I LOVE when publishers take the time to hire a narrator for each main person in the book. Having 2 separate voices make all the difference. Both were phenomenal narrators and it made the book that much more enjoyable!

I honestly really loved this book!

Enemies to lovers is one of my MOST favorite tropes and I feel so many people can easily get it wrong by making one or both parties have no redeeming qualities. The just POOF go from enemies to lovers in a heart beat because of the "passion of hate" and it never feels genuine. This book, THIS BOOK, did it so well. Build so many pieces as a foundation to let us see the natural progression due to misunderstandings in their teenage years.
I enjoyed it SO much and found both of the main characters adorable.

Highly recommend!

"Jay Lee is not my soul-mate, he's my hate-mate"
This has everything a cute Enemies to Lover story needs with former High School rivals reuniting in the workplace and eventually falling in love. I actually loved that the Male MC, Jae, was so obviously head over heels from the beginning, but just kept up the whole "rivals" thing until he couldn't anymore.

The chemistry was really solid between the 2 MC's, and I actually thought the banter became better when the enemies turned lovers. (Really the whole book in general got better when they turned lovers, their wasn't enough tension when they were enemies). Honestly though, the couple makes a lot of sense together, even though I was kind of caught off guard when they initially got together because, I didn't feel like anything had really developed between them yet.

What I liked best about the book- that Jae said Nami looked like a goddess in his internal monologue every time he saw her.

What I liked the least- that they ordered a 50 pack of condoms to be delivered to the apartment. OH & how many times the word "pandemic" was mentioned.

During the build up for the thing that was going to break the couple up (happens in every romance, not a spoiler), I thought for sure I was going to be shoving my fist into a wall, but honestly... I thoroughly enjoyed it and the aftermath.

This was delightful. I probably wouldn't teach this book just because of the small amount of more explicit sexual content, but would certainly recommend to other adults and teens I thought were mature enough to handle it. I enjoyed getting to see a romance with characters of color who were smart, accomplished, and fun.

First, I have to say thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin's Griffin, and author Cata Tanamachi for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Now for my honest review… I was not a fan of this book. The main characters were awful and if I had to describe them with one word it would be hypocrite.

Nami was the most self centered person in the book but she felt like she was God’s gift to the world. The situation with her sister not being able to stand up to her mom about not wanting an expensive wedding dress, when she herself didn't stand up to her mom was the last straw for me. She literally complained about having a dress big enough to take up half of her closet that her mom “forced” her to buy. She also didn't say anything about not wanting a surprise party for her birthday when she made it very well known that her mom can’t keep secrets and she knew about the party way before the day. Poor Nami. Yet, when her sister is in the same situation she literally forces her to confront her mom by talking FOR her.

When she isn't at risk of disappointing her mom she will be the first one to confront the problem. AND THEN!!! She has the audacity to get mad at her sister for not backing her up!!! Ew.

At one point she runs into someone that she doesn't like, he shows her a picture of her ex, and she goes off on a tangent about how the woman in the picture isn't her. Did she stop there? Oh no, she had to destroy this woman that she HAS NEVER AND WILL NEVER met. She talks crap about her makeup and looks like this other woman could win an ugly dog competition. Make it make sense.

Jae wasn't the worst but definitely not the best. Just tell her the damn truth… also, Jae didn't realize just how rich he was until he saw a picture of Nami’s past christmas… Nami got a knock off Furby = Nami was the poorest of poor… Stop. He was her high school bully and only started talking to her again because he got bored and wanted to bully her while trying to take her business away. He got her number from her mom just to harass her, then decided he had feelings for her because he missed the banter? No sir, not banter, bullying.

Anyway, this book was not for me.

P.S. The “who stole my super rare chair” thing at the beginning of the chapters made my eyes roll all the way in the back of my head everytime. Not once did I care about that stupid chair.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this audio.

This was such a good book! I couldn’t stop! I finished it in one sitting. Such a good plot and I love the love story. Such a quick and easy read.

