This was an interesting story and a very steamy read.

Perhaps because I was listening while doing work, I think I missed some things. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Riley and Clark develop. They went from “enemies” to lovers. They were both working on the same site with different visions then slowly moved to working together.

I think there were moments that I was surprised by the steaminess and how they moved into intimacy despite disliking each other.

Overall enjoyable and fun. (3.5/3.75)

This is not you mother's Scottish love story. It's contemporary romance with some very nice spice. Those readers with a love for Scottish romance, DEFINATELY add this to your list! So this is also an enemies to lovers trope that is very well done. This is just a good time.

A cursebreaker and a grumpy disgraced archeologist become enemies-with-benefits when they both find themselves working on the same site that is said to be cursed. Riley Rhodes comes from a family of cursebreakers. She wants to make her family's talent a legitimate business and the first step in doing so is working as the new cursebreaker on an infamous Scottish castle. She thought she would be working online until she finds out that the cute guy she went on a date with the night before just happens to be a grumpy archeologist who is trying to get her fired and thinks she's a con artist. Clark Edgeware is fresh off a professional scandal and needs this new dig to help him regain his reputation. Clark wants Riley off his site, especially because he thinks she'll ruin his chance at redeeming his reputation, yet the tension between them is palpable, and the "hate" they feel is only leading to them getting closer. Clark and Riley can't stand to be in the same room, they both believe in different things, yet the more time they spend together the more they're starting to fall for each other. Can Riley break the curse before it's too late and can Clark work out his feelings for his infuriating enemy before the start of a potential relationship is left in ruins. This was a enemies to lovers relationship with a tiny bit of paranormal. It's an overall kind of cozy romance. The story is a bit slow and kind of lacking in excitement or paranormal aspect. It's an okay read if you like slow romances but it just was okay for me. I didn't really feel the chemistry between the two characters, like I can understand a rivals to lovers but they really didn't feel like they had anything that would make this a lasting relationship between them. I wish this worked out better, I really wanted to like this more, but unfortunately it was just kind of lacking.

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

It's never a good sign when it takes me a whole week to finish a book. While I'm giving this ARC 3 stars, let me just state that it was 3, maybe 4 days for me to get beyond the first 10% of the book. The first 30-40 pages are slow and did not capture my attention very quickly. I'm loathe to DNF ARCs (a personal problem, not casting judgment on anyone) or else I would have thrown in the towel.
Once it caught my attention, it was a very fun book, a classic case of the enemies to lovers trope deployed to fairly good success. I do think the pacing was a bit off, the beginning of their relationship is so rocky and filled with each of them trying to manipulate the other and then barely a week or so passes before they're trying to break a curse by having sex and then a day later, professing their love for each other. The sex itself is very VERY steamy (I love a MMC who is a bit repressed and uptight and then turns into a feral dirty talking beast in bed, or on a library table). But I don't know how exactly these two fell in love between all their investigating and manipulating and whatnot. The romance itself felt lacking in that while the actual declarations of love were very romantic, how we got to that point felt rather sparse.

Content notes: parental issues, abandoned by father, professional scandal, brother issues

This book started off so strong. It was funny, and lighthearted while still having excellent enemy/lovers vibes. Then they fell in love, and I literally just skimmed the last 25% of the book. I personally like this author quite a bit, so it was a little sad that this book didn't hit for me like her others

I loved this book! Riley and Clint were a fantastic enemies-lovers duo and the curse breaking mystique just made it impossible to put down. The chemistry was fantastic and heartfelt throughout. The archaeologist and curse breaker falling to break a centuries old curse also born out of love made for a plot that I was surprised and enthralled by throughout. Would highly recommend if you want a fun romp with some really lovely heart to it.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for my e-ARC of Do Your Worst.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
👫🏼 love enemies to lovers
🧿 believe in curses
🏰 want to visit a Scottish castle
🏺 are interested in archeology

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Riley Rhodes finally has the chance to turn her family’s knack for the supernatural into a legitimate business when she’s hired to break the curse on an infamous Scottish castle. Used to working alone in her alienating occupation, she's pleasantly surprised to meet a handsome stranger upon arrival—until he tries to get her fired.

