I'm still trying to decide how I felt about The Enemy and what it is that I can't quite figure out that bugged me. On one hand it was pretty predictable and June was a bit whiny. On the other, I liked and didn't like Ryan, but then ended up liking him the most I think. I really liked June's family and wished there'd been more of them. All in all, it was an enjoyable book, if not my favorite. Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed parts of this books - and other parts I wanted to skip right over. The dynamic between the characters is cute. I love how they have such a long history together - meeting as kids but “hating” one another through high school graduation. In reality, they were both crushing hard but never shared their feelings… until they were adults. The chemistry is there, the banter between the is perfect. But, the main female character drove me insane. She was whiny and immature. Her grudge holding just did not make any sense to me. I felt like she was meant to be a strong female character, but came across as the complete opposite to me. Sometimes I can ignore a blah main character, but this one just ruined parts of the book for me. Overall, I enjoyed the book and Sarah Adams writing. If you are looking for a quick, cute story give it a try!

Thank you NetGalley for my audio copy.

4.5⭐️ | 1🌶️

What to expect:
• Enemies to lovers (sort of)
• Second chance (kinda)
• He falls first
• Chef x Baker
• Forced proximity
• Pranking & Pining
• Dual POV

Review:
If you’re in the mood for a romcom with snark, charm, and a side of donuts, Sarah Adams’ ‘The Enemy’ is your next listen! While it’s labelled as an enemies-to-lovers romance, it reads more like a second chance romance with a sprinkle of high school pranks.

Ryan, our determined chef, has always had a soft spot for June, and when they reconnect at their best friends' wedding, sparks fly!

The real magic here is in the banter. June and Ryan’s back-and-forth is hilarious, and their chemistry is off the charts. June’s relatable insecurities and Ryan’s charming charisma make them a duo you can’t help but root for.

Narrators Connie Shabshab and Will Damron have done a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life. Connie nails June’s mix of vulnerability and humor, while Will’s smooth delivery perfectly captures Ryan’s charm.

This is a delightful, light-hearted listen that will have you laughing out loud and grinning like a fool. If you’ve ever wished for a sexy chef to whip up a romance in your kitchen, this one’s for you!

3 stars.

"The Enemy" is not my favorite Sarah Adams book. It's fine, but it didn't leave me feeling any type of way about it beyond ambivalence. It's cute enough, but nothing to write home about. I feel like Adams has written this story before and better elsewhere. Enemies to lovers is usually one of my favorite tropes, but it just didn't do it for me here. They aren't really enemies so much as they suffered from a miscommunication in high school that led them to have negative feelings toward one another for a decade-plus afterward. The book starts strongly enough but peters out towards the middle-end. It just felt like something was missing in this story. Sure, there is some banter between the main characters, June and Ryan, but it wasn't enough to captivate me in the way that Sarah Adams' other novels have. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Adams, and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This was very cute. I didn't love the narrator's voices but appreciated that they sounded a littlle different than every other book.

This book is an absolute must-read! The author’s writing style is fantastic, delivering a blend of humor and relatability that will have you laughing out loud. It’s a fast-paced read that will leave you swooning over the main characters. The dynamic between the rivals and the competition adds a delicious layer of wit, chemistry, and playful banter that keeps the pages turning. Sarah Adams never fails to deliver, and this book is no exception. I wholeheartedly recommend it for a captivating and entertaining experience!

Where do I start? This book filled a hole in my heart that needed to be filled. June is a such a sweet soul and deserves the world. When June and Ryan saw each other again after years of being apart and “hating” each other due to a miscommunication of feelings I was afraid it was going to be back and forth the whole time but RYAN (what a man) said “not on my watch.” We LOVE a man that says his feelings with his whole chest! After June was cheated on, her feelings, self doubt, and self consciousness were seen by Ryan and he fixed her little broken heart. I relate to June a lot in some ways so hearing her voice how she felt about herself was nice to relate to. This book was such a joy to read from the feelings to the laughter to everything it helped to heal a little bit of my soul.

Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Adams, and Dreamscape Media for this copy of The Enemy!

The narrators were wonderful. They really elevated the story. So engaging I hated when I had to stop listening and get back to my real life.

Enemies to lovers while also pining for each other? I'm here for it! The pranks were awesome, and the characters are so relatable! Such a sweet romance!

