Even after reading and loving several of Sarah Adams' books I still found myself surprised at how much I adored this!

It is packed full of wit, humour and sweet tender moments too. I found myself laughing several times at the silliness of the feud between these Ryan and June. I found the characters relatable although they had their cringey moments at times.

Did I find the 30-year-old FMC holding a grudge from high school over a kiss that never happened a little ridiculous... yes, but looking past that the rest was a really fun, quick and cozy read as are typical of Sarah's books.

June and Ryan have been mutually pining for one another since high school and Ryan's POV especially really had me rooting for them as a couple.

I really enjoyed the audiobook performance by Connie Shabshab and Will Damron. They did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life and keeping me entertained while listening.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Adams and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

i was so insanely excited to do Junes book after listening to the match and oh my god it was just as cute as i thought it would be.

these two are so insane and silly, i absolutely loved all the mutual pining and pranks.

i loved this so much and i already cant wait to relisten to both of the it happened in charleston books 🥰

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for my ALC of The Enemy by Sarah Adams! The Enemy is Book 2 in the In Happened in Charleston series, which started with The Match. June and Ryan are high school enemies who are reunited for the first time in a long time for their mutual friend's wedding. June is determined to show Ryan how successful she's been--she owns her own donut shop!--when she realizes his accomplishments are even bigger (he's a three star Michelin chef!). Her revenge plot is definitely not unfolding like she envisioned, especially when she realizes the crush she harbored twelve years ago was actually reciprocated.

Connie Shabshab and Will Damron narrate this delightfully rompy romance. I love how much June grows over the course of the story, and I love how Ryan doesn't give up on her, even when she tries to give up on them both in the third act. And I loved the cameos by Jake and Evie from The Match. I love interconnected romances for this very reason. Even though The Enemy is one of Sarah Adam's earlier books, her signature humor and swoon are very much alive, and I loved the way she added little details to tie it into her other, newer books as well. Two thumbs way up, 5 stars, 10/10.

It's been a few years since I read The Enemy, and I think Sarah's writing has gotten better and better. I'm excited this one is getting a re-release with Dell and a new audiobook with Dreamscape Media, who graciously provided me with an ALC of this one ahead of it's publication day!

I adored Ryan and June this time through The Enemy! I love the second chance, high school nemesis, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, "it's always been you" vibes from Ryan and "I hate you because I love you" vibes from June. I love that they're both in the food industry (June=donuts, Ryan=Michelin-star rated chef). I love the prank wars. I love that they both push hard, in different directions. June's heart has been broken, and she has a strict one date only rule. Ryan's been alone for so long, working hard to achieve his dreams, but the second he's back in his hometown for his best friend's wedding, those feelings for June come screaming back him. He pursues her, but he does it in a way that's super respectful of what June needs, only pushing when absolutely necessary (because she's stubborn!).

Other things I loved about this audio:
- DUAL NARRATION! Yes, please! You get to hear the sad/heartbroken emotions of June, and the passion and care behind Ryan's every move as he waits his time for June to be ready.
- The humor! I thought this listen-through was so fun and had some funny moments as well!
- The best friends and their reunion. Takes Ryan and June back to high school, and that was pretty fun!
- Ryan constantly taking care of and cooking for June.
- Ryan flirting with June until she believes he's actually flirting with her for real!
- The glimpses of June's family, including Jake and Evie and Sam from The Match (read that one first!)

The changes Sarah Adams made in this re-release bumped this one for a previously rated 4 star to a 5 star. She really dialed some things up, which I just loved! This one is out August 6th!

4.5 stars

June and Ryan have been enemies since high school. They've always hated each other, which is why, about a decade later, it's hard for them when they're forced together as their mutual friends get married. Clearly, it's difficult because of the deep hatred they have, and NOT because they've been hiding their deep attraction....right? Ohhhhh!!! Maybe this is going to be more complicated than they thought! And maybe we're going to have a BLAST watching them go at it. 🥳

This book was SOOOO much fun!! I loved the audio, performed expertly by narrators Connie Shabshab and Will Damron. The bonus epilogue featuring a beloved character from the "When in Rome" series was fantastic. I cared deeply about the characters. The slow burn was DE-licious. It was a steamy and satisfying love story, even considering the fact that it was fade-to-black.