Fresh off a professional scandal, Clark Edgeware can’t allow a self-proclaimed “curse breaker” to threaten his last chance for redemption. After he fails to get Riley kicked off his survey site, he vows to avoid her. Unfortunately for him, she vows to get even.

Riley expects the curse to do her dirty work by driving Clark away, but instead, they keep finding themselves in close proximity. Too close. Turns out, the only thing they do better than fight is fool around. If they’re not careful, by the end of all this, more than the castle will end up in ruins.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was a fun enemies to lovers romcom with a paranormal theme, but unfortunately I did find it a bit slow at times and overall wanted more information and action concerning the curse and archeology aspect than was offered. I enjoyed the spicy scenes, but it was hard to really see the two of them as a couple who shared the same interests, especially since Clark was such a skeptic. If you’re a fan of spice, you’ll definitely like this one, but overall it just wasn’t my favorite.

Pub Date: November 14

This book is so fun! Though it's not really a paranormal romance, it does have paranormal aspects and I loved the grumpy archeologist vs sunshine curse breaker - the banter still has me swooning! It's just such a romp and I can't wait to reread.

I loved the ancient Scottish castle setting and I love a book who doesn't take itself too seriously, and this really scratched that itch for me! Truly had such a fun time and highly highly recommend

Read this for:
- Enemies with Benefits
- Forced Proximity
- banter
- CAT
- SPICE
- We HAVE to have sex to break the curse, obviously

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Do Your Worst is a spicy contemporary romance with paranormal elements featuring the “enemies to lovers” and forced proximity tropes. I would recommend Do Your Worst to fans of books like My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine, The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling, Something Wilder by Christina Lauren, Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, and Witcha Gonna Do? by Avery Flynn. Themes and topics present include language and communication, history and folklore, archeology, family, legacy, lies and deception, reputation, loneliness and isolation, teamwork, appearance versus reality, as well as love and sacrifice.

Overall, I personally didn’t feel that the plot of Do Your Worst was very engaging. Furthermore, I’m not a fan of historical fiction and, even though Do Your Worst is set in the present, there are a lot of historical elements interwoven into the story including the folklore surrounding the ancient curse as well as the history of and the archeological dig at Arden Castle. Additionally, I didn’t really feel connected to the main characters and was frustrated that they almost went out of their way to try to remain in the “enemies” category, despite having obvious shared interests and mutual attraction.

On the plus side, I thought that the mix of archeology and curse breaking in the plot were very unique and that the paranormal or cruse breaking elements created an almost eerie vibe, which perfectly matches the Halloween and autumn season. There was a good amount of slow burn romance and spice throughout Do Your Worst, which is perfect for fans of the “enemies to lovers” trope. I was also a fan of the ending of the book, as I thought it was very fitting, and I enjoyed the investigative or mystery elements that went into Riley’s curse breaking work as well as the humorous moments that arose during Riley and Clark’s prank-like antics.

If you’re looking for a spicy “enemies to lovers” romance with paranormal elements to add to your autumn TBR list, you should definitely check out Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan!

I think this is Danan’s best novel so far! I really rooted for both characters, though I was annoyed with Clark at first, because of how dismissive and belittling he was about Riley’s job. Danan set this up so well though — I truly felt both of their backstories and past familial traumas seamlessly fit their current personalities and fears.

The side characters *seem* like they could possibly have their own book coming? (my guess from the epilogue) Anyway, this was a lot of fun, & my favorite book by Danan.

You’ll find:
-enemies to lovers
-two grumpy love interests
-forced proximity in an abandoned, remote, old castle
-learning about curses
-town history, including a man and woman who left a message of “an end to enemies” to point to how to end the curse that Riley & Clark run into
-stuffy, pessimistic academic/archaeologist/historian Clark Edgeware
-adventurous, shameless, no-time-to-waste cursebreaker Riley Rhodes
-banter that increases already soaring tensions
-unpacking familial bruises
-steam wise: she comes first, edging, dirty talk, sex in public

steam rating: 4/5 — these two are horndogs, talk with so many innuendos whenever they are not fucking, and when they do fuck, it is delectable👌🏽

cw: on-page sexual content, abandonment, loss of a loved one referred to, toxic father-son dynamic, betrayal/deception, sexism, injuries & blood, belittling of main character’s occupation

In a shocking turn of events, I really loved this book!

