Ben and Bridie have history but can they ever reconnect and start anew?

This book was super cute and a solid chick lit. My favourite part of this story was the friend group as well as the mischievous shenanigans everyone gets up to. It was fun and a good time.

I will say that I found the third act conflict to be a hit immature, especially how both Bridie and Ben handled it but it did not dampen my enjoyment too much.

banter filled, a little cheesy and a lot entertaining, Love at First Fight is a sweet and satisfying read.

With a wonderful, multi dimensional story revolving around several interconnected characters, this book is a symphony of mischief, trickery and misunderstanding giving the reader a well rounded and fun filled experience akin to watching a movie.

4 stars and #teamcupid

Love at First Fight follows love cynic Bridie Morgan who is embracing twenty dates in twenty days in a last attempt to find ‘the one’ or entirely give up on love. It doesn’t help that she is surrounded by her best friend Hattie’s upcoming wedding. To make matters worse, Ben Kemp, Bridie’s lifelong nemesis is the best man. Bridie has never managed to get over the fact that Ben once upon a time left her standing outside alone in her prom dress on leavers night. When the wedding planning commences, there is still a spark between the pair – but will she get hurt again.

This book is such an entertaining light-hearted romcom. Inspired by ‘Much Ado About Nothing’, this modern story is full of misunderstandings and friendship trickery. I read it in two sittings, laughing all the way through. I enjoyed that it was told from both perspectives of Bridie and Ben, both well developed characters that were working individuals in their late twenties, very genuine and relatable.

I would describe this one as more a ‘frenemies to lovers’ which I loved. It was a sweet, fun and flirty binge read, perfect for getting you out of a reading slump. Admittedly, my biggest bugbear was that I found myself constantly found myself reading Bridie as Birdie and it drove me mad! (oops). I highly recommend.

Bridie Morgan is giving up on love! She has challenged herself to twenty dates in twenty days and if that doesn’t work she is out of the game forever. But fate is throwing a spanner in the works in the form of her arch nemesis Ben Kemp - the boy she was in love with during high school. The one who stood her up at their leavers prom. Now they are in the same wedding party and it seems as though their friends are trying to make this a love match.

I always love Mary Jayne Baker novels. This was so good!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I love love love Bridie and Ben. They are the perfect example of a perfect enemies to lovers arc.

In this story we follow Bridie and Ben as they host Hattie (Bridie’s best friend) and Cal’s (Ben’s brother) stag and hen do. Naturally Bridie and Ben had a fling when they were teenagers but it went up in flames and now they are sworn enemies in Bridie’s book. So Hattie and Cal cook up a plan to make the two realize their feelings for one another.

I think this story was paced very well and nothing ever felt rushed. I fell in love with everyone’s personal stories in this book and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I would definitely recommend this hilarious/amazing read.

I really enjoyed this lovers-to-enemies-back-to-lovers book. The romance was well done, and the schemes that their friends kept coming up with to get them together were super cute. The main plotline was perfect and I really have no criticism for it. Bridie and Ben were adorable together and their bickering was well written and funny for the most part.

My only real complaint about this book is that the subplot with Cal and Joanna felt forced. The book would have been much better without it, and the story kind of fell apart in the last 100 or so pages for me because of it. Bridie and Ben had already gotten together and everyone was having their happily ever after, to me it felt like the author was grasping at a way to put in more drama and make the book longer.

Overall its a super cute romance, but if miscommunication and lies aren't your preferred trope than you might get frustrated with the story.

This book was a fun read. It enjoyed the enemies to love trope and also enjoyed the alternating points of view. It was pretty unique to not only have points of view of the two main characters, but also two side characters. I’m not sure whether I prefer that, but it was interesting. I didn’t get super invested in the main characters’ relationship, just enough to keep reading.
There were a few small things I found a bit puzzling or frustrating. First, I know this is a British book, but is a normal guy going to use the term “hubby”? That feels unrealistic. Also, there were several times before the wedding that someone said something like “oh, she’s just having last minute cold feet”, like that’s a normal thing in a secure relationship (which Cal and Hattie do appear to have). Lastly, when Joanna confesses what she did to Ben and Bridie what she did, but then said there wasn’t anything recorded to make Hattie believe Cal, it just didn’t make sense. Bridie and Ben heard her confess, which should be enough if Hattie trusts them, which she does.
Overall, the writing and story were fine, but I don’t know if I’d read any of this author’s other books. I felt just a bit better than “meh” about it and by the end was kind of rushing to get through it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion!

Not only does this book’s plot rely on people not having honest conversations, but everything feels so stereotypically gendered. It’s disappointing because there are flashes of better, more interesting characters and plots, but they get lost in this Much Ado About Nothing remake, but with none of the sizzling wit of the source material.

