5/5 Stars

Main Characters: Nami and Jae

Nami is celebrating her 30th birthday single, her sister is going to marry the love of her life, and her business toggle is going under. Frustrated with life she makes a birthday wish to meet her soulmate. The universe puts her back into contact with her nemesis from high school Jae Lee.

I thought this book was delightful, I’m guilty of loving an enemies to lovers trope and this one didn’t disappoint. The banter is on point and it made me smile or laugh out loud several times. I loved the challenges and competition between Jae and Nami all the way to the sweet moments that brought them together. I would absolutely recommend this book.

Thank you to St Martins Ptess and NetGalley for providing an ARC for my honest review.

The Takeover by Cara Tanamachi is a fun, enjoyable, second chance romance. Nami is a strong willed and smart entrepreneur. She has accomplished a lot at a young age and yet she can only see what is missing in her life. So when she turns 30 she makes a wish to find her ‘person’. So when her high school nemesis shows up to try and takeover her business, Nami not only finds her power but maybe even that elusive ‘person’.

I really enjoyed this book. I have been in my STEM era lately but this book stands out because the characters are interesting and the plot has some twists and turns.

I was fortunate to get the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. The narration by Donald Chang and Chieko Hidaka was excellent. The pace was good keeping me interested throughout. So there is no going wrong no matter what version you read.

Many thanks to RB Media, Recorded books, NetGalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review.

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.

I tried to listen to this book, but the narrator drove me crazy and I couldn't do it! The content didn't hook me enough to get past it. I can only think of one book in the last 5 years that i DNF, but this was added to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced audiobook copy of The Takeover by Cara Tanamachi in exchange of an honest review.

"In 'The Takeover' by Cara Tanamachi, readers are whisked away into a captivating enemies-to-lovers tale that combines workplace dynamics with a healthy dose of sizzling romance. The dual point of view allows us to delve into the minds of the two main characters, witnessing their complex journey from childhood rivals to reluctant allies. As they find themselves in a battle for company control, the forced proximity between them adds fuel to the already fiery sexual tension that crackles on the pages.

Tanamachi skillfully navigates the delicate line between hate and love, demonstrating the nuances of human emotions as the characters are forced to confront their past and the underlying chemistry that refuses to be ignored. The slow burn romance adds depth and authenticity to their relationship, making it all the more satisfying when sparks finally ignite. A solid 4.25 Stars!

I listened to the audiobook and loved Donald Chang's narration! The story was good, I think I like a faster paced read but overall I enjoyed it. So much of the writing especially their communication, especially in the first dozen or so chapters, is in the form of emails or texts (some read pretty mean and not like teasing or cheeky) which is fine but without more in person dialogue it is a lot of internal thoughts and feelings so sometimes that felt slow especially because when they had dialogue it was fun kind of snappy banter that built good tension and moved the story really well. I would definitely read another book by Cara Tanamachi and I think I am a Donald Chang fan now.

I highly recommend this one. It is a heartwarming story about love, the need for someone to validate and overcoming loss and family issues. I also can’t wait to read more about the other characters.

The Story has been gripping from the beginning. The story proved that not everyone is perfect and every one has flaws. It also talks about how much someone can think about you and care for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Cara Tanamachi for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Takeover by Cara Tanamachi was a delightful audiobook! I listened to it after The Second You’re Single, but it would be a fun stand alone listen. I loved Nami’s dedication to her employees and company. The romance was a fun addition.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for an advanced audiobook copy of The Takeover.

This was just okay for me. The writing was fine and the narration was fine, my issue was that I didn't feel the love story progress. They hated each other and then played tennis together and all of a sudden didn't. That could also be because I listened to an audio version and maybe missed the connection? Not sure. My other issue was with the reason why the male MC tried to buy her company. Because he was bored and missed her? I'm sorry, but no. Kind of ruined the whole book for me. The author is talented, I just don't think I would be her target audience.

This story is a fun light romance that doesn't require any thought. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. The trope is enemies-to-lovers although the enemies part happened back in high school and is still playing a prominent role. The characters are a bit immature, but it's easily overlooked and they are rather likeable. It's a quick palette cleanser and an enjoyable way to pass an afternoon.

