For starters Whitney Dineen crept into our book club with the The Creek Water Series and we fell in love! I knew the second I saw Love is a Battlefield that I needed to review it and I AM INCREDBLY happy I did.

It is one of our ROM-COM book club picks for 2020!

I laughed out loud a few times, which is rare, and apparently too many because my husband asked me at two in the morning to keep it down ;p

I admit I did read a few reviews before diving in and was worried it would have too many pranks between Brogan and Addie, which can be boring and taxing. However, This was not my thoughts on the book. I found it to be super cute, loved the duel perspectives, and ADORED the MOM'S! I re-read it (which is also unusual) to be sure it was as good as I thought (and not simply due to being up all night reading) before I recommended to a few book clubs who were looking for a last minute, quick and fun read. THEY all loved it as well and already, we had enough feedback to name it one of our ROM-COM book club picks for 2020!

Unwaveringly it is a cute, fun, playful, enemies-to-lovers 5-star.

Thanks to XpressoBooks and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A hilarious rom-com. The hate to love trope is one of my favorites. The moms are so outrageous and so extra too. Can't stop laughing through the entire book. :) Easy to read and fun.

Addie and Brogan grew up together, but you couldn’t exactly say they were the best of friends—in fact one gave the other quite a run for their money. Many years later, their mothers decide that each child has had enough of a chance at their respective love lives and it’s time for the Meddling Mothers to step in. After all the planning and scheming, will the mothers be successful or will their plan go up in flames?

Whitney Dineen has created a Hallmark-esque story that we all love. Her writing is witty, the characters are interesting, and you even catch yourself actually laughing out loud the entire time. The pages fly by and you’re left wanting more—even characters you think aren’t that important provide comedic relief and just the right moments.

Definitely worth checking out!

Ah where i do i start from with this hilarious, can't put down book.
I never thought I'd say this but i fell in love with the hate-love trope and meddling mothers that's for sure
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone

2.5 stars

This book isn’t bad or unbearable, I rated it the way I did because I didn’t get the same reading experience it promised in the synopsis.

I thought this book was a romantic comedy, but I found most of it not funny. It’s a bully romance trope, but not in the intense way— just silly pranks during family camping trips when they were younger. I didn’t see an evident romance between Addie and Brogan; at some point they individually had hot and bothering thoughts about each other, which immediately jumped to “I can see my future with her”. I wish I was falling in love with them, but instead, it felt bland and their love story/romance was words on paper.

The characters fell flat, I didn’t feel their emotions. Out of everyone, I enjoyed Billy. I love how his character was written, he had the most depth out of everyone and I loved his philosophy and perspective.

The text messages between Ruby and Libby were fun to read. It carried a lot of emotions, and I liked how they recall their younger days in some of the text exchanges, though it was out of the blue sometimes. Plus, it’s so cute that they use emojis!

The good things about this book are the place setting and the various relationships. I haven’t been to Oregon, but the description in the book is clear and it’s tempted me to visit it one day. It’s refreshing to see relationships between old friends, family, siblings and mother-child, on top of the romantic relationships.

All in all, this book is okay. It fell short for me, but others might find it their cup of tea and enjoy it more than I did.

Addie was traumatized as a child by multiple pranks played on her by family friends Brogan and James. So much so that she basically avoid the state they live in, Oregon, like her life depends on it. She and Brogan are tricked into spending time together by their matchmaking mothers.

This surprised me with its humor and its heart. From the start, every character was very likeable and didn't just fill a stereotypical role. Addie's growth from start to finish was fun and the way Brogan saw the error of his ways worked well for the story too. I would be remiss if I didn't also mention Billy, who I seriously adored!

Oregon is a favorite place of mine, though I call Southern California home, and I feel like this was a really excellent love letter to the beauty and nature of the state. Even the feel of those who lived there felt right (my dad is from southwest OR, so i am pretty familiar with Oregonians :) ).

The meddling mothers were great, and I laughed at their commentary at the beginning of each chapter. They certainly added to the story and their personalities jumped off the page!

I am excited for the next story, and the ones i assume wil be next.!

A great read - looking forward to the rest of this series.

Brogan and Addie are being set up by their mothers, but can Addie get past how Brogan used to treat her when they were younger?

Libby and Ruby have been friends since their university days in Oregon. As they are now approaching life in their 60s, they are eagerly awaiting some grandchildren and wedding bells from their children. Unfortunately, neither of their children are single and have no immediate plans for children. The two mothers take it upon themselves to set up their two children as they believe they are perfect for each other. Unfortunately, Libby’s daughter was the target of multiple pranks every year during their times camping and being together with Ruby’s sons. Can these two mothers pull off the set up of their dreams? Read this fun and light-hearted novel to find out.

