1.5⭐️ 1🌶

Big thanks to Grand Central Publishing, Meredith Schorr and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

Honestly, IDK why I even finished this book. I had to FORCE myself through this one. It was just not for me... and I should of known better than to see an author that Helena Hunting gave her vote of approval to considering I HATED A Love Catastrope.

CRINGE. CRINGE. CRINGE. That's all I have to say about this one. Both the MCs are annoying as fuck with their childish pranks and the whole doppelganger plot point was super cheesy and unrealistic (shoot me for saying a romance is unrealistic but IDC because this one was off the charts STUPID). I felt this should have been a high school-level romance instead with all the teenage-level shit going on.

1.5-stars rounded up and that is being GENEROUS. Between the cringy dialogue, awful characters, the doppelgangers, that AWFUL poem (iykyk), and that epilogue - I will never get my time back from actually finishing this book.


*Pulls up Kindle notes to prove point*

SPOILERS BELOW - Read at your own risk!




"Cover your stump before you hump." "No glove, no love!"
WHO SAYS THIS??? WHO SAYS THIS? I can't. Should have just quit here...

"I bucked against his hand. 'Jude Star is making me come!'"
WHO YELLS THIS DURING SEX?!!!!! If I was him I would have gotten up, left and NEVER returned.

"I pulled him to me. 'I want you closer.' He reached under the pillow and flashed a wrapped condom. 'Abracadabra!' I snorted. 'And we didn't even need to leave a tooth.'"
Honestly they fucking deserve each other with this lame dialogue. If a man said Abracadabra to me when we were about to get it on I would have left him right then. DIVORCE, DUMPED, LEFT IN A HOTEL TO FEND FOR HIMSELF.

After not finishing AS SEEN ON TV, I was concerned about this one. I have loved pervious work from this author, but it seems the style has changed a bit with the switch to main stream publishing. I found Molly to be obnoxious with her planning and timelines, and her pranks with Jude were very immature. I didn't believe they would truly end up together, and it felt forced.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

2.5 stars- The premise of this book was interesting and it started off well, but I just couldn’t get connected to the characters, especially Jude. There wasn’t much of them together (before getting together) where it showed them starting to like each other- especially on his end. They got together, then it didn’t have much of them falling in love. Even though the book is told from her point of view, the reader should still see hints that he’s falling for her as well in order for it to draw you in and build that tension. It just wasn’t there. He just wasn’t even that likable until close to the end. He just acted like a child. But for some reason (not well explained to the reader) she finds him amazing.
The writing overall was fine, but there were times when the dialogue was cheesy or unrealistic. It really took me out of the story. Also, although I’m sure it was at least partly intentional, the scene with her reading the “poem” she wrote was way too cringey. You get the impression it’s supposed to be a little cringey, but it went beyond that to just silly. That entire part of the book, she just ends up coming across as unhinged.
I liked this book enough to finish it, but not enough to recommend it or to read anything else by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley for access to this eArc for my honest opinion!

This was such a FUN read!
In a classic tale of enemies to lovers, Jude and Molly grew up together, beginning as childhood friends whose families live next door to one another. Suddenly turned rivals, the two face off through years of pranks and one-upping each other, until their siblings assign them to work together on finding a venue for their parents combined anniversary party.
This was my first time reading anything by Meredith Schorr and I can’t wait to pick up more! I loved the characters and Molly’s story navigating her career changes! “Even more satisfying than creating the perfect plan was changing it to create the perfect life.”
If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers and opposites attract, this is the read for you!

I loved many aspects of this book and was hooked for the first three-quarters, though the ending lost me a little. The premise and Jewish representation were fantastic, but the conflict at the end felt one-sided without a dual-POV. Molly’s actions lacked maturity, and I wanted more perspective from Jude. Despite this, the book’s characters and writing style were enjoyable.

The story revolves around childhood enemies planning their parents’ anniversary party, which leads to hijinks and banter. While some pranks felt childish, I still found the book overall good, especially the forced proximity sparking something between the characters. The enemies-to-lovers theme was engaging, and I appreciated the clever and organic progression of their relationship, even if the pranks were sometimes excessive.

In the end, the book’s story and the characters’ underlying feelings made it an enjoyable read for fans of enemies-to-lovers themes.

