Hate

An Enemies to Lovers Reverse Harem Romance (The Madison Kate Series, Book 1)

By: Tate James

Narrated by: Brooke Daniels, Lucas Webley

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's Summary

“Madison Kate Danvers was murdered tonight.” 

Those words changed my life, and not for the better. 

They were wrong, of course. I wasn’t dead. But I was set up. 

After being charged with a string of offences - and made an example of by my political-minded father - I’m eventually released back into Shadow Grove with one thing on my mind.

Hate. 

Someone is going to pay for derailing my carefully laid-out future. Someone is going to catch the full force of my hate. How very convenient that someone just moved into the bedroom down the hall from me. 

Archer D’Ath and his boys messed with the wrong chick, and they’re about to learn just how cold Madison Kate’s hate can run. 

Hate is a full-length mature college/new-adult romance with enemies-to-lovers/love-hate themes. This is a reverse-harem novel, meaning the main character has more than one love interest.

©2020 Tate James (P)2020 Silverton Agency

3-Book Review

So, here's the thing. You're going to really want to love this story. Like, really, REALLY love it. That sparks a'flyin' book summary you just read tells you that the lead female character is a strong, independent, take-no-prisoners she-wolf who'll bite your hand if you get too close.

Yeah...sigh...not so much.

In actuality, this story is about a woman who's ONLY positive attribute is her "smokin' hotness". Seriously. She can barely put 2 + 2 together. She's kind of a narcissistic, horrible person. But she finds herself the object of numerous powerful men's desires LITERALLY only because of what she looks like. Not kidding, absolutely no other redeeming qualities that would qualify it. Which tells younger women reading this that (a) you can forget all your problems by just taking your clothes off and hoping the dude has a condom, and (b) if you're not "f'kin' beautiful", you don't deserve deep, obsessive love. Way to go, Tate James!

And she relies on her body continually to stop her from having to form a complete thought, or remember that she should probably grab some pride from somewhere and kick various people to the curb.

The aforementioned men in her life quite literally destroy her world several times over, and continue to lie, demean, and berate her without caution. The writer gives her a very narrow curse words vocabulary, so she hurls the same lame clapbacks at them, then resolves the whole thing by telling them to pull their pants down.

So, why then, did I read all 3 books? Three reasons...

1. Love the story or hate it, I found myself yelling at my kindle and the writer's continual use of the same phrases, same tone, same everything. I had to put the story down many times because I just couldn't anymore with the LFC. And isn't that the true measure of good art? If an artist's work can get you to think about it, discuss it, even argue about it, long after you've finished reading it, then the artist has done his/her job. I can't argue with that.

2. I kept expecting the writer's promise about the LFC's strength to come to fruition at some point. Every time the male characters would do something horrendous, I thought, "Mmm'kay, here we go. FINALLY, she's going to get a backbone, kick them out, and be done with them." Sadly, it didn't happen. Just more of the same. Here's how each development went:

LFC: "Are you SERIOUS? You f*king destroyed my life. AGAIN!........You're an a-hole. I'm storming out...........Huh? Well, okay. Got any condoms...?"

3. The series was free with my membership. :)

About the narration, Brooke Daniels did great. There's a random clicking noise in the background several times per chapter. Sort of like when a dog's nails click on a hardwood floor? There are also random car horns, like in Ch 23 of Book 2. You probably won't notice without headphones. As far as Lucas Webley's narration, I previously wrote a pretty scathing review for him...can't remember the book, but the brother could not enunciate for anything! He's much improved and does a great job keeping each male character's voice their own.

I am so tired of writers creating women this way. Where are all the strong, independent (but not whiny or b!tchy) female lead characters who look like us, act like us, ARE us!? They can't all be buxom, blonde-haired, VIOLET-eyed, dingbat pushovers, can they?

Mindless Lead Character

The lead is somehow lusting after the very same trio of guys whom she blames for her life being all but destroyed? Weak writing and weak lead.

Where's the next book?????

Uggghhhhh!!! This book was effin' AMAZING!! Cliffhanger. Suspense. Stalkers. Sex. You know the drill bit OMG this book was so much more!! So how can you do this to us Audible?!? You release one book but not the series??? We need book two and three!!!!! ASAP!!!!!

What?

Well I tried. I really tried to get through it but I just wanted to slap the crap out of the heroine MK. So...three guys TOTALLY screw up your life. You are falsely accused and completely loose your way of life, your reputation, and your chance to go to an Ivy league college. Then you just act like a silly little girl playing silly little games like a helpless BIMBO. I don't think ANY self respecitng woman would react the way MK did. Had to put it down.

