I love enemies to lovers and this book was no exception. The amount of tension between the main characters in this story was sometimes downright awkward, which was SO well done.

They were what seemed like absolute opposites at the beginning but once you got to know them, each of their stories made sense.

There was one part of the story line that was definitely juvenile and the fact that the movie The Parent Trap was mentioned and it only referenced the Lindsay Lohan version was really disappointing.

But I really liked this book as a whole.

DNF @ 43% and skimmed the rest.

This was so disappointing. What is the plot- adult daughter whose inflated ego full of self-importance tricks her parents into not getting a divorce because it hurts HER feelings? Literally everything hurts her feelings because she acts as though the world revolves around her. Immature, to wrap up the plot in a single word. The Stranger Things Steve lookalike on the cover was my light in the dark.

This was one of the books that pulled me out of a reading slump I had been in for a while! I was so interested when I finished the first two chapters. Something about the book caught my attention and I finished it within a few weeks. Seeing as it has taken me a moment to gather my thoughts, The style of writing that Alexandria used within this novel had me laughing at the musical and movie mentions. This was one of the books I will recommend to my friends so they can get more into reading. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The banter in this book is what carries it. Colin has one of the best personalities I’ve read in an MMC, and the way he was so giving (🫡) was incredible.

Truly frustrated me in the sense that I’m not an only child like she is, and when my mom sat me down to tell me she was divorcing my dad, I took a breath and said “it’s about time” and never in my life have considered the idea of manipulating my parents back together

That being said, this book was a fun read. The spice was 🫡🫡🫡 even though it got way too talkative at the end

This is now a Colin McCrory fan account, thank you and goodnight 😌

I loved this book. Bisexual messes on main, discussion of bi erasure, some trauma and anxious avoidant attachment styles, conversations on what it means for love to change and endure over time, and a man who just will. not. give. up. Admittedly, there were some times where I found Truly to be a bit immature (I mean, really, a Parent Trap moment?), and I occasionally got irritated over the extremeness of her being stubborn. That being said, Colin made up for it with his ENDLESS patience and love and affection for her throughout the book, regardless of how many times she pushed him away. A fun read during Pride Month, I give this a 4.25⭐, rounded to 4 on Goodreads!

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I liked this but the enemies to lovers of it all made lowkey no sense. That said, I still had a fun time and will read anything Alexandria puts into the ether.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The banter in this book is A+ perfection. The MMC Colin is fantastic as well and is just an amazing book boyfriend. (The guy on the cover also looks like Joe Keery which isn't a bad thing to me)

I love the communication that the two of them have in this book. When miscommunication is such a common trope in these books it was nice to see these two actually talk.

I really enjoyed this book but I did kind of feel like there was something missing to the plot.

** spoiler alert ** This entire review will be a spoiler so if you've come past the spoiler warning, this is another one!

If you have read it, great! I'm going to rave about different parts of the book in exquisite detail. I began it this morning around 11:30 and I've finished it in around 7 hours, it was for sure a book I could not put down. It was, as it was Ms. Bellefluer wrote of Truly's debut novel "compulsively readable" and it was for me. I loved seeing Truly's relationship with Colin unfold, from the beginning and to their storybook ending, or the path to it. I really liked Truly's self-discovery, finding the risky and spontanaiety that she'd had in her life before she met Justin. I also really liked how one chapter ended and the next began moments later or a few hours later. It was a new experience for me as, in other romance novels/books I 've read, there is usually, at minimum, a few hours in between chapters and events between the characters. But it was nice. I would have liked to see Caitlin's reaction to their relationship as we saw Lulu's reaction when Truly called or texted her. It would have been nice to see Colin's Lulu, either his sister Caitlin or his cousin Cillian, provide support or talk things through with him. We don't really see that much from his perspective, his life outside of Caitlin, and then his family when they're at the lake but that didn't count as much.

Going into their relationship, I liked the start with "hating" each other, at least on Truly's part, to flirting by text, talking in person or by text, their little dates and then going to the lakehouse which changed a lot for both of them. I loved their texting relationship! It was so thrilling and exciting, it made you just laugh and smile and grin at their love story unfolding. I really liked that part because I feel like you can put a lot into a scene with dialogue, you get what they're thinking, feeling, doing all in one. And Colin was so sweet and so caring, I loved his character and that he was able to be vulnerable with her which is a change from some of the other books I've read.

