The synopsis for this book grabbed my attention right away and I am so glad I applied for an ARC.

I didn't realize until I was about 65% into this book that it is technically part of a series but honestly it didn't matter because it reads perfectly as a standalone. That is one of my favorite things, when authors write in a way that a book can be read as a standalone or as part of it's series.

Magda & Mac have been nemesis as long as anyone can remember but no one in town knows the real reasons. Magda remembers though and is relieved when she gets a call for Cake Off so she can finally live to her potential without Mac around making her life harder.

Unfortunately Cake Off decided to switch up their usually ways and used Mac & Magda's long time rivalry as inspiration for a Arch Rivals edition. Magda is enjoying soaking in the experience of being in the Cake Off kitchen in comes Mac popping her blissfully bubble.

Like Cats & Dogs was such a wonderful book and I enjoyed every moment of it. I will definitely be checking in on more of Lizzie Shane's writing as her style is so easy to follow and it's a nice enemies to lovers book with not a whole lot of spicy.

Also there is a wonderful last minute twist you won't see coming but if you are anything like me, you will completely enjoy.

I honestly didn't know what to expect with this one because, despite having read previous Pine Hollow novels by author Lizzie Shane, I have the bookish memory of a goldfish and cannot remember a thing besides the fact that I enjoyed them. In reading this book (ok, fine, devouring, within five uninterrupted hours-- thank you theater rush line), I really enjoyed this one. It was compelling, adorable and sweet-as-apple-pie (pun intended) second-chance, enemies-to-lovers romance. It's told in dual points of views with intriguing language and quippy banter (which had my heart right away) that made for an easy, quick read. Plus, the characters were so richly developed, completely vulnerable and authentic that you has a reader can really root for and fall in love as they fall in love on the page. It's very, very cute and especially all of the Broadway soundtracks that love interest Mac was singing in his head, like it aligned absolutely perfectly with the vibe. It was so adorable and precious and made him become such a golden retriever book boyfriend.It definitely fits in with the other Pine Hollow books, but with a baking competition twist of rivals. In short, Like Cats and Dogs is legitimately the perfect definition of enemies to love and delivers a sweet-as-croquembouche (IYKYK) happily ever after.

2.5 rounded up

This book had a really good premise - two long time rivals end up on a British Bake Off style show, only one of them doesn’t realise the other is on it, cue the sparks. Alas, I’m afraid this wasn’t my cup of tea and I DNF around the 65% mark, though if I’m being honest I ended up skimming through a good part of it. I really wanted to give the author the respect she deserves to read the full thing, but this just wasn’t for me, hence I am rounding up.

I think the big reason is I didn’t buy Magda and Mac as people who should be a couple. They seemed shoehorned together because they’re the last of their friends and gosh they hate each other it must be love. Magda is 32 and while I am a huge grudge bearer and have empathy for her grudge. She’d be holding it for 14 years! And Mac had legit reasons for turning her down. He was six years older than her! So the rivalry was just petty and Magda was a misery of her own making, I did not understand why Mac would like her now.

Secondly this book really pushed the whole ‘stop being single, you need someone, Mac’ stuff. While yes Mac needed to work through his childhood, there was nothing wrong with him with being single. Then I found the whole baking competition machinations just yawn-worthy with a third point of view from the nice producer Julia that didn’t work. This book needed to make up its mind what it was - the tv show or the romance because Julia’s chapters were unnecessary. A book can have both but this was jarring, and to be honest, maybe I’d have liked this more of the book was about Julia trying to produce this show, dealing with the show runner who wanted to make it an antagonistic game show but maybe falling in love with him instead.

Pace-wise as well, I just found it slow going so I couldn’t be invested so I kept skimming then skipping til about 75% of the way in before giving up. That said I can see others loved it, so many read this book to tell me I’m wrong, and for that reason alone I’d recommend it if the plot suits your fancy.