This was a cute story! It’s definitely a quick read. I couldn’t relate to the characters but their dynamic was cute!

I listened to the audiobook and thought this book was cute. The narrators did a great job with their parts. Who doesn't love a good enemy to lovers story?!?! The emails throughout the book had me cracking up. Overall I enjoyed this audiobook.

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by NetGalley for an honest review.

3.75 ⭐

I could 100% see this be turned into a fun little movie. It's enemies to lovers with a dash of work place scenarios. I laughed out loud so many times reading this. the ramen scene had me cackling so loud.

I enjoyed the romance, it was mostly closed door. The writing was good, I do think I'll pick up more of Cara Tanamachi's books in the future!

the narrator was great as well!

For me, the narrator makes or breaks a book for me regardless of how good the actual book is. In this case it felt the book was narrated by Siri and really didn't let the book flow well. The story is good and definitely peaked my interest but I couldn't get past the narration.

The Takeover
By Cara Tanamachi
Narrator Donald Chang and Chieko Kidaka

It was a fun book. The plot was semi-expected but I was still surprised at how it ended. Both narrators did a great job. Their voices are perfect for the characters. There is a little spice but nothing explicit.

#thetakeover #netgalley

The book centers around a 30-year life crisis and features a protagonist, Nami, who is struggling with getting older. As someone who is also approaching 30, I found this aspect to be relatable.
Girl, 30! It’s not old!!
The story also touches upon the protagonist's high school rivalry, which ultimately changes over time. I appreciated the fact that the protagonist is portrayed as a successful girl boss who is also a kind person. The second chapter introduces Jay, the main male character, who sheds light on the protagonist's behavior. He explains that she has a black-and-white worldview and
always wants to do what is right, which can sometimes come across as annoying to
others. Overall, the book is an interesting read that explores themes of personal growth and relationships.
Toggle vs Big Evil Rainforest
I enjoyed the audiobook and the narrators, Donald Chang and Chieko Hidaka. Their speed was ideal, and I didn’t need to speed up my audiobook.

Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nami ⭐️⭐️
Jay ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio (Donald Chang) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio (Chieko Hidaka) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for providing this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when you add 2 grumpies + enemies to Lovers. You get this awesome book. The MMC is not a typical type I really like. But his character arc made it worth it.
4.5☆ , rounded up

My opinion of The Takeover is that this is such a cute book. At first I was worried I wouldn’t be into the book as much because I don’t know a whole lot about technology but that didn’t deter me from loving this book. I loved Nami’s personality and how she’s such a strong and successful women. I also loved Jay Lee’s character. He’s a character you just love to hate and hope to see some personal development.

I loved the cover and I liked that we get to see a little of the expectations asian-americans have because of their parents and culture they grew up in.
Also the dynamics in the family, I would have loved to see a little more of how would affect the female main character her break up and the happiness of everyone around her besides her own.
You could see that the guy wanted to be with her from the beginning and it kind of annoyed me a little how the FMC would treat him.
It was surprising hearing two people in this audiobook and also helped to feel the characters more because both voices in the audiobook where so different from each other in how they would say things and everything.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity of enjoying this book

I thought this book was an unsuccessful take on the workplace enemies to lovers trope.

The two main characters were high school enemies and academically competitive. They graduated and became successful in their respected careers; they don't have any contact during this time. When they finally reunite due to business circumstances, they still hold such a huge grudge against each other. These two 30-year-olds should be embarrassed to still care this much about stuff that happened in high school.

When they eventually get together, it's extremely abrupt. The book told me they were falling in love without providing any good reason on why they would even like each other at this point.

The story often refers to both of the character's jobs too (the name "Rainforest" as the Amazon stand-in...lol), and it's mostly unclear what their actual jobs entail. The female character Nami is apparently a great boss and her employees love her, but we never actually see her work. Everything else going on in this book tells me Nami would probably be a terrible boss.

The book conclusion was also very rushed and unsatisfying. There seemed to be one too many storylines the author had to tie up in the last 50 pages.

I listened to the audiobook, and the female narrator was very stiff and robotic. It was difficult to distinguish when she switched between characters. However, the male narrator was more emotive and easier to believe.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this audiobook!