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Hopeless Romantics #1
On the Corner of Love and Hate
For fans of Christina Lauren and Lauren Layne comes a delightfully sassy and sexy romance about a campaign manager who reluctantly works with the local Lothario to help revamp his image for the upcoming mayoral elections, only to discover that he’s hiding something that can turn both their lives upside down.
What’s a campaign manager’s worst nightmare? A smooth-talking charmer who’s never met a scandal that he didn’t like.
When Emmanuelle Peroni’s father—and mayor of her town—asks her to help rehab Cooper Endicott’s image, she’s horrified. Cooper drives her crazy in every way possible. But he’s also her father’s protégé, and she can’t say no to him without him finding out the reason why: Cooper and her have a messy past. So Emmanuelle reluctantly launches her father’s grand plan to get this Casanova someone to settle down with and help him lose his lothario reputation.
Cooper Endicott wanted to run for Mayor, but he never wanted the drama that went with it. Now that he’s on the political hamster wheel, the other candidates are digging up everything from his past. Even though he’s doing all the right things, his colorful love life is the sticking point for many of the conservative voters. He wants to win, badly, and he knows that if he wants any chance of getting a vote from the female population, he needs to change his image. The only problem? He might just be falling in love with the one person he promised not to pursue: the Mayor’s off-limits daughter.
A perfect blend of humor and heart, On the Corner of Love and Hate is the first in a new series from USA TODAY bestselling author Nina Bocci.
What’s a campaign manager’s worst nightmare? A smooth-talking charmer who’s never met a scandal that he didn’t like.
When Emmanuelle Peroni’s father—and mayor of her town—asks her to help rehab Cooper Endicott’s image, she’s horrified. Cooper drives her crazy in every way possible. But he’s also her father’s protégé, and she can’t say no to him without him finding out the reason why: Cooper and her have a messy past. So Emmanuelle reluctantly launches her father’s grand plan to get this Casanova someone to settle down with and help him lose his lothario reputation.
Cooper Endicott wanted to run for Mayor, but he never wanted the drama that went with it. Now that he’s on the political hamster wheel, the other candidates are digging up everything from his past. Even though he’s doing all the right things, his colorful love life is the sticking point for many of the conservative voters. He wants to win, badly, and he knows that if he wants any chance of getting a vote from the female population, he needs to change his image. The only problem? He might just be falling in love with the one person he promised not to pursue: the Mayor’s off-limits daughter.
A perfect blend of humor and heart, On the Corner of Love and Hate is the first in a new series from USA TODAY bestselling author Nina Bocci.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2019
139 people are currently reading
8113 people want to read
About the author
Nina Bocci
8 books637 followersNina Bocci is a novelist, publicist, eternal optimist, unabashed lipgloss enthusiast, constant apologist, and a hopeless romanticist. She has too many college degrees that she’s not using, and a Lego addiction that she blames on her son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 517 reviews
August 12, 2019
*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
Anytime I was alone with him, which was why I actively avoided it, I was transported back to that eleven-year-old girl who realized that the belly flutters she got when he walked in wasn’t a lactose allergy but her first full-blown crush. At twenty-eight, those feelings didn’t remain, but the reminder of what they felt like did.
”ON THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HATE” is a frenemies-to-lovers romance which takes in the political arena. This book crept up on me ever so slowly in a good way. I knew right from the start that Emma and Cooper were harboring some intense feelings for each other and that certain perceptions were totally off the mark. Their story is high on angst and light on the schmexy. The anticipation that builds over when or if they’ll ever confess what’s in their hearts is what made this book so thoroughly entertaining for me. I’ve got a good feeling about this series and can’t wait to see what that author has in store for us next.
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 4.5
Heroine: 3
Plot: 4
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 3
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4.5
”ON THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HATE” releases on August 20th.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XAgzIJ
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
Anytime I was alone with him, which was why I actively avoided it, I was transported back to that eleven-year-old girl who realized that the belly flutters she got when he walked in wasn’t a lactose allergy but her first full-blown crush. At twenty-eight, those feelings didn’t remain, but the reminder of what they felt like did.
”ON THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HATE” is a frenemies-to-lovers romance which takes in the political arena. This book crept up on me ever so slowly in a good way. I knew right from the start that Emma and Cooper were harboring some intense feelings for each other and that certain perceptions were totally off the mark. Their story is high on angst and light on the schmexy. The anticipation that builds over when or if they’ll ever confess what’s in their hearts is what made this book so thoroughly entertaining for me. I’ve got a good feeling about this series and can’t wait to see what that author has in store for us next.
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 4.5
Heroine: 3
Plot: 4
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 3
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4.5
”ON THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HATE” releases on August 20th.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XAgzIJ
July 17, 2019
3 stars
Enemies to lovers… it’s a troupe that I adore. There’s a fine line between love and hate… Cooper and Emma walk that line non-stop. They used to be the best of friends growing up. Now, they’re more like nemesis than friends.
Emma and Cooper work together, but lately Cooper hasn’t been pulling his weight. He’s running for Mayor and has a ton on his plate. Emma’s dad is the current Mayor and is endorsing Cooper. Emma decides to help Cooper even though being around him more isn’t something she’s comfortable with.
Emma doesn’t want to admit it, but she has it bad for Cooper. That is one of the reasons she can’t stand to be around him. I got the vibe that he liked her too, but for some of the book it was hard to tell. This book was full of misunderstandings. So much of it. And there was a character I legit loathed. The last 5-10% of the book was fantastic but it took so much to get there!
This is the actual perfect description of most of the book:
Even though this book wasn’t great for me, I loved Nina’s writing style. I think she’s so talented and I love the world she created in Hope Lake. I am dying for a Henry book and I would love to read about Nick as well. Even though there were some things that didn’t work for me in this particular book, I’m looking forward to reading more from this series.
Enemies to lovers… it’s a troupe that I adore. There’s a fine line between love and hate… Cooper and Emma walk that line non-stop. They used to be the best of friends growing up. Now, they’re more like nemesis than friends.
Emma and Cooper work together, but lately Cooper hasn’t been pulling his weight. He’s running for Mayor and has a ton on his plate. Emma’s dad is the current Mayor and is endorsing Cooper. Emma decides to help Cooper even though being around him more isn’t something she’s comfortable with.
Emma doesn’t want to admit it, but she has it bad for Cooper. That is one of the reasons she can’t stand to be around him. I got the vibe that he liked her too, but for some of the book it was hard to tell. This book was full of misunderstandings. So much of it. And there was a character I legit loathed. The last 5-10% of the book was fantastic but it took so much to get there!
This is the actual perfect description of most of the book:
“You’re a fool and full of it. Cooper, whom I love almost as much as you, is a goddamn idiot, and I could and should kick both your asses for doing this to each other. If you two got your heads out of your collective asses, you would make the perfect pair.”
Even though this book wasn’t great for me, I loved Nina’s writing style. I think she’s so talented and I love the world she created in Hope Lake. I am dying for a Henry book and I would love to read about Nick as well. Even though there were some things that didn’t work for me in this particular book, I’m looking forward to reading more from this series.
December 2, 2023
ON THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HATE features two adult children of prominent politicians. A love/hate relationship that spawned from a childhood friendship gone wrong. A work relationship where one person is super organized and the other is a flake. What could possibly go wrong? This was a cute, quirky story that reminded me a lot of The West Wing with lots of political content. If you were a fan of that show, and liked the drama side of things, you would probably enjoy this. I particularly liked Emma, the type A overachieving heroine, who has had it up to here with Cooper’s antics… although still keeps covering for him and doing his work when he skips out on deadlines to go out on dates. The romance storyline was secondary for most of the book, and this was more a story of the political race, but still quite enjoyable as things finally coalesced!
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August 5, 201935%
There's nothing wrong with this book; it's sassy and brooding and cute, but I found it to be worryingly average, and on top of that, 100% of it is focused on the main characters' jobs. This is a sensitive year for me to be reading workplace romances, and for this book to have absolutely no reprieve from the everyday grind that is these characters' hard job, I found it laborious to read because there were no fun or cute scenes to chop up the down-to-business gritty scenes that were often difficult to read because of political jargon. I did like the narrator though and I could sense an angsty love story brooding, so I might pick this back up and finish it.