Den Schreibstil bzw. die Ausdrucksweise der Charaktere muss man mögen

„Love at first fight“ hörte sich wie eine flotte, unterhaltsame Liebesgeschichte an. Und auch die Leseprobe erzeugte bei mir Lust auf mehr, da habe ich zugegriffen. Doch leider habe ich beim Lesen nach wenigen Kapiteln gemerkt, dass das Buch doch nicht perfekt für mich ist.

Der Schreibstil der Autorin war für mich auf Dauer etwas anstrengend. Ihre Charaktere sprechen britisches Englisch und benutzen so einige umgangssprachliche Ausdrücke. Diese konnte ich gut verstehen, doch leider hat sich der Schreibstil für mich leicht fremd und holprig angefühlt. Immer wieder bin ich an einzelnen Sätzen hängengeblieben und kam aus meinem Lesefluss.

Das zweite Problem, dass ich mit der Geschichte hatte, sind die etwas anstrengend wirkenden Dialoge. Sie wirkten auf mich etwas künstlich und daher wenig einnehmend.

Durch diese beiden Probleme habe ich beim Lesen schnell das Interesse an der Geschichte verloren und nach sieben Kapiteln beschlossen, das Buch abzubrechen.

Als schlecht würde ich das Buch aber nicht bezeichnen wollen. Wenn der Schreibstil für einen gut passt, sollte man mit der Geschichte so seinen Spaß haben können.

Schaut vor dem Kauf unbedingt in eine Leseprobe rein und lasst den Schreibstil in Ruhe auf euch wirken.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC

I was really intrigued by the title of this book as it drew me in with the promise of enemies to lovers. I also love 10 things I hate about you and so I was all set to dive right in and fall in love. Unfortunately I just wasn’t as hooked once I actually got into it. As a teacher myself, I wanted to love the main character and see myself in her. I loved the idea of her trying out 20 dates in 20 days and trying to find someone that maybe wasn’t the one but still made her not miserable. I just didn’t find her all that relatable or likeable, which made it hard to push through at time. I think the concept was interesting and I would love to read more by this author, I just personally did not love this book. However I did appreciate the obvious setting and use of colloquial language to help set that. The dialogue was very natural sounding.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an eArc of this read!

I quite enjoyed this book, it was a cheesy, but light-hearted romcom which made it an easy read for me. The characters were quite fun and witty and I enjoyed the multiple POV’s throughout the book. Seeing the story through different perspectives was a fun aspect and I enjoyed it a lot.

I think the main issue I had with this read, and it didn’t necessarily put me off, I still enjoyed the book, was the fact that we very quickly switched from Bridie and Bens frenemies(ish) to lovers to Hattie and Cals life drama. It was a little bit too involved for a side plot.

I also wish I’d seen more of the 20 dates! Just because I think they could have been hilarious to experience.

Overall, I quite liked this romcom. Id definitely read more from this author. A pick-me-up read if you ever need one.

I was provided an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and words are my own. I am a sucker for a good British Romance. There were things I loved about this book and there were things I totally didn’t but if you stick an accent on the characters it’s fair game. Anyway, Love at First Fight is easily one of the cheesiest books I’ve read in awhile, and that’s what made it so much fun. Bridie and Ben are lovable characters and I enjoyed their banter a ton-this book kept me giggling all day. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the different settings for all their interactions throughout the book. One thing I will complain on though is that I felt like this read a lot more like a fanfiction than a novel-as the characters were almost exclusively speaking throughout the book and there was little to no detail outside of speech. It was a good book, it wasn’t the best I’ve read but it’s far from the worst-if you’re looking for something cheesy, British, and sappy it’s a RomCom I’d recommend.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: August 5, 2021

Bridie's first and only true love was Ben. Years ago when he ditched her at a school dance, it ruined love for her completely. Now, as a complete love cynic, she still occasionally keeps in contact with Ben, but the two just love to argue and annoy one another. As the maid of honour for Hattie and Ben's brother, Cal's wedding, she must work alongside Ben, the best man.

I was truly enjoying the book up until about halfway through. It simply did not feel like a romance. It felt as though their love story was a little forced and not quite genuine. Ben's "reputation" as a player was also mentioned much too frequently.

Overall, I really wanted to love "Love at First Fight" but it fell flat for me.

2/5 Stars
1/5 Angst

Real rating 3.75
A fun, lighthearted, easy-to-read romcom.
The book starts the right way. It's funny and uplifting and invites you to keep reading. I enjoyed the simplicity of their lives, that they were normal working people in their late twenties. I loved that.
I liked Bridie but it took me a while to actually like Ben. And I have to say that I really liked that there was a Bridie POV and a Ben POV. I enjoy that way more than just one POV. Also, I liked how most of the story developed and how the characters were introduced.

But I think the change from frienemies to lovers ('cause they're not actually enemies, they're more like friends that are angry with each other) was a bit abrupt. OK, the "I like you" part was fine, even the "I love you" part was fine, and it makes sense with their history. But their status from frenemies to actually be in a serious relationship felt a bit rushed to me. I felt like they didn't even talk about it.

