A Love Hate Thing was an entertaining and a truly lovely debut novel! If you love YA contemporary romance, you'll definitely enjoy this one.



When they’re stuck under one roof, the house may not be big enough for their hate…or their love.

When Tyson Trice finds himself tossed into the wealthy coastal community of Pacific Hills, he’s ready for the questions, the stares and the feeling of not belonging. Not that he cares. After recovering from being shot and surviving the rough streets of Lindenwood, he doesn’t care about anyone or anything, much less how the rest of his life will play out.

Golden girl Nandy Smith has spent most of her life building the pristine image that it takes to fit in when it comes to her hometown Pacific Hills where image is everything. After learning that her parents are taking in a troubled teen boy, Nandy fears her summer plans, as well as her reputation, will go up in flames.

Now with Trice living under the same roof, the wall between their bedrooms feels as thin as the line between love and hate. Beneath the angst, their growing attraction won’t be denied. Through time, Trice brings Nandy out of her shell, and Nandy attempts to melt the ice that’s taken Trice’s heart and being. Only, with the ever-present pull back to the Lindenwood streets, it’ll be a wonder if Trice makes it through this summer at all.


As always, a copy of this book was provided by the authors in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.

We are always taught to never judge a book by its cover. Still, you have to admire that gorgeous and colourful illustration set up on A Love Hate Thing. While part of my interest was sparked by its gorgeous artwork, the majority of my interest came on after reading the synopsis. It definitely had the air of something special.

Fortunately for us: Whitney D. Grandison's debut is what YA contemporary dreams are made of, and is highly enjoyable and maybe a little nostalgic.

Taking my time with A Love Hate Thing was difficult. It is the kind of novel you want to read in one sitting. Once I met these characters, I was quick to want to know everything. While there were moments in the narration that I felt 'meh' about, mainly choppy use of stereotypes and some incoherent and outdated references (as another reviewer before me has already stated), there was far more good to A Love Hate Thing than bad.

But, let's focus on the basics.

The first I noticed about this debut was that Grandison's prose is addictive and easy to slip into. As a reader, I like writing to be witty and sharp to the point. Add in characters that are developed to be complex, flawed, and undeniably youthful, and you've got the perfect balance of archetypes. Bonus points if you sprinkle in romance that features tropes I adore. A Love Hate Thing offers up many tropes that are frustratingly indulgent, angsty and intriguing.

If you are like me and are a sucker for childhood friends who meet again later in life, you will definitely appreciate this novel. Not only does it feature the use of this trope, there is a specific hate-to-love vibe to the romance at the center. Ultimately, A Love Hate Thing proves to be a fun contemporary that will surely give readers an array of emotions.