Twisted Hate: An Enemies with Benefits Romance

Jules and Josh hate each other. EVERYONE knows it. Everyone has accepted it. I had accepted it. In Twisted Love and Twisted Games, we got a glimpse of Josh, and he wasn't a character I liked very much. He was very arrogant and selfish. Starting the book, I didn't know if I wanted him to have any kind of happy end ing if it was paid for or not. But then he and Jules end up working/volunteering at the same place, his sister keeps inviting him places so that he and Alex can get back to friends. So, it makes sense that Jules and Josh are thrown together very frequently and begin to not hate each other as much without really realizing it. Their back-and-forth banter is hilarious. They have chemistry there is no denying it. And they want to hold on to that hate that they have been so comfortable with since they have known each other. That is until they have hate intimacy and that just changes everything. They can't get enough of each other so they make a pact to keep having the hate intimacy. There are rules. Rules that are broken left and right. And it's so hot and steamy and angry that it makes it hotter. When I say I've read a lot of steamy books it's been about hundreds and hundreds of books. But when I tell you I have NEVER read anything like that bedroom scene with the silk scarves. It left me without words, without the ability to form a single thought. Then when my mind rebooted I realized how lucky Jules was. This man has put all the book boyfriends to shame. He has set the bar unrealistically high. This was honestly Ana Huang's best book of the series. The tone of the book was slightly darker than the other two and it was definitely angrier than the others and it worked so well. When you break it down Jules and Josh are two broken people who need someone to trust. They gravitate towards each other because someone who hates you isn't going to lie to you. They will tell you the truth even if it hurts. And the truth does hurt them. It hurts them in a way that leaves the reader crying because how can it get that bad. You want them to just learn that it's ok to be loved, its ok to trust and its ok to not always get along. Jules does things to keep Josh from hating her for real and Josh does something that destroys her. UGH my heart. I know how it ends but I am still devastated reliving that one scene where Josh says "I lied." I cried for both of them. They didn't deserve that. And then who he turns to, to help him when the one person he loves is hurt is very surprising. What he does is even more surprising. Read the book. It is everything you need in your life. It is so good. I pre-ordered this book middle of last year and also signed up for the arc because I couldn't wait any longer. LOL. TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a complimentary copy

I do not like to give spoilers or plot points in my reviews but as a woman who has read several hundred books in this genre. I love Ana Huang. I have read all of her books. While this book is good because she wrote it, the characters are the least favorite of the ones she has written. You might want to leave this book for last as this couple is more hate than love. I did finish the book even though I was never emotionally invested as I was with every other book she has written. So it is not the worst book I’ve ever read yet it is the worst book written by Ana Huang.

Twisted Hate is the third book in the Twisted series by Ana Huang. Josh Chen and Jules Ambrose have a hate-hate relationship. As a gorgeous, cocky and on track to becoming a doctor, Josh has been able to charm any woman he wanted, that is until Jules. As one of his sister’s best friends, she has been a thorn in his side that he must tolerate for his sister’s sake. However, he always finds Jules entering his thoughts in ways he didn’t expect. When their animosity results into one unforgettable night, Josh proposes a frenemies with benefits arrangement with three simple rules. No jealousy. No strings attached and absolutely no falling in love. Jules thinks easy peasy because, despite being incredibly handsome, Josh is insufferable. However, she soon realizes there is more to Josh than meets the eye. When demons from her past catch up with her, Jules soon sees that her best friend’s brother, her nemesis, may be her salvation as well. Twisted Hate is the ultimate enemies to lovers romance. Josh and Jules only have one thing in common: his sister Ava. That and their mutual goal to take the other down a peg or two. The banter between Josh and Jules from the previous books was only the beginning. It fuels into a full blaze in Twisted Hate. And yet there were tender moments as their hearts soften toward each other. Their spicy scenes were a bit uncomfortable at times. I enjoyed their banter and tender moments more especially toward the end as they acknowledged their new feelings for each other. Huge warning with this book. It does contain explicit content, profanity and other sensitive topics. There were a few moments that were difficult to read. It is recommended for 18+ readers and I concur. Overall, I enjoyed this story, even though it is not my favorite of the series. If you have enjoyed the first two books of the Twisted series, I recommend Twisted Hate.

