This was a fun one! I loved the beginning. The enemies to lovers was perfect, and I could feel the tension between Juliana and Ben. The daughters were adorable and unpredictable in such a good way. The only thing keeping my review from 5 stars was the last 15% of the book. The chemistry I loved at the beginning of seemed to go away a little bit, and I wanted some of the later conflicts to be more flushed out. I actually feel like it could have been a little bit longer.

Overall, it was a really fun read and I would definitely pick up another book by Amy Buchanan.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC and Goodreads for the physical ARC.

This book had such promise, but it featured the most frustrating protagonists.

Julianna and Ben had a falling out two years ago and even though both are adults and Julianna works in HR, they have become enemies - rivals - ever since. The way the speak to each other and the "pranks" they pull are frankly, a bit childish.

The push and pull was cute at the beginning, but quickly become frustrating. It was three steps backs for each half a step forward.

Overall, Let's Call a Truce was a sweet romance read, but not entirely my cup of tea.

I loved everything about this book! The banter between Juliana and Ben is so cleverly written. Slow burn is probably one of my favourite tropes, and the back and forth between these two did not disappoint! It was the ending I was hoping for, but not without bumps along the way......and a few tears gathering in my eyes.

(I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you St Martin's Press, Netgalley and Amy Buchanan)

Thank you Amy Buchanan and NetGalley for this eARC.

#workplaceromance
#singleparent
#enemiestolovers

When Juliana's husband dies in a tragic accident, she is forced to go back to work after being a stay-at-home mom. On day one she (literally) runs into Ben and thinks they fit it off. That is until she hears him gossiping about her and knows this changes everything.

Loved the banter and the enemies-to-lovers aspect. I do with more of that banter was kept after a relationship begins to bloom.

Possible spoiler: I loved this book until the third-act breakup. I have nothing against the third-act breakup, but was not a fan of Ben's choices during that point of the story. This led to a lower rating than I anticipated giving this book but this is my opinion only.

2.5 stars

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book as much I thought I would. The premise is interesting and I really enjoyed the beginning of the story. The banter between the characters was really good and entertaining which the author did well. However, I didn't really feel connected to the story and the characters. I was a bored throughout the story especially after the 40% mark. I also found the fmc quite annoying. I understand where she is coming from and her reluctance to be in a relationship with Ben but at the same time, I just wanted to jump into the book and shake her lmao.
I did enjoy the importance of diversity in the workplace that was emphasize throughout the story!

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange of an honest review!

Let's Call a Truce is a classic enemies-to-lovers story, which I LOVE! What could make it even better? It's set in their workplace. *Insert heart eyes emoji here* This was a sweet and sexy read and I've already recommended it to several friends at work!

Okay. I loved this. I loved it so much.

This is a very niche reason, but as someone in talent Acquisition as a profession, I loved this detail to the story and thought it was really well done!

I wasn't sure how we were going to do second chance at love, but I absolutely loved it. The guilt our FMC had to work through and overcome felt so real and raw. My heart ached in this book more than I think I've ever felt it ache before. Also....that mom guilt is REAL and whew it was felt.

I loved our MMC. This was definitely one of those "this is a perfect man" scenario. He was extremely understanding, extremely confident, and of course perfectly swoony. This isn't sarcasm. He was everything our FMC needed because she felt a lot and she was scared and she needed someone solid.

I will say this. That third act breakup....maybe actually broke my heart. I think I had tears lining my eyes through the whole part of their breakup.

I think one of my favorite parts about this book was how real it felt. From the grief, the fear, the lust, the love, and everything in between....all of it.

This is one of those books that will make you feel everything, and then you'll feel lighter for it in the end.

Overall: highly recommend!

This was a pretty solid 4 star read for me until the final 20ish perfect of the book. Up until then the only thing I wished was that we saw more of them openly dating and being happy. I felt like it went straight from them sneaking around into the conflict. Juliana and Ben had great tension and banter, and I enjoyed how their families came together. Workplace rivals to lovers is always so fun. The conflict soured me though, I hate OW drama and I just did not understand the choices Ben made. I wanted to punch him. This is still a solid debut and I look forward to more from this author.

This book was a slow burn for me, but man was it worth it. At first I was really frustrated with the dynamic between our leads, but then as the book progressed it all became so clear and every unexpected twist and turn was so worth it. The chemistry between our leads was off the charts, and the theme of friendship and family amongst the ensemble cast was also a deeply pleasant surprise. Buchanan did an amazing job of making me as the reader care deeply for the characters she created. Well worth the read.

Oh man, got to love a single mom trying again! I loved the enemies to lover aspect and the build up of the relationship. This was a good one!

Let's Call a Truce is my first book by Amy Buchanan and I LOVED it! Juliana and Ben are co-workers and feud back and forth for two years, until they FINALLY call a truce and become friends, and later become a family. I really enjoyed the witty banter between the characters as their relationship progresses, which had me laughing several times. The story seemed realistic on how two families, with a past and baggage, come together, with some bumps in the road, and make things work.
If you enjoy enemies to lovers, steamy office romance, and second chances at love, then I highly recommend this book!
Thank you Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Amy Buchanan for my advanced copy of this book!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

Workplace romance? Check.
Great Banter? Check.
Romance? Check.

I did not love the miscommunication throughout the book but it did not deter me away!

In Let's Call a Truce, the premise of Juliana navigating single parenthood while wrestling with a challenging colleague had so much potential. I hoped for a story that could deftly handle the blend of romance and the complexities of grief and resilience. However, it fell short for me, mainly because of the characters and the pacing.

