First of all thank you to penguin young readers and Amanda for letting me review such a great read .

i really did have so much fun with this book i have not read much YA for a while so i loved dipping my toe back in .
i thought that Amanda's writing was wonderful and refreshing to read , she kept it so well paced and i was turning the pages so fast to see what happens next .

the characters i thought were great took me back to when i was a teen but i loved the open minded way they would think in the book ,so many different personalities in the mix i loved it . and the drama was so good very much loved it with the laugh out load moments .

i think if you love young adults I would give this one ago .

i am giving the book 4 teenage dreams stars

I have to preface this by saying I already know that my YA patrons at the library will LOVE THIS BOOK. I want to recommend it to all of them right away. We will definitely be purchasing this book for circulation at my library!

I'm going to be completely honest here: the beginning of this book is ROUGH. The characters almost don't feel real, more like charicatures. The dialogue is cringey as fuck, and makes you debate if this author has ever talked to another human before, and the insta-love is WILD. It was almost painful to read, but the concept was interesting and the reviews were great so I decided to stick with it, and I'm glad I did.
I think over the time of the book Amanda Woody did a great job developing these characters. At the start they feel like charicatures but by the end they are fully fleshed out people that I got so incredibly attached to. Emma and Caleb are two very different people, yet there are A LOT of parallels to their personal journeys. I thought this author did a great job at developing those aspects, and I also love how we got flashbacks to really see how deep some of these things run. I absolutely cried like a baby at a certain point throughout this book. I thought that was all just masterfully executed, and really packed the punch it should have.
I also adore the friendships within this book. We're mainly focussed on Caleb and Emma in this book, and their friendship is precious to me. I actually really liked how rough around the edges it was. It felt very real, and I loved seeing them put the pieces back together, and heal the hurt between them throughout the novel. Juliet is also quite a big part in this one. I actually really liked their journey of realising her past friends were toxic, and finally finding a place where they fit in. I really loved that b-plot throughout this book. I also really liked the other side characters that made up the friendgroup. They were a lot of fun, and I kind of wish we got a little more from them.
The only thing I didn't really like in this book was the romance. The whole thing with Juliet felt incredibly insta-love, and forced. I really disliked that aspect to this book, and it lasted WAY longer than I expected. It annoyed me a little bit. However, I don't think it got that much better once the focuss went on Emma and Caleb instead. I don't hate them as a couple, I just think it was extremely underdeveloped. I mean, in the flashbacks it's clear they have little crushes on each other, but in the present those feelings just weren't present for me. I just think that was the part of the book where the least amount of effort was put into. Like I said, it wasn't horrribly done. It just kind of felt like an afterthought, and I think this book could have been so much more impactful if it was just a friendship story instead.

This was actually a lot of fun. I love how stupid Emma and Caleb were. They couldn't see that they were clearly in love with each other. I enjoyed how Juliet was a good sport about it and even tried to get them together.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Thank you to @NetGalley, Amanda Woody, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Two old friends challenge each other to compete for the new girl's heart. Emma and Caleb use to be friends, but not since eighth grade. Emma thinks Caleb is a stick in the mud and super boring. Caleb is super annoyed with Emma because she keeps getting in the way of any potential relationships. When both try to go for Juliet, will they fall for each other instead?

A cute bisexual YA!

This is such an intense and poignant coming of age story. I felt so bad for Emma whose mother was extremely hard on her and she could never do anything right.

There is a new girl at school and she's interested but her ex bff Caleb is too. They decide to compete for her. But every time they try to get her alone they end up alone together. It brings up old feelings that never went away and helped them realize what separated them.

There were so many adult issues that these poor teens were having to deal with, homelessness, hunger, absent fathers and fathers using them, bullying, verbal abuse, and more.
The only adult who was actually kind to then was Caleb's mom who all the other adults criticized for dressing too sexy. Ugh society.

I did love their found family in their friend group.

