The workplace romance and enemies to lovers tropes were good. I did not enjoy what happened when the ex came back in the picture, though it made for a good twist and made this not entirely predictable like a lot of romances. Thank you to MacMillan audio for a copy in exchange for my review!

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up
While there were aspects of this book that I appreciated, my overall experience was not great.
The constant indecision was tiresome, and I found myself struggling with wanting to finish the book. The dialogue and "battle log" struck me as immature. The plot twist involving the mother's return was equally unconvincing, as it seemed unrealistic to allow a neglectful parent to reenter the child's life so easily.
Ultimately, this book failed to resonate with me, although I acknowledge that fans of this particular trope may find it enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Release date 1/22/25

What a read! Still processing the personal feelings this brought up for me, but I devoured this! The audio was fabulous and the narrator was amazing and really fit the vibe and feel of this book. The back and forth banter was so good and I loved how the book started and then jumped forward two years to give time for healing after the loss of a spouse. Their relationship journey was fun to follow. The involvement of their children was very well done as well. The spicy scenes were oh my goodness....so hot!

FULL REVIEW
This book was just beyond good, and it’s a debut, and I have no many things I want to say about it! This book perfectly balances swoon-worthy enemies-to-lovers banter with deeply emotional moments. Juliana’s resilience as a single mom rebuilding her life and guiding her two daughter through the grief of losing their father was inspiring. My personal single mom journey is more in line with what Ben goes through as a single parent, and it brought up a lot of feelings for me personally as I read. The way Juliana stands up for and protects his daughter just like she would her own had me wanting to yell, sing it sister! Seeing both Juliana and Ben navigate their shared struggles, while finding healing and love together made their journey feel real and unforgettable. Amy Buchanan was able to perfectly blend humor, heart, heat (that office scene 🫠) and healing into this beautiful story and it’s her DEBUT! I will be getting a trophy copy and I will be anxiously waiting for whatever she writes next!

Charlotte North narrates this beautifully. It is single first person POV, with some great inner dialogue and I was totally pulled in by her performance!

Normally I’m not one for a workplace romance, but this kept me hooked for the entirety of the book. The main FMC is relatable for me and has a strong personality. I really like how grief was explored. It really gave me a new perspective on how those that have lost a loved one censor themselves to reduce awkwardness for others. The spice in this book is chef’s kiss. Not an exuberant amount of scenes and the ones that take place are very well written!

Truthfully, I wanted to give this book five stars, but the lack of awareness the FMC had towards the MMC when it came to his personal life was just a little disappointing and unbelievable given her character. It was probably just me. I just had a hard time believing she was completely unaware of aspects of the MMCs life when they both work at the same company. Even if he didn’t tell her, people talk. It was all explained and I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would recommend to any romance reader!

Let's Call a Truce is an emotionally intense romance that will make you laugh, and cry, on multiple occasions. This story is told from a single point of view from the female MC, which also gives this story an element of women's fiction, and supports the in depth growth of the characters as well as the elements of surprise and angst. I absolutely loved the two main characters and their enemies to lovers romance. The enemies portion is absolutely hilarious, and chosen by the characters. The inclusiveness of children in this story is incredible and relatable. The sexy scenes are sexy! And the supporting characters are dynamic and intriguing.

This is truly a second chance romance, with both the characters coming into the relationship with history that presented challenges. These elements can be hard for some, so a trigger warning for death, loss, and abandonment are necessary. But these elements give this story depth and make it feel real, pulling the reader into the story with an investment that won't wane. Also, the author does a wonderful job handling these topics with genuine compassion and understanding, so it is very well done, and very much worth the read.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story, which was well done by a single narrator. I listened at 1.75x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75).

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced listening copy.

Let’s Call a Truce is a sweet and meaningful story about finding happiness, love and a chosen family after unimaginable loss.

After the sudden loss of her husband, Juliana is tackling taking care of her two daughters, while diving back into the workforce. On top of all of that she is forced to deal with her brooding, self-righteous (and of course, unbelievably handsome) colleague Ben, on the daily! I think we see where this is going and yes, they meet every expectation you could possibly have for the slow-burn, workplace, enemies to lovers romance of your dreams.