Now going to the status change in their relationship. When Truly met his mother, their relationship wasn't as solid as it was at the end of the of the lakehouse trip. I think the entire weekend they were there really did a lot to solidify their relationship, and her parents. As for the events that transpired, I was not extremely surprised at learning past events. Ms. Bellefleur did an amazing job of characterizing Colin's family so that we sympathize with him, as Truly did. It made me wonder at some of the family dynamics. Colin and Caleb are twins, and Colin makes the statement that he's older by 12 minutes, and when I thought of Caleb's personality, I wondered if their relationship had always been strained. If Caleb was always trying to get back and be the first in things, ahead of Colin. Because with the way Colin's relationship with Ali ended, it made me wonder if she and Caleb had already been eyeing each other before she and Colin split and that explains the timing of their being together 5 days later. For this, I label many grievances. Ali's behavior towards Colin's coming out as queer, Ali's breakup with him, Ali's getting into bed with Caleb, then Caleb's decision to get into bed with Ali 5 days after his brother broke up with her, as well as Caleb's refusal/denial that he did anything wrong, then his entire family's denial that the situation was awful and that Colin shouldn't be upset. I think Caleb knew what he was doing, and that he's refusing to apologize, specifically for the way he was silently laughing when their father told the joke about Colin. And I loved how Truly swooped in there, taking Colin's hand in hers, and asking them to explain the joke. That was amazing! She forced them all to recognize and admit that it's not a nice joke, which Cognac splitters about and doesn't explain it because, what I'm hoping, he knows he'd come off as rude or cruel if he did. The whole situation made me wonder about Colin's relationship with his cousin Cillian, whom he said was his best friend. In a statement to his mother, Colin talks about how she, his father, and the rest of the family don't acknowledge that what Caleb did was wrong and hurtful and I'm wondering if Cillian, along with Caitlin, is exempt from that. I guess it's me sympathizing more with Colin over his having a family who refuses to acknowledge his pain and instead seems to pour salt into his wound, both directly and indirectly.

Outside of everything above, I would have liked to see their story continue, to see them getting married and hurdling more loops together. To maybe see Caitlin fall in love and to see the McCrory family finally acknowledge what Caleb did was awful.

All in all, this was my first novel by Alexandria Bellefleur and I'll for sure continue reading more of her novels and series.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

I have loved previous books by this author, but unfortunately this was not my favorite. The plot was interesting - podcast guest co-hosts get off to a very rough start. Its opposites attract, with Truly being a romance author and Collin a family/divorce lawyer. I never really bought into their attraction to each other, and the descriptions used were really kind of cringy (why was the author so intent on constantly describing Collin's huge amount of moles?????).

Truly was not a likable character, either, as she was pretty bratty and immature and had this whole "Parent Trap" idea planned for her parents - but Truly is a grown a$s adult. Collin had conflict with his twin brother, because the brother is dating Collin's ex. I think the ideas were there, but the execution could have been better.

Both of the main characters are bi, which is always a plus. *LGBTQ+ rep*

THIS!! THIS IS IT!! This is EXACTLY what I needed to pull me out of my reading slump, I looove this so much!!!

They meet while both being guests on a podcast and get into a heated argument and it also happens to be a terrible day for her and he’s very defensive so it goes down and she ends up leaving. I love that this didnt feel too trope-y, the conflict felt natural! The banter was amazing and so funny! He falls fast, it has forced proximity and they’re both bisexual. i love how much they both grew individually and together and how supportive he always was for her. I also love that there was no miscommunication between them! Their communication was great and the ending was so sweet. They were willing to talk through everything and help Truly overcome her relationship trauma, we love and emotionally mature man.

ALSOO!! Truly´s family’s song lyric game was adorable and I love that Colin joined! The way the whole family loved musical just made me love the book even more as a musical theatre lover myself

Another Alexandria Bellefleur classic! A little bit slower start for me than some of her previous novels, but still has the charm, the chemistry, and the passion that draws in and hooks you in.

I wanted to love this book because I was looking forward to it. But I was never able to recover from the ENTIRE chapter where they had to use Broadway show names to talk. Even when they started having a very serious conversation.

This was my first Alexandria Bellefleur and I had seen some hype about Truly, Madly, Deeply so I was excited to jump in. Unfortunately, the book didn’t live up to my expectations.

Truly was, well, truly difficult to root for. I kept having to check back for her age because she was so immature. The Parent Trap plot made her seem even younger, riding roughshod over her parent’s wishes because her need for their HEA was the most important thing.

Colin was the better character for me, but I need him to go to the dermatologist stat!

The bisexual rep raises this to 2 stars for me, especially the lovely conversation between Truly and Colin about what constitutes being bisexual.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

If you’re looking for a book with lots of swoony moments, it’s super funny, and loads banter filled tension, this is 𝗧𝗛𝗘 book for you!

The meet cute in this book was so perfect to the characters! Watching Colin and Truly's relationship develop was perfection. I'll be forever thinking about Colin's confession to Truly, no doubt. That man holds nothing back and I am obsessed ❤️‍🔥

I also LOVED the side characters in this book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏻

Read if you love:
Enemies to Lovers
He Falls First
Queer Rep
Opposites Attract

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Spice:
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

During the midst of writing her next romance novel, Truly faces an existential crisis. She walks in on her fiancé with his pants down, her parents unexpectedly announce their trial separation, and her entire perspective on love is shaken. How is she supposed to write the next epic romance when everything she knows about love is now on shaky grounds.

