Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc copy of "Enemy of My Dreams" by Jenny Williamson.
Publication date 04 February 2025

This book is a must-read for people who loves historical fiction set during roman empire period. Hot, sweaty, savage warlord Alaric and seductive, sly and clever roman princess Julia carried this book to a new height. The world building was well written, not too much that it might bore you.. not too little that might confuse you ; precisely the right amount that I could visualize everything that is happening. All the side characters were multidimensional, complex and had realistic personality. The book was so unpredictable and exciting that I couldn't stop reading, like I had to know what happened next. You must read this book if you love -
- roman warriors
- enemies to lovers
- war and political intrigue
- complex side characters
- well written spice
- adventure and found family
*** I found some inconsistency at page 100

Early days of the Roman empire, the DRAMA was amazing and the enemies to lovers was the best part of this entire story!

Set in the early days of Rome, a woman tries to take control of her life after her brother, the Emperor, tries to force her to marry. Julia takes matters into her own hands by forcing the King of the Goths to kidnap her.

This had everything. Enemies to lovers, who did this to you, where is my wife, and SO MUCH ANGST. I loved the companionship between Julia and the twins, Riga, and Thorismund, and how they all came for her in the end. Alaric was a complicated character, as was the relationship between him and Julia. The twins were the perfect comic relief. Once I started, I devoured this book. Couldn’t put it down.

4.5⭐️

Um, WOAH. So well written, amazing characters, and THE DRAMA. One of the best ARCs I’ve read in A WHILE.

Alaric & Julia? Wow what a love story that was. And the found family?? Are you kidding? So cute (nothing about them was cute really but they all tugged on my heart strings), I loved every single member of the quest squad.

There’s definitely an egregious betrayal. There’s definitely bad choices made in literally epic proportions, but it all came together in the end.

Yes, there’s insta-attraction here but watching it grow into more than that between Alaric & Julia was so rewarding.

War, raiding, alliances, betrayals, new leaders and old empires…battle, tension…all of it exceptionally cinematic.

I also loved the multi POV. For me it was easy to follow and the transition between characters was perfectly executed.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ebook.

"Enemy of My Dreams" by Jenny Williamson introduces us to Julia, the intelligent and *fiercely* spoiled daughter of the Roman emperor. When her younger brother ascends to power, he gives Julia an ultimatum: marry someone she despises or be exiled. In an act of defiance, Julia convinces Alaric, King of the Goths and an enemy of Rome, to kidnap her for ransom. The premise sets the stage for a dramatic and intriguing story, one full of tension and complex political maneuvering.

While the chemistry between Julia and Alaric is evident to the reader, it’s frustratingly unclear to the characters themselves. Their relationship dynamics are built on a constant push and pull—enemies turned lovers, then back to enemies, only to return to lovers by the end. This constant back-and-forth, driven largely by miscommunication and misunderstandings, felt repetitive and strained after a while. It’s the kind of conflict where, rather than feeling the tension build, I found myself growing weary of the emotional rollercoaster, especially as it played out in petty actions and decisions that seemed unnecessarily drawn out.

The pacing of the plot is generally quick and engaging, and the author does a good job keeping the story moving forward. However, the romance element feels overshadowed by the constant tension of "will they or won’t they?" Julia and Alaric’s relationship could have benefited from a deeper exploration of their emotional growth rather than repeating the same back-and-forth patterns. Their path from enemies to lovers to enemies again felt more like a forced plot device than a natural progression, which diminished the impact of their eventual reconciliation.

The ending, where Julia and Alaric marry in front of the Goths and hint at a potential siege on Rome, felt abrupt. While I appreciate a dramatic conclusion, this one left me wanting more—more resolution, more emotional depth, and a clearer sense of where the characters’ futures were headed.

In conclusion, Enemy of My Dreams offers a quick, action-packed read, but the repetitive nature of the romance and the abrupt ending left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied. If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers stories with lots of tension, this might be an enjoyable read for you. But for those who crave more nuanced character development and a well-paced romance, it may fall a little short.

