{"id":4247,"date":"2025-09-29T12:09:57","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T12:09:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=4247"},"modified":"2025-09-29T12:09:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T12:09:57","slug":"ladies-in-hating-by-alexandra-vasti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=4247","title":{"rendered":"Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alexandra Vasti\u2019s Ladies in Hating<\/em> arrives as the triumphant conclusion to her Belvoir\u2019s Library trilogy, delivering a sapphic Gothic romance that proves literary rivalry can be the most intoxicating form of foreplay. This enemies-to-lovers tale set in the shadowy corridors of Regency England offers readers both swoon-worthy romance and thoughtful historical representation, though not without stumbling over its own ambitions along the way.<\/p>\n

A Gothic Stage Set for Queer Love<\/h2>\n

Vasti constructs her romance within the crumbling walls of Renwick House, a neo-Gothic manor that practically demands to be haunted. The setting is no mere backdrop but functions as a character in its own right, with secret passageways, mysterious moans, and architectural peculiarities that mirror the hidden desires of the protagonists. The house becomes a metaphor for the concealed lives that queer women were forced to lead during this period, its labyrinthine corridors reflecting the complexity of navigating love in a society that refused to acknowledge such relationships existed.<\/p>\n

The story follows Lady Georgiana Cleeve, a celebrated Gothic novelist writing under the pseudonym Geneva Desrosiers, and Cat Lacey, the butler\u2019s daughter who has clawed her way to literary success as Lady Darling. When their novels repeatedly feature suspiciously similar plots and settings, Georgiana becomes convinced that Cat is stealing her ideas. Their confrontation at Renwick House forces both women to face not only the mystery behind their parallel manuscripts but also the unresolved feelings from their shared past at Woodcote Hall.<\/p>\n

The Architecture of Character<\/h2>\n

Vasti excels at constructing protagonists who feel authentically flawed and appealingly human. Georgiana emerges as a study in contradictions: aristocratic yet insecure, brilliant yet emotionally guarded, capable of adopting disguises and accents yet unable to mask her own vulnerability. Her character arc traces a woman learning to distinguish between the safety of isolation and the courage required for genuine connection. The author captures with painful precision how childhood trauma shapes adult behavior, particularly in Georgiana\u2019s relationship with her mother and her desperate need to maintain financial independence after escaping her abusive father.<\/p>\n

Cat Lacey provides the perfect counterbalance with her determined optimism and fierce protectiveness of her family. She represents class mobility through sheer force of will, her journey from butler\u2019s daughter to successful novelist feeling both improbable and deeply satisfying. The weight she carries\u2014supporting her younger brother Jem\u2019s education, maintaining her cousin Pauline\u2019s household, securing their collective future\u2014gives her character real stakes. When her career faces potential exposure or rivalry from Georgiana, the reader understands exactly what hangs in the balance.<\/p>\n

The supporting cast adds considerable charm and dimension to the narrative. Jem\u2019s scholarly intensity and Pauline\u2019s practical warmth create a found family dynamic that grounds Cat\u2019s character. Georgiana\u2019s friendship with Selina, owner of Belvoir\u2019s Library, and the brilliant linguist Iris Duggleby provides moments of levity and demonstrates female friendship as essential rather than competitive. Even Sir Francis Bacon, Georgiana\u2019s scene-stealing dog, serves narrative purpose beyond comic relief, his instinctive reactions to supernatural phenomena adding texture to the Gothic atmosphere.<\/p>\n

The Dance of Miscommunication and Desire<\/h2>\n

The central mystery\u2014why do their novels share such striking similarities?\u2014propels the plot forward while allowing Vasti to explore deeper themes of coincidence, shared experience, and how our pasts shape our creative work. Both women draw inspiration from their time at Woodcote Hall, unconsciously mining the same memories and settings. This revelation, when it arrives, feels simultaneously inevitable and satisfying, a reminder that our histories bind us together in ways we cannot always perceive.<\/p>\n

Where Vasti particularly shines is in the tension between professional rivalry and personal attraction. The scenes crackle with unspoken desire, each verbal sparring match doubling as foreplay. When Georgiana attempts to maintain her aristocratic composure while Cat\u2019s mere presence unravels her carefully constructed defenses, the reader feels every moment of that delicious torment. The author understands that the best romance lies not in grand gestures but in small, revealing moments: a caught wrist, a shared glance across a candlelit library, fingers trailing through loosened hair.<\/p>\n

