Is Love Strong Enough to Survive Sixteen Years of Hate?

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Romance books thrive on tension, and Right Number, Wrong Man by I.M. Wraith delivers it in spades. Sixteen years ago, Colton fell in love with Hailey at first sight. Only to become her sworn enemy after a cruel misunderstanding. Now she finds herself widowed, free for the first time in years, and tangled in a dangerous new desire when a masked lover enters her life. What begins as a forbidden distraction quickly spirals into a second-chance romance, one where family secrets, enemies-to-lovers sparks, and the weight of time collide. This isn’t just another romance novel. It’s a story about choices, betrayal, and the thin line between hate and love. And at its heart, one question lingers: Is love strong enough to survive sixteen years of hate?

Title: Right Number, Wrong Man

Author: I.V. Wraith

Publisher: Independently Published

Format: eARC

Genre: Dark Romance, Enemies to Lovers, BDSM

Release Date: August 24, 2025

Pages: 472

Star Rating: 3 stars

Spice Rating: 3 chili pepper

Romance books thrive on tension, and Right Number, Wrong Man by I.M. Wraith takes the hate-to-love setup and twists it into something darker, sexier, and undeniably complicated. Sixteen years ago, Colton fell in love with Hailey at first sight, but a cruel misunderstanding turned him into her sworn enemy. To make matters worse, she married his brother—a man who never deserved her. Now, widowed and finally free, Hailey finds herself caught between the masked Dom who pushes her boundaries and the one man she swore she could never love again.

From the very first page, I wanted to fall into the story of Colt and Hailey, two people bound by family drama and a shared past full of misunderstandings, betrayal, and lingering hate. On paper, it’s everything I love in enemies-to-lovers romance novels. A rom-com with a mix of passion, heartbreak, and redemption. But on the other hand, it just fell flat.

The Juxtaposition of Colt’s Southern Charm

The juxtaposition of Colt’s southern charm completely threw me. My brain doesn’t often connect masked men with sweet southern drawls, but here the contrast is impossible to miss. You can hear the accent rolling off his lips in every scene, hot and sweet all at once. While some readers may find that mix irresistible, for me it was a struggle. I don’t typically connect with southern heroes—cowboy romances rarely hit the way I want them to—and that personal bias carried over into Colt’s character. Still, it’s a fresh take for romance novels where accents often fade into the background, and I can appreciate how it sets him apart from other morally grey heroes.

Pacing and Tension

At 44%, I found myself bored and frustrated. There’s tension, yes, but it isn’t taut—it feels uneven and one-sided. Colt’s perspective is fueled by lust and a long-held obsession, while Hailey’s is rooted in disdain and mistrust. That imbalance might work for some enemies-to-lovers romance fans, but I longed for more progress in their relationship by the halfway point. For a romance novel built on sixteen years of history, the emotional payoff just didn’t come soon enough.

The second half of the book does improve. The pacing sharpens, secrets begin to unravel, and the plot finally finds its rhythm. Still, the middle dragged so much that I nearly DNF’d it, and even when I kept going, I felt disconnected from the characters. I wanted to fall for Colt, to envision myself in Hailey’s place, but the story never gave me enough emotional grounding to truly care.

Characters and Morality

Colt is positioned as a morally grey hero, but I’d call him more “light grey” than anything else. His devotion to Hailey is clear, but the darker edge I expected from the premise never fully materialized. For some readers, this might make him more palatable—a softer take on the morally grey archetype—but for me, it lacked the intensity I usually love in dark romance books, especially those that count as enemies-to-lovers romance novels.

Hailey, on the other hand, felt underdeveloped. Her pain and anger were real, but her growth felt stalled. I wanted more from her beyond disdain, more moments that showed she was truly reclaiming her life after years in a toxic marriage. Instead, I often felt like I was watching her react to Colt rather than truly taking control of her own narrative.

Writing, Spice, and Style

Right Number, Wrong Man promised a romantic comedy vibe, but for me, none of those rom-com aspects came through. I don’t think this counts as a rom-com. There were no lighthearted or funny aspects to it to give the lighter vibe of a dark romance, think Butcher and Blackbird. The writing style itself is rather average—serviceable but not remarkable. There were no passages that lingered in my mind, and while the prose carried the story forward, it didn’t strike me as memorable. The plot had potential, and while it wasn’t executed poorly, it felt plain and predictable at times.

Where the book shone was in the spice. The steamy scenes were detailed, bold, and written with confidence. For readers who prioritize well-crafted intimacy in their romance books, Right Number, Wrong Man won’t disappoint. Still, even these scenes left me wanting more—not because they were lacking, but because I longed for the emotional connection to match the physical heat.

Final Thoughts

So, was it worth finishing? Yes and no. The second half was definitely stronger than the first, and I’m glad I pushed through, but it didn’t “save” the book for me. At the end of the day, this was a three-star read: not bad, not great, just middling.

That being said, I would like to highlight some positives. The premise itself is strong and will absolutely appeal to fans of forbidden love, second-chance romance, and stories where sworn enemies are forced to confront the truth. The spice is above average, and Colt’s southern charm may be a selling point for readers who love romance novels with a touch of unexpected sweetness.

For me, Right Number, Wrong Man falls into the category of romance books I respect more for their ideas than their execution. It’s a romance novel that offers family drama, morally complex dynamics, and steamy encounters, but it lacked the spark to fully engage me. As for now, it earns a solid three stars! A reminder that sometimes even when love tries to bridge sixteen years of hate, the heart doesn’t always follow.

If you want to give Right Number, Wrong Man a try, grab yourself a copy! It’s currently available on Kindle Unlimited.