Thank you Berkley for the gifted e-copy of Do Your Worst.

Who doesn't love an enemies to lovers, opposites attract romance? Riley is a curse breaker sent to to Scotland to try to remove the curse that has been plaguing Arden Castle for years. Clark is an archaeologist struggling to redeem himself after a controversial last dig - and he wants Riley fired, because curse breaking is a load of crap, right?

They go back and forth trying to work around each other, while battling some sort of attraction. Riley comes up with an idea to break the curse, and Clark agrees, even though it involves facing their attraction (and getting naked).

The steam was fun and their banter was more fun. I did get confused by some of the things involving the castle and curse though, I do think that could have been explained a little better. Overall, a solid romcom.

I thought this was had great potential but I just couldn’t get into the chemistry with the MCs. I did love how atmospheric it was for being a romcom!

I never thought I’d read a romance between a curse breaker and an archaeologist, but here we are. I loved the setting of the cursed Scottish castle in the Highlands and I loved the premise of the novel, but it felt slow at times like the plot wasn’t moving. I did like the backstory to the main characters and how they both happened upon the same jobsite.

Riley comes from a long line of curse breakers. When she gets hired to break a curse in a Scottish castle, she jumps at the opportunity to prove herself. When she arrives at the castle, she is surprised to find there is already someone at the castle - a handsome stranger named Clark who is an archeologist digging in the site. However, Clark can’t be distracted by Riley and tries to get her fired immediately. She’s determined to get even and figures there's no better way than to let the curse scare him off. Instead, the curse keeps bringing them closer together.

I love Rosie Danan’s previous works, but this one didn’t hit the mark for me in the same way her previous two books did. Maybe it’s because I wasn't ready for a supernatural story, but I had a hard time connecting to this story and staying engaged due to the slow pace. That being said, I’m sure many others will love this book. The mythology was a cool and interesting addition to a romance, the Scottish highlands always make for a fabulous setting, and this book had Rosie’s signature steaminess.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the advance copy and thank you to @berittalksbooks and @dg_reads for hosting a buddy read!

This was so much fun! I'm loving the trend of adventure rom-coms and this one was great!

The characters had very interesting backstories and motivations, the curse/supernatural aspect was a fun addition, and, while it was a bit of a slowburn, the spice was there once it started.

I absolutely loved this author's first novel The Roommate, so I was so excited to pick this one up. Unfortunately the romance didn't feel authentic to me.

This story has a bit of a different feel compared to Danan’s previous books but I don’t think that’s a bad thing per se. There are a few things that may be triggering for some readers so be sure to check content warnings and trigger warnings if you have them.

The only real done side for me was how low the tension was for being and enemy to lovers story. I would’ve liked the tension to be a bit more heavy between our enemies but overall it was a fun quick read.

Enemies to lovers
Opposites attract
One night stand
Mystery
Tension
Spice
No 3rd act break up (hallelujah <3)
So much banter
Scottish highlands

Definitely recommend!

Do Your Worst is a hilarious enemies-to-lovers rom com from author Rosie Danan!

Riley and Clark are so fun together- even when they are fighting it's clear they can't stop thinking about each other. I enjoyed the supernatural curse breaking parts of this book, and how they seemed to clash with Clark's more scientific approach, at least at first.

The family dynamics of both characters developed as the story went on in a very satisfying way.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

I really liked this book! I think that the pacing was a little off and the first half and second half were very different. The first half moved kind of slow and the second half was way too quick to the point where I had a hard time believing that the couple was necessarily in love, but I think the premise of the story was really cute and it’s a fun quick read that definitely fits the fall season. I would 100% recommended to someone that is into this vibe!

A fun rivals with benefits to lovers romance set amidst crumbling ruins in Scotland. Do Your Worst provides forced proximity tension between a curse breaker and archaeologist.

Riley and Clark's opposites attract in this third person dual POV while weaving in a local historical mystery. There is instant attraction and then next day subsequent realization that they will be working on the same site. The paranormal aspects propel the story and characterization. I liked the curse breaking concept a lot and thought it was very unique. There are open door scenes (with a hint of kink) and no third act break up.

Overall a fun and cute read with a haunted Scottish setting.

CW: abandonment, sexism, grief, emotional abuse

This one for the people who liked the Mummy for the archeology as much as for the attractive cast. Who see a guy who looks so beautiful it's tragic, and looks a bit miserable, and you think to yourself: I'm into that.

This is scientific archeologist versus intrinsic curse breaker, both trying to defend themselves and their families in various ways. They're alike but also wonderfully different, and they see each other so clearly even when they're desperate to hide.