The pacing stumbles occasionally under the weight of its Gothic trappings. The supernatural elements\u2014ghostly moans, dancing lights, mysterious occurrences\u2014sometimes feel like narrative obligations rather than organic developments. While the revelation about Luna Renwick and Sarah Sophia Penhollow provides historical depth and emotional resonance, the journey there meanders through perhaps too many red herrings. The subplot involving the mysterious porter Rogers and his violent intentions, while providing necessary external conflict, occasionally distracts from the more compelling internal struggles of the protagonists.<\/p>\n

Intimacy Written with Care and Heat<\/h2>\n

Vasti navigates the intimate scenes with a deftness that balances historical authenticity with modern sensibilities. The progression from antagonism to attraction to consummation feels earned rather than rushed, each step building on genuine emotional connection. When Georgiana and Cat finally come together, the scenes pulse with desire while maintaining character-specific details\u2014Georgiana\u2019s need for control warring with her desire to surrender, Cat\u2019s generous nature expressed through physical touch and verbal reassurance.<\/p>\n

The author deserves particular praise for depicting queer intimacy in ways that feel specific to these characters and their circumstances. The vulnerability required for Georgiana to express her desires, the courage needed for Cat to claim space for her identity in a hostile world\u2014these are not universal experiences but historically situated ones. Vasti refuses to sanitize the challenges faced by queer women in the Regency period<\/a> while simultaneously celebrating their capacity for joy, desire, and lasting love.<\/p>\n

Historical Romance Meets Queer History<\/h2>\n

One of the greatest strengths of Ladies in Hating<\/em> lies in its engagement with actual queer history. The discovery of Luna Renwick\u2019s coded love letters to Sarah Sophia Penhollow anchors the romance in historical reality, reminding readers that queer people have always existed, loved, and found ways to express those loves despite societal prohibition. Vasti\u2019s author\u2019s note references Anne Lister\u2019s diaries, Lady Caroline Lamb\u2019s novels, and documented sapphic relationships, grounding her fictional romance in verified history.<\/p>\n

This historical grounding elevates what could have been a simple romance into something more substantial. When Cat and Georgiana uncover Luna\u2019s story, they are not just solving a mystery but discovering their own queer lineage, finding evidence that others like them have lived and loved before. The rose garden becomes a monument to love that persists beyond death, beyond erasure, beyond the limits society attempts to impose. In choosing to make Renwick House their own, to restore its gardens and make visible what was once hidden, the protagonists are engaging in an act of historical reclamation.<\/p>\n

The novel\u2019s treatment of class dynamics adds another layer of complexity. Cat\u2019s position as the butler\u2019s daughter who achieved literary success through her own efforts constantly creates tension with Georgiana\u2019s aristocratic privilege, even as Georgiana herself has fought to escape the constraints of her class and gender. Vasti does not shy away from the fact that Georgiana\u2019s father destroyed Cat\u2019s family, a transgression that cannot be simply forgiven but must be acknowledged and reckoned with. The resolution\u2014Cat inheriting Renwick House, creating a space where she and Georgiana can build something new\u2014feels symbolically appropriate even if the mechanics of the inheritance strain believability.<\/p>\n

Minor Stumbles in an Otherwise Sure-Footed Journey<\/h2>\n

Ladies in Hating<\/em>\u00a0occasionally suffers from an overstuffed plot. The mystery of the parallel manuscripts, the Renwick ghost, the coded letters, the inheritance subplot, Rogers\u2019s villainous scheming\u2014each element could anchor its own story. Combined, they sometimes compete for narrative attention rather than reinforcing one another. The resolution to certain threads, particularly Rogers\u2019s subplot, arrives with abruptness that suggests editorial trimming rather than organic conclusion.<\/p>\n

Additionally, while Vasti\u2019s prose generally sparkles with wit and precision, certain passages veer into overwrought territory. The Gothic atmosphere, while effectively rendered, occasionally relies too heavily on familiar tropes\u2014mysterious noises, conveniently timed thunderstorms, suspiciously empty corridors. Readers familiar with the genre may find themselves ahead of the plot\u2019s revelations.<\/p>\n

The dialogue, however, remains consistently sharp. Vasti has a particular gift for banter that reveals character while advancing plot, and the verbal sparring between Georgiana and Cat provides some of the novel\u2019s most memorable moments. When Cat teases Georgiana about not believing in ghosts despite being a Gothic novelist, or when Georgiana maintains her aristocratic composure while internally spiraling, the reader hears distinct voices rather than authorial ventriloquism.<\/p>\n

