Member Reviews
Childhood enemies, Jude & Molly, are forced to work together to help plan a surprise party for both sets of parents. As their pranks from earlier years begin to resurface, they can no longer fight the developing tension. Cherry on top? They've been dating look a likes of each other their entire lives.
OKAY. I was way into this during the early stages. I was having fun reading their pranks and guessing what was going to happen. Unfortunately I soon came to realize that those alone were not going to be able to hold this one together. And because I was having fun in the beginning, the let down was that much bigger. I found both MC to be unrelatable. There was nearly three-four separate books worth of plot lines going on and none of them felt complete. I'll refrain from mentioning some other let downs due to spoilers. BUT one last one is the phrasing of "bone/boning", "bang/banging", and "wood" being used. When you throw in some minor spice and then add wording like that, I feel like I'm reading about teenagers and I just can't... lol
I really wanted to like this one :(
Hopefully others do!
Molly and Jude grew up as neighbors, and started a fierce rivalry in high school that continues to this day, when they’re both in their 20s and living in NYC. Their parents are still best friends, so Molly and Jude have to help with planning a surprise co-wedding anniversary celebration for their parents. Unfortunately, they childishly approach the planning with mean-spirited pranks and fights, making fools of themselves as they are forced to work together. In a weird plot twist, they both date each other’s doppelgangers before wondering if they ought to be dating each other. Although it’s a fun twist on enemies to lovers, I found myself really annoyed by Molly and Jude’s antics, which felt more like that of teenagers than adults. It was a fun and light read, but I just didn’t love the main characters the way I wanted to.
Someone Just Like You is a childhood enemies to lovers novel about Molly and Jude. Molly and Jude grew up across the street from each other, their families were best friends. As they spent more time together as kids, they started doing pranks and jokes to each other. They are reunited to plan a co-anniversary party for both sets of parents. What happens next is a series of pranks, and some realizations about the people they have been dating over the years. A reluctant friendship develops, that leads to more and suddenly both are wondering if the other is as horrible as they originally thought.
These two really hated each other. Some of their "pranks" were downright mean. I thought that in their late 20s they would have matured a bit and found them repetitive at times. Once they stopped pranking though I really enjoyed the story. I liked the exploration of Molly's desire to plan and make everything perfect and what that stems from, as well as how two people like Molly and Jude, so much opposites, could possibly work together.
I did appreciate the Jewish representation, as this is not something that is often shown in books. I also liked the two sibling sets and how they related to each other. I also liked both Molly and Jude (aside form the pranking). They are both struggling with wanting more with their lives, but also being weary of what that more is. It was interesting to see where Molly's need to compulsively plan came from and I thought it was a great way to explain it.
Overall, this was a fantastic archenemies to lovers story with great family dynamics and self discovery. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.
CONTENT WARNING: stalking, parental separation, mention of death of a loved one, mention of grief
I’ve been waiting for a second book to come from Meredith Schorr, since I loved her first book so much. Naturally, when I saw that this one was on the horizon, I was thrilled to get approved for it. Plus, with a cover that adorable, the story has to be great, right?
I liked Molly’s character. She’s got a plan for her life, but she struggles a lot when anything throws her off the path she’s laid out for herself. If anything, she’s a bit too strictly wound—but there’s an explanation for this that’s revealed in flashbacks to her past, and it’s reinforced further by an issue when she’s a little older. Once I understood where she was coming from, her need to compulsively plan and stick to a plan for everything in her life was easier to empathize with. However, despite her intentions not to let Jude get to her, she continuously indulges with his juvenile pranks.
The pranks were one of my least favorite aspects of the story. It made the characters feel immature and unable to carry out simple tasks even when they are important to a bunch of people in their lives. It started to frustrate me more and more.
