I immediately fell in love with the character Florence (Flo for short). I can relate to the struggle of wanting to let go and be free, which she tries to do on her family holiday to Greece. Even though I wouldn’t really call Jamie an “enemy”, Laura Jane Williams does an amazing job showing the feelings between Flo and Jamie from the very very beginning. I couldn’t stop reading as I wanted to know if they were ever going to put their differences aside and realize that they may be good for each other. If you love a good romance without all the explicit details, this book is definitely a must read.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Flo Greenberg has had a difficult few years, and needs nothing more than a relaxing family holiday. Spending a few weeks in the Greek sun, not having to care about reality, is just what she needs. But when her nemesis, and her brother's best friend, Jamie, appears at the villa, all of Flo's plans are out of the window. She's always had feelings for Jamie, but after he ghosted her last Christmas, she is too embarrassed by what might have been, and wants nothing to do with him. But Jamie might just reciprocate those feelings, and there were other forces at hand keeping them apart. Can these enemies come to the heart of the issue, and open themselves up to love?

I adore the brother's best friend trope nearly as much as the enemies to lovers one, so as soon as I saw the synopsis for this book (and both the UK and US covers) I knew I needed to read it. Flo was a definite overachiever, which led her to have a breakdown due to burnout, and she was on an enforced leave of absence from work. The time with her family was sorely needed, but she also needed to be treated like an adult. I liked the family dynamic, but did also feel like they coddled her a little too much, though perhaps understandably so after her low period. She and Jamie weren't really want I would call enemies, but had always been friends until Christmas happened. Over the holidays they had a "will they, won't they" moment, but then Flo found a note under her bedroom door saying he couldn't break his promise to her brother. I did hate that, and the fact the pair didn't speak about the note until over half way into the story. I guessed what had actually happened, and hated it for them. They honestly were perfect for each other, and were so good together, but had lost out on those months due to other's machinations. The ending was sweet, however, and this was a great book to read over a rainy weekend.

Enemies To Lovers
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I absolutely loved the setting of this book. The beautiful crystal clear water, warm sand between your toes, the mouth watering Greek food, and the breathtaking sunsets behind your clinking wine glasses. I started liking Flo when she mentioned it would take a week to unclench her shoulders and her love for Bluey…relatable 😂 The story jumps right in and I could have used more backstory about Jamie and Flo. It took me a minute to really feel that connection between the characters, like I didn’t feel the angst because I didn’t know the whole history. There were moments where it was a little inner monologue heavy, I think a dual POV could have helped with that! You’ll find Flo to be really relatable and some of those inner monologues had me laughing. Her questions about life are questions we have all asked ourselves at some point. Am I ambitious enough? Why doesn’t everyone else seem confused? Is anyone else scared? She shared these raw feelings and made our mental health struggles not a weakness, but a superpower and I loved that representation! Enemies To Lovers is an easy breezy summer romance read, the kind of romance that you want to read while lounging by the pool or on the beach. It’s right there in the title, need I say more?

This was a cute beach read: a predictable romance between Flo, the youngest of three, and Jamie, her older brother’s best friend. Flo is two years out from a mental breakdown, and she’s feeling stronger but her family still treats her as though she’s fragile.

The family is vacationing in Greece, and there’s some tension between Flo and Jamie after a “will we/won’t we” moment last Christmas. (When we learn what happened at Christmas, I was sort of like “That’s all?” It felt like more should have happened at Christmas to set the enemies to lovers trope in motion.) It really does come off more like 2nd chance romance or forbidden romance than enemies to lovers. I got pretty annoyed with the Adonis character, too, and was kind of surprised by how quickly her problematic moment with him gets swept under the rug.

I think Flo’s mental health struggles are relatable for a lot of readers, and appreciate what LJW is trying to do with that part of the journey for Flo.

Overall, it’s a cute beach read with some funny moments (the adult coloring book!) and warm, fuzzy vibes in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for ARC copy of the book.

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were very complex and the setting was gorgeous. I loved the little details, to me they really make the story. I would definitely recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Flo is still getting over her breakdown. Jamie is sailing the world and living the dream. Both come to a family vacation in Greece (Flo is family, Jamie is a friend of the family) and jump right into angsty-enemies mode. The setting is a Mediterranean paradise and the two are thrown together and forced to work out their issues, issues which span many years into the past.

I enjoyed this book. Unlike a lot of modern romance novels, it is ONLY from her perspective, which I loved. I get tired of switching back and forth and it messes with the mystery of (and the reality of) romance when you can tell what each person is thinking. During the enemies phase of Flo and Jamie, they are written as pretty close to actual “enemies,” and I love that. It definitely felt like real life, and we can’t tell what is going on in Jamie’s mind, and it was refreshing.

I love the dialogue, the messy family dynamic, and the intensity and closeness of Flo’s family members, encompassing both the love and the irritation of a real-life family. It also felt very cinematic. It had motion picture movement in its plot and descriptions.

I didn’t quite understand why Jamie was soooo worried about Laurie, her brother. I also didn’t understand his beefcake-world traveler persona mixed with the loyal-crying-uber family friend. Somehow Jamie’s personality seemed disjointed.

But all in all, I enjoyed this book and thought it was a great addition to the women’s literature genre.

Aside from the minor twist, it seemed pretty predictable. The family dynamic is vey cute and made the main characters more likable throughout the book.

I don't know how I missed it, or if I was being too annoyed with the hot/cold relationship of the MCs - but I was not expecting the minor twist! I suppose that means it was done well. The Adonis storyline was really over done. We could use one scene to get everything we needed from his character. It feels really drawn out. The family dynamic is sweet and their growth and understanding of each other makes the growth of the MCs all the more rewarding. I loved how unapologetically British the humor, language, and references are.

