Overall, Pick-Up was a fine read! The writing and storytelling reminded me of R.S. Grey. What was interesting about this book was that there were three narrators. As the story progressed, the third-narrator started to make more sense. I didn't really care for the third-narrator. I felt like that whole storyline could have been cut. Ethan's POV chapters became better over time. I wish his earlier chapters had more depth to them. His beginning chapters felt repetitive and one-dimensional. I thought Ethan's character could have been developed better. He could have been more layered and complex. I really didn't learn much about him. It was sort of wild to me that we never learned his daughter's name until later into the story. Sasha's chapters focused heavily on her life as a single mother. I liked the way Nora wrote her children. I wasn't the biggest fan of Sasha. I found myself getting annoyed with her repetitive monologues. The "I want to be with Ethan" and "I can't be with Ethan" thoughts felt drawn out. The school drama added some comedic and serious layers to the story. I thought Nora did a fantastic job adding in comedic moments. The main characters were witty and the banter was well-done. I found myself laughing out loud a few times. Overall, this was an entertaining romcom that could have been shortened. Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC.

Pub Date: December 3rd, 2024

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sasha Rubinstein is juggling single parenting with an absent (and pretty awful) ex, and lately, it seems like everyone at school pick-up is extra judgmental. To top it off, there’s this one dad, Ethan Jones, who keeps swooping in and grabbing the last after-school spots and school merch, all while looking annoyingly cute. What Sasha doesn’t know is that Ethan isn’t out to make her life harder—he’s been crushing on her since they first met (a meeting she doesn’t remember). When they both end up stuck on a private island for work, they agree to keep things professional. But resisting temptation becomes much harder with the island's vibe and the chemistry between them.

Thank You Netgalley and Gallery Books

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the author's lighthearted tone. Several times, I found myself laughing aloud. The difficulties of divorced parenting are interwoven with themes of high-chemistry enemies-to-lovers in this enjoyable book. Well-written, humorous, engaging, and unforgettable.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dahlia’s first foray into romance! Pick-Up is an enemies to lovers story about two single parents finding a second chance at love. As an elementary school mom myself, I found the main character Sasha incredibly relatable. She is tired, overstretched and trying to be everything for her kids. Finding time and space for her career is hard enough, let alone a love life. I found all the characters to be vivid and truly enjoyed the friendships explored between Sasha and her best friend and also one with a coworker.

The chemistry between Sasha and Ethan was strong from their first interaction and by the outdoor shower scene, the steam was palpable (pun intended). One thing I liked was how Dahlia focused on how easy their conversation flowed, and both the comfort with and spark they felt for each other. Isn’t that what we all dream of, after all?!

I loved this book! What a joy. The three different points of view was different and captivating. The views on motherhood were relatable. The characters were flawed, which made it believable, but I was always rooting for them. I loved the chemistry between Sasha and Ethan. And Sasha's relationship with Celeste highlighted how female friendships can be a lifeline. Highly recommend!

Pick Up is an entertaining rom com about the gender differences of divorced single parenting and learning make space for your own happiness aside from your kids. Its also a story about how women feel a competition with others instead of realising everyone is doing their best.

With its short and sharp chapters switching between Sasha, Ethan and Kaitlyn, I was hooked. There was such a simmering chemistry between Sasha and Ethan and I loved their banter. All three characters were well-rounded and interesting. Sasha is a bit oblivious, yet she’s never mean and is struggling like everyone else. Kaitlyn is the super mum who is involved in every school activity. At first you wonder why her quasi-single white female observations of Sasha were included, but then the penny dropped and I loved that I was right about her.

I also thought the book also served as a warning to pay attention to the red flags from your partners before having kids. Sasha admits her douchebag ex was selfish long before they married or had kids, yet stayed with him. Ethan is a sweetheart but, as Sasha opines after he admitted checking out of his marriage, he might be his ex-wife’s Cliff.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed Pick-Up and didn’t want to put it down. Sasha was so relatable and the story felt as realistic as it could be with part of it taking place in Turks and Caicos. The only downside was Kaitlin’s point of view—I don’t think it was needed and it took away from Sasha and Ethan.

this man fully admits to being an absentee father. No wonder his ex wife divorced him. I am also not loving the female protagonist's lack of communication and unnecessary animosity.

This book was fun! I read it a few weeks ago and forgot to write my review. I had such a good time reading it. It wasn’t 5 stars but it certainly wasn’t 1. Easy read that I am glad I picked up! It was a little slow in the beginning but did pick up.

