Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Finished Let's Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan, and initially it gave me major The Hating Game vibes! Then it veered ina different direction, so it had its own unique storyline. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic was sharp and witty, with plenty of tension between Juliana and Ben. While I enjoyed the banter and chemistry, some parts felt a bit predictable and dragged on, which held it back from being a top-tier favorite for me. As much as I enjoyed Ben's character, as the story progressed, Juliana wore on me a little. Still, if you love office romances with that delicious push-pull dynamic, this one is worth picking up!
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and of course the author for the ARC of this novel.

Love, love, loved this. The commentary on what it’s like to be a single mom in the workplace— the study of a SAHM having to slot herself back into work— the ROMANCE! I loved Ben and his filthy mouth. The spice was spicing and the emotions were emotioning.

This book was so cute! I really enjoyed the main characters and I really enjoyed that both appeared to be thoughtful and very real. They both messed up from time to time, which is refreshing in this genre since I feel often one is made to be perfect. I didn’t love the conflict being “evil ex shows back up again” but other than that, very enjoyable.

uliana lost her husband to an accident and has been home with her girls, 7 and 9. Now back at work she is nervous and concerned about the girls. Ben, one of her co-workers, has had a bad day and when they are set up for a meeting, they fight rather than work together. Ben finds Juliana attractive, and he lives for bantering back and forth with her. They will be doing a mentoring program together at a college in Boston. Spending time together brings them close together and she is not ready for a relationship. I really liked this book, particularly the characters. Juliana’s girls were so different but united when it came to their mother. There is a lot of humor as Juliana and Ben try to keep their relationship secret. Great story about what we do for family and how love can flourish even after a loss.

Masterfully crafted, wickedly fun debut! Can't wait to read more books by this author in the future.

I wish I had better news but unfortunately this book did not work for me. The drama felt forced and unnecessary. The main character felt childish and the “enemies” part of this trope went too far and felt too ridiculous. Pair that with a conflict late in the book that took away from the story & I just didn’t enjoy this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

“Let’s Call a Truce” is such a sassy workplace/enemies-to-lovers romance! I absolutely loved Juliana’s strength throughout the book but also was able to show her vulnerability given her situation! This book highlights that there is never a timeline when it comes to grief and time may not heal all wounds but it can strengthen you! There is just something about the forbidden aspect of an office romance that revs up the reading experience! The rollercoaster you are about to embark on will leave you wanting to tell the attendant: AGAIN!

There was a plot twist pretty early on that I was not anticipating but I was absolutely kicking and screaming like a schoolgirl when I read it! The twist really gives you a great perspective into the main character’s personalities and where they come from dynamic-wise.

Let me tell you! When the spice hits, it hits hard! Their chemistry is absolutely electric! The way Ben anticipates and delivers on Juliana’s needs is so satisfying!

Okay okay okay. So, first of all I very much enjoyed this book. It was funny, sweet, and occasionally spicy. All great things.

Juliana is a recently widowed mother of two young girls. When she starts her new corporate job, she and Ben almost immediately become enemies due to her overhearing him complain about her to his friend/colleague. For two years they bicker and prank and honestly act incredibly immature for two people in leadership positions. But set that aside.

We’re two years in and now they have to work closely on a big project. The forced proximity is going to allow them to get to know each other in a way all the years of animosity haven’t. She’s going to learn a few things about him that she didn’t know. Let me just say that this is super unbelievable to me, because I know literally everything about my coworkers. Things I don’t necessarily want to know. Bathroom habits, marital problems, financial concerns, parental obligations, and much much more. How she went two years not knowing a couple huge things is beyond the realm of probability. Again, set that aside.

Ben has his sights on her romantically and he’s doing everything he can to coax her into seeing him as an option. She has a lot to consider. Obviously she’s terrified to love again since her college sweetheart husband was killed when a car hit him. She doesn’t know if she can love like that again. Also, I love love love that this author didn’t write Ben as being better than her dead husband. Juliana doesn’t even compare them in her mind. ❤️❤️❤️

So yeah, they have obstacles to overcome. I love that Juliana stands up for herself and doesn’t accept less than she deserves. She also admits when she’s wrong. It’s hard for her, of course. She’s a great character.

The one thing that I absolutely cannot get past though: At one point, they’re going to cross a busy street and Juliana, the woman whose husband was killed by being hit by a car, MAKES A JOKE ABOUT BEN THROWING HER IN FRONT OF A CAR. Did no one reading this think that is the worst?!

Bottom line: this is a good book and it’s worth reading, but you might want to throw it at the wall once or twice. Full disclosure: I read this on my iPad, so I did not even think about throwing it at the wall.