The banter and fun between these two feuding colleagues had me GIDDY and the tension was EVERYTHING! But the substance and sweetness of their love story really begins and centres around their daughters; who manage to kick this connection into high gear between their two single parents.

Together, Juliana and Ben navigate through the trials of single parenthood, growth in their careers as well as finding the way to trust themselves and each other enough to move forward after loss.

There is so much to love about this book and I think it will be a favourite in 2025 for many of us! Congratulations to Amy Buchanan on a stunning debut novel, you have earned yourself a fan - I absolutely cannot wait to read whatever you come up with next!

I absolutely adored this book. Juliane is so relatable as a working mom that it was easy to understand her struggles. And Ben’s character development was chefs kiss.
This is easily one of my top books for 2025 already and we’re just getting started!

Let's Call A Truce by Amy Buchanan is a delightful workplace enemies-to-lovers romance that delivers plenty of laughs, spice, and heart. Juliana, a widowed mother of two, is thrust back into the workplace after a period of grief, only to immediately clash with her colleague Ben. The tension between them ignites after Juliana overhears Ben making dismissive comments about her ability to juggle her job and motherhood, setting the stage for two years of hilarious banter, pranks, and simmering animosity.

What makes this book stand out is the chemistry between Juliana and Ben. Their witty back-and-forth is nothing short of entertaining, and their growing attraction, hidden beneath their rivalry, keeps you eagerly turning the pages (or listening in my case). The tension between them builds to a boiling point during a night out, revealing that their mutual dislike masks something much deeper—and much more steamy.

If you're looking for a rom-com that balances laugh-out-loud moments with sizzling chemistry and heartwarming growth, Let's Call A Truce is an absolute must-read.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced copy

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley!

After the death of her husband, Juliana launches herself back into the workforce. While most of her colleagues are understanding and accommodating as she adjusts her home/work balance, one of her coworkers, Ben, thinks she’s in way over her head. They end up paired together on a project after two years of somewhat silent loathing and have to find a way to move on past their rivalry.

Let’s Call a Truce is a stand-alone, workplace romance. The book does contain open-door content. TW/CW: The FMC is a widow so there is a lot of talk about her husband’s death. The author does well portraying both the grief from the point of a widow and the children. Grief and “moving on” are such an individual thing and I had no problem with the pace of the MCs relationship.

What a great debut novel! The author balances what can be a more difficult topic with progression of starting over. The storyline has a good mix of sweet and swoony moments and we see a lot of personal growth from both of the MCs.

Charlotte North does a wonderful job with the solo narration of the audiobook. She always does well keeping the different characters distinct enough and her male voices don't come across as forced.

I listened to Let’s Call a Truce on my morning commutes to work this week, and every day I got a little bummed when I had to turn it off and start interacting with other humans. Thanks to Macmillan Audio, St Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for early access in exchange for my honest opinion.
Fair warning, I shed some tears reading/listening to this one, so I wouldn’t plan to go in expecting a completely light read. Juliana’s husband recently passed away in a sudden accident, and she is left with their two young girls, needing to reenter the workforce after being a stay-at-home-mom. She is anxious, having a rough first day, when she meets her gorgeous coworker - who she then overhears bad mouthing her and her commitment to the job, wrecking her confidence and defining their roles as rivals. After two years working together, things have not improved, but the two are forced to collaborate on an account that includes traveling to Boston together. Her rival is originally from Boston, and I loved how he helped her explore the city.
If you’re a fan of workplace rivals-to-lovers, I definitely recommend Let’s Call a Truce! It comes out Tuesday 1/14.

You know I love a good enemies to
lovers/work romance type of vibe. And this book hit the
mark.


Loss Love
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
₹ Workplace Romance
Single Mom/Single Dad
Banter For Days
And So Much Spice


This is a very emotional, bittersweet, and so real! I love
Juliana's journey. She's learning to balance the loss of her
husband, balancing her work life, kids, being a friend and
possibly finding love.. again! I loved Ben but there was a
moment where I wanted to see him outside. This was a
great listen and 1 really appreciate the opportunity to
review this alc of Let's Call A Truce by
@amybuchananbooks and thank you @netgalley for the
opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

This was a cute workplace romance with some heavy topics and emotions. I felt myself really feeling for the tragic events in both of the main characters’ lives and just rooting for their love story. The narrators were phenomenal! They kept me interested and did a great job with the character voice’s and personalities. Absolutely love it!

