As rival showbiz journalists, they are always out to get one-up on each other – whether being the first to scoop the latest celebrity gossip, or sabotaging a potential lead.

So when their bosses ask them to join forces and go undercover at an exclusive celebrity retreat, they can’t think of anything worse - except that they are going to need to pretend to be in couples therapy to blend in...

Being on a tropical island for work would be most people’s idea of heaven, but for Lara and Sonny it’s hell. Can a week of sun, sea and uncovering showbiz secrets together chip away at Lara and Sonny’s rivalry? And once they get home and the fake relationship is over, could a real one be left in its place?



This was a very quick read ( I read it at my desk.. sorry to my boss!)  The main characters were not enemies at all. They were work rivals at best with a past and some sexual tension, and that’s not the same thing at all. The title of the book can be misleading, as this trope doesn't really take place.

“Enemies to Lovers” tropes are a favorite of mine, something that I rarely get sick of reading, but the love story that enfolds in “Enemies to Lovers” just didn’t hit the mark for me.

Without giving too much away, the story revolves around Lara and Sonny, two journalists who do not get along but are sent on a work trip trying to get the scoop on today’s hottest couple. As the title says, along the way these enemies become lovers. The problem is, there was zero chemistry between these two. As the reader, there was no buildup or suspense to make me invested as these two characters and when they got together, it just fell flat for me.

I also felt like the conflict was too contrived. At the beginning of the book, Lara briefly mentions a history between her and Sonny, but the reader doesn’t get more details until much later…and at that point, I 1)could already guess and 2)didn’t really care that much. The other conflicts were either silly or unimportant. Personally, I also just wasn’t a fan of Lara at all—her character came off as really annoying to me.

I really wanted to find some redeeming qualities to this story but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. It is a quick read and light read and the premise is a cute one, it’s just not one that I really appreciated.

**Thank you so much to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.**

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read!!!! I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’d expected this to be a quick light read, and even though it was a quick read, I’m not so sure about the “light” part. In some moments it’s like the book couldn’t decide whether it wanted to be a romantic comedy or a thriller, I swear.

The first thing I noticed while reading the book was that the main characters were not enemies at all. They’re work rivals at best with a past and some sexual tension, and that’s not the same thing at all. The title of the book can be misleading, as this trope doesn't really take place.

The main character, Lara, is not quirky and fun, as the book wants to make us believe, but quite childish and outright unprofessional. Sonny was uneventful for me, tbh.

There were some instances that I just found absolutely unbelievable and/or left me irritated rather than amused. Like the two MCs having a laugh at a mandatory sexual harassment course, can’t they even take that seriously? they’re supposed to be adults, and yet they act like children most of the time. And you’re seriously telling me that a trained professional in the matter would make up a scenario forcing coworkers to play out a sexual harassment situation in front of the rest of the office, like be fr that in itself seems like a violation of what she’s trying to teach them.

It all happened so suddenly, the circumstances a bit too convenient, and yet… I didn’t buy the romance at all. The characters didn’t quite evolve and their relationship felt flat, in a moment she hates him for what he did and doesn’t trust him at all, and the very next moment she's saying her view on him completely changed, like Miss Girl when did this happen exactly? It was all quite underwhelming.

And for the life of me, I just can’t make sense of how she’s supposedly a journalist but can’t realize someone is using her for information, please, it was so obvious!

When I first learned of this book aside from looking at the book cover for a while because it seemed very similar to a popular romance book that also has fake dating and work rivals, I was very excited about the premise, but it didn’t live up to my expectations at all.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover and blurb of this book were definitely appealing. The concept of two rivall showbiz journalists being asked to fake date was also very interesting. But I didn't get the "true enemies" vibes from Sonny & Lara tbh. The book was definitely well written but sometimes I just felt bored and skimmed through some parts. It wasn't bad but it was not a personal favourite of mine tbh. Still it was an enjoyable read but it could've been better if there was a proper epilogue.

I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review

This enemies to lovers/fake dating story was a fun, light-hearted read. The writing was funny—though, maybe a bit too goofy at times—and the main character was relatable in a quirky way. I mostly enjoyed the setting of being on a private island with no technology. It would make for an excellent beach read for sure.

I expected it to be more workplace rivals (which it was), but the couple doesn't actually work in competition—they work for sister companies. I can understand how they might compete in certain aspects of their job, but if already know they’re interviewing the same people and asking the same questions either way, what’s the point in fighting about it?

This book felt less romance-focused because we never truly understand the real reason they "hate" each other until 60-70% through, and I kind of expected more out of the reveal and their history. Also, we don't ever get to know them as a couple. They just suddenly end up together. I did enjoy the parts where they were really working together as a team. ESPECIALLY the bar on the beach scene!

I find the title to be misleading; Lara and Sonny are more like work rivals than enemies. The term "enemies" implies a deep antagonism, which I don't see in this book. Additionally, I believe the book is a bit lengthy for a romance novel, spanning 34 chapters without a satisfying epilogue to tie things up neatly.

What I did appreciate were the concepts of couple's therapy and fake dating, which added an interesting twist to the plot. The book is well-written; it's just that it didn't become a personal favorite. Nevertheless, it does succeed in igniting a desire to escape for a vacation and take a break from the usual routine. It's a story that provides that much-needed mental getaway.

