Review: Okay, so I don't want to be one of those snobs who starts their review for a romance book by saying "I don't normally read romances, but... " BUT, I really don't normally read straight-up romances, and let me delve into why, here. I hate reading about people who are cruel to each other and wind up getting together. I hate reading the same tired tropes of fake relationships, bickering Darcys and Lizzies, childhood friends who secretly harbor unrequited feelings, and genetically perfect humans who take one look at each other and know: they're destined to be. I hate all the stock unhealthy behaviors that show up in these books over and over again, the lying and the passive aggression and the utter lack of boundaries and good communication. I like romance, I really do, but I don't want to feel depressed about the human condition while reading what most people consider to be a feel-good genre.
With that out of the way, let's talk about this book. I had some definite misgivings - see above paragraph on unhealthy behaviors in romance books, and from the synopsis, it absolutely could have gone in a horrific direction. But, wonderfully, it didn't. What I love about the shenanigans Naomi and Nicholas pull on each other is that every one of them requires intimate knowledge of the other person. These aren't just your garden variety pranks that make you cringe in secondhand mortification as you read, unsure if you can go on. These are two people who have loved each other well enough to know just what strings to pull, and you can feel it in every sentence they utter, every description of body language. Furthermore, Naomi and Nicholas are on equal footing - the reader never has the sense that one party is being abused or is truly afraid of the other. And when we dive deeper into their underlying issues as a couple? I said it on Goodreads and I'll say it again here: I'm convinced this is the greatest couple since Harry met Sally. These two rediscovering their tenderness for each other and learning to meet each others' needs is one of the most beautiful yet hilarious love stories I've ever experienced. It felt novel, it felt healthy, it felt human and full of heart. In short, the perfect romance.

This was such a great debut for Sarah Hogle!!! I went into this with equal parts intrigued and wary. I am not a fan of a lot of angst or the snippy back and forth. It gives me real anxiety. I am so glad I gave this a chance. Naomi's crazy was so funny and real. And with ALL the interaction between her and Nicholas you could feel the love under al the antics. We get to see them discover each other again and become so much stronger for it. Loved it!!

So I have to say, I almost put this down after the first chapter. Naomi did nothing but pick at her fiance Nicholas (mentally), his endless flaws, things that drove her nuts about him, and why they would never work. But I am so insanely glad that I stuck with it because this turned out to be such a super fun read.

Naomi and Nicholas are engaged to be married, yet there is so much distance in their relationship there doesn't seem to be much point in going through with the wedding. He's an absolute momma's boy and when Deborah calls, he comes running. Heck, his mother is planning their wedding and making all the decisions without Naomi. She is the definition of a mother-in-law from hell.

Neither of them is happy in their lives or with each other and doubts about the upcoming nuptials start to creep in. So our duo starts a silent war, torture the other until they scream uncle and call off the wedding. The only problem? As each of them ups the ante, they discover so much more about the other they never even realized.

Eek! So as I stated in the beginning, I loved You Deserve Each Other. I thought the creative ways in which Naomi and Nicholas pranked each other was so much fun (panties stapled to the ceiling? brilliant!). I really loved Nicholas and his quiet, unassuming way to show love. His dedication to his family was obvious in so many of his actions and I'm a bit disappointed that Naomi found him first. Hogle did a great job with the characters and she made Deborah perfectly unlikable. I loved watching Naomi and Nicholas learn more about each other. Excellent writing and super fun, I think You Deserve Each Other will be a sure hit!

Somehow an uncanny combination of both “The Hating Game” And “99% Mine” by Sally Thorne. While I enjoyed both of those books (definitely the former more than the latter), Hogle’s debut didn’t quite measure up thought it wasn’t a total bust.

I feel like this story is about Nicholas’s shitty mother Deborah just as much as it is about his relationship with Naomi. While I definitely expected to have to wade through Deborah’s toxicity and abusive nature, especially toward Naomi, I felt like the story dragged on to the point that I just wanted Naomi and Nicholas to completely break up just so they could [maybe] start over.

I don’t totally understand why Naomi’s and Nicholas’ relationship went completely sour, but I will say that the literal transition from enemies-to-friends-back-to-lovers was so subtle I hardly noticed it.

Four let’s make a party to congratulate we have a new evil-genius, sarcastic writer in the town who knows how to write a great mean romantic comedy stars!!!

I think promoting this book as a great choice for the fans of “Hating Games” might be wrong. Only thing there is similar with Sally Thorne’s book is “HATING”part. The characters are not colleagues. This is not slow burn enemies to lovers story. They’re already engaged. This could be best defined as friends-lovers-enemies-friends-again lovers story. Because the chronology of the couple’s relationship developed as I summarized.

