The Boy I Hate

In an Oyster Shell – A steamy swoon-worthy romance that will leave you falling in love with Samantha and Tristan.

The Pearls – I loved the concept of the story that is embodied in the title. The boy Samantha hates really is because he triggers the unknown for her. It makes the reader empathetic to the age-old conundrum of fearing the unknown.

The characters made this story delectable. Samantha was beautiful and flawed making her relatable and encouraging me to want to root for her. Tristan was deliciously complicated and was adamant in his pursuit of Samantha. He was a man of integrity making him an even more desirable love interest.

The romance was sexy. I liked that Tristan challenged Samantha and got her out of her comfort zone. The tension of keeping it a secret from her best friend added intrigue to the story.

Not having read any other works by the author before, I was really intrigued with the synopsis of the book. The Boy I Hate is a story about second chances that will leave you wanting for more. At the beginning of the story we get to meet Samantha Smiles, after being friends with Renee Montgomery for a while now, she is ready to support her friend in the next chapter of her life by being part of her wedding. Though they have shared so much, one thing her friend is protective of the most is of her older brother Tristan Montgomery. People would befriend Renee to get closer to Tristan and when Sam did the opposite they become really good friends. But after spending so much time together, Sam failed her best friend by developing a crush on her brother. Needless to say, he became the boy she hated the most for being unreachable. Until one night that everything changed that Sam realized that she needed to stay away from Tristan if she wanted to save her friendship with Renee. Years went by and being in a relationship has slowly helped Sam from remembering the boy the she had a crushed on. Yet, when he comes knocking at her door ready to accompany her on her drive to her friend’s wedding venue Sam starts to get those feelings back again and this time she won’t be able to deny the attraction that they have towards each other.

I very much enjoyed reading the story, it’s evident from the start that they both have their issues to solve, but when they’re together everything seemed that it’s going to be okay. Tristan was the popular guy at school when Sam met him, he had everything he wanted but beneath all of that he struggled when his career was over. Underneath his serious facade, he is vulnerable and kind. He has always wanted Sam, but kept himself away because he didn’t want to hurt the relationship that her sister and Sam had. On the other hand, Sam is an struggling artist who doesn’t know quite yet what to do with her talent. Her boyfriend is often bailing on her and it’s gotten to the point where she starts to question her feelings for him. The drive to her friend’s wedding venue is supposed to make things between her and Tristan better, but when the both start to look back at the past and what they could have, it’ll be up to them to decide if a relationship is worth the shot. I enjoyed reading about their past, and the ending was really sweet. One could tell how much they both had changed for the better and it all worked out in the end. I would highly recommend this story, I will most certainty be reading more from the author in the future. :)

***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.***

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book.**

FYI: I've seen some other reviewers mention that the heroine is still with her boyfriend for over half of the book. That's true, however, she is already questioning the relationship long before she reconnects with the story's hero. And she DOES break off things with the BF the moment she realizes she has real feelings for Tristan and that her current relationship is going nowhere.

I can't stand stories with cheating and this isn't one of those, thankfully. This is a very realistic rendition of a very plausible storyline and something that happens to lots of people. While some readers may not like it, this isn't unheard of. In one of my favorite movies, Sweet Home Alabama, the heroine is engaged to another man for about 95% of the movie. It isn't until she comes face-to-face with her ex that she realizes where her heart truly lies. So to say that this isn't a good story simply because she didn't immediately dump her BF at the beginning of the story is just utter nonsense.

Now for my review, I will keep it short and sweet. I loved the idea of this story. I'm a big fan of the forbidden love themes and best friend's brother is definitely one of those. I enjoyed seeing the flashbacks since they filled in a lot of the gaps in the story. But I would have probably liked it more if it had been dual POV and we had gotten to see Tristan's side of things.

I liked Tristan's character even though I grew tired of hearing how 'great' he was by the end of the book. Samantha was a tougher character to like because while I felt terrible for her in regards to her boyfriend, I also couldn't understand why she was so terrified for her friend to learn about her feelings for Tristan. Sam kept making decisions based on what would be best for other people instead of what was best for her. She did eventually figure it out but was still apologetic for her feelings. I hate seeing women so weak when it comes to their own happiness but I also found this part of the story to be realistic. I know people who do that in real life.