There's nothing wrong with this book; it's sassy and brooding and cute, but I found it to be worryingly average, and on top of that, 100% of it is focused on the main characters' jobs. This is a sensitive year for me to be reading workplace romances, and for this book to have absolutely no reprieve from the everyday grind that is these characters' hard job, I found it laborious to read because there were no fun or cute scenes to chop up the down-to-business gritty scenes that were often difficult to read because of political jargon. I did like the narrator though and I could sense an angsty love story brooding, so I might pick this back up and finish it.
August 15, 2019
TITLE: ON THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HATE
AUTHOR: Nina Bocci
SERIES: Hopeless Romantics #1
RELEASE DATE: August 20 2019
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
THEMES & TROPES: Smalltown Romance, Enemies to Lovers
RATING: 3 Stars
CLIFFHANGER: No
READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG
I love enemies-to-lovers, it's one of my favorite tropes because it usually comes with lots of banter and tons of chemistry between the main characters and this all can be said about Emma and Cooper.
He ignited every emotion in me, from love to hate.
Cooper is running a mayoral campaign in his small town of Hope Lake and thus is spread thin and not performing at work as he should. Childhood friend Emma gets to pick up the slack and as you can imagine isn't very happy about it. This is where ON THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HATE starts and with Cooper being a major player I thought he'd be a jerk, using his candidacy as an excuse to get his rocks off. Thankfully this turned out to be untrue and I found out later that he was a really good guy who sometimes made questionable choices. There is so much more to this man than the player he seems to be but we don't really have a chance to get to know him because we only have Emma's point of view.
“I don’t know anything. You don’t tell me anything. I just have to guess. All the time, because Emma keeps everything inside.”
It's hard to pull off this trope without the male POV, so for a long time we see Emma hurting over something that isn't explained until much later, and while we know that she has deep feelings for Cooper we don't know for the majority of the story whether Cooper reciprocates. There are glimpses that will make you suspect though. That part wasn't winning me over completely because Cooper's campaign was pretty much front and center and took away from the romance. Adding to that was some serious lack of communication, mostly Emma not wanting to talk. I wasn't crazy about her, if I'm being honest. She comes across judgmental, bitchy and unforgiving.
But Emma wasn't all bad, I feel I need to clarify. She had a kind side about her, one that wanted to help Cooper and sometimes gave him the benefit of doubt and that was what made me warm up to her eventually.
Anytime I was alone with him, which was why I actively avoided it, I was transported back to that eleven-year-old girl who realized that the belly flutters she got when he walked in wasn’t a lactose allergy but her first full-blown crush.
One thing I can say without a doubt - Nina Bocci has a beautiful writing voice and talent for weaving a riveting story to boot and I fell in love with her vivid descriptions of Hope Lake. Small town romance never fails to charm me with the meddling, gossipy neighbors. Supporting Cooper and Emma are a bunch of friends I'd like to know more about. While ON THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HATE didn't win me over 100% I still enjoyed most of it and I wouldn't mind going back to Hope Lake to read about Henry or Nick's stories.
December 31, 2019
Favorite Quotes:
Dating is like shopping the clearance racks: you sift through a lot of pretty yet questionable items in the hope of lucking out and finding that one perfect outfit. The same could be said about the men I’d been with lately.
EMMA THOUGHT: For a hopeless romantic, you’re awfully hopeless.
Anytime I was alone with him, which was why I actively avoided it, I was transported back to that eleven-year-old girl who realized that the belly flutters she got when he walked in wasn’t a lactose allergy but her first full-blown crush. At twenty-eight, those feelings didn’t remain, but the reminder of what they felt like did.
Kirby Rogers reminded me of how movies in the seventies depicted used-car salesmen: swarmy, cocky, and dressed in a suit that was too big, as if he were trying to fill the loose fabric with fake confidence. Plus he had a ridiculous comb-over that you could probably spot from space.
Henry was one of those guys men wanted to try to arm wrestle and women just straight-up wanted, but he was content with being everyone’s friend.
I saw the girlfriend with him the other night at dinner— that girl can freeze ice on her backside. Why is she so serious?
My Review:
This was wicked funny I fell right into this observantly amusing and insightfully written tale which was shot through with clever wit and snarky levity. I loved it, adored it, reveled in it, smirked my way through it, and am now totally enamored with the talented Nina Bocci.
Dating is like shopping the clearance racks: you sift through a lot of pretty yet questionable items in the hope of lucking out and finding that one perfect outfit. The same could be said about the men I’d been with lately.
EMMA THOUGHT: For a hopeless romantic, you’re awfully hopeless.
Anytime I was alone with him, which was why I actively avoided it, I was transported back to that eleven-year-old girl who realized that the belly flutters she got when he walked in wasn’t a lactose allergy but her first full-blown crush. At twenty-eight, those feelings didn’t remain, but the reminder of what they felt like did.
Kirby Rogers reminded me of how movies in the seventies depicted used-car salesmen: swarmy, cocky, and dressed in a suit that was too big, as if he were trying to fill the loose fabric with fake confidence. Plus he had a ridiculous comb-over that you could probably spot from space.
Henry was one of those guys men wanted to try to arm wrestle and women just straight-up wanted, but he was content with being everyone’s friend.
I saw the girlfriend with him the other night at dinner— that girl can freeze ice on her backside. Why is she so serious?
My Review:
This was wicked funny I fell right into this observantly amusing and insightfully written tale which was shot through with clever wit and snarky levity. I loved it, adored it, reveled in it, smirked my way through it, and am now totally enamored with the talented Nina Bocci.
June 4, 2019
Recommended. This has a great cast of characters, local politics, and a couple you'll cheer for.
Nina writes with charm and good humour and her characters leap from the page.
SR.
Nina writes with charm and good humour and her characters leap from the page.
SR.
August 20, 2019
I had to get my hands on this book! The cover is to DIE for!!
I was excited to read this due to the enemies to lovers premise. I think I've figured out this is my favorite type of romance :).
This was a tad bit of slow burn for me and I don't usually do well with slow burn novels. I wish that the relationship between Cooper and Emma had more chemistry throughout the story. It was lacking big time for me in this particular area and just couldn't connect with either one of them.
I also am not a big fan of the political aspect to the novel. I got distracted by this and was often bored so my attention was swaying in and out.
Overall, I have to say that I was disappointed and though the novel was going to play out completely different then how it actually did.
3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 8/20/19
Published to GR; 8/19/19
I was excited to read this due to the enemies to lovers premise. I think I've figured out this is my favorite type of romance :).
This was a tad bit of slow burn for me and I don't usually do well with slow burn novels. I wish that the relationship between Cooper and Emma had more chemistry throughout the story. It was lacking big time for me in this particular area and just couldn't connect with either one of them.
I also am not a big fan of the political aspect to the novel. I got distracted by this and was often bored so my attention was swaying in and out.
Overall, I have to say that I was disappointed and though the novel was going to play out completely different then how it actually did.
3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 8/20/19
Published to GR; 8/19/19
August 21, 2019
Emmanuelle (Emma) and Cooper were friends growing up, but their friendship mostly ended during their college years. After college, they both returned to their hometown of Hope Lake. Now, they both work for the community development office. Emma once wanted more than friendship from Cooper, but that desire ended and their friendship never recovered.
A frenemies to lovers story. Emma is a workaholic who loves to be organized and in control. She is single and occasionally dates, but she keeps her schedule so full, there is rarely time. Cooper is a womanizing rich boy with political aspirations. Since the story is told from Emma's point of view, the reader is aware of her feelings for Cooper. It would have been nice to have some parts from Cooper's POV, because he seemed to show no interest in Emma.
I enjoyed the small, picturesque town of Hope Lake. The activities around the town play a part in the story since Emma and Cooper work for the town, and Cooper is running for mayor in the upcoming election. Lots of politics about the town in this book. In addition to Cooper's political aspirations, Emma's father is the current mayor and Cooper's mother is the governor. Emma's father supports Cooper and encourages Emma to be Cooper's campaign manager. Emma begrudgingly agrees to be Cooper's campaign manager, and she has her work cut out for her. Cooper agrees to her conditions to run the campaign, but he occasionally seems clueless about how politics and public image works. This is unbelievable since his mother is a career politician.
