Publication Date: November 10, 2026
Former lovers turned rival tour guides must join forces to overcome scandal—in this steamy second-chance romance from the author of Secret Nights and Northern Lights.
Sadie Stockton has the almost-perfect job leading tours through the former home of her favorite author, the enigmatic recluse Hazel Wilmont. But when the owners of the Wilmont House announce plans to increase the estate’s revenue by hosting an overnight murder mystery set in a cocktail lounge, Sadie is less than thrilled. Yet again, Hazel’s legacy is being tarnished by the fictitious, decades-old rumors she poisoned her husband(s).
Worse? The new tour will mean working with none other than Ryan Pearson—local mixologist, owner of Pearson’s Pub Crawls, and Sadie’s long-standing professional rival and personal regret. She can’t stand him. Or his smug grin. Or his boastful T-shirt declaring his pub crawl the city’s number-one rated tour. And no, she doesn’t still think about their short-lived, meaningless college fling. Ever.
With a potential promotion on the line, Sadie must play nice with Ryan in order to make the “Mixtures & Murder” tour a success. But over late nights and cocktail tastings, all clues indicate a reigniting attraction between the two. And as new discoveries at the mansion unfold, Sadie is forced to confront her own narratives about Ryan, about Hazel, and about the past she’s tried for years to bury.
Set on touristy Sutton Island, Georgia, Hate and Other Acts of Fiction by Megan Oliver is an enemies-to-lovers story with a second-chance romance between Sadie and Ryan.
Sadie and Ryan have a history from their college days and butt heads throughout while also fighting their attraction. When they’re forced to work together on a newly formed tour, Sadie feels tension and anxiety, and her emotions run high. There’s a lot of reminiscing and reminders of their history, but at times it feels random.
Sadie works in a bridal store with her best friend, Eric, and is also a historical tour guide at Wilmont House, but she still seems to be struggling. Ryan is more laid-back, especially since he runs a pub crawl, and seems to communicate well with everyone except Sadie.
Multiple stories are told, which at times feels like too much. Sadie carries a lot of angst and insecurity from her childhood and always seems to get in her own way. It was hard to see Ryan putting up with as much as he did. The overnight murder mystery experience held my interest, and each tour felt different. There are other mysteries uncovered as well, along with quite a few surprises. The ending played out differently than I expected.
With twists and turns along the way, Hate and Other Acts of Fiction has several threads to sift through to get to the heart of the story.
Megan Oliver is a writer, an avid romance reader, and a travel enthusiast whose vacation mishaps provide plenty of inspiration for her characters on page. She lives with her husband, two dogs who refuse to cuddle as much as she’d prefer, and a cat who barely tolerates the presence of any and all above.