As for the romance, I felt our couple's chemistry pretty early on. I liked that Tristan felt he could be himself more around Sam and that she was able to open up to him about things that she couldn't with her boyfriend. They helped to bring each other out of their 'funks'. I could feel the tension between them practically oozing from the digital pages. When they did move into intimate territory, I felt it was genuine and had a lot of steam.

In closing...
I would definitely be open to reading more from this author. Four suns!

Full review on Up 'Til Dawn Book Blog

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan

5 Stars

Oh wow! I really loved this book, and this author's writing style. I got so lost in it that when I came to the end it felt like Id only been reading for like 30 minutes but in all reality it had been a few hours. Everything seemed so real and the character building brought them alive.

I loved the friendship between Samantha and Renee and their mutual hate for Renee’s brother Tristan, and the way the author handled the flashbacks were perfect, kinda like a movie, I could see the scenes play out clearly. I felt something was off with Tristan immediately but wasn't sure what it was until the story played out. To me it felt like he wasn't quite living up to the reputation placed on him by his peers. Just a feeling I got that he just wasn't what they were making him out to be.

Samantha was comfortable in her longtime relationship with Steven, and even though she couldn't imagine forever with him she had too much going on to rock that boat in my opinion. She was struggling with her career of choice, dealing with the loss of her best friend who had moved across the country and knew she needed to make some choices in her life, so comfortable in her relationship was what she needed right then. Her first priority though was getting across the country to be her best friends maid of honor in her wedding. Steven came up with another excuse that put what they had down his list of priorities so she ended up heading east with the boy she hates, her best friends brother Tristan. I absolutely loved how these two interacted on this trip, and again I got the impression there was a whole lot more to Tristan then what Samantha thought of him. Watching what happens on this cross country trip was fun and maddening at times and the fear of the impending disaster that awaited them at their destination was handled perfectly, it felt so real! The maid of honor speech/toast had me in tears. You really have to read this book to see what happens, I could go on and on about it but I'm afraid I will give too much away. I will recommend this book to everyone! I loved it and it deserves way more than 5 stars!

The Boy I Hate
By Taylor Sullivan
5 Stars!!!!!

This was my first book by this author and I LOVED it! Her writing style was on point and she was able to make me feel everything the characters were feeling and thy were so natural and relatable I couldn’t help but love them. The story also had the perfect amount of angst and drama. I couldn’t put this book down and I devoured it in one setting. It is by far one of the best books I have read this year and as soon as I can get my hands on more by Taylor, I will!

Samantha and Renee have been best friends for years. One big factor that brought them together was their mutual hatred for a boy named Tristan Montgomery. He just happens to be Renee’s older brother and ever since Renee can remember, all of the girls she went to school with were nice to her only because they wanted to get closer to her brother.

“I'm so sick of people being nice to me just to get to my brother.”

But that was different when Renee met Sam. Sam didn’t want anything to do with the boy that every girl wanted. Renee knew that she would be the only girl that she could trust who wouldn’t fall in love with her brother. But one night alone with Tristen Montgomery, made Sam question everything she thought she knew about him.

Years and years later so many things have changed. Renee is getting married and she is all the way across the country. They make plans for Sam to come see her. When complications arise and her riding partner can’t go with her, she decides to take the trip alone. Missing her best friend’s wedding isn’t an option. The day before she leaves, Sam learns that Tristan is also making the cross-country trip, and with some convincing, Renee convinced them both that it would be better if they were driving together. But when Tristian shows a different side of himself will she be able to resist his charm? Or will she risk the only friendship she has, to find out if they could work?

As I said before this book was awesome and I 100% recommend that you go and read it, Like NOW! You will fall in love with it just like I did!!

Review by Anastasia D.

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan is a standalone and the first book by this author that I've read.

“Because somewhere in the darkest moments, beauty lives. Waiting for you to take hold of it and run.” - Tristan

I've just finished this book and what a way to be introduced to a new author! I couldn't put it down and was nearly late collecting my son from school as I lost track of time. It was so hard having to put my Kindle down but I dived straight back in once home. I couldn't get enough of this amazing story about Samantha and Tristan who melted my heart and have me believing in finding your way back to the one person you belong with.

I love love love this book and am currently fighting off the urge to read it all over again because my son (unfortunately) needs feeding lol. Taylor Sullivan is a brilliant author whose words pull you right in and allow you to experience what her characters are feeling. I forgot about the world around me and I was right there in the story along with Samantha as she shared one of her firsts with the boy she hated. The scenes from 6 years ago seemed almost magical and I loved how Taylor Sullivan incorporated them with what was happening in the present. At no point did the story feel disjointed or unrealistic.

