3.5 ⭐️

They say there is a thin line between love and hate….

Quirky (and perky) Izzy Jenkins brings the “sparkle” to every room she enters. She is the polar opposite of her co-worker, the serious, but sexy Brazilian, Lucas Da Silva.

But when Izzy puts her heart on the line, and confesses her true feelings to Lucas in a Christmas card-suggesting that they meet under the mistletoe-and arrives to find him kissing her roommate instead, she vows to NEVER forgive either one.

Now, embarrassed and humiliated, she admittedly “HATES” him.

Izzy and Lucas, will have to co-exist and put their differences aside, sharing all of the responsibilities of the day shift, when staff reductions are made at the struggling Forest Manor Hotel, while “Poor Mandy” will man the night shift on her own.

Covid lockdowns combined with the entire roof needing to be replaced have threatened the survival of the 40 year old hotel which boasts of quaint attic rooms, candlelit dinners and romance to the hotel guests who return year after year, and feel like extended family. This might be the last Christmas at the struggling property.

One thing the two can agree on however, is that they want the hotel to survive.

Tasked with clearing out the “lost and found” closet, and selling anything that may be of value, Izzy finds some wedding rings, but she feels it is only right to attempt to find the owners of these items before selling them.

And, when the first is returned to its grateful owner, and the hotel is given a substantial reward for their efforts, Izzy and Lucas, wager a friendly(?) competition to see who can successfully return the most rings.

Can either one of them “save” the hotel?

Izzy calling her friends to convince them how much she “hated” Lucas despite her attraction to him, made this ENEMIES TO LOVERS story read a bit YOUNG for my personal taste, though it might resonate more with readers in a younger demographic.

But Beth O’Leary always manages to make me smile, and there are definitely a few clever revelations that bring this Christmas story full circle by the end.

Expected Publication date: September 26, 2023 (I never have the willpower to wait when it’s Beth O’Leary!)

Thank You to Berkley for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for a copy of Beth O’Leary’s book, The Wake-Up Call. Comes out on September 26th, 2023.

Listen, I have read and will read all of O’Leary’s books. They are the perfect combo of light and fluffy with slight depth. I loved Lucas and Izzy. Their personalities were quirky and delightful, and even though I saw the “twist” way ahead of time, I still enjoyed the slow burn getting there. This would be a great movie… loved the setting of the hotel and the array of funny characters that show up amidst the story.

Izzy and Lucas are sworn enemies and work as front end managers for a family run hotel. There is an incident that causes some destruction to the building leaving them only semi operational. They must put their differences aside to save the hotel they love and their jobs. The owners have Izzy and Lucas sell lost items that guests have left behind to help increase some revenue and they find five missing wedding rings. Izzy wants to find the original owners and return the rings.

I loved their banter and the progression of their relationship. There was build up between the two while keeping this a closed doors romance. There was miscommunication about an incident that I do wish was covered more directly earlier and didn't linger through the story but I loved how it played out as well. I really enjoyed the mystery of the rings and returning them to their owners.

Beth O’Leary is one of my favorite authors to recommend to people looking for a romance with a bit more substance. And The Wake-Up Call does not disappoint. While this story might be a bit more of a typical romance, I loved the main characters and the character development that happens. Izzy and Lucas seem to be opposites who take special pleasure in making things miserable for each other. But as they struggle to save the hotel that means so much to both of them, they start the see each other in new ways. The setting and side characters are a delight. And the ending left this reader very satisfied! Can’t wait to recommend this one when it comes out.

DNF - I wanted to love this so so so very much. I grew progressively more annoyed with Izzy & could not wrap my head around intentionally doing the most out-of-pocket things in a bid to annoy another adult person. This isn't so much a problem with the story as it is with me - this is not written for me or with me in mind. This genre is one I keep coming back to in an attempt to try & find my perfect match but, I think I need to face the facts. I have no doubt that readers will devour this book & adore it. O'Leary is a good writer & I was beyond excited to get my hands on this book. Thanks so very much to the publisher for giving me the chance to read this one!

Another delightful book from Beth O'Leary. Izzy and Lucas are professional nemesis, ever since last Christmas when Izzy professed her love for Lucas in a Christmas card and Lucas's response was to laugh. However, when the hotel they work at literally starts falling apart, they have to put their differences aside and work together to save the hotel and jobs they both love. When Izzy decides to work on reuniting lost rings with their owners (why was an effort at doing this made when the lost rings were found, I don't know), it becomes a contest between them to see who can find their ring's owners first.

I always enjoy Beth o'leary books and this was no exception. Her characters were flawed and real, and though it was basically a miscommunication trope I still really enjoyed the read.

This was a charming romance about "work enemies" who join forces to save the dilapidating hotel they work at. The story is told from alternating perspectives which gives each of the main characters more nuance and an inside look at their misfires and communication issues. This is a slow burn with a satisfying ending if you're looking for something cozy (and a little steamy) to read during the holiday season.