At first the book a little irritated me. Because both characters acted like spoiled toddlers, immature brats who were evil minds trying so hard to sabotage each other or they were mostly each other’s throats! Sometimes I wanted to put duct tapes on their mouths and scold them to learn act like real grown-ups.

Let me introduce you Naomi who is about to lose her job, has limited connection with her family. She is making A,B,C,D plans for her life but she doesn’t get any action. And her fiancée, our hero, Nicholas, charming, successful but also a little arrogant, snob, annoying and truly mother’s boy. Yessss, we had a MOTHER-IN LAW-ZILLA OR MOMAZILLA ALERT! Deborah, the evil queens of mother-in laws is quiet mash-up of Miranda Presley( Meryl Streep’s Devil Wears Prada character), Mary Louise Wright ( Meryl Streep’s Big Little Lies character), Eleanor Shaw ( Meryl Streep’s Manchurian Candidate character)! Okay she’s definitely evil version of Meryl Streep!

SO I was about to give two stars to this book! Because first 100 pages I hate the guts of the characters. Both of them were definition of shining, rising “DOUCHEBAGS” I found it ridiculous their decision to stay together. If they hated each other so much and said so many things to ruin what they had before, they should take time off or begin to communicate about what’s happening to them.

Playing games, working on multiple creative pranks might look like fun but they didn’t do anything about the elephant in their living room that not only broke all the valuable, fragile things but also is about to destroy their relationship.

Naomi seemed like too much coward to get an important decision about her life and Nicholas seemed like too stubborn to end things with her. But I have to admit, the pranks they’ve orchestrated were so entertaining.

Few pages later you began to root for Nicholas who was really trying to save their relationship. Without asking Naomi, buying a new house and making decisions about their lives seemed like a wrong move. But later we realized he did the right thing. Because he didn’t only buy a house, he also bought a place they could become a couple who still love each other and make things work.

FOUR THINGS MADE ME RAISE MY STAR POINTS:
- The second half of the book the couple made peace and realized the reasons why they fell in love with each other and they learned from their mistakes and turned into PARTNERS IN CRIME.
- Nicholas’ fake letters to his mother’s gazetta about criticizing her attitude around her daughter-in law.
- Nicholas’ reasoning not to send the wedding invitations and his new solution about the ceremony.
- The part how they met made me smile too much!

So yes, I had a little bad start but the witty, entertaining writing mesmerized me. I laughed so much especially the part Naomi and Nicholas’ hiding behind the closed door not to invite Deborah inside their house and telling their excuses from alien abduction to Nicholas’ real identity as Shia LaBeouf!

I had great time with this debut novel. So happy I lately meet with fantastic new writers.

Special thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for sharing this amazing ARC COPY with me as exchange my honest
review.

I need an epilogue, STAT! Oh my heart. This book and these characters brought out so many emotions within me. The heartache, hilarity and happiness was just everything. There was a lot of those never feeling like a priority feelings that surfaced and I’m sure many others could relate. And that’s another thing. It felt relatable. I could see all of this happening. The window and yelling down scene.. oh man... I laughed so hard during that. You’ll just have to read it and found out all the charming and ridiculousness that ensued. And read it you should! I didn’t realize how far away the Release Day was and I feel sorry that others have to wait so long to enjoy Naomi and Nicholas. But when it does come out, snatch it up. Well worth the wait!

I love this book. It's exactly what a romance should be (in my opinion) — great character development so you actually understand why the couple falls in love, witty banter (I laughed out loud many times), good writing, and chemistry.

In less than two years, Naomi has come to despise her fiancé Nicholas — he doesn't pay attention to her while he pays a lot of attention to his demanding mother (including regularly buying her flowers) and he's left all of the wedding planning to Naomi and said overbearing matriarch. But, rather than admit defeat and give him back the ring, Naomi tries to push every last one of Nicholas's buttons, hoping her seemingly content khaki-wearing dentist fiancé will give up and call the whole thing off... then she realizes that her machinations haven't gone unnoticed and Nicholas sees right through her. So, Naomi declares war, determined to win. However, once the gloves are off she begins to wonder whether it's a battle she still wants to win, and whether she even truly knows her opponent.

