this book had all the parts of a good rom com, and it was a quick and cute read. the resolution was a bit too fast and oversimplified for my liking, but i really enjoyed june and annika’s friendship, and i wish june and ziggy got more page time because i feel like they’re super cute together.

This was an alright read. I found that the writing was slightly predictable and it was hard to truly stay focused on the plot. The shift from being enemies to being lovers was a bit rushed and it was almost too unbelievable. I might take a chance on another book from this author. I consider this one a bust for me.

My rom-com kick continues with Sandhya Menon’s adult debut under her pen name–Lily Menon–and it didn’t disappoint. It’s Silicon Valley tech life meets strong women and enemies to lovers romance with a nice, slow burn and a happy ending. My only concern is that this is like the sixth book I know of about “rival app creators” and while I know they probably all sold the same month or something, I hope this book can stand out!
Annika Dev is the CEO and creative visionary behind Make Up, an in-works app that she thinks will revolutionize the way people talk to each other and help them heal wounds that might break them apart and teach them a better way to communicate in their relationship. The only problem is…she’s a bit behind schedule, she’s running out of money, and the rent is due…a lot of it. So she’s SUPER excited to find out her rival–the hit app Break Up which is like an Uber courier serving for dumping your SO–is moving in next door. Did we mention Break Up’s super hot CEO who Annika spent a week hooking up with the previous summer at a tech thing in Las Vegas? I didn’t? Oops. Well, there’s that, and there’s an EPIC pitch looming, and of course, the two apps will have to go head to head for those angel investors as they go head to head to find out what the heck is going on between them.
This is part enemies-to-lovers romance, part heartfelt family story, part women-in-tech prose, and all fun. Like I mentioned above, I hope it can stand out in a world of “rival app creator” romances, but I think Menon comes with a lot of trust for her readers, and while this does have a sex scene, I don’t think it’s too raunchy and older YA readers will enjoy it as well–by that I mean older teens, not ladies in their 50s, lol. They, of course, can handle it. The sex is way less explicit than some of the stuff in certain fantasy novels, if you know what I mean. This feels like the grown-up version of When Dimple Met Rishi in the best ways.
I really enjoyed Annika’s personality, her relationship with her Dad, and her fire and ambition. Hudson was swoony, obviously, and I liked the way the book had tech in it but not being techy didn’t keep you from enjoying it. The pacing felt a little strange at the end–once the pitch contest started, but that’s just life sometimes.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m excited to read more from Menon in all the genres!

This was Menons first book in the adult romance world and she did not disappoint!
The girl power and motivation we see through Annika was wonderful! Sometimes I wanted to strangle her or cover my eyes for her because I was feeling the embarrassment for her! Hudson was such a great counter balance and the banter he brought to the story was superb.
I tell you this book made me cringe for them, laugh, sob and more! I can't wait to see what she comes up with this

Cute and funny but had the potential to be better. The writing was good, but it became too predictable and didn't have enough of a zing. Still a good book and a fun read through.

I really liked the writing but the plot just fell flat for me. I’m going to be honest and say that I wasn’t really in the mood for a romance and I think that made me feel this way because I really think the entire story was well-thought out and unique.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book is by an author who has published YA but her 1st adult romance. Annika Dev is the CEO of a small start up company called Make Up with her best friend, June Stewart, a developer. Their app is designed to help couples stay together and work out their communication difficulties. Annika had a week long fling with Hudson Craft, the CEO of Break Up the previous summer. Somehow Hudson was able to secure investors and make his app popular and successful in less than a year, but his inspiration behind the idea is a mystery. There is some friendly and not so friendly competition between the two. Annika needs an investor to come through after grant money she won is drying up. She doesn't want to ask help from her dad, a successful anesthesiologist who wanted his daughter to go to medical school. The book is surface deep but enjoyable and a good distraction this past Election *Week*. I pictured Hudson as a Hemsworth brother . A sweet, tidy HEA.

Let's just admit: I don't like enemies-to-lovers. Haha. Let's just say this is an enemies-to-lovers that'll stop at enemies. I found that Annika's reasons to "hate" Hudson to be weak. I didn't like the way she spoke to him at times and how she hijacked his event with the Mariachi band. It was awkward and extremely childish of her, too. I'm twenty-five but I don't behave like this.

