When Ruby Taylor tries to register her friend’s dog for the West Coast Canine Classic, she has no idea what’s she getting herself into. And judge Spencer Wilson has no idea what his dog show has opened itself up for.
Ruby can see that Mrs. Orson’s golden retriever Wheezy is not a champion dog, but when she was trying to register him, and that judge acted like neither Wheezy nor she were good enough for his precious show, Ruby knew that she had to bring her A-game. She spent 18 years in beauty pageants, so she knows what it takes to be a winner. She just has to take this lazy dog, put him on a diet and exercise regime, and get him some dog training, and they should be golden. And when the judge’s twin brother Caleb hands her his business card, Ruby takes it. He’ll know just what it will take for Wheezy to win that dog show.
Spencer, meanwhile, can’t help but feel stunned. He had never seen such a beautiful woman, or a dog so unsuited for an AKC-approved dog show. But he couldn’t say no to Ruby. He didn’t want to say no to Ruby. He really wanted to say no to Wheezy though. But if she can get him in shape, and teach him how to present himself at the show, then she deserves to have a shot. And it will be good for Caleb to have something else to do.
As the weeks go by, with Wheezy on a diet and Ruby taking him for long walks, through training sessions with Caleb, Ruby isn’t seeing enough change in him to win the show. But every time she happens to see Spencer, she knows she can’t give up. She has to win that dog show, to prove what she can Wheezy can do. To prove that she hasn’t lost her edge. But she also can’t deny her growing attraction to him. And when she finds herself alone with him, things heat up quickly.
Spencer knows that it’s not a good idea for his, as a judge, to get involved with a woman who is showing a dog at the show, but he can’t help himself around her. She is gorgeous, yes, but she’s also smart and determined. He has spent so much of his life being the responsible twin, being the strong one, the one who follows the rules. Now he just wants to follow his heart, but he’s not sure he knows how to do that. So when he offers to fix the dog show so that Ruby and Wheezy win, he’s following his heart. But when she turns against him, he can see he did the wrong thing. But what was it? And how can he possibly make things right with Ruby?
I Hate You More is a steamy rom com all about competition, dogs, and finding your passion. Told in alternating viewpoints of Ruby and Spencer, this fun love story by author Lucy Gilmore, known for adding dogs into her rom coms, is charming and fun.
I listened to the audio book for I Hate Your More, and the chapters are narrated by Macy Sterling and Alex Knox alternatively. Having two narrators add to the heat and the laughs of this book, creating extra tension and interest with their growing attraction to each other. I thought both narrators did an excellent job finding the voice of their character, although there are some scenes that are not safe for work, so be careful when and how you listen to this one.
I really enjoyed I Hate You More. Ruby is a very strong character, even if Wheezy steals all her scenes. But this is a fun book with lots of heat, more than a few laughs, and a couple of cheeseburgers to help with motivation.
A copy of the audiobook for I Hate You More was provided by Dreamscape Media through NetGalley, with many thanks, but I liked it so much I bought the ebook for myself.
