Best Frenemies by Max Monroe was a fun listen.

The story is about Katy, a math teacher, and Mack, a music teacher, Katy cannot stand Mack, who happens to teach music in the classroom next door to her classroom, where she is actually trying to teach the children.

It’s almost spring break and Katy is excited for a break from work. Right before leaving, the stand-in principal informs Katy that she will be organizing career day with Mack, which she is not excited about. At all.

Katy travels to Destin for spring break and who of all people just happens to be in Destin at the exact same time?? You guessed it, Mack.

I enjoyed the banter between Mack and Katy.

This is a romance, so I expected the happily-ever-after. What I did not expect was all the DETAILED sexy time business. Eek! The authors didn’t leave much to the imagination - ha! Which, I assume a lot of romance listeners/readers appreciate. It was a little much for me, though. Especially when I was running along, listening to the audiobook on full volume and passed a few pedestrians. Oops! That’s embarrassing.

The language was a little much for me, too. Again, running past pedestrians and the F-bomb is being hurled every which way. Oops.

I did not care for the male narrator’s female voice impressions. Cringey! But I did like his voice when he was Mack.

So, I am not going to take points away for the language or the sexy-time because, while it’s not my cup of tea, I know some people do not mind and actually anticipate the latter when listening/reading romance.

It was a fun listen and kept me entertained. I was cheering for Katy and Mack and thought they were both well-developed, very likable characters.

⭐️⭐️⭐️3/4 stars rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Max Monroe for the advanced audio copy of Best Frenemies in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved everything about this book. I loved Katy because she is committed to doing the right thing in every situation and because she is so much fun when she relaxes. I loved Mack because he is kind and thoughtful and lots of fun. They have such amazing chemistry that Katy has to convince herself that she can't stand him. When she gets a chance to learn more about him, even she has to admit that she overlooked his best qualities.
The audiobook is even more fun. CJ Bloom is always fantastic when performing a Max Monroe book, and she got Katy perfectly. Alexander Cendese is new to me, but I loved the energy he brought to Mack. It was like listening to a human golden retriever. I laughed all the way through this, and I will definitely listen again.

Let me tell you the audio for this book is SPOT ON! It was so damn good, the narrators truly brought this amazing book to life. It was a true delight to my ears. I listened to this one in one shot.

Another SMASH HIT by my Queens Max Monroe, they really know how to write amazingly hilarious romcoms with the best characters. Everything was just pure perfection. I was seriously laughing so much throughout this book. And the spicy scenes were also such a great add on.

They are always able to create characters that you instantly fall in love with. The banter between each other was delicious. The way they hate each other and become so infatuated with another was gold. How he calls her babe had me weak in the knees. The sexual tension and chemistry between these 2 was everything.

Honestly, at this point Max Monroe writes it I read it ! I just completely loved this book and can't wait to see what they come up next, I know I'll be laughing my butt off!

If you're a fan of laugh out loud romcoms with enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed, hot sex, amazing banter and a HEA you will not regret picking this one up!

✨️Thank you to @rick_283, @maxmonroe & @netgalley for my free ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second audio book by Max Monroe, and I enjoyed it as much as the last one. These authors are the queens of sexy banter and humor. This author is becoming an auto buy for me. Love the spice, humor and stories. I also loved the hidden Easter eggs from the previous book. Definitely recommend!

I love a Max Monroe book. I love that there are always characters from their other books that pop in and out. You never know which one of your favourite characters will be in a newer book and it’s the most delightful surprise.

I’m not going to spoil it and tell you who shows up in this one. But it’s more than one. 🤐

Katy and Mack are both teachers at a private school in New York. They aren’t enemies exactly, but I would say frenemies is a good description of them. They end up at the same, double booked, vacation rental in Florida. So not only do you get the vibrant New York setting, you also get quaint beach house too! I loved that.

This book has forced proximity, co- workers, caretaking, and so much comedy. The banter is fantastic! The spice is perfect. And bonus: no third act breakup. There is a fun surprise at the end and a lovely happy ending that made me sigh with contentment.

The Narrators were great. I felt like their voices matched the characters and they were on pointe for any and all reactions.
My only con was that the author's note at the beginning was a little too over the top and realllly long.

The beginning “warning” is a bit too much and almost turned me away but I kept going and am glad I did.

This bold romantic comedy caught me off guard with some of the hilarious and unfiltered things the characters said (sometimes a bit over the top). The tension between them is like a beautiful wildfire.

Usually romance storylines are predictable but this one was so entertaining that I enjoyed it the whole way through. I appreciated that it wasn’t too long and there were zero overly descriptive parts or unnecessary filler sections.

Quick Summary: A hilariously funny contemporary rom-com about frenemies who fall in love

My Review: Best Frenemies by Max Monroe is one of the best enemies to lovers stories I've read this quarter. The entertainment was non-stop. I so loved this adorable couple and all of the quirky family and friends associated with this delightful romance. The kiddos were uproarious throughout the book, but at the end...lol, it was cuteness times ten.