Juliana's journey through grief and her unwavering determination to rebuild her life are deeply relatable. However, her character development felt hindered by the prolonged rivalry with Ben. The two-year feud, instead of adding tension, made their dynamic feel repetitive and at times, even petty. The sudden shift to a truce made it challenging to believe in their transition from enemies to lovers. Ben's 'charming determination' also fell short for me, often coming across as more arrogant than appealing. His comments about Juliana's children and her experience were difficult to overlook, even as the romance unfolded.

While the story aimed to balance personal growth and romance, it struggled to maintain a consistent pace. There were moments that hinted at depth, particularly Juliana's struggles as a working mom, that I wish had been explored more fully. Instead, much of the story focused on their verbal sparring, leaving little room for authentic connection and missing the opportunity to delve deeper into the characters' inner worlds.

Overall, Let's Call a Truce had moments of promise, but it failed to deliver the emotional depth and chemistry I was hoping for. The story, while engaging, missed the mark in fully capturing the complexities of the characters' relationships and their personal growth.

This story pulled at my heart strings!! Juliana is a widowed single mother who is getting back into working after being a stay-at-home mom. Her new colleague, Ben, is caught talking about her and having to reschedule a meeting due to her kids. Juliana is determined to prove him wrong and the feud lasts for two years. They are forced to work on a project together and have to call a truce and start to realize that the other is not that bad.

This was such a heartwarming story between two people who deserve love and to be happy. At times, the feud felt silly, but it did create good tension between the two main characters. Their daughters were adorable and I knew exactly where this story was headed once two of their daughters became best friends. Ben's ex wife coming back into the picture was a good distraction and it made Juliana realize her worth and that she wasn't going to be second choice.

Let's Call A Truce is a sweet, steamy and delightful workplace, enemies to lovers, double single parent romance. Already there Amy had me in her grasp. I liked that it was a great mix of fun and emotional moments. The author did a good job with the harder themes. I loved the pacing, there was never a dull moment. It was truly a fun read and a great debut.

I enjoyed the characters even though sometimes I wanted to shake some sense into Juliana. Both had their flaws and went through some traumatic events which made them grow together. The kiddos were absolutely adorable. The book started off strong with great banter, amazing sexual tension, a great storyline and some fantastic characters. However, I had a little issue with the third part where it did become a little too dramatic for me. I felt it was a little unnecessary and for me I would have preferred a deeper dive into their relationship together as a real couple. I wanted more Juliana & Ben in love and not fighting.

A great debut that had me absolutely hooked. Very fun and super fast read that is hard to put down. I truly can't wait to see what Buchanan comes up with next.

✨️Thank you to @smpromance & @amybuchanan for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My pice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Publication date: January 14, 2025
Genre: Contemporary romance
POV: Single 1st

Tropes to look for:
✅ Single parents
✅ Workplace romance
✅ Enemies to lovers
✅ Love after loss
✅ Found family
✅ Love in 30s
✅ Close proximity

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press for an advance copy of this!
Also thank you for the author Amy Buchanan ARC team!

The banter in this book is so good! If you liked The Miles Highs series by TL Swan or the Hating Game by Sally Thorne than you will love this book too. I read it on my Kindle in about 2-3 days. I couldn't put it down!

A solid debut! I enjoyed the exploration of a Juliana, a widow with young children, recently returning to work. I liked how emotional it got, how we walked with Juliana through her grief and her journey to find love again. It was also a lot steamier than I expected!

I really enjoyed my first book by Amy Buchanan. I was put off by Ben at first but his actions later made sense. It was steamier than expected and while I was annoyed by the third act break up, it was resolved quickly. Excellent audiobook narration as well as I switched back and forth.

The female main character in this novel initially sort of annoyed me. I found her behavior irritating, but I'm glad I stuck with the story; I ended up really enjoying it. Juliana grew on me as a character as the story progressed, and her relationship with Ben moves believably from work nemesis to friends (through their young daughters) to lovers. The side characters, Juliana's daughters Carla and Sophie and Ben's daughter Paris, rang true, and Juliana's friends Asia, Gabriela, Dani, and later Quinn, are good foils for Juliana's somewhat neurotic character. As the novel approaches the end, it's Ben I want to shake as he buys into his ex-wife's manipulations, but the situation resolves fairly quickly as he comes to his senses. Side characters bring light touches of humor to the story, and the pace of the novel is great once the story really gets going. All in all, this is a sweet and entertaining love story.

I am a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers romance. Let's Call a Truce is that plus a workplace romance, and a second chance romance. There are also some fun micro-tropes throughout that I enjoyed.

Juliana, a recent widow, rejoins the workforce to provide for her two young girls. On her first day of work, she has a classic "meet cute" with her handsome co-worker Ben. But before their interaction can lead to more, Juliana overhears Ben making a rude and hurtful comment, casting doubt about her ability to do her job after years away from the workforce. Juliana is furious and vows to get revenge on Ben. Two years later, Juliana and Ben are constantly at each other's throats, trying to best one another. Juliana loathes Ben and is determined to make his life miserable. Juliana is excited when learns she's up for a promotion at their company. But her excitement quickly turns to fear when her boss reveals the only way she can prove herself is to work with Ben on a special project for the company. Juliana has to figure out a way to work with Ben if she wants to score the promotion. As the two work closely together, their attraction for one another grows. Can Juliana stay focused on getting her promotion? Or will she give in to her attraction to Ben?

While this is a fun banter-filled romance, it's also packed with a lot of emotion. Juliana struggles with being a good mom and handling her grief and loneliness. As much as she wants to hate Ben, she discovers that her perception of him has been wrong all along and they have more in common than she realizes. But is Juliana ready to open up her heart again?

Although it is a sweet romance, there were a few times when the outside drama seemed to overshadow things. But overall, I still enjoyed the story and can't wait to read what Amy writes next!

Also, this one is SUPER steamy :).

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.