This book grabbed me from the start, and I literally didn't put it down once I started. Julianna's story made me emotional, and her banter with Ben had me giggling and kicking my feet.

I loved how their stories kept intertwining, and their relationship was really believable and sweet.

As a side note, I love how this book also showcased her female friendships, and the village around Julianna, this is often overlooked in a "rom-com" but her friends brought so much to the story.

I think Amy Buchanan just made a fan for life!!

This one was not what I expected, but I definitely ended up appreciating it. I didn't read much of the blurb, so I ended up going in mostly blind.

Read this if you enjoy:
> Workplace romance
> Enemies to lovers
> Single parents (both)
> Witty banter
> Open door spice

There was a lot about this story that really worked for me - I haven't read a ton of romances where both main characters were single parents and I thought the emphasis on the lifestyle of parenting and the things that parents will do for their kids really shone through in spots. There were times where the decisions made by the MCs only made sense in the context of them doing what they thought was best for their children, and that really felt like real life.

There were also parts of the story that really were a bit frustrating. While I understood the narrative in the context of the storyline, I really didn't like how some of the scenarios played out between the two MCs. The return of the ex-wife was a twist that I didn't really enjoy - the way that they interacted between each other while the ex-wife was in the picture bordered on disrespectful and definitely lived in a grey area. Overall, the story was well written and the characters were believable in the circumstances they found themselves in.

Thank you to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the ALC and eARC of this book.

This may be the first time I disliked both main characters AND the secondary characters. By the 50% mark I just wanted it to be over.

There was so much potential to journey through the grief and experience of losing someone and grow from it or at least through it…but it just became a crutch for annoying behavior. I wish I could say it kinder 😬🫣!

And the MMC reads VERY much as written by a woman for the majority of the book; too cringey.

Thank you, but no thank you! Not for me, but I’ll always say to give it a try. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Who doesn’t love a steamy workplace romance packed with enemies-to-lovers, second chances, and forced proximity? 😍 Juliana and Ben’s story kicks off with a cute workplace meet-cute that takes a sour turn when Juliana overhears Ben doubting her ability to return to work after a long break for motherhood. 😤 Grieving the loss of her daughters’ father, she can’t forgive his hurtful words and vows to make his work life a nightmare.

Fast forward two years, and the tension only grows as Juliana is forced to team up with Ben on a big project for a shot at her dream promotion. Cue undeniable chemistry and witty banter that turn the office into a very hot place to work. 🔥 But as their walls come down, Juliana learns Ben’s hurtful comment had its own backstory. Can she let go of her doubts and open her heart to a man who’s battling his own struggles? 💔❤️

I loved the tropes and the swoony tension between Juliana and Ben, but the last part of the book felt overly dramatic. The not-quite-love-triangle and Juliana’s impulsive decisions added unnecessary chaos. 😬 Still, the adorable moments with Juliana’s daughters and the steamy romance kept me hooked!

⭐ 3.5 stars (rounded to 4) for its strong start, heartfelt moments, and trope-filled goodness! Fans of spicy office romances will still have plenty to enjoy. 💕📚

What a great debut novel! I really liked this one, and thought it was nice spin on enemies to lovers/office romance. The beginning reminded me a lot of The Hating Game, and I loved the banter and tension between the characters. When I got to the middle of the book I was worried it was going to get slow, but the angst and drama between them ratcheted up and kept me reading. I felt like the pacing was great and the story was interesting. Definitely a pleasant surprise, and I’ll be looking out for more from this author!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Juliana and Ben don't get along at work, but there was a lot of sexual tension. Enemies to lovers is my favorite troupe so this book was on point for me. The only part of this book that I didn't; love was when both characters continuously put their mutual friend in the middles of their feud. It felt a little childish and not fair to her. Juliana's husband had died and I thought the grief was handled well in the book. She talked about him a lot with Ben and with her kids, which was nice but also got to be a lot at times. I loved the plot for the most part too.

I see you Amy Buchanan and you hit it out of the park with your debut novel! YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK! I mean this book was everything I wanted and more. I didn't want to stop reading it. This book spoke to me on so many levels. I went through all the emotions, I was either laughing, crying or smiling through a lot of the book. I can always tell it's a great book when I'm constantly highlighting passages, and this book had many!
First of all, Ben and Juliana are hilarious! The banter in this book is top notch!
Also, where do I sign up to get a Ben of my own?
Juliana's strength in this book was amazing!
There was definitely some angst in the story but when the spice hit, it was good!
I wasn't sure I was going to survive the third act breakup but she put my heart back together again! Probably one of the only times I wanted to slap Ben upside the head!
I LOVED this book, so you have to read it! You will not regret it! Congrats on rocking your debut novel!

*Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Griffin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

A quick read that infuriated me in too many parts.