My Final Say: This novel was fantastic and well worth a read.

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: Yes
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Audiobook: +
Narration: ⭐
Status/Level: 🌶🌶🌶

Appreciation is extended to Max Monroe, CJ Bloom, and Alexander Cendese. Thank you for providing such a wonderful reading/listening experience. Readers will undoubtedly enjoy this book. I look forward to becoming better acquainted with more titles and works.

Thanks to NetGalley for granting access to a digital ARC of Best Frenemies. I have submitted a review voluntarily.

Best Frenemies- Max Monroe
Narrated by CJ Bloom and Alexander Cendese

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️

Oh my gosh, I was so happy to be back in the Max Monroe universe. I don’t know when I laughed as hard as I did while listening to this audiobook…probably when I listened to their last release. The banter between the characters is seriously top tier. I had tears from laughing so hard. I LOVED getting to see Thatch and the billionaire boys again! I’m glad they are still up to their usual antics.

Honestly I don’t think they could have cast better narrators for this book. Sometimes it’s a concern with dual narration how the male narrator will portray the female character and vice versa and I promise you, Alex does a perfect high strung, type A, perfectionist, busy body woman to a T, while at the same time doing a casual, nothing can touch me, chill vibes man. CJ is one of my favorite female narrators and she does a perfect job every time.

Katie and Mack are both so happy to get away for spring break, a week away from small humans to whom Katie teaches math and Mack teaches music. As you can imagine, Mack is the fun teacher, who likes to bend the rules with his students and they tend to get a little loud and rowdy, while Katie is a 100% type A rule follower. Opposite as can be, Mack actually has a bit of a crush on Katie, while Katie can’t really stand Mack…mostly because his loud music classroom is next door to her math classroom. So when Spring Break rolls around, they’re both ready to get away. What they don’t expect is that the Rent BnB they each reserved happened to double book them for the same location. They decide to stay the week since the Rent BnB refunded both of their stays, it would be silly to pass up a free vacation. The longer they stay, the more they get to know each other. Will they continue seeing each other when they get back to New York? Will this Spring Break be the one to change their lives forever?

Best Frenemies by Max Monroe, narrated by the dynamic duo of CJ Bloom and Alexander Cendese, is a rollercoaster of an enemies-to-friends romance that leaves you laughing, swooning, and eagerly turning the pages.

The sparks between the protagonists, Mack and Katy, are like a hot summer's day, with their teenage-like verbal ping-pong. If you're looking for a super simple summer-read, with a clash of personalities, and some bro-tastic co-narration, then this one is for you. It's not pretending to be anything that it's not; what you see is what you get here, folks! Best Frenemies is a lighthearted, escapade that shows even the most ardent adversaries can't resist the pull of attraction.

Thank you to the author, Max Monroe, for the advanced audio copy via NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

I listened to the audiobook, but I can't help feeling like I might have enjoyed it more in print. The male narrator's attempt at female voices was, well, cringe-worthy. It made it quite challenging to stay engaged.

"Best Frenemies" dives headfirst into the classic enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity tropes. But what set this book apart was the continuation of the story beyond the vacation. Instead of wrapping things up with a quick epilogue, we got a deeper look into how the couple's relationship evolves, which I appreciated.

Mack's approach was both respectful and persistent, and his playful demeanor with Katy added charm to their budding romance. His caring nature shone through, especially when he looked after her during her injury and on their return home.

Now, a quick note on the author's note at the beginning - it felt a tad cringe and unnecessary, but thankfully, the story itself was worth it.

"Best Frenemies" by Max Monroe is a fun and steamy enemies-to-lovers read with a dash of forced proximity. If you can get past a few quirks, you're in for a playful and heartfelt romance journey

One of the best Max Monroe books I have read/listened to yet. How can you not love Mack and Katy. The enemies to lovers trope is just perfect for these two main characters.

Mack , the infamous Thatch’s cousin, music teacher , thorn in Katy the math teachers side . Find themselves in quite the unexpected predicament when their vaca gets double booked !

I won’t spoil too much but if you want to read a hilarious, swoony, romantic comedy. This book is just for you!

CJ Bloom and Alexander Cendese were the perfect Narrators for Mack and Katy. They made me laugh, often with tears in my eyes .
Thank you NetGalley and Max Monroe for the Arc and the opportunity to review this book .

If you are looking for a cute enemies to lovers book, this is the one for you! 10/10 recommend!
The cover is also very pretty!

