I love a good enemies to lovers book and this new upcoming novel by Lily Joseph did not disappoint.
Annie was such a relatable singleton. I was loling at her selling “treats” for single woman.
Enter Penn who also has a dilemma in being set up by his parents and definitely doesn’t want the stuff upright gurl his parents are set on his marrying,
When Penn and Annie meet is both fireworks and attraction all at once. The two combine forces and the result is pure magic! I absolutely loved the chemistry between the two it really jumped off the page for me with every interaction. I felt like I was right there with the characters eves-dropping nearby. That’s the writing style of Lily Joseph for ya. She does a wonderful job of characterizing each character and making you laugh, cry and relate all at the same time. I love how it teaches us how we are to define what is meant for ourselves not other people. I highly enjoyed this book, but that’s never a surprise with a Bookouture book. One hit right after another in a variety of wonderful categories that appeal to woman and I’m sure even some men as well. Keep up the fabulous work and I look forward to more from Lily Joseph in the future.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book.

The concept of this book is very cute and had all the makings of a cute Christmas story. However, the story fell a little flat for me. I had a hard time relating to the FMC and therefore has a hard time connecting with the entire story. I think some people will like this book more than others. I would be willing to give this author another try!

This was a fabulous enemies to lovers/forced proximity romance with a Christmas twist. I really loved the ride of this one and all the revelations along the way. The plot twists kept me on my toes and I genuinely didn't see the final one coming! Brilliant!
I found Annie to be very relatable; she's your average girl trying to do her best and make her way in the world, and I found I had a lot of sympathy for Penn. They're a great match!
I genuinely enjoyed getting to know these characters, and the plot kept me turning the pages to unravel the story. I did think it was one conflict too many between the two leads, but that was the only thing that I did not enjoy. Otherwise I loved this book, and I highly recommend it!
One out of context quote that will have me chuckling for some time: "...a bearded man eating a tortilla chip". Hilarious!

Thank you so much to Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC via NetGalley. It is greatly appreciated!

Oh my gosh, go right now and add this book to your TBR and Amazon cart. It was DARLING!!! I fell in love with the characters and the storyline. It was just fantastic.

This unfortunately was not for me. I loved the idea of forced proximity (especially around Christmas!) but I didn't find myself connecting with either Annie or Penn. The novel felt 50 pages too long and their motivations didn't resonate with me. Overall, I feel it would be a lighthearted read for someone who enjoyed rivals to lovers.