I could go on and on about this book but I don't want to risk ruining the journey you'll take with this book when you read it. I can't recommend enough that you get this book TODAY!

I’m heading off now to go download the two books available in Taylor Sullivan’s Suspicious Hearts series because I'm already addicted to her books.

Sep 01, 2017 · edit
really liked it

I love reading best friends brother romances, and The Boy I Hate was a heartwarming example of a fantastic, feel good read. Taylor Sullivan is a new author to me, but one I took great delight in learning about.

Samantha and Tristan shared a deep attraction for one another, but it was buried deep. Growing up with Tristan was not easy for Sam, as she had to watch him grow from the sideline while hiding the intense longing to be with him. She owed it to her best friend to not become another besotted faller. Tristan had a magnetic personality that was irresistible and enviable. He was everyone's dream of the perfect man. Tristan was the happy go lucky friend to many and lover to the rest. That was what infuriated Sam the most. Having to watch others with him, while sitting on the sidelines, hating him.

I instantly connected with Tristan's character. I love his bad boy/ don't care about much but myself persona. But Tristan was a very deep character, and it isn't until the end that the true man behind the mystery, is revealled. He had many more layers than appeared, which was very cleverly demonsrated by the way Taylor Sullivan wrote about him. This author was extremely talented in drawing out this story and saving the best for last. Samantha had many positive qualities, but none were more beguiling than Tristan.

Taylor wrote a story that started steady, stayed steady, then BAM! Hit you with hotness, mayhem and a little sadness and heartache at the end. It was written brilliantly and the timing perfect in each scene. The story gained intensity perfectly and kept me glued to each page, and anxious to see what would unfold for Sam and Tristan. And the build up was well worth the wait. An incredible story that I would highly recommend. 4 stars

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan
Rated 4 stars

I like the idea of this story. Traveling many miles with someone from your past who you don't really like. This could bring about a very exciting or disastrous trip. I really liked certain parts of this road trip. When they actually conversed it was good. When she spent so much time in her head or using her headphones...not. This trip brought Tristan and Samantha to a certain understanding.

Samantha is a girl who is good with comfortable. Until she realizes her life is not what she thinks it is and things need to change. This road trip helps her out because it's almost like her past meeting her present. She does spend quite a bit of time in her head thinking over her current situation. I really wasn't sure if Tristan liked her or not until she had a conversation with a waitress when she mentioned how he "Looked" at her. Then I thought A-Ha!

Tristan is a guy we don't know much about other than what he tells us since the story is told from Samantha's POV. It does flitter back and forth between their interactions from six years ago. Those were filtered in nicely.
Tristan does say " I do not lie" which at the time made me wonder if he is telling the truth. But it turns out..he doesn't lie. He is a nice guy.
This was not a favorite book of mine. I liked the idea of the story but it was a little boring at times during the actual trip. Once the got to the hotel the action picked up and I enjoyed it much more.

Sammie and Renee had been friends for so long, it seems Sam was just part of the family. Sam and Ren had bonded at a young age over their mutual dislike of Renee's brother Tristan. He was the all American football star the town and everyone in it loved. But, to these two girls he was the boy they hated.

Now that the girls are grown up and moving on with their lives in different parts of the country, Sammie feels lost at times without having her friend in the next room.

Renee shocks Sam when she surprises her one day announcing she is getting married. Of course Sammie will be the maid of honor and has to get from California to New York with a special sculpture she made for the wedding.

But Sammie's boyfriend Steven, whom she was only friends with until he convinced her to date him, has once again backed out on her, instead he is taking care of himself once again.

Renee has an idea and gets her brother to bring Sammie to the wedding, driving across country, just the two of them. She has no idea these two shared a special summer kiss and parted awkwardly. Sam just couldn't tell her best friend she kissed her brother, when she's always stood by her with equal hatred of his popularity.

So, traveling across country with this boy from her past she hated, brings new insight into the life of Tristan as a man. She discovers what she felt as a young girl hadn't changed that much and fights it almost all the way to New York.

When it gets close to wedding time, all hell breaks loose and these two almost lose each other forever, along with Sammie and Renee's lifelong friendship.

