The book is chefs kiss!!!


Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Fun, spicy, satisfying. There was one moment in the middle that almost turned me off of the story, but it very quickly sorted itself out. Danan nailed the ending!

When the world gets too heavy, books that pull a reader in headfirst offer the exact form of escape I tend to seek out — and “Do Your Worst” is precisely that kind of read.

A sizzling supernatural mystery that weaves in cursed castles, sexy, skeptical archaeologists and straight-up lore come to life, Rosie Danan has checked every romance lover’s box with this delightful novel that follows a fledgling American curse-breaker on a Scottish expedition to solve the unsolvable.

The loaded enemies-to-lovers tension between “Do Your Worst” protagonists Riley and Clark was so much fun to follow, that the unraveling of the curse of Arden, which was fascinating on its own, became far less important when compared to the will-they-won’t-they romance.

No surprises here, but I finished ”Do Your Worst” the very same day I started reading it — and I’d bet many others will do the same.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review.*

Possibly my favourite romance read so far of 2023. Loved both the lead characters and the setting. Enjoyed Danan's earlier two books, and while this is a bit different, it was an equally awesome read.

The way I ran to sit down and read this new Rosie book, because all of her books have had me in a chokehold from the moment I picked them up to the moment I set them down. In true Rosie Danan fashion, this book was cute, fun, and spicy which were all the things I was looking for in this book.

It was easy for me to fall in love with this book because it was a brain off, head empty type of read where I didn't have to think too hard about the mystery and instead just enjoy the ride and the budding insta love romance that Rosie gives us with this book.

Like The Roommate and The Intimacy Experiment, Do Your Worst was just as funny, the banter being hilarious, and the spice being written to perfection. This is definitely a book you'll want to pick up if you're looking for something quick easy, and meant for mindless reading when you want to curl up with a cute insta love romance book.

This was a great read, and definitely one I'll be rereading just in time for spooky season!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll start this review by saying that this book wasn’t for me, but I see why it could appeal to many other readers. This was an enemies to lovers romance and they really played into the enemies aspect.

Both MC’s were so mean to each other and it didn’t feel warranted. Clark, the MMC, doesn’t believe in supernatural and curse breaking. Riley, the FMC, is a curse breaker. Why didn’t they just ignore each other and let the other one do their jobs? I never felt any chemistry between these two and that made it even harder to get behind the whole enemies thing.

The setting was great. I love Scotland and have been many times. For that alone, this book was absolutely worth a read.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a free e-arc of the book in exchange for an honest review.

SCOTTISH HIGHLAND MYSTICISM + ROMANCE. Thats all you need to know. This is not-your-mother's scottish love story...its better. It's a contemporary rom com set in the haunted highlands with all the amenities of modern day *spice.* If I didn't already have a literary obsession with Scotland, I do now because why else would I have ten browsers open about booking a flight to Inverness to find a cursed clan castle?

This is how you do enemies-to-lovers, folks. He's a logic based, straight shooting, no nonsense English archaeologist who doesn't believe in anything you can't prove with good ole science and facts. She's the granddaughter of a curse breaker, which is exactly what it sounds like: she comes from a line of women who can sense, smell, feel, and fix cursed places and things. Throw them inside a 300 year old haunted Scottish Castle together and sit back with a glass of glenfiddich scotch and watch as (spicy) chaos ensues. He's trying to make sure the castle doesn't have any ancient Gaelic artifacts that need collected. She's (literally) sniffing around trying to figure out why the castle seems to have a mind of its own. It's so fun and chaotic watching her unstoppable force meet his immovable object, ESPECIALLY when they figure out what the secret to achieving both of their goals might require...wink wink WINK WINK.

The writing is super clever and interesting in its description of the art of professional curse-breaking. Rosie Danan weaves the romantic history of the castle with Clark and Riley's love story in a way that makes you forget this is simply a fictional rom com. Also, as an obsessive Outlander fan I loved feeling like I was back in the clan days reading about mystical standing stones, the fae folk, clan battles, and people with red hair speaking gaelic. I'm a simple woman okay? Anything that reminds me even slightly of Jamie Fraser will pull me in. And this book, while not similar in any other way besides the setting, gives you the best highlander vibes.

Such a well done rom com. Would i have loved this even more if it were in first person POV? Probably. But the dual third person works okay. Here's to hoping the ending sets up another book about a certain couple that I definitely want to read about. Such a fun read!

This book just didn't work. The two main characters (especially the man) were just rude to each other and it was hard to find any chemistry between them. This story presents itself as enemies to lovers but really it is instalove between two very mean people. The plot was also very basic and it's attempts at having themes about healing and family relationships fell flat.

This was such a fun and unique read. I love the aspect of it being kinda paranormal but also historic! PLUS the romance never hurts. Grumpy sunshine is my favorite go to troupe, and this was just chiefs kiss amazing! I highly recommend adding this book to your fall TBR!

Thank you NetGalley for the early access copy!

This was a really cute romance! The characters felt real and rounded pretty quickly, which I can often struggle to find in romance reads. I loved the dual POV, and each character's motivations felt genuine and consistent. The setting was set up well, but I would've loved to see the castle play an even bigger role in the story. Same for the curse, but maybe not because it really does pull you back and forth between the "is it real or not" dynamic with the two main characters. Overall a very cute read.

