How We Hated by Lauren Runow
Leighton River #1
Young Adult
January 11, 2023
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Anyone who thinks star-crossed love is romantic has never actually experienced it.
Natalie
I know two things about Dalton Wick.
First, heās unreasonably hot. And ā¦ my father would disown me if I ever got involved with him.
The hatred between our families runs deep. Weāre still suffering from what his father did to our small town decades ago.
So, Iāll work with Dalton on our school project because my grade depends on it. But I will not fall for him.
Or so I think ā¦
Dalton
I know two things about Natalie Spencer.
First, she hates my family, specifically my dadāalmost as much as I do. And ā¦ I want her so much that it hurts.
But her being with me would ruin her relationship with her father. So, I should walk away. Everything would be much easier if I did. Logically, I know that.
Too bad my heart doesnāt seem interested in logic where Natalie is concerned ā¦
How We Hated, book 1 in the Leighton River series, is a standalone, enemies-to-lovers, new adult, sports romance with plenty of emotional and angsty moments and some spicy times. Download it today and get ready to fall for Natalie and Dalton.
Grab your copy today ā https://mybook.to/howwehated
WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT How We Hated :
šSmall Town Romance
šRival Families
šEnemies to Lovers
šSecret Relationship
šForced Proximity
šNew Adult Romance
I lean over to kiss her. She stiffens instantly as she looks around to check if anyone can see us.
I pull back and put the truck in drive. āAre you that afraid of being seen with me?ā I ask out of frustration with my family more than her, but really, itās this entire situation.
Her expression says it allāshe is.
I drive to the lake by Mason Creek and park facing the water away from where everyone is setting up for a day in the water.
āIs this private enough?ā I donāt hide my disdain.
She reaches for my hand. āYou have to understand how upset my dad would be.ā
In the moment, I canāt hold back, so I turn to her and say, āThen, why are we doing this? We canāt hide forever.ā
She looks forward, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. āI know. Iāll figure it out.ā She takes off her seat belt and slides across the seat so sheās right next to me. āI want to be with you though.ā
She kisses my lips, and Iām a sucker for her touch, so I kiss her back. My frustration softens, but not enough to make me fully content. I just hate that she puts so much emphasis on her family.
āPlease,ā she whispers when she sees Iām holding back some. āPlease just be with me right now.ā
I look into her eyes, loving what Iām seeing, then realize, āIs this what youāre feeling?ā She looks at me confused so I continue, āI want to be with you, out in the open, for everyone to know, and it makes me so mad we canāt.ā
Her mouth turns slightly down in a frown as she closes her eyes and drops her head to her chest. I place my finger under her chin and bring her line of sight back to me.
āBut I canāt stop this. I donāt want to be anywhere but with you.ā
How We Hated by Lauren Runow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m starting having problems with romance set in high schools.. I think my age is starting to show (hopefully is just a day off) š
But back to the story – Dalton and Natalie as like oil and water.
Their family feud has made them enemies even when they don’t fully understand what actually happened. But when the teacher pairs them up for an assignment, ignoring each other is impossible. And the more they talk the feelings start to awake and soon they’re spending every moment together. But breaking through years of despise and hate will prove to be a challenge for these two young lovebirds. But sometimes young love is everything you need to make it all right.
I needed a few chapters to get into this story but when I did, time flew fast and before I knew it it was over. Hopefully these two rode off in to the HEA with smile on their faces.
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
View all my reviews
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Lauren Runow is the author of multiple Adult Contemporary Romance novels, some more dirty than others. When Lauren isn’t writing, you’ll find her listening to music, at her local CrossFit, reading, or at the baseball field with her boys. Her only vice is coffee, and she swears it makes her a better mom!
Lauren is a graduate from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and is the founder and co-owner of the community magazine she and her husband publish. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons.
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