This is a very sweet childhood frenemies to lovers. We all make mistakes in life and very few of us get to make peace to help find your HEA. Molly and Jude find know their best and their worst, when they finally accept their love from each other it is the sweetest reward

Thank you Netgally and Forever Publishing for the arc! Molly and Jude are childhood friends to enemies who get forced together to plan a wedding anniversary party for their parents who have been friends for years. Slowly they begin to realize that they are dating different versions of the other unknowingly and they slowly begin to realize maybe they don’t hate the other as much as they thought… the enemies to lovers, banter, and side characters all made this book! I didn’t love the end conflict but overall, I definitely recommend!

What I liked:
-The premise is unique - the two MCs, Molly and Jude, grew up across the street from each other and were best friends until age 6, when they started a prank war that continued to escalate throughout high school and never resolved. In the story, they’re thrown together to plan a joint anniversary party for their parents, who are still neighbors and best friends
-NYC plays a big role in the story and the author does a fantastic job of bringing the reader right onto the streets of New York.

What didn’t work for me:
-I didn’t buy the HEA (cringe). Molly and Jude have been enemies forever, and even after getting to know each other more, realize they aren’t compatible. Nevertheless, they decide “love is enough” and ride off into the sunset. Like, no it’s not. These two are going to be divorced in a few years. This is hard to get past in a romance novel...

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and the author for the gifted copy.

I liked the enemies to lovers storyline but the characters seemed a little childish to me. Molly’s confession of love scene was a little cringy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

There were so many things I loved about this book and it had me hooked through the first three quarters, but it lost me a little at the end.

I loved the premise, and it had fantastic Jewish representation (even if Molly's bagel order is atrocious). I loved the tension between Molly and Jude and seeing how their feelings for each other developed. However, I think that the book would have benefitting from being dual-POV.

In the conflict at the end, I think Molly was far more in the wrong than Jude, several times over. Her actions didn't show much maturity, and I wish we saw his perspective of it (especially since he was the one who ended up apologizing in the end?) While Molly's friends and loved ones were somewhat honest with her about her actions, I wish they were more straightforward with her about where she went wrong. Given the back and forth, I wasn't totally convinced by the reconciliation in the end, even if I really wanted to be.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I loved Meredith's book As Seen on TV and when I saw this book was coming out I was very excited. I really enjoy her writing style and the characters in her books. They're well developed and fun to read.

This book's premise is two childhood enemies that have to work together to plan their parents' anniversary party. As kids they always pushed each other's buttons through pranks, but one day they went too far and they stopped talking. Their personalities are complete opposites, Jude thinks Molly is uptight and Molly thinks Jude is a slacker. Turn the clock a few years and they have to work together to throw a party for their parents.

I liked the hijinks that ensued and the banter when they were older, but I didn't love all the pranks that occurred. Some were a bit outlandish and made the MCs seem childish. While I liked As Seen on TV more, I still think the totality of the book was good and I look forward to Meredith's next book.

Someone Just Like You by Meredith Schorr
Contemporary romance. Enemies to lovers.
Once toddler buddies, Jude and Molly have been enemies from childhood. Because their parents have been lifetime friends, Jude and Molly defaulted into a relationship of pranks and public arguments. Forced together by siblings to collaborate on planning a party for their parents, after a series of pranks and misdirection, they settle into a tentative agreement which takes them from careful friends to feverish lovers. Is a future for them in the cards or will old habits come back to have them go separate directions?

People enjoy pranks. They do entire television series with them. So others may enjoy reading the games in the first half of this book. It just wasn’t for me. And more than one on-again, off-again scenario makes me not want to invest emotions on the couple.
Stupid and childish pranks from childhood into adulthood. And secrets kept. And then more arguing. After the first few chapters of the one-upmanship, I skimmed the story until Jude and Molly entered the second phase of the their new relationship where they can’t keep their hands off each other. By their fighting and jabs continue. Not what I want in escapism romance.
There is a happy ending and an epilogue that shows it lasts.
2.5

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Childhood friends to lovers is great, it’s also my favourite. But you know what hits different? Childhood ENEMIES to lovers. It’s fun learning how they tortured each other and they’re each others’ bane of existence. I definitely like this book better than Meredith Schorr’s “As Seen on TV.” I enjoyed reading this. It thankfully put me out of my reading slump. Jude and Molly were actually best friends since birth. Until one day early into their childhood, maybe around 7 years old, Jude started his infamous pranks on Molly. What did Molly do? She of course retaliated. Although confused on why she and Jude weren’t best friends anymore, she couldn’t let Jude win. Their rivalry went on for years even well into their adulthood. But when one of them started dating, their respective partners somehow reminded them of the other. I love this doppelgänger subplot. Shows just how ridiculous Jude and Molly are. I loved this book.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

POV: Single (FMC)
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

I really enjoyed this author’s debut novel so I’ve been looking forward to this one! I appreciated that it included her brand of humor with Jewish rep and the premise was interesting in that Molly or Jude were dating versions of each other even though they’ve been enemies almost their entire lives. Even better that it was inspired by a Friends episode!

