I've always loved Sandhya's YA books so I was so excited for her to be coming out with an adult romance. All of the heart and love that is present in her previous books is here in Make Up Break Up! Loved all of it and can't wait to read more of Lily Menon!!!

Annika and Hudson are both app developers. They first met at a tech conference several months ago and apparently really hit it off (aka fling in Las Vegas). Fast forward several months, and Hudson has a wildly successful app and Annika is still in development with hers. Annika's app is all about helping people Make Up and Hudson's app is all about helping people Break Up. This is not the app that Hudson was planning when they were in Vegas, and Annika believes that he stole parts of her idea.

Hudson has just moved his company in next door to Annika's and they are both competing for a huge investment pitch contest. Annika desperately needs funds to keep her business afloat. She couldn't be more annoyed to discover one, that Hudson's moved in, and two, that she still feels sparks for him.

I loved Annika's best friend, who is also her programmer. Annika also has a close relationship with her father, though there is some tension there. I would have liked to have known more about the two apps and what they were supposed to do. I found parts of the book and especially the ending to be a bit rushed/unrealistic which impacted my overall impression of the book. It was a quick read for a Sunday afternoon.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

If you want angst to almost lovers type of thing this book is for you. But just know that 95% of the book will be that.

Annika's idea for an app sounds amazing, while also being extremely invasive of privacy at the same time, and Hudson's idea is literally every player's dream app. Both very different ideas and one is already up and running and the other isn't so Annika being upset just didn't really make sense because, in the end, they would be very different in what they did.
Overall this book was okay. I kept finding myself getting annoyed with Annika and Hudson both. Just so much miscommunication and unnecessary hurt feelings because they couldn't just sit down and let the other explain things. Both were just constantly running from it all.

The ending of this annoyed me because of how rushed it felt for me personally. I know other people will like it because of how it ended but it just wasn't something I enjoyed after all the drama we had had before.

The premise of Make Up Break Up sounded like a fun romantic comedy, and while it was a quick read, it missed the mark for me. I loved how passionate Annika Dev is about her app, Make Up, and her friendship with June, who is also Make Up's developer. They were such a supportive and hardworking team! The relationship between Annika and her father was very sweet, too. However, when it came to Hudson Craft, Annika became harsh and hotheaded. Rivals-to-lovers is a trope I love, but I was disappointed to see Annika repeatedly cling to her beliefs that Hudson was a terrible person and treat him poorly. I also felt there was a missed opportunity to explain more about the Break Up app. Why was it so successful and why did its team believe in it so much? It just seemed too obvious for it to be such an awful app compared to how hopeful and helpful the Make Up was. Overall, Make Up Break Up was a promising romantic comedy debut from Lily Menon and I'd read more from her.

This book was fine. There was nothing spectacular and I felt that the characters lacked personality and chemistry. I didn't find myself rooting for them at all, in their relationship or business. Really I just wanted to see more of June and Ziggy.  ⭐⭐💫 I would pass on this.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my advance copy of Make Up Break Up in exchange for an honest review.

I had really high hopes for this book. Enemies-to-Lovers is my favorite trope and the synopsis sounded so cute. Unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations. I found Annika to be very unlikeable and frustrating, She was a younger (early 20s) MC, but I felt like she was written to be very immature. She was obsessed and so negative. I just wanted to take her by the shoulders and tell her to 'get over it, already, and grow up'! And I was so confused about her priorities and time management. I just had so many questions while reading this one!

However, the book had a saving grace... Hudson! Hudson has some major book boyfriend potential. He was thoughtful and sensitive and just dreamy!

The steamier love scenes also felt odd, maybe a little unnatural and akward? I am glad that she tackled them in the book, but the delivery was just not what I had hoped for.

This is a fun own voices romance read that is part enemies to romance, part second chance romance. This story is about Annika and Hudson, both with competing apps, one is the 'Uber for break-ups' and the other is the 'Google Translate for failing relationships'.

I would have loved to see more glimpses into their Vegas fling that was mentioned so much and what was the catalyst for their relationship and interactions. There were several references but I would have liked maybe some flashback chapters woven in.

I loved Annika's relationship with her dad and what an influence her parent's relationship had on her. Annika was both so driven and so determined that this app would be successful that she also refused the help of others, which is both admirable, but also, I think there could have been something else worked out to stay afloat.

Thank you so much for my advanced copy @smpromance!!

Make Up Break Up was a slightly disappointing read for me. I was absolutely thrilled by the premise. Two apps trying to do opposite things and their developers falling in love? Sign me up. However, what I felt was the biggest problem was our main character and the romance.

In Make Up Break Up, we follow Annika (the CEO of Make Up) and Hudson (the CEO of Break Up). Annika and Hudson met a tech conference a few years ago and had an amazing week getting to know each other. However, shortly after the tech conference, Annika finds out that Hudson is starting his own app company based off the same app idea she'd pitched to him earlier. This starts a feud between the two of them, which is made even worse when he not only moves into the same building as her but also enters the same competition.

