Better Hate Than Never (Wilmot Sisters #2) by Chloe Liese

Book Review Apr 06, 2024

My review

4/5 stars

I bought this book based on the cover only (yes, I'm that person) and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was based on The Taming of the Shrew.

Kate and Chris were both very likeable characters, perfectly flawed and charmingly human. I particularly enjoyed the vulnerability that they both had around their respective health conditions and the openness with which the impact those conditions had on their relationships was explored.

The back and forth, love/hate nature of their relationship was a fun read, and great to unpack slowly across the course of the story. I really liked that it was bigger than just them as well - family and shared friends were pivotal to their story.

The author did a fantastic job of bringing a classic (literally) story up to date. The characters felt familiar but fresh.

The only thing that stopped me from giving this the full five stars is that I had a few moments where their dynamic just felt a bit forced and over-the-top.

I also didn't realise that this was the second in a series, and that I already had the first in my TBR pile, so that's now been bumped up to near the top!

Book blurb

Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won't even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home - and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno.

Despite their friends' and families' pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when Kate drunkenly confesses she's only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with her once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn't sure she can trust his charming good-guy act.