But overall, the story was fantastic, and I loved the sweet and fluffy friends to enemies to lovers romance. It’s got a couple of different types of Jewish representation in it, which I found really cool since everyone practices their particular brand of Judaism differently. And there’s definitely some humorous parts to the story, but I especially loved the way that the siblings interacted. This is very different from Schorr’s last book, but I still enjoyed it all the same.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
2.5 stars
I usually enjoy a hate-to-love trope but not in this case. I didn't feel any chemistry between Molly and Jude. The pranks got so out of hand, it was annoying and distracted me from the narrative. You would think they were still children the way they acted, not both in their late twenties. It came across as bullying. Yogi the dog and Molly's best friend Esther were my favorites. I would not recommend this one.
Pet peeve: the children of your uncle are not your nieces, they are your cousins. I hope the final editing corrects this, which was mentioned several times throughout the book.
Advanced Book Review! Thank you @readforeverpub and @netgalley for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I was so excited to get a hard copy of Someone Just Like You directly from Forever Publisher, which was my first hard copy ARC and I received as a Jewish reviewer priority. This is also why I love bookstagram because it’s here that I discovered Meredith Schorr and I also recently read and liked her previous book, As Seen on TV, which I received as a contest prize. I love the Jewish representation in these two books.
I really enjoyed Someone Just Like You. At first Molly and Jude’s fighting and pranks seemed pretty juvenile, and Molly even observes, “it was as if we stopped trying to outsmart each other, and instead lowered our emotional age by about fifteen years.” However, as the story went on, I started to get more invested in their relationship and ultimately found myself unable to put the book down and staying up late to finish it.
I’ve mentioned before that I really enjoy getting insights into different careers of characters in books and I loved reading about Molly’s career as a recruiter. It’s really interesting that the whole book is written from Molly’s perspective, which makes more sense as you keep reading because Molly is the one hiding a big secret from Jude.
I was amused by the references to some of my favourite TV shows and movies, which I won’t spoil. It makes me feel like I live in the same world as these characters. I also always enjoy when a book is set in New York City.
I definitely look forward to reading Meredith Schorr’s next book.
Favourite quote: “Most people regret what they DON’T do more than what they do.”
There are many aspects of this book I really enjoyed - the charming characters, snarky swordplay. the NYC setting, Jewish MCs - but unfortunately, the execution didn’t come together for me. Molly and Jude’s history of pranking was entertaining, but as they approached their 30s, it felt juvenile. I appreciated how Molly and Jude attempted to connect on common ground rather than making petty jabs, but they too quickly reverted to their old ways.
My main issue was how the story centered around the notion that if someone picks on or is mean to you, then they like, potentially love, you… this is a hard pass for me personally. I don’t like that this makes mean spirited behavior permissible.
Overall, I really liked the cast of characters and the setting, but Molly and Jude’s hot to cold insta-love wasn’t for me.
This was a pretty easy-to-read book but I think that it was not good as the author's previous work which was a book that had captured my attention enough to make me want to read this one. I think that the friends to enemies to lovers trope is an interesting one but maybe something got lost in translation because I just was not as fond of this one was I was the first.
This childhood enemies to lovers romance just didn't land for me. The characters were meant to be in their late twenties, but they seemed stuck in a teenage phase of development. Good supporting cast of characters, but the leads just gave me the ick so bad that I couldn't enjoy this one very much.
I was really looking forward to reading this one, but unfortunately, I was disappointed. Someone Just Like You features a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers and an opposites-attract romance trope. Molly and Jude grew up together, as their families lived right near each other and did almost everything together. Like turned to loathing along the way, prompted by a lot of pranks, some funny and some nasty, and one with dire consequences. Molly and Jude are 27 but they both act much younger (teens?) with all the practical jokes and sniping. I just couldn’t get into them at all.
I appreciated the general Jewish representation, and all the local New York City color, but I briefly considered DNF’ing this one partway through. I’m glad I stuck with it because it definitely got better once the two of them stopped all the pranking nonsense.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Unfortunately this just wasn’t a book I enjoyed. While I’m trash for enemies to lovers, there’s a difference between adults with vendettas and kids playing around. The main characters, Molly and Jude, were essentially kids and I just didn’t enjoy their childish antics.