Naomi and Nicholas get up to totally childish Jim Halpert/Dwight Schrute-level antics that will annoy some readers, but I found them hilarious because they were all too aware how low and hateful they'd each become to the other, even as Nicholas slowly begins to open up to Naomi and Naomi begins to realize how she's as much a part of their relationship problem as Nicholas. The best part, to me, was how they begin to finally voice the pain, disappointments, and insecurities that lead them to this point and to speak up about what they need from the other person...an actual relationship not based solely on attraction! I need more stories like this one.

Other great things about this book:
- The humor is right up my alley: For example, Naomi names a Charlie Brown Christmas tree in their yard Jason. Plus, there are so many funny descriptions: "I don't bother to dab concealer under my eyes. As a matter of act, I dab some faint purple eyeshadow there. I look like a pilgrim with cholera."

- Great side characters, though I would have liked more of Naomi's BFF Brandy.

- The setting is in a small Wisconsin town (not NYC or Paris or whatever) and the characters have normal jobs (not one of them is a writer either!)

- The author wrote a wonderfully encouraging acknowledgement section in the back, about how it took her 10 years to get a book published (and this wasn't the first one she wrote).

Sarah Hogle, this goes without saying, but I'm here for whatever you write next.

AAAAAH!! The Hating Game has finally met its match, and it’s in Naomi Westfield and Nicholas Rose of You Deserve Each Other.

Naomi and Nicholas have been engaged for almost a year, and their wedding date is fast approaching. Naomi tunes out rather than deal with how unhappy she is, and she has no clue Nicholas has been suffering the same – until they trip over this realization and end up in a battle of who can hang on the longest? Winner doesn’t have to deal with the pushback from friends, gets their pick of their shared stuff, and doesn’t have to pay back the hundreds of dollars Nicholas’ overbearing mother has spent on the wedding they didn’t want (TRUST ME, SHE’S THE WORST!! A necessary evil to tell this story, but boy is Mrs. Rose cringe-y!).

But in their effort to push one another away, they discover the parts of themselves they never brought to the relationship to begin with: a fire and a passion, even if it’s for messing with each other. With each new hilarious stunt, the lines blur and neither knows what the game is anymore…though their wedding date still approaches.

I tend to read a lot in this genre, but I haven’t discovered a title with this much wit and character depth since I read The Hating Game! I actually laughed out loud, at approximately two a.m. when I should’ve put the book down hours ago. I read it all in one sitting. That was not the plan, it just sort of happened…Hogle’s writing was just superb and original! It was difficult to put down while laughing like a maniac (a bit about a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, in particular, had me absolutely in stitches… you will see…). The character depth and development really sprouted from the humor of it: their jokes were revealing of their true selves, but also of their true feelings. I loved this approach, and that it felt like legitimate humor Sarah herself was sitting somewhere laughing about while she wrote it – rather than forced for the sake of “giving characters a humorous personality”.

Nicholas and Naomi’s real battle was getting stuck in this rut of not being friends anymore. They have routines, they avoid each other, and they both know it. They forgot the joy of connecting, and Hogle infused plenty of humor and adorable, smile-like-an-idiot at the pages moments to get them back there. The story itself takes on a unique element when you consider that Naomi and Nicholas are already together – so it lacks the meet-cute that tends to shape and guide this genre, replacing it with a fresh situation that revives the story and the characters. The circumstances of their love story allow you to replace awkward dates with ruthless pranks, and the stories rings out more authentic for it, heartwarming in a new way. Sometimes, I feel like the authors that write the popular contemporary romance books have never actually been in love… but Sarah Hogle gets it. Hogle does not underestimate the value of whole days spent playing video games together, cooking disgusting meals together, or teaming up against the parents. It didn’t feel like a recycled version of every book I’ve ever read that falls under “contemporary romance”, and I loved that.

I cannot stress it enough: if The Hating Game was your thing, You Deserve Each Other is also, 100%, totally, exactly your thing. You won’t regret checking it out, unless you also went to bed at four in the morning after staying up all night reading it…then having to go to work the next morning. 🙂

99% loved this book and 1% was annoyed; I loved everything about this story except for how clueless she was in the beginning. But I loved the battles and I loved the transformation and I loved the ending and, I mostly just loved it! The story was funny, it was engaging, it was charming, it had a happy ending, and it was such an easy read; I couldn’t stop reading and had to finish the book in one go. I literally had my iPhone reading it to me while I was in the shower so I didn’t have to stop!

This might have been my first hate trope book to read. At first as I read all I could think was there was so much hate. And I didn’t fully understand why the two were still together when they didn’t like each other. But the writing compelled me forward in addition to a few hints that this couple was meant to be. As I turned the pages I became more and more hooked and by the end I was swooning! Such a fantastic story and fabulous writing! I would read this author again.

