When Lisette Alonso was a kid, she was pretty happy. Her parents had moved to the States from Cuba when she was an infant, and her dad left shortly after that. But Lizzie had her mother and her grandmother, and she loved school. She had friends and knew everyone in her neighborhood, and she had a best friend in Mariana. And then Brian moved in.

He came from Boston to live with his grandparents, and from the first day he showed up at the bus stop, he was awful to Lizzie. As the school years went by, he teased her and competed with her and once put lizards in her locker, knowing how scared she was of them. He ruined every Valentine’s Day she had in school, by destroying the cards she had carefully made for everyone in the class or smashing the cupcakes she had made for her first boyfriend. And then he stood her up for prom.

But now, Lizzie is grown, living and working in London, and Mari is getting married. It’s a beach wedding in Cancun on Valentine’s Day, and Lizzie is hoping her best friend has the best day, despite it being that blasted holiday. But when Lizzie finds herself bickering with the guy sitting in the aisle seat of her last of a series of flights, she finds herself staring into the eyes of none other than childhood nemesis Brian Anderson.

Brian is heading to Cancun, to the same resort as Lizzie, actually, because the book series he’s been writing has been made into a movie, and the publisher has put together a weekend for fans and press. He’s not done much promotion so far, as he’s not really comfortable around crowds. But with the movie release, his publisher is insisting on his being more available to fans, and his agent is supposed to meet him there to make things easier on him. But then she comes down with the flu.

When Lizzie gets to the resort, she discovers that there has been a flood and they had to relocate several guests to another hotel. She’s exhausted and doesn’t want to get on a bus to head to a hotel an hour away. Brian, meanwhile, has a two-bedroom villa right on the ocean. He sees her easy way with people, and he comes up with an idea. If Lizzie comes with him to some of his events, helping to protect him from some of the crazier fans, and from the actress starring in the movie, then she can have the extra bedroom.

Lizzie agrees, with the caveat that Brian not fall in love with her. She will pretend to be his girlfriend to try to spare him the attentions of the actress and will help him with his social anxiety. And when she finds out that her ex-boyfriend is a guest at Mari’s wedding, by a strange twist of fate. But as the weekend goes on, the snarking that she and Brian volley at each other seem like more than general distaste and years of resentment. Maybe Lizzie was wrong about Brian as a kid. Maybe he was just a sad boy who lost his parents too soon. And maybe he’s grown into a man who is smart, successful, and perhaps even a little sexy.

Will he ruin this Valentine’s Day for her, now that they’re adults, or will Lizzie finally find the February love she’s been looking for her whole life?

The Valentine’s Hate takes the enemies to lovers trope and sets it on a beach with too much tequila and too many social media posts. These characters are sweet and interesting, kept apart by secrets and misunderstandings, and when the flirting turns into something more, the books gets super steamy. Bestselling author Sidney Halston brings this love story to life through lifelong friendships, family ties, and comedic moments.

I really enjoyed The Valentine’s Hate. I liked these characters a lot, especially how they took their childhood traits and grew them into their strengths as adults. The Valentine’s Day setting is fun and can resonate with anyone who has suffered a bad one (and isn’t that just about everyone?). Fun, flirty, and fresh, this story is the candy heart of rom coms for that February holiday, no matter how you choose to celebrate it.

Egalleys for The Valentine’s Hate were provided by Avon Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.