This was a smart, fun romance focused on two divorced single parents. So many single parent books feel childish, focused on cute kids and super dads.
This one didn’t — the kids made brief appearances — and instead focused on the struggles of being a single mother — and the inequality that comes with it. It’s more than a romantic comedy — it’s smart feminist fiction.
I was charmed by its fast pace and settings — a Brooklyn public school and a private island. I adored Nora and Ethan’s banter (Demon Dad!) and chemistry in this book.
My one gripe is that the third POV didn’t work for me. Even when I started to piece together her connection to these characters. I understood the necessity of the character in the plot, but I spent more time rushing through those chapters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC.

I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity.
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"This, I dare say, could be love."
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When Sasha only seems to run into Demon Dad in her lowest of lows, and it becomes hate at first sight. Until he is really nice and very cute... but still the worst. When their lives become even more entangled, all of the bad things seem to be pale in comparison to the good things. But life isn't simple and learning to choose something, regardless of the fears you have, is hard work.
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This book is a breath of fresh air.
There is something very special about a book that manages to capture the magic of falling in love while also leaving space for the characters to experience very real fears and struggles in their lives. Typically, books have one aspect or the other, or if they do have both, one element is stronger than the other. This book has both. And both topics are highlighted, neither of them stealing the spotlight from the other.
To see the intense feelings of love coexisting while character feel very real fear helps the humanity in me connect with the characters. Big feelings rarely come on their own, they are always accompanied with other big feelings that make decisions so much more difficult to make and seeing that in the characters is a reminder that this is a universal experience. We are not alone in the decisions we have to make and the emotions that cloud our judgement making our decisions so much more difficult.

Sasha is a self-sufficient single mother who fears relying on another person just to be let down again. Ethan is a divorced dad who struggles with letting life happen to him. Kaitlyn is a divorced mom who has let her pain manifest itself in a relationship she can't seem to let go of.

I see myself in each of these characters and the connection makes the book impossible to forget. The humanity of all of the characters is a beautiful reminder of the humanity in all of us.

This is a wonderful romance that reminds us that the magic of love can coexist beside pain and fear and life.

loved loved loved. I was so excited for this book and started it the day I got approved. The premise was so fresh and fun. I loved the fellow divorced parent vibe. The male MC is so secretly gone and I was here for it. The tropical island was fun. the flirty and banter was top notch. Totally fell for these two!

With the addition of the 3rd POV, I don’t think that this really qualifies as a romance. There’s still a HEA, and the difference is subtle, but this should be women’s fiction instead of romance.

Thanks to Gallery Book and Netgalley for this Advanced Reader's copy. This book had a fun play on the title pick up with the majority of the story being placed during school pick up and drop off. Our main character Sasha is a single divorced mom of 2 with a terrible narcissistic ex husband and Ethan a single dad of one daughter who is trying his best to keep up with his to do lists. It was really hard to get into this story and root for the characters because it was written from three povs and the chapters were short. Kailtin is a character that I felt added nothing to the story and would confuse me as to why we were hearing from her at all. The chemistry was lacking and it felt like the "enemies" part was a stretch and it was more two exhausted people doing their best. As a parent, I related to a lot of the things they were going through but it feels like this is geared towards a very specific group of people and a lot of people will not relate to this.

I had a hard reading this book. This primarily came from the short chapters and bouncing of POV. The main character Sasha, was not very appealing to me, kind of whiny. I may come back to this book later, but right now it did not capture my focus. I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 - Wow, I could not put this down. This was, by far, one of the best enemies to lovers I've read. The banter was TOP notch *chef's kiss*. Sasha was freaking hilarious- Lorelai Gilmore level unhinged things came out of her mouth all the time. I laughed out loud so many times. THE SALUTE. I died.

The triple POV !!!!! THE TWIST!!! It was so incredibly original and well done.

The only thing I wanted more of was Ethan - I just couldn't ever get a full mental picture of him or connect as much.

But DANG this was SO GOOD. I think so many moms will love the depth and hilarious honesty of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion, it was an absolute delight.

I really enjoyed this. It was written very well, both characters were real and relatable which made this 100% better. It was a cute, comforting read with a great enemies to lovers plot. It was a little chaotic at first trying to keep up with the characters and the change of POVs, but once I got it I was completely into the book.

I had a really delightful time reading Pick-Up by Nora Dahlia.

Our leads, Sasha and Ethan, are so charming. Especially Sasha! I love how relatable is and tangible she feels. From her snarky bites, to her flustered runaway moments, to her fierce protectiveness over her loves one-- I adored and admired her.
Then there's Ethan with his hilarious to-do lists, I looked forward to them each and every time him POV showed up!

Individually they are fire crackers, and together? Total fireworks!