The writing style was enjoyable and I liked the atmosphere in the town of Hope Lake. Some of the secondary characters were great, and I hope to read more about them in the next book of the series. That said, this novel did have several things that didn't work for me. Emma and Cooper weren't that likable. I could handle Emma's wishy-washy behavior, but Cooper truly was not a good choice for love interest. Also, this was much too slow on the romance for me. In the end, I was a little disappointed in this one, but will continue to read the next book and look forward to hearing more from the characters in Hope Lake.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A frenemies to lovers story. Emma is a workaholic who loves to be organized and in control. She is single and occasionally dates, but she keeps her schedule so full, there is rarely time. Cooper is a womanizing rich boy with political aspirations. Since the story is told from Emma's point of view, the reader is aware of her feelings for Cooper. It would have been nice to have some parts from Cooper's POV, because he seemed to show no interest in Emma.
I enjoyed the small, picturesque town of Hope Lake. The activities around the town play a part in the story since Emma and Cooper work for the town, and Cooper is running for mayor in the upcoming election. Lots of politics about the town in this book. In addition to Cooper's political aspirations, Emma's father is the current mayor and Cooper's mother is the governor. Emma's father supports Cooper and encourages Emma to be Cooper's campaign manager. Emma begrudgingly agrees to be Cooper's campaign manager, and she has her work cut out for her. Cooper agrees to her conditions to run the campaign, but he occasionally seems clueless about how politics and public image works. This is unbelievable since his mother is a career politician.
The writing style was enjoyable and I liked the atmosphere in the town of Hope Lake. Some of the secondary characters were great, and I hope to read more about them in the next book of the series. That said, this novel did have several things that didn't work for me. Emma and Cooper weren't that likable. I could handle Emma's wishy-washy behavior, but Cooper truly was not a good choice for love interest. Also, this was much too slow on the romance for me. In the end, I was a little disappointed in this one, but will continue to read the next book and look forward to hearing more from the characters in Hope Lake.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2019
4 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)
Emma Peroni is a 28 yr. old woman from a small town in northern Pennsylvania called Hope Lake. Her dad is the mayor, and she herself has a government job as well. She worked in an office together with her childhood friend Cooper Endicott. They were considered the home base for the town, and had their hand in pretty much everything. When emergencies happened, they fixed them, but lately Emma finds herself picking up most of the slack since Cooper is busy running for mayor.
Cooper and Emma were inseparable as kids. They had a lot in common, and both of them grew up in politics, and loved their hometown. They'd known each other over twenty years, and had gone from best friends to often being at odds. He was her first crush, and had driven her crazy for over two decades. Their relationship was now fraught with tension and competitiveness, and she was tired of cleaning up his messes. He was a gorgeous, guy with a magnetic personality. He was Hope Lake's golden boy, and the town loved him. Even though she couldn't stand him lately, she agreed he would make a wonderful mayor. What she didn't plan on is being involved in his campaign. When the other candidates decide to play dirty, she reluctantly agrees to help him revamp his image in the public eye. Spending so much time together, will she be able to resist falling for the enemy?
On the Corner of Love and Hate is the first in a new series by author Nina Bocci. This book is Hopeless Romantics, #1, and Nina's solo debut. It's a flirty, workplace romantic comedy with a fun political twist. I really enjoyed this lighthearted, charming enemies to lovers romance!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2Z6XMXc
(ARC provided by author)
Emma Peroni is a 28 yr. old woman from a small town in northern Pennsylvania called Hope Lake. Her dad is the mayor, and she herself has a government job as well. She worked in an office together with her childhood friend Cooper Endicott. They were considered the home base for the town, and had their hand in pretty much everything. When emergencies happened, they fixed them, but lately Emma finds herself picking up most of the slack since Cooper is busy running for mayor.
Cooper and Emma were inseparable as kids. They had a lot in common, and both of them grew up in politics, and loved their hometown. They'd known each other over twenty years, and had gone from best friends to often being at odds. He was her first crush, and had driven her crazy for over two decades. Their relationship was now fraught with tension and competitiveness, and she was tired of cleaning up his messes. He was a gorgeous, guy with a magnetic personality. He was Hope Lake's golden boy, and the town loved him. Even though she couldn't stand him lately, she agreed he would make a wonderful mayor. What she didn't plan on is being involved in his campaign. When the other candidates decide to play dirty, she reluctantly agrees to help him revamp his image in the public eye. Spending so much time together, will she be able to resist falling for the enemy?
On the Corner of Love and Hate is the first in a new series by author Nina Bocci. This book is Hopeless Romantics, #1, and Nina's solo debut. It's a flirty, workplace romantic comedy with a fun political twist. I really enjoyed this lighthearted, charming enemies to lovers romance!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2Z6XMXc
August 20, 2019
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
On the Corner of Love and Hate is an enemies/frenemies to lovers type of story and follows Emma and Cooper. These two were once childhood friends that eventually grew apart after some heartbreak and now turned enemies. This is a trope that I can completely get on board with and I always love the tension that comes from stories like this. Unfortunately in this book that tension was a little too much and it never seemed to end.
Emma is a workaholic that's left running around like a mad woman picking up after Cooper as he ignores his work duties in order to focus on his Mayoral campaign. As well as focusing on all the ladies in his life. That's our introduction to these characters, Cooper not seeming to care about anyone but himself even as Emma is clearly struggling to handle the work. It made it hard for me to connect to, or even like, Cooper's character. Especially since this story was told completely in Emma's POV so I never got a real chance to see Cooper's motives behind those actions or if he really did care and it just wasn't shown through Emma.
The big problem I had with this book, however, was the lack of romance. The majority of the book focused on Cooper's campaign, Emma being a slave to work, despising Cooper, and their little quips back and forth. It was a struggle to see where the romance came in during the entire first 70 or 80% of the story. So then when the ending came it was hard to believe that after all of that, that these two actually had a love story.
But I did like the overall story, and as much as wished there would have been less of the enemies part of the enemies-to-lovers trope I did like those parts of the story. The dialogue between Cooper and Emma was well written and engaging. It had me wanting to find out more about each other them, as well as wishing we got to see them together. Overall, I had problems with the book but I do recommend it and think that it will have many fans.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
On the Corner of Love and Hate is an enemies/frenemies to lovers type of story and follows Emma and Cooper. These two were once childhood friends that eventually grew apart after some heartbreak and now turned enemies. This is a trope that I can completely get on board with and I always love the tension that comes from stories like this. Unfortunately in this book that tension was a little too much and it never seemed to end.
Emma is a workaholic that's left running around like a mad woman picking up after Cooper as he ignores his work duties in order to focus on his Mayoral campaign. As well as focusing on all the ladies in his life. That's our introduction to these characters, Cooper not seeming to care about anyone but himself even as Emma is clearly struggling to handle the work. It made it hard for me to connect to, or even like, Cooper's character. Especially since this story was told completely in Emma's POV so I never got a real chance to see Cooper's motives behind those actions or if he really did care and it just wasn't shown through Emma.
The big problem I had with this book, however, was the lack of romance. The majority of the book focused on Cooper's campaign, Emma being a slave to work, despising Cooper, and their little quips back and forth. It was a struggle to see where the romance came in during the entire first 70 or 80% of the story. So then when the ending came it was hard to believe that after all of that, that these two actually had a love story.
But I did like the overall story, and as much as wished there would have been less of the enemies part of the enemies-to-lovers trope I did like those parts of the story. The dialogue between Cooper and Emma was well written and engaging. It had me wanting to find out more about each other them, as well as wishing we got to see them together. Overall, I had problems with the book but I do recommend it and think that it will have many fans.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2019
On the Corner of Love and Hate is a small town, enemies-to-lovers romance featuring childhood friends turned enemies Emma Peroni and Cooper Endicott. Emma's father (outgoing mayor) talks her into being Cooper's campaign manager in an effort to revamp his shady ladies-man image and help him get elected as the next town mayor. Emma reluctantly agrees to it even though she continues to hold a long-time grudge against the man who once broke her heart. As they begin working together, the sarcastic remarks fly . . . and so do the sparks!