The Verdict: A Romance Worth Reading<\/h2>\n

Ladies in Hating<\/em> succeeds where it matters most: in creating two compelling protagonists whose journey to love feels earned and emotionally satisfying. While the plot mechanics occasionally creak and the Gothic atmosphere sometimes overwhelms, the central romance remains strong enough to carry the narrative weight. Vasti writes with intelligence and heart about women finding courage to claim their desires in a world designed to deny them.<\/p>\n

For readers who loved the previous Belvoir\u2019s Library novels, this conclusion delivers the same wit, warmth, and romantic satisfaction while pushing deeper into historical complexity. For newcomers to Vasti\u2019s work, this stands perfectly well on its own, though reading the earlier volumes would enrich the experience, particularly in understanding Selina\u2019s relationship to Georgiana and the significance of Belvoir\u2019s Library itself.<\/p>\n

Ladies in Hating<\/em> works both as escapist entertainment and as thoughtful engagement with queer history. It offers the pleasure of watching two intelligent women navigate attraction and antagonism toward partnership, all while uncovering a historical queer love story<\/a> that mirrors their own. In choosing to end her trilogy with a sapphic romance set against Gothic grandeur, Vasti makes a statement about whose stories deserve to be told, whose desires merit celebration, and whose histories require excavation from enforced obscurity.<\/p>\n

What Works:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Complex, well-drawn protagonists with authentic emotional arcs
\nSharp dialogue that balances wit with vulnerability
\nThoughtful engagement with queer history and class dynamics<\/a>
\nA setting that functions as character and metaphor
\nIntimate scenes that balance heat with emotional connection
\nStrong supporting cast that enriches rather than distracts<\/p>\n

What Falters:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Occasionally overstuffed plot competing for narrative attention
\nSome Gothic elements feel obligatory rather than organic
\nPacing issues in the middle section
\nCertain resolutions arrive with abruptness
\nMinor strains on believability in inheritance subplot<\/p>\n

For Readers Who Loved\u2026<\/h2>\n

If Ladies in Hating<\/em> captured your imagination, consider exploring these similar titles:<\/p>\n

Sapphic Historical Romance:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Delilah Green Doesn\u2019t Care<\/em> by Ashley Herring Blake (contemporary with similar enemies-to-lovers dynamic)
\nDon\u2019t Want You Like a Best Friend<\/em> by Emma R. Alban (another queer Victorian romance with wit and heart)
\nSwordcrossed<\/em><\/a> by Freya Marske (fantasy romance featuring rivals discovering attraction)
\nThe Lady\u2019s Guide to Celestial Mechanics<\/em> by Olivia Waite (Regency-era sapphic romance with academic setting)<\/p>\n

Gothic Romance with Queer Themes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Starling House<\/em> by Alix E. Harrow (contemporary Gothic with queer romance)
\nMexican Gothic<\/em><\/a> by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (atmospheric Gothic horror with feminist themes)
\nPlain Bad Heroines<\/em> by Emily M. Danforth (Gothic sapphic romance across timelines)<\/p>\n

Other Alexandra Vasti Novels:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ne\u2019er Duke Well<\/em> (Belvoir\u2019s Library #1)
\nEarl Crush<\/em><\/a> (Belvoir\u2019s Library #2)
\nThe Halifax Hellions novella series<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n

Ladies in Hating<\/em> delivers exactly what it promises: a swoony, steamy romance between rival novelists discovering that the line between hatred and desire is perilously thin. Vasti has crafted characters worth caring about, given them obstacles worth overcoming, and rewarded readers with a romance that satisfies both emotionally and intellectually. While not perfect, it represents romance writing of considerable skill and heart\u2014the kind that reminds us why we read love stories in the first place.<\/p>\n

For readers seeking intelligent historical romance that centers queer desire, celebrates female ambition, and refuses to sanitize the past while still finding joy within it, Ladies in Hating<\/em> deserves a place on your shelf. It is a book about the courage required to claim love, the persistence needed to carve out space for one\u2019s authentic self, and the radical act of making visible what society demands remain hidden. In our current moment, when queer histories face renewed threats of erasure, such stories matter more than ever.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alexandra Vasti\u2019s Ladies in Hating arrives as the triumphant conclusion to her Belvoir\u2019s Library trilogy, delivering a sapphic Gothic romance that proves literary rivalry can be the most intoxicating form of foreplay. This enemies-to-lovers tale set in the shadowy corridors of Regency England offers readers both swoon-worthy romance and thoughtful historical representation, though not without […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4247"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4247"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4247\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}