First book I've read by this author, definitely a bit out of my usual reading range.
Julia, the only daughter of the emperor of Rome, lives a life of luxury and carelessness. She finds herself brutally thrown into reality when, after the death of her father, her brother, little more than a boy, becomes emperor. Julia, without any power, is promised in marriage to Alaric. Undisputed "enemy" of Rome. Julia is not used to being commanded like this, and she rebels, her brother, to teach her a lesson, punishes her lover, in the Colosseum, in front of the whole city. Julia finds herself forced to turn to the only person she believes can help her, Alaric himself. This is the first volume of a trilogy, definitely an interesting read and worth following. Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it, it's a little pearl, waiting to be discovered.

Enemy of the Dreams is the story of Julia. As an Emperor's sister, she is being forced into a loveless marriage to allow her brother to consolidate power. Out of options, she turns to Alaric, King of the Goths, to rescue her from Rome and allow her to overthrow her brother.

The book take full advantage of the historical setting, to really let the internal politics of the Roman Empire give it incredible specificity in its settings - it is unusual for the action to be centred around Ravenna, the capitol of the latter Roman Empire. Williamson is an expert in Roman history and it certainly shows. I enjoyed getting to see more diversity than typical in Roman Empire epics - there are characters from Asia, from the Alps, and from Scandianvia. I hope the author will continue a sequel and recommend to anyone who loves history about the Roman Empire, historical romance or a bit of romantasy. It would be great to continue to see more of the Roman Empire in this later time period.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the ARC!

3.5 rounded down. Julia is an icon, she is the moment. Alaric? My dude. My broski? My broheim, you got a LOT to work on.

I did really enjoy the Roman elements of the story, as a history WHORE, I am always looking for ancient myth/historical retellings. And like, a Roman princess getting kidnapped by the king of the goths? COME ON BRUV.

But like,,,I felt that this was way to focused on the romance than it was on the history. I felt a lot of the plot/conflict arose a bit outta nowhere at the last 40 pages, and it seemed to just go SUPER quick. Also Alaric did a whole 180 for like no reason and just,,,brother ehhhhh.

I did enjoy it though, and Julia and Horsa absolutely SLAY. Writing was good, but also? Where did Julia’s bro go?

I think my opinion would have been a bit different if I hadn’t read the BEAUTY that was Babylonia. Read THAT shit

I struggled with the historical perspective of this book - which is entirely my fault, or perhaps whatever history teachers I had. I couldn’t help but feel pretty stupid reading this, as it ended up reading more like a fantasy world-building experience rather than a historical fiction. I appreciate that this is a historical romance from an entirely different timeline that is usually used which definitely made the book feel fresh and different. The romance was lacking for me, and leaned heavily on instant lust, and there wasn’t much tension or buildup. It felt a bit long at times, but overall an interesting read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The author did an excellent job with both the characters and the story line. This was an interesting and fun read that hooked me from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down. I loved how it kept me on my toes with the tension between the FMC and MMC. It was well written. I can't wait to read more from this author. I definitely recommend this book to other readers.

Thank you Net Galley, Harlequin, and Jenny Williamson

This books was so much fun! It really kept me on my toes and I LOVED the tension to begin with between Julia and Aleric, and the raw reality of Julia dealing with her recent traumatic events.

I received an ARC copy to read and listen to. I was super excited for the book as I felt it started off with a good plot and had so much potential.

Where it succeeded: the storyline was unique and the plot moved along fast. Some twists and turns I definitely wasn’t expecting along the way. I love an enemies to lovers trope and bantering between the MC’s. A few steamy moments that make you blush which is great. Nothing over the top 🌶️ here.

Where it failed for me: the enemies to lovers trope was more of an insta lust so it lacked in relationship development and he enemies part for my taste. Also, like others have said, the POV changed randomly throughout the book which made parts hard to follow along to and caused a little bit of whiplash.