I loved the inclusion of so many fantasy elements in Do Your Worst, including fae, curses, and fate.

I really enjoyed how the enemies to lovers trope was handled in this one, especially in how it related to the curse at hand. Clark and Riley were relatable main characters, and the relationship felt very genuine and real.

The antics of the curse were fun as well, and the curse/castle itself felt like a character.

I was not a fan of Danan’s Shameless duology, but I loved Do Your Worst. I highly recommend this one for romantasy lovers; it’s also a perfect read for fall and spooky season.

Thank you for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

So...if you're going to set a novel in Scotland and build the plot on a Highlands curse, you should maybe include a prominent Scottish character? Right? Or maybe this is simply a me-problem?

Riley, an American curse breaker determined to build a career out on her family calling, and Clark, a British archaeologist set on repairing his career after a professional scandal, couldn't be more different. Now, here they both are, working adjacently at a cursed Scottish castle—a classic and well-set-up opposites-attract, enemies-to-lovers scenario. But, again, except for an occasional appearance of minor characters at the local bar, a little bit of Gaelic found carved in a cave and the castle's dungeon, and one festival scene, it really seemed like this could've been set in nearly any isolated location.

I also couldn't fully buy-in on the chemistry between Riley and Clark. They were truly unkind to each other, repeatedly and intentionally, and—now maybe this is my age or just my personal ethics talking—but, in my experience, physical attraction doesn't generally trump disdain and forgiveness usually takes some t-i-m-e.

Overall, I enjoyed the story—a good use of tropes, spicy scenes that truly advanced the plot, and a little bit of kink. All checks in the "pro" column, for sure. But the "cons"—the diluted sense of setting and my struggle to believe the chemistry between Riley and Clark—landed this one at three stars for me.

This is such a fun and fresh take on enemies to lovers! I have loved Rosie Dannan’s previous books and Do Your Worst cements her as an auto buy author for me. Plus - no third act breakup!!

Riley Rhodes is a curse breaker from a long line of curse breakers. Looking to make a name for herself, she heads to Scotland to break the centuries old curse on Aldern Castle. On her first night in town, she meets Clark Edgeware and they share a lovely dinner and goodnight kiss. Next morning she finds out he’s the archeologist hired by the historical society to work alongside Riley at the castle. When she arrives on site, Riley overhears Clark disparaging the charlatan curse breaker before he makes the connection to his dinner date. These two try to stay away but the curse keeps forcing them together.

Enemies to lovers is not usually one of my favorite tropes but I really enjoyed this one! The dynamic between Riley and Clark was addictive to read and their chemistry is sizzling. I particularly loved the way they find such comfort with each other’s histories and vulnerabilities. As they work to crack the curse that originated with two fated mates, they both unpack their own family history and identity in lovely ways.

Content flags: both Riley and Clark have challenging family dynamics - Riley’s father abandoned her and Clark’s dad is an asshole. Some elements of mysticism. Casual use of alcohol on page.

I voluntarily read a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

What a fun read! This book gives signature Rosie Danan spice while taking a different, more supernatural angle than her other books.

Can I be Riley's friend and travel the world sniffing out curses with her? I liked how solidly she stood by her convictions and belief in her practice. The connection she shared with her grandmother and mother because of their gift was so sweet, even though the gift proved to have some bite. Riley's dry humor and bold personality were wonderful. Clark felt a little flatter to me, but his calm demeanor and dubiousness over the curse was a great contrast to Riley's character. Their chemistry at their fist meeting was so great, and it just got more amusing and cute as they traveled their enemies to lovers arc.

The parallel story that unfolds around the origin of the curse was so clever. It felt very Outlander-y and was a creative way to inject some historical and magical components to the plot. It was also so cool to watch the curse-breaking process unfold. The situations Riley and Clark found themselves in because of the curse, and the trial and error that went into breaking it, were funny and endearing.

The setting was absolute perfection. Not just the descriptions of the outdoors and the castle but also the town and Clark's RV. Everything was described in a way that gave both small town charm and a sense that Riley and Clark were in their own world, shrouded in the mystery of the past. Delving a bit more into Gaelic and the fae lore was a nice touch as well.