I received this eARC via #netgalley and @stmartinspress. All thoughts are mine alone.

#romance #contemporaryromance #enemiestolovers #officeromance #workplaceromance #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram #letscallatruce

This was such a cute book! Enemies to lovers is one of favorite tropes. I loved the bickering between Ben and Julianna. Loved all the characters. Highly recommend this one!

Listen, I am a real sucker for enemies to lovers. It's one of my favorite tropes, but it's not always done well. This book was an example of it being done well. Each character was fully fleshed out on their own, and despite the tension and bickering, the way they came together made total sense. Definitely a fun one worth a read!

After losing her husband in a horrific car accident, Juliana Ryan is trying to survive and pick up the pieces of her life. Being a single mom, she is forced back into the workforce in order to care for her children. Juliana meets Ben in a less than ideal way and immediately feels sometimes towards him. However, those feelings are quickly replaced with anger when she overhears him making comments about her children being a distraction to the company. This starts a 2 year feud that is challenged once they are forced to work more closely together.

I mostly enjoyed the characters, with the side characters actually being the highlight for me. Asia was by far my favorite and I thought there were several instances that she was a better person than me for putting up with the bs she did. I found Juliana to be mean and self-centered in several scenes which was a big turn off for me. I appreciated her realness and her struggles and how those were portrayed, but when it came to Ben she was unnecessarily rude to him and those around him. This is partially why I rated this lower. I would have loved to have seen chapters that included Ben's POV because I think it would have helped balance Juliana's negativity towards him. He isn't without faults either though. When the third act "situation" came up, i loathed how he handled it.

Overall, there were some shining moments with some shining characters and but would have loved to have seen a few things changed. However, I think most die hard romance fans will enjoy this one.

Big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC opportunity!

So, the story is about Juliana, a single mom and widow with two daughters. She’s rejoining the workforce after being a stay-at-home mom, and literally runs into Ben, who works in architecture. There’s instant chemistry, but then Ben makes a snarky comment after she has to leave early for her kid, which makes him her “enemy.” They end up messing with each other for two years, mostly in a fun way.

What I loved most was how real Juliana and Ben’s dynamic felt. Juliana’s trying to heal from her husband’s death while raising her kids, and it hit me hard thinking about how much single moms go through. The guilt she feels about being into Ben after losing her husband was so real, and her kids playing a big part in the story made it even better.

Ben starts off as kind of a jerk, but you get why later, and I loved watching their relationship slowly build. Their mutual friend Asia adds some fun to the mix too. Sure, some things could’ve been resolved with better communication, but honestly, it felt so real that I didn’t mind.

As their relationship heats up (and yes, the spice is there), they decide to keep it a secret while Juliana waits for a promotion. There are some funny moments of them sneaking around, almost getting caught by their kids.

Also, Ben’s really respectful about Juliana’s love for her late husband, which was sweet. Her support system of friends and family made me tear up a bit—it was so heartwarming.

The third-act breakup? Ugh, Ben’s ex-wife causes drama, and I was mad at Ben for how he handled it, but he made it up with a grand gesture that I forgave him for pretty quickly.

Overall, such a good read!

Not that long ago I read a rom-com about a young widow falling in love again. I don’t think I would have loved Let’s Call a Truce even if I hadn’t read that book, but it’s recent enough to be a reminder of how the other book did a much better job making me love the characters and the romance between them. Juliana, the protagonist in this story, is definitely one of my least favorite romantic leads in quite some time. I feel like I should like her, as a single mom who lost her husband when someone was driving distracted. But she’s incredibly juvenile and selfish. Despite her own struggles as a single parent she has incredibly little understanding for another single parent trying to do the right thing for his child. The first third of the book is her and love interest (and fellow coworker) Ben engaging in childish and immature antics at work that put their best friend in a horrible position. Then there’s a scene between the two that’s wildly out of place with the rest of the book. Then the two decide to pursue a relationship that’s seems to be entirely contingent on Ben doing everything Juliana’s way before his ex makes a reappearance in his life, and Juliana decides to throw in the towel because his world got complicated and doesn’t completely revolve around her. On top of all this she’s supposed to be HR, and has a completely inappropriate relationship at work, both before and after it turns romantic. There are some moments in the book where I had a good chuckle, but Juliana’s immaturity and self absorption completely turned me off, as did Barber’s occasional strays into weird and formal writing. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a reader, I’ve experienced so many worlds and places but not often do I get to experience my own. I try to go into my books knowing nothing so it can be as authentic of an experience as possible, with this in mind I had no idea it would take place in the heart of Orlando! The way the author describes scenes, I know exactly where I am or has a pretty good idea which is exhilarating. Juliana is such a strong, brave and competent FMC even if she doesn’t see it sometimes. With the abrupt passing of her husband and adjusting to raising two young girls on her own, I think she’s killing it. THE BATTLE LOG. Her pettiness (when absolutely required) is delicious. The long standing feud between Ben and Juliana is so entertaining. Poor Asia being stuck in the middle of two people who want each other so badly it manifests into hateful passion. Ben puts it well “You may hate me, but you still want me.” like period. Which is where the original truce begins, to play nice for Asia’s birthday night. But don’t worry, several more are required later down the line. The found family aspect of the story is a glorious representation of how it takes a village to raise children. As a kid whose dad is not by blood but by choice, this book worked through somethings with me I didn’t even realize I needed support with.