Riley is strong, creative, and committed. Even when she does things she hates, or things you know will hurt, seeing her good heart makes it hard to hold it against her. Clark is deep, loving, and careful in the best way. I truly adored him. His emotional development when it came to Riley and to love made me kick my feet up in the air and burrow my face in a pillow.

This has all the fun history and drama of curses, the tease of figuring out puzzles and intricacies, while also giving the reader a love story that will make your heart grow.

I loved this book! I devoured it in only a few sittings and wish there was more to read. The story line was paced very well and the characters were easy to love!

Do Your Worst is an enemies-to-lovers good time set in small town Scotland with a castle that may (??) be cursed. FMC Riley is trying to get her curse breaking business off the ground and MMC Clark is trying to polish his tarnished archaeologist reputation. When they are both hired to cross the t’s for a new corporation that bought Arden Castle, they had no idea the other would be there - or be so much trouble. Clark is completely sure that Riley is a con-artist, but Riley is used to people underestimating her, and her family’s gift. They both have something to prove- if this pesky issue of being totally into each other doesn’t consume them first that is.
This was fun to read! The setting was idyllic. I loved the lore, townspeople, and scenery. The backstory of the curse was one of the most interesting to me, and I really liked the clan romance that unfolded. The tension between the MMCs was fantastic! The enemies-to-lovers connection was solid - even though they kept hooking up, they couldn’t give in. Spice level was 3 out of 5. I loved the wrap up and how both MMCs journeys concluded.
The only thing I didn’t love was the 3rd person POV. I was glad it was dual perspective, but think 1st person POV would have been the cherry on top.
Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring this up, can we just talk about what a freaking awesome job title “curse breaker” is?? How Clark isn’t automatically bowled over by how cool “Riley: Curse-Breaker” is, I’ll never understand.
If you’re up for a spicy, enemies to lovers with a different setting this will be right up your alley! Check it out and add to your TBR!
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a free copy for an honest review.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing, NetGalley, and Rosie Danan for an advance copy of Do Your Worst in exchange for an honest review. This was such a fun romance with such a different concept than I’m used to reading.
We start out in Scotland and I love that Riley takes a chance as a curse breaker and heads to the other side of the world to see if this is the career for her. Enter Clark, an archaeologist of sorts, who does not believe in curse breaking. Throughout the story we see them work together, work against each other, and work inside each other (too much?!). This was a fun read and I think most romance readers would enjoy it!

Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan is a fun read. It’s one that is a little difficult for me to review, because I don’t have too many strong feelings about it. Do Your Worst has a good story and fun characters, but it has a few issues that hold it back from being an amazing read.

Overall, Do Your Worst is clever and the premise certainly isn’t something you’ll have read about a bunch of times already. A curse breaker and a disgraced archeologist? Sparks fly immediately. The set up is spectacular, and I loved the setting. While there are few other characters, the Scottish highlands castle vibes are strong and really set the scene. Riley and Clark are both really well developed characters, and I felt like I could understand both of their motivations and actions. The banter between Riley and Clark is spectacular, and easily one of my favorite parts of the book. Plus, there’s some great sexy scenes (including sex in a library) to spice things up.

The thing I really enjoyed about Do Your Worst was watching Riley and Clark really see each other. Seeing Clark as he realized Riley wasn’t running some con, and that she genuinely had the skills she purported, and watching Riley realize Clark wasn’t just a stuck up asshole, was really great. It felt so natural, and I had some moments where I just felt really good about how Riley and Clark’s relationship was progressing.

However, I think the thing that was hardest for me to accept in Do Your Worst is that Riley and Clark say some pretty awful things to each other throughout the course of the book and it just didn’t feel like they ever addressed those situations with each other. They frequently bicker with each other, but there are a few instances where they seem to go for the jugular, and it didn’t seem to me like there were enough apologies for the really mean comments.

I really like Danan’s writing and I like the way she can make the characters feel so real, but similar to my issues with her previous book, I felt like the pacing in Do Your Worst was a little off. It somehow felt both slow and fast at the same time. I never really felt like I was being sucked into the story, even though I was invested and I did like it.

I would definitely recommend Do Your Worst for somebody looking for a slightly spooky read, or a banter-filled enemies to lovers. I think with the above caveats, it’s an enjoyable experience!

3.5 Stars

“As it turned out, sometimes what you needed was someone who brought out the worst in you. There was a gift, she realized, that could only be exchanged between former enemies- permission to forgive yourself. Because if someone could see all your failures and faults, could actively seek out every possible reason to dislike you and somehow still come around in the end, well, maybe your worst wasn’t so bad at all. The next morning, Riley and Clark woke up to find that for the first time in three hundred years, indigo angel’s trumpet had bloomed on the grounds of Arden Castle.”