But my big issue with the book was the change of focus. For more than 60% of the book, the focus was on Bridie and Ben. Because, obviously, the story is about them. We have another side story, Hattie and Cal, which is cute and fun but is just that, a side story.
So, when the focus changes from Bridie and Ben's relationship to Hattie and Cal' relationship, it didn't make much sense to me. All of a sudden, it felt like they were the MCs. Don't get me wrong, their story was cute and interesting. I really wanted to know what the heck was going on, but not for them to have the entire focus. And it felt their issue was a bit dragged on for them to be just the side story. We really see very little of Bridie and Ben's relationship during this time. We see them and their part-take in all, but we don't really see their relationship. I'd have enjoyed the book way more if that little change of focus wouldn't have happened.
Still, is a nice, fun, and lighthearted novel that I can see many people enjoying it. I enjoyed a big part of it! And I'd definitely read another book by Mary Jayne Baker.

Bridie and Ben seem to have been enemies for ages, why ever should they fall in love with each other now? But, have they actually been enemies?

The main issues I had with this book:
Bridie's name - I kept reading it as Birdie.
Ben and Bridie - aren't really enemies to lovers. They've always been friends. So, Frenemies might have been a better term.
Cal and Hattie - why insert that particular plot twist into the story? It distracted from the main story.

Nevertheless, nice beach read.

Mary Jayne Baker take a bow! This is definitely going to be high on the list of favourites for this year!

This is a book that has made me laugh out, cry a whole lot and fall in love with the characters that have filled the pages. As always, this is a book that I have devoured in just one sitting and there was no way I was going to be able to sleep without finishing this one.

I absolutely love the characters in this one. Ben is my second favourite of Mary Jayne’s male characters and has definitely been competition for the gorgeous Simon. I love Bridie, she is feisty and witty which makes the relationship with Ben quite intense.

The cover of this is absolutely stunning and as with all of this authors books I knew that I was going to devour this book. There is literally nothing negative about this book. It has been the perfect read and I have loved every moment- even the moments of tears streaming down my cheeks have been perfect.

This is without a doubt a book worthy of all the stars. All Hail Mary Jayne Baker- queen of romance and one of the few authors that can almost read my mind and create the perfect man. This is definitely a book I recommend.

I enjoyed this romance for what it is- a simple, face value story. The plot doesn’t have a lot of depth, but it is a fun, flirty read. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot despite those criticisms, and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters. I found the main characters relatable and engaging, and I think that really helped to sell the story line.

I recieved an ARC through netgalley.

This book was so cute. I was a bit worried because they got together fairly early in the book but it was done so well. My favorite part was at the end when he just slipped the ring on her finger.

Bridie has hated Ben since he stood her up for prom 10 years ago. There is a fine line between hate and love, so what is she really feeling.
Ben has never been one for relationships, but will he finally admit his feelings for Bridie.
Their friends try and help out along the way, but will it backfire on them?

A great read, with some fun characters.

Genre: Romance | Romantic Comedy

Release Date: Expected 5th August 2021

Publisher: Aria & Aries



Bridie Morgan is doing the unthinkable - searching for the one, if that exists. As her groups official Man-Cynic, she's giving it one last try and going on twenty dates in twenty days as a final kill or cure experiment. She'll either find her match, or prove that dating is a waste of time.

And as the maid of honour for her best friends wedding, she's trying to her best to drop her less than rosy view on love for at least the day. But that would be much easier if Ben wasn't the best man. Ben Kemp - the brother of her besties future husband who once upon a time was the boy who left her standing outside in her prom dress alone and became her first reason to run away from love.

But they're stuck together now, for better or worse, whether they like it or not and there is definitely still a spark between them, but it going to leave her burned again?

Inspired by Shakespears Much Ado About Nothing, Love at First Fight was full of mischeif, trickery and misunderstanding but with a modern Mary Jayne Baker twist. I've read enough reimagined versions of classics to know it's not easy to do well - but this was a delight to read.

I'm a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers story, and even though that's where this was heading the journey there was still so much fun. Although I'm not sure if enemies is the right word for Bridie and Ben - the were complicated, immature and annoying and took great pleasure in hating one another but I don't think they were ever enemies.

Our happy couple Hattie and Cal were brilliant - their mischief and speculation about Bridie and Ben was utterly hilarious, almost farcical as we watched them stand on the very thin line between love and hate, blissfully unaware their friends are trying to push them over the line. I also agree with the girls that Tape Deck Heart sounds brilliant on Vinyl, so I loved them right away and felt an immediate connection.

This was a full 352 pages of absurd fun and sickening sweetness that was too easy to read all at once.



RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Mary Jayne Baker and Aria & Aries for this ARC in return for an honest review.