Book Review | Between Hate And Desire – Brooke Fox (Between Us Trilogy, Book One)

Between Hate and Desire
By: Brooke Fox

Series: Between Us Trilogy
Book # in Series: 1 of 3
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Brooke Writes Romance, LLC
Publication Date: April 30th, 2025
My Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
My Reading Format: I received a copy of this book to review honestly.

Synopsis:

I saw her first.
Blonde. Gorgeous. Feisty.
I was captivated.

But it doesn’t matter because hours later, she walks out of my roommate’s bedroom half naked, and I know I’ve lost my chance.

Now, we’re forced to live together and constantly bicker about everything. Though I purposely get under her skin, I can’t stop thinking about her in all the wrong ways. I should move out so I can get over my feelings, but the selfish part of me can’t let go.

When her boyfriend and my best friend tragically dies, we’re left to grieve together. Instead of pushing her away, I pull her closer.

Just as we come to terms with our new reality, she finds out she’s expecting.

Her religious parents will never accept a pregnancy out of wedlock, so to avoid disappointing them, I offer to be her fake husband. Touching, kissing, sharing a bed—it’s torture on my heart, but I ignore the guilt and play along.

As the lines blur between real and fake, I finally confess I’m not pretending.
But she’s not ready to admit the same.

I’m in love with my best friend’s girlfriend, but she can never be mine.

Between Hate and Desire is book one in the Between Us trilogy and must be read in order. This is intended for mature audiences only. The contents deal with loss, grief, and have adult themes. This is a slow burn romance and ends in an HEA.

This was originally released as a duet: Baby Mine and Baby Yours by Kennedy Fox. This has been re-edited & re-covered for a re-release under Brooke Fox.

honey-script.light

Between Hate and Desire by Brooke Fox was originally released as a duet: Baby Mine and Baby Yours by Kennedy Fox. This has been re-edited & re-covered for a re-release under Brooke Fox.I had read and reviewed Baby Mine and Baby Yours by Kennedy Fox. So I’ll be taking my reviews I had originally wrote for this duet and edit it for this novel! Be warned, there will be a few slight spoilers in this review.

Between Hate and Desire was not at all what I was expecting! I love Brooke Fox that much more for giving me a twist after every turn with this read.

Throughout the novel, I grew to love Lennon and Hunter’s back and forth banter. These two argued like brother and sister, I felt a little sorry for Brandon because at times, he was often pulled in the middle of their disagreements. And when you’re in the middle of a disagreement between your best friend and your girlfriend, that rock and a hard place can be a little tricky to maneuver around and come out on top in the end.

It takes a lot to hide your true feelings and step aside to make someone else happy. I loved Hunter for this. This man clearly saw the girl first. She flirted with him and gave him ‘I’m interested’ vibes, which he picked up on right away. But then hours later when he heads home alone with thoughts of the girl still in his head, he walks in his door only to find his best friend and the girl of his dreams completely and utterly in love. If that isn’t heartbreaking, then I don’t know what is. My heart broke for this man throughout the whole novel.

Now, on the other hand, Lennon kind of pissed me off for not having consideration for Hunter’s feelings. She felt the vibes, too. She even admitted to knowing they had a connection. But then she tries to act all fragile with her hurt feelings for the way he’s treating her. Hmm. Interesting concept, for once I’m siding with the man on this one.

But then that twist happens, and all my thoughts and feelings completely get thrown out the window. I mean…. what the everloving hell!! Picture me at three a.m. sitting on the couch in the dark with an empty box on tissues on the coffee table and crumpled up tear soaked tissues all over my lap as i’m uncontrollably sobbing while reading my kindle. That is a picture of pure heartbreak. I didn’t see this heartbreak coming…. Not for one second.

AND…. Finally, my heart can rest easy knowing two people have found a happily ever after within each other. It has to be said, I am HOOKED on the Between Us Trilogy by Brooke Fox! I read this book in one day! That’s how addicting her writing style is! So many emotions, so much drama, all the feels! I couldn’t get enough!

I loved how Hunter and Lennon’s feelings grew for one another throughout the timespan of this novel. My heart was happy too, not only, but I saw Lennon finally laugh and let herself feel love again, but it was also happy to see Hunter finally get his happily ever after. He’s such a swoon worthy man. You can’t help but not fall for this man! he’s the epitome of what a book boyfriend means.

I actually loved Lennon throughout this second half more than I loved her throughout the first. I loved watching her slowly get through the tragedy of losing the love of her life and slowly gain her spark back. My heart broke time and time again for this woman, and the heartbreak life threw in her path. I legit cried so hard for her. I’m not even kidding. There were tears of all kinds running down my face from completely ugly crocodile tears to happy giggly tears. I’m in need of a bottle of jack and another box of tissues.

This was such a great read! But that Epilogue…. HOLY HELL! I can not get over that epilogue and my sudden need for Sophia and Mason’s story!! There are so many answers I need to all the questions floating around in my head! Brooke Fox knows how to keep her reader’s intrigued. That’s for damn sure!

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