Riley Rhodes is attempting to turn her family’s talent for curse-breaking into a certified career, and when she has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to break a long-standing curse on Arden Castle, she must take it. In Scotland, she finds a beautiful castle full of history and magic, but those aren’t the only things Riley discovers. She also finds pessimistic non-believer Clarke Edgeware, a down-on-his-luck archeologist who attempts to get Riley fired on her first day. They are sworn enemies, both taunting and tempting each other to do their worst, but neither can deny the desire sizzling between them.

After I read The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan, I became a big fan of hers. Did I enjoy this one as much as that one? No. I didn’t hate it, though. I thought the plot was interesting and fun. I loved watching Riley and Clarke battle, both trying to one-up the other. The chemistry between them was scorching hot! Riley brought out the best in Clarke, got him to stand up to his dad, and made him see that he was worthy even with his mistakes. The curse used Riley and Clarke as conduits for the fated love that created the curse. In the end, their love breaks the curse on Arden Castle, and they join forces to become a curse-breaking team. Overall, a super fun and enjoyable read. I would recommend this one if you want something unique and different.

If you’re a fan of authors like Pippa Grant or Penny Reid, then I think you would enjoy this one!

~ Michelle

I was drawn to Rosie Danan’s new romance Do Your Worst because it features a fun and unexpected enemies-to-lovers pairing, an occult expert and an archaeologist. Danan is such a great storyteller and I couldn’t wait to see what she was going to do with these characters. I was not disappointed either!

Riley Rhodes comes from a long line of curse breakers and while most of her family has shied away from their talent for dealing with the supernatural, Riley decides to turn it into a legitimate business. When she is hired to break a curse on an infamous Scottish castle, she expects that she’ll be flying solo the entire trip and is pleasantly surprised when she meets Clark, a handsome archaeologist at a pub soon after her arrival. They hit it off quite well until Clark learns who she is and why she is in Scotland. It turns out that Clark is actually surveying the same site. He is reeling from a professional scandal that has tanked his reputation and feels this new job is his one shot at redemption. When he learns that Riley is a curse breaker, he assumes that she is running some kind of scam and tries to get her fired. Needless to say, sparks fly!

I love a good enemies-to-lovers story and had a really good time with this one, especially since the cursed castle seems to have a mind of its own when it comes to Riley and Clark. Somehow no matter how much the two of them try to stay far away from one another, they keep ending up together and can’t understand why. The snarky banter between them was hilarious, and oh boy, the steam once they finally stop trying to resist one another was off the charts! I also really loved the book’s setting. It doesn’t get much more atmospheric than a Scottish castle with paranormal vibes!

Do Your Worst is the perfect choice for readers who enjoy stories that are full of adventure, spice, snark, and a dash of the paranormal.

Do Your Worst is the story I didn't even know I needed. A curse-breaker and an archaeologist forced to spend time together at a Scottish castle, and with an added dash of enemies to lovers! This book checked all the boxes. There was witty back and forth, danger, a burning attraction, and even a sex ritual! The paranormal aspect add a flair to the book. In addition, Rosie Danan really gives us two fleshed out characters in Riley and Clark. Both have something to prove professionally with their work at the haunted castle. There is a good mix of history, archaeology, and mythology with Riley's curse-breaking.

This book calls back to the old school Scottish romances that got me into romance but with an enjoyable modern twist. The attraction between Clark and Riley is especially well-written and, wow, the scenes in Clark's camper really stand out. The focus of the story was on Clark and Riley, with not too many influential side characters, and with that, the reader needs a deep understanding of the characters. Rosie Danan succeeds really well at getting us into the heads of Clark and Riley and why these projects are so important to them. Riley is trying to build her business as a curse-breaker and this is her first big project. Clark has suffered a betrayal at his previous job and is in the process of rebuilding his faith in himself.

Honestly, this book got me back into romance after a stressful few months and it was exactly what I needed!

I love Rosie Danan, but ‘Do Your Worst’ just did not work for me quite the same way her other titles did. Danan’s bread and butter is creating complex characters with seemingly opposing world views who end up finding just enough common ground to fall in love. Unfortunately, I found the paranormal element didn’t work for me, despite it being what drew me in. The curse breaking vs archeologist mentality felt like a huge chasm Riley and Clark could never meaningfully overcome. Writing and spice on point as usual for Danan, but this one wasn’t as sweet as her other titles.

Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan was a fun read that proves Rosie can easily tell a new kind of story. Here, Riley works as a curse crasher, something that Clark thinks is a total hoax. Their banter was funny, and the whole will they or won't they kept the book full of tension. Fans will not be disappointed by her taking on magic and curses. She did a great job.