REVIEW/INTERVIEW: Hate F*@k by Ainsley Booth

4 Stars 

“‘Is this what you want Hailey? You want some dirty sex with someone you don’t have to look at ever again?’

‘I’m pretty sure the f*@ked up track record of my family guarantees I’m going to have to see you again.’”

And that right there really captures the essence of Hailey and Cole’s situation. J

Though trying to live the average life, Hailey Reid originates from an upper class socialite family that has a penchant for getting knee deep in public scandals. Lucky for the Reids, or maybe not so lucky for Hailey, Cole Parker is part of The Horus Group, a management company in the Washington, DC area that seems to specialize in bailing the rich and famous out of PR nightmares and dirty little scandals.

Cole is the total sexy, cocky, jaded, take-what-he-wants, mysterious, ex-Navy SEAL, protector. Did I get enough adjectives in there for you to get the picture? It’s a pretty tempting package.  And it has Hailey breathless for him even though a part of her can’t stand him.

Hailey is the "good-girl," though she has quite a few bad girl thoughts about Cole. Still Cole knows he shouldn’t get involved. Off the bat, I enjoyed their banter and the way she pushed his buttons. You can feel the drawl between them. Though I really wished Hailey would stop obsessing about her body. That was a bit of a turn-off. I’m hoping that the drama that unfolds in the coming volumes makes her forget about her curves, thighs, and rear. Now on the flip side, there are definitely parts of Cole that could be obsessed about in further detail with no complaints here ;-) He’s certainly the allure of the story, a character with many layers and harboring some possibly off the record secrets. Thus there’s an intrigue aspect of the plot in finding out just how far he’ll go. I couldn’t decide myself what Cole and his group are totally up to or when he’s lying though his teeth with Hailey, but it feels safe to assume he’ll deliver the adventure, sex-appeal, and possibly danger (why is he packing three guns?... but dang that was somehow sexy when he stripped out of them) as the plot progresses.  

Told via Cole and Hailey’s alternating first person POV, this is a stimulating start as the first volume in the Hate F*@k serial. It’s an easy one to devour in one sitting, and packs a fun, flirty punch of sexual tensions, sexy encounters, intrigue, and plenty of drama to come.

For an except of Hate F*@k  Vol.1, check out the previous cover reveal. 

Keep reading for an exclusive interview with author Ainsley Booth!

Hate F*@k  Vol.1 releases February 24, 2015 but you can pre-order it for .99 cents today for delivery on release day. ***Updated Release Date: Feb. 17, 2015!

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GOODREADS

Author Interview: 5 Questions with Ainsley Booth

Q1. Let’s discuss the big eye catcher first—the title! It’s very unique as far as titles go and already has people talking. Having now read the story I understand how it comes into play, but what can you tell readers about how you chose it or came up with it? 

A1: Under a different name, I write contemporary and military romance, and one day I was talking to my critique partner about a plot point, and whether or not angry sex would be appropriate or not. The title flashed in my mind, and I said, "Uhm, I have to go make a book cover..." It was one of those high-concept ideas that excited me from the beginning, but I was nervous, too.

So it started with the title, and the cover, and then I spent a few months thinking about how to write a romance--that builds toward something quite the opposite of hate--and still capture the intensity that a provocative title deserves.

Q2.  Hate F*@k  incorporates plenty of heated encounters, some political intrigue, scandal—What was your inspiration for the plot of this serial?  

A2: I'm fascinated by the idea of crisis management firms, and the people they work for, so the plotting started with the four guys in The Horus Group and grew from there.

Q3. So tell us a little bit about the direction of the series. When can readers expect volumes 2 and 3, and will we see the rest of the guys of The Horus Group get their own stories? They all sound like pretty interesting guys. 

A3: Hate F*@k  is a three part serial, as you've said, and all three parts will come out in the late winter/early spring of 2015. February/March/April release dates. And then yes, there are three other men who have interesting stories... I'm not sure when I'll write them, that's probably a question of demand and my other writing commitments, but once Hate F*@k  wraps up, I'll start to think about Tag and Jason and Wilson and the women that could bring them to their knees. I mean, make them fall in love. ;)

Q4. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing? Who are some of your favorite authors? 

A4: I'm a long time romance reader--big fan of Robyn Carr, Jill Shalvis, Victoria Dahl, Lori Foster, etc.-- and I've been writing contemporary romance for two years. Last year I read a lot of awesome serials from authors like Deborah Bladon, Lexi Ryan, Kati Wilde and Whitney Gracia Williams, and they've definitely influenced this turn in my writing.

When I'm not reading and writing, I'm a mom and a wife. 

Q5. Tell us a little about your writing process. What are your favorite aspects? What parts do you find the most challenging?

A5: Favorite parts are writing the beginning and end, those fly out of my fingers. And I really enjoy editing and massaging the words to paint exactly the picture I'm trying to convey. The most difficult for me is dragging myself through the middle of the book, keeping the pacing up and not getting too explainy.

Thanks Ainsley and can't wait to read the next installment!

Readers—Keep up to date with Ainsley's releases by following her on Facebook,Twitter, and Goodreads!