A classic high school rivals to lovers story, except this one were actually realistic and really great written. The book follows Nami Reid and Jae Lee whom were rivals in high school and are now meeting again as Jaes company is trying to buy Namis. This results in their rivalry starting all over again. I really enjoyed the romance and in the end I really think the two main characters are a great team.

I had so much fun listening to this audiobook which were narrated by two people as the book follows both Nami and Jae’s povs. I loved all the characters and really enjoyed that it was both character- and plot- driven. I'd give this book 4.75 stars but as an audiobook I choose to give it 4 stars as I didn't enjoy the male voice as much.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to this great audiobook.

I am a sucker for high school rivals to lovers but this book fell flat for me. I think if i were to read the ebook instead of listening to the audio it would have been better. The audiobook just didn’t work for me in this particular book.

The story was well written and j loved the plot and the banter between the characters was my favorite part. I also loved seeing a badass BIPOC woman in stem, we really need more of that in romance books. Although i really wish we got more with their family dynamics, i feel like i wasn’t flushed out enough. I would have loved to see that more.

The story was well written with some good witty banter between characters and funny one liners. Books with women (especially BIPOC women) in STEM and being total bosses with morals and caring about their people is so refreshing and we need more of that in romance books. Particularly when the big wigs of conglomerates are entirely represented as men. I enjoyed the story overall, however it didn't blow me away by any means.

There were some complex family dynamics at play and I would have liked to see a big more character development in these parts. Obviously each family dynamic is different, but it felt like every time these two characters were within proximity of their respective families, it caused them to revert back to petulant children. I absolutely understand the pressure parents can put on their children and I appreciate that every family has its issues and dynamics within themselves. However, as adults, working professionals in positions that require conflict resolutions skills, it shouldn't take until the very end of the book for them to have difficult conversations with their families. It made the characters seem childish to blame everyone else for the issues.

This is one of very few books I wish I read an ebook or physical copy of this book rather than audio, because the audio is where it fell flat for me.

Narration:
Donald Chang's narration was perfect. He did a fantastic job. Unfortunately, I didn't feel that way about Chieko Hidaka.

Chieko's narration was at times difficult to listen to and frequently took me out of the story - and is ultimately the reason I rated this a 3 star rather than a 4 star. I could be wrong, but it sounded like she was sick when she recorded this? Her tone was very nasally and sounded like she was congested/stuffed up the entire time. Additionally, her narration style was very staccato and often didn't give the emotional impact the story in needed in certain moments. There were also times where Cara wrote a great one liner, but it fell flat because of Chieko's delivery. The best way I can describe it is, it sounded like she was reading me a story, not telling me a story. Kind of like when a public speaker is reading or reciting a rehearsed script rather than speaking from the heart. Obviously I recognize that reading a scrip is exactly what she was doing, however there are so many good narrators that don't make it sound that way.

This book is so good! It grabbed my attention, and I just wanted to keep reading. I love the "nerd" references and the important history of the internment camps.
This is the story of Nami, who, on her 30th birthday, gets a text from her high school nemesis whom she hasn't spoken to in a decade. She is thrown, and his ominous remarks about seeing her soon get under her skin. When she arrives at her "surprise " birthday party, she fears he will be there. He isn't, but neither are her friends. It is all relatives, and her mom live streams it so that all of the petty people who reveled in mocking her about her ex-fiance cheating on her can see it. She also has to sell her beloved company. It really isn't a good start to her thirties.
When they have their meeting with the behemoth company, it's Jae, her nemesis, trying to buy out and strip her company. She can't let him win again.
What ensues is a wonderful, funny, romantic take on coming into yourself and growing. I adored the witty banter and highly recommend this!

On the eve of Nami's 30th birthday, the stark reality that life has veered off course hits her at every corner. Her engagement implodes, her cherished tech venture teeters on the brink of losing funding, and her sister, Sora, is preparing to marry her dream man, Jack. Instead of reveling in joy for her sister, Nami grapples with jealousy, a stark departure from the successes she's always known.

