The Hate You Drink

I needed this book this week! It delivers everything you should expect from @nrwalkerauthor: a quality romance, well-developed characters who are on a journey of self discovery, angst, humour, a little (lot) of pining, some solid life lessons and a love that breaks through and makes your heart happy. The Hate You Drink contains some hard truths in relation to alcohol and alcoholism, but the way Monroe (and Erik) navigate rock bottom and the clawing need for a crutch is well done. 5/5 stars for this friends to lovers story about fighting the demons within and trusting in the love that takes its place.

I’m clearly in the minority here, but this was not a favorite NR book. I felt like I was reading a modern day morality play. And I VERY much felt like NR was writing this book specifically for someone in her life (either the alcoholic or the enabler – or maybe both) and not for the reader at all. The messages were so heavy handed.

Despite the overabundance of exposition (SO much more telling (thinking) than showing), I didn’t really get to know the characters and I didn’t care about anything that happened to them (good or bad).

Also, I thought the book was dull and depressing. Which I have not felt about other NR books.

At about the 70% mark, I just started skimming, and at about the 90% mark I was just scrolling through pages on my Kindle to finish the book and move on to something better.

Again, this is a an anomaly for me. I really liked the Red Dirt series, and I recently read Lacuna and enjoyed it a lot. I think it was just the subject matter, style and obvious preaching tone of Hate You Drink that I didn’t care for.

This is not a feelgood, light book but a book that deals with a serious topic that is all to common in real life.
Monroe and Erik are best friends that are as close as they can be and who always has each others backs . But the in the last years the scale has been tipping and Monroe are doing almost all the taking without any giving. On a downward spiral of alcoholism he is heading for a breaking point and he’s taking Erik as a co dependant with him.

As someone who has dealt with alcoholism in the family I felt for Erik.
There’s really nothing you can do to help someone who doesn’t accept help and the devastation that follows will either force a change or a separation. And Eriks hidden feelings for Monroe are just adding to the stress.

A good book, a great couple and a reality check on the problems with alcohol.

Its not until the haze lifts that he can truly see what hes been searching for was never in the bottom of a bottle…
Its been by his side all along…

This book shows the true nature of addiction, the toll on the loved ones. It shows love between friends then the evolving nature of that friendship into a romantic relationship.

Such a moving and emotional story that will linger in your mind long after you have read it.

Full of addiction, help, friendship, discovery, hate and love.

Perfect for readers of contemporary romances.

I loved this book, it has the author’s characteristic gripping characters and smooth writing, while addressing the serious topics of addiction, alcoholism and dependence. Not your trypical friends to lovers or billionaire romance, this novel has a connected plot and characters that you become emotionally invested in, both the main characters and their supportive family members. Definitely recommmend for fans of m/m well-written rimances!

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