The title is pretty self-explanatory.
Lara and Sonny are Rivals in competing magazines, and after one too many fights they get shipped off to a mysterious retreat ( reserved for the rich and famous) kicker they have to pretend to be a couple in relationship trouble.

I didn't enjoy this as much as other books by PM, I found some parts really uncomfortable ( one scene where couples were 'mistakenly' swopped) and some of the insinuations.

I did like the way friendships were formed between the women, and how secrets and promises were kept- it showed real character growth.

Sonny and Lara, despite being "enemies" did land up by being a good team-a bit rushed in the end but enjoyable nonetheless.

“Sonny and I are kind of like work rivals.”

Sweet comedy but also romantic tension. This book had them both!!! And I’m oh so glad I had the opportunity to read it!! I enjoyed Lara and Sonny’s story so so much!!! Especially because it is one of my favourite tropes of all time in contemporary romance : rivals to lovers with forced proximity and one bed !!! It’s much less spicy but the one bed it’s there and the tension between the main characters (who have to pretend to be a couple nonetheless) is all there !!!! It’s such a good story and such an entertaining one. And the plot in itself was so fun and quite interesting to come up with!!! I’m definitely a fan! I have to admit that I developed a crush for Sonny very early on. But that’s all on me! And Lara was a genuine and great character to meet. I’m glad I read this book!!

"Your ability to challenge each other, to push each other's limits, could be the secret to all of your successes.'

Typically, I love Portia's books. I still do - and while I didn't love ENEMIES TO LOVERS - I was deep in like with the story.

I think the plot involving a work enemies-to-lovers trope is a lot of fun and Lara and Sonny definitely had chemistry and great banter.

The problem for me was their romance really took a backseat to the storylines of the other couples at the retreat. We didn't get a lot of Lara and Sonny time, but there was a lot of exploration about the other couples. I often feel this way in the "small-town romance" trope. I'd much rather the focus be on our number one couple.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an e-copy of ENEMIES TO LOVERS to review.

I rate ENEMIES TO LOVERS three out of five stars.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

First of all, if you are looking for a romance, this is not it. This book is a comedy with a romantic subplot. Not romantic, not swoony, no tension whatsoever.
Lara and Sonny are both entertainment journalists who are sent incognito to a celebrity couples retreat to spy on a celeb couple. Sounds fun, and it is for a bit. However, I feel like there are many missed opportunities. The ending is terribly predictable and the love story is completely irrelevant.
Also the title is completely misleading. They are not enemies. She is incredibly annoying and treats him horribly and he is a golden retriever.
Again, don't read this for the romance.
It was a quick read and had its fun moments, I guess, but the story was not done justice.

Enemies to Lovers feels like a good book that’s been sold short. The idea is entertaining and the story, for the most part, pans out as you’d expect. But it feels like an idea that hasn’t quite come to fruition, with elements of the story rushed.
Our basic premise is the relationship between Sonny and Lara, two journalists who effectively do the same job but for rival companies. Tied into a sort of twisted one-upmanship these two clearly make a good couple but don’t seem ready to acknowledge it. When they are forced onto a couples retreat with their goal to find an exclusive scoop on a Hollywood golden couple, it sets up the opportunity for them to take time to work out what’s important to them.
Fairly cliched couples make up the group but the writing means they seem a little more nuanced than they first appear. Naturally, there’s a twist which threatens to cause problems but which actually fizzles into nothing much.
Hovering between two and three stars for this. I wanted to like it more. Thanks, though, to NetGalley fo

Enemies to Lovers by Portia MacIntosh is a romantic comedy that follows “enemies” Lara and Sonny.

Lara and Sonny are rival journalists who are always competing to get to the story first. They might say they are enemies but they are more rivals than enemies. There are times when this “light” romcom almost had a thriller aspect to it.

I had a difficult time connecting to the characters and finding them likable. The two characters have a past and are attracted to each other but it was hard to see real chemistry between them. Lara came across as a juvenile and unprofessional, and Sonny was bland.

The romance fell flat and I think it was from the lack of character growth and pacing of the plot.

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

Fans of Portia Macintosh won’t be disappointed with her latest, Enemies to Lovers. The premise is a fun one: two rival show biz journalists go undercover at an exclusive celebrity marriage retreat, and they find themselves working out their actual differences through a series of unusual couples’ therapy experience.

Macintosh writes closed door romance really well, so this is a great choice if you’re not a fan of spicy scenes but you still want to feel the tension and chemistry between the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book, the ending was wrapped up quite quickly but would re-read: 4/5.

I love a good enemy to lover book but this one was lacking a lot I wanted to read.
There has to be a little chemistry between the couple that is just hiding behind the interactions between the two.
I needed to see some pop and sizzle and a little bit of feeling and this book just did not have it. I really did not like them enough to get interested in what happened.
There were a few times I was thinking to myself that Portia MacIntosh kept some of the story in her mind and forgot to put the words on paper.
Thank you NetGalley, Portia MacIntosh and Boldwood Books for the copy of Enemies to Lovers. This is my personal review.