I think Taylor brought us all on a heartfelt journey of young love that was never fully explored and blossomed into a stronger love, leaving me with a feeling of what it's like to love the boy you hate!

Wow! What an emotional roller coaster that was! The Boy I Hate by, Taylor Sullivan is about Samantha, who’s best friend in the whole wide world is getting married and she needs to be there for the wedding. Samantha is a sculpture artist and needs to drive her wedding gift to NY from Los Angeles for the wedding. She was supposed to be driving with her boyfriend that she’s had since high school but a work opportunity was more important for him. Her best friend suggests that she ride with her brother, Tristan. Samantha loathed Tristan from day one. Tristan was the hot, playboy jock in high school and continuing after too. However, the pair did share one of her firsts while she was still in high school. She hadn’t seen him since. The two start the long trek and along the way she found out that he wasn’t who she thought he was. She also found out a little bit about herself as well. The two bonded in a sense and couldn’t stop the attraction that they both felt. She didn’t want to tell her best friend so throughout the wedding they both tried to hide it. Well, of course you know what happens…Happy Ever After! And the sexy scenes were quite hot. They were not completely detailed but detailed enough to let your imagination go a bit wild! This book was definitely a page turner and I couldn’t put the book down. The chapters go back and forth from the present to the past. Of course there are a few twists and turns throughout the story and they really give the story added depth. I would definitely recommend this book.

The Boy I Hate By Taylor Sullivan

Four Stars

Samantha Smiles (what an interesting name) was just told by her boyfriend on six years that he wouldn’t be driving across the country with her. To me that would’ve been ok but Sam feels that he needs to be there. That everyone is expecting him to be there. Then there is Tristan dangerous and delicious Tristan. I so enjoyed their back and forth. So much misunderstanding and hurt between these two. Fear is an ugly feeling and could stop even the bravest person from doing something. We have to learn to find ways to deal with the fear or we will always find ourselves in the same situations. We see that in this story where Samantha let her fear of failure dictate her life. She had already failed once she didn’t wasn’t to do it again. She let her hurt stop her from being with the man she loved. She allowed her need for comfort overrule her need to live her life. She pity dated her best friend because she didn’t want to hurt him. I don’t like females like that. In all those years he could've found someone else. She stopped him from living also. Tristian was a coward at one point in the story. He seen something and instead of being mature and confronting Sam he went in hurt her. Two wrongs never make a right. But they get their mess together and when they do it’s beautiful. There was some drama and it mixed in smoothly. This is my first book by this author. It has me wanting to read more. The words flowed really well together and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

The Boy I Hate
By Taylor Sullivan
5 Stars

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan is a five star book that will grab you from the very beginning. This author has characters that grab you and take you on their journey. So what happens when you take a road trip with the one guy you swore to never date?

Samantha Smiles and Renee Montgomery are best friends, Renee trusts Sammie to not do the one thing that other girls have done before, fall for her brother. Tristian is Renee’s brother and both Sammie and Renee disliked him because every girl wants him and every guy wants to be him.

Sammie is traveling across the country to her best friend’s wedding. But, guess what, Renee has hooked Sammie and Tristian to travel together. Sammie and Tristian had one night together as teenagers, how will this affect them traveling together? Will she figure how who he really is?

Tristian Montgomery is that guy that every girl wants and every guy wants to be, but who is that really? Tristian had a lot of people looking up to him and depending on him, that’s a lot of pressure for someone and as a teenager he took what he wanted but it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s who he is.

So what happens when two people shared a moment when they were younger wind up on a road trip together? Will each of them discover who the other one really is?

This is an incredible journey that the author brings us on. I plan to read a lot more from this author.

The Boy I Hate
By Taylor Sullivan
4 stars!

I really enjoyed this story! This is the second book that I have read by this author and I think she has such a lovely relaxed writing style. Her characters are always easy to connect with and the stories just seem to flow really well. I am a fan of second chance romance stories and this one was even more enjoyable because of the road trip that the characters went on! The descriptive writing was really good and I could imagine all the different places they went to and stopped along their way. I really liked Samantha after a while I have to admit! She is definitely one of those characters who you grow to like! I think I fell in love with Tristan straight away! I do love an alpha bad boy!! I really enjoyed the relationship between the two of them it was so obvious that they were attracted to each other but for their own reasons were pushing each other away. I liked the mix of past and present telling of the story as I think it deepened my knowledge of the characters and how their relationship came about. There were also some good secondary characters in the story namely Sam’s best friend Renee, who also happens to be Tristan’s sister.
It didn’t take me long to be completely absorbed in this story and I read it in one sitting! I know I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

The Boy I Hate- Taylor Sullivan

4 out of 5 stars

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan is a great fun read, it’s one of those perfectly light reads where your able to dive right in! This story is sweet, funny and sensual. It’s written in past and present moments, normally I’m not the biggest fan of that but I found it really worked in this story. It provided the right amount of backstory without being boring or drawn out. This was my first book by Taylor and I was very pleased with it, it’s safe to say I will be reading more of her work in the future!