Pub Date January 14 2025

ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley. Thank you.

review posted to NetGalley & Goodreads

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC! This is my first book on NetGalley and I'm excited to see where this all goes!

The Plot:
After losing her husband in a horrific car accident, Juliana Ryan is trying to survive. She's got two little girls to take care of as she manages the transition back into the workforce. Enter Ben Thomas, Juliana's new work colleague that she immediately takes a liking to. That is, until she overhears him making comments about her kids and how her being distracted could be bad for the company. This starts a feud between them that lasts 2 years until those walls slowly start breaking down.

The Characters:
Juliana Ryan - I think that Juliana was a bit too stubborn. TWO YEARS. Two years she kept up this feud over one tiny comment. There's a scene later on in the book where she has to talk to one of her daughters about grudges and it still doesn't fully sink in to her. I get being overprotective, but this was one of those conflicts that could have been solved with one single adult conversation. Also, she is incredibly rude to Ben. I know the snarky remarks are what makes it enemies to lovers, but was downright mean at times. There were a few things I did admire about this character. She seemed to have a great work ethic and she was a great mom.

Ben Thomas - Another common theme in enemies to lovers, please Ben, get some self-respect. I love a good pining storyline, but as I referenced above, Juliana was very mean at times. Ben was also a very dedicated character and I think a lot of his flaws could get turned around once he figures out how to deal with his past.

Overall:
I got through this book pretty quick. I loved the tension at the beginning; I just wish what started the feud had a little more substance behind it. I also got whiplash from how quick this book went from spicy tension to sappy emotion. This book did great with the blended family theme and they brought up Juliana's challenges about moving on after a spouses' death enough to drive the point home that it did hurt and did lead to a lot of internal conflict about moving on. I wasn't a huge fan of the 3rd act breakup. I'm getting sick of those, but I understood the reasoning behind it this time.

I am excited to see what is next for this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

Let’s Call a Truce is an enemies to lovers workplace romance between a widow and her new colleague. When Juliana’s husband dies tragically, she is forced to become a career woman again after staying at home with her children. She immediately clashes with her colleague, Ben, and their feud lasts for two years. Eventually, the two realize that their feud may be charged with something other than hate.

This was a great second chance at love story. I enjoyed the banter and the chemistry. I feel like fans of Annabel Monaghan romances will love this read.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Amy hit this romance out of the park! If you love enemies to lovers, single dad, and he falls first you will love this story. This story was funny, sexy, and had a few moments of sadness. I loved Juliana and Ben and was really impressed with how their parenting dynamic was written. I will definitely recommend this to my audience and I can't wait for further books from Amy! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

For the most part, this was a pretty good office romance with enemies to lovers, and overall I enjoyed it. However, at points there was too much will they won’t they between the leads (mostly due to the FMC’s past/indecisiveness), and then, all of the conflicts that popped up in the last 25% of the story didn’t jive personally with me. They actually made me kind of not like the MMC much at all, so that definitely pulled my rating down.

This one is kind of a weird one for me. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it. There were parts I really enjoyed, but oftentimes I found myself quite frustrated with the FMC and then, towards the end when the "big drama" happened, the MMC. The constant push-pull got to the point of ridiculous for me, but at the same time I kept reading because I wanted to see what was going to happen.

What Ben did though...I tried desperately to understand his reasoning, but no. Just no. If it was me, I would have done exactly what Julianna did. And I would not have trusted him afterwards. No, he did not cheat, but his reasoning for letter his ex back into his life was weak. If his daughter was in a similar situation, would he advise her to do that? Would anyone?!

I really wished we could have had Ben's POV because I found myself really wanting to know what was going on his head the whole time.

I am super sad that I didn't love this! I really need to stop requesting books solely for the pretty covers. The combative rivalry between the leads was a dynamic that I could not get behind. I usually enjoy workplace rivals to lovers, so I am unsure if this book took it too far or if I have outgrown the trope.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.