"Lara and Sonny are sworn enemies.

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 sounded good but I am sorry to say this one didn't work for me - but that doesn't mean it won't work for a lot of people. Romance is not my go to genre so I am probably not the best person for this one.

One-Sided Business Rivalry would have sounded strange as a title, but is more accurate.

Lara and Sonny work in different branches of a large media corporation, but basically have the same "celeb gossip column" job. Since they are rivals/enemies, nothing gets them together better than forced proximity as an undercover assignment as a couple needing therapy at a luxury resort for celebrities.

I didn't like the characters. Lara was very childish and Sonny was just too one-dimensional to actually care for him. Hence I didn't buy into the romance and have to say that I found the comedy- elements felt forced rather than funny.

This enemies to lovers romance novel was one I struggled to read. The characters were very surface level and predictable in the beginning and the plot was also predictable. The first few chapters did make me want to read on and the plot lines of sexual harassment and fighting for the same journal article which didn't go anywhere failed to get me to care about these characters.

OK. So this book. It already has some harsh reviews, but I don't think that it was THAT bad. I mean, it was completely predictable and well, I missed a depth to it - it's not a book that I will want to re- read.
The plot was simple, albet a bit unrealistic. The thing that bothered me so much was the fact that the main characters didn't seem like enemies, at all, it was more Lara's wish probably as she felt she needs to repeat and repeat that they're "sworn enemies". And that even though I never warmed to Sonny, he was absolutely not my kind of character, prince charming that was not charming at all. They lacked chemistry between them and the dynamics didn't simply work. The same as Lara and Brett, atlhough she was sure there is connection between them. No, there wasn't.

The book was filled with scenes that made me think WTF, THIS can't be, right? It made me feel irritated, really. I'm too old for this kind of read probably. Everything happened so quickly and easily, the circumstances were all the time so convenient, all people trusted Lara and Sonny, even the biggest cinema stars in the world that looked for some recluse. I mean, ha?

It's a shame, really, that the book didn't work for me. It seems as if Portia McIntosh had a lovely idea, but lacked on delivering, putting the flat characters into the most bizarre situations that should be fun, but weren't.

I always enjoy Portia MacIntosh books - this one was a very playful workplace rivals, second chance, enemies to lovers, fake relationship, vacation romance... so many tropes in a single book!

It was a quick read and a lot of fun! There was a lot happening here and a few times I wasn't quite sure that I liked either of the characters (they both had a whole lot of flaws and many things that made them unlikeable at many points in the book), but in the end, they both really redeemed themselves. Both to the reader and to each other.

We learn a whole lot about Lara and Sonny's rivalry and exactly how far back and why they are so alienated with each other as the book goes on, and have to play a fake dating couple in crisis as they end up at an exclusive relationship retreat for the rich and famous, as they go undercover for stories for the two different magazines they work for (they are each gossip columnists for two magazines under the same parent company, focused on different readers). They went to college together and have been work rivals since they were interns together and Sonny pulled a stunt against Lara and she's had hurt feelings ever since. Playing the part of a fighting couple is truly no difficulty.

While going undercover for the dirt on the famous couples, they have to work together but get a whole lot more than either one bargained for.

A playful bantering, rivals, second chance, and so much more, (closed door) romance, and a quick read - if you're looking for something that is relatively light-hearted but still tackles a bit of drama, this is a great choice!

This book was not what I was expecting but I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. I enjoyed the ethical and mystery elements of the book almost more than the romance. The fake dating trope was a really fun addition. I thought it could have had a little more dimension to keep me fully engaged since a few main points were revealed to be slightly lacklustre. It is a really fun summer, beach read if that is what you are looking for.

Thank you Boldwood Books and Portia MacIntosh for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Enemies to lovers is my absolute favourite trope, and I am a fan of Portia MacIntosh, so for me this was a dream pairing. Unfortunately it didn't quite hit the mark - The characters were difficult to like and the book seemed a bit... genre-confused?

I loved the setting behind the celeb retreat, and the journalism jobs. The rivalry between the two MCs was entertaining, however it didn't have the level of banter I enjoy with Portia's books.

Definitely will not deter me from future Portia MacIntosh books, unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC :)

I loved this different take on the enemies to lovers, forced proximity story. The MC was believable and it had good humour. A really easy read.

It is hard for me to grasp the first half of the book. Enemies to Lovers by Portia Macintosh is a General fiction and I think the reason why i strugle in the start of the book is because it is not that deep for me.

This was the delightful romp I adore Portia's books for. The setting was fantastic and the story was cute and engaging

An enchanting journey through vividly imagined worlds and compelling characters. This fiction gem weaves a tapestry of emotions, adventure, and unexpected twists that kept me eagerly turning the pages. The author's masterful storytelling evokes a powerful connection, making this book an absolute delight to read. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a captivating escape into a richly crafted story!