Sarah Adams has become an auto-buy author for me. I continue to be impressed by her richly developed characters, hilarious dialogue, and the spice that she imbues into her primarily sweet and clean romances. I enjoyed the first book of the "It Happened in Charleston" series, "The Match," but THIS book, "The Enemy," stands out as the best in the series!

Trigger warnings: cheating (off page)

I'd like to thank Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the audio-ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Omg. Sarah freaking Adams. Book 2. Revised, expanded. Glorious. I hadn't read the book before it was revamped and that's okay. This had some mega beautiful and silly and funny moments. Moments of depth and heartache and growth. Of feeling safe in someone you thought hated you so what's more ammunition only for them to turn around and be so madly in love with you. I enjoyed it. If Sarah wanted to do a pre enemy book about these two lovable idiots in high school I'd be here for it. One thing that bothered me. The best friend. Why did she suck so bad? Anyway. Sarah is magnificent. The two narrators were great. I'm very thankful I was given the opportunity to listen before the rerelease!

This book is so, so special to me, and I have been chomping at the bit to get my hands on this revised and expanded trad-pup version that comes out this month! June and Ryan and their story are absolutely delightful, and Sarah’s iconic combination of charm and humor and emotion is on full display in this one! I didn’t love the audiobook as much as I wanted to, specifically the female narrator, but this story will always have an extremely special place in my heart, and I’m so excited for more people to experience it!!

.Frenemies to lovers
.Second chance
.Dual POV
.Closed door
.No third-act breakup
.Mutual pining

Cute. That's the word I'd use to describe every book I've read from this author, cute and sweet. This one wasn't my favourite, though. Maybe my expectations were too high.

The story is light-hearted, with a golden retriever MMC who's patient and caring with our FMC. I loved how he took the time to break down her walls and gently introduce the idea of them being together.

I didn't entirely like June, if I'm being honest. She seemed a bit immature for her age and maybe even a little petty. Holding a grudge against Ryan for not kissing her in high school felt over the top. It's been twelve years, girl! I think the goal was to make her quirky, with her "only one date" rule, but it just didn't work for me.

This book is marketed as enemies-to-lovers, but even though there's a rivalry, they've been pining for each other since the beginning. I'd call them frenemies instead.

I did enjoy their banter and mutual pranks, though I wish this aspect of their relationship had been more developed. We could've had more fun with it.

The audiobook has two great narrators, and since the story is straightforward, it's easy to listen to without getting lost while multitasking.

I haven't read the first book in the series, but now I'm curious. They can be read as standalones, so I didn't feel like I missed anything important. I just love her books, so I know I'll eventually pick it up.

In summary, I liked it and had fun listening to the audiobook. I just didn't love it.

The Enemy
Sarah Adams

Y’all this book, if I could, I would give ALL the stars!! All of them!! Sarah Adams is an auto buy, an auto read, and an auto listen to, and this one right here! Perfection!?!

I am an absolute fool for witty banter and this one had me laughing out loud multiple times, like cackling even. I also absolutely love when a book has cooking in it, blame that on the Food Network. So both main characters are foodies, she owns a bakery and he’s a big shot chef. They are enemies to lovers, all the way back to high school.
June and Ryan our MCs, these two have all the angst and banter that you could ever want. I loved them together from the start.

This was the sweetest story, a fun, light read that I am going to recommend to any and everyone. If you love hallmark-esque stories with the best tropes and incredible characters and side characters, pick this one up!

The audiobook was wonderful. I totally enjoyed the dual POV from both narrator’s, they truly brought the characters to life. I could feel their attraction through their banter. I cannot wait to hear something from either one of them again!