One of my favorite tropes in romance is small town and enemies-to-lovers! The author does a great job with setting up a small town scene, including the prevalence of everybody-knows-everything-about-everybody atmosphere . . . a town where it's hard to outrun your past mistakes as you're constantly reminded of them. The town people are authentic, adding a special ambiance to the story. Bocci also excels at writing realistic dialogue with some much needed humorous banter which I enjoyed.
This story unfolds through Emma's point of view which understandably doesn't paint Cooper in a very good light. While I wanted to be sympathetic to Emma's plight, I found her to be so consumed by past betrayals that she continuously took one step forward and then two steps back, causing her to appear too stubborn and wishy-washy. Unfortunately, Cooper doesn't fare much better. His in-your-face immature attitude is flaunted a bit too often as are his womanizing, alley-cat ways. He shows growth by the end which is a plus, as does Emma; however, it became a case of too little, too late for me to feel much empathy with either character. The result is a lack of true chemistry between these two main characters, making it hard for me to identify with either.
While I liked the premise of On the Corner of Love and Hate, I think the story would have resonated more with me if it had concentrated more on the romance building between Emma and Cooper and less on their ongoing feud over a broken past. Having said that, there are some great humorous scenes that I enjoyed. Fans of enemies-to-lovers stories should check this one out.
*With special thanks to the publisher for an arc of this book!
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
One of my favorite tropes in romance is small town and enemies-to-lovers! The author does a great job with setting up a small town scene, including the prevalence of everybody-knows-everything-about-everybody atmosphere . . . a town where it's hard to outrun your past mistakes as you're constantly reminded of them. The town people are authentic, adding a special ambiance to the story. Bocci also excels at writing realistic dialogue with some much needed humorous banter which I enjoyed.
This story unfolds through Emma's point of view which understandably doesn't paint Cooper in a very good light. While I wanted to be sympathetic to Emma's plight, I found her to be so consumed by past betrayals that she continuously took one step forward and then two steps back, causing her to appear too stubborn and wishy-washy. Unfortunately, Cooper doesn't fare much better. His in-your-face immature attitude is flaunted a bit too often as are his womanizing, alley-cat ways. He shows growth by the end which is a plus, as does Emma; however, it became a case of too little, too late for me to feel much empathy with either character. The result is a lack of true chemistry between these two main characters, making it hard for me to identify with either.
While I liked the premise of On the Corner of Love and Hate, I think the story would have resonated more with me if it had concentrated more on the romance building between Emma and Cooper and less on their ongoing feud over a broken past. Having said that, there are some great humorous scenes that I enjoyed. Fans of enemies-to-lovers stories should check this one out.
*With special thanks to the publisher for an arc of this book!
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
August 20, 2019
Small lake town in the mountains of Pennsylvania.
Emma and Cooper.
They've known each other forever. They've been best friends growing up.
But they're not besties anymore.
There's still this mega attraction, but Emma is constantly hating on poor Cooper. Why, you ask?
He's a horrible manwhorish serial dater and he's not doing his job at the office properly. She has to work twice as hard because he's always out on business - aka a date!
And yup - they're working together for their town. For the mayor - who happens to be Emma's dad. And Emma's dad wants Cooper to be the new mayor. And Emma has to be the one to clean up his image and run his campaign!
Let the fun times begin ....
What will happen with Emma & Cooper?
Will there be a HEA?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺
══════════════════
Well, that was adorable!
First of all - before I start my tiny little rant and before I piss everybody off ☺ - I was really excited to read this book. I've had this on my list forever! Many book bloggers have known Nina for years as part of the book world - but this is her first solo book!
So please forgive me for anything stupid I'm about to say. I don't mean it in a bad or insulting way - but I'm always honest in my reviews!
I liked many parts of this book, but I also didn't like many parts of it.
I even loved parts. I wouldn't mind if all the people in it and the town and the politics - if this could somehow end up in a Netflix show. That would totally be something I would love to watch.
But as a book. Ugh. I don't know where to start. There's so much to say.
It's not a bad book. Not at all. The idea is really great. A friends-to-enemies-to-colleagues-to-frenemies-to-lovers-small-town-politics-romance. It's a really great start.
I loved that all parents were amazing. Every other book these days has characters in it with horrible parents and childhoods. Emma's mom was the funniest thing about the book. Plus the two best friends - who will be the stars of the next two books! Nick and Henry. Adorable! Unfortunately those will probably be only-female POV books again :/ More about my POV problem later.
What I didn't like about the book was that this was a waaay to slow slow-burn romance for my tastes. It's not even slow ... it's not happening at all really.
We start with Emma complaining about Cooper and hating on him and insulting him. She doesn't stop for a very long time - if at all. But we also understand from things being said, that both have been in love with each other since they were born.
And through all that hating on poor Cooper, we can't really fall in love with him, because he doesn't defend himself. He doesn't get a POV and we don't know what's in his heart and mind.
Plus with all that hating we kind of don't like Emma all that much.
So we have a slow-burn romance which is way too slow, plus a hero and heroine we can't really love ... not a good start for a romance!
Usually I like those cute small-town stories. But this one was just too typical prudish small-town America for my tastes. There was too much church-going/talk - I hate religion and I don't want that in my books. But I also know that it is part of that typical american small-town life - especially if you're the daughter of the mayor! But I still don't want it in my books.
Then there are no sexy-times at all. Just a tiny little bit toward the very end. Not even any sexy kisses - or even some sexy sparks between our darlings!
I also didn't understand why Emma is so mad at Cooper. Yes, okay. She's in love with him - always has been. But she doesn't know it - or she doesn't acknowledge it. So it's always hate hate hate. But it gets on the readers nerves about two pages into the book. It was too much.
The book already started confusing for me. On page one there's talk about an office and a tennis ball. So in my mind's movie theatre I saw Emma and a guy in an office watching a tennis game on TV because I thought that had something to do with their PR job. But nope - I found out a page later that it was just this immature, and in my mind, 20 year old intern Cooper, who was throwing a tennis ball against the wall. And yup - that's how we meet Cooper - add to that Emma's not-liking-him-description of him on those first two pages, and I was SHOCKED when I found out that Coooper is the HERO of this book. #Mindblown. That must've been the most un-cute meet-cute of a Hero and a reader ever. Sorry. And like I mentioned before - we don't really fall for him because we don't hear from him enough. I still liked him ... but it wasn't enough.
I get that Nina wanted this to be a bit of a feminist thingy. And a bit of a preachy thingy with the politics and voting. But through all that ... Cooper and the love story got completely lost.
It was still a very sweet and very slow small-town love story.
Maybe it could've been a bit shorter - with more important moments happening and redundant stuff cut out. But I still liked it the way it was. It was interesting and sweet and a bit funny and cute. I will definitely read the next books! Maybe this wasn't just our day, dear book.
ON THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HATE was a very sweet and slow-burnish small-town politics love story! Run to your nearest amazon asap for your own Cooper - he'll be sold out in no time!!!
♡
♡
♡
♡
August 27, 2019
Emma Peroni works in the Community Development Office (CDO) in the small town of Hope Lake. She works with her childhood friend Cooper Campbell-Endicott, who is now running for office as mayor of Hope Lake. Cooper has a political pedigree; his mother is governor. He's the beloved golden boy of Hope Lake. But he also has a playboy reputation, and his opponent, Kirby, is capitalizing on it. If Cooper loses, Kirby will set back all the progress of the CDO in Hope Lake. So the current mayor--who just happens to be Emma's father--devises a plan. Emma will manage Cooper's campaign, and he will pretend to settle down with a former girlfriend. Emma and Cooper haven't gotten along since college, but the more time they spend together now, the more feelings get stirred up: anger, resentment, and... lust.
So I think it does a disservice to bill this book as a Christina Lauren-type romance, as I went in expecting a certain type of story and it just didn't deliver. I believe if I just read it as a romance, I might have enjoyed it more. And, please note, that a 3-star review isn't bad (!), I just didn't 4-star love love it.
