You Deserve Each other is an unlikely love story if I've ever read one. We meet Nick and Naomi when they are engaged and the love they shared has turned to apathy and resentment. Both are waiting for the other to give up and call off their impending wedding in three months so they aren't stuck with the bill. In the midst of their war to see who can make the other more miserable they find the ways their relationship went wrong, and by major happenstance, at first, they start to fix things. They still aren't in love but they are friends again and a team and that can lead to love right?

Sarah Hogle has done a remarkable job of taking two people that we feel are NOT right for each at the beginning and turning it on its head to realize the dept of hurt they've let fester between them with lies and misdirection from their own insecurity.

This story is a about realizing that while not every relationship is going to work out, sometimes a little effort is needed on both sides to remember the dept of feeling that is there from the beginning.

This hilarious book is told from the point of view of Naomi, a store clerk in a small tow in Wisconsin who meets the love of her life, Nicholas, a dentist who hails from a wealthy family. They decide to get married after almost two years together except...they can’t stand each other. Trying not to lose face, both try to make the other break off the engagement. The barbs and zings are well-timed and well-executed. Nicholas is very close to his demanding mom, so much so that she is comandeering the wedding details which adds to Naomi’s frustrations. Readers will root for this wayward couple and guffaw at the antics that ensue. 5 hearty stars.

Where to begin?? I felt like throwing the book across the floor when I first started reading it, but I AM SO GLAD I KEPT GOING. I thought Naomi was the wooooorst. Who knew I could have a change of heart so quickly after thinking that?? I wanted Nicholas to just end things with her. Again, I am so glad things happened the way they did, because it made for such an incredibly fun read. This was just the best! Nicholas and Naomi are two strong characters that you absolutely root for in the end. Read this book!

This book was set to be like The Hating Game, which in someways I did see similarities but I felt like this one wasn't as light and airy. But I still enjoyed it!


Nicholas and Naomi met and fell in love or in like of eachtoher really fast, they moved in together and got engaged the same day. They are 3 months away from their wedding and they find that they can't stand each other. Once they realize the other feels the same way, they begin a funny, escalating war, each trying to get the other to call off the wedding. Once they start fighting, they begin to really see each other and fall in love again.

This book feels very modern and true in its setting and character drawing. I didn't know if the books as for me, but the more I read the more I began to like the dark side of these characters!!!

I don't think this should be compared to The Hating Game.

You Deserve Each Other is a novel narrated by main character Naomi: recently engaged to her dentist boyfriend Nicholas of two years when she realizes she cannot stand him anymore and wants out, therefore slowly and methodically creating situations that will make him want to break up their relationship and allow her a polite out.

From reading the book’s synopsis, as I read the actual story it came off completely different than what I thought was going to be a slightly ditzy rom-com love story. In actuality, it was a lot darker, much more nuanced and had an incredible amount of realistic relationship divots, be they the shallowest lows and the forgot-about highs.

Naomi and Nicholas both suffer from what many people outside of Bookland unknowingly dig themselves into: the ease of becoming passive-aggressive in your relationship and slowly but surely dying underneath all of the deep resentments and hurtful silences. Throughout the acting out of her plan to drive Nicholas further away, Naomi and Nicholas finally begin to have healthy arguments, and begin to verbalize their resentments towards each other, rather than keeping it bottled up.

I enjoyed that this novel was about an already established couple, and that even through the darkness eking into their lives, Naomi and Nicholas still brought forth the humor that this book needed. This book felt like a story of redemption, resurgence and reconnecting, which felt new.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What do you do when you meet the man of your dream. But six months later you are living and engage with a man that on a good day you are 18% liking. Who has a whiny and I need you to come do this for me my boy. She has taken over all the wedding preparations. They knew the dad inimately at the brothel. Can this relationship be saved. Or is it a contest to see who says I quit first

This is one of those books where I feel the marketing doesn't really match the tone of the story. I can see why they might try to market the story as the nexr Hating Game-- there are many similar elements-- but I found the vibe to be darker and deeper.
Nicholas and Naomi are 3 months away from their wedding and they can't stand each other.. Once they realize the other feels the same way, they begin a funny, escalating war, each trying to get the other to call off the wedding. Once they start fighting, they begin to really see each other and fall in love again.
This book is full of devastating observations of the passive-aggressive, self-pitying feelings and behaviors we can all fall into in a relationship. It feels very modern and true in its setting and character drawing.. It was a slow start when I really didn't like the characters and thought I really wasn't going to like the book. (Again, marketing mismatch: whimsical cover, really awful characters) but then it turned into dark comedy, then pretty straight love story. The author is equally successful writing both styles.