This was a nice read on a lazy weekend. I loved how the two of them hung in there and built a much better relationship. The mother-in-law to be was relentless, but true love won out. I would have loved a chance to shop in the quirky store. Crazy merchandise and even crazier workers. I would read more by this author.

This was kind of amazing. Incredibly character driven with so much emotion and depth. I didn't expect so much soul searching... The arc and development are so fantastic.

The layers that drop to expose what Naomi missed are slow coming but worth it. I loved Nicholas and what was obvious in regards to him from almost the start.

The haze lifting as Naomi wrestled with her demons... The strength Nicholas gets when it comes to boundaries... This book handled it all really well!

I will say that I was apprehensive about the way they treated one another at first. I didn't really find their pranks all that funny, and it bothered me the way Naomi reacted to things in a very egoistic way. It made a lot more sense as the story progressed though.

I could barely put this down by about 20% in. Wonderful story!

It starts off like an anti love story that's gone far from the early swoonworthy days into a battle of who will outlast the other in the relationship, but with time and book pages, they slowly warm to each other again as accomplices, BFFs, and lovers to become even stronger. It's not a romance where you expect the lead couple to be together without any problems, but Nicholas and Naomi have to work for love and to open up, discovering who they are as individuals in the process. By the time they reclaim their love, it feels earned and justified. It's well-written and intriguing and had me hanging onto every last word. One of my new favorites, that's for sure.

Loved the description of this book and bumped it straight to the top of my tbr, but when I started reading it I was a little disappointed. I didn't really like either Naomi or Nicholas, and I almost gave up. They were so terrible to each other. But I'm SO GLAD I kept going! The motivations and deeper feelings behind their behavior really started to click as the story went on, and I found myself sympathizing with them and rooting for them instead of wondering why they were ever together. It was funny and sweet and even heart-wrenching at times. I ended up loving Nicholas and Naomi and this story so much.

Talk about putting your emotions through the absolute wringer. This novel frayed my nerves, keeping me on a razor sharp line between hope and despair. It is funny, this story. I'd go so far as to say that it's hilarious. It's superbly smart. Quick. Sharp. But that humor comes at the expense of the imminent demise of a relationship as an engaged couple engages in a turbulent war of roses. Their relentless attempts at sabotaging their relationship in order to get the other to break things off rather than just ending it themselves is both funny and heartbreaking. It defines pleasure pain, this story, making me laugh out loud one moment and causing my heart to brutally ache the next. How a story can be so wickedly amusing yet invariably sad at the very same time is a true feat, and this author masterfully nails the task.

i almost didn't think I could read this book as it's basically 90% inner monologue. But that's the crux of it, isn't it? The lack of honest communication between these characters is what drives this story. That lack of dialogue, the assumptions and the quiet resentment is what allows the divide to form. And in that divide lies both animosity and longing, both heartache and petty anger. In that divide lies the question of what will become of this relationship.

This was truly one of the most refreshing stories I've read. It's an enemies to lovers romance that exists within a committed relationship. These aren't strangers that have yet to get to know each other. These are lovers turned strangers who've allowed tiny bits of resentment and distance turn them into bitter rivals. All the sexual tension and wickedly clever barbs exist in this dynamic but it evolves on these pages in a fresh, intoxicating new way that we've never seen before.

I so appreciate a smart romance, strong writing and captivating characters. This book certainly embodies all of those things, especially the captivating characters who are likable and relatable even when they're frustrating and flawed. But what I appreciated most was the message here about relationships, about the need to always work at it, to continue to give even when you don't feel like you're getting in return. At the end of the day, you do get what you give and resentment breeds resentment just as easily as appreciation will undoubtedly breed appreciation. The distance and longing in these pages are as palpable as the fierce devotion and blissful romance. It's so impeccably done, this book, and I loved it so much. This author's writing is some of the sharpest I've read and I'll be eagerly anticipating whatever might come next.

Sarah Hogle's You Deserve Each Other is a clever romcom with a pitch perfect voice. Her writing shines in this debut.

I loved everything going into this book: the pretty cover, the blurb, the lovers to enemies to lovers dynamic. But I almost didn't finish it, nearly giving up at the 40% mark.

Naomi Westfield and Nicholas Rose are a seemingly perfect couple who, to any casual (or Instagram) observer, would appear to be head over heels in love. In reality, they can't stand each other and are in a battle of wits to see who can call off their wedding first (thereby inheriting an enormous bill).