This was fine. I feel like it's a plot I've read before, but the 90's rom com references made me actually like it more. I read As Seen On TV while I was on vacation (meaning I don't really remember it).
Molly and Jude have known each other forever. Literally. Their parents are friends who all had kids around the same time, so all six kids are raised in some mishmash of a big family. What started as childhood best friends slowly morphed into a two decade long rivalry and prank war. When the kids decide to throw their parents a combined anniversary party, Molly and Jude are somewhat forced to put their prank war aside and work together. Because it's a rom com, chaos ensues, which is actually kind of charming. I was mostly here for the British best friend who has a rescue tabby cat (she says typing with her own rescue tabby cat sleeping on her).
Thanks, NetGalley!
I loved Meredith Schorr's debut and have been eagerly awaiting her next book. Well, the wait was worth it because this book was so much fun! I was hooked when I first learned about the premise and I just fell in love with the story and these characters as I read it. 5 Stars and I can't wait to read Schorr's next book!
My thoughts…
An enemies-to-lovers rom-com is always entertaining to read because the storytelling is driven by transformation, growth, and unexpected love. When two people who have grown up next door to each other become enemies, there is a history that adds depth to their relationship. The familiarity and closeness that come with growing up in the same neighborhood makes the stakes higher and the tension palpable. It all works to create a solid base for an engaging romance, something that readers find in spades in Meredith Schorr’s latest novel Someone Just Like You.
In this storyline, protagonists Molly Blum and Jude Stark grew up next door to each other and participated in a lot of adolescent high jinx during their formative years. Unfortunately, one high school prank went a bit too far and created a long-standing animosity between them. As adults, they hold on to these childhood grudges and are unable to see each other in a different light. This normally wouldn’t be a problem, as their daily lives don’t intersect anymore, but that all changes when they are expected to plan a joint anniversary party for their parents. As they begin to spend more time together, they start to see each other's vulnerabilities and flaws, and their hate slowly transforms into love. Seeing these characters come together as adults is uplighting. As the characters put their antipathy aside and find common ground, they open themselves up to the possibility of redemption and second chances. It allows readers to imagine what it would be like to have a do-over with someone from their past, making for some fun romantic escapism.
This story is cute as heck and has all the features of a classic Hallmark rom-com movie. The “growing up next door to each other” trope adds a layer of nostalgia and familiarity that readers can appreciate. It gives off a sense of comfort and security, as the lead characters have known each other for a long time. There’s a push-pull dynamic between Molly and Jude that’s entertaining to watch too. It works to foster a satisfying resolution for them, which is really a new beginning. It ultimately works to draw readers into the storytelling, providing them with the thrill of an adorable romance they can easily buy into.
Final remarks…
Overall, this enemies-to-lovers rom-com is an entertaining read. Molly and Jude’s romance combines the elements of familiarity, rivalry, and unexpected love. It is a love story of transformation and growth, and it keeps readers invested until the very end.
Strengths…
Cute and adorable
Nicely written
Funny dialogue
Likable characters
After loving AS SEEN ON TV so much, I was so excited and ready to read this one. I really tried to love it, but it wasn’t for me.
I have to admit I didn’t read the synopsis because I never do, so I had no idea pranks were gonna be involved, and those are a big turn off for me. I don’t like pranks at all, no matter how innocent they are, and to be honest, everytime I’ve read a book with them, they’re not innocent at all… like in this one. I just can’t stand adults pranking each other because they actually dislike each other. So, because of this, I couldn’t feel any chemistry between Jude and Molly. They started dating a bit too abruptly and then when the big revelation happened… if I was Jude, I honestly would not be able to forgive Molly at all.