I typically love Beth O’Leary books and will read anything she writes, so I was very excited about her upcoming book! The plot sounded super cute, but I was disappointed that this book ended up being a miss for me.

I’ll start with what I liked. Firstly, the quaint countryside hotel vibes paired with its sweet owners and the small group of guests and employees was charming. I also liked the idea behind the premise: two employees race to find the owners of lost rings so they can (hopefully) get a reward to help save the hotel from going out of business. It was sweet and provided good commentary on the past and starting fresh. Lastly, I did appreciate both backstories for our MCs, Izzy and Lucas. They’ve both dealt with grief and belonging, but show how vastly different they carry themselves.

What I hard time with was Izzy and Lucas’ romance. This was a workplace, enemies to lovers romance which in theory sounds like something I’d like! But the execution of it was not my favorite.

For starters, I wasn’t a fan of their reasonings to hate each other. It felt a little immature for two grown adults and I really disliked how they just avoided each other and made rash assumptions. And the way they behaved around others, forcing innocent people to have to step into their feuds was weird to me. Sure, some of this was addressed at the end of the story, but it just seemed too far fetched for me and by the time the explanations and apologies came around, I was already over it.

There was also something about the writing and POVs of our characters that grated on me and felt repetitive. Like during Izzy’s chapters, we were always reminded of how broody and muscular Lucas was. Also being that the POVs were in first person perspective, I found their thoughts and views (mostly Izzy’s) to be super frustrating at times.

Overall, I’m sad this didn’t quite work out for me, but I can see how others may enjoy it more than I did!

I can’t say enough good things about how this book made me feel.
I adore the hate to love trope and the hotel setting felt like a vacation.
Thank you for the advanced opportunity to read this book

THE WAKE-UP CALL is the newest book from up and coming author, Beth O'Leary! I have thoroughly enjoyed O'Leary’s other books, so I was super excited to read this new romance from her. THE WAKE-UP CALL is a book filled with tons of charm and delight. I found this fast paced and really easy to read, I truly could not put this book down! I am very excited to see what Beth O'Leary writes next!

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Press for the ARC. This is the story of Lucas and Izzy who hate each other! Their banter was my favorite. I fell in love with both of these characters, and love that the story goes back and forth between both of their perspectives. It is the cutest book for summer.

Perfection - Lucas and Izzy were perfect, the hotel setting was cozy, the cast of supporting characters was great. I loved it.

My bookish friends, I'm telling you politely, but with great enthusiasm, that I have a quick correction to make. I'm shouting from the top of the tallest building nearby to amplify my dramatic declaration. Hear me now: THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! You absolutely cannot afford to miss out on it! Don't even think about adding it to your ever-growing TBR list, which is already overflowing with remarkable books, without making time to read it soon.

I recently went on a book diet, meaning I had to work extensively for a few days and then took a short vacation, which disrupted my usual reading schedule (typically, I finish the first half of a book in a day). As a result of this prolonged and forced reading break, I now have at least 15 books piled up in my NetGalley library and 30 books waiting for me in my email, sent by my favorite publishing companies. They're like presents left under a Christmas tree, patiently waiting to be unwrapped one by one. Needless to say, I was thrilled to choose the perfect book to lift my spirits!

Let me explain why I adored this book so much:

-First and foremost, this is undoubtedly Beth O'Leary's best book yet!
-It's the most entertaining, laugh-out-loud read among Beth O'Leary's works, with fewer dramatic and angsty moments.
-I was hooked from the start by the enemies-to-lovers and grumpy-meets-the-sunshine tropes!
-The references to Love Actually were incredibly well executed.
-The supporting characters at Forest Manor Hotel are nothing short of perfection! From Mrs. SB and the unpredictable Mandy (who's like a wild card in the story) to Arjun and the potentially godsend Mr. Townsend (if this book ever gets adapted into a movie, please cast Bill Nighy for this role), not to mention the lively Hedgers family, Barty, and Ollie, they all make you feel like a part of their family.
I
- fell in love with Izzy, who is adventurous, original, shiny, creative, optimistic, and kind-hearted! And let's not forget about our brooding hero, Lucas, who hides behind a stubborn, serious, robotic facade, despite being a real cinnamon bun. He's caring, sensitive, and a romantic planner!

-The palpable chemistry between Izzy and Lucas, along with their witty banter, completely engrossed me in their love story. Izzy's vulnerability in opening up her feelings after being crushed by Lucas' rejection a year ago, and Lucas' efforts to make her fall in love with him, his patience, and his inner sweetness made me sigh and smile countless times.

To sum it up: I highly recommend this book not only to romance lovers but also to readers who need something to brighten their mood, warm their hearts, and restore their faith in happiness and good karma!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this amazing book in exchange for my honest thoughts.