Do Your Worst is a little bit of a departure from what I’m used to for Rosie Danan, but I still enjoyed it. Danan’s matter-of-factness about people’s sexualities remain as we delve into a little supernatural business.
Riley and Clark have good chemistry and the spicy scenes are spicy! I loved the overall messages of having faith in yourself and giving yourself as many chances as you need to redeem yourself. Really enjoyed this one.

Rosie Danan is one of my new favorite contemporary romance authors and I adored her Shameless duology. I gobbled up those love stories and I was ravenous for more. I had to patiently wait two years for her next release. Do Your Worst was completely different from her previous books. This new novel featured paranormal elements and the couple acted like prickly pears. I was rather surprised by the aggressive attitude, but that jalapeno chemistry was thankfully still present. Perhaps because I've read enough romance novels to fill an ocean, but I don't perceive childish bickering as a sign of attraction. You're adults, just admit you're both interested and move forward. The Enemies to Lovers trope has unfortunately devolved to couples flinging schoolyard insults and I'm tired of seeing it utilized in such an immature way.

While I was less than impressed with the couple's initial dynamic in Do Your Worst, I will give major props to originality. The book features an American heroine who travels to Scotland to break the curse on a haunted castle. I hadn't seen that plotline before and it was a departure from the author's fully contemporary novels of the past. The couple immediately hit things off in the pub where they met, but things went sour when the staunch hero realized the heroine was a curse breaker. The majority of the book was a volley of mean barbs and I wasn't having fun anymore. There was no shortage of spice and Rosie Danan constantly delivers in that regard like she's part habanero. I fully pictured Riley as Tiffany Valentine from Bride of Chucky because they were both curvaceous blondes heavily interested in the occult. It's easy to see why Clark fell so fast over a bombshell like that.

Do Your Worst wasn't fully what I was expecting after two years of patiently waiting for a Rosie Danan release, but I'm glad I got one regardless. I commend the author for trying something different. It didn't fully pay off for me personally, but I know it'll be a hit with others. I'm just hoping I don't have to wait another two years for the next Rosie Danan novel. I'm begging you to be a little more expedient, as long as you don't Do Your Worst.

Loved this title. Had a hard time putting it down. The enemies to lovers trope is good for a reason! The quirkiness of both characters and the cat! How can you go wrong with a moody cat? Enjoyed how the story and would 10 out of 10 take a bath in that tub any day!

This was a great book, I enjoyed it alot and all of her books just do not disappoint thanks for letting me read this

4 1/2 stars!

This is the paranormal, historical, set-in-Scotland, hate-sex-having romance novel you didn’t know you needed. Curse-breaker Riley butts heads with academic archaeologist Clark Scotland over, well, EVERYTHING. Their first meeting at a pub is all chemistry and sweetness, but when Riley overhears Clark dissing her profession the next morning when she shows up on location to start her job, and discovers the hottie from last night is the one insulting her, and the dude the the historical association sent to do some due diligence excavation.

While I do occasionally branch out and read witchy/occult romance, curse-breaking is a new profession for me to see featured in romance (Give a listen to Somewhere In Between episode of Book Riot’s When in Romance podcast for a great discussion of occupations they’d like to see in romance novels –oy vey, so many bakeries and bookshops!). Do Your Worst features amazing, researched, and believable details about curse-breaking, and I loved the concept of the curse having a life of it’s own. Riley totally employs the scientific method in her work. In addition to the romance, family relationships are complicated and resolutions attempted, demonstrating true, realistic character growth.

Things to love about Rosie Danan’s superb writing: feisty, unapologetic heroines; broadly-defined sex; pop culture references; boundary-setting; love for Philadelphia, PA; snarky humor and great banter; addressing vulnerabilities; all the gory details; a 10-page description of the MMC jerking off while thinking about the FMC…

I don’t want to give too much away, so will leave you with this: if you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Season 2 Episode 19 “I Only Have Eyes for You” was in fact directly referenced) or Outlander (book or show) for their particular winning blend of occult, history, methodical and detailed science, and herbalism/magic, this is a great novel for you to pick up. It hard a bit of slow start for me, and I ended up devouring it over two days.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #DoYourWorst from #NetGalley.

An okay plot, characters I can't work up any emotion for (positive or negative), somewhat stilted dialogue, and randomly placed in-depth sex scenes made this a serious meh for me.

This is a fast, fun romp through the Scottish highlands. Searching for curses has never been so fun!

I didn't like this one as much as Rosie Danan's other books but I still thought it was a sweet story and the hints of magic allowed for some fun tropes.

Rosie Danan has produced a STUNNER of a novel with Do Your Worst. It harnesses the whimsy of fabulism packed in with some incredible emotional depth and glazed with an incredible layer of horniness. Absolutely the most incredible concoction of romantic literature I have read this year. Riley and Clark have this delectable enemies to lovers tension that turns a little meta with how the curse plays into their love story. I loved the little town, the detailing of the curse system and how some really intricate logic and lore was tied into it. Just a spectacular piece of work honestly.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley & Rosie Danan for providing this e-ARC!!

I enjoyed this book! Set in Scotland, an American and an Englishman, sexy MCs, supernatural elements, and a solid dose of humor- it truly had many of the plot ingredients I love reading.

Personally, I did find our FMC to be a bit annoying and childish in the beginning, but she grew on me over the course of the novel. And there was an odd bit about ‘remembering’ new details of a painting she saw when she was a child and relating it to her first impressions of the MMC that didn’t quite land.

BUT overall, total 3.5 star read. We’ll buy a copy for our library. I think our college students will enjoy it and it will do well in our bestseller/new books section.

I look forward to reading more from this author!