“Because somewhere in the darkest moments, beauty lives. Waiting for you to take hold of it and run.”

This story follows Samantha and Tristan in their cross-country adventure. I will admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of Samantha in the beginning, she was constantly throwing a pity party and I found her to be immature but I really liked the way her character developed throughout the story and I started connecting and relating to her. Tristan on the other hand I instantly liked. He was funny and confident, it was easy to tell that there was a lot more to him then what he chose to show the world and I loved how he was able to get Samantha to be honest and real about her life. This is a book I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for his or her next romance read!

Wow what a roller coaster...I laughed, I cried and I fell in love. I enjoyed everything about "The Boy I Hate" by Taylor Sullivan. Let's start with the Friendship. Renee was everything I wish I had in high school, the best friend that was always there for you no matter what. They loved each other like sisters and it was refreshing to watch them stand up for each other and forgive when the time came to forgive.
The love story was perfect! I loved the flashbacks and backstory that Tristan and Samantha had together. It reminded you of all those firsts; first crush, first kiss, first love and first heartbreak. I found myself getting excited as you learned more about that night at the lake. I could totally relate to Samantha's view on what marriage meant to her..." marriage, to Samantha, was what her parents had. The laughing so hard at the kitchen sink you peed a little. About something no one could understand but the two of you. The eternal kind of love that didn’t even end with death." .
Tristan was a mystery and I secretly hope one day we might be blessed with things from his point of view ( especially the night on the Lake), I guess I'll keep my fingers crossed but it would be like Christmas morning if that happened wink wink.
Okay I don't want to tell you everything about the book so just go get it......because well....because it's amazing!!!

Book Review: The Boy I Hate
Author: Taylor Sullivan
Five Stars
This book started out a little slow but the farther I got into it the more I couldn't put it down. When it came to an end I swear it felt like I had just picked it up. I wanted so much more.
They dynamic between Samantha and Tristan was strained and then as they traveled on and on it became clear that Tristan would do anything for the women in his life, his sister and Samantha.
I loved the friendship between Samantha and Renee and the way that the author, Taylor Sullivan, flashed back to their earlier years, I could see the scenes play out clearly. I got the impression that Tristan was hiding something or there was something bugging him from the start and it took these flashbacks for me to get the full reasoning behind his struggles.
The road trip with Samantha and Tristan really opens your eyes to the things they have both encounted in their lifes. How things are in Samantha's relationship and her career. Facing that she isn't happy and realizing this.
This book is really relatable to the 20 something crowd and the chemistry between the two main characters is full of sarcasm and witty banter.
Be prepared to laugh, cry and get mad in this book. It will definately hit you in all the feels.
Kelli Harper

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan was an entertaining read and I did enjoy it but it took me quite a while to get into it. The first half seemed a bit slow then the second half went very very fast!
The story centres on main character Samantha Smiles whose best friend Renee is getting married in New York. Samantha is planning to drive across country from LA for the wedding to transport a wedding gift. When her boyfriend lets her down last minute, Renee offers to have her brother Tristan share the driving. Samantha and Renée have agreed on one thing over the years…they both hate womanising, overconfident Tristan! Or do they? Samantha has been hiding a secret from her best friend all these years which may or may not reveal itself on their road trip.
This book was a road trip and a romance rolled into one. I enjoyed the sparks between the two main characters but I did get a bit frustrated with Samantha and how easily she got annoyed by Tristan. I liked the descriptions of the trip across rural America and the “one horse town” they encountered along the way. I liked the dynamic between Samantha and Renée and the Maid of Honor speech brought me to tears! Overall I’d rate this book a 4/5.