While Sasha and Ethan led this book gorgeously, there’s something else the narrative does with POVs that is quite intriguing. It’s not advertised in the blurb so I won’t mention it, but when it first happens I was a bit thrown back. I wondered: is this going to turn into a romance suspense?
No, it doesn’t— but what the POVs do is very, very clever. In fact, when a certain reveal is done, it feels so natural that I went ”of course!” rather than scratching my head in confusion. Because it made such perfect sense. I didn’t catch it as it was happened, but once it did— all the clues were so clearly and carefully placed throughout the story.

These are always my favorite type of reveals— even if it’s not in your face, if you turn around, you’ll find the breadcrumb path that led to it.

Overall, I loved this book for both showcasing personal journeys and building up a lovely romance.
I would have liked moments shared that included Sasha and Ethan’s respective children, but at the same time I appreciated how the narrative brought them forth not just as parents, but as people who their own evolving likes, dislikes, dream, and goals. This is their love story.

I also love how this book is led by characters close or over 40. How just because they're nearing what’s considered “middle age” doesn’t mean their personal lives are done. That they aren’t still learning lessons, finding love, embracing a new self, and so on. It doesn’t mean that just because you’re getting older, you’re done with life. There’s plenty left to learn— and so much left to live. We see that from each POV— there’s a life to be had, and it's one that still has growing pains, along with all the joy, excitement, thrills, and peace. If we so choose to claim it.

That message is one of such poignancy, and it’s what I walked away from after the last page was turned.

There is still life waiting for us, every year that comes and goes, there’s still personal happiness to be grab, hold on to, to cherish.

If you love romances and great personal journeys— and older leads! — be to sure pick up Pick Up (hehe)!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book completely surprised me—in the best way! It was so much more than what the synopsis suggested.

Sasha Rubinstein is balancing single motherhood post-divorce (thanks to a divorce from a man who would rather chase his dreams in Hollywood than spend time with his children in Brooklyn), as well as worrying about her aging parents. As a freelancer, Sasha is always looking for stability, so when a job opportunity with the potential for a full-time position (and benefits!) pops up, she takes it. But when she arrives on an island near Turks and Caicos, she discovers she’ll be working with Ethan Jones—the man she absolutely can’t stand.

Sasha’s hatred for Ethan began when she literally bumped into him at school drop-off one morning. Drop-offs are already a tense time for Sasha because lately she's hasn't been receiving school correspondence, causing her children to miss out on events like spirit days. Things only got worse when Ethan buys the last school sweatshirt in Sasha's daughter’s size and later secured his daughter a spot in the after-school drama club, which only become available after Sasha’s daughter was removed from it in error.

Ethan, meanwhile, is just trying to be a good dad and manage the chaos of co-parenting with his ex-wife. He’s confused about why Sasha hates him, especially when they had a connection the first time they met.

The story is told from three POVs: Sasha, Ethan, and Kaitlin—another mom who’s active at the school who knew Sasha when they were children. While the inclusion of Kaitlin’s POV initially threw me off, it becomes clear she plays a crucial role in the plot. Utilizing multiple POVs is refreshing way to show that things aren't as they seem and how even the most "put-together" moms are struggling behind the scenes.

I couldn’t put this book down! The banter between Sasha and Ethan is sharp and witty, making this an excellent enemies-to-lovers romance. Sasha is a complex, layered character, and their chemistry is undeniable. It’s fast-paced, clever, and seamlessly blends the enemies-to-lovers trope with the relatable struggles of parenting. As a mom, I often found myself saying ‘same, girl’ throughout the entire read.

In alignment with the title, they meet in the pick-up line at school. Could two people be any more different? Sasha Rubinstein didn't think so. She has had several encounters with Ethan Jones - none good. He seems to show up where she needs to be and manage to sabotage her reason for being there. She decides that he is the most irritating man on earth when he shows up on the same running track and criticizes her direction/stance/and distance.

Ethan Jones has his own side of the story. He is absolutely fascinated with Sasha, but can't understand why she holds so much animosity against him. He remembers meeting her in the park when their daughters were really small and having a wonderful conversation. He would like to have the opportunity to repeat that experience.

The story goes back and forth between Sasha and Ethan, but there is a third voice as well. Kaitlin grew up with Sasha and feels that she was slighted as Sasha was never as invested in their brief friendship as Kaitlin. And did Sasha steal her boyfriend? Obviously, Kaitlin still holds a grudge.

Nora Dahlia takes us from New York City to the Caribbean on a thrill ride that never lets up. Get ready to hang on and stay up late! Pick-Up is impossible to put down. I will definitely be looking for her next book!