Twisted Hate is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

So, I’m only giving this 3.5 stars (4.0 stars rounded up) because of my own bias.

My MAIN complaint is this:

In the ending chapters, the main male character’s, Josh’s, cruel words (and actions!) toward the main female character, Jules, made me cry! I cried because I have personally experienced this (verbal) type of cruelty first hand. It’s almost worse than physical violence because it undermines your entire self-world-life view.

You know the old adage/nursery rhyme… “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me”? Yeah…well, it’s BS. Cruel words DO hurt; they can destroy – more importantly, words CANNOT be taken back. Once spoken, cruel words are part of your memory, never to be erased.

Words can take you DOWN and cut you like a knife! Words can decimate your trust and loyalty and respect and love for the person who uses/utters those words against you. You ALWAYS, forever after, question their sincerity when they apologize – did he/she REALLY mean that? Should I believe his/her words?

The words especially stab you when someone you trust uses your secrets (given to them in confidence) against you in the manner that Josh did to Jules… So, in real life, given those truths, you DO NOT FORGIVE as easily or as quickly as Jules forgave Josh.

So, it was totally unbelievable to me that their reconciliation happened so fast (if at all) – I don’t care HOW much they “loved” each other.

<sigh> Even though this novel was fairly well-written (there were more technical errors than Ms. Huang’s previous novels sported), had a fairly good plot (with a GIANT loophole, unfortunately – but, I won’t go into detail about that), I can only recommend it to the more forgiving and believing-in-love souls out there.

I, for one, am NOT so forgiving (having lived through the verbal abuse and cruelty)… so, uh, I just don’t know HOW the heck I feel about this novel!

Read it at your own (existential) risk.

Really enjoyed it. Still debating on whether it comes in first or second place in the series for me (granted I haven’t read twisted lies yet). Overall I give it a 4.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed the banter. I LOVED Josh’s personality. I liked Jules & their dynamic as well as the pace of their relationship. It didn’t feel too rushed or forced or unrealistic in my opinion. There was a good build and personally I didn’t feel like there was points that were useless in the process of their relationship.

I did however feel like there was other pointless parts to the story or parts I didn’t care for because they didn’t seem to fit for me. For example:

• As much as Jules’ past was brought up and agonized about, not enough was explored or became relevant to her current life, that part of the story felt rushed & kind of pointless after not being explored more.

• When Jules’ “favor” to Max came into play it was the most anti climactic and absurd way for her past to play out. There were soooo many options for how her past could’ve played a role but I was REALLY disappointed on how it actually happened.

• Now as far as Josh’s side. I felt it was so odd for him to have had that whole mess with Max, like really what was that? I mean I get it, all these male leads are supposed to be alphas & supposed to want to end every man that even breathes in the direction of the female lead but that whole bit from Josh with Max really gave me the ick.

• Which brings me to my next point. I’m I the only one who felt that it was insinuated that Josh was becoming an alcoholic? Because what was the point of describing how much his alcohol tolerance had increased and then it was just to the blackout point? I get the drinking being brought up to emphasize his emotional battles as that is a common way for men to cope but the emphasis on how much it increased just felt unnecessary since it then didn’t go anywhere. That’s just my opinion who knows if anyone else even viewed that the same I did.

Now for things that brought me unexpected joy. Seeing Alex & Ava again was such a joy & seeing Alex in a different way was oh so so nice. Seeing him being a friend to Josh was really nice but seeing him say the things he’d say especially referring to emotions so eloquently and wise was honestly the cherry on top that I didn’t know I needed. It really made so happy to see Alex again in this book, especially in a more evolved way as he was portrayed here.

Overall really good read & id definitely recommend it.

Enemies to lovers is my fav trope so I was into this story immediately. The balance of spice to plot to angst was good, and I liked all the interwoven characters enough to want to check out Stella and Ava’s stories ( I started with book 3 in this series). But wow that conflict at the end between Jules and Josh after her confession was OUT OF POCKET. Red flag red flag red flag. I didn’t think their story needed it, and frankly it would have been BETTER for them if Josh could be the one love in her life who didn’t judge her for her past. It’s a black mark in otherwise great story.