Review: Hate Me Like You Mean It by Kyra Parsi
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About the Book
He’s the undisputed loathe of my life. My blood-sworn nemesis.
And the man whose toilets I have to scrub for the next thirty days.
How’s your week going?
It’s inspiring, really—the son of a single mother from humble beginnings rises to become one of the most successful men on the planet, then goes off to exact revenge on the spoiled, bratty heiress he’s been dying to strangle since preschool.
The wicked little witch that—allegedly—had his mother fired just to get rid of him.
The self-centered, ungrateful hellion who—allegedly—has never touched a kitchen glove in her life.
It’s so satisfying, such delicious due justice, watching him corner her into striking a deal to be his maid for a month.
Too bad he’s so full of sh*t.
“Hatred” barely scratches the surface. “Enemy” is too mild a term.
It’s twenty years of pent-up frustration, rivalry, taunting, and resentment coming to a head.
Thirteen years of quiet heartbreaks, stolen glances, and unrequited butterflies getting buried deeper.
And thirty days of playing with fire… until we finally push each other just a little too far, our flame starts to burn just a little too bright, and all the secrets we tried so hard to hide come spilling into the light.
Dominic Crawford has always been the villain in my story, and I’m the fool who fell head over heels in love with him anyway.
Review
Hate Me Like You Mean It had all the potential to be an entertaining romantic follow-up to Failure to Match, but unfortunately, it never quite finds its footing. Admittedly, the book did start strong. Parsi clearly defined why Alice and Dominic have issues. And although Dominic’s interference with Alice’s employment feels borderline toxic, I was prepared for the chaotic journey that would occur. I was, in fact, rooting for this story.
Almost every aspect of Hate Me Like You It is chaotic. From Dominic and Alice to how supporting characters talk and react. I can’t recall if I noticed it in the previous books, but here everything is heightened. Most of the time, I was able to go with the flow and appreciate the fun. Other times, it felt off and over-the-top—the comedic timing didn’t quite land or blend well with the story. One of the biggest hurdles is the pacing. Many scenes lacked smooth transitions and felt choppy and drawn out. It really hurt understanding time perception.
Additionally, a bit past the midpoint in this story, the plot started to drag. Moments between Dominic and Alice felt repetitive, didn’t add anything meaningful, and began to be annoyingly predictable. The drama with Alice and Rachel felt unnecessary and unoriginal. I found myself wishing the story had gone in a more thoughtful or fresh direction. The reveal about Dominic’s mom is also highly predictable, which lessens the weight of a moment that should’ve landed with more surprise or depth.
There are some high points in Hate Me Like You It. Parsi’s fun banter shines through, and the addition of Dominic’s POV through old journal entries is a surprisingly strong element. They help round out his character in ways the main narrative sometimes doesn’t.
Final Thoughts
Hate Me Like You Mean It is an unfortunate downgrade from its predecessors. With uneven pacing, predictable twists, and drama that doesn’t quite hit the mark, it left me disappointed and wondering if this was an early draft of the story. There is some good, such as the witty back-and-forth, which is genuinely fun and reminds you of what made Failure to Match such an enjoyable read. But overall, it didn’t feel quite as polished. Thank you to Kyra Parsi for providing this arc! Hate Me Like You Mean It was released on December 2, 2025.
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