The Valentine's Hate

by Sidney Halston

[The Romantic Comedy Book Club]

New to the world of Sidney Halston, like most first time readers - I didn’t know what to expect. The premise of the book sounded intriguing and not a huge fan of the Valentine’s holiday myself, I felt compelled to dive in and see what caused Lissette (Lizzie) to feel the same way.

I was NOT expecting the hilarious high jinks, flashbacks, and just all around good time this book offered. The witty banter and sarcastic comebacks alone are what make this such an enjoyable find!

What I liked about the book: I liked the background build up that Sidney creates right out the gate. We meet Lizzie as a second grader going to school for Valentine’s Day. She’s sweet, she’s cute, she good natured and wants to make everyone feel like they belong…until she meets Brian. A new kid to the neighborhood, Brian is the dark to her light and the thunderstorm to her sunny day. After he tears up her Valentine’s Day card, as the reader - you start to feel a little protective of Lizzie but give Brian the benefit of the doubt (again - he is new the neighborhood). We continue to following this unlikely pair until we discover they have become full blown nemesis by the Eleventh Grade. At this point (and keep in mind we only have Lizzie’s perspective), you are NOT a fan of Brian and may have called the kid a few names under your breath. The reason why I love how Sidney did this is because as you keep reading, you realize how quickly, like Lizzie, you formed your own perspectives and conclusions without all of the facts. As you slowly begin to learn Brian’s story, everything you previously read begins to shift, creating a whole new dynamic as the book progresses.

What I LOVED about the book: I became so enthralled by this book that the suspense of what was going to happen to break them apart (assuming the book was going to follow the typical romantic comedy formula) was too much! I actually had to put it down and walk away momentarily because I just couldn’t take it. They were so cute, too perfect, and beat the odds to arrive at the high point (being together) that I just couldn’t deal with the drop (what was going to pull them apart), even if I knew they would get their happily ever after. I also loved how much their personalities were still present during the steamy scenes, giving those hot and heavy moments such a comedic twist.

What I didn’t like about the book: While I understand not every book has to have an epilogue, I hated how the book just ended. There were so many spoken possibilities of what the future held! Without knowing if there will be a continuation of some sort with a different character (William maybe) to indirectly wrap up their story, we don’t know what happens next. As you read, you become invested in these characters so a large part of you wants to know they are going to make it, their plans will come into fruition, and they will truly have their happily ever after (beyond the heightened emotion of the initial reconcile and subsequent honeymoon phase). Also, while insignificant to the storyline itself - I did feel like some of the colloquial references used were a bit dated.

All in all, this holiday romance was an absolute delight. A beautifully written enemies to lovers treat with twists, turns, and a lot of heart. I highly recommend it!