Thank you to netgalley for the alc in exchange for an honest review. 

After enjoying The match so much, I was so excited to read this one. It did not disappoint 👏 
My only issue was the number of times Ryan just let himself into June's house without her knowledge. Otherwise, this was a great lowkey enemies to lovers book. June never goes on more than one date with anyone, and Ryan is determined to change that. He was such a sweetheart. I enjoyed their pranks and overall banter.

A light second chance romance.

“But worst of all. I tipped my chin up to you. And you walked away”

📚 childhood rivals to lovers
📚 second chance
📚 MOH & Best man
📚 dual POV & narration

🚫🚪closed door

|Thoughts|
Went into this story without muck knowledge on the plot yet it had me hooked early on.

“You caught me every single time.”
“Made sure of it. I hated when I had to let go of you”
“In the pool?”
“Then too”

Loved how patient he was with her insecurities. And even more so how he was secretly dating her, so he could get around her ‘one date rule’. Enjoyable light banter and acts of kindness he showed towards her, turned him into such supportive man of her emotions and her career.

“I want to give us a chance. But one date is not going to do it for me”

“Believe me June Bug, you’ll know when it’s a real date”

Her family was a highlight and do wish we had more from them in this story.

“It’s been too long since I’ve been around family. I almost forgot what it was like”

I’m always partial to a second chance romance, but in this case, I wish there wasn’t such a big gap between them seeing each other and reconnecting. A decade seems like an awfully long time to hold a torch for someone without doing anything about it.

“We never talked back then unless we were trying to annoy each other”
“…so many wasted years”

Although it was more focused on characterisation than plot, I still flew through the audiobook and was giddy at the interactions between June & Ryan.

Thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & the Author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own personal.

Great story. This is a rewrite and has a few changes. It is a fun story. It is trying to be an enemies to lovers book but both characters have been pinning for each other and hiding it. Cute simple and entertaining.

This is truly an Enemies to lovers with slow burn pining and longing. The way June and Ryan constantly challenge each other and their banter is top tier. Although her celebrity crush? Girl I guess.... but otherwise, it was cute to see Jake and Evie again also as a family but the enemy is fun, you’re waiting for them to finally get together and Ryan is just heart eyes. I loved the narration in the audiobook and I thought it really added to the story and added so much whimsy and funny elements and added to the story. Super cute and fast read. I loved it!

📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬

I couldn’t wait to read this book after finishing 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡! This story had a whole different vibe and I loved it.

June hasn’t seen her high school enemy in 12 years. Unfortunately, they are in the same wedding party and forced to reunite. She’s now the proud owner of a donut shop and content with her life. She wasn’t ready for Ryan to through her life upside down.

I loved this story! There was the perfect amount of push and pull between June and Ryan. I am a sucker for a “he falls first” plot line, and Ryan was DOWN BAD for June and he always had been. It was a classic case of a guy acting dumb just to get a rise out of a girl he was crushing on.

June was such a great FMC. She’s trying to find the inner confidence to become full owner of her donut shop but she struggles with emotional scars left by her ex-fiancée.

It was great to see Jake & Evie from 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡!

If you love a romcom enemies to lovers story with a guy that’s down bad for his rival, go add 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬 to your TBR today!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
🫶🏼 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴
🧁 𝘉𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘹 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘧
🤣 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘊𝘰𝘮
💗 𝘏𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵
🔥 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯
🚪 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✨ 𝘋𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘖𝘝

I love Sarah Adams’ books and this is no different. I think the beginning is a little rougher than I would’ve liked and Ryan seemed a bit too pushy at times. However, realizing they are both best friends with a married couple and have known each other all through high school, it makes it a lot less creepy. June came off as slightly childish for a 30-year-old, and the narrator made it sound more childish than the writing did. The dual perspectives is nice to read again and I didn’t get much connection with the previous book The Match, but it was still loosely tied in. I wasn’t a huge fan of Stacy as a friend because there were a number of times she really forced her methods or selfish ideas on June. I also understand June had serious body issues, but I also feel like once instance wasn’t enough to cause that much depleted self esteem for 5 years. June should’ve worked on herself much sooner. Ryan was a gem and I wish we would have seen a little more complexity from him. The most ever shown on page was making out and flash to a closed door scene. did was make out so this was just a sweet/clean romance. Overall, I don’t think this is as good as Sarah Adams’ more recent works, but I certainly can’t fault her for getting better with time! 4.75⭐️, 1🌶