These feelings I have towards her are also because the book is <i>only</i> from her point of view, which limits how I can understand Hudson better. (Side bar: Does she have to say his full name all the time? And how come I still forgot it? Is it because I am deeply uninterested in Annika and her one-sided rivalry?)

Anyway, this is a book I did not vibe with.

The beginning was slow and I didn’t really start enjoying the book until about 50%. This book had a strong middle section which is unusual. Books usually sag in the middle. Nevertheless this was a strong 4 stars until about 86% when the book jumped the shark and I wanted to DNF it. I wish we could’ve read about their time in Vegas instead of hearing about it secondhand. It would’ve made me care about the couple more. Also in general I don’t like books with sex first then relationship or second chance romance. I also didn’t like how Hudson folded like a cheap suit at the end and did what Annika wanted. He seemed so weak then and it was too convenient to the plot. I’ll continue to read her books though because I love rom-coms.

This book was so sweet! I love a good enemies to lovers romantic comedy, and this one delivered. This was the perfect escapist read for right now.

There's something missing from this story and it's jarring. It's the hero's POV. I don't mind a novel that breaks genre tropes every once in awhile, but in this one the absence is definitely felt. I had no idea why I should root for these two when Hudson genuinely seems like a jerk from Annika's perspective.

Make Up Break Up had such potential. The cover is simple, yet eye-catching. The synopsis promised an intriguing and unique hate to love romance, but the story itself completely fell through for me.

Annika herself was much too annoying and self-centered and immature. Frankly, I couldn't stand her. She was so focused on Hudson's "flaws" and acting bitter and petty that she didn't take the time or make the effort to look at herself and her actions, let alone try to understand Hudson.

Her perspective was very draining. I was hoping for Hudson's POV, as I tend to enjoy books with multiple viewpoints more than just one. Based on Annika's perspective, I didn't get much of a feel for who Hudson was beyond an extremely fit and attractive man (which got to be tedious).

Furthermore, I sensed zero chemistry or connection between the two. Pretty much all of their interactions felt forced, sexual or not.

In summary, this book was just not for me.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

What's crazy is that when I first tried to read this book, I was struggling to get through the first chapter and thought for sure I wasn't going to enjoy it much. But then I got passed that first chapter and my god, this book was so good!

There is just something about Lily's writing style that I love so much! I've read her YA books (written under a different pen name) and it's the one thing I always remember. That she has a way of making you feel so invested in her characters and their story in a way that a lot of author's struggle with. I was rooting for Annika from the very beginning and I just found her character to be so relatable and human. She's just trying so hard to make her dreams come true and it feels like life is constantly throwing her curveballs. That's relatable in itself because life never makes things easy and if you want something, sometimes it feels like you're trying even when the universe is telling you the answer is no.

I really loved the romance between Annika and Hudson! They have such great second chance/rivals to lovers vibes and this book really builds the sexual tension between them. Hudson is so soft, by the way! I mean he definitely has some alpha male vibes and is so sexy in this obvious way but also this quiet way that somehow makes him like 10x more attractive in my opinion. But also, it's obvious to the readers from almost the beginning that he is soft as hell for the heroine and she is just so oblivious to his feelings and it's the *best*.

I think my one complaint about this book is that I feel like the romance could've used more development. I feel like we spend so much of this book just waiting for them to *finally* admit their feelings and then when they do, the book just...ends. I wish we got to see them together as a real couple, more chapters of them in that domestic bliss stage. But instead, we never really get that. We don't even get an epilogue though I guess in some ways, you could say we do if you look at a certain hint but I wanted it explicitly said, like, with an epilogue.

Overall though, this book was too perfect for me to give it anything less than 5 stars. It made me stay up way passed my bedtime, telling myself "just one more chapter" for hours and I honestly cannot say that another book has made me feel that way in months. Read this book if you're looking for a book that gives you all the things I state above but also, this book gave me some "The Hating Game" vibes so if you liked that book, definitely check this book out!

