Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: The Animosity Equation
SERIES: Love Equations, Book 2
AUTHOR: J.R. Gray
PUBLISHER: GrayBooks
LENGTH: 248 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 18, 2022
BLURB:
Have you ever loathed a person so intensely the sight of them made you contemplate homicide?
First day of college, everyone is settling into their rooms, and in walks Jeff Woods—the blond bastard. He’s arrogant and smart and an elite swimmer and worst of all everyone loves him. Only, he’s insufferable, flirty, and a sex god. He pushes every button I never knew I had—all with an air of indifference—like he doesn’t know the effect it has on me.
Did I mention he’s the hottest guy I’ve ever laid eyes on?
I’m just some closeted red-neck from the south who’s more comfortable on a horse and in a pair of boots than trying to figure life at one of the most elite universities in the world.
There’s no way a guy like him would ever look at me twice.
Hate is the only equation.
The Animosity Equation is a standalone enemies to lovers roommates romance, with forced proximity, a wild ride of teasing lust, and so much more.
REVIEW:
I enjoyed J.R. Gray’s The Friendship Equation, and The Animosity Equation, book two in Gray’s Love Equations series, gives us another enjoyable story, this time focusing on elite swimmer Jeff Woods. If you read The Friendship Equation, you’ll recall Jeff is the cocky, unbeatable swimmer and rival of Vance and Harden. The glimpse we get of Jeff in that book is brief and does not paint him in a favorable light. He’s antagonistic, obnoxious, and excessively arrogant, deliberately provoking Vance and Harden at every turn. Jeff’s talent is undeniable, but his personality is seriously lacking.
In The Animosity Equation, it’s now the freshman year of college, and Jeff finds himself rooming with the sweet, southern, closeted rancher Mason. Ironically, Jeff and Mason have crossed paths before, by way of an almost-hookup. Now they’ll be in each other’s space all the time, and neither is sure of the right path forward. Jeff falls back on his usual snark and antagonistic needling, keeping his mask firmly up. But Mason starts to worm his way in. We get Jeff’s backstory and discover he’s not who he seems. Like book one, the UST in The Animosity Equation is off the charts. This is something Gray does well, and he showcases that here.
Overall, I enjoyed this story and found the dynamic between Jeff and Mason captivating. However, Jeff feels like a very different character to me from how we see him in book one, and I don’t feel that the disconnect is ever satisfactorily reconciled. If you haven’t read The Friendship Equation first, this should be less of an issue. But for me, the character inconsistency challenged my engagement.
That being said, Gray evolves both characters well, although he’s more effective with Mason. I admittedly developed unequal affection for the two MCs, preferring Mason and sometimes struggling to connect with Jeff. However, the chemistry between them is evident, and Gray builds the tension well, so the resulting combustion when they give in is explosive.
The Animosity Equation is another solid entry in this series. It’s a quick, easy, low angst read with a great dynamic between Jeff and Mason. The story is filled with found family and real family elements, which enhance the storyline. It’s not perfect, but on the whole, this is a book I recommend.
RATING: 
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