Amidst all the personal life madness, Truly agrees to cohost a podcast about relationships. Her opposing cohost, Colin, ends up being a hot but annoying divorce attorney who makes her so mad she walks out. A few days later, Colin comes to Truly asking to start over. What happens when the two find out they have more similarities than differences?

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️s - Super funny and lighthearted read. The banter between Truly and Colin is hilarious and their antagonistic love language makes me giggle. Reading about Truly’s and Colin’s experiences as bisexuals was enlightening and I learned something new from this book.

Additionally, the side characters are also an absolute hoot. I especially love Truly’s best friend, Lulu who makes me laugh every time she appears. I personally want a whole book about her and her life.

Spice Rating: 5/5 🌶️s - These lovebirds have several scenes that make me blush. I think they may enjoy the thrill of potentially getting caught.

Thank you Alexandria Bellefleur, HarperVoyagerUS, and NetGalley for the ARC! This was an unexpected favorite of this year.

I've been meaning to give Alexandria a try for a while. I heard her speak on a panel at LA Times Festival of Books last year, and her books sounded like they would interest me. I started and didn't finish Written in the Stars. I don't think I vibe with her writing.

This one was tough for me to get through. To me, it just feels very white woman feminist with too many Taylor Swift references, but this will speak to a very large subset of reviewers.

Truly Livingston is truly named Truly. Sorry, but I had to. She walks in on her cheating fiancé and dumps him on the spot. An author by trade, she immediately goes to a podcast to discuss romance. The podcaster's brother is the other one on the show. I am loathe to call this enemies to lovers, as it's a catchphrase made for selling books.

Colin is honestly trying, and Truly is a very abrasive individual. During this time, Truly's parents are going through a trial separation, which she has trouble accepting. She parent traps them at their weekend lake house, inviting them both to spend time with her, when neither knows the other will be there. It obviously goes to shit. Since the main romance is between Truly and Colin, obviously Colin is at the lake town, too.

okay i loved bellefleur's first book and really thought i'd love this one too, but i keep CRINGING so hard at so many details in it... the fact that she's named TRULY is bad enough, but the fact that her parents only talk in broadway song titles?!? you're kidding me. i can't.

the chemistry between truly and colin just doesn't seem believable to me, and i didn't buy into their journey together, and it just ... didn't work for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

I really enjoyed listening to this story, but this was not a very plot-heavy romance. I found that the story jumped from occurrence to occurrence without going too in-depth on any one thing. I just found myself wanting more. I wish that Truly’s Parent Trap moment was a bit more fleshed out and we got to see her up to no good, rather than her plot to get her parents back together being exposed before it even got started. I wanted more from the podcast Truly was a guest on and wanted to see her share her advice and maybe even break down a little bit knowing what we do about her past relationship and that of her parents. Overall, I just wanted a bit… more.

It was nice to see the bi-representation of both of our main characters. It was interesting the see how both characters’ families handled their sexuality, which contrasted from one to the other.

The spice though was GIVING throughout. Once Colin and Truly gave in to their undeniable chemistry, all bets were off! THE SPICE was absolutely on fire! 🔥 I mean, Colin McCory can do no wrong. That man was perfection! (Also, HELLLLO Steve Harrington!)

Thank you to Alexandria Bellefleur and Avon Books for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover was a little deceptive and part of why I might have requested to read it. It appears one of the characters or both work in a bookshop. Neither does. One is a writer and the other a lawyer. Not sure who commissioned this cover image but it feels a bit misrepresentative to me.

That said, this story was fine. It just didn't float my boat. If you are a fan of short kings with lots of moles and/or a serious musical theatre fan, maybe it'll be your bag? It is queer-friendly in that one of the characters is bi but the central romance is between a guy and gal. It was an enjoyable ear-read, but not one that I'll rush out to buy in print and keep forever.

Our May Tall Dark and Trope-y (romance bookclub that I host at my local indie bookstore) book was TRULY MADLY DEEPLY by Alexandria Bellefleur and it was a group fav! 💙💜🩷

We all loved this book SO MUCH! We had wonderful discussion around broadway musicals, being queer in a straight-presenting relationships, the romance genre, parental relationships, healthy partner conflict, and, of course, smut. I knew I loved this book before bookclub but after 2 hours of conversing with friends, I walked away with an even great appreciation for this story! 💜

For me, this book has everything I want in a rom-com. It is the perfect mix of adversaries-to-lovers, witty (& sexy) banter, just enough plot, funny side characters and friends, and GOOD smut. I think it’s Alexandria’s best book yet!

Also! The second half of this book takes place at the MC’s family lake houses and it has very fun ~summery~ vibes! Colin and Truly even have some fun in the lake…IYKYK. 😏

We are all hoping this is the start to a series… Alexandria please we are begging 🙏🏼 Huge thanks to @avonbooks for sending me an advanced copy!

I am truly, madly, and deeply in love with this book and I think yall will be too! 🩷