I love a forced proximity enemies to lovers, but this one didn’t really work for me. I found it kind of frustrating how Mack got painted as misunderstood and that he’s been a nice guy the whole time when he’s way too overly cocky, and maybe that was the tone the narrator used that it came across that way, but it always felt like he knew he was well liked and used that to his advantage and then Katy kept getting painted as the one who was irrational. And maybe it’s because I related to her type A personality that I felt that. I also really don’t like the twist at the end, the trope that was used is one I’m never usually a fan of. I would’ve liked some vulnerability from these two as well, but I loved the friendship Katy has in the book. And it has some good steam and I like the “he falls first” in this. I just wish there had been a little more communication in this. But as a concept I thought it was a lot of fun and it is a super light hearted, sweet story.

DNF @ 14%

So much of this book was cringey and vulgar. The authors' note which recommends wearing "sanitary products" and "sitting on the toilet" because this book will make the reader messy.
The voice for the male character. and the immaturity of his conversations!? He is to be 31?

Thank you net galley and publisher but this book was just not for me.


My beach getaway was only supposed to include three things: relaxation, wine, and fun in the sun.

Mack Houston, on the other hand, should have never—ever—been involved.

In no uncertain terms, he’s the bane of my existence.
The thorn in my side.
The sexy Mr. Good-Time Guy who drives me up the wall and my work archnemesis for the past five years.

He’s the last person I want to get stuck anywhere with—it’s bad enough that I have to see him every day at work—and yet, because of a booking error (or curse of the universe, as I like to call it), I’m stuck in the same vacation rental with him for an entire week.

I’m going to end up in jail.
Or worse, I might just give in to the insane urge to find out if his lips are really as kissable as they look.

Katie is looking forward to spring break week with her girlfriend. Her girlfriend gets very ill and can't make it. Katie is determined to have a wonderful week in Florida anyway. Unfortunately, she finds out that fellow teacher, Mack, has been double booked into her condo. And Katie absolutely cannot stand Mack.

But when a medical emergency happens, Mack steps up to take care of Katie and the magic begins.

This is a funny, sexy romantic comedy. It's a feel good story with a quizative child, crazy parents, and two people who cannot believe what a great relationship they have going. I laughed out loud. I suggest that this book be read by mature audiences because of the sexual content and language.

I listened to the audio version and thoroughly enjoyed the narrators.

I listened to the audiobook and this is one of those times I know that it negatively impacted my feelings towards the book.

This book is told in a dual POV. It has two narrators. CJ Bloom and Alexander Cendese. I'm very familiar with CJ Bloom and am always happy to see her name, as I know I will enjoy the narration. Alexander Cendese is new to me (which is strange, as I listen to over 200 audiobooks per year and according to a search on Audible, he has narrated over 600 titles).

I absolutely could not stand the narration for Mack. It was way too over the top and felt manic. Then, when in dialogue, ESPECIALLY a female character in dialogue, it was so, so awful, I wanted to make it stop.

Because of my feelings about the narration, it is hard to evaluate how I enjoyed the actual book. I didn't NOT enjoy it. But I definitely liked [book:Accidental Attachment|125069207] far better. But I am unsure if that was solely due to the plot and characters.

Basically, I'd recommend skipping the audio.

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to Net Galley for an audio copy of Best Frenemies.

I loved this book. You have Katy, an uptight grade school math teacher, and Mack, a carefree and fun-loving music teacher. They get stuck with each other on a vacation to Destin, Florida and the sparks fly!

Let me start by saying that March 21st? A great birthday (aka my birthday), so this book got bonus points for that alone! This was such an adorable enemies to lovers book, and Mack was the DEFINITION of he fell first which is always a favorite! I loved Mack and Katy’s banter so much! Especially the nicknames! I loved this book so much!

Best Frenemies is the newest romcom from author duo Max Monroe! So I recently read Accidental Attachment by this author duo and saw this new one had a similar cover, so I wanted to try it out too.

In this book we follow Mack and Katy, they are coworkers/teachers at the same school and kind of enemies there. Mack is the music teacher and Katy’s math classroom is right next door. Her class is always getting disrupted by the loud music class next door and Katy has loathed Mack for the past 5 years of them working there together. Cut to spring break vacation and finally some time away from one another. But things go off the rails when they realize they’ve booked the same vacation rental and are now sharing a space for an entire week…

This was filled with all the hilarious mishaps and hijinks. The forced proximity of being stuck in the vacation rental together and all the banter leads to them hooking up and trying to leave it behind on vacation. But once they’re back to real life, the feelings they started to share on vacation are still there and their lives get complicated!

I thought this one was okay, it was an easy one to read/listen to the audiobook. But I wasn’t as pulled in with these characters as I was the previous book I read from this author duo. That said, I know plenty of romcom fans will love this one!

I received an audio ARC from NetGalley, all thoughts in this review are my own. Best Frenemies has a publish date of September 16, 2023!

A sweet yet somewhat cheesy romance. I love the enemies to lovers trope, so that appealed to me. There was definitely some steam and some AWW moments, but overall, not the best thing I've read all year.