The book is set up with the "love/hate" premise. We have hard-working Emma, who is scared of commitment and letting down her guard. Meanwhile, Cooper needs to buckle down and get serious about everything in his life. Emma holds a long-standing grudge against Cooper, but, of course, oh there are feelings, right? The problem is that things get repetitive: so much fighting about his bad behavior and then her thinking over and over about her feelings. (Of course she doesn't have feelings for Cooper, she hates him, etc.). We all know they are going to show some spark together, but good grief, it takes forever.
"He might have been the single most irritating person in the world to me, but still, I could appreciate his appearance."
Also, while I liked that there were political things woven into this novel, my goodness, I've never seen such drama over a mayoral race in my life. Is this a small town thing, or something? I have lived in small towns. The attention and drama focused on this race felt like a senatorial campaign and there was little explanation why Cooper's opponent was so bad, except that he was, indeed, really bad and would ruin the whole town, so this portion felt very two-dimensional. (Oh and if Emma called her father "Mayor Dad" one more time, I was going to scream.)
Still, this is a cute read. There are some really fun scenes with Emma's friends--she, Nick, Henry, and Cooper have been pals since they were kids. There is wit and humor throughout the book. I could certainly identify with Emma, being a closed off workaholic myself! The small town vibe in this book is really adorable--Hope Lake practically flies off the page, and it's a very atmospheric setting.
And, let's be honest: a love/hate dynamic is enjoyable. We pick up a romance knowing exactly what we are getting into. Cooper was a bit irritating at times, but it still boils down that I'm a total sucker for a sappy love story and the chosen two getting together. I was rooting for these two, and I liked the end of the book. This was a sweet, funny read overall. 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an honest review (thank you!).
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb
So I think it does a disservice to bill this book as a Christina Lauren-type romance, as I went in expecting a certain type of story and it just didn't deliver. I believe if I just read it as a romance, I might have enjoyed it more. And, please note, that a 3-star review isn't bad (!), I just didn't 4-star love love it.
The book is set up with the "love/hate" premise. We have hard-working Emma, who is scared of commitment and letting down her guard. Meanwhile, Cooper needs to buckle down and get serious about everything in his life. Emma holds a long-standing grudge against Cooper, but, of course, oh there are feelings, right? The problem is that things get repetitive: so much fighting about his bad behavior and then her thinking over and over about her feelings. (Of course she doesn't have feelings for Cooper, she hates him, etc.). We all know they are going to show some spark together, but good grief, it takes forever.
"He might have been the single most irritating person in the world to me, but still, I could appreciate his appearance."
Also, while I liked that there were political things woven into this novel, my goodness, I've never seen such drama over a mayoral race in my life. Is this a small town thing, or something? I have lived in small towns. The attention and drama focused on this race felt like a senatorial campaign and there was little explanation why Cooper's opponent was so bad, except that he was, indeed, really bad and would ruin the whole town, so this portion felt very two-dimensional. (Oh and if Emma called her father "Mayor Dad" one more time, I was going to scream.)
Still, this is a cute read. There are some really fun scenes with Emma's friends--she, Nick, Henry, and Cooper have been pals since they were kids. There is wit and humor throughout the book. I could certainly identify with Emma, being a closed off workaholic myself! The small town vibe in this book is really adorable--Hope Lake practically flies off the page, and it's a very atmospheric setting.
And, let's be honest: a love/hate dynamic is enjoyable. We pick up a romance knowing exactly what we are getting into. Cooper was a bit irritating at times, but it still boils down that I'm a total sucker for a sappy love story and the chosen two getting together. I was rooting for these two, and I liked the end of the book. This was a sweet, funny read overall. 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an honest review (thank you!).
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb
June 24, 2019
A poor little rich boy known for his womanising ways needs someone to keep him in hand. After all, his mayoral ambitions are in jeopardy. Who better to do so, than a longtime friend who always had the hots for him but was cruelly subject to his numerous hookups over the years, to become his campaign manager and keep him on the straight and narrow for better media reception of the reformed manwhore?
That should have been my warning sign.
Some books do get better as you go on. For others, you get a sinking, cringey feel from the very start.
Unfortunately, ‘On the Corner of Love and Hate’ fell into the latter category. Admittedly, I wish I’d given the blurb more than just a side-eye before I’d even begun, but it was Nina Bocci and I wanted to have an enthusiastic go at her attempt at romantic dramedy.
Shallowly flaky, lacking moral fibre and substance, Cooper was a manchild with manwhoring ways, made even unforgivable because his weakness for women was something he was unrepentant about—not that he seemed to make any effort to get together with Emma. Having this thrown in my face time and time again made the story hard to go on with, let alone the excruciating pining that Emma had going for decades (!) for someone who always supposedly wanted her but took it up with many many other women instead because he was either ‘young and stupid’ or trying to get her attention and having the best of both worlds. That there was the constant presence of a college fling and a now friends-with-benefits secondary character—a typical mean, beautiful but bitchy one—made the entire story feel like a pool of circling sharks hungry for blood and a piece of Cooper’s arrogant arse.
As a result, there was little of the romance I saw, more so because this was entirely written in Emma’s POV, of Emma’s own jealousy and well-hidden hurts as the pages wore on and her perception of Cooper’s lack of initiative for anything except for flirting and women.
Perhaps this was done, ironically, too well. Bocci's writing keeps you outraged on Emma's behalf, frustrated by her own attraction that she can't seem to shake off. So much so that the attempt to position Cooper as a ‘good man’ with a half-hearted rationale of his behaviour over the years to show some redeemable qualities in him merely left me with the poorest impression of a character who shouldn’t have even been a worthy of the status of a romantic hero.
That Emma fell like a house of cards after spending a hot night with him made her no better than the other women who were ready to fling their panties at him at the sight of his gigawatt smile.
I couldn’t do it. I skimmed, skipped, and cringed too much to be able to go on, then finally threw it in.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
That should have been my warning sign.
Some books do get better as you go on. For others, you get a sinking, cringey feel from the very start.
Unfortunately, ‘On the Corner of Love and Hate’ fell into the latter category. Admittedly, I wish I’d given the blurb more than just a side-eye before I’d even begun, but it was Nina Bocci and I wanted to have an enthusiastic go at her attempt at romantic dramedy.
Shallowly flaky, lacking moral fibre and substance, Cooper was a manchild with manwhoring ways, made even unforgivable because his weakness for women was something he was unrepentant about—not that he seemed to make any effort to get together with Emma. Having this thrown in my face time and time again made the story hard to go on with, let alone the excruciating pining that Emma had going for decades (!) for someone who always supposedly wanted her but took it up with many many other women instead because he was either ‘young and stupid’ or trying to get her attention and having the best of both worlds. That there was the constant presence of a college fling and a now friends-with-benefits secondary character—a typical mean, beautiful but bitchy one—made the entire story feel like a pool of circling sharks hungry for blood and a piece of Cooper’s arrogant arse.
As a result, there was little of the romance I saw, more so because this was entirely written in Emma’s POV, of Emma’s own jealousy and well-hidden hurts as the pages wore on and her perception of Cooper’s lack of initiative for anything except for flirting and women.
Perhaps this was done, ironically, too well. Bocci's writing keeps you outraged on Emma's behalf, frustrated by her own attraction that she can't seem to shake off. So much so that the attempt to position Cooper as a ‘good man’ with a half-hearted rationale of his behaviour over the years to show some redeemable qualities in him merely left me with the poorest impression of a character who shouldn’t have even been a worthy of the status of a romantic hero.
That Emma fell like a house of cards after spending a hot night with him made her no better than the other women who were ready to fling their panties at him at the sight of his gigawatt smile.
I couldn’t do it. I skimmed, skipped, and cringed too much to be able to go on, then finally threw it in.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
July 15, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy
Type: Standalone book 1 of Hopeless Romantics series
POV: First Person - Female
Rating:
Emmanuelle (Emma) Peroni loved her small town. As a local government employee, she dedicated her time in helping to make Hope Lake thrive. With the upcoming mayoral election, the town was abuzz with candidate Cooper Endicott’s not-so-savory past exploits. She was strategically roped in to help his public image and political campaign. The only problem was they couldn’t see eye to eye without wanting to punch each other’s face.
This book pleasantly surprised me because I ended up liking it more than I thought I would. I was worried about the political part of the story but it wasn’t stuffy and quite entertaining.