WOW! I absolutely loved this story. Not only was this so incredibly well written, but the characters were so well written that I really felt like I was in the story at multiple points and that just added to the enjoyment for me. I really related to Samantha, not only as an artist but in her conflict over keeping a secret from her best friend. More than once I found myself thinking how alike my life is to that of Samantha and Renee. And it goes without saying that Tristan is a walking fantasy, which only made this story that much more enjoyable. I honestly didn’t want this book to end, and the closer it got to ending the less I wanted to read for fear of how the ending would be. This book made me cry, laugh out loud, and blush like crazy. I can only hope that Taylor Sullivan has additional books that I can add to my reading list, and that she brings all of these characters back so I can visit this world again.

While Sullivan is a new to me author, she definitely isn’t now. I am now a stalker of her author page so I can get everything that she writes in the future. She is a top of the TBR pile read for sure. Don’t miss out on this book, because you will kick yourself if you don’t pick this one up today!!

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan is a heartwarming, feel good book about looking beyond the obvious to see deeper within someone.

Samantha has grown up hating her best friends brother. She hates everything he is and everything he represents. But what she hates most of all is how people try to use her best friend to get closer to him. But one night changes all that. It changes the way she sees him, the way she thinks about him.
Fast forward six years and Sammie is tying to make a living, is close to settling down and it deeply unsatisfied with her life, although she would never admit it. When fate throws her and Tristan together once again she has to learn to reconcile the person he was, with the person she though he was and the person he now is. Something that is easier said than done.

This was a fantastic read. Even though it was told from Samantha's perspective I loved how deep the character of Tristan was and how that came across in the writing. I loved how the story jumped back and forward between the past and the present, feeding you small amounts at a time to pique your interest. Very engaging and dry enjoyable I would highly recommend this book.

The boy I hate by Taylor Sullivan is a standalone novel. I give this book 5 stars. This book is about a girl named Samantha. Her best friend is getting married in New York and it's 3000 miles away. Samantha is a very shy girl who avoids anxious situations. Though she had some emotional times she ends up growing as a confidant woman in this book. She has made a promise to be there for her best friend when she gets married. Samantha is supposed to drive with her boyfriend Steven to New York city. However, he can't make it so Samantha ends up taking the trip with Renee's older brother Triston. Samantha and Triston have a history and it makes the 3000 mile trip awkward and tough. Triston is a very honest person. He will always tell you what is on his mind.
This book is amazing! I love the story line and how everything played out. It couldn't have been perfect. The author described scenes with so much detail. I could visualize the scenes as I was reading the book. I loved the way the characters interacted and communicated. I had every emotion when reading this book. This book is defiantly a love story. I strongly recommend it to any one who loves a really good love story.

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan
Five Stars

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan is a contemporary romance, and the first book I have read by this author. This book is about second chances and a cross country road trip. Ms. Sullivan had me hooked from the very first chapter. I read this book in one sitting. I love the use of flashbacks to tell the backstory. This book brought out many emotions for me. I was laughing out loud, which for me tells me it is a great book, then I was crying and the next moment I was angry. Good thing I was at home reading, where only my husband could see me acting emotional. The characters, both main and secondary were well thought out and made me feel like I was on the road trip with them. The story flowed perfectly. The relationship between Samantha Smiles ( I love this name by the way.) and Tristan Montgomery grew on me as the road trip progressed, as I said above the flashbacks helped give us the complete story. I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a great romance. I'm truly looking forward to reading more from Ms. Sullivan in the future, now that she is on my radar. Great five star for me!

The Boy I Hate
Taylor Sullivan
4 stars

First read by this author for me and it's a very good read. The tale of two best friends and the brother that you hate, there's always one in the relationship.
Taylor has written these characters perfectly, they are so natural and believable in their behaviour in terms that they relatable in the real word.
Samantha aka Sammie is travelling across country to her best friend's wedding but not with her boyfriend but in instead with the brother of the bride.
This trip will exposed unsaid feelings and deceit. Will they come out the other as friends?
Read it to find out. You won't be disappointed with this read, such an easy flowing natural dialogue.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a free copy of this book provided by Xpresso Book Tours and the author. Thank you for the reviewing opportunity!

Road trip with my best friend's irresistibly handsome older brother? Heck yeah! Where do I sign up?!

I haven't read any of Taylor's books but she has totally captivated me with Samantha and Tristan's story. It was a slow burn romance with lots of flashbacks and angst, but the underlying passion and attraction were sizzling off the pages and it was scorching hot!