A very enjoyable rom-com with some depth.

- Tropes: Miscommunication, Forced Proximity, Brother’s Best Friend, Vacation, Slow Burn, He Falls First/Harder. Oh, and Enemies to Lovers, obviously!

- What I liked: Flo’s mental health journey is handled very well. The family dynamics were great. Flo & Jamie have great chemistry - it was fun to see them warm up to one another. The setting (Greece) sometimes seems like it’s been overdone, but this didn’t rely too heavily on it or become too cliche.

- What I didn’t like: Jamie is a little all over the place. I get that he’s a softy and that he initially came off as a cocky jerk as a defense mechanism, but the transition felt kind of like whiplash. In the end, I still enjoyed him as a character, I just wish this had been handled better. Adonis was a little too on the nose. Oh, and Alex should have said something.

- A note on the miscommunication Trope: Without giving too much away, there is a slight twist on the trope near the end, but Flo and Jamie do have their wires crossed for most of the book. If that drives you nuts, maybe this isn’t the book for you. I don’t mind the trope. It can be very effective when well done, not to mention more realistic than many common plot devices.

In the end, the good far outweighed the weak spots in this book. Look forward to seeing more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book.

very predictable but still fun, nice summer read fodder, i didnt think there were ever an enemy relationship tho. 3.5. thanks for the arc.

In Laura Jane Williams' captivating novel, "Enemies to Lovers," we are introduced to Flo, a young woman who finds herself on an enforced break from life after a humiliating incident. As her family embarks on a vacation to Greece, Flo's world is turned upside down by the arrival of Jamie Kramer, her brother's best friend and a constant thorn in her side. Despite their mutual animosity, Flo harbors a secret crush on Jamie, a feeling intensified by an unforgettable Christmas encounter. Determined to keep her crush a secret, Flo embarks on a plan to spend time with Jamie in an attempt to resolve their differences. However, as they navigate the sun-soaked shores of Greece, their carefully constructed facades begin to crumble, and the line between love and hate becomes increasingly blurry. With each passing day, Flo and Jamie's chemistry intensifies, leading to a series of unexpected and heartwarming moments. As their shared experiences deepen, they discover hidden layers to each other's personalities and realize that their supposed hatred may not be as genuine as they once believed. Through humor, heartbreak, and self-discovery, "Enemies to Lovers" explores the complexities of love, friendship, and forgiveness, proving that sometimes, the greatest love stories begin with the most unlikely of enemies. Williams' vivid storytelling and relatable characters will captivate readers from start to finish, leaving them rooting for Flo and Jamie's unconventional romance.

This was a quick read. The title does fit the story in my opinion. I didn’t feel that Flo and Jamie were ever “enemies”. The story was very predictable and was just ok for me. I did like the way the family interacted with each other. They seemed to have a great family dynamic and have fun family getaways.

Thanks to Netgalley for this eArc for my review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I couldn't connect with either of the characters and their relationship just felt silly to me. I appreciate the opportunity to review it but I don't recommend it.

did not finish. miscommunication trope? hot mess express trope? really tried to give this a chance but what was even happening here? i just couldn’t follow the storyline and wasn’t interested in trying anymore.

I’ve been a fan of Laura Jane Williams for years and read all of her books. This was the weakest one for me. Great setting, great writing. Besides that, this felt like a hallmark movie. I like her books because they are cozy romcoms that generally have a twist-multiple love interests, parallel timelines, more than one narrator. This one didn’t have any of that and…was just a bit boring. Holding out that the next one returns to her old standard.

Like the name suggests, I love a good enemies to lovers. Add in a vacation and a main character who has to take a break from life, and I am stuck putting my own life on hold until I finish the addicting story. This summer read was the perfect addition to my vacation and was a delight to read. Though a bit predictable at some points, it was fun to read and left me feeling good. That is all I can ask for in a book.

This was a cute romance. Brothers best friend meets miscommunication meets enemies to lovers. Trigger warning should include mental health issues along with attempted assault.

I enjoyed this book. I loved the setting and the way the plot played into the vacation vibes a lot. Greece is one of my favorite places on Earth, and I liked how Williams brought the setting to life in this novel.

I also liked how each person in the family brought a difference relationship facet to the table for conflict, from idolizing Michael and Veronica to the complexities of Alex's single status. The conflict here was appropriately high for an enemies to lovers trope, with the drama not subsiding until the last 5%. I also liked the complex relationships between the family members and Jamie. All the conflict.

The con for me was that the book read super predictable to me. There were 2/3 distinct moments that I think were supposed to be a surprise, but I wasn't. The twists were obvious to me and I got a bit antsy knowing that everything was going to blow up like I had assumed. I was right. It was still fun to read, but I would have liked the confusion/tension to build a bit for me.

Overall, this was a fun summer read that would be great for a vacation. The tropes were popping, the characters interesting, and the flow was good. It didn't take a lot of effort to read and definitely had me laughing out loud.

Tropes:
Brother's Best Friend
Enemies to Lovers
Vacation
Forced Proximity
Miscommunication
Slow Burn

I’m a big fan of this one! I instantly fell in love with Flo and Jamie, rooting for them from the starts. I recommend reading this if you want to fall in love with the main characters, scream because “they just can’t get it” on your timeline and want to laugh the whole way through.

I found the writing to be very easy and relatable. I enjoyed the entire family and the everything each character brought to the story. Would 100% recommend.

Literally everything I wanted when I picked up this book, was in this book. The banter is TOP TIER, the chemistry is off the charts and everything is explosive, quirky and adorable. LOVED THIS