Very good

The narration of Hate was outstanding. The female sounds like Drew Barrymore but sexier and her performance was perfect. The male who does the MC voices was good too and made me chuckle everytime he said "Madison Kate." I enjoyed the story as it moved right along and the constant antics and drama kept me interested. I also liked that the FMC had a healthy amount of confidence and priorities (she actually studies!). A lot of the plot seems to come from her father and others interfering in her life.The antics are a bit ridiculous and silly, and the FMC's main emotions towards the MCs are more extremely annoyed & frustrated vs hate - I didn't feel that she actually hates the MCs but I guess "Frustrated" isn't a good book title. CONS: I didn't feel very emotionally invested in the story and didn't skip right to book 2 on KU. The MCs also blended together; I had a hard time keeping them apart in my mind. However, this was good enough that I do plan on listening to the rest of the series on Audible when available.

Disappointment

I listened to this series because a TikTok review that said the details were hot... I don’t agree. I have read books with “details” that make me want to lock myself in a room.. this one was such a turnoff! The lead character MK is a shallow human that has sex with the same regard I imagine a pornstar has on set. There is no build up of emotional desire that attracts people, just petty revenge plots and an unrealistic stocker situation where she keeps putting herself in pathetic situations where the 3 men she claims to hate/want to ruin, end up saving her because they “love” her while the author gives them absolutely no reason to like her outside of her looks. The dialog is too focused on useless platitudes and rarely develops any connection between friends or lovers. The performance of the readers is good but the material they are reading is the worst I have listened to all year. It’s boring, not realistic, and a major turnoff in the “detail” department (I’m not a “Karen” this is usually my fav part!) I just don’t think these characters could be real (I’ve read fantasy with more real character development of half human/ half animal) from the bs gang they belong to, to the marriage without consent, or the love without any intimate dialog outside of sex... I could go on for hours discussing how this book series was a letdown!

addictive

I am always hesitant with bully romance because I like it but I always need to be able to read between the lines. some books are just to much to follow or get in to. This book has got me hooked! The author did such an amazing job with the story line and how things were set. It is unique compared to things I have read and I am soooo going crazy about the cliff hanger!! Im not sure if I can wait for the rest of the books to come on audible, i might have to buy the paperbacks.
The narration was also great, the voices were all unique and sounds good with the characters.
Definitely would recommend but be warned the other 2 (soon to be 3) books aren't yet on audible.

👎

Main character lusting after 3 best friends. More like slutting up with all three. Storyline was pretty dumb. Can't believe the rating was what it is. I guess a lot of people are into listening to this kind of raunchy stuff. not into it at all.

this is soft porn, not a book

this is soft porn. it's not thriller, suspense, or mystery. it's literally a story of a girl having graphic sex every other chapter with three men she supposedly hates. the plot is secondary to the sex. I'm so glad I didn't pay for this crap. just label it for what it is. soft graphic porn.

My new favorite book

This was the best book I've listened to in a long time. I loved it!!!

Fantastic Audible

I have only recently found these books and read them over a few days. MK is just one thrill ride after the other the reverse harem story, and the boys are just great characters, they really care and love her but do go around it the wrong way. There's a lot of secrets being kept, and book 2 leaves you like boom the biggest cliff hanger EVER.

Reading was amazing but listening to the audible was mind-blowing the narration was beautifully executed and really draws you into the story, it actually adds the storyline.

Amazing

Huge fan of this book and the audiobook was just perfect. I can’t wait for the next one

Amazing story and incredible narrators

I love this story having read the ebooks already it was great hearing these fantastic narrators bring mk and the guys to life a definite for any Tate fan to have in there audible library

Wow!! This book💕

Not a fan of cliffhangers but this one will leave you hanging on the edge of your seat...I loved this book. This angst, the sexual tension and chemist between her and the three boys was electric

Love the MK series

This is a brilliant book and the voices are perfect for the characters! Can’t wait to listen to the next book

4.25 stars

I have truthfully put this series off so long because I thought I'd hate it. But I actually really enjoyed it. I totally see the comparison to Raven from Brayshaw with MK. But I was honestly so surprised at how much I wanted to know all about this whole Shadow Grove world. I can easily get sucked in and I'm glad I already have book 2 on audio. I'm excited because I haven't binged a series in a minute and it feels like MK might be that series.

Love this so much

The story is amazing, but it’s Tate James so that’s a given. But the narrators bring this to life and I’ve noticed things I forgot about the book or didn’t notice when I read it because Brooke Daniels is just so good as MK. I can’t recommend enough and I’m heading straight to the next one!

Book 1 🔥❤️ Great start

I am loving this action-packed, fast-paced story. MK's father is a piece of work, I won't be shocked if I find out later in the series that he's behind a lot of what's going on. I'm looking forward to seeing how the relationship is going to develop between the three guys. Mk doesn't trust them.

The narrators are great and hype this story up, bringing the action and the chemistry to life.

Oh Holy Shit

I don't think I've ever been so turned on and exhilarated by a book.

wish I could rate it higher

Brilliant story and seamless voicing of the men and woman's voice. I absolutely fell so much deeper in love with this story after listening to it vs reading it again!