A Roman kingdom is at the hands of a power thirsty newly made young king. His party loving sister would have made a better ruler. When he decides to marry her off, she seeks help from the enemy, a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to find peace for his people.

Julia is a Roman Princess who has a mind for strategy when she's not drinking herself into oblivion. Her brother, Honorius, is a young, brash, and power hungry newly made king. When her brother is urged to take action from the court who have had enough of the gossip, he decides to marry her off and punish her with her current lover's life. Julia will not go down quietly. She creates opportunity for herself to take back power or at least break free from her betrothal.

If you like an enemies to lovers with insta-lust, who hurt you, that is my wife, found family, tropes, this might be for you. I enjoyed the story and banter with Alaric's crew and Julia, but I found the miscommunication and lack of trust between the two main characters to be frustrating. It was the driving force of the story but felt like the character's personalities didn't match their insecurities. They both seemed to be strong-willed and confident in most ways. Their insecurity in their relationship doesn't seem to stem from anywhere. It's said many times that Alaric has had many lovers. And Julia is aware of her affect on men. But they both seem to not truly think the other is that into them. Because of it they're regularly stabbing each other in the back and dealing with their jealousy in toxic ways.

I enjoyed following the story, I really enjoyed the banter with some of Alaric's crew. But I thought the dynamic of their relationship issues, that drove the plot, could have done with better backstories. I would find myself drawn into the story just to see the MC's just flip on each other seemingly out of nowhere. The sidekicks saved this story.

3.5 stars rounded up.

ALC 🎧 Book Review 🤍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

This was such an entertaining 🎧 A war bridled story, so full of love & lust. The different POVs were great- Julia & Alaric’s banter were 🤌🏽 And I just adored the relationship Julia grew w/ the rest of the Goths (‘Cause same 🥹🤍). I could totally see this being a Netflix show & I’d eat it up lol. This isn’t a super heavy world building book, but the characters & lore def carry. I very much look forward to Book 2!!

NetGalley Audiobook ARC Review

Audiobook thoughts:

The narrator was great! She did accents and voices well. It’s a big feat trying to narrate a book that changes POVs a lot, but doesn’t have multiple narrators.

This would have been incredible as a duet narration. My main complaint is I never had any idea who’s POV is was because there were no pauses and it switched often in the middle of chapters. Two narrators would have helped me so much in distinguishing characters.

General thoughts:

I enjoyed the setting and I felt like the pacing for the story was pretty solid. Julia was an intriguing character and I loved the way she thought and plotted to try and advance in a society where women were seen mainly as breeding tools. She was quite funny and her mistrust of Aloric made sense to a point.

I had a pretty hard time rooting for Alaric. He was so hot and cold and so driven by lust. It didn’t really feel like he actually knew anything about Julia and yet he claimed to love her. His physical draw to her overpowered everything else, and that is just not what I look for in an MMC. I felt like one of them needed to be a little more levelheaded and I wished it was him.

I’d recommend this to someone wanting to dabble in romances from this time period and I would suggest picking up an ebook or physical copy instead of the audiobook.

A Roman Empire inspired historical romance with cat and mouse vibes. Definitely spicier than I thought it would be but not in a bad way. I really liked Alaric as he was darkly funny and definitely possessive. Julia our FMC had great character development throughout. I listened to the audio and felt the narration was also well done. It was a slower read but still enjoyable.

Enemy of My Dreams by Jenny Williamson is a stand alone historical romance set in Ancient Rome. For fans of Blood & Steel and Throne of Glass and anyone who saw The Gladiator (Russel Crow’s 2000 version), but wished that Maximus had escaped the fighting pits and ran off with Lucilla.

Julia, princess of Rome lives a life of excess. She spends her days surrounded by unimaginable luxury, and is most often times intoxicated. When her father, the emperor of Rome, dies and her spoiled and unbalanced teenage brother takes the throne, he tries to marry her off to strengthen alliances. Despite Julia’s vapid state, she was always clever and wouldn’t settle for the traditional wife and mother role. One day, when a man named Alaric, the King of the Goths came to the city to bargain for his homeland, Julia saw her chance. She would woo the King of the Goths and use his army to take her rightful throne from her brother. So she wore all of her precious jewels under her tunic, put a knife in Alaric’s hand and told him to “kidnap” her so they may both escape.

Julia and Alaric are true enemies to lovers, then enemies and then lovers again. This goes on throughout the entire story. Just when you think they have common ground and have expressed their mutual feelings for one another, something happens to bring them right back to distrusting and questioning their love and each other. The tension and banter are amazing and although only mildly spicy, it does feel satisfying.

Julia is a fabulous FMC. She is flawed and unknowingly strong. Despite starting as a spoiled Royal with little knowledge of struggle, she has to overcome many obstacles and trauma along the way. She goes through an amazing transformation throughout the story, becoming fierce and loving.

