Hate Me, Take Me by Laura Bishop

I had a great time reading Hate Me Take Me by Laura Bishop, which is exactly the kind of book I want when I’m in the mood for something completely unhinged, ridiculously entertaining, and just a little bit questionable. This is the second book in the Obsessively Yours series, following Love Me Stalk Me, but it can be read on its own. The premise alone tells you pretty quickly what kind of ride you’re signing up for: Amanda joins a beta program for an AI boyfriend app and gets matched with a mysterious, motorcycle riding guy who refuses to take off his helmet or tell her his name. The problem is that he’s not actually a stranger. He’s her ex-husband, Kade, who disappeared years ago and has apparently decided that this is the perfect way to work his way back into her life.

And honestly, I was here for every ridiculous second of it.

I have to start by saying that if you liked Lights Out, I think there is a very good chance you’re going to have a great time with this one. The books aren’t identical, but they occupy that same delicious space where dark romance, obsession, stalking, morally questionable men, and humor all get thrown into the same story and somehow you’re sitting there thinking, “Okay, I know this is insane, but keep going.”

That was absolutely my experience with Hate Me Take Me.

The premise is completely bonkers, and I mean that as a compliment. The idea that an AI dating app could somehow match you with your own ex-husband, who has been secretly watching you and decides to reenter your life while disguised as your perfect fantasy man, requires a pretty generous suspension of disbelief. There are definitely moments where you have to stop yourself from thinking too hard about the logistics and just enjoy the ride.

I was perfectly happy to do that.

Amanda is also a really fun character to follow because she brings a completely different energy to the story than the stereotypical heroine who finds herself being pursued by an obsessive man. She is capable, chaotic, funny, and more than capable of taking care of herself. She has her own issues and plenty of emotional baggage, but she isn’t sitting around waiting for Kade to swoop in and save her.

And Kade is, well, Kade.

He is absolutely obsessed with this woman.

If you like your fictional men to be completely, unapologetically gone for the woman they love, you’re going to understand the appeal here. His methods are questionable at best, and I would strongly advise against using this book as a relationship manual, but within the very specific rules of dark romance, his level of devotion makes for a very entertaining story.

I also enjoyed the fact that this isn’t just a straight romance. There is a mystery woven into the relationship, and the story has enough action and chaos to keep it moving. The masked man situation gives the book an added layer because Amanda knows something about this person feels familiar long before she knows exactly who he is.

That creates a fun tension throughout the story, particularly because the reader is aware of information that Amanda is still trying to piece together.

And then there is the second chance romance aspect.

Normally, second chance romance can go one of two ways for me. Either I am completely invested in the history between the characters and desperate to see them find their way back to each other, or I spend the entire book wondering why they don’t just talk to each other like adults. Thankfully, I was much more invested in Amanda and Kade’s history than I expected to be.

Their relationship has baggage, but that baggage actually matters to the story. There is a reason they were separated, there is a reason Amanda has spent years trying to move forward, and there is a reason Kade is so determined to get another chance.

That gave the romance more substance than simply putting two attractive people together and calling it a second chance.

I also really enjoyed the humor.

That might be one of my favorite things about this series. The story deals with some pretty dark subjects, but it doesn’t take itself so seriously that it becomes emotionally exhausting. There is enough ridiculousness and banter mixed into the darker moments that the overall reading experience stays fun.

And fun is really the word I keep coming back to.

Was every aspect of this book realistic? Absolutely not.

Did I care? Also absolutely not.

Sometimes I want a book that makes me think deeply about the human condition, and sometimes I want a masked man on a motorcycle to use an AI dating app as part of an elaborate plan to win back his ex-wife.

You have to respect the range.

I think that’s also why I would recommend this one specifically to people who enjoy Lights Out. If you already know that you enjoy the combination of dark romance and humor, particularly when the male character is obsessive and morally gray, Hate Me Take Me is a very easy recommendation.

It has the obsession. It has the stalking. It has the mystery. It has the second chance romance. It has a masked man on a motorcycle. It has enough spice to keep things interesting, and it has characters who are entertaining enough that I genuinely wanted to see where their story ended up.

Most importantly, I had fun reading it.

I wasn’t analyzing every plot point or wondering whether the circumstances could realistically happen. I was just along for the ride, and sometimes that is exactly what I want from a book.

So if you’re looking for something dark but still playful, spicy but still funny, and completely willing to embrace its own ridiculousness, Hate Me Take Me is a good one to add to the list.

Just maybe don’t tell your dating app too much about your fantasy man.