Note: Can we just stop doing epilogues with everything finally being happy when they have a child? For myself and other women who struggle with infertility, this gets really difficult to be happy with the ending and then get slammed with the “ultimate happiness” being having children.

3 Stars The Enemy is the follow up to Sarah Adams's The Match and continues the antics of the meddlesome Broaden family with June's story. This is a reprint of the previously independently published title with a new extended epilogue!

Twelve years after June Broaden last saw her high school enemy (and secret crush), Ryan Henderson is back in town for their mutual friends's wedding. June's held a grudge ever since Ryan almost kissed her after graduation before pulling away, so this is her chance for revenge. But Ryan isn't the same guy he was in high school. He's more handsome than ever and is the youngest chef to win three Michelin stars. June isn't one to back down from a fight and is more than ready to meet the challenge.

I wasn't as big a fan of The Enemy as I was of The Match, mostly because of the immaturity of the characters. Despite being characters in their thirties, June and Ryan often acted like teenagers with their antics. Even the meddling of the side characters was a bit infuriating at some points. It's still a very sweet story and I loved the ending with the extended epilogue, but it was hard for me to look past the immaturity. Both narrators did a wonderful job!

This audio book was chef’s kiss!!! Listened to it in one sitting because I just couldn’t let those characters go!
Narrators were awesome, the story was perfect! Highly recommend!!

This isn’t a true “enemies” to lovers since both main characters have been secretly pining for each other since high school. The MMC had major golden retriever vibes and the FMC had black-cat vibes which I really enjoyed. The witty banter between the two main characters was absolutely hilarious and had me laughing out loud. I loved how supportive and encouraging their friends and family were. They were meddling, but in all the best ways.

I loved the ways that Ryan and June talked through their past hurts and worked through their fears. They went from enemies to strangers to friends to lovers. The transition was seamless and smooth. Ryan and June really got to know one another and accepted each other, flaws and all.

This is the second book in the “It Happened in Charleston” series. You don’t have to have read the first book, “The Match” but it is fun to realize the overlap of characters. I love interconnected standalones where we get glimpes into the other characters we fell for in other books.

I listened to the audiobook version on NetGalley. The narrators, Connie Shabshab and Will Damron, were wonderful.

Sarah Adam's is an auto-buy author for me. This was such a sweet enemies to lovers for our foodies! Honestly, I almost wished there had more more food/donut insight rather than the plot happening separately. These characters were fun to read, and I thought the narration for the audiobook was great!

Quick Summary: A deliciously endearing romance

My Review: The Enemy by Sarah Adams is book #2 in the It Happened in Charleston series.

About the Book: Two former high school rivals who never got the chance to "have their moment" grow up and take a chance on being together.

About the Characters:

Ryan -> Successful chef who wanted more for his life; he longed to get the girl and make a home with her; he was looking to have all the things that contributed to true happiness; very supportive and caring

June -> Successful entrepreneur/baker who was suspended where relationships were concerned; experienced a bad breakup that caused her to doubt herself; had a love/hate thing going with Ryan; family-oriented

About the Narration: What a delightful listening experience! I cannot say enough good things about the energy that the narrators put out. I listened to this book in one sitting, as they made it so entertaining.

My Final Say: I loved this book. It was funny and sweet and charming, and, and, and. It left me with a big smile on my face.

Other: Readers who enjoy stories where high school enemies grow up and get a chance to find something special together will adore this book.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: 💖
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to a digital ALC of this title in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure to read/listen to this work. I look forward to reading more from this author.