In a moment of frustration, she makes a birthday wish to find her soulmate, only to have the universe play a cosmic joke by delivering her hate mate—Jae Lee, her high school nemesis and the one who narrowly edged her out for valedictorian over a decade ago. Jae, still exuding effortless coolness, charm, and style, now plans a hostile takeover of her startup. Sharp elbows and cutting banter ensue as they lock horns in a battle for supremacy. Yet, beneath the rivalry, a different kind of passion begins to smolder, forcing Nami to confront not only the takeover of her company but the potential takeover of her heart.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I must express some reservations. The competitive scenes between Nami and Jae, a trope I typically find irksome, surprisingly captivated me. These scenes not only humbled the protagonists but also highlighted their formidable partnership.

The major detractor for me was the handling of the takeover. The reliance on cryptocurrency as the saving grace felt implausible, and attempting to portray it as a positive force left a bitter taste. Moreover, after an entire narrative of competitive tension, the resolution lacked the anticipated twist of Nami and Jae working together. While a romcom convention, a more innovative resolution could have elevated the story.

Several smaller points contributed to my reservations. Nami's repeated use of "satan" for Jae felt overused, and a singular mention of the pandemic, while brief, nearly deterred my reading—thankfully, the story is not a pandemic-centric one. Additionally, the phonetic similarity between the names Nami and Imani might pose challenges for dyslexic readers. Lastly, the abundance of pop culture references, already outdated for a January 2024 release, might diminish the book's longevity.

"Take Over" delivers a delightful romcom experience with excellent character chemistry and genuine familial dynamics. a compelling read with room for enhancement.

Rivals from high school turn rivals in business in this workplace enemies to lovers romance. Nami has been an overachiever her whole life, so when her business Toggle is struggling and they are seeking out buyers, she is dismayed to learn that it is her high school rival Jae who is stepping in with a takeover offer.

Their guards are up at first with neither trusting that the other has changed, but a bet over ramen leads to one of those moments where Nami and Jae start to question whether fighting each other is really work the energy they could be using on something else.

This was a pretty run of the mill romance for me with a mother/daughter subplot that felt unnecessary but a father/son one that seemed more relevant.

High school nemeses Nami and Jae reconnect when Jae comes to buy out Nami’s tech startup. Nami has to come up with a plan to prevent her company’s buyout for the sake of her employees and a plan for how to handle (😏) Jae.

- Sweet romcom that is delightfully light and entertaining
- Duel POVs with duel narration in the audiobook
- Set in Chicago, which as a northern IL girl, I think is a big positive
- Loads of yummy banter
- Some actual honesty when asked direct questions about feelings - finally!!
- Loads of nerdy references
- Subplot: Where’s the chair!?
- The Ramen-off: Spice pride is real in my family so I find this scene hilarious. 🌶️

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up; definitely worth checking out

Thanks to NetGalley, Cara Tanamachi, and RBMedia for the gifted audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"She wished for her soulmate...but got him instead."

This book is a contemporary romance.

The takeover by Cara Tanamachi is a delightful journey into the world of corporate rivalry, unexpected romance and things in life that do not always go as planned.

This was a 4 star read for me. I listened to the audiobook and I couldn't put it down. I loved both of the main characters and their relationship towards each other. They made me laugh a couple times throughout the book.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a major fan of enemies to lovers and this one DID NOT disappoint! It’s witty and has a ton of laugh out loud moments. It’s dual POV and the audiobook narrators are FANTASTIC at expressing the feelings and emotions of the characters.

Nami is an owner of Toggle, a tech startup that is at risk of losing its funding from investors. Toggle is her baby so she accepts she will do anything she has to, to save it.

Cue her highschool nemesis, Jae.
Jae represents Rainforest (ie. Amazon). Rainforest wants to buy Toggle and “save” it which will make Nami and the partners a lot of money but she is more concerned about the actual employees of Toggle.

Jae and Nami being back in eachothers lives causes sparks to ignite between them even if Nami wants to try to deny it. She could lose her heart and her company to Jae.