*Juliana, the MFC, was extremely self centered and not kind - her behavior throughout this didn’t allow me to see at all how the MMC was interested or how her friends tolerated her
*this was begging for a second POV
*that first sex scene - wtf was that? Oof
*both of the MC’s were beyond juvenile and neither was written with depth - this made them both simply highly unlikeable without the benefit of evolution
*repetitive
*the romance aspect wasn’t believable (and by the time they got together it simply showcased two deeply damaged and immature people who both desperately needed therapy)

I disliked the MC’s so much that this wasn’t able to hold my interest and I finished my reading of this wishing I had added it to my DNF list.

In spite of my dislike for this particular book, I found the writing engaging and easy to read and would read the author’s work in the future.




Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the DRC

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a Not For Now book/audiobook for me at 30%.

Widowed mom Juliana is juggling her kids, going back to work, and feuding with her annoyingly hot coworker, Ben, who she overhears him talk about how her kids and inexperience are a liability to the company. Their feud is ongoing for several years before they are forced to work together on a project that will determine the rest of their career. What starts are fiery arguments turn into sparks that cannot be contained. Their temporary truces start to look more and more like a permanent truce. There are many laughs and many tension-filled moments throughout the book. This is the perfect read for someone looking for an enemies to lovers slow burn. I did this as a combination eyeball read and audio and really enjoyed the narrators. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free eARC and ALC. All opinions in this review are my own.

Instagram review will go live on 13-Jan-2025.

I love a workplace enemies to lovers, and Let's Call a Truce was a really great debut! I thought Amy Buchanan did a great job of combining the tension and laughable moments I love in this type of contemporary romance with the depth of second chance love and family dynamics. The banter was great, and some of the moments had my jaw dropping, The coffee! Wow! The tension and spice was well done. All of this didn't take away from the exploration of the deeper topics of second chance love after loss, grief and navigating relationships with children. I did sometimes wish for Ben's perspective, but I thought Juliana still had a great character arc where she was navigating her own grief, being a working mother, and trying to see Ben's point of view as well. This book felt honest and messy and real. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend to those that love a workplace contemporary rom-com.
Thank you St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Let’s Call a Truce is a single POV enemies-to-lovers office romance. Single mother Juliana returns to the workforce after her husband passes away and almost instantly finds a workplace nemesis in Ben. The two fight for years before they are forced to team up to work together on a project. Forced proximity ignites some of the passion that was behind their fights, but there are complications that prevent them from coming together smoothly!

I really enjoyed this book and wavered on my rating back and forth. I think it’s a solid four star read though, a great story, wonderful found family aspects and excellent side characters. Some of the 3rd act drama that didn’t work for me would probably not be a hang-up for most, and I think it’s well worth the read!

Read dates: 12/03/2024- 12/05/2024
Goodreads review: 12/05/2024
Instagram review: 12/05/2024
Blog review: 01/14/2025

What a delightful debut! I absolutely loved the dynamic between Juliana and Ben and the relationship that blossoms not only for them, but for their families as well! Their push and pull was tense and delicious and kept me turning pages because I couldn't get enough of their banter. This was such a heartwarming read, I'll definitely be looking for more from this author in the future.

Well this was such a delightful debut! When recently widowed Juliana returns to the workforce, she overhears her [verrry] attractive new collegue making some not so nice comments about her prioritizing her family over staying late for a work meeting. The enemies portion of this story has chemistry flying off the pages between her and Ben. When they're thrown together on a work project that, should it go successfully, may lead to an executive promotion for her, the close proximity has things heating up to a point that neither can deny.

I loved watching the two fall head over heels, their not so subtle scheming families unintentionally or intentionally pushing them together in as many scenarios as possible, and the sweeeetest meltworthy moments when they (she, really, because he fell first and fell fast ages before) finally give into feelings, it's more than worth it.

The third act felt very realistic for both of their separate circumstances, but the resolution felt a little rushed and I want more after the HEA. While the epilogue had the heartwarming conclusion we were all hoping for, I'm definitely rooting for an interconnected sequel for Asia so we can get more of the found family that made this such a good read. 🥰🫠🥰


Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review!

📚✨ Book Review: Let’s Make a Truce by Amy Buchanan ✨📚

If you’re looking for a book that pulls you out of a reading slump, Let’s Make a Truce is it! Juliana Ryan is trying to rebuild her life after the tragic death of her husband. Her first step? Reconnecting with her career. But navigating mom duties, grief, and unexpected romance? That wasn’t on her bucket list. As she faces new challenges, she discovers new friendships, opportunities, and a love she never expected.

Enter Ben Thomas: the charming, infuriating co-worker who seems to be on a mission to make her life difficult. But as the tension between them turns into something more, the sparks they share become impossible to ignore.

This book was such a delightful read! The witty banter kept me smiling, the chemistry between Juliana and Ben was fire, and the depiction of found family was heartwarming. I loved that this story centered around finding love in your 30s—it was refreshing, real, and so relatable.

