No thoughts just the most perfect summer vibes!! Now this is how you do enemies to lovers!! Perfect for lounging by the pool or relaxing on the beach, this book is a sweet escape that will leave you with a smile and a warm, fuzzy feeling.

This summer read transforms the classic enemies-to-lovers trope into a sunlit, heartwarming adventure. Laura's charming prose and clever dialogue create a story that’s as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot day. With every page, you’ll find yourself swept up in the playful banter and budding romance.

Yikessss. This book was trying way too hard to be a stereotypical tropey book and it absolutely did not work out

⭐️: 4
🌶️: 3

⛵️ enemies to lovers
⛵️ brother’s best friend
⛵️ mental health rep
⛵️ forced proximity

Enemies to Lovers was unexpectedly one of my favorite beach reads of the summer. The scenery, the nostalgia and the love story were perfection. It also certainly didn’t hurt that the story revolved around one of my favorite romance tropes of all time - enemies to lovers.

Flo is a little bit lost but finding her way, and Jamie is the solid rock that’s not afraid to take risks and live his life to the fullest. Flo’s family are not just side characters in this book, they are all important in their own ways, and their strong bond was so fun to read. I found myself almost jealous of the Greenberg’s family vacation.

🌶️🌶️🌶️ = open door, multiple scenes, not descriptive

♥︎ Thank you NetGalley, Putnam Books and Laura Jane Williams for the eARC of Enemies to Lovers.

My reading nemesis is the miscommunication trope and that is the tentpole of Enemies to Lovers. The title of this should have been "Miscommunication" as the characters were enemies for no reason at all. The entire basis for Flo hating Jamie is that he rejected her once after "leading her on". We find out later that there was a colossal misunderstanding (of course there was) but I honestly don't think it was the sort of situation that lends itself to enemy status. The plot was fine. I just ultimately think this book will end up being rather forgettable for me. I think that there are readers who will find more connection with Flo and her family dynamics. I didn't end up liking how her brothers and parents treated her. I loved that there was mental health representation! The setting was amazing. While this one didn't particularly work for me, I would definitely read more from this author.

This book made me laugh so hard I snorted (awkward looks all around) and cry a lot too. It’s a top-notch enemies-to-lovers rom-com with loads of heart. Flo gets rejected by her brother’s best friend at Christmas, and then has to share a room with him on vacation. She tries to ignore him but ends up falling for him all over again. And he feels the same! 5 stars and I highly recommend

Okay….I did not like this.

One of my biggest pet peeves with the enemies to lovers trope (and it’s my favorite trope) is that it’s never written as an actual enemies to lovers. It’s always a perception issue. Usually the girl thinks the guy is the enemy and he is really just unable to communicate his feelings. Guess what….that is what happened here.

Flo’s perceptions of Jamie was based on prejudice and stereotypes that only she thinks is reality because she has hurt feelings. I get that she has a history of struggling through insecurity but damn did it not help her with empathy at all. The dude lost his parents and she was mad he didn’t want to sleep with her??? (Spoiler: it was the brother who broke them up because who didn’t see that coming the moment Jamie was mad at her for the same thing 🤦🏼‍♀️)

I could absolutely do without the potential love triangle and jealousy trope because there is no communication between anyone as to why people are acting crazy. It’s just accepted….what? And the almost sexual assault and rescue was not done well. A person doesn’t have to be a predator to justify not being attracted to them. And it especially doesn’t need to happen in order for the hero to acknowledge his feelings.

It truly doesn’t get better. Flo is immature at best and only when she actually utilizes her mental health coping mechanisms (like not being responsible for others feelings) does she seem human and likable.

There were too many unrealistic and privileged moments that really didn’t do anything but show she has supportive family and love. Her insecurities and past mental health have made her blind to that and honestly it wasn’t enduring. It was annoying to see how she expressed entitlement and not curiosity.

I also hate miscommunication tropes and Flo is a walking red flag and Jamie is just as culpable. Ask questions, be curious, don’t assume, and lo and behold…communication!!!

And can we get over the protective brother bullshit for grown adults who make their own choices??? Especially when the family isn’t oblivious to the growing tension and feelings, even going so far to joke with her about it before anything actually happens. But guess what…Flo in all her inherent selfishness can only think of herself and blames herself because obviously she is the only one who can cause problems….not the fact there are GROWN adults who have their own autonomy. AND THEN…..to be mad at him the next day for her self righteous based feelings of anger??? I can’t with this woman.