There’s also an intensely spicy scene with a bowl of Carolina Reaper ramen. ;)

Thank you to Netgalley for the audiocopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Takeover is a workplace enemies-to-lovers romance wherein Nami’s engagement just went up in flames and her startup is now facing acquisition by her high school nemesis, Jae.

This story didn’t really work for me, but it may be a good fit for you if you like workplace romances that are heavy on the workplace and light on the romance, high school rivalries that are still going strong a decade later, and nerd culture. I found the female audiobook narrator’s voice a bit grating, but it seemed to fit the character

Thank you to RB Media for gifting me with an ALC to review! All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Griffin, and Cara Tanamachi for this ARC.

This book provides multiple well loved tropes, including workplace romance and enemies to lovers.

As far as the story itself goes - the romance is light, fun, but felt very surface level. There were several characters in the story who were just so unlikeable - some of which were meant to be that way, but others that just felt a little grating, including the FMC. The workplace drama felt like it was a huge part of the story, but I still am not even sure what the MC does.

On the flip side, there were several bits of this book that stood out to me. There was diverse representation throughout the book, and some scenes were both unique and memorable (such as the tennis scene and hot ramen).

2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for Goodreads. Publication date Jan 30, 2024.

In this narrative of enemies turned lovers, I found a refreshing departure from the conventional tropes. The dynamic between the characters intrigued me, yet I couldn't help but wish for a more gradual transition. A bit more conflict and exploration before they embraced friendship might have added depth to their relationship.

Despite this, the story's uniqueness shines through, making it a compelling read for those seeking a different perspective on the complexities of love. The author's approach breathes new life into the familiar, offering a narrative that stands out in the vast landscape of romantic tales.

With its unconventional take and a touch of unpredictability, this story manages to keep the reader engaged, promising an enjoyable journey through the nuanced dance of emotions

'The Takeover' is a light, fun read despite a number of sticking points that pulled me out of the text. A lot of my issues with the story are things that I dislike about Ana Huang novels, which are wildly popular, so it might just be me that's the problem in this case. Without further ado:

There's a lot of virtue signaling via checklist diversity that doesn't actually go deeper or inform the story at all. I'm all for diversity, but put some thought into it beyond 'we need one of every race, one of every gender/sexual orientation, one of every ability status, etc.' and then not having those different perspectives/experiences/etc. inform *anything at all* about the character or the story.

This also has:
* body betrayal syndrome
* enemies to lovers (but no good reason to be enemies)
* successful adults who somehow act/think like particularly unreasonable teenagers
* aforementioned successful adults are over a decade past high school, but somehow they're still hung up on high school drama and the fact that FMC was a hall monitor?
* successful adults who do not seem at all capable of achieving the success they're purported to have
* 'other women, if love interests, are evil' - her ex’s new girlfriend is ugly and bad at makeup (apparently moral offences) and eats large pastries (which somehow warrants disgust)
* unintentionally unlikable characters

I would try the author again, because it was a quick, mindless read and sometimes that's all you want, but I wouldn't rush to do so.

📚 Series or Standalone: standalone
📚 Genre: romance
📚 Target Age Group: adult
📚 Cliffhanger: no

✨ Will I Reread: no
✨ Recommended For: fans of Ana Huang

💕 Characters: 1/5
💕 Writing: 2/5
💕 Plot: 3/5
💕 Pacing: 3/5
💕 Unputdownability: 3/5
💕 Enjoyment: 3/5
💕 Book Cover: 4/5

Thanks, NetGalley and St Martin's Griffin, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was so cute!! I definitely needed a pallet cleanser and this was perfect! Loved how hobbits were included! Overall, a fun enemies to lovers book!

The Takeover follows Nami after her 30th birthday party ends up reminding her that her life is not where she wanted to be. There is the failed engagement, the company she has poured her soul into is struggling, and she is beyond jealous of her sister's happiness.

I enjoyed the exploration of the relationship between Jae and Nami. Everything was complicated with their own complex family relationships and expectations. The chemistry was evident from their first interaction. Their was witty banter and fun pop culture references.

Both narrators did a great job of bringing the characters to life.