When enemies become lovers, can they work together to save a piece of history? 

The line between love and hate is about to be demolished.

Charleston architect Chase Love is watching Teagan Burns. Her reputation proceeds her, and it’s not pretty. The New York socialite wants to buy an ancestral home from Chase’s best friend, but he’s determined to stop her. Now Chase faces a foe who’s ambitious, determined…and stunning.

Teagan may be a handful, but she’s not the one being unreasonable. The gorgeous architect refuses to work with her! He’s infuriating—and tantalizing. But when Teagan’s past follows her to Charleston, she must choose between the enemy who could ruin her…and the one she’s falling for.

Titles in the Sweet Tea and Scandals series include — Upstairs Downstairs Baby —♥— Substitute Seduction —♥— Revenge with Benefits —♥— Seductive Secrets —♥— Seduction, Southern Style —♥— The Trouble with Love and Hate —♥—

*While I have read all the titles in this series they were not reviewed on this website, so to avoid confusion with links I’m only linking titles reviewed here at Happily Ever After Romance*

This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Booksprout ARC

Title:  The Trouble with Love and Hate
Series:  Sweet Tea and Scandals #6
Author:  Cat Schield
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  December 27, 2022
Publisher:  Harlequin Desire
My Rating:  4.5 stars

I began The Trouble with Love and Hate with a skeptical mind, oh, not that I wouldn’t enjoy the story but I didn’t know if I could forgive the heroine for her previous actions.  After all, this was Teagan and she had caused so much heartache upon her arrival in Charleston.  Yet, in that same frame of mind, I firmly believe in second chances… but only one if you still mess with me then I’m done.  Simple.  So Teagan had one shot at changing my mind about her… and she delivered big time.

It’s not easy for an author to redeem a villainess – it’s just not.  So, hats off to Cat Schield for turning Teagan around to see her own flaws and begin to work to change them — and for giving us the background about Teagan to understand why she reacted the way that she did upon her arrival in Charleston.  By the story’s ending I was firmly behind this new, changed Teagan because I finally understood why, and that is important to me as a reader.  It has to make sense for me to believe it (unless it’s paranormal or sci-fi) and I hurt for Teagan for the mistakes she made, and the way she was treated even though she completely deserved much of that treatment from her newly discovered family members at the time.  For me this one wasn’t so much about Chase (who is a stunning hero) it was more about the redemption of Teagan, perhaps a self-love story just as much as a romance for me in many ways.

I enjoyed The Trouble with Love and Hate so much, it was a perfect story for this heroine to learn some lessons and for others to see her true worth and even understand her history as to why she behaved so badly.  If you love to see a transformation in a formerly bad character and love a good romance as well, then this one is perfect for you.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or author’s team via Booksprout. The opinions expressed in this review are my own – good, bad, or indifferent.*

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