The Takeover explores a workplace enemies to lovers story. The banter between Nami and Jae Lee was funny, witty, and teasing. I enjoyed seeing their dynamic!

Whatever Cara Tanamachi writes - I’ll read! I love the way she writes relatable characters and romance! The rivalry between Jae and Nami is so delicious- I couldn’t put this one down!

Thank you NetGalley and this publisher for providing me this ALC!

This had great potential for a cute romance but I didn't love it. It was a cute enemies to lovers, workplace romance and was fun to listen to but took a good bit of time to get into and follow along with.

Cara Tanamachi's second novel, "The Takeover" is a witty and engaging enemies-to-lovers romance that nicely blends a narrative of corporate intrigue with a heartfelt exploration of ambition, family dynamics, and self-discovery. Centred around Nami, a fiercely driven entrepreneur at a crossroads in both her personal and professional life, the story delivers sharp banter, simmering tension, and a satisfying mix of humor and emotion from the first until the last page.

Chracterwise, Nami is a relatable protagonist whose perfectionism and vulnerability make her journey compelling. Her frustrations, both personal and professional, are palpable, while her growth throughout the story is one of the book's strongest elements. Opposite to her is Jae Lee, her high school nemesis-turned-rival businessman, whose charm and confidence are matched by hidden depths. The chemistry between these two main characters is electric, with their spirited banter evolving into heartfelt conversations and undeniable attraction as the narration goes on.

The dual-POV narration provided by Donald Chang and Chieko Hidaka effectively conveyed the story's witty dialogue and engaging plot. The narrators' clear and pleasant voice made it easy to follow along, and their pacing was generally well-suited to the material. Top grades to both narrators for their performance!

Overall, "The Takeover" shines with its witty dialogue, strong characters, and exploration of themes like self-worth, ambition, and love. It’s a fun and heartfelt story that can appeal to fans of romantic comedies with a side of corporate drama. If you’re looking for a romance that’s equal parts competitive and tender, this one is worth checking out!

Special thanks to NetGalley, RB Media, Recorded Books, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.

If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads! #TheTakeover #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

Cara Tanamachi’s *The Takeover* is a witty and engaging enemies-to-lovers romance that blends corporate intrigue with a heartfelt exploration of ambition, family dynamics, and self-discovery. Centered around Nami, a fiercely driven entrepreneur at a crossroads in her personal and professional life, the story delivers sharp banter, simmering tension, and a satisfying mix of humor and emotion.

Nami is a relatable protagonist whose perfectionism and vulnerability make her journey compelling. Her frustrations—both personal and professional—are palpable, and her growth throughout the story is one of the book's strongest elements. Opposite her is Jae Lee, her high school nemesis-turned-rival businessman, whose charm and confidence are matched by hidden depths. The chemistry between them is electric, with their spirited banter evolving into heartfelt conversations and undeniable attraction.

The premise of a hostile takeover as the backdrop for their romance adds an intriguing layer of tension, though the corporate drama occasionally takes a backseat to the personal stakes. Nami’s relationships with her family, particularly her feelings of inadequacy compared to her sister Sora, provide added emotional weight and resonate with anyone who has ever felt the pressure of unmet expectations.

While the book is full of entertaining moments, the pacing can feel uneven. The transition from animosity to romance, while enjoyable, is a bit abrupt, leaving some emotional beats underexplored. Additionally, the resolution of the professional conflict wraps up a little too neatly, missing an opportunity for a more satisfying conclusion.

*The Takeover* shines with its witty dialogue, strong characters, and exploration of themes like self-worth, ambition, and love. While it doesn’t break new ground in the enemies-to-lovers genre, it’s a fun and heartfelt read that will appeal to fans of romantic comedies with a side of corporate drama. If you’re looking for a romance that’s equal parts competitive and tender, this one is worth checking out.

When starting The Takeover I had high expectations, unfortunately this one was just not for me. Enemies to Lovers/Rivals to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes, but I couldn’t get past the MMC being the way he was. I also felt that the narration lacked just a bit so I didn’t get into it very well. The writing felt forced and very YA and didn’t work very well for me.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for this audio advanced copy for an honest review.

This book is filled with humor, romance, and corporate drama! Nami runs a startup and is in the midst of a corporate buy out, when she discovers her high school nemesis, Jae Lee, is now a ruthless executive looking to purchase her company. The story has several heartfelt moments, with playful banter and an enemies-to-lovers plot line. However, it's heavy on the corporate jargon and a hyperfixation on a stolen chair. The voice acting was enjoyable and brought the characters/plot to life.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books for an advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

Life's too short to read books with bad narrartors.