I think the only thing keeping me from giving a full five stars is that bit of distance I feel from Clark's character. I felt like I never truly got to know him. Despite learning about his backstory and motivations for being at the castle, there always felt like there was more to learn. I would have liked delving more into his head like we got to with Riley. It would have given their attraction toward one another more depth and would have made him feel more real to me.

Despite that, I couldn't stop turning the pages! I would definitely recommend giving this book a read. There's the spice, of course, but what I was really drawn to in this book was the curse breaking, the castle's story, and Riley's relationships with the women of her family and her local friend.

Cute! I liked that the main characters have unique jobs and they matter to the plot. Something about the romance itself left me a bit cold but this book uses sex and attraction in a unique way that I enjoyed.

Rosie Danan has done it again, I read this so fast because I'm obsessed. I LOVE a romance with nuance and chemistry rather than outright smut and she delivers every time. Riley is a curse breaker, like girl can for real sense magic and Clark is our non believer who's just trying to get back legitimacy in his field. I did not know that I could enjoy enemies to lovers this much but I think that's what this would be categorized as. There are so many tropes in here without making the story feel bogged down and over worked. Overall, great story, especially for the autumnal season, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

*3.5 Stars*

I have loved every book that Rosie Danan has written, but this one was a little different for me. It had the same amount of spice, but it was a WAY slower burn than her other books, so if you've read those just be warned that you will be sitting on the edge of your seat screaming at this book for awhile. It did a great job at explaining the background issues that both Riley and Clark had that led them to this moment, but it didn't give too much away. I loved the banter and it seems as if it is supposed to be an enemies-to-lovers but the real question is... were Riley and Clark every really enemies??? The idea of the curse breaking and bringing a supernatural element into this story was a very cool idea, and Rosie executed it perfectly. I did enjoy this book, and I would 100% recommend it to others who have liked her previous books, I will just have to make sure to warn them of the slow burn!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.*

*3.5/5 rounded up to 4 because this was a lot of fun*

Oh this one was so fun. The setting of a crumbling cursed old castle in Scotland was the perfect fall atmospheric read I was craving. The grumpy Scottish hottie was also oh so tasty to read about.

We start the story with our main character, Riley, who has just made it to Scotland on a mission to break the popular and well known curse on an old castle. She is hoping this will put her family of curse breakers on the map and allow her to turn curse breaking into a full time job, not just a side gig. When she makes it to the castle, she meets a grumpy rich architect who happens to be a skeptic and tries to get her fired from the job. Oh, and he's also infuriatingly handsome. I think you can see where this is going...

This book is such a great example of grumpy x sunshine, enemies/rivals to lovers trope. They even make reference to and acknowledge the enemies to lovers trope but no way that's gonna happen to them. Right?

Riley is a positive, fun, take-no-shit kind of badass, and Clark is grumpy, mysterious and maybe a little shy. Put them together and you've got a recipe for either disaster or something wonderful. And it just happens that it was wonderful in this case for them.

While this isn't as spicy as her other book I've read, fans of "The Roommate" - don't worry, you still get some great spicy scenes. With just a hint of kink.

Well this was fun as hell and the perfect way to ring in the spooky szn 👻 I have loved all of Danan’s books and this was certainly no exception.

First off, I fancast Riley and Clark as Nicola Coughlan and James McAvoy so that made everything extra fun for me. And their spicy time (especially Clark’s absolutely FILTHY mouth) were so 🫦🫦 ughh Danan just knows how to write those scenes and I will eat it up every time!! I will say it was a bit tamer than her other books and focuses a lot more of the heartfelt and sappy side of their romance but I wasn’t mad about that at all because Riley and Clark’s growth together was so cute and they really just made each other the best versions of themselves and I felt so warm and fuzzy inside after finishing the book. So if you’re looking for a Highland curse mixed with fluff and spice and a dagger to the throat scene, this is the perfect book for you!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!!

It took me a while to get fully invested in this one, but by the end, I really enjoyed the relationship between these two very unique characters. It didn't fully grab me like Rosie's other books have, but overall, it was an enjoyable read, perfect for spooky season!