A really sweet YA romance that kept me interested the whole time. I liked the mcs, and I liked their relationships with their friends and each other.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a mostly sweet YA rom-com with endearing characters and a decent amount of queer diversity.

I liked all the characters in this one, even if I found their actions questionable (at best) at times. I feel like this story might actually work better as a movie, assuming the leads were especially charismatic.

The ending to this one made me smile, which is really all I need from a book like this.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

First off, I want to thank Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

There were some things I really liked about this book, but it did take me a while to get invested. It felt like they both became interested in Juliet fairly quickly. I’m just not typically a fan of insta-love and had been expecting a bit more build-up since they liked her so much that they neither wanted to give up their chance of being with her. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the dialogue at times.

Now for what I did like: how it all ended. I love how the author tied up the romance and the family aspects of the book. I love the little found family they created and how they showed the difference between healthy and unhealthy friendships. While I wasn’t sure how to feel about Juliet at first, I ended up really liking her as a character once we got to know more about her! I was also rooting for Caleb and Emma! This book ended up being heavier than I thought it’’d be, but I really did like reading about how their familial relationships developed and believe that these plotlines could be really helpful for younger readers who are going through similar situations. I also liked the flashback chapters! I think they provided great context for the kind of bond that Caleb and Emma had before their friendship had ended. Also, I loved all the rep and the conversations they had around sexuality and identity! One particular conversation stood out to me that I think will mean a lot to many readers.

I do have to admit that I was in a bit of a reading slump, which could be why I was not super invested at the start of reading it. Overall, I did still like it and could definitely see other readers loving it.

Overall, 3.75 stars rounded up to 4!

cw: emotional parental abuse, queerphobia, physical violence, bullying, toxic friendships (off-page), abandonment, mental illness

This was super cute and fun, but also covered some pretty heavy topics. I liked that the ending was happy, but not fully "everything wrapped in a bow", and it had some great POVs and representation in it.

Emma and Caleb have always been each other frenemies since middle school. Emma is always stealing Caleb’s crushes and dare I say “cock blocking.” But he puts a stop to that when the new girl Juliet comes into their world. He won’t let Emma win. But plans go a rye when they realize they have feeling for each other. Past feelings that are like ripping a bandaid off an old wound.

This book touches on a lot. It has humor, banter and of course that warm fuzzy feeling that starts in the toes. That inner voice of “is this the right choice. I don’t want to eff it up.” It’s a self discovery in ways. Friends fighting over the same girl to realize their own feelings deep down towards each other.

I lived the characters and that it wasn’t overly dramatic or not positive in its outcome. Some books can come off childish, but this one almost had a mature way of exploring and discovering and that made it more enjoyable.

Overall, I was happy with this book and how it ended up for them.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley, Viking Publishing, and Amanda Woody for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!!*
Okay, I loved this book!! It was so fun, and a great summer read. It really took me back to when I was growing up, forming my first friendships, and really just navigating life. I think the author does an excellent job at showcasing complex relationships, both with one’s self and with others (family and friends specifically). This book has the perfect balance of humor, heartfelt moments, and just plain fun. I always love YA stories for the nostalgia, especially in high school. That is such a raw, vulnerable time, but it is also so necessary. And I think the author portrayed it beautifully. I enjoyed reading about all of these characters and getting to know them and their stories.
I loved Caleb and Emma!! They were so sweet. I absolutely live for their dynamic and (I will probably never ever say this again) the love triangle aspect of this was so cute. They’re such well-rounded characters and I was rooting for them and their friends so hard.
I appreciated the delve into complex familial dynamics and queer stories in particular, and the friendships that were explored were so meaningful.
Overall, this was a great book!! 🫶🏻

This was a very cute story with super strong chemistry between characters! By no means is this a story that will shock you with plot twists, but I don't think it's meant to be. This rivals to lovers story is filled with laugh out loud moments, characters who feel like you've known them forever, and great queer representation!

