This novel follows Emma and Caleb as they fight over Juliet, the new girl at school. Emma and Caleb used to be best friends, but had a falling out a few years ago. They make an agreement that whoever Juliet kisses first gets to date her. In this competition, they start to fall for each other.

I thought the story was entertaining, but it gave me some secondhand embarrassment and made it clear that I would like to be more picky when it comes to reading YA novels. I found the conflict somewhat stressful to read, so I was not as excited to pick it up.

I think both characters had a nice amount of development throughout the novel, and the emerging romance was sweet.

If you enjoy a YA (friends-) enemies-to-lovers novel where there is history between the characters, you might enjoy this one.

This friends to enemies to lovers story is definitely worth a read. The characters are relatable and their journeys to find themselves and and find their way back to each other will have you routing for them all along the way. I love the representation in this book, from the LGBTQIA characters, to children of abuse or absent parents and those being raised by single parents. No two families look alike in this story and I find it so heartening to see that reality in this story.

I went into this with the expectation that it would develop into a poly relationship so I was at first disappointed when I realized what was really happening. But once I adjusted my expectations I really enjoyed it. The characters felt like genuine and relatable high school students. The building relationships (friendships and romantic relationships) were well done and believable.

Caleb and Emma were easy to love and I really felt for both of them with their struggles with their parents. They felt very real.

I did wish Juliet and the other two friends (Jaz and Alice I think? I'm having trouble remembering their names now which isn't a good sign) were better developed. Jaz and Alice were only barely there and Juliet was treated as a convenient excuse to get Emma and Caleb in the same room a lot of the time. Also their "competition" to get her to kiss them first was kind of gross. They sort of forgot that she was a real person with real feelings and then forgot about her entirely. I guess it's convenient that she ends up being aro/ace, but that's not a good thing. She should be a real character regardless.

The audiobook was excellent (although Juliet's voice was a little *too* bubbly and high pitched) and kept me immersed in the story.

*Thanks to Viking Books for Young Readers for providing an early copy for review.

I am reading less YA these days, so when I read it, I want it to be good. Luckily, Exes & Foes delivered. It was a fun and light read for lovers of the genre.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Very cute YA story of self discovery. I was worried it would feel too cliche, but it felt very authentic I really liked the characters too.

Two ex-friends meet Juliet and both want to date her. So they decide to create a competition to see who earns the right to ask her out. Of course Juliet is unaware this is going on, which seems kind of creepy to me. The immaturity of Emma and Caleb during this part of the novel is a turn-off. But once they started genuinely interacting, it turned around. There were a few funny moments, and I liked the author’s writing style.

A perfect teen rom-com novel! Just what I needed when I went looking for a fun teen romance to read! Such a compelling and funny and yet also sweet love triangle! I would recommend to a friend!

Was this a bit cheesy? Absolutely. But did I love it anyway? ABSOLUTELY

I was a bit iffy at first and worried I wasn't going to like it, but I quickly fell in love with these characters. The premise is so funny and it lived up to it in the best way. The interactions between the characters were perfect. But this book also holds so many great messages as well and I loved following these characters on their journies. I also loved how throughout the book we slowly start to piece together their friendship from the past and how it ended. I really enjoyed getting to read this story.

A cute yet predictable book! It felt a little too long and I really had to push through to the end. Standard ya romance, 3 stars!!

I remember reading from Amanda Woody's social posts about this book, basically saying that this one had some even heavier moments than They Hate Each Other. To be clear, I adored They Hate Each other and even reread it earlier this year. I think it's one of my favorite YA contemporaries of all time. And so I was excited yet also nervous about reading this one since Amanda had come out with such a huge favorite as their first book. In any case, I had no reason to be nervous. This book was really wonderful to read. The humor was great, the heavy moments were so well done. My favorite thing about this author is the writing style and the care they give their characters and story. The bisexual rep was also great, but this isn't really surprising since it was also great in THEO. Overall, I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next one from Amanda Woody!

Very cute! This was a great story about friendship and love and growing up. I thought this was very well done.

I really like Amanda Woody's They Hate Each Other, so I'm super excited to read their new book Exes & Foes.

It's such a cute story that two people used to date are now fighting each other to win the love of a new girl.
I know most people love enemies to lovers but I swear after reading this book we need to make friends to lovers a thing too.

Would def recommend Exes & Foes to those looking for a good YA romance that also highlighted found families that will warm your heart.

Exes & Foes is a young adult book by Amanda Woody. When two ex-best friends decide to hold a competition for the new girl's heart, they don't expect to fall for each other instead.

Caleb and Emma were once inseparable, but a drastic change in their relationship drove them apart in the 8th grade. Since then, Emma has been sniping every romantic interest of Caleb's with charisma he'll never be able to match. Until the new girl at school, Juliet, catches both of their interest and Caleb is tired of always losing to Emma, a bet is created where they'll let Juliet choose who she prefers. Except that results in them spending more time together than they have in years and it's reminding them of the feelings they used to have. Will this be the definitive end of their feud one way or another?