The book's cover is visually appealing, and I would have appreciated a small playlist at the beginning of the book to enhance the reading experience.

Overall, the premise of rival journalists forced into a fake relationship during a couple's therapy retreat is a compelling one, but the execution and the book's length might not fully align with the expectations of a typical romance novel for me. The fact that I'm giving it 2 stars doesn't mean it's bad. Writing a book is no easy feat, and the author deserves credit for their effort. So, don't hesitate to form your own opinion about it.

Easy going fare but not terribly compelling. Couldn’t convince myself to become invested in any of the characters.

Enemies to Lovers does exactly as it promises in the title. It is an enemies to lovers (obviously) romance taking place between two work rivals with a history...

I enjoyed this book, but I felt that the chemistry and tension was missing between the characters.

This was just ok. I didn’t feel enough tension with the “enemies” and thought the chemistry was lacking. I loved the premise though. It could have been great but I was a bit bored.

I loved this enemies to lovers romance story. It is one of my favourite tropes. I loved the anger between the two main characters and when they fell in love at the end it made me smile and my heart swell. Just an all round good piece of writing by this author.

Portia Mackintosh is rapidly becoming one of my favourite chick lit authors, her characters are relatable and her storylines believable, so pleased to have another addition to my library

While the last Portia book wasn't my cup of tea so much, this one really got back into the groove that I expect from her rom-coms...and I loved it! The main characters have history, which of course turned sour and now they are enemies, but they're thrown together in a sink or swim situation. As they navigate the week, they learn to work together and they learn a lot about each other's pasts and motivations...naturally with their very own HEA.

A cute little work rivals read. Perfect for fans of Beach Read or Love Interest. Overall a fun read but lacked tension and banter between the "enemies/rivals"

This was definitely a 5 star read for me. At first going into the book I was kind of skeptical because the writing wasn’t my favorite thing and I wasn’t sure where the cover photo came into play until you actually read but it was so good! I couldn’t put the book down once I started and I really enjoyed the character dynamic between Lara and Sonny. I would be curious to see what happens in the future for all the couples though.

Love rom-com vibes and a closed door romance? Check out ENEMIES TO LOVERS by Portia MacIntosh.

Lara and Sonny are work rivials who have history - he screwed her over at work years ago and they haven't gotten along since. When pushed together unexpectedly on a work trip where they have to pretend to be in a relationship, sparks fly.

I loved the premise and found both characters really engaging. It was original, engaging and just plain entertaining!

READ FOR:
Enemies to lovers
Closed door romance
Fake dating
Rom-com vibes
4 stars

"Enemies to Lovers" by Portia MacIntosh is a charming rom-com revolving around two rival showbiz journalists who are forced to pretend they are a couple to keep their jobs. I love the fake relationship and enemies-to-lovers trope, so this book fit the bill. Throw in a vacation at a resort, and you've got me hooked.

Lara and Sonny are two work rivals in different sections of the same parent newspaper company. They don't get along, to say the least, due to a loaded past, and they always try to one-up each other. After a screw-up at a work event, they are sent undercover to Eden, an exclusive and luxurious couple's therapy resort reserved for the elite and celebrities, to gather information on a famous couple staying there. They have to pretend they are a couple with issues to keep their jobs. As they have a history, bickering comes easy to them. At the resort, they meet other couples and experience some weird situations. Eden isn't what they expected, and the comic relief moments there make this a fun read.

I enjoyed the book overall. It was just the light reading I needed in these troubled times. The book is written from Lara's perspective, and I found it easy to identify with her. She acted silly at times, such as her choice of packing clothes for a place called Eden or wasting water during a hike, to list a couple. Still, she was a likable character, as was Sonny. The other couples also grew on me. Being rich isn't the bargain it's supposed to be, and those couples were a fine example of it.

Although the book follows some of the tropes of the genre, the premise and execution are original and creative. I enjoyed the dynamics and interactions - both between the couples themselves and among the other couples - and the different problems they had. Each had their own idiosyncrasies, which made them feel like real people. I also enjoyed reading about the daily (and strange) activities at the resort and smiled at some of the antics of the participants. It's one resort I will pass on, though... All of the characters were well-crafted. I could believe that these were real people with their emotions, reactions, and desires.

I have only one complaint about the book, the overuse of the word "insist" throughout the book, which became really irritating after a bit. Besides that, I loved the story and definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys some light-hearted romantic comedy and fun with a happy ending.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

This book was amazing. It was a 5/5 stars. I only have one complaint and that is there was no spice. It was an adorable contemporary romance. The ending was not predictable. The characters were given great backstorys so I felt like I knew the characters and could relate to them. Its like the movie the proposal meets just go with it. 10/10 recommend and will recommend to everyone I know. Thank you for writing such an amazing book.

I love all books by Portia and this one was a good one! It follows Sonny and Lara, university enemies.....until they are paired together for a couples retreat as they are now journalists. Lots of laugh out loud moments, cute romcom, a fun read that I will recommend to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

i had to read this as soon as i got it. must read. these books get me hooked on them. i love them. i am a total fan of Portia books. this was super good.