But don’t worry let’s get in a boat with our terrible communication skills and it’ll all work out.

A truly wild and wonderful enemies to lovers with a second chance novel. The story of Jamie and Flo is filled with confusion, family intrusion and meddling. Greece is a beautiful locale for this terrific story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you enjoy a book set on a vacation in Greece, this is a perfect book for you. I was entertained the story of Flo and her reported "enemy," her brother's best friend Jamie. I had a hard time believing the enemy portion of this, however, because it never seemed that they were truly that at odds. They have a history of getting closer and developing a sort of relationship during their last Christmas spent with Flo's family, but things were broken off in the form of a letter. Flo is surprised, however, to find Jamie is attending their family holiday in Greece, unbeknownst to her. She spends her days trying at first to ignore him, and then trying to perform "exposure therapy" in a way to get him out of her head by just simply being around him more. The reader then sees how the relationship seems to pick right up where they left off at Christmas and the drama that might cause with the family.

I thought this was an okay read, but it is certainly one that won't stick with me. I, unfortunately, don't love some of the troupes that are involved in this one (miscommunication drives me batty). That being said, it was an easy read that could be a perfect book for some readers out there. It would be best enjoyed on the beach with a nice chilled white wine on the side. While it wasn't my favorite, hopefully other readers will find this book to be one they enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

"Enemies to Lovers" is a perfect beach read, offering an ideal escape to Greece even if you can't be there. The story follows Flo Greenberg, who hopes for a relaxing holiday but is thrown off when her brother’s best friend, Jamie, unexpectedly joins. As Flo recovers from a mental breakdown, she discovers Jamie might not be so bad after all. Though it reads more like a brother’s best friend/forbidden romance than a true enemies-to-lovers story, it's still a fun, summery romcom. The 20s and 30s characters add a refreshing touch, though their behavior sometimes feels immature. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, for the review copy.

This was an entertaining romance. The Greenberg family is fun and it felt like I was on vacation with them. Flo is a bit immature but based on her experiences, this isn't a surprise. The chemistry between Flo and Jamie isn't obvious and I think a little more backstory would have made it feel stronger. I did like their interactions and banter. The book is a good summer read and I enjoyed it. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Enemies to Lovers is an enjoyable summer read. I loved the destination vacation vibes and all the fun family antics. The mental health representation is also commendable. That being said the romance falls a little to the wayside with all the other family vacation stuff happening. It really doesn't read enemy rather a few misunderstandings. Jamie's character was a little flat too. I didn't find myself that interested in him. Flo and her bestie texts were super cute. Overall I am happy to have read it.

Thank you, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for this eARC!

I received this book as a NetGalley ARC and I don't know how I feel about this one. I can't really tell if I liked it or not. The whole will they, won't they (Ross and Rachel) style romance sometimes is so tedious. There were so many times that I was just thinking "Good Lord, be adults and talk to each other about what happened at Christmas." Because it was clear from the get-go that Jamie hadn't written the note (I'm trying to remember the last time I was shocked by a book. It's been awhile). I also felt like the whole plot around Flo's breakdown was a bit contrived. As I read, it made me think either the author couldn't quite understand the nuances of having a mental health crisis, so she just skirted around the topic a lot and called it the elusive Breakdown (which having had people in my life experience mental health crises' it felt watered down.) Or it made Flo's family seem very out of touch. Clearly, they all worked it out and admitted to their own failings as parents, partners, siblings, and adults. Also it was kinda weird the way Flo described her family (calling them hot and sexy) was a bit odd to me. Like hype up your family but if that's how you are describing your parents in your head I am a little concerned. Jamie seemed like a very good character, but I wish he would have tried to talk, instead of just saying her name or giving cryptic lines that could mean anything. The fact that everyone knew he was in love with her for years and didn't say anything is pretty crazy with how gossipy (as they should be) they are. I will say it made me want to go on vacation to Greece ASAP. And I definitely relate to Flo's need to be in control. As an English major myself, I get the feeling of wanting to go above and beyond and really having to prove yourself when you don't have a the classic job like doctor or lawyer. Overall, I felt like the vibes were their, but I don't think the plot was as good as it could have been!