I loved every second of it. While I'm not a huge fan of Samantha as I think she was whiny and perhaps a little selfish at times, I do love how much she valued her friendship with Renee and how she was passionate about her own dream. Tristan may be a man of a few words, but he has a big heart and a softness to him that drew you in quickly, to be honest, I couldn't get enough of him. Although the story was predictable and perhaps a little cliched at times, every twist and turns was wonderfully written and the ending was so perfect.

Recommended read to all romance lovers!

The Boy I Hate
By Taylor Sullivan
5/5 Stars

The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan is sweet romance novel , full of unexpected twists.
I've never ready anything by Taylor before now, but now that I have… I'm a huge fan!!
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end!! Honestly, I couldn't put it down. If you enjoy reading light hearted,and fun stories… this book is for you!!
Samantha has endured a lot of pain and anguish in her young life. But it has only made her stronger!! Now she has to go on a road trip, with the Boy she hates ( Tristan ), all the way to New York to be in her best friend’s wedding. Who happens to be Tristan's sister, Renee.
Tristan has made many mistakes in his life. But he just wants to make his family happy. An injury derailed his plans to play football. He's secretly watched Samantha from afar….
You gotta read this book to see where the road trip takes them. It's the road trip of a lifetime, lots of ups and downs!!
Job well done, Taylor !! I'm looking forward to reading more by you in the future!!

I really like Taylor Sullivan's writing. I fall in love with her characters every time I read one of her books. This book was the same. Samantha and Tristan are the two main characters along with her boyfriend Steven and Tristan sister Renee. The story line is great and watching the characters fall in love and go through other emotions is entertaining.

Good summer read. But for the love... of... GOD!! Make a drinking game out of it! Look for phrases like (braces his/her arms on the table/bar/pool table”, “Chin quivered”, “bit bottom lip”, “pushed themself off the wall/door frame”, “eyes raked over”... come ON!! I usually don’t notice that stuff, but when you say it AT LEAST 7 times each in one book?? It gets infuriating! There are other words that can be used. Also, learn the difference between “conscious” and “conscience”.

I loved Samantha and Tristan's story. I started reading and could not put it down. The story catches you with their passion and angst. Two lovers, insecure but hiding behind bravado. Through youth they missed their first chance, but now as adults they try to find each other despite misunderstandings. I highly recommend this one.

I loved this story with its heartbreaking twists and turns of how first love can be forever love. Totally fell in love with Tristan and Samantha and their fight to be together!! Easy read! Couldn’t put it down! Editing was rough in places but I didn’t let that stop me from reading!!

Interesting and different storyline. I enjoyed reading about the history of these two while at the same time learning about their present. I would have liked to know more about Sam's backstory as we were told virtually nothing about her own family.

I really like Taylor Sullivan's writing. I fall in love with her characters every time I read one of her books. This book was the same. Samantha and Tristan are the two main characters along with her boyfriend Steven and Tristan sister Renee. The story line is great and watching the characters fall in love and go through other emotions is entertaining.

Good summer read. But for the love... of... GOD!! Make a drinking game out of it! Look for phrases like (braces his/her arms on the table/bar/pool table”, “Chin quivered”, “bit bottom lip”, “pushed themself off the wall/door frame”, “eyes raked over”... come ON!! I usually don’t notice that stuff, but when you say it AT LEAST 7 times each in one book?? It gets infuriating! There are other words that can be used. Also, learn the difference between “conscious” and “conscience”.

I loved Samantha and Tristan's story. I started reading and could not put it down. The story catches you with their passion and angst. Two lovers, insecure but hiding behind bravado. Through youth they missed their first chance, but now as adults they try to find each other despite misunderstandings. I highly recommend this one.

I loved this story with its heartbreaking twists and turns of how first love can be forever love. Totally fell in love with Tristan and Samantha and their fight to be together!! Easy read! Couldn’t put it down! Editing was rough in places but I didn’t let that stop me from reading!!

Started off strong, fell in love with the characters. It's written very well.....But then started to go down hill, I knew what was going to happen the next chapter. Got to the point to where I just wanted to finish it. I felt like if she kept the humor up until the end I would of liked it more.

if your looking for a romantic story that brings you a sense of happiness. You’ve found it. It’s been a long while, that I would read a book and a smile would grace my face for the entirety (obviously not the slightly sad parts) . I enjoyed this book so much, too much. And will be checking out the rest of the authors books ASAP!