Addison (“Addie”) Cooper is a thirty-two interior designer who specializes in renovating resorts/hotels and lives in New York City. After just finishing a dream project in the Cayman Islands, Addie invites her mother, Libby, along for the opening and to celebrate her mother’s birthday as an added bonus. Libby and Ruby have other plans and form a plan to get Addie to Oregon instead. Under false pretenses, Addie and her mom are then off to spend Addie’s long awaited vacation at the Willamette Valley Resort.

Brogan Cavanaugh is a best-selling author who is taking a small break before writing his next novel. After his mother is elusive on the phone, he decides it’s time to visit his home town and his family’s resort. His brother James, a spray free farmer who lives nearby agrees that this visit home would be good for his brother. He temporarily relocates himself from his Oregon beach house to the fishing cabin located on his family resort’s property.

Brogan presents himself as a changed man, but Addie has a hard time forgiving him after all the torment she experienced as a child caused by him. It doesn’t help that pranks and hijinks keep appearing as Addie is trying to win the bet. Both of them bicker and Brogan keeps apologizing for his past. It was a little wearing to have Brogan constantly be a changed person and Addie keeps hanging on to the past.

They form a bet that Addie can’t survive a month (30 days) out in the rustic cabins as she transforms them into a future glamping site on the resort’s property. This includes no indoor bathrooms, electricity, or any of the resort’s amenities. Addie is dreading this bet and Brogan can’t wait to win so he can build a future home on Cheater’s Ridge with its gorgeous views back home near the resort in Spartan. Through many obstacles Addie at least perseveres to transform her abandoned cabin into a glamper’s dream. Reading about Addie’s redecorating the cabin to be a fabulous glamping site made me want to try out some glamping asap! I’ve been once before in a more rustic type setting, but the descriptions of all the lanterns, the bathing outside, everything just felt like it would be the most relaxing vacation ever.

The other characters in this story are fun and illustrate how close knit small towns can be where you have a mix of those that have lived there their whole lives with those that have claimed the place as their own. Billy Grimps, the “homeless” on/off caretaker that lives on the resort property was a nice addition as he grows to be Addie’s friend and confidant.

Overall, the novel reminded me of that song sequence “This is My Idea” from the animated Swan Princess movie where the parents want their kids together, but they didn’t get along well as kids. Then they meet again as adults and they find each other hot. Add in tons of pranks and hijinks as kids though to make it round out the main storyline. It was enjoyable to read through the prank war, but the romance was hard to relate to at some points if all that brings them together is an attraction to each other’s looks. I wish the novel delved into a little bit more about the deeper connection that would bring them together as a couple. It exists throughout the chapters, but I just felt that there could have been more.

Honestly, this novel was an enjoyable read and I found myself having a difficult time putting it down. The idea of having meddling mothers try and set up their children for their own gain while also wanting their children to be happy is a great concept. I can’t wait to see what happens next with Ruby’s son James and her attempting to set him up with Tara.

The book opens with two mothers who have been friends since college. They have now decided to work at setting up their children. Addison and her mother were planning a trip to the Caribbean, not a camping trip to the woods of Oregon. Brogan who is a novelist is already at is mother’s lodge and resort to working at staying away from people after his last book was published. He is not looking for a date or romance.
Libby and Ruby have worked it so they are now both in Oregon and Addison are not really happy, especially being asked to redecorate and not seeing anything that needs to be, also the lodge is booked full for months so she wonders what her mother is up to.
Once Addison and Brogan met up, she is happy to see him but he also brings back memories of bad times of when they would go camping and he and his brother would tease her, honey in her hair, locked in a truck for three hours, going into a lake and not being able to swim just to name a few. He wonders why she is still upset with him. Being a guy and one who hiked and camped we never played those games on anybody especially when you are out in the woods, and I really don’t like the excuse boys will be boys a coup out, whatever. The rest of the story was good and very entertaining. I did like the characters and the bantering back and forth. Overall a good book and a fast easy read.

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of Love is a Battlefield by Whitney Dineen. I'm always looking for good Rom-Com authors and with this book I've found a new favorite. Thoroughly enjoyable read that you will laugh out loud with.

I loved the hate-to-love trope in every romance book, but sadly, the hate-to-love trope in this book isn't really engaging or worth rooting for. The book is too long for my liking and there's a lot of filler scenes/dialogues/monologues that deliver nothing to the story. I also think everyone is so childish for their age, and I just am not invested in any of the characters.

Love is a Battlefield is about Addison Copper who had planned on an all-expenses-paid vacation to the Cayman Islands to celebrate her most recent business success. But suddenly she's trekking to the outback of Oregon to help a friend of her mother's.

Addie had a really bad childhood memory at Oregon that involved with Brogan and James. She always been their victims. Addie ended up makes them especially Brogan to be her enemy.

