Member Reviews
I received this e-book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the copy!
If you enjoy an extremely slow burn or enemies to lovers, then you might enjoy this book! I was 18 days into reading this and only on Chapter 4. The beginning did not keep my interest. I'm not sure if it was because of how immature the Main Character was acting, but she seemed to turn it around towards the end. I think once you get to about 60% in, it starts picking up a bit faster.
This book was a bit slow to me, and didn’t quite fit the “enemies to lovers” that the title implied. It felt more like a one sided dislike than enemies. I agree with some other reviewers that I never felt quite connected to the main characters to care for them or how their story turned out. The story was cute, but it wasn’t enough for me to fall in love with it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this book 😭 As much as I loved the setting of Greece, which was perfect for summer, as well as the mental health representation..this overall this missed the mark for me. I didn’t feel like this was a true representation of the enemies to lovers trope because they weren’t even enemies? Flo is upset that Jamie “blew her off” by leaving her a note under her door and instead of talking to him about it, she decides she is just going to hate him forever. Except that she doesn’t hate him, she still has a crush on him, so it’s actually the miscommunication trope paired with brother’s best friend trope.
I couldn’t connect with either main character and felt they were written too immaturely to be adults.. (aka she calls him a “farthead” and eggs his car).
**Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC and the chance to read and review. All opinions are my own**
Flo can't get over her unexpected and unexplainable breakup from Jamie. When he joins her family on a holiday to Greece as an "adopted son", Flo knows it's going to be a long, excruciating vacation.
Talking about not judging a book by its cover (and title!). I was 100% sure this is going to be a sunny, lighthearted romcom. Boy, was I wrong! This novel is so much deeper than that. It does have its share of humor, but it also follows Flo on her journey to recovery from a breakdown. It was interesting to see how her closely-knit family was also affected by it.
Aside from the seriousness, the narrative gave me some nostalgic Bridget Jones vibes. The humor was a nice escape and the narrative sounded like witty, and at times sarcastic, journal entries. In my opinion, the novel also portrayed family and sibling banter in a very realistic manner. The love triangle was a fun element as well.
Overall, this was a wonderful summer read set in beautiful Greece. The novel had the right balance of thought-provoking and humorous content. It was also a great reminder how a "well-meaning" family can wreck some havoc.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a wonderful book. I really enjoyed reading it!
I didn't connect with this one 100%, but I do think this is the definition of a great beach read. The setting was amazing and the pacing was great. I think the main thing I don't connect with was that the "enemies" portion of Enemies to Lovers felt very light handed. Maybe Aggravation to Lovers? Flo felt a bit uptight and self centered, which seemed to be the real point of "conflict", as Jamie didn't seem to mind her. Not for me personally!
This one was a quick and fun summer read! While I did end up enjoying this book in the end, I still felt like the title didn’t make much sense after reading the story. I didn’t feel that Flo and Jamie were ever really enemies. However, I do really love the brother’s best friend trope, so that made up for it! The relationship between Flo and her family members was also pretty entertaining and made the story even more enjoyable in my opinion!
⭐️ 3 ⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book was okay. It was basically one big miscommunication which I usually like, but it was over done. And the chapters were longgg. It felt like they never ended and when they did, they just ended and jumped to the next thing.
I wanted to love this book because the cover was so cute!
REVIEW: Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams
Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams is a charming, if somewhat predictable, rom-com that offers a classic take on the popular trope. While the book has moments of humor and heart, it doesn’t quite stand out in a crowded genre.
The story follows two characters who start on the wrong foot and are forced to navigate their growing attraction despite their initial dislike for each other. Williams does an excellent job of capturing the tension and chemistry between the leads, and plenty of witty exchanges keep the dialogue lively. The banter is one of the novel’s strengths, making the characters’ interactions fun to read.
However, the plot unfolds rather formulaically, with few surprises. The progression from enemies to lovers feels rushed, and the characters' emotional development sometimes lacks depth, making their eventual relationship feel less earned. While the main characters are likable, they don’t always break out of the familiar molds of the genre, leaving the story feeling a bit too predictable.
The book’s pacing is generally good, and some sweet and humorous moments will appeal to fans of light romance. However, it doesn’t quite achieve depth or originality, which could make it a standout read.
Overall, Enemies to Lovers is an enjoyable, easy read that delivers on its premise. It’s a solid pick for a relaxing afternoon, especially if you like the enemies-to-lovers trope.
Thank you, Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!
sigh, unfortunately i was quite disappointed with this book right from the get go. theres enemies to lovers and miscommunication and then there's like straight up i hope she hates me because i have issues and i cant express my feelings???? do not recommend
Super easy light summer read (taking place in Greece). Truly an enemies to lovers that checks all the boxes.
Flo is a very dynamic character, and honestly, relatable.
One of my favorite tropes, and set in one of the most beautiful places.
Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for my DRC.
Ugh a book that had so much potential. Honestly I really didn’t care for any of the characters. This wasn’t my kind of book (at this moment) but I can see how this could work for someone whos looking for a light inspiring read.
Enemies to lovers is a great trope but this book was a bit hard for me to get into. I was hoping for some more depth from the characters.
This was such a cute read. One of my favorite book tropes with so much joy. I will definitely refer people to read this book.
I contemplated giving this one four stars, but decided to keep it on three. While this is a fun summer romance it also deals with some tougher topics.
Flo is two years past a breakdown and ready for her family to stop treating her so delicately! Jamie, is her older brother's best friend, who is unexpectedly on the family summer vacation! The problem is, last Christmas, their "maybe will they" got turned upside down when Flo received a note saying it was all a mistake and that he never wanted to speak of it again. So just how is she supposed to deal with him in close quarters once again on vacation? Will these enemies become lovers?
It lost some stars for me for a huge part of the story being them not talking about the big issue! There were so many things that could have been avoided if either of them had just said, "Hey, about Christmas..." I understand the request to "never speak of this again", but still... I would be speaking! 🤷🏻♀️ There were also a few action inconsistencies, but with it being an ARC I assume those were fixed for the final edit.
I am thankful to @netgalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of this book!
#NetGalley #EnemiesToLovers
An hilarious rom com that kept me laughing. That was one of my favorite troupes that even made that troupe the title. Though that was kind of tongue in cheek. But it was still funny.
Enemies to Lovers has me ready to go on summer vacation. The first half screams beach read while the second half gets a little more heavy but still worthy of a vacation read.
My big hang up is how meddlesome a certain family member is. I understand being protective but that level of sabotage doesn’t quite fit with how the family dynamics are described throughout. Maybe that’s purely me misreading relationships but that’s how I felt.
The story of Flo and Jamie. He is her brothers best friend so has joined her family on holiday. Will they find out what really happened last christmas. I would have liked more of an epilogue.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC.
Summer vibes: check.
Tropes Galore: check:
Enjoyable: Debatable
I found some of this book kind of cringey.. Not my favorite romance to date.
Flo has come back from a nervous breakdown, but her family still sees her as fragile. She has been teaching, but still not living a normal life for a young woman. Every year, her family takes a vacation together. Much to her chagrin, her brother’s best friend Jake had been invited to come along. When she questioned this unwelcome surprise, she was told that it was on the text chain that she never received. It was another reason for her to feel left out. She and Jake had been getting along and she thought they might be starting a relationship last Christmas. He never showed up and she found a note under her door that he didn’t think it was a good idea for them to be together. She’s definitely holding a grudge and goes out of her way to show how much she now dislikes him. How will they manage to stay in the same house for a week?
Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)