I love the idea of an all female app business where both women are the developers and the CEO. They dynamic between Anika and June was priceless and genuine. June was quirky and fun while Annika was anxious and headstrong. But what I loved the most was we got to see June actually code and debug. This wasn't a story that implied these females were coders, but actually showed us they were their own developers and businesswomen.

The beginning of the book was also incredibly strong for me. Meeting Annika and her team, hearing about her app, learning about the dynamic and tension between her and her father, and meeting Hudson was all amazing. However, it began to go downhill when it became painfully obvious that this was a one-sided enemies to lovers romance, meaning Hudson was clearly in love with Annika and did not view her as the enemy, while Annika was holding onto the grudge. Annika became incredibly selfish, self-centered, and vindictive on trying to not only convince herself but also the people around her that Hudson was a terrible person, when all signs pointed to him being otherwise. Many times they would get extremely close to revealing why she was mad at him and why Hudson started Break Up, but then something would prevent them from talking about. This irritates me because I think tension could have been created without the miscommunication trope. When they finally got together, instead of the slow burn buildup I have come to love from enemies to lovers, it instead felt anti-climatic.

I do believe that many people will still enjoy this book. Hudson is an extremely sweet and loveable character. June is such a great side character and her dialogue and dynamics with Annika kept this book going for me. And I believe that people who are not as picky about their enemies to lovers romance, will still find this enjoyable. Overall, this wasn't a terrible book, but it wasn't my favorite romance book I've read.

2/5 stars

I had high hopes for this story with it being enemies to lovers and having a main STEM female character, but I couldn't get into it for several factors. The chemistry was there between Annika and Hudson, but Annika's actions and thoughts were rude, downright mean and made her character unlikable. I'm normally a lover of enemies to lovers, but this felt more like Hudson should have run for the hills! Even with only Annika's point of view, it was guessable that what tore the two characters apart post Vegas was all miscommunication. It left me annoyed that no one was being an adult and using their words for something other than bashing each other. Another issue was character believability with the female coder. This issue I know is mostly my opinion and a picky take on a STEM character, but the female coder ran around the office in high fashion and heels. It's not normally something one wears with 12 to 15 hour work days which that profession has regularly. I would've believed it more if she had comfy shoes under the desk. Unfortunately, with all of these issues, I wasn't able to finish.

*Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was hysterical! A summer read for all seasons. So what happens when your one week fling that you were never supposed to see again not only moves into the office next door, but has stolen the idea for your app, turned it on its head to become much more successful than yours so he can enter enters the Pitch Fest and win a huge cash prize and is everywhere you are, but who is the antithesis of everything you believe in? Hilarity, pranks, torturing each other that’s what. If you’re in need of fun read that will make your cheeks hurt from laughing this is the book for you. Annika believes in true love, soul mates and that it takes some work to make a relationship successful. Hudson appears to be a “hit it and quit it” and get out without leaving a trace kind that you were even there kind of guy. Seemingly heartless, calculated, and only interested in new shiny expensive shallow things and people. Is that really who he is? Annika starts to question her beliefs when starts to get to know him. What is real and who is Hudson really? Can they find a way to work it out together?? I’m not telling because I don’t want to ruin your read. It’s an enjoyable entertaining read well worth your time that all leads up to a riotous and very sweet HEA.

Thank you so much @StMartinsPress & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 02 February 2021)

SYNOPSIS | Annika Dev is the founder of the dating app Make Up which aims to provide people with a second chance at happiness by offering advice on how to improve your communication within a relationship. Hudson Craft is the founder of Break Up which aims to do the exact opposite by impartially ending relationships that aren't going anywhere. Their philosophies on dating are very different (yet they still hooked up last year) & they are both seeking investment to launch their apps to the next level.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the sexual chemistry & steamy scenes were enjoyable
- loved the representation of a woman in a STEM career

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- Annika had so few redeeming qualities that I just didn't find myself rooting for her
- the entire premise of this enemies-to-lovers story is based on miscommunication aka one of my most hated romance tropes
- there was no male POV... just monotonous & over the top hatred from Annika
- another romance featuring a teacup sized woman & a giant of a man who blocks out the sun *rolls eyes*

I have loved Sandhya Menon’s YA contemporary romance novels, so I was curious how she would make the transition to adult contemporary romance under the pen name Lily Menon. With Make Up Break Up, Menon has a winner on her hands. Put two passionate individuals intent on their startups on opposite sides of conquering the romance market and sparks are sure to erupt.

Menon does what not many authors are able to do: Show you the non-POV in their full complexity through the eyes of the POV character, and also, through the author conveying it directly to the reader without getting into an omniscient POV. Thus, through body language and reactions, words and actions, you understand Hudson through Annika’s lens and through your own perceptions. At times, the reader is one step ahead of Annika in deciphering Hudson; at other times, the reader is a step behind Annika because the reader is not privy to what happened in Vegas between those two. This is marvelous storytelling, by turns revealing, by turn obscuring.