This was fun charming story about two ex best friends that suddenly seemed to be interested about the same girl. But what happens when past history don’t stay in the past?

While the story was a bit predictable I really enjoyed it, it was fun, charming and the characters were likeable and was very happy who I was rooting for end up together only complained is that it was a bit slow at first but after that it picked up and really like it . It definitely is a nice relaxing read.

A cute-turned-emotional story that has lulls and predictability in the story telling, but overall was an enjoyable read. The author did a great job in establishing the characters and the dynamics between them. As an older adult, I found some of the dialogue to be corny, cringey, and over the top, so it might not be the book for you. BUT I believe it would be great for the intended YA audience. Please be aware of the trigger warnings: bullying, emotional abuse, and homophobia.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I wish I loved this more than I did, but I had a hard time getting into it. I was excited to start because of the premise, however, I couldn’t find myself wanting to get back in it every time I put the book down. I think it’s just because I’m in a slump and YA isn’t really doing for me just now, which is u fortunate.

All this being said, I did find the story easy to get into. The author does a really good job in setting up the characters and their dynamics. I was invested in the romance, but my the that portion of the book, I sort of lost steam.

3.5 stars

content warnings: emotional abuse, bullying, homophobia

emma and caleb, once best friends, are now as close as strangers. emma has been getting in the way of every romantic prospect of caleb’s, but when caleb becomes interested in the new girl at school, juliet, he’s desperate to get to know her before emma asks her out. so, they have a little challenge: emma and caleb will get to know juliet, and whoever juliet kisses first gets to go out with her. as they make plans with juliet, though, she seems to be interested in hanging out with both of them at the same time, leading caleb and emma to wonder whether winning juliet’s heart is worth opening old wounds.

this might be a bit of an implied spoiler? but with a description like that, it was easy to see this story going one of two ways, either of which i would’ve been happy with. luckily, it did go one of my two predicted ways!

i loved all these characters so much. even though juliet doesn’t have a pov of her own, i enjoyed getting to know her<3 and caleb and emma had so much history that i loved learning about.

the writing was a bit silly at times, but honestly i think it added to the vibes of the book, so i didn’t mind that too much. i can’t wait to read more of amanda woody’s books!

Thank you go Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC copy.

When I heard that this had bi and demi representation, I had to read it immediately and I LOVED IT. There were a lot of laugh aloud moments and the chemistry between the two MCs is off-the-charts. Gotta love a good competition queer rom com. It has some darker topics, so be sure to check out the trigger warnings before reading. This is the first book I've read of this author; I can't wait to read Amanda Woody's first book now.

Exes and Foes by Amanda Woody is a charming contemporary romance that explores themes of love, forgiveness, and personal growth. The story centers around two protagonists who are exes thrown together by unforeseen circumstances, forcing them to confront their past and navigate their present feelings.

The novel has its strengths, particularly in its character development. Woody does a commendable job of giving depth to her characters, making them relatable and their struggles engaging. The dialogue is witty and often humorous, adding a lighthearted touch to the narrative. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, and their journey toward reconciliation is both sweet and satisfying.

However, the book does have its shortcomings. At times, the plot can feel predictable, with some twists and turns that may not come as a surprise to seasoned romance readers. The pacing occasionally slows down, and certain subplots could have been explored in greater detail to add more depth to the overall story. Additionally, while the romance is central to the narrative, the secondary characters could have been better developed to add more layers to the story.

Overall, Exes and Foes is an enjoyable read for fans of contemporary romance who appreciate a light, feel-good story with a satisfying conclusion. While it may not break new ground in the genre, it delivers a sweet escape and a reminder that love and understanding can overcome even the most challenging of circumstances.

A different kind of romance when these two young people are competing for the attention of the "new" girl, only to fall for each other. Yes, it sounds "cute", but it's actually a very entertaining story when the characters are this well developed.