Publication: January 14th, 2025

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this story, the characters, and everything in between. Ben and Juliana experience significant growth and change throughout the book, making their journeys compelling. The story felt like a TV show, with realistic characters facing real-world problems.
• Workplace romance
• Single parents
• Plenty of banter
• And so much more

The narrator for the audiobook was fantastic and perfectly suited to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to be able to listen to it early

I love that the MCs are older (in their mid to late thirties) and this is their second chance at love. FMC lost her husband (the love of her life two plus years ago) and her office antagonist is the MMC. I was not expecting that spice - it was great. The twist was not unpredictable but it was irritating
The book is near and dear to my heart as I currently live in Boston and spent five years in Florida. My husband went to school in Gainesville.

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, Forced Proximity, Its Always Been You, Single Dad, Single Mom

Charlotte North did a great job with the narration in this audiobook. She had to voice a number of different characters, and I was able to distinguish them from other characters. Her narration is what led me to finish this book when I wanted to DNF.

This is a story that I should have loved, but it fell short for me. It was not enjoyable, and I didn't root for any of the characters.

This was so cute and real! Enemies to lovers, second chances, and all the things that can happen in a real life relationship. This was adorable.

This enemies to lovers romance is for those who are willing to be patient. Juliana finds herself back to work after her husband dies and meets Ben on her first day at the office. That same day she overhears him disparaging her to someone over the phone. She decides it is war and holds a grudge for two years until they are forced to work closely together on a project.

The tension is high and the romance is steamy. Charlotte North’s narration added to the enjoyment of the novel. Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy. All opinions are my own

I adore this book, super sad but sweet story of finding romance after losing your spouse.

Publisher's summary
After Juliana Ryan's husband dies unexpectedly, leaving her with two grieving kids and a stunted career from years as a stay-at-home mom, she has no choice but to make it work all on her own. But her confidence crashes around her when she overhears her condescending but infuriatingly attractive new colleague, Ben Thomas, talking about how her kids and inexperience are a liability the company can’t afford. This sets off a feud between the two, as Juliana vows to prove him wrong.
Two years later, their feud rages on, but it may be charged with something they aren't willing to admit. When they are forced onto a career-making project together, Juliana has no choice but to call a truce. As their lives become more intertwined in and out of the office, Juliana finds it hard to ignore Ben’s perpetual smile and charming determination. What started as a truce grows into more, as boardroom-clearing arguments turn to desk-clearing kisses. Could the man she deemed her nemesis understand her life–her stress and responsibilities–better than anyone?
But just when Juliana decides to open her heart again, Ben’s past threatens their newfound bliss, and she has to figure out whether this second chance at love is worth it after all.

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this audiobook!

Let's Call a Truce
By: Amy Buchanan
Narrated by: Charlotte North
Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
Release date: 01-14-25
Publisher: Macmillan Audio

I can't believe that Let's Call a Truce was Amy Buchanan's debut novel! It was an absolute wild ride. Packed with humor ( loved the tally sheet Juliana was keeping), heartfelt moments, and just the right touch of sexual tension, this second chance at life romance kept me hooked from the start. Juliana and Ben's chemistry and complex journey really made it impossible to stop listening. I can't wait to see what Buchanan writes next!

Juliana is back in the workforce again after the sudden loss of her husband. On her first day, she literally runs into Ben. They seem to hit it off and Juliana leaves the situation feeling good until she later overhears Ben complaining about her and her choice of her daughters over work obligations. The story then picks up 2 years later. Ben and Juliana are still at odds but the interactions lean more towards banter than meanness. A common friend and their working relationship keeps them in one another's circle. They constantly find themselves fighting their attraction for one another as the tension builds.

I enjoyed this story. The author's dealing with the passing of the husband is handled well. Ben has his own troubled past that comes up and really comes to a head at the end of the book. While I didn't love the way he dealt with the situation, I enjoyed these two together overall. They felt like a good match and I enjoyed how they supported one another in the end. The children are present without being too much or annoying. The audiobook was narrated well and kept me entertained. This was a fast, enjoyable read for an afternoon of puzzling.