Thanks to Forever/Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I haven't read all of the books in this romance series, but I have read and enjoyed the previous one, and I enjoyed this too. They're just solid romances that you're bound to have a good time with. It's not quite 4 stars for me, though, because I found myself zoning out sometimes and I've read better baking competition books. But maybe I'll pick up the first book in the series, the Christmas themed one, in December.

I don’t think I can quite put into words just how much I loved this book. Like Cats & Dogs is a love letter to cooking reality shows. This is like if Masterchef and Great British Bake-Off had a baby. While I’ve never read any of Lizzie Shane’s works until now, I’m definitely going to go back through her other works set in this town!

Magda Miller has been in a feud with Mackenzie Newton for fourteen years now, their rival businesses going head to head. When Magda offered Mac her heart, he stole her family’s maple cake recipe, and thus a rivalry was born. After finally getting onto her dream show, Cake Off, she’s thrilled to be in a Mac-free environment!

….Only to arrive on set to see her rival already there. Welcome to the first ever archrivals season, where each contestant has to face their nemesis! If Magda can’t take the heat, she’ll have no choice but to get out of the kitchen.

Filled with tantalizing baked treats and Broadway song references, Like Cats & Dogs is a brilliantly written masterpiece!

Thank you so much to Forever Pub and Netgalley for sending me this copy! <333

I've read about half of the Pine Hollow series but you definitely don't need to have read them to enjoy this book seeing as I couldn't tell you anything about the plots of the others I've read. This was very cute, I loved the Bake Off vibes, overall a fun book.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was such a cure read! As a sucker for baking shows, I absolutely loved the plot and setting. I loved reading the relationship between Magda and Mac develop. The tension built so much and felt great once they finally got together. This one was sweet and filled with laugh out loud moments.

Forever eARC
I have been reading the Pine Hollow series since the first one released, and I am so glad that this is the book that's ending the series - though I could've read so many more books set in this quaint town. Baking, a baking show, and enemies to lovers made this such a fun romance. I am so glad I got a deeper look into Magda and Mac as characters here. The feud had a solid reason. The tension was palpable throughout, and there were so many great moments between them. The baking show competition was so much fun; I love these kinds of plots. I loved how through their love of baking they grew as people and, eventually, as friends. The side characters were interesting, there was plenty of drama, and I loved seeing old favorites in their current lives.

Small-town rivals competing in a baking competition? Sign me up!

Magda and Mac have been rivals for over a decade and own businesses in their small-town of Pine Hollow. So when Magda finally gets to compete on Cake-Off, a baking competition show, only to find out Mac is on as well as a rivalry twist to the season, the stakes to winning become higher than ever for both of them.

I love baking shows and this book had such a fun take on the competition. I immediately was drawn in by Magda and her teammates’ camaraderie, sticking by each other throughout the competition. I also enjoyed seeing Mac and Magda slowly build trust with each other.

The pacing of their relationship was perfect for me, just enough slow-burn to keep me hooked! I also appreciated that they both had solid reasons for their rivalry in the first place, and learning about their past solidified that. I will 100% be going back to read more stories set in Pine Hollow!

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. This was a fun book, I really enjoyed it. It's an enemies to lovers and it was really well written. I love a good enemies to lovers story. I haven't read any of the other books in this series but I now I will. This author knows how to write a good book. And I'm hoping the previous books in the series are just as enjoyable. Bravo to the author.

This book was a cute little book about a couple that end up on a cooking show together. It really made me happy because I’m a big fan of the great British bake off and it gave me those vibes. I very much enjoyed it.

Sweet as the desserts they make.

Magda and Mac hate each others guts. Some things happened years ago and anger piled on top of hurt which made more anger until they were notorious rivals inspiring Team Magda and Team Mac shirts in their hometown.

Magda a classically trained pastry chef is selected to appear on Cake Off- a reality cooking competition much like TGBBO and Master Chef combined. What Magda doesn’t know until the first day of filming is that her nemesis, Mac, has also been chosen to appear on the show with her for the first time ever- Archrivals Edition.