Full Review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-make-up-break-up-by-lily-menon/

Make Up Break Up by Lily Menon was a perfect read for February. Annika and Hudson meet in Vegas and spent a fabulous week together, but that was it. There was nothing after that, and they both went their own ways, even though they both had strong feelings for each other. Past forward to later in the year and Hudson moves his app business into the same building as Annika. Their apps are competing against each other and it is very obvious that there is more to the Vegas story.

If you are looking for a romance book with a little more depth than this one is for you.

I struggled a bit with this book. I enjoyed the tropes of "enemies to lovers" and business competitors. I did like the hero Hudson. It was obvious that he was invested in his relationship with Annika and has good intentions. Annika however fell flat for me. She was judgemental and bratty and many of her actions drove the plot down instead of bringing it all together. I really wanted to love this book especially with a woman CEO in STEM but it wasn't my favorite.

Enemies to lovers in the world of dating apps. Annika Dev believes in true love and wants to help people find a match just like her parents' and she plans to do that through her own company, Make Up. Unforunately her greatest enemy, Hudson Craft, has decided to move in next door. Hudson is the handsome and rich create of his own app, Break Up, that goes against everything Annika stands for. As a fan of enemies to lovers I was rooting for Annika and Hudson from the start. When we meet Annika she has foregone a career in medicine like her father wants in order to form this company and her drive and passion for it really comes through in the novel as well as her desire to help other women in STEM and in tech. Hudson is also handsome and sexy and set up to be a great male lead.

I really wanted to like this book more. However, at some points it felt like Annika was sabotaging herself and her career because of her animosity towards Hudson which felt very weak. We are told he has stolen her idea for his app however the two technologies have no resemblance to each other and his app is already a success while her's isn't even working or in the beta stage. Annika needs funding or they are going to be evicted from the building. This is a huge part of the conflict of the novel however at two points in the book she is offered the funding and turns it down. It was really hard to read Annika's attempts at "sabotage" against Hudson and then the final act of the book involves a few seemingly random turns that gave me whiplash. This book has a ton of potential and if you want a fun light romance along the lines of "enemies to lovers" then you will enjoy.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

Picked this up as soon as I saw one of my favorite modern YA authors had ventured into adult romance - and the set up was ideal: young professional, chasing a dream, smart tech-saavy #GirlBoss who isn't going to let some attractive rival push her off course! All ingredients I knew I'd enjoy from a genre that isn't usually my go-to. Overall, I enjoyed the distraction the story provides, the competitive vibe between the characters, and the tension, but part of this fell flat for me. While I can suspend reality for a good plot and problem I want to see through, some of situations Annika found herself in and the goals she had for the app were beyond realistic, and both June (her bestie) and Hudson (the rival) lacked dimension. Still, I wouldn't shy away from recommending to romance readers, or those ready to graduate from Young Adult.

Make Up Break Up signals Menon’s foray into the adult rom-com space, and I am here for it. I love all of her YA books (When Dimple Met Rishi, etc.), so I am not surprised I enjoyed this one,

Perfect for fans of The Hating Game, this enemies-to-lovers tale takes on the tech space with dating apps but doesn’t shy away from discussing the challenges of sexism and racism in the industry. It’s an #ownvoices romance that’s a perfect antidote for the weariness of the past year.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Menon, and the publisher for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This book, just like the other things I have read by Menon, has the potential to be something I love. But something about her writing keeps me at an arms length even in adult form.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The banter between Annika and Hudson was great and I loved the rival app concept it was so fun and something I’m yet to see in a rom com. I thought Annika was a great heroine who knew what she wanted and followed her dream no matter what. Hudson was a sweet hero and I loved his progression through the book. Overall a fun romcom maybe could’ve used a few more laugh out loud moments but I liked it anyways.

This is Sandhya Menon's first adult romance about Annika, the developer of upcoming relationship app Make Up, who clashes with rival app developer Hudson Craft when he moves into the office next door. Things wouldn't be so bad if their apps didn't serve completely opposite purposes and if they hadn't had a summer fling in Vegas...

I buddy read this with Kirsty and the writing was so addictive that I kept accidentally racing ahead. The romance was fun but both the main characters were very frustrating at times. For two adults, who are CEOs of their own apps, their actions were childish and the way they tried to sabotage each other made them seem unprofessional.

I liked some of the romantic scenes (especially the fountain scene) and I really appreciated the fact that Annika and her father communicate so much with each other. They always let each other know how they're feeling, even if they don't always agree with one another.

But some parts of the story felt a little unrealistic to me (Annika and June both own really expensive cars despite only being 24 and Hudson is a millionaire when his app only launched a few months ago?), which pulled me out of the story at times. There's also a lot of miscommunication between Annika and Hudson that I didn't enjoy, but that's just my personal preference.

This was a fun, fast read, but I would have liked the characters to act more professionally and I needed a little more realism at times.