Buttons · 2017
Buttons & HateSpice level, tropes & is it dark romance?
by Penelope Sky
Spice 4/5 (Explicit) · Darkness 4/5 (Pitch) · No trigger warnings flagged
Buttons & Hate is book 2 of Buttons by Penelope Sky. It came out in 2017. It sits in the mafia and enemies to lovers corner of the shelf. Spice is explicit (4 of 5) and the darkness is pitch dark (4 of 5). We could not find the author's own warning list yet, so check it before you start. This note is ours. It is not a publisher blurb.
First published: 4 February 2017 (first publication, per Goodreads). Book 2 of Buttons.
Buttons & Hate tropes
On this shelf, Buttons & Hate is filed under Mafia dark romance and Enemies to lovers. Each tag opens more books with that trope.
Buttons & Hate spice level
Is Buttons & Hate dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Buttons & Hate scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch).
Spice and darkness are separate scores. More pitch books. How we rate.
Buttons & Hate trigger warnings
Warnings not yet verified. We could not find the author's own content warning list for this book, so the flags here are only what the publisher's description makes clear. Check the author's note before you start.
Graphic (0) — open before you read
Open this before you read. These are the flags most likely to be a hard stop.
None flagged in this band.
Moderate (0)
Harm, control, or obsession that is common in this lane.
None flagged in this band.
Minor (0)
Present, and usually not the reason someone puts the book down.
None flagged in this band.
Full Buttons & Hate trigger warnings
Buttons reading order
Buttons & Hate is book 2 of 2 in Penelope Sky's Buttons series. Start with Buttons & Lace.
- Book 1 Buttons & Lace · 2016
- Book 2 Buttons & Hate (this book) · 2017
Order checked against the Goodreads Buttons series page on 13 October 2026. The Buttons series in order.
Who it's for
Shelf note written for this site. We do not copy reviews or publisher blurbs. Outbound links are search pages, not quoted ratings. Kindle Unlimited and endings are only flagged when we were willing to mark them. How we rate.
Missing a book? Suggest it.
Books like Buttons & Hate
Matched on shared tropes, then the closest spice and darkness scores. Other books in the same series are listed above, not here.
- Awakening
Awakening
Lee Savino
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- Guns n' Boys: Book 1, Part 1
Guns n' Boys: Book 1, Part 1
K.A. Merikan
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- Tempted by Deception
Tempted by Deception
Rina Kent
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- By Fate I Conquer
By Fate I Conquer
Cora Reilly
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- By Virtue I Fall
By Virtue I Fall
Cora Reilly
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- He Hates Me
He Hates Me
Isabella Starling
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- Heartless Beloved
Heartless Beloved
Lola King
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- Keeping Lily
Keeping Lily
Izzy Sweet
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
Books like Buttons & Hate, with a reason for each
Questions readers actually ask
What is the spice level of Buttons & Hate?
Buttons & Hate spice level is 4 of 5 (Explicit). On-page sex, clearly written. Darkness is a separate score: 4 of 5 (Pitch).
What are the Buttons & Hate trigger warnings?
Graphic: none flagged. Moderate: none flagged. Minor: none flagged. Warnings not yet verified against the author's own list. Check it before you start.
Is Buttons & Hate dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Buttons & Hate scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch). Bleak on purpose. Comfort is not the job.
What tropes are in Buttons & Hate?
On this shelf Buttons & Hate is filed under Mafia dark romance and Enemies to lovers.
Who is Buttons & Hate for?
For a reader who wants made men and a family business you do not walk away from. Spice is explicit. Darkness is pitch. Warnings are not yet verified, so check the author's note first.
What are some books like Buttons & Hate?
Matched on shared tropes and similar spice and darkness: Awakening by Lee Savino; Guns n' Boys: Book 1, Part 1 by K.A. Merikan; Tempted by Deception by Rina Kent; By Fate I Conquer by Cora Reilly; By Virtue I Fall by Cora Reilly; He Hates Me by Isabella Starling. More read-alikes, each with a reason, are on zademasked.com/like/buttons-and-hate.
Is Buttons & Hate a standalone?
No. Buttons & Hate is book 2 of 2 in the Buttons series by Penelope Sky. The series starts with Buttons & Lace.
What order should I read the Buttons series in?
1. Buttons & Lace; 2. Buttons & Hate.
How many books are in the Buttons series?
The Buttons series by Penelope Sky has 2 main books.
What is the Buttons & Hate age rating?
We'd say 18+. Spice sits at 4/5 (explicit) and darkness at 4/5 (pitch). That's our recommendation, not an official rating, so read the trigger warnings as well.
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