When I first started this book, I couldn’t get into it. The characters are from Scotland/England and I was having a hard time following a lot of their colloquialisms. However! I’m glad I kept up with it because the dynamics between the characters had me finish it within 24 hours! While it’s title is enemies to lovers, it’s more about missed opportunities and meddling siblings. The main characters give me Ross/Rachel vibes with some Pacey/Joey thrown in. We have family vibes similar to the Bridgertons. The characters also go through some tough stuff. Great book!

The setting of this book was so dreamy! I love the combo of brothers best friend AND enemies to lovers, but this didn’t live up to the tropes for me. There was a lack of chemistry between our main characters. I loved reading about Flo’s mental health journey and her family dynamic.

I liked:
- The setting
- The idea of the book - enemies to lovers, brothers best friend.
- Flo’s family! They reminded me of the family/friend group in Notting Hill, one of my favorite movies.
- I enjoyed the ending, for the most part

I didn’t like:
- The dialogue between the MCs could have been much better. They clearly are physically attracted to each other but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of depth to their relationship.
- I wish there was more backstory between the two of them - more is given as the book goes on but it doesn’t really make the reader understand their infatuation with each other.
- The Adonis storyline is confusing - she says she feels very traumatized and then the next day she’s over it.

Flo Greenberg was left hurt and angry after her older brother's best friend, Jamie Kramer left her a note apologising that he can't act on the spark that they felt between them over Christmas break. Six months later she's horrified to learn she's stuck with him at her family's Greek summer holiday. Despite its terrible title (why name a book after a trope?), 'Enemies to Lovers' is part family drama, part romance and part existential journey.

This book was a quick read, however, after a strong start, the pace got bogged down with unncessary scenes (e.g. the family games) that didn't really move the plot forward.

I really enjoyed Flo as a relatable character. She's someone who has struggled to live up to her high achieving mother's footsteps, but does her best to maintain her mental health and keep her anxiety under control. Her family want to tell her what to 'you need a gap year' and then say insensitive things, such as her sister-in-law Kate says she wished she was sectioned so she could have a body like Flo's. I love black humour, but Flo doesn't voice how upset it made her feel. While she doesn't eventually confront her family, I felt it was still a bit anti-climactic.

Romance wise, it got repetitive with the Flo and Jamie 'hate' and I felt I was told more than shown their spark as there was no real banter or connection apart from ogling each other, though I did like those small moments where he is the only one who treats her like she's 'normal'. There was too much family scenes but not enough of just Jamie and Flo alone together (sightseeing maybe?) which wasn't enough time for them to work through their issues.

What was also a missed opportunity was resolving Flo's personal journey to working out what she really wants to do and take the leap. I'd have preferred to see her chart her own course in life instead of just following Jamie, which is similar to how she fell into academia.

An engaging and solid read that I finished in one sitting.

Thanks to Putnam/Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

So this book is about Florence "Flo" and her big brother’s best friend Jamie. She had always had a major crush on him, and finally, on Christmas, there was a little bling bling between them. At least that's what Flo believed, because get what? At Christmas, Jamie slipped a note UNDER her door that read,
"I have led you on." I am not good for you. Please forgive me, and let’s not speak of this again”
He didn't even give her a personal rejection!!!
Now, a year later, Jamie was naturally invited to join Flo and her family on their Greece holiday since he was basically Flo's parents (I am unable to recall their names) adopted son.

Wow, this book gave me a headache, so please make yourself comfortable and grab something to eat because I’ll let everything out.💞💞

As I told you at the beginning of my review, Jamie SLIPPED a note UNDER her door to reject her. I did some math, and he was 30!! YES, THIRTY, YOU WANT TO TELL ME A 30 YEARS OLD MAN CAN'T REJECT A WOMAN FACE TO FACE BUT HAS THE AUDACITY TO SLIP A NOTE UNDER HER DOOR LIKE HES 15???!!! If that is not a red flag, then I don’t know. I should have ended the book at that point, but of course I physically can’t DNF books.🤗

𝐒𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏; 𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐

So finally, after it was awkward between them for half of the holiday, they agreed to be friends. A few chapters after agreeing to be friends, they were about to kiss but stopped…you ask why?
You will not believe what I tell you. Jamie start CRYING yes CRYING and the worst is coming!!
WHILE REJECTING HER!! YOU READ THAT RIGHT, BESTIE. HE IS REJECTING HER WHILE CRYING!! WHAT IS THIS??!! I THOUGHT ALEX VOLKOV SINGING FOR AVA WAS ONE OF THE MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENTS IN BOOK HISTORY, BUT THIS??? Don’t get me wrong. I prefer men who show emotions and don’t act cold and strong all the time, but you have to imagine it in your head. You sit on his lap, about to kiss the man you had a crush on forever, and he starts CRYING!! I WOULD HAVE LAUGHED SO HARD IN THAT MOMENT😭😭😭😭 (we all would laugh, let’s be honest🫂💞) but of course not Flo the "sweet" giris she is…

”𝘐 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘣 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦.”
I could never, but you be you🫣

𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑:

Oh, how could I forget the worst of everything?🤗 Yes, it gets worse!! Do you want to know why Jamie rejected her at Christmas and again on their Greece holiday (while crying)??? Because he promised her older brother that he wouldn’t do anything with her, and do you know when that was??? !hold tight!
8 YEARS!! I hope your jaw hit the floor, because mine sure did when I read that part!!! JAMIE PROMISED LAURIE EIGHT YEARS AGO THAT HE WOULDNT DO ANYTHING WITH HIS LITTLE SISTER!!
8 YEARSSSSS!!! I did some math (again), and that means he was 23 when he made that promise (he’s now 31). DO YOU GUYS GET WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY??? ALL THESE YEARS HE REJECTED HER BECAUSE HE MADE A PROMISE YEARS AGO, OHMYGAD!!!

𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟒:

The mentioning of the words:
!hold tight again!

“Pick me girl” -> “𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭, 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥”
Of course you shouldn’t wait for him, but you aren’t a Pick me girl if you do, babes. 🫶🏼🫶🏼

“Harry styles” -> “𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘯”
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN???!!

“The ick” -> "𝘕𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭," 𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘤𝘬”
Authors, please stop writing in "TikTok" language, because THAT gives me THE ICK!!!

The only reason I’m giving this two stars instead of one is because I really enjoyed the family dynamic, and Alex (Flo’s big brother) was my favorite. I would definitely read a book about him!! Kate and Laurie were also so good characters!!

Enemies to Lovers was a quick, light read. The location sounded beautiful (Greece - swoon), and I was so happy to see a book dealing with mental health issues, however, the book was not for me. I could not connect with any of the characters -- especially Jamie and Flo. I did not feel their chemistry or their connection. I kept thinking the point would come where it would happen, but it did not.

Flo is on family vacay and realizes her brother’s best friend (that she’s mad at) will be joining them. They have “history” together.. Last Christmas they made eyes a each other and had a ~connection~ but it was ruined by Jamie leaving without an explanation.

Enemies to lovers only works for me if there is good banter. There was no banter between Flo and Jamie ? How are they enemies? Most of the time Jamie is just ignoring Flo or being short with her…. I didn’t feel any tension or connection between them? They never even had any conversation 😩 I didn’t see why they liked each other or what even happened at Christmas?! There wasn’t ever a time where I was like oh wow they are good together.

I liked all of the family stuff!! This is a fun family on vacation having a good time.

The storyline is good… enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend, forced proximity but the romance just was not there for me 😅