews, and I thought, "Fuck it." 5 Stars it is LoL
HEA: Absolutely. Includes a super cute epilogue.
For the Safety Gang:
Is there cheating? Not in my opinion. Settle your feathers and let me explain. Walt and Elizabeth's marriage was 100% on paper only. In fact, they were supposed to go their separate ways as soon as they signed on the dotted line. For the first half of the book, they hardly interacted. He had a girlfriend for 6 months before he married and he was still with her for a few weeks after. There is no mention of him having sex with her before or after. And he never loved her, or anyone else before Elizabeth.
Note to Self: I'd read the book again in the future. It's got angst, a bit of grovel, and a fabulous HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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