I’m sure enemies to lovers fans will enjoy this book, but I couldn’t get past the pranks.
A perfect tension filled enemies to lovers plot with some good banter, good internal dialogue from the MC (always love that), and some good old "one bed" tropes (forced proximity)... Someone Just Like You has a lot to offer romcom fans and also has a little win for Jewish representation, which I am appreciating in some recent romance reads. I personally loved the long time connection the characters had, it kind of brings in that nostalgia for childhood pranks and secret crushes and mixes it with a lot of fun present day I hate you but I want you tension that of course leads to a really fun progression to lovers.
Yes, trope filled. I am here for it because a good rom com honors tropes but does them well and with a little winking nod to all the things romcom fans love (and it's not a secret love at all).
First off, LOVE this cover! Someone Just Like You follows family friends Molly and Jude as they work with their siblings to plan a joint anniversary party for their parents. Jude and Molly are assigned the task of securing the venue. Except there is one small problem: they hate each other. Previously childhood besties, turned enemies, turned actually hating each other, there's a lot of history here. But things get a little more interesting when the siblings and two of them each keep running into the other with their current partner — who always looks/acts or is suspiciously similar to Jude or Molly. Hmm, do these enemies have a type that is actually each other?
I liked the setting and overall plot for this — I really enjoyed the siblings and their efforts to plan the party, and Molly's best friend Esther. While it started strong and the tension was great, the enemies-to-lovers trope started to drag a bit once they started miscommunicating and flipping back and forth between reconciling and hating each other. There were some small surprises that I enjoyed, though!
Give this one a read if you're in the mood for major enemies-to-lovers, some slow-burn, lots of pranks, and family drama!
The enemies-to-lovers description was what drew me to this title. That and the cute dogs on the cover! Molly and Jude grew up together as neighbors whose families did almost everything together. When they were very young, they had a falling out and became sworn enemies ever since. A prank war began and persists well into their adulthood. The two families of siblings decide to host a joint anniversary party for their parents and appoint Jude and Molly to be the ones to choose the location. They fall back into their old habits of exchanging a few rounds of childish pranks before deciding to work together for the sake of their families. When the day of the party arrives, it is pointed out by multiple people that both Jude and Molly have brought dates that resemble one another. It is mentioned a few other times that both Molly and Jude date Molly/Jude look-alikes.
Other secondary storylines include Molly's weird, micromanager boss who I couldn't figure out if he was focusing on her as a potential romantic partner or if he was just picking on her because he was an ass. This leads Molly to look into other job opportunities with surprising encouragement from Jude.
This story fell a little flat for me. I did not connect well with the main couple and their issues and felt that it took them too long to grow up and get beyond the pranks. Other sections were a bit rushed and I would have liked to have seen more development like with Molly's horrible former client. It think it would have brought more tension to the storyline if she showed back up again at some point to make Molly's life hell once more, but this time Molly is able to stand up for herself rather than quitting her job. I did enjoy Molly's friend and her subsequent secret (not for long) relationship and would have liked to see a bit more of that dynamic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the eARC and opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
Someone Just Like You
3.75 ⭐️
Enemies to lovers and childhood best friends all in one!
Jude and Molly pranked each other all growing up. They’re forced back into each other’s lives as they plan a surprise party for their parents. As they work together they start to see where they may have been pining after each other all along.
I flew through this and it kept me entertained the whole time. These two have a lot of miscommunication but both characters grow throughout the book.
Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC - check this one out when it publishes in July!
I love a good friends-to-enemies to lovers trope, and I really loved the concept behind this book, but the execution kind of missed the mark. The book was well-paced so I got through it pretty easily. The conflict dragged out, and I found Jude and Molly's banter immature and tiring rather than cute. Their relationship also didn't feel as natural as I would have liked. Even though it fell a little flat for me, I did still enjoy it. If you're looking for a light-hearted, fast paced, romance, Someone Just Like You might be for you.