Enemies to Lovers

A summer holiday family romance with brother's best friend trope. The "enemies" to lovers part felt a bit stretched as it didn't feel like true enemies, just some stand offish tension. I struggled to see and believe the romantic chemistry between the two main characters. I loved Laura Jane Williams Our Stop and was disappointed that this one didn't quite work for me. I hope others enjoy it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

This novel is an easy and breezy vacation rom com about Flo and Jamie. Jamie is Flo's older brother's best friend and he shows up at the family's Greek Holiday. This plot line was set up for so much success. However the dialogue and the chemistry between Flo and Jamie fell flat for me. This is a classic miscommunication trope with forced proximity of that is your jam.

Also I dislike how the author displayed mental health and Flo's "breakdown". Immediately had red flags up for me and it wrecked the novel in my mind. As someone who has struggled with her mental health I disliked how it was weaponized in this novel. I would proceed with caution


Thank you Putnam Books and netgalley for the ARC.

Enemies to lovers! Forced proximity! These are some of my favorite topes, I really enjoyed the writing. I enjoyed all of the mental health rep, it is always important to mention. This was a really good romance, 4 stars

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

This was a vacation-less summer over here but I did go to Hawaii for spring break. In Enemies to Lovers, the story revolves around a family vacation to Greece where the protagonist is recovering from a mental health breakdown and is reunited with her brother’s best friend who rebuffed her in the past. This book really snuck up on me. It was delightful. I laughed out loud so many times between the Greek massage therapist and the parents. The family dynamic and the banter among the family members were adorable and the whole book was just heartwarming. It was a quick frothy read.

Read if you like:
🧍‍♂️ Brother’s Best Friend
😡 Enemies to Lovers
🏡 Forced Proximity
👙 Beach Vacations
💪🏾 GTL MMC
🧠 Mental Health Rep

If you like the above, this book may just be for you!

This was my first book by this author and definitely intrigued to read more by her in the future.

I really enjoyed the focus on mental health in a raw way with our FMC and how the author’s own mental health is what inspired this part of the plot.

I always love enemies to lovers, especially with forced proximity and this vacation setting!

Thank you Putnam for my ARC in exchange for my review!

3 stars

Thank you penguin random house audio for this ALC & Netgalley for the eARC.

While I didn’t really dislike this book, I definitely didn’t find myself wanting to reach for it. It took me several days to finish this audiobook and again, it wasn’t awful, but just nothing happened that made it exciting.

There’s great talk about mental health after our FMC Florence has a mental break and is hospitalized. She speaks of therapy and coping mechanisms which was really insightful.

Florence is in her late 20’s and the previous year had a mental break that required hospitalization. Her family walks around the topic trying to not speak of it for fear of upsetting her. That Christmas she and her brother best friend Jamie, who is an adopted member of their family after his parents death, have a window of intense chemistry but ultimately it falls apart when Florence thinks he left her after leaving a note saying he led her on.

Cut to this summer family holiday when they’re reunited again in Greece and things are tense. They avoid each other, go on dates with the locals, all while coexisting around one another. Things happen and the two hook up and we learn that Jamie has had a thing for Florence for years but her older brother and his best friend Lawrence warns him to stay away from Florence. Squabbling occurs, a literal fire happens, and the twos short lived romance comes to a brawl between Lawrence and Jamie.

It seemed obvious to the reader that Jamie still had feelings for Florence and this “enemies” aspect was nonsense. There was good dialogue between Jamie and Florence but it felt all very predictable and I honestly was over hearing how hot Flo found Jamie to be over and over again.

I saw the twist coming from the beginning with how cagey Lawrence was. The family dynamics were wonderful and I enjoyed those bits about life, family, and growing up.

This book was utterly enjoyable! The pacing was perfect, and I felt right inside Flo's head as she felt all her feelings for Jamie, from hurt, confusion, and anger, to friendship and pining, to anger and confusion again, until ultimately "love." I only figured out the twist about a chapter before it was revealed, and it was all very well done. My favorite part of this book, however, was the hilarious and absolutely believable family dynamics between Mom and Pop Greenberg, the three siblings, friend of the family, and sister in law in forced proximity for a week on vacation. The teasing, the inside jokes, the immaturity at times. It was a hoot! Absolute vacation vibes. And there was subtle Jewish rep as well, which I also loved. This book surprised me in the best way.