To Hate Adam Connor by Ella Maise

Book Review Mar 24, 2025

My review

4/5 stars

Lucy ends up staying with her best friend Olive, and Olive's husband Jason, for a while. During her stay, she decides to have a quick sneak peek at the movie star living next door, Adam Connor, and ends up getting arrested for trespassing. Over time, they realise that their hate-hate relationship might just be something else.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Lucy and Adam in this book - it was by far and away my favourite element of everything that was going on. Their banter and the magic that sizzled between them leapt out of the words.

My second favourite part of the book was Aidan. He was a delightfully charming child and gave the story something that elevated it beyond just being a romance book. He was central to the drama of the story without ever being the source of the drama, making him even more lovable.

The person who was central to all of the drama was Adam's ex-wife, and even though her character was overplayed and verged on pantomime villain at times, I really enjoyed what she bought to the plot. Her drama was enough to give tension to the story without ever making it feel truly dangerous.

As much as I enjoyed listening to the book, the sexual content felt somewhat gratuitous. One of the sex scenes lasted two whole chapters, and one scene felt both triggering and completely unnecessary to the plot. It did somewhat overshadow the enjoyment levels I had been feeling up to that point.

Overall it was a cute and entertaining love story, and a good audiobook experience.

Book blurb

There’s a sexy actor living next door… wouldn’t you take a peek?

Adam Connor is an award-winning actor and undeniable heartthrob. He’s also recently divorced, a single dad and he happens to live right next door to Lucy. And it might be rude to stare but Lucy just can’t help it.

The ladder might have been a little much though…

One night when she’s indulging her stalker side, Lucy sees something terrible and has no choice but to intervene. She had the best of intentions but Adam can’t see past it and has her arrested.

After that night, they're sworn enemies. Even though Adam knows he actually owes Lucy a lot and she can’t pretend she doesn’t still find the hot dad act quite appealing...