Overall, I thought it was a decent book that did have room for improvement. I love books set in a historical setting but with a modern twist or modern speech. This fit that bill.

My reviews floats between 3-3.5 stars.

I have always loved Roman history so I was very excited for Enemy of my Dreams. Overall I enjoyed this historical romance. This is an enemies to lovers romance but did have instant lust which in my opinion came in too quickly. I did love the banter between Julia and Alaric and the constant antagonizing scenes were great to read. They truly hate each other at the beginning as they are polar opposites, but are constantly attracted to each other. I loved the character growth Julia and Alaric go through. Julia truly becomes her own person now that she is away from her spoiled life and family, and Alaric begins to lose his sharp and guarded edges. Together they end up being a great pair!

This book is heavy with political intrigue and the world building is intense at times since we are following the downfall of the Roman Empire. I enjoyed this immensely since we have many side characters that seem to lighten the story throughout the book. I will definitely be reading more from the author!

Thank you to Jenny Williamson, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for an eARC of Enemy of my Dreams!

If you like Bridgerton but also had an obsession with the Roman Empire and anything Roman-adjacent growing up, this book is for you. It’s a good balance of action and spice. It’s enemies to lovers but they’re enamored with each other. There is quite a bit of miscommunication throughout which can be frustrating to read but overall I really enjoyed the book. I listened to the audiobook as well and the narration was beautiful and had great pacing.

This is a fun, fresh take on the classic bodice ripper. Set in Ancient Rome, it follows the rollicking romance between "Roman Princess" Julia and hulking morally grey hero Alaric, the empire's sworn enemy.

This book delivers exactly what it promises. Bodice-rippers are not my genre and for that reason I won't be picking up another any time soon.

Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street for this ARC.

Enemy of My Dreams is a pretty solid debut novel. While it’s called a historical romance, it’s definitely more similar to The Great in the sense that it’s *sometimes accurate, and that’s honestly fine with me! I didn’t go into it expecting 100% historical accuracy, and I did ultimately enjoy my time with this book!

I did really like the romance for the most part. The unclear age gap did throw off my view of their dynamic just a bit though. Overall, Julia and Alaric worked pretty well together. The miscommunication could be a bit much at times, but they worked through it, and I thought their love ended up being quite cute.

I really enjoyed Julia’s dynamic with some of the side characters as well. The twins in particular were my unexpected favorites. I didn’t expect to like them as much as I did. There’s a solid bit of the found family trope in this book, and I’m pretty much always into that.

On top of the eARC, I also received an ALC and enjoyed that as well. The narration kept me engaged with the story. I thought Lisa Flanagan did a great job with the character voices as well.

Overall, Enemy of My Dreams was an enjoyable read that I would recommend!

Thank you to The Hive, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and Harlequin Audio for the eARC and ALC of Enemy of My Dreams. All opinions are my own!

Thank you to HTP Hive, Canary Street Press, and Jenny Williamson for this ARC!

Do you normally avoid historical fiction because you think it’s boring? Enter “Enemy of My Dreams.” This novel blends all the heart-pounding elements of a romance book with immersive historical fiction rooted in ancient Roman history.

🏛️What did you love the most?
The character development of both MCs, Alaric and Julia, completely stole the show. Their arcs are masterfully crafted, and the writing is so vivid and immersive.

Now, the timeline for historical events is a bit off, but since it's fiction, I get that some creative liberties were taken. Also, the enemies-to-lovers trope was executed brilliantly. They were genuinely enemies—both in a historical sense and within the story itself. Their relationship growth felt authentic, well-paced, and far from rushed.

🔥Steam level: Open-door scenes 🌶️

🏛️How was the romance?
There’s definite insta-lust and some miscommunication, but I didn’t mind these tropes. The romance starts with a heavy focus on sexual chemistry and ambition. The fact that they never fully trust each other is the perfect definition of enemies to lovers! Their dynamic was irresistible, and I devoured every moment.