The show strips away the noise from their every day lives and lets them rediscover the things they *used* to like about each other. Will they repair their friendship? Which one will win? Will they both get kicked off for raging out on each other? Guess you’ll have to tune in and see!

This book receives top marks from me because the dialogue was good. The characters were relatable and believable. Shoot, I even cried once or twice. The decisions made by the characters felt authentic which is not often found in the romance genre.

Spice 🌶️ (we’ll call it sitcom spice lol)

Trope: Enemies to lovers

Series: this is #6 in a series, but I read this without reading the others although there are references to previous characters and their stories. I may go back and read this series because of this book!
If you’re in need of a dessert, pick this one out of the pastry case!

I received this e-ARC in exchange for my unbiased and honest review. Thanks to Lizzie Shane and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the chance to read this great little story early! 🫶🏻

Omg this was such a cute book! I really enjoyed the characters and the story. It was a quick and enjoyable read!

This was an absolute delight of a read. I jumped in blind without having read the rest of the series but that didn't stop me from enjoying every bit.

As a lover of that one baking show, this spoof of it in book form was so fun. Magda runs a bakery in a small town and finally gets the chance to compete on her favorite show, little does she know this season is rivals edition. Mac, who runs the local cafe and briefly was considered a friends a decade ago, is along for the ride without Magda knowing beforehand. Can they both survive the heat and make it to the final? Or will the very brief old flame smother both of their chances to shine?

I liked this book but would have liked it better without so much of the back and forth. It got tedious and did impact my desire to get to the end of the story. I dont think the story needed the cat and dog back and forth either. It felt like it was made to fit vs. being an overall great part of the story I wanted to read about.

Like Cats & Dogs- 4.5⭐:
I love the vibes of this book. It reminded me of a Food Network x Hallmark collaboration and it had me hooked from the beginning. Magda and Mac’s rivalry is a nice balance of tension but not too over the top. As someone interested in going into the film/television industry, I love that we got to see some of Julia’s POV. It highlights how sometimes good ideas can be overlooked because they didn’t come from someone higher up the food chain in the industry. The description of the food had my mouth watering. Even though I love the book, I would’ve liked to have seen more flashback scenes and for certain scenes to have been expanded more. For example, having more baking challenges would’ve been really fun to see. Overall, this book has my love and you should add it to your TBR.

I enjoyed this book! It was a cute and fresh twist on an enemies to lovers rom-com. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

No one fights quite like cats and dogs and these two characters are very much the same. I loved the inclusion of a baking show and people who loved the Great British Bakeoff will probably agree. If I could give this book more stars then I would. Lizzie Shane writes a perfect enemies to lovers with a shared past and I loved every second of this novel. The best romances are the ones that we have to fight for and this book is not exception. Thank you so much for the ARC!

This book was everything I was hoping it would be! Mac and Magda live in a small town together and have been rivals for as long as they can remember. Mac secretly signs them up for a bake off competition that Magda has always wanted to be on. However, the twist is this season that all contestants have to have a rival and only Mac knows about it before the show airs.

Magda is livid when she realizes that Mac is also on the show with her. They have a lot of heated moments, but throughout the competition they learn to co-exist and even realize that old feelings are starting to come back. Part of the reason that Magda despises him so much is that he rejected her when they were younger because she was too young in his eyes. I really would have liked if there was a different reason that Mac had rejected her, because constantly calling her a child when she was an adult was a little frustrating. Years later, partially out of spite, Magda opens up a bake shop in the exact spot where Mac wanted to expand his restaurant.

I enjoyed the encounters between their pets Cupcake and "Satan's Tabby." Cupcake is a huge Pitbull that is terrified of Mac's cat. Mac's cat seems to sneak in Magda's apartment quite frequently as if the cat knows about their feud.

This book is definitely enemies to lovers, but it was cute and fun watching their relationship evolve and go back to a more intimate relationship. Especially since they had pent up feelings for over 10 years. I put on a baking competition show on tv while I was reading this book and I felt like it made it more immersive and fun! Overall, this book was such a fun read and I would definitely recommend it.