I was expecting an even perspective in narrative, but it was all Naomi's point of view and for much of the first part of this book, I couldn't figure out what her problem was or why she was so aggravated with Nicholas (though I could understand her anger at her dreadful future in laws). Yes, there were hints as to Nick's transgressions, but they didn't seem worthy of her rage, vindictiveness, and quite frankly, immaturity. She is, after all, almost 30 years old and acting as though she's in middle school. Maybe if there were chapters from his point of view to show him concretely acting with maliciousness as well, I would have sympathized with her more, but as it was, all I could think of was "why in the world did he propose in the first place? I would have dumped her ages ago."

And so, that's where I was about halfway through the book, ready to toss it into the wind because Naomi was so utterly unlikable.

BUT

I wanted to stick with it to see where this would go--because the blurb promised they'd get back to lovers and I was so curious to how these broken people could ever reconcile. And the writing really is fantastic, and that will always sway me.

And I can tell you that I'm so glad I continued on. The twist in the narrative is so incredibly satisfying. It's more than a story about people just trying to outdo the other's meanness. It's a cautionary tale about the pain and hurt people feel when there is a lack of communication because you're misinterpreting any communication that is happening. And the importance of finding the time to say what's on your mind when your needs aren't being met. So in the end, I interpreted this book to be far more mature than your stereotypical chick-lit fluff (no offense intended; I adore fluffy books!).

So yes, I thought for a moment that this title would be consigned to that dreadful DNF folder, but it turned into something quite unexpectedly better, and I am eagerly awaiting future books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and G. P. Putnam's Sons for granting me this ARC to review.

I will also be posting this review on my blog, A Bookish Holiday.

When Nicholas and Naomi find themselves in an engagement neither of them wants to carry all the way to the altar, the only option left is to provoke each other until one calls off the engagement. Cue the sabotage, war of wits, harassment of the future in-laws...but when Nicholas and Naomi start shedding the selves they thought they needed to be and start being who the other fell in love with, what happens? You Deserve Each Other is a debut effort by Sarah Hogle, but the expertly wrought pacing, clever dialogue, perceptive emotional observations, and the way Hogle taps into the relationship issues we can all empathize with makes this story instantly relatable and enjoyable. Certainly, I won’t be the only reader to finish this book and peruse my memories for relationship ghosts and wonder, what if.
I smiled the whole way through this book full of humor and insight.

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this as an advance readers copy.

I really loved this book so much. It was hilarious. But it was also deep. The writing was so good!! Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!

“Oh, shut up. Anyone would be lucky to have me. I’m a prize.”
“You’re the trophy they give to last-place losers.”

I had no clue that this book existed until my bestie came into work and started telling me all about it. And once she started to describe how messy and ruthless this couple was, I knew that I needed to read this book. Who doesn't love messy, vindictive relationships? At first, it was hilarious and then it got repetitive and annoying. 🤦‍♀️

Naomi and Nicholas have a picture-perfect relationship. They adore one another in front of others and brag about one another on social media. But behind closed doors, all bets are off.

A quicky relationship turned into an even faster engagement and it follows with them moving in together within a span of less than a year. Pure hatred flows their veins just by looking at one another. Their families aren't ideal but Nicholas' Mother rains on everyone's parade and constantly puts down Naomi every chance that she gets. She even goes so far as to cut Naomi out of the wedding planning picture. And they both have had enough.

None of them are willing to call off their whirlwind engagement because whoever does, has to pay for the entire wedding that has been planned. Nicholas is a dentist and can afford it but Naomi works for a Mom and Pop shop that has seen better days and they are waiting for the ax to drop.

They torment each other and play pranks to get the other to back down and call the entire thing off. But they are both resilient and won't back down. Will their love shine through and get them to walk down the aisle? Or will love fail and ruin their lives forever?

In theory, this should have been hilarious and off the wall but it was more annoying than anything. I had the hardest time connecting with the characters because they were so full of themselves and fake as hell. My husband had to watch me roll my eyes throughout this entire book and I'm sure he was happy when that was all over.

You Deserve Each Other definitely wasn't for me. It was a struggle to get through and I just wanted it to end. Fans of the Hating Game will be disappointed. Lovers to Enemies to Lovers is something that I crave to read but this makes me rethink everything. I'll say this so the people in the back can hear it, this wasn't fun at all and there are better books out there!!!

I absolutely loved this book! I did not want to put it down! It was funny and made you want to scream at Naomi and Nicholas at the same time. Such a great story and reminder to never give up on love or each other!