🏛️Do you recommend this book?
My only complaint is the way the multiple POVs were written—there are no headings, so the sudden POV switches can be jarring. I adjusted, but it was a bit frustrating at first.

That said, if you loved “The Song of Achilles” or “Circe,” you're going to adore this book. There are a few historical inaccuracies, but the pacing, found family dynamics, and character development are top-tier. Don't miss it! 📖🔥

A runaway Roman princess tries to escape an arranged marriage and her tyrannical brother but finds herself kidnapped by a brutal Gothic warlord who seeks revenge... yet together they will find freedom, revenge, and an impossible romance between two people who were always suppose to be enemies. Julia is the only daughter of the emperor of Rome, she has all the makings of a general and the intelligence to fix it all... but her father sees her as nothing more than something to be married off and Julia instead now spends her days in orgies and drugs to drown out everything else. Yet when her father dies her brother takes over... and he's determined to force her to marry a terrible man for an alliance or die exiled in another island. Julia will do anything for her freedom, even kidnap herself essentially to the Goth warlord, Alaric, who has been her father's long time enemy and the one waging war on Rome. Alaric used to be a general for the Roman emperor, Julia's father, until her father went back on his promises to give Alaric and his people the land to live on sending them to die in camps instead and sending Alaric to fight brutal wars with no end for him. Alaric then decides to rebel and wage war against Rome itself. Alaric of the Visigoths has now spent years fighting against Rome trying to bargain for his homeland and when his visit to the new emperor, Julia's brother goes terribly he finds himself with the Roman empire's princess as she hands herself over to him. Julia is determined to find a way to make Alaric her ally but for a man who has spent his life hating her father and fighting against her homeland... this is a near impossible task... or is it ? Alaric has only one goal in his life...yet finds himself completely distracted by his newest hostage... a Roman princess who is as courageous as she is beautiful. He is suppose to hate her but finds himself bending to her will... the line between love and hate begin to blur as lust overrides both of their minds the more they spend together... but can two people who were always meant to be enemies find a way to make their love work or will they die for it?

This was a historical romance set in Ancient Rome with a insta lust enemies to lovers romance at the center of it. Julia and Alaric felt like teens with the constant miscommunication and back and forth. I wasn't really vibing with the romance or the characters. For someone who is meant to be so smart, Julia really didn't portray it. Alaric just wasn't all that great of a love interest. The ending felt anti-climatic... like it was missing 5-6 more chapters to the final climax of the story and is left a bit open ended. I just can't really really tell if I liked this book or not. On one hand, it's a fine historical romance, but on the other hand it could have been better. I love ancient Rome stories and the setting is so much fun, however I just felt like it never lived up to my expectations. It was fine overall for me.

Release Date: February 4, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Enemy of My Dreams is a gripping psychological thriller with a strong, complex protagonist. Williamson’s twist-filled story keeps you hooked from the very first page.

I'm a sucker for ancient love stories!! This one is Ancient Rome roots with the story of Julia, the only daughter of a ruthless emperor of Rome. When her father dies, her teenage brother takes over with a reign that forces her into an unwanted marriage. In order to avoid this fate, Julia plots to be "kidnapped" by the Goth King, Alaric, an ancient enemy of Rome.

She becomes a prisoner of the Goth king, and is treated as such. The more that she is around, the more the Goth king wonders what she is all about. He finds himself protecting her from her kingdom, her brother, and his own people. The one that he can never have is the only one that he wants, and she feels the same way. Will she stay as "prisoner" or return to her homeland and brother when she has the chance?

A lot of corruption, ancient history, seduction, and romance. An instant-lust enemies to lovers made for some good character growth as they try to fight their attraction to each other, but it is just too strong.

Usually the historical romance stuff is bland and light, but I loved the sassiness and banter of those ancient characters! At first, I struggled with what I knew of Roman empire history and trying to match up the characters, but let that go and you'll be fine. I loved the characters, the resistance, and the emotion!!