Cooper was an unrepentant Casanova but that’s part of his charm and I liked how deep down the things he did were important to him. Emma was likable and relatable, even though there were times I wished she wasn’t so obstinate.
I adored the picturesque small-town setting and the antics of the tight-knit community. The romance was a very slow burn and low on heat, but I loved the banters and tension between them, so it worked for me.
In the Corner of Love and Hate is a story of working for what you believe in. It would appeal to readers looking for a lighthearted enemies to lovers romance.
Books in the series:
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
Type: Standalone book 1 of Hopeless Romantics series
POV: First Person - Female
Rating:
Emmanuelle (Emma) Peroni loved her small town. As a local government employee, she dedicated her time in helping to make Hope Lake thrive. With the upcoming mayoral election, the town was abuzz with candidate Cooper Endicott’s not-so-savory past exploits. She was strategically roped in to help his public image and political campaign. The only problem was they couldn’t see eye to eye without wanting to punch each other’s face.
This book pleasantly surprised me because I ended up liking it more than I thought I would. I was worried about the political part of the story but it wasn’t stuffy and quite entertaining.
"You’re not going to win anyone over by acting like a horn dog all the damn time.”
Cooper was an unrepentant Casanova but that’s part of his charm and I liked how deep down the things he did were important to him. Emma was likable and relatable, even though there were times I wished she wasn’t so obstinate.
Damn it. I hated when I found similarities between us.
I adored the picturesque small-town setting and the antics of the tight-knit community. The romance was a very slow burn and low on heat, but I loved the banters and tension between them, so it worked for me.
In the Corner of Love and Hate is a story of working for what you believe in. It would appeal to readers looking for a lighthearted enemies to lovers romance.
Books in the series:
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
August 31, 2019
rounded down to 3.5 stars
I finally got a chance to read this one after having download issues with the widget, and I'm really glad that I read it! I love enemies to lovers tropes and Nina Bocci did a great job with this one. This was my first time reading Bocci's book but it definitely won't be my last.
Emma and Coopper used to be childhood friends but now that they're adults, they definitely aren't, especially as Copper is preparing to take over as mayor, the job her father has held for years. Emma thinks Copper needs to drop his bad-boy ways/image if he doesn't want to blow any chances of winning the election and their dislike for each other is just palpable. How can she help him win the election if they can't even get along? How will they go from friends to more? You'll have to read it to find out!
This is an excellent end of summer, light, quick read that I highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
I finally got a chance to read this one after having download issues with the widget, and I'm really glad that I read it! I love enemies to lovers tropes and Nina Bocci did a great job with this one. This was my first time reading Bocci's book but it definitely won't be my last.
Emma and Coopper used to be childhood friends but now that they're adults, they definitely aren't, especially as Copper is preparing to take over as mayor, the job her father has held for years. Emma thinks Copper needs to drop his bad-boy ways/image if he doesn't want to blow any chances of winning the election and their dislike for each other is just palpable. How can she help him win the election if they can't even get along? How will they go from friends to more? You'll have to read it to find out!
This is an excellent end of summer, light, quick read that I highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
August 17, 2019
3.25 Angst, Push/Pull Stars
* * *1/4 Spoiler Free
I was introduced to Nina Bocci's writing skill when she teamed up with Alice Clayton on a terrific book called Roman Crazy. I saw flair and talent and I am so happy to say Nina Bocci still has it. Her writing style works and when she wants to make you feel, you do.
In this new book and series, she has made a small-town wonder chalked full of interesting secondary characters really adding to the tale.
The core of the story is about two people who deep down have always wanted each other...but due to childhood errors and continued miscommunications, they are not the lovers they should be...Instead, they hold some negative stuff too close to their hearts causing lots of angst and miscommunications to go awry.
This is mainly told from one point of view which can leave the reader in the dark a bit but again, the way Nina Bocci writes and turns a phrase makes it worthwhile. You have the run for mayor, the hotshot candidate and the daughter of the former mayor tasked to make him perfect for the voters.
I mean, what could go wrong...
This is the beginning of a series and all those secondary characters I mentioned earlier...Here's to them having their own books.
~~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Oh the Needs of Politicians...
Big City or Small Town...
The Goals are the Same...
Present the Candidate in the Most Positive Light...
But what do you do when the one running...
Is a Man who has had a Reputation for Loving the Ladies...
The town is Conservative and that won't do...
Enter Rehab Campaign Manager Extrodinaire...
She is tasked by Her Father, the Mayor, to fix this...
Any other time, no worries...
But this isn't Just Any Guy...
NOPE
These Two have a History...
The only Question left for these two is
Will they Find their Second Chance...
On the Corner of Love and Hate- August 20th, 2019
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * *1/4 Spoiler Free
I was introduced to Nina Bocci's writing skill when she teamed up with Alice Clayton on a terrific book called Roman Crazy. I saw flair and talent and I am so happy to say Nina Bocci still has it. Her writing style works and when she wants to make you feel, you do.
In this new book and series, she has made a small-town wonder chalked full of interesting secondary characters really adding to the tale.
The core of the story is about two people who deep down have always wanted each other...but due to childhood errors and continued miscommunications, they are not the lovers they should be...Instead, they hold some negative stuff too close to their hearts causing lots of angst and miscommunications to go awry.
This is mainly told from one point of view which can leave the reader in the dark a bit but again, the way Nina Bocci writes and turns a phrase makes it worthwhile. You have the run for mayor, the hotshot candidate and the daughter of the former mayor tasked to make him perfect for the voters.
I mean, what could go wrong...
This is the beginning of a series and all those secondary characters I mentioned earlier...Here's to them having their own books.
~~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Oh the Needs of Politicians...
Big City or Small Town...
The Goals are the Same...
Present the Candidate in the Most Positive Light...
But what do you do when the one running...
Is a Man who has had a Reputation for Loving the Ladies...
The town is Conservative and that won't do...
Enter Rehab Campaign Manager Extrodinaire...
She is tasked by Her Father, the Mayor, to fix this...
Any other time, no worries...
But this isn't Just Any Guy...
NOPE
These Two have a History...
The only Question left for these two is
Will they Find their Second Chance...
On the Corner of Love and Hate- August 20th, 2019
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
August 21, 2019
The first time this one caught my eye was when I saw it being compared to one of my favorite author duos, Christina Lauren. I was obviously excited to see that comparison because I seriously can’t get enough of rom coms lately, especially theirs, but this was really nothing like a CL book. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t bad at all, it definitely had its own redeeming qualities, but anyone expecting a similar book will be disappointed.
One of the aspects that worked really well for me here was the setting, I absolutely love a small town romance and as this is the first in a new series, there were plenty of lovable characters that could definitely appear in future books. Hope Lake is a tight knit community and I love nothing more than a small town united. This focuses mainly on the towns mayoral race and while I’m pretty sick a real life politics, the author did a really good job of keeping things fairly light. There was definitely no apparent political agenda on behalf of the authors personal beliefs, it centered solely on the towns own political race. I wanted to make that clear in case anyone was hesitant at even the mention of politics, it was handled very well.
Before I wrap this up I think the main thing that missed this mark for me here was my lack of connection to both main characters. I found Emma to be a little annoying and Cooper was just ok for me. Neither of them wowed me and I didn’t feel any real chemistry between them until the very end. I think if you went into this expecting more of a Women’s Fiction read that’s very light on the romance you’ll enjoy this one a bit more than I did.
One of the aspects that worked really well for me here was the setting, I absolutely love a small town romance and as this is the first in a new series, there were plenty of lovable characters that could definitely appear in future books. Hope Lake is a tight knit community and I love nothing more than a small town united. This focuses mainly on the towns mayoral race and while I’m pretty sick a real life politics, the author did a really good job of keeping things fairly light. There was definitely no apparent political agenda on behalf of the authors personal beliefs, it centered solely on the towns own political race. I wanted to make that clear in case anyone was hesitant at even the mention of politics, it was handled very well.
Before I wrap this up I think the main thing that missed this mark for me here was my lack of connection to both main characters. I found Emma to be a little annoying and Cooper was just ok for me. Neither of them wowed me and I didn’t feel any real chemistry between them until the very end. I think if you went into this expecting more of a Women’s Fiction read that’s very light on the romance you’ll enjoy this one a bit more than I did.