Hopeless romantic Annika Dev has a passion to help the world reconnect with old loves. She's intensely committed to her app Make Up, which she believes will do just that. Love cynic, Rival app developer and one-time hook-up Hudson Craft is doing the exact opposite Break Up offers quick impersonal break-ups for a small fee. Which would be fine, if he hadn't just moved into the office space down the hall reminding her of their week in Vegas. Now Annika's trying to figure out what she saw in his personality while trying to keep her struggling business afloat.

I enjoyed this book so much, it's a really good, second chance, enemies to lovers, and oh the slow burn. I loved the characters, I wanted so badly to hate Hudson but I couldn't, he was charming, yet a little cryptic. Annika was relatable and altruistic, they have great banter and the tension was so delicious, so well built. Another thing I loved is that it's minority women in tech, which I think we can all agree are underrepresented. For the most part, it's a light fluffy fun read (I honestly mean that as the biggest compliment) that left my heart feeling happy. Definitely recommend, and also keeping my eye out to see if Ziggy and June get a book *crosses fingers*

I was provided with an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

As a loooongtime fan of Menon's works - and a member of her Swoon Squad - I was STOKED to see her debut into the adult romance genre. This book did NOT disappoint. In true Menon fashion, I loved the characters from the moment they stepped on the page, and was sucked into the story. I love that her characters are always VERY real, and that their trials and tribulations feel realistic and not overly dramatic like many romance authors fall victim to. Annika was a delight, and I loved how driven and kind she was. Hudson is totally swoon-worthy and a cinnamon roll to boot. I devoured this book in a single sitting, and it will definitely be going on the reread shelf for sure! Now just give me a June spinoff and I will be pleased as punch!

Solidly okay. Trod no new ground, but Menon is an enagaging writer. My biggest critique is it felt immature in most of the interactions between the love interests. It truly shone when we were in Annika's head, though.

I was so so very excited for this book based on the author’s YA titles (Dimple and Sweetie are two characters I wish I could know in real life). Make Up Break Up was cute, as expected, but it didn’t have the can’t put down appeal I also expected. Annika felt more like a complainer than a solver. Hudson was swoon worthy but kinda gave in to everything Annika wanted and thought. It would make a cute movie! This will not be the last thing I head by Ms. Menon, adult or YA. Thank you for allowing me to read it early. My expectations might have been really high and not perfectly met but I was so looking forward to this book. I want it to do well!

Annika is the CEO of Make Up, an app in development which would help struggling couples stay together. Hudson is the CEO of Break Up, the Uber Eats of break up deliveries. Annika is convinced that Hudson stole her idea after their one night stand in Vegas the summer before, and she'll stop at nothing to take him down.

This was a pretty standard enemies to lovers story with a really rushed resolution. I liked Annika's friendship with June and the relationship with her father, but I really didn't like Annika and Hudson together. It's ironic that Annika struggles with communication so much as she is trying to bring an app into the world that would bridge the communication gap.

Also, I felt like Hudson got the raw end of the deal in the end. Annika got everything and he literally got nothing but her. It just felt unfair and one sided. Annika was so demanding and narrow minded.

A cute new enemies-to-lovers Rom-Com from YA romance writer, Sandhya Menon!

As two rival app developers clash again and again—and again—in this contemporary romance, optimist Annika Dev finds herself drawn into enemy Hudson Craft’s fast-paced, high velocity, utterly shallow world. Only, from up close, he doesn’t seem all that shallow. Could it be that everything she thought about Hudson is completely wrong?

This was a cute, quick read! Because it was kinda short, there's not much to say. With the third POV, I did find it hard to connect with the characters and the overall story. There wasn’t a lot of depth, and I found the main character wanting. Her inner dialogue just didn’t seem very real, and I wished we learn more about the history behind the two lovebirds 😂 I will say her friendship with June was endearing. If you’ve never read adult romance, and are looking for a great transition from YA romance to adult romance - or perhaps generally enjoy the lower half of YA - this could be a good starter book for you!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC copy of this book! You can check out this review on my Goodreads.

This was a cute rom-com based around an app and app developers. I realized I don't love books that are about rivals starting to love each other which is basically what this is. That storyline always seems so immature and unrealistic to me. That said, the dialogue was snappy and the characters were cute--it just read like YA to me.