And both Addie and Brogan never thought that their mother will plans a set up for them. Here we go the rom-com story about to start.

- - - - -
This is the funniest rom-com I've ever read. Addie and Brogan are the picture of 'enemies to lovers'. I love both of them so much. I love how Addie tries to put up in her mind that Brogan is her enemy but she ended up drooling over Brogan 🤣

I love Libby and Ruby too. They are the funniest mother ever. I laugh out loud when they plotting a hilarious plan for Brogan and Addie.

And I love how Billy, Cheryl, Chris, James ended up in one team with Ruby and Libby to prank Brogan for what he did to Addie when they were kids. I found it really really supporting and fun at the same time 🤣

I definitely give five stars for this book.I definitely give five stars for this book. And I just can't wait to read the second book of the series. I really intrigued to know more about Tara and James.

Pure sweetness.

A wonderful meddling mother romance. The pranks got me all hooked and I just had to know who won. The clash of personalities fueled my interest even more. I completely enjoyed reading Love Is a Battlefield.

A great read.

The premise of this book was intriguing and I thought it might prove interesting. Oh boy, what an understatement! I don't read many contemporary romances preferring romantic suspense but this grabbed me from the first chapter. I had a smile on my face the entire time. A good solid plot line with interesting characters it just hit all the high notes. I can't wait for the next book in this series. I heartily recommend this book. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

Addison and Brogan have known each other ever since they were kids. Brogan used to prank Addison because he thought she needed some fun in her life. She didn’t like it at all though. Their mothers have decided to do some matchmaking and force these two to understand how amazing they would be together.

I have no cool how many times I laughed in this novel. Full of silly pranks and ideas, this story takes the cake. The mothers were absolutely hilarious with their emojis and funny thoughts. Addison and Brogan are great characters. We may not have had a visual image of them but their thoughts and actions really spoke for them. This book was something that just boosts my mood. I’m super excited to read the next book in the series.

I wrote this voluntary review in exchange for an ARC copy.

Uptight New Yorker Addison and laidback Brogan have never seen eye to eye. After a whole childhood of being made the butt of the joke Addie decides that karma is a bitch and plots her revengeHowever when their meddling mothers get involved hilarity ensues.

I love Whitney Dineen books and can’t wait to read the rest of this series.

Lots of wilderness fun in this delightful enemies-to-lovers romance!

Addie remembers Brogan as her childhood nemesis, the elder of two sons of her mother's best friend and consequently her summer camping companions who teased and pranked her mercilessly for years. Now both are in their early 30s, still single, and with mothers who are determined to pull out all the stops - including a few pranks of their own - to ensure that Addie and Brogan fall in love, one way or another.

This wonderful story is filled with authentic characters, bets and side bets, pranks and surprise perpetrators, and a depth of emotion that went beyond what I was expecting from a rom-com. The plot skipped merrily along without a lull in sight, and I loved each sentimental tug of the heartstrings and every divine detail of the idyllic setting. I really loved the way these two families demonstrated the strength of their shared history and the friendship between the two mothers was genuine and realistic.

The HEA was satisfying and I'm looking forward to reading more in this enchanting world. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Behold the power of meddling mothers:
I didn't know whether I was scared of these meddling mama's or in awe of their skill! All I know is I absolutely loved this book. It had just the right combination of humour, drama and romance.
Addi is a highly strung city girl who's been tormented by Brodie since they were kids. However both have grown up a lot since then and whilst they find each other attractive, Addi is determined to never forgive him for how he treated her. It was wonderful seeing them sparring and I often found myself chuckling along, especially as poor Addie tried to "rough it" in the outdoors.
I also enjoyed the mystery surrounding the 'homeless' man who helped Addie and thought he was a nice touch to the story. Whilst the emojis were a nice thought but were way too small on my kindle to make out what they were most of the time.
Overall a fabulous rom-com and now I can't wait to see how things work out when our mama interferes in her other son's life...
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

<i>*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *</i>

<b>2.25 stars</b>

Love Is a Battlefield centres around two mothers who, having been best friends since college, decide to set up their children, despite their never having gotten on particularly well as children,

Honestly, I'm not sure what I expected out of this, but overall it just came across very immature. Especially Addison, who seemed to simply waver between being rude and childish to Brogan who seemed to just flip flop back and forth between being attracted to and annoyed by Addison.

The way the relationship developed, and the mothers' meddling, just didn't seem all that well written, and came across incredibly juvenile at best, and just plain weird at worst!

Honestly, the best thing about this was Billy by far!

Also there was basically no physical description of the characters apart from ‘handsome’ ‘hot’ etc., which was kind of off-putting - I like to have visual cues at least!

Clean and sweet story about medaling moms who want grandkids so they work their magic to bring Addison & Brogan together. Their moms are best friends and would love their kids together.

It is a cute story. Squeaky clean.