🌟 Tropes you’ll love:
✅ Enemies to Lovers
✅ Love After Loss
✅ Found Family
✅ Romance in Your 30s
✅ Office Romance

A huge thank you to @netgalley for providing the ARC! If you’re in the mood for a story about second chances, the magic of unexpected love, and learning to move forward after loss, this book is for you.

Have you read Let’s Make a Truce yet? What did you think? Let’s chat in the comments!

🗓️ Mark your calendars: Let’s make a truce released on: 1/14/2025

#BookReview #LetsMakeATruce #AmyBuchanan #SecondChances #LoveInYour30s #OfficeRomance #EnemiesToLovers #FoundFamily #RomanceReaders #Bookstagram

Let’s Call a Truce holds a place near and dear to my heart. Amy beautifully and poetically captures all the emotions of finding love again after loss while balancing the responsibilities of being an adult and a parent.

Juliana, our FMC, is recently widowed and enters the workforce again to support her two girls, Sophie and Clara. On Juliana’s first day, she has a disastrous meet-cute with Ben, our MMC, and I was giddy at their interaction. Later that same day, Juliana overhears Ben say some not so nice things about her being a single parent. From that moment on, it’s battle after battle between the two of them and Juliana goes so far as to keep a battle log of who wins which battles.

Fast forward two years later, and Juliana and Ben have to call a truce in order for them both to get promotions at work. I love a good truce—this one happened to bring witty banter and a touch of spice with it. I mean, wait until you get to the infamous desk scene and you’ll know what I mean. Juliana and Ben’s truce continues and what develops is a relationship that explores grief, loss, and healing in the most heartwarming way.

I wasn’t lying when I said this book holds a place near and dear to my heart. I lost my dad when I was much older than Sophie and Clara, but not nearly old enough for it not to break my heart. I loved seeing Juliana’s perspective in navigating her grief as it gave me an insight into how my mom may have felt.

Amy beautifully captures that while someone near and dear to us may leave, their memory never does. Please run and preorder Amy's amazing enemies to lovers (favorite trope, btw) debut! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC!

Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. Add in that it’s an office based romance and I was sold. Reminiscent of The Hating Game. The author brought in grief and families which created a lot of depth to the book. A great debut!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Let's Call a Truce introduces us to Juliana, who has lost her husband and has gone back to work to support her two young girls. Immediately, she butts heads with Ben, a VP in the company. However, she's really attracted to him, but she has to hate him! For two years, they go at each other until they are forced to work on a big project together and come into even closer contact. She must resist him so she nor her girls get hurt again.

I could really relate to Juliana and her circumstances as I recently lost my husband and have to care for my three children. This story was gut wrenching at first, and it touches on so many emotional areas I have knowledge of first hand. I fell in love with the banter between Juliana and Ben, and of course, their story gets pretty spicy! There were tears, but there was also a lot of laughter. It is not hard to get invested in their relationship and root for them to make it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this debut romance. It's refreshing to see more authors writing romance stories about older single women. This has been my experience in life, and so I was able to resonate with Juliana on so many levels. I love when authors write about realistic themes and what I found unique about this book was that Juliana had already found and lost the love of her life. Usually in romance books, the main love interest is the protagonist's "love of their life"., and everyone else that came before is usually not the one for several reasons.
The angsty banter between these two was soo good and forced proximity tropes are one of my favourites. Between being forced to work together on a project and then the plot twist that their daughters were best friends, the tension between Juliana and Ben was undeniable.
One of my favourite scenes was the field trip and getting stuck in the mud. I devoured this book in just a couple of days, and it was such an easy and enjoyable read. Thank you

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC of Let’s Call a Truce.

This novel felt like a bit of a roller coaster for me. I was sucked in at the beginning of the story and I was devouring it quickly. It had strongly The Hating Game vibes early on with the work rivalry/ enemies who flirt relationship between Julianna and Ben. The chemistry was great and I wanted to read more!

Then I got to the part of the story where they started exploring their relationship and I was happy, until it became too much. I was like man, there doesn’t seem to be a sort of hurdle or third act break up coming here. The writing felt choppy and events seemed to pass by too quickly or unrealistically in this section. My attention waned and I started reading another book more feverishly.

I kept at it though and when Stephanie returned, I had mixed feelings: 1) WTF even happened there? Ben just rolled over and accepted her return. This was so at odds with the character throughout the rest of the novel I was literally shocked. However, the timeline slowed down again, events seemed slightly more realistic and the tension returned.

I finished the last 1/4 of the book in one sitting because the interest sparked again.

Overall, I really enjoyed that this was a second-chance romance novel. It felt realistic to my life situation, as I read a lot of “college” romance stories that I just can’t see myself in. I could, realistically, be Julianna, and that made me invest in the story more.

I also really loved the unwavering acceptance and support they offered their children. With the exception of Ben losing his damn mind when Stephanie came back, neither one was a toxic individual for the adults or children in the story.

Overall, the story is worth a read if you can see yourself reflected in this particular stage of life.