Love or Hate by Rita Potter is an enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract, forced proximity romance with a fantasy/supernatural twist, and it’s fabulous.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk in someone else’s shoes? Especially if that person seems to have wildly different beliefs to you.
Rain Hargrove and Ivy Nash are from very different worlds. This is apparent during a chance meeting at a rally they are attending for opposing sides. But appearances are not always as they seem, and first impressions can be misleading.
During a heated debate about love and hate the air shifts, the weather changes and the rambling chanting of a white-haired woman is all they can focus on. Then suddenly it stops, rain starts to fall, and the women go their separate ways. Or so they think. What did that woman do to them and why are unexplainable things happening? It must be a dream, surely.
When Rain and Ivy realise that it is, in fact, reality, they are actually swapping bodies, it doesn’t take long to learn that walking in another person’s shoes can change not only your opinion of them but the opinion of the world you thought you knew.
Writing
The writing in this book, especially the dialogue between characters, is superb. The author gets across many different opinions respectfully; even though I didn’t agree with some of them, the author helped me understand why those people have those opinions. It’s very clever and made me think and reevaluate my reactions.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book, I was a bit apprehensive at first, but I was intrigued, and then by 20%, I was hooked. This is one of those books that makes you think, there were moments when I stopped reading to let beliefs and opinions sink in. I’m not a person who thinks in terms of black and white, wrong or right. I know there are a lot of grey areas in everybody’s lives, and I always try to have an open mind. Even with that way of thinking this book made me reevaluate how quickly I react to other’s opinions without knowing why they have that opinion. That’s not to say I would then agree with those opinions. However, understanding where a person’s viewpoint comes from and why they have it is essential to be able to open a dialogue and start discussions that can help change the world.
The romance in this book is slow burn, sweet, complicated, and delicious. Oh, how I loved watching these two fall in love. Rain and Ivy are brilliant characters and I could relate to them both and how they are trying to navigate the world as they know it.
Rain is strong, opinionated, and at times stubborn. She campaigns for so many causes that at times it made me wonder what she actually believes in. Her time and energy are split in so many different directions I was in awe of her but also very frustrated by her. I wanted her to slow down and really think about what and who it was she was campaigning against. Rain’s family runs a charity her Mum and Dad are in her life yet always absent, out chasing the next cause or funding that their charity needs. This leaves Rain to shoulder the hard work of the day-to-day running of the charity.
Ivy is so wrapped up in her family bubble and their beliefs, but you can see from the start that she is having trouble with the path she is walking. She has a strong relationship with God still she doesn’t agree with the teachings of the church she is currently a part of. She is loyal, kind, and extremely generous. She has opinions, however, in the community she grew up in she has been taught to be polite and keep unpopular opinions to herself. Her family is big and beautiful and making them proud brings her joy nevertheless this has made her confused because she struggles to speak up for fear of being a disappointment. She is far from weak although she is cautious in how she portrays herself.
Heads Up
There are a lot of differing opinions in the book from the main characters as well as a wide cast of secondary characters that may trigger some people- homophobia, pooling everyone who has a belief in God together, transphobia, racism, and sexism are the main ones. However, they are dealt with with respect and are essential to the story.
The Conclusion
Love or Hate deals with a lot of heavy topics and is one of those books that has you thinking and questioning throughout. Having said that, this book is also a fun, beautiful read. It has the most gorgeous opposites attract romance that left my heart full. I know I will be thinking about this book and its topics for a long time.
The main characters in this book are brilliant. Rain and Ivy are complex and relatable, I adored getting to know them as they got to know each other in such a unique way. This book caused me to reevaluate how I react to other’s beliefs and opinions; it didn’t change my mind, but it did open it. I loved it from beginning to end and was left happy and satisfied with the conclusion. It explores the notion that not everything is as it seems and if you’re willing to stop, think, and listen to not just what others are saying but why they say it then we all might learn something and be able to talk more openly.
Love or Hate is definitely worth a read, it’s a highly recommended from me.
Excerpt from Love or Hate by Rita Potter
“I’m sorry about that,” Ivy said.
“Why? You didn’t do anything. The asshole you’re with did. Why do women like you defend guys like him?”
“Women like me?” Ivy’s amber eyes flashed anger. “And what kind of woman would that be?”
“Um…um….” Rain held out her hand and motioned from Ivy’s head to her toes. “Women who dress like that.” Oh, god. Why did she say that?
“I see.” Ivy put her hand on her hip and drew her lips together. “I suppose I should dress like a man. Like you?”
Snap. This one at least had some spunk. “Never mind.” Rain flicked her wrist with a dismissive wave. “Go follow your man.”
“He’s not my man. And I don’t like your implications.”
“Implications. Whoa. A little hoity-toity, aren’t you?” Damn it. Since when was she someone who said hoity-toity? This woman was really getting under her skin. She needed to get her signs and get the hell out of here.
Ivy crinkled her nose. “You’re calling me hoity-toity?” She smirked and pointed at Rain’s Doc Martens. “Those boots probably cost more than all my shoes combined.”
Without thinking, Rain glanced down at Ivy’s feet. Big mistake. Her bright red toenails peeked out of her sandals. Who the hell wore sandals to a rally? This woman obviously wasn’t a regular protester. But damn, painted toenails always drove Rain nuts.
“What?” Ivy said while Rain stared at her feet. “Something wrong with my discount shoes?”
Rain lifted her gaze. “Why are you so angry?” spilled out of Rain’s mouth before she could edit herself.
“Because you’re so full of judgment.”
Rain bristled. Ivy was the second woman to tell her that this week. “Judgment? Are you serious? You and your lot think you’ve been anointed the morality police. Well, you’ve got another thing coming if you think you can use my tax dollars to spread your hate.”
“Hate!” The vein in Ivy’s neck throbbed. “Jesus is about love not hate.”
“Seriously? You honestly believe that shit? You people are the most hateful people I’ve ever seen.”
“You people. Who exactly is you people? You don’t know a thing about me.” Ivy’s eyes flashed, and her nostrils flared.
“If I know one of you, I know you all.” Rain’s voice rose, even though she was trying to keep her cool. This woman was unbelievable.
“Really? Since you know so much about me, tell me, who do I hate?”
Rain stood taller and thrust out her chest. “Immigrants, blacks, gays.” Rain ticked them off on her fingers as she spoke. “Transgender. Muslims. Anyone that’s different than you.”
Ivy’s face fell, and her eyes glistened. For a moment, Rain felt sorry for her, until she bent and picked up one of the signs from the ground. “And what do you call this?”
Rain’s eyes widened when she read the sign. Jesus sucks! Harsh. She hadn’t paid any attention to the signs, and she’d certainly not written it. Rain snatched at it and grabbed the corner, but Ivy held on.
“No. Tell me,” Ivy yelled. “Tell me if you think this is okay. Tell me that this isn’t hateful.”
Rain tugged harder on the sign, but Ivy seemed to have a death grip on it and wouldn’t release it. “It’s not my sign.” It even sounded ridiculous to her ears.
“Seriously, that’s the best you’ve got?” Ivy pulled harder.
An electric charge filled the atmosphere, and a strong smell of sulfur permeated the surroundings. It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the area, and Rain gasped for breath.
Something is wrong. Just as she thought it, she realized that the sounds of the rally were gone as if they were in a vacuum.
An older woman with long gray hair and eyes that nearly matched the color of her hair stepped toward them. She pointed her index finger at Rain, and then turned it on Ivy. “Love. Hate. Hate. Love.”
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-1952270963
Publisher: Sapphire Books
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