The plot of this book was like my favorite 90s rom-com but millennial version!!! While this might be a turn off for some, it’s my guilty pleasure.
The main character is pretty darn annoying. I almost want her as a therapy client so that we can do review cognitive distortions and irrational thoughts. That being said I did enjoy everything coming together to show her just how irrational she is. I also enjoyed how the sex (or lack of) was actually realistic and also not too graphic.
This is the perfect beach read and I would definitely recommend it!

Oh my gosh, I couldn’t put this book down! Shallow Naomi and self righteous Nicholas seem to be the perfect match...until Naomi wakes up and realizes that Nicholas has been manipulating their relationship for months. Hilarity ensues as Naomi learns how to play the game. I so enjoyed getting to know these characters, and Naomi’s inner monologue had me snorting with laughter. Extra points for main characters besting the evil mother-in-law, and featuring a man who’s not afraid to craft. I’m looking forward to reading more books from Sarah Hogle!

2 stars
I just could not get into this book. Maybe it was because I was on a long road trip, but this book was a struggle for me.

This book was incredibly fun to read. I loved seeing the different ways they tried to torture each other and then how they fell back in love. The future MIL was a perfect villain.

All the fun of r/justnomil on Reddit, but with a happy ending! From loving to loathing and back again, You Deserve Each Other puts a new twist on the love-to-hate trope and gives it a healthy dose of pumpkin spice, tacky knick-knacks, and mother-in-law tears. Throw in some truly heated tension and a fix-it-up house and this is a romance novel you'll adore.

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

This novel was compared to Sally Thorne's The Hating Game, which is one of my favorite books. I can see why it is similar, but I also think it is not nearly as good. The couple in question have been together for a couple of years and are engaged. They've both been going through the motions and have lost their love. It was a nice change in pace from the usual enemies to friends theme, but it was also a little less fun.

Lovers to enemies...enemies to lovers.
I read this book straight through. Could not put it down!
A unique twist that spins a fantastic story. Natalie and Nicholas were so relatable.
I’m so glad to see true love prevailed. It was a riot reading them trying to ‘one up each other’.
You couldn’t help but have empathy for them both. Poor Nicholas..his mother is a monster! I could of wish there was an epilogue that showed them in the future and how their relationship evolved with his parents.
I can’t wait to read more from this author.
~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
Plot~ 5/5
Main Characters (hero/heroine)~ 5/5
Secondary Characters~ 5/5
The Feels~ 5/5
Pacing~ 5/5
Addictiveness~5/5
Angst~ 5/5
Steam/Hotness/Chemisty ~ 5/5
Theme or Tone~ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 5/5
Originality~ 5/5
Ending~ 5/5
Book Cover~ Whimsical
Series~ Stand-alone
Source~ Kindle eBook - ARC provided by NetGalley
Would I read more from the author? Yes
Would I recommend this book? Yes

The story could've benefited from a dual POV. Having only Naomi's made her seem unreasonable and unlikable at the beginning. With the story premise promising what it does, we can only take Naomi's word for Nicholas's part in the story. That would have worked if the writing supported it, but I had a hard time liking and therefore investing in them as a couple.

Listen, this love to hate to love romance was right up my alley and I needed to read this one. The beginning of this was a little to much hate for me and I had trouble hanging on. Naomi was too passive for me and I wanted to throttle her until she told Nicholas anything real. After we got to see more of her and more of the actual Nicholas, I was hooked. Watching them blow up on each other and finally say something true instead of sugary sweet lies was one of the best parts of the book. Naomi grew so much as a person throughout this book. She came into herself and her relationship in such a relatable way.

Anyone who is a fan of hate to love romance needs this book in their life. It tackles family relationships, self-esteem, and communication. These two represent issues that everyday couples face and it helps you take a look at your own relationships and wonder how you can improve them.

This book takes real-world issues and wraps it up in a hilarious, hate to love romance. You need this on your shelf.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from G.P. Putnam's Sons through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

This book was kinda awesome. I truly loved it. At first I was really iffy about it but it was so funny that I kept reading and giggling the whole way thru, until I hit the best part of the story and then I could not put it down. It was a very different kind of story and I absolutely loved every minute of it.

Nick and Noami are engaged and both sorta hate each other or at least the other they are projecting. They are supposed to get married on January 26 but they both are hiding from each other. Until Nick finally goads Noami into fighting back and she is so crazy that I loved it. She is feisty and fun and so funny.

Nick knows Noami is hiding and he misses her so he buys a house to try and save them. What Nick doesn't realise is that he is hiding too and to get what he wants he has to let Noami in and she has to let him in. Using humor the author shows us how these two characters let go and fall for each other again.

Be warned at first Nick comes off very wimpy and boring and I did not like him at all. But when he buys the house, he absolutely changes and lets the inner Nick out. Thats when I fell hard for him. This story is also told in the first person by Noami and well the way her mind works is kinda fascinating.