Alaric has some series book boyfriend potential. He is broody and snarky and has some amazing one liners.

When you read Enemy of My Dreams, you can expect:
- Historical Romance
- Enemies to lovers
- Political intrigue
- Found family
- Roman Empire
- Sassy FMC
- Broody & stabby MMC

As much as I loved the story overall, I did feel that at time, it dragged a bit. I loved meeting all the side characters and their relationships with both Alaric and Julia, but sometimes they were a bit drawn out. I also felt like the miscommunication between the MCs drove the majority of the slower bits. They were on again, off again so many times and if they had just voiced their feelings earlier, I think it could have shaved off 80-100 pages.

All of that said, this story was highly entertaining and beautifully written. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend to anyone who loves Historical Romance. I would absolutely love to read more by Jenny Williamson. Thank you so much to NetGally for the audiobook review copy.

Enemy of My Dreams by Jenny Williamson, is the classic trope of getting in bed with your enemy to gain some agency. I could have done with out the lust to love subplot since this is first installment in the series, and would have preferred a much slower burn. Given that, the non-romantic subplot was engaging enough to build up to reading the second installment.

The narrator Lisa Flanagan, did a great job with the audiobook. She was able to give a unique voice to each of the characters that I could easily distinguish each one soon after introduction in the story. I look forward to listening to the second installment when released.

Thank you Harlequin Audio and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, I was ultimately disappointed. One of my biggest pet peeves as a reader is when the first book of a series cannot be read as a standalone. If this book was being read as a standalone (which it currently is) the plot goes no where. The plot shakes down to: Girl is mad at brother. Girl is willingly kidnapped by bad guy who will help her seek revenge. Falls in love with bad guy. Bad guy & girl have some fights & kill some people. They get married. THE END. The whole point was revenge & no revenge is ever had. In fact, the brother is never even heard from again. A better ending point (in my opinion) would have been immediately after the brother is nixed, then start the second book on the rebuilding of the kingdom. If the second book was avaliable now I would without a doubt read it immediately, but with the year+ wait this book will be long forgotten.

Now on to what I did like. I loved the omniscient narrator. I cannot express how much I love an omniscient narrator. You very rarely get an omniscient narrator in romance & I feel like its use added so much more angst since the reader is able to know how both characters feel. The actual narrator of the audiobook did an excellent job of changing her voice just slightly to make each characters thoughts easy to tell apart.

3/5 spoilers to follow.

I enjoyed this, mostly, but I don’t think I’ll be reading it again. It took 10% to pick up, and then it dragged in the middle. And then the conflict at the end was more about miscommunication and poor choices.

I loved how Julia was clever, and “should have been a general.”

I loved how Alaric respected her, and encouraged her to lead, and trusted her to make decisions.

I didn’t love how they devolved from strong rulers to poor decision makers. I wanted to read about a strong woman who made good choices and was able to help her husband strengthen his country in way he couldn’t imagine… I didn’t get that, and it was disappointing.

Honestly, I’m taking away a star because of how little I respected Alaric in the end. I understand how it’s “romantic” how much he cared, but all I could think about was the loss of life because of his poor choices.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this Audio ARC.

Enemy of My Dreams by Jenny Williamson is a perfectly executed enemies-to-lovers romance with a fascinating touch of historical fiction, set during the final days of the Roman Empire. The story combines the thrilling emotional tension of a blossoming romance with the rich, turbulent backdrop of a crumbling empire, making for an unforgettable reading experience.

The novel centers on two central characters who begin as adversaries, each with their own strong convictions and personal stakes in the conflict around them. The chemistry between them is palpable from the start, and Williamson masterfully builds the tension, allowing the slow burn of their relationship to unfold beautifully as they navigate their differences. What makes this enemies-to-lovers trope so compelling is the depth of the characters’ evolving feelings, which feel earned and incredibly satisfying by the end of the book.

The historical setting of the final days of the Roman Empire adds an intriguing layer to the romance. Williamson brings this tumultuous period to life with vivid detail, immersing the reader in a world of political intrigue, power struggles, and cultural shifts. The historical aspects of the story are seamlessly woven into the narrative, grounding the romance in a fascinating time of history without overshadowing the central love story.

The pacing of the book is well-balanced, with enough action and tension to keep the plot moving forward while still allowing for the romantic development between the two protagonists. Williamson’s ability to capture the emotional depth of their relationship, set against such a significant historical backdrop, is what truly elevates this novel.

Overall, Enemy of My Dreams is a captivating and beautifully executed romance that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and those who love a good enemies-to-lovers storyline. The characters are rich, the romance is believable and heartwarming, and the historical setting adds an extra layer of intrigue. Jenny Williamson has crafted a remarkable novel that skillfully blends history and passion, and it’s a must-read for anyone who enjoys stories of love in the face of adversity.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ARC Audio Copy!