First of all, I greatly appreciate how Woody snuck some very real and hard topics into what is otherwise a fluffy teen romance. It makes the light moments they enjoy so much deeper and puts a spotlight on important topics without making their darkness the center of the story. Both Emma and Caled have some troubling challenges to face and it's wonderful to see them rising above them.

It's also so sweet as to be saccharine, yet it feels so real. Emma, Caleb, and their friends read like people you could meet in high school and totally want to be friends with. They have their quirks and moments where they're a little flat as characters, but the story pulls you in and you're rooting for every single one of them to get what they want.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the enjoyable read!

Thank you netgalley for the arc (I grabbed the audiobook from the library)

Omg this book tackles a lot.
From trying to fit in to figuring out their sexuality and gender.
Both of our MC had parental issues that they had to overcome and figure out.

It was so good to see that they had friends that were their safe space.

The narrators did so good.
Emma's mom was so hard to listen to. Kristin DiMercurio was the female narrator and the way she did the mom gave me chills. It kinda made me anxious 🙈 and that really emphasized Emma's awful home life.

This book actually infuriated me. Every character was unbearable, and all the miscommunication was driving me insane. The ending was fine, I saw it coming from a mile away and by the end of the book, I was so angry with all of the characters that I couldn't give two shits who they ended up with. This book also reads like it is straight off of Twitter and a way for the author to demonstrate their wokeness. As someone who is ace, having a crush on someone and assuming there is possibility they would be into you is not "casual aphobia." Also, I'm pretty sure the author called The Greatest Showman problematic at one point, and I will not tolerate any hate against that movie because it is elite.

I absolutely loved the banter in this book. The characters were witty and funny in equal measure. The story was compelling, sweet, and very relatable. Emma and Caleb were truly lovable characters. I was constantly torn between wanting them to win the bet and wanting them to end up together!

Well, past Stacee needs to be kicked for waiting so long to read this one.

I love love loved Emma, Caleb, and Juliet. They’re all so different and yet all looking to belong. I loved Emma’s crunchiness, Caleb’s caring, and Juliet’s sunshine. Of course, there are some wonderful secondary characters who were just as great, especially when everyone was together.

Plot wise, it was good. There are a few moving pieces here: Emma’s home life, Caleb’s dad, and Juliet’s ex-friends. The focus quickly becomes the history of Emma and Caleb and how they’re dealing with the present. I really enjoyed getting the “back then” chapters to read how it all went down, instead of being told they just weren’t friends any longer.

Overall, this was a delightfully real story, filled with characters who were so easy to root for (and want to mash their faces together at the same time.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

While there is definitely romance, this is also a story of true friendship filled with so many great characters.

Caleb is a rule follower, he is also obsessively clean and a germophobe. And he cares passionately about the people in his life. Including Emma, even though they aren’t friends any more. He’s awkward, sweet, and utterly adorable.

Emma is tough and messy and fiercely independent. She will do battle for anyone she cares about, including (or especially) Caleb. But she is also filled with pain and a complete lack of self-worth. She has been neglected and emotionally abused her entire life, and feels abandoned by those she loves the most.

Juliet is a breath of fresh air in both of their lives. She is quirky and fun, but also very self-conscious. People who were supposed to be her friends treated her like a nuisance and all she wants is to be accepted and feel like she belongs.

Meeting Juliet is the catalyst to repairing the rift between Caleb and Emma, bringing their best friends Jazz and Alice along as well to create a solid friend group between the five of them. And it’s this friendship, even more than the romantic relationship that develops, that is what made this book so special.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to Penguin for approving me for this ARC. I was a little iffy about picking this up because YA romance can be a hit or miss, but I fell in love with Caleb and Emma's relationship. The book follows Caleb and Emma, who have become sworn enemies over the years because of some miscommunication that could have easily been resolved. Juliet, who is a new student, is amazing in both Caleb's and Emma's eyes, and they start a little competition to see who can get the girl first. Over time, Caleb and Emma start spending more time together because Juliet would much rather hang out with the both of them at the same time rather than apart. Spending more with each other, is it worth opening old wounds for?

It is a romance, but it is so much more than that. It deals with parental emotional abuse and neglect, instances of queerphobia, underage drinking, and depiction of bullying, both physical and emotional. If any of this triggers you, please look more into it before picking up this book. The bullying, for me anyway, was just overkill. Emma getting hit by the car by the bully was just too much for me. I understand many people deal with bullying constantly in their lives, but it didn't progress the story in any way. Towards the end, those parts could have been left out, and the story wouldn't have changed.

I did love the ending, though. Juliet, knowing exactly what she was doing with Emma and Caleb, made me kick my feet in delight. I just loved her character in general, with how open she became with Emma, Caleb, and their group of friends. Overall, this is a heartwarming story of found family and friendship. I didn't read Woody's debut novel, but I think I will go back and read it now!