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.

A quick and entertaining read. This light-hearted romance (enemies/work rivals to lovers and fake dating themed) has charismatic, amusing characters and is set within an exclusive retreat for couples; where celebrities attend for relationship therapy sessions and counselling. The retreat setting and therapy programme do provide a unique, interesting and amusing setting for the story. This is a compelling read; it has some unexpected surprises along the way, a satisfying ending and doesn't tax your brain too much! This could be a perfect holiday read when it comes out on January 4, 2024. Many thanks to NetGallery and Boldwood Books for allowing me to get an early copy of the book - highly recommended

Enemies to Lovers by Portia MacIntosh is another amusing romp from an author who is always guaranteed to raise a smile.

Lara and Sonny have known each other since their university days. Sworn enemies ever since, they are both working as showbiz journalists when an assignment comes up that will require them to pose as a loving pair at a couples retreat. If that is not stressful enough, the retreat will test their limits, and push them to take a deeper look at not only themselves, but at each other.

I can always rely on Ms MacIntosh to give me at least a few laugh out loud moments, and her latest offering did not disappoint. This is a fun, light read that will keep you smiling throughout.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

This book is all about rivals Lara and Sonny. They have a long and complicated history together through work and before that Uni. They end up having to join forces and go undercover on an island retreat for their magazines.

I loved the story and the characters were great, I really felt like I was there with them.

There are some great twists and turns and a perfect ending. A definite 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Portia Macintosh for an advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.