This is book 2 of the “It Happened in Charleston” series but it can be read as a standalone. This book was good! It’s about sworn enemies. I’m talking, since 7th grade! They are reunited when their best friends marry each other. Shenanigans ensue, pranks happen, secrets are revealed. June is a single, donut shop owner, with a one-date only rule. Ryan is a 3 star Michelin Chef, who never dates anyone. It’s enemies to lovers, It’s sweet and hilarious.

The Narrators are fantastic. They really gave life to the story.

I like this series! This second book isn't as tied to the Charleston landmark as the first book, but you do get to know more about the main character's love interest's family from the first book.

For me the narrator wasn't great, but maybe it was just the writing style? The main character was annoying to me and wasn't acting her age at all. Made it feel unrealistic and annoying.


Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced audio copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I am a HUGE fan of Sarah Adams, so I was super excited to be approved to listen to an ALC of this extended edition audiobook. I loved the chemiistry between June and Ryan, and this book is perfect for anyone who is a sucker for enemies to lovers!! This audiobook is narrated by Connie Shabshab and Will Damron. While I am not familar with Connie's voice, I have enjoyed other books narrated by Will Damron and he has a really nice voice. Connie and Will's voices go well together.

Pick this up if you want to explore one of Sarah Adam's first novels in a new light.

So adorable!

—


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


If you are interested in seeing more of my reviews and other content feel free to connect with me here <3:

https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules (links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, My blog and Substack newsletter, etc)

If you are a publisher or author who has questions about my reviews (as well as questions about my stats, reach or engagement), please free to email me. I am also open to requests for book reviews from authors or publishers. Thank you again for taking time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Ryan and June have been taunting/flirting with each other since highschool and now 12 years later, guess what? It's worse/better than ever. The war of pranks and of annoying each other is up, June is decided to make him pay and Ryan won't let her get away this time. Their story is full of witty banter with those "ah" melting-your-hearts moments. Sizzling sweet romance that builds-up throughout the story because let me tell you, Ryan is freaking hot-hot. It's a story of learning to trust again, to love again, to know that with the right person all falls into place naturally and that final moment is just amazing. Sarah made me laugh and feel butterflies in my tummy. You don't need to overthink this one, grab your copy!

June thought she had her life together pretty well. until it's time for her best friend's wedding and she's reunited with her high school "enemy", Ryan. Then everything started to spiral off course.

It was okay, but didn't leave any marks on me. Probably because most part of the story reminded me of other books I've read. Hardly any original, interesting aspects.

It’s been 12 years since June has seen her sworn enemy Ryan Henderson. She is determined to prove to him she is a hot, successful bakery owner but when Ryan shows up to her best friends wedding, she finds out he is a successful chef and not the same guy from high school who has always been in love with her, her world is flipped upside down.

This is the second book in the Charleston series and I really liked this one a lot. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this one was so cute!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! I am so glad this was a reprint and was available on here because I fell in love with it! I loved that it was a closed door book and that I had peace of mind going in to it. This story was fun and swoony I will 100% recommend and reread this book! I love this author!!🩷🥹5 stars ⭐️

✨️💚✨️Audio Book Review✨️💚✨️

Book: The Enemy
Author: Sarah Adams
Rating: 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book was so amazing!

It had the perfect amount of tension, hilarious 90s jokes, the best banter, and the cutest moments.

Such a perfect enemies-to-lovers that will live rent free in my mind for a long long time.

The scene where he helps her at the bakery .... 🥹

I'm really happy that I gave this author a chance and I look forward to reading more by her!

You get:
• Enemies To Lovers
• Rivals
• Dual POV
• 90s Boy Bands
• Chef MMC
• Secret Crush
• It's Always Been You

This is a much recommended read! Available on ebook, paperback, and audiobook.

I liked this one a little more than I did the match. Once again it took a bit for me to really get into it but I got into it quicker. This was an enemies to lovers trope story but something about it felt off to me. I'm not even sure how to put into words what felt off, just something. That being said I did enjoy the characters and the farther into the book I got the more I loved them. Overall an enjoyable read but again not my favorite from sarah adams.

Content warning: body shaming, emotional abuse, grief, death of parent

Audiobook specific: I liked the narrators more than I did with the match. I'm glad that they switched it up.

Thank you to Netgalley and dreamscape media for an ALC. All thoughts are my own.