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A review by dinohakari
Like You Hate Me by Bethany Winters
4.0
This is another incredible story that was featured in the Anti Valentine Anthology, and now we have it complete, with all the details we needed.
I've read several reviews and seen that some say that the way Nate treats Xavi is toxic and abusive, and it's true. Their relationship is toxic, and abusive, fueled by Nate's hatred of Xavi, ever since a painful event that happened a couple of years ago. (Although I think that this hatred was born first of the jealousy that he felt for the relationship that existed between Xavi and Kate, Nate's sister, a relationship that Nate did not understand and believed that there was more between them than what it really was, a deep friendship). Anyway, what I wanted to clarify is that this story is Dark Romance. One can see this from reading the blurb, and the TW. And if it's something you're not comfortable with, I think then you should avoid it. That is what the description and the trigger or content warnings are for.
Now, as I was saying, it is toxic, and abusive. And I don't think it's just from the two MCs alone, but from all the sideline characters. In one way or another, they're all broken, and they all bring a little more of that toxicity to the relationship between them, starting with Carter.
Both MCs are complex, and while both are deeply attracted to each other, as Xavi tries to get closer to Nate and accepts everything Nate throws at him, trying to enjoy those few crumbs since he's not only been deeply in love with Nate since he was a teenager, but also sees it as a punishment he deserves. And Nate takes advantage of that attraction to finish breaking Xavi and take revenge for what happened years ago.
But like all revenge, this one ends backfired. And when Nate finally achieves what he set out to do, he realizes he's gone too far, and that could mean losing Xavi forever.
I loved it. It's toxic and emotional. It's steamy, and painful and angsty, but also has some sweet moments involving certain list (a very important list), and the only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because some situations weren't clear enough, like why Carter acts the way he does, etc. This is the second story by this author that I have read, and I look forward to reading more.
I was giving an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.
I've read several reviews and seen that some say that the way Nate treats Xavi is toxic and abusive, and it's true. Their relationship is toxic, and abusive, fueled by Nate's hatred of Xavi, ever since a painful event that happened a couple of years ago. (Although I think that this hatred was born first of the jealousy that he felt for the relationship that existed between Xavi and Kate, Nate's sister, a relationship that Nate did not understand and believed that there was more between them than what it really was, a deep friendship). Anyway, what I wanted to clarify is that this story is Dark Romance. One can see this from reading the blurb, and the TW. And if it's something you're not comfortable with, I think then you should avoid it. That is what the description and the trigger or content warnings are for.
Now, as I was saying, it is toxic, and abusive. And I don't think it's just from the two MCs alone, but from all the sideline characters. In one way or another, they're all broken, and they all bring a little more of that toxicity to the relationship between them, starting with Carter.
Both MCs are complex, and while both are deeply attracted to each other, as Xavi tries to get closer to Nate and accepts everything Nate throws at him, trying to enjoy those few crumbs since he's not only been deeply in love with Nate since he was a teenager, but also sees it as a punishment he deserves. And Nate takes advantage of that attraction to finish breaking Xavi and take revenge for what happened years ago.
But like all revenge, this one ends backfired. And when Nate finally achieves what he set out to do, he realizes he's gone too far, and that could mean losing Xavi forever.
I loved it. It's toxic and emotional. It's steamy, and painful and angsty, but also has some sweet moments involving certain list (a very important list), and the only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because some situations weren't clear enough, like why Carter acts the way he does, etc. This is the second story by this author that I have read, and I look forward to reading more.
I was giving an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.