While some may very well doth protest too much...
...these two could set the vineyard on FIRE!

Alright, I made mention before, but let me say it again...
...ADULTS ONLY...
...for this one has language (blame the rockstar, mostly), situations (compromising to say the least), and scenes that will definitely not suit those that prefer no higher than blush worthy levels of heat.

We've got two VERY STRONG characters with equally STRONG reputations...and I can't say I mean the last part in the best of lights. She's known as the party princess, but those ways aren't as recent as some would like to imagine. He's known as the washed up rockstar that can't keep it in his pants, but...okay, well he sort of still is in that phase so I guess some perceptions are accurate. Anywho, introduce a drunken night, loose lips that sink ships, and you've got a scandal that could make one a rising star again and the other go down in flames. Good thing PR people are paid the big bucks to turn these challenges into opportunities, then again...maybe not. Him and her in the same country is bad enough, but in the same room, you'll be dodging daggered glances from her side while he tries to find his way back into her good graces. The pro-mance could work, but, umm....yeah...things kick up several notches VERY FAST, and then it's the two of them not simply trying to figure out their own lives, but the reality behind #Aisha.

I gotta say, despite the hot and heavy times aplenty, and I mean we're talking present day and in the past, I was really glued to the page. I wanted to see if the PR "stunt" would work out and HOW. I wanted to know if the insidious letch that was the stuffed shirt winemaker of her area had everything rubbed in his face. I needed to see the her mom taken down several notches. I desired to see just where these two enamored yet broken souls would land and would it be together. We get a little, tiny bit technical on the winemaking side of things, but it shows the author did her homework, and gave additional credit to our leading lady...and even our leading fella, even if his dreams were more superstardom born than family legacy.



*ebook received for review; opinions are my own ( )

Rock stars, royalty, and a winery.

BRING THEE DRAMA (thank you to Whiskey for the perfect phrase!). A princess and a rock star meet at 19/20 and fall madly in love. I don't know if it was the hero's approach, the heroine's receptiveness, the setting, or what but from their first meeting their chemistry worked for me. And clearly for them. Like a whole whole lot.

But mistakes are made when one is 19 and 20 and 10 years pass and Aish needs Sofia and Sofia needs Aish, and so a fake relationship is always the answer and the sparks fly and the hair and insults get flung and really, it's so much drama, but it was delicious.

I don't even know how I found this book's predecessor, but I kind of dug the dynamic in that one even though I didn't love it as much as this.

Now for the disclaimer. Definitely over the top. Think soap opera. Not for everyone.But this was really sexy, quite sweet, and a whole lot of angst. I didn't love the ending, but I don't really care ( )

This is a Grade A soapy, sexy romance. I knew in advance that this series was sort of over-the-top with secrets and drama and to just roll with it, so I was adequately prepared for this absolute knockout of a ride. If you don't like soap-level villains and angsty wine cellar banging, I'm going to recommend you pass. I'm going to loop back and read Lush Money now because hot damn Lopez can write some absolutely fabulous dirty talk. Move over, Tessa Bailey.


Lopez wrote some complicated characters amid the soap archetypes, however. I loved this heroine, 100%. She's prickly and angry and so so smart. But she also really likes sex and never fell out of love with Aish. Damn feels.


The Big Reveal at the end made me laugh because I saw it coming and it was 100% soap opera/telenovela. Just lean in.


Content Warnings: slut-shaming, bad parents, kidnapping, roofies, miscarriage, manipulation and gaslighting

Suzanne received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. ( )

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Hate Crush by Angelina Lopez is the second book in her Filthy Rich series. It can be read as a standalone, but I really loved the first book and highly recommend reading it too. Ten years ago, Princesa Sofia Maria Isabel De Esperanza y Santos fell in love with Aish Salinger, but he decided that being a Rock Star was more important than their relationship. He’s regretted that decision every day since, but Sofia has vowed never to fall in love again. Aish ends up in a drunken viral video that outs their previous relationship just as Sofia’s about to launch her winery, and as a defence against all the negative publicity, Sofia’s PR woman and Aish’s manager propose a fake relationship for the press and the public. I really enjoyed this story, Sofia and Aish have fantastic chemistry, both experience significant character growth over the story, the drama and angst are over the top, perfect escape reading and the HEA is well deserved. Content warning Miscarriage, Suicide. Medium Steam. Publishing Date, June 29, 2020. #HateCrush #AngelinaLopez #NetGalley #RockstarRomance #PrincessRomance #ContemporaryRomance #bookstagram #CarinaPress #HarlequinRomance ( )