July 19, 2019
Mixed feelings here... 3.5 Stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The title captured me because I think we all have those feelings where we love and hate someone at the same time. This book certainly proved that point because I also had a love-hate affair with it.
This book was a little complicated in that Emma and Cooper were best friends. However he broke her heart twice in her tender years and she never forgave him.
On one hand she was helpful and kind, but on the other hand she was angry, bitchy, and mean. While I understand that women get this way, she held her anger throughout the entire book. I think that’s what frustrated me the most.
One of their big problems was communication. He never communicated his feelings. She never communicated what really happened to break her heart. He was in love with her but didn’t want to break their “friendship“. She was in love with him but did not want to admit it, so she was just mean and short a lot of the time.
At one point in the book I was just telling Emma to get over it and grow up. And I have to give it to Cooper, he was a great character because he understood her and knew that he had hurt her, and he still kept forgiving her for being a bitch. He was the only reason I kept reading the story. So much love for him!!
Could I relate to this book? Absolutely. Do I harbor a grudge that long and yet still call myself a friend? Heck no. Plus, by the very end where we finally get the truth coming out and a little bit of romance, I was very frustrated.
So while I love the author and will definitely read other books by her, this one just did not capture me the way I wanted it to.
(copy received for review consideration)
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/on-the-corne...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The title captured me because I think we all have those feelings where we love and hate someone at the same time. This book certainly proved that point because I also had a love-hate affair with it.
This book was a little complicated in that Emma and Cooper were best friends. However he broke her heart twice in her tender years and she never forgave him.
On one hand she was helpful and kind, but on the other hand she was angry, bitchy, and mean. While I understand that women get this way, she held her anger throughout the entire book. I think that’s what frustrated me the most.
One of their big problems was communication. He never communicated his feelings. She never communicated what really happened to break her heart. He was in love with her but didn’t want to break their “friendship“. She was in love with him but did not want to admit it, so she was just mean and short a lot of the time.
At one point in the book I was just telling Emma to get over it and grow up. And I have to give it to Cooper, he was a great character because he understood her and knew that he had hurt her, and he still kept forgiving her for being a bitch. He was the only reason I kept reading the story. So much love for him!!
Could I relate to this book? Absolutely. Do I harbor a grudge that long and yet still call myself a friend? Heck no. Plus, by the very end where we finally get the truth coming out and a little bit of romance, I was very frustrated.
So while I love the author and will definitely read other books by her, this one just did not capture me the way I wanted it to.
(copy received for review consideration)
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/on-the-corne...
November 11, 2024
A few days ago I told you about the author’s book, “Meet Me on Love Lane” which was the 2nd in her series. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So... I went ahead and decided to check out the first from the library, and I have to admit, I had fun escaping into this one, as well.
This... Has a great cast of characters, local politics, and a couple you'll cheer for, and wonder if they will ever get their act together – and find their way to each other – or not.
And... Considering we are in the midst of an election ourselves, it was interesting to watch it play out in this small town way.
Best way to describe it:
It's a flirty, workplace romantic comedy with a fun political twist.
I really enjoyed this lighthearted, small town story!
And... Well, sometimes that is all that is needed for a little escape! Right?
So... I went ahead and decided to check out the first from the library, and I have to admit, I had fun escaping into this one, as well.
This... Has a great cast of characters, local politics, and a couple you'll cheer for, and wonder if they will ever get their act together – and find their way to each other – or not.
And... Considering we are in the midst of an election ourselves, it was interesting to watch it play out in this small town way.
Best way to describe it:
It's a flirty, workplace romantic comedy with a fun political twist.
I really enjoyed this lighthearted, small town story!
And... Well, sometimes that is all that is needed for a little escape! Right?
did-not-finish
September 2, 2019
*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*DNF @ 33%*
I told myself that if I made it to 30% and it didn’t get better, I would DNF.
I got to 30%. It didn’t get better. So I’m DNFing.
That’s the review.
*DNF @ 33%*
I told myself that if I made it to 30% and it didn’t get better, I would DNF.
I got to 30%. It didn’t get better. So I’m DNFing.
That’s the review.
October 27, 2020
Personally I find enemies-to-lovers to be the most fun type of romance to read, because I love that tension when the main characters think they are at odds, but I just know something is brewing between them! I also love when they realize they are attracted to one another, and that they challenge one another to be a better version of themselves. This was no exception!
Emma is the daughter to the Mayor of Hope Lake (which is an adorable town nestled between a lake and a mountain that I definitely wanted to move to) and she works for the local government for the town that is so important to her and her family. Cooper is her former best friend from childhood, and now the current thorn in her side at work. And let’s not let Cooper off the hook for what exactly turned their friendship to a battle ground.
Emma ignores Cooper at work for the most part, until the day that her father asks her to assist with Coopers run for Mayor and help him improve his image. Cooper should be a lock for Mayor, having grown up as the son of the current Governor, but Cooper has a bit of a play-boy image to contend with, and Emma’s father thinks she is the one to help fix that.
The chemistry between Emma and Cooper is evident from page one, but of course these two have quite a few hurdles to overcome before they acknowledge it. Their best friends Nick and Henry and some other quirky townspeople will help push them along, since Emma in particular is not interested in discussing what led to their falling out. Filled with snarky banter and fantastic characters, this one was easy to lose myself in for a few hours!
This is also quite timely since the mayoral election is front and center in the book, and there is a consistent message of the importance of voting and getting involved, especially in local politics.
Full of small town charm, humorous dialogue, and heart-warming moments—this is sure to a be a great escape read!
Thank you to Gallery Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Emma is the daughter to the Mayor of Hope Lake (which is an adorable town nestled between a lake and a mountain that I definitely wanted to move to) and she works for the local government for the town that is so important to her and her family. Cooper is her former best friend from childhood, and now the current thorn in her side at work. And let’s not let Cooper off the hook for what exactly turned their friendship to a battle ground.
Emma ignores Cooper at work for the most part, until the day that her father asks her to assist with Coopers run for Mayor and help him improve his image. Cooper should be a lock for Mayor, having grown up as the son of the current Governor, but Cooper has a bit of a play-boy image to contend with, and Emma’s father thinks she is the one to help fix that.
The chemistry between Emma and Cooper is evident from page one, but of course these two have quite a few hurdles to overcome before they acknowledge it. Their best friends Nick and Henry and some other quirky townspeople will help push them along, since Emma in particular is not interested in discussing what led to their falling out. Filled with snarky banter and fantastic characters, this one was easy to lose myself in for a few hours!
This is also quite timely since the mayoral election is front and center in the book, and there is a consistent message of the importance of voting and getting involved, especially in local politics.
Full of small town charm, humorous dialogue, and heart-warming moments—this is sure to a be a great escape read!
Thank you to Gallery Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
August 2, 2019
Unfortunately, this book didn't do it for me.
I was excited when this book was pitched for fans of Christina Lauren books, but I can definitely say that that's really not the case. This had more of a Hallmark movie feel to it rather than a super hot/intense romance like Christina Lauren's books. I found myself bored throughout majority of this book because politics played such a huge role in the plot. If there was a little less politics and a lot more romance/tension between the two characters I think this would have worked a lot better.
As far as the characters go I can't really say I was smitten. Emma was rather annoying and there was nothing that really captured my attention as to why Cooper is supposed to be the greatest guy ever. It's hard to power through a romance when you just don't really care about either of the characters. I was also expecting A LOT more of the enemies lovers to trop but this was just more of childhood best friends who grew apart and couldn't connect as well anymore. It was pretty obvious from the first page their neither of the characters hated each other.
Overall, while I wasn't really intrigued by this I did enjoy the writing style of the author. I just wish I could say I liked more than that.
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I was excited when this book was pitched for fans of Christina Lauren books, but I can definitely say that that's really not the case. This had more of a Hallmark movie feel to it rather than a super hot/intense romance like Christina Lauren's books. I found myself bored throughout majority of this book because politics played such a huge role in the plot. If there was a little less politics and a lot more romance/tension between the two characters I think this would have worked a lot better.
