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A fake relationship could help Princesa Sofia save her kingdom. Only problem: she’ll have to fake it with the man who broke her heart.
Ten years ago, wild child Princesa Sofia Maria Isabel de Esperanza y Santos fell in fast crazy love with heartbreaker Aish Salinger during one California harvest season. Now, all grown up and with the future of her kingdom on her shoulders, she hates him as passionately as she once loved him.
Even if her body hasn’t gotten the hate memo.
Faking a relationship with the now-famous rock star for the press and public will ensure the success of her new winery and the prosperity of her kingdom. All she has to do is grit her teeth and bear his tattooed presence in her village and winery—her home—for a month.
Trying to recover from his own scandal, fallen superstar Aish Salinger jumps at the chance to be near Sofia again. Leaving her was the biggest mistake he’s ever made, and he’s waited ten years to win her back.
He never counted on finding a woman who despised him so much she didn’t want to be anywhere near him.
A war of wills breaks out as the princess and rock star battle to control their fake relationship. She wants to dictate every action to keep him away from her. He wants to be as close as he can be. She’s already lost so much because of Aish—he won’t be the reason her people lose even more.
But he also won’t make her break her life’s most important vow: to never fall in love again.
Review:
Second book in the Filthy Rich series (first novel is Lush Money), Hate Crush zings with Lopez’s signature writing style – crisp, sharp prose that is as bad-ass as her heroines.
The story begins with Aish drunk out of his mind, reminiscing about a woman he loved and lost ten years earlier. She is also the inspiration for his popular song, “In You.” Her identity has long been speculated about by his fans. Except he makes the mistake of revealing her identity in front of a stranger who then turns around and sells the bombshell to the tabloids – the inspiration for “In You” is none other than Princess Sofia of Monte del Vino Real, a small wine growing principality in Northern Spain. The gossip forces her family to agree to a fake relationship for one month to bring much needed publicity to Sofia’s new winery, as well as help redeem Aish’s reputation, which is rocked by a plagiarism scandal involving his deceased partner.
However, Sofia wants nothing to do with Aish beyond their public spectacle. They have a fiery history and the pain runs deep. It’s a past Sofia wants nothing to do with, a past Aish hopes he can get back to.
Lopez does a wonderful job of showing the intense chemistry between Sofia and Aish. They essentially spent the decade apart, partying hard and doing their level-best to forget each other. They each share a similar reputation for wildness, but Lopez does a good job of showing how women tend to be held to an unfair standard for their sexual exploits. The details about wine-making and music making add a layer of authenticity to the narrative.
But it’s the back story that really drives home the conflict between the two characters in a way that is relatable. These are not too people, dancing around each other because the writer said so. The events in their past have created a real wedge between them, sowing resentments and anguish that the MCs have to really work hard to dismantle. It is the motive for Sofia’s rage and her nearly intractable resistance to any kind of romance with Aish.
On his side, Aish wants Sofia so badly, it’s palpable. But he has inflicted terrible pain on Sofia and he has work to do to win her back, which he is willing to do. It’s so great to find MCs who are willing to do whatever it takes to get their partners back.
There is a real telenovela vibe in this novel – from the intense, wild emotions, the secret pain that Sofia hides, the almost warrior-like engagement between the couples, the anger, the fights and the sex – everything is so over-the-top that, if you are looking for a quiet, gentle read, this may not be the book for you. The enemies-to-lovers/second chance/fake relationship trope cocktail is strong, Sofia is tough and sexy, Aish is completely at her feet and the feelings are everywhere. But this wild and bonkers train ride has my name stamped all over it and I couldn’t help but gobble it right up. And if this is your jam, then you’re going to love it as well.
I was provided with an ARC by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review
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