Although I wasn’t a huge fan of the pranks these two play on each other, I really did think they were cute together once they figured everything out. My only issue is that by the end of the book, due to a couple of arguments/break ups, I wasn’t even sure if I should be rooting for them anymore. It’s not often I’m left wondering if the main couple should even be together, and even though you can rest easy knowing there is a HEA, it just didn’t feel as good for me as it normally would!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥🔥

The childhood connection between Molly Blum and Jude Stark was solely based on pranks. It should come as no surprise to their families that after years of not seeing each other as a result of a prank gone wrong, they resume their mode of operation. Even in the midst of planning a party for their families, their hijinks still rule their interactions.

The forced proximity sparks something between them, and soon, long-kept secrets start to emerge. Can these two see through the hijinks to see what is happening between them?

Enemies-to-lovers is my jam, and this fits the bill. Yes, the pranks can get old, but try to persevere through them to get to the meat of the story. Because the story? It is clever. Schorr drops hints of Molly and Jude's underlying feelings for each other, and the progression of their relationship is so organic and fun. Intentional or not, I quite enjoyed the doppelgangers -- it had me thinking Ross/Russ from Friends.

The spice in this read is mild with a few open-door scenes. This is a fun standalone to get you through an afternoon or two of relaxing.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Meredith Schorr, Forever, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **

This is an extremely delightful enemies-to-lovers story. Molly and Jude have known each other their whole lives and hated each other for most of that time. When they are thrown together in preparation for their parents' joint anniversary, suddenly their whole dynamic begins to change and it becomes clear that there is more to their relationship than they have always thought. Perhaps, that explains why they have always been attracted to doppelgangers of each other.

This is a very well-developed story. The characters' long history with each other makes it so much richer. It makes it more believable and realistic than a typical enemies-to-lover story in which the couple just meets and instantly hates each other.

Sometimes the characters in romance novels especially the men are just too perfect, and they don't seem real. However, that is not the case here, both the main characters are definitely flawed. That only serves to make them more relatable and likable, especially in their attempts to overcome their flaws.

There is quite a lot of humor in the book as well. That only adds to the fun of it all. On the whole, it is quite a charming and endearing story that will definitely make you smile.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬💭:
I really enjoyed As Seen On TV by the author last year and actually thought this was a follow up to that. Apparently it wasn’t lol, but I was just as interested all the same because of the cutest color combo on the cover! Thank you so much Forever Publishing for my gifted copy.

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛📝:
Jude and Molly’s parents were neighbors and best friends. Growing up together, they began a long history of rivalry. A decade later, they are still each other’s bane of existence. When their siblings give them the task of throwing a co-anniversary party for their parents, they soon find out that they had more in common than they thought.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This was a cute enemies to lovers book. I was a bit detached at first with Jude, but he eventually grew on me. From an immature man child, he suddenly softened and melted my heart. Midway through, i got more into it and captured my attention with its plot. If you’re looking for an enemies to lovers/ childhood nemesis trope, look no further. This one is for you!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘱, 𝘕𝘠𝘊, 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺

Cute read. I love a great enemies to lovers, especially when it's a relationship since childhood. Some of their relationship was a little childish at times. Still a good read.

*Thank you @readforeverpub for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Review not posted to Amazon/Goodreads because less than 4 stars or DNF.*

This Childhood rivals to lovers book is adorable. Though i could do without all of the childish hijinks, it felt a little forced. It was a fun quick summer read. Thank you. netgalley for the eArc

Someone Just Like You released last week and the writing is just so good! There’s witty banter (which I love), and Jewish representation (bring it!). If you love enemies to lovers with some pranks then this is the book for you.
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Where it didn’t work for me - was the adage that if a male is mean to you, it means he likes you. It is such an antiquated adage and a toxic one at that. Additionally, I really didn’t like that he would set up a prank knowing it would put her by herself, at night, in the city…it just rubbed me wrong
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Overall, I think enemy-lovers fans will be happy with this one. Thank you to Forever Books and Netgalley for the ARC.