As far as the characters go I can't really say I was smitten. Emma was rather annoying and there was nothing that really captured my attention as to why Cooper is supposed to be the greatest guy ever. It's hard to power through a romance when you just don't really care about either of the characters. I was also expecting A LOT more of the enemies lovers to trop but this was just more of childhood best friends who grew apart and couldn't connect as well anymore. It was pretty obvious from the first page their neither of the characters hated each other.
Overall, while I wasn't really intrigued by this I did enjoy the writing style of the author. I just wish I could say I liked more than that.
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August 21, 2019DNF@ 55ish%
Even though I love Nina Bocci's writing style and would most definitely read another book written by her, I'm not feeling On the Corner of love and Hate. Like, at all. I'm having a difficult time relating to either character and subsequently, I finding them both a bit unlikeable. I'd like to see Emma grow a pair and expect more from the folks around her. Cooper may turn out to be a likeable guy, but with his POV being excluded from the story, he comes off as childish and irresponsible. Which only has the added effect of making me question Emma and her feelings for him.
Gah! This isn't a bad story, but I know if I end up finishing this and reviewing, it aint going to be pretty. I don't feel that, with the quality of the writing, Nina Bocci deserves that.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review
Even though I love Nina Bocci's writing style and would most definitely read another book written by her, I'm not feeling On the Corner of love and Hate. Like, at all. I'm having a difficult time relating to either character and subsequently, I finding them both a bit unlikeable. I'd like to see Emma grow a pair and expect more from the folks around her. Cooper may turn out to be a likeable guy, but with his POV being excluded from the story, he comes off as childish and irresponsible. Which only has the added effect of making me question Emma and her feelings for him.
Gah! This isn't a bad story, but I know if I end up finishing this and reviewing, it aint going to be pretty. I don't feel that, with the quality of the writing, Nina Bocci deserves that.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review
August 21, 2019
|Thank you @netgalley @gallerybooks #partner|
On The Corner Of Love And Hate is set in the fictional small town of Hope Lake during a mayoral election. Hope Lake is written beautifully and becomes a character of its own. If a place like Hope Lake truly exists, let me know because I desperately want to move there. Nestled between the waterfront and the mountain, this town is quaint, charming, and picturesque.
Emma and Cooper are kind of like Hope Lake royalty. They grew up as best friends in Hope Lake and chose to return after college, not to mention that Emma's father has been the mayor of the town for 24 years and Cooper, the Governor's son, is running for mayor in the current election. Things started to get complicated for Emma and Cooper's friendship in the teenage years, really hit trouble in college, and in present day even though the two work together they are definitely "frenemies." I adored the interactions between Emma and Cooper in this book. They are ripe with sexual tension, sarcastic banter, and heated angst that I just love! My only complaint is that I wish there had been more of them!
A lot of Cooper and Emma's story is told as they interact with other people in the town, which is great for developing the atmosphere of Hope Lake and the various townspeople, but I preferred watching these two actually interact. Their flirtatious contempt was witty and steamy and I wanted more!
Even though I'm not typically drawn to the political scene, I enjoyed experiencing it through this novel. I also loved the underlying message about the importance of voting and making your voice heard, whether it's the popular opinion or not.
On The Corner Of Love And Hate is the first book in the Hopeless Romantics series and I look forward to reading future books. Now that I'm invested in the people and town of Hope Lake, I'm eager to see what other adventures author Nina Bocci has in store for them!
On The Corner Of Love And Hate is set in the fictional small town of Hope Lake during a mayoral election. Hope Lake is written beautifully and becomes a character of its own. If a place like Hope Lake truly exists, let me know because I desperately want to move there. Nestled between the waterfront and the mountain, this town is quaint, charming, and picturesque.
Emma and Cooper are kind of like Hope Lake royalty. They grew up as best friends in Hope Lake and chose to return after college, not to mention that Emma's father has been the mayor of the town for 24 years and Cooper, the Governor's son, is running for mayor in the current election. Things started to get complicated for Emma and Cooper's friendship in the teenage years, really hit trouble in college, and in present day even though the two work together they are definitely "frenemies." I adored the interactions between Emma and Cooper in this book. They are ripe with sexual tension, sarcastic banter, and heated angst that I just love! My only complaint is that I wish there had been more of them!
A lot of Cooper and Emma's story is told as they interact with other people in the town, which is great for developing the atmosphere of Hope Lake and the various townspeople, but I preferred watching these two actually interact. Their flirtatious contempt was witty and steamy and I wanted more!
Even though I'm not typically drawn to the political scene, I enjoyed experiencing it through this novel. I also loved the underlying message about the importance of voting and making your voice heard, whether it's the popular opinion or not.
On The Corner Of Love And Hate is the first book in the Hopeless Romantics series and I look forward to reading future books. Now that I'm invested in the people and town of Hope Lake, I'm eager to see what other adventures author Nina Bocci has in store for them!
August 10, 2020
3.5 Stars
June 26, 2019
What an amazing start to the Hopeless Romantics series! I really enjoyed this childhood friends to enemies to lovers slow burn romance! On the Corner of Love and Hate will have you laughing out loud one moment and then tearing up the next. It's relatable and heartfelt and I fell completely in love with Hope Lake and its residents.
Emmanuelle (Emma) and Cooper have a complicated history. I couldn't wait to find out what drove these once best friends apart. Sparks fly as they bicker and verbally spar, and I loved every zing of chemistry between them. As the book progresses, readers come to learn about all of their sweet and tender moments (the drawing under the desk!), but also the heartbreaking ones as well. The fates have never quite aligned for these two, and it hurt my heart over how much was left unsaid over the years.
I loved all the relationships in this book so much. From parent to child and friend to friend, I loved how supportive and loyal they all were to each other. The secondary characters were absolutely amazing and I don't think I could have loved Emma's mother, Sophia, more! The Chef Boyardee incident and her fashion sense had me snort laughing every time she was mentioned or on the page. I can already tell that steadfast Henry will be my favorite of the BFF quartet though. How can I not fall in love with a character who isn't concerned with sowing his wild oats everywhere and describes himself as a sexual camel? ;)
Nina Bocci's writing is witty and sharp and I laughed so hard at all the perfectly placed pop culture references. Her voice and heart really jump off the page and had me invested in these characters from the start. The epilogue left me with a huge smile on my face and I can't wait to see what's next for the town of Hope Lake!
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
Emmanuelle (Emma) and Cooper have a complicated history. I couldn't wait to find out what drove these once best friends apart. Sparks fly as they bicker and verbally spar, and I loved every zing of chemistry between them. As the book progresses, readers come to learn about all of their sweet and tender moments (the drawing under the desk!), but also the heartbreaking ones as well. The fates have never quite aligned for these two, and it hurt my heart over how much was left unsaid over the years.
I loved all the relationships in this book so much. From parent to child and friend to friend, I loved how supportive and loyal they all were to each other. The secondary characters were absolutely amazing and I don't think I could have loved Emma's mother, Sophia, more! The Chef Boyardee incident and her fashion sense had me snort laughing every time she was mentioned or on the page. I can already tell that steadfast Henry will be my favorite of the BFF quartet though. How can I not fall in love with a character who isn't concerned with sowing his wild oats everywhere and describes himself as a sexual camel? ;)
Nina Bocci's writing is witty and sharp and I laughed so hard at all the perfectly placed pop culture references. Her voice and heart really jump off the page and had me invested in these characters from the start. The epilogue left me with a huge smile on my face and I can't wait to see what's next for the town of Hope Lake!
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
September 6, 2019
3-3,5 stars
This is a frenemies to lovers story.I enjoyed the small town set up and the atmosphere.The romance was great and the characters good. I didn't feel connected to the characters and this was my main problem.
"He might have been the single most irritating person in the world to me, but still, I could appreciate his appearance."
I'm sad that I didn't like it a lotbutI'm definitely going to read her next book!
This is a frenemies to lovers story.I enjoyed the small town set up and the atmosphere.The romance was great and the characters good. I didn't feel connected to the characters and this was my main problem.
"He might have been the single most irritating person in the world to me, but still, I could appreciate his appearance."
I'm sad that I didn't like it a lotbutI'm definitely going to read her next book!
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