I am a huge fan of mythology but this is my first true Roman Empire mythology story and though I really didn't know anything about any of the characters going into it I absolutely loved it, and will be seeking out more in this world. These characters went though so much heartbreak and tragedy and had the most unlikely of a love story and though my heart broke for them multiple times, I loved every minute of it. I love how the author showed the internal turmoil that Alaric has been carrying with him for so long but how he still was able to keep a soft part of himself.

audio-ARC from NetGalley.

Not sure what I thought the title meant, but it's got nothing to do with sleep & everything to do with the phrase "man of my dreams." Julia, Princess of Rome, is watching her life be determined by men less intelligent than she is and hating every second of it. When Rome's enemy, Alaric of the Goths, appears in front of her, she decides that the enemy of her enemy is her friend, and the best way to escape the nauseating arranged marriage awaiting her is to be "kidnapped" by the brutal barbarian.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I loved the found family elements and the humor. I appreciated the female friendships. I couldn't even find it in me to be mad at Julia for all her shows of obstinance, no matter how ill-advised.

The one thing I didn't like was the romance. And, since this was a romance novel, it was very much the focus of the story. While the miscommunication was perfectly understandable, the constant lusting after one another from the moment they met felt excessive. Insta-anything - be it love or lust - is not for me, so watching these two declare themselves mortal enemies and then drool over one anothers' exposed shoulders made me cringe. Because of this, I found Julia's relationships with the rest of the men far more interesting.

I also struggled with the pacing. Things in Rome moved at a rapid clip, then the few weeks they spent traveling stretched over 60% of the book, only for the story to rush to its conclusion, condensing epic battles into singular sentences and massive political upheaval into nary a mention.

Overall, this story served as further evidence that I really do need to stop trying to enjoy historical fiction.

This was so good. It felt like I was reading a fantasy novel with the story and the pacing and the stakes, but it was just historical fiction done so perfectly. The secondary characters are done so well I could read a whole other book on each of them.

Against all odds these two seemed to be destined to be together.
They go from emeries to lovers in the most delicious way.
They are both attracted to each other from the very start although there is still lots of miscommunications from both.
I highly recommended if you want to travel back time and fall in love with these two characters

I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrators did an excellent job bringing the story to life. 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

Set in the final days of the Roman Empire, Enemy of My Dreams follows Julia, a princess whose world of excess comes crashing down when her father dies, leaving her cruel teenage brother in power. When she refuses an arranged marriage, he makes a brutal example of her lover. Desperate to escape, she takes a risk and turns to Alaric, the Visigoth warlord who has a history of fighting Rome, and orchestrates her own kidnapping. This novel is a tense game of strategy, political intrigue, and survival between our FMC who has nothing to lose and a Visigoth king who holds her fate in his hands (because he is a man, of course).

I appreciated how we got Julia’s backstory right away, how she’s intelligent and independent but has been beaten down by the men in her life. No one takes her seriously, so she turns to drinking and partying, numbing herself in a world where death feels inevitable. Even with everything she goes through, she never stops fighting, always looking for a way to take control of her own fate, even when she's at rock bottom.

That said, by the last quarter of the book, I was just ready for it to wrap up. The writing is excellent, but my interest started to fade. Their romance was a rollercoaster of extremes, hot and cold, driven by pride, stubbornness, and attraction that constantly swung back and forth. Overall, a solid read with strong writing and an engaging premise.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ALC!

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 did not like this book. The romance was all over the place. I did not once, during the entire book, believe that they liked each other, let alone loved each other. He was still calling her "woman" at like 75%. Even if this was to maintain his barbaric exterior, the man is supposed to be in love, he can have some respect.

Aside from the hot/cold romance, the plot felt extremely thin. There just wasn't anything in the story to hold it up. The characters were not deep enough to have connection, they had no chemistry and the spice was too chaotic.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title.

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. The audiobook narration was beautiful and had great pacing.

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 for the audiobook to review. I was intrigued by the premise of this book and setting in Ancient Rome, it’s very unique compared to most historical romance. I appreciated some historical facts and built in political machinations. Overall, I have a mixed review for this book but I still enjoyed it.

Much like one of the tropes here, we started out enemies and became somewhat cordial lovers haha. I kinda struggled with the first half, the main complaint being the constant change in POV, mid chapter and sometimes back and forth. However, once I got used to the flow and got to know the characters, it was easier going and made me invested in the plot.

The second half of this book is where it won me over. The secondary characters added fun dialogue and interactions. Particularly the wholesome moment between Julia, Thorismund, and Riga - it had a funny comeback later on that was a nice touch!

Julia and Alaric are the queen and king of the miscommunication trope, I really wanted to throttle them half the time! Despite their rocky start and some questionable historical misogyny, theirs was a slow burn romance, that in the end made me happy with their whole saga.

The audiobook was performed by Lisa Flanagan and I think she did a wonderful job bringing this story to life. It was lighthearted and added a lot of charisma to each of the characters.

3.5⭐️