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The Hate Project

• title: The Hate Project
• author: Kris Ripper
• publisher: HARLEQUIN – Carina Press
• release date: 27th April 2021
• series: Series
  The Love Study (book 2)
• genre: contemporary, romance
• diversity: mental health (anxiety, depression, eating disorder), POC (Mexican)
• content warnings: mention of eating disorder, mention of suicidalness
• rating: 3/5 Stars

Blurb
The Hate Project

This arrangement is either exactly what they need–or a total disaster

Oscar is a grouch.

That’s a well-established fact among his tight-knit friend group, and they love him anyway.

Jack is an ass.

Jack, who’s always ready with a sly insult, who can’t have a conversation without arguing, and who Oscar may or may not have hooked up with on a strict no-commitment, one-time-only basis. Even if it was extremely hot.

Together, they’re a bickering, combative mess.

When Oscar is fired (answering phones is not for the anxiety-ridden), he somehow ends up working for Jack. Maybe while cleaning out Jack’s grandmother’s house they can stop fighting long enough to turn a one-night stand into a frenemies-with-benefits situation.

The house is an archaeological dig of love and dysfunction, and while Oscar thought he was prepared, he wasn’t. It’s impossible to delve so deeply into someone’s past without coming to understand them at least a little, but Oscar has boundaries for a reason—even if sometimes Jack makes him want to break them all down.

After all, hating Jack is less of a risk than loving him…

The Queer’s Review

I absolutely love the anxiety rep in this book but I couldn’t care less for the romance. So where does that leave me?

In total confusion about whether I should recommend The Hate Project or not. Like… Is it any good or is it the worst? Okay, it’s not that bad but I still don’t feel comfortable saying you should read this book neither does it feel right to tell you to not read it. Have I ever been in this situation before? I honestly can’t remember but I am pretty sure this is new for me. Especially because I’m known for my rather strict reviews I guess.

Okay so. What now.

If I have to have an opinion – which I kinda do – read this one if you want some healthy portrayal of especially anxiety. A portrayal that is so real I often felt called out and understood at the same time. I’m not saying that this is the one true way TM to be anxious, because there isn’t some shit like that, but it is realistic and not romanticized which is so fucking important. I’ve also felt how Oscar is feeling his depression, so there are some bonus points on that front.

Overall I do like the characters and I had no problem following them or their dynamics without having read the first book which is called The Love Study.

Bookish Thoughts

But I really, really can’t get behind the romance. I’m not feeling it at all. What I am feeling is that Oscar and Jack were not in a headspace to enter a relationship. Both have so much baggage inside themselves that should have been dealt with before putting on top that complicated relationships of theirs. Maybe that is way I didn’t feel the romance. Maybe there simply was no spark to begin with, I’m really not sure.

Disclaimer

I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.