DNF @ 15%. Could not stand the FMC narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately after many months of trying I just couldn’t get into this book.

Thanks to RB Media for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Enemies to lovers with a workplace theme? Sounds like a perfect treat, right? I needed a juicy, fun romance story which is why I decided to take myself on a journey with Cara Tanamachi's novel. Is this my new to-go comfort book?

-what is it about-

Nami celebrates her 30th birthday. The festive mood should make her proud and full of happiness for the recognition of her achievements. However, the celebration turns sour as everything goes wrong in her life. Her fiance called off the engagement, the tech company is in ruin, and her sister will marry her dreamy partner. And to make things worse, her high school nemesis wants to take over her start-up. Nami decides it's time to fight for everything but she might lose her head or heart in the process...


-what I loved?-

-> The writing style was pretty basic, therefore I could get into the storyline with ease. The fun and light vibes also helped!
-> Side characters saved some crucial situations that happened in this story! I hoped that Cara Tanamchi would expand their impact on various aspects of Nami and Jae's lives!



-what did I not love?-

→ As a huge enemies-to-lovers trope fan, I expected this novel to have a better-expanded love storyline. I think everything happened too quickly as there was no visible process of Nami and Jae's relationship. The initial rivalry and ironic conversations turned into nothing that captivating.
→ All themes connected to workplace romance were pretty dull. I wanted the relationship to expand as everything connected to it eventually lacked emotions. I think the fault may be with the simple solutions to the rivalry and past events between the main characters.


rating: 2/5 ✮✮
genre: Contemporary
themes: workplace romance, rivalry, enemies to lovers, modern start-ups

I am obsessed with high school rivals turned into lovers as adult. I like the growth of people from their teenage years and getting to know each other as adults. I screamed. I squealed. I loved this.

I got an alc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I never listened to it because my NetGalley app wasn't working properly. So I had to uninstall it and then all but two of my audio books were gone.

Plot: .5
Writing: .5
Worldbuilding: .5
Characters: .5
Themes: .5
2.5/5

Spice: 1.5/5
Audiobook: 3/5

Despite the MCs being in their 30's, they read a lot more like they were in their early 20's. I did not find myself super invested in the characters or the plot. The whole takeover plot point is similar to an Ali Hazelwood book and I felt like it wasn't done as well as Ali's was. There is a tiny bit of spice...and maybe it was the narrators but it didn't seem that spicy at all.

I didn't love these narrators. They were ok, hence the 3/5 rating. There's nothing actually wrong with them, it's not like this was a bad production at all, I just didn't vibe with them. Especially the female narrator.

You can't win them all. I really wanted to like this one more than I did. Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for an ALC of The Takeover in exchange for my honest review.

Ohhh this just wasn't for me. Fell a little flat. I love a rom com that immediately pulls you in, especially on audiobook, and this just wasn't that for me. Thank you though!

*The Takeover* offers an intriguing premise where a wish for a soulmate lands Nami with her high school nemesis, Jae Lee, who is now plotting a takeover of her tech company. The story explores their rivalry and budding romance against a backdrop of personal and professional challenges.

While the concept had potential and the romance was mildly engaging, the overall execution left me wanting more. The rivalry between Nami and Jae was expectedly sharp and entertaining at times, but the narrative failed to fully captivate me. The character dynamics and their evolving relationship didn't quite hit the mark, and I found myself less invested as the story progressed.

Ultimately, while the premise was promising and the romance had its moments, the book didn’t fully engage me or maintain my interest. It was an okay read but didn't leave a lasting impression.

The Takeover offers an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers story with plenty of witty banter and a dose of workplace drama. Nami's journey from frustration to finding unexpected love with her high school rival, Jae, is entertaining, and the chemistry between the characters is palpable.

However, I found the plot to be somewhat predictable, following familiar rom-com tropes. While the characters are likable and the writing is engaging, the story doesn’t break new ground in the genre.

Really sweet romance. I love the main characters’ energies. They felt really compatible, and the non-romantic storyline was also interesting.

Unfortunately this was not a good audio listening experience for me to get a good understanding of the feel for the book or to connect with the characters. I will have to try this in print or something else from the author next time!

I enjoyed the premise of this one but I honestly couldn’t connect with the story or the characters. I don’t want to say anything bad about it, it just wasn’t for me.

AAHH I wish I loved this book more! Theres nothing I love more than an enemies/rivals-to-lovers, workplace romance WITH dual POV. BUT I couldn't handle the MMC's POV, within his first chapter I got the instant ick and I unfortunately couldn't get over it!

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for an advanced audio copy for an honest review.