I wanted to like this, but the title of this book is Enemies to Lovers and I couldn't find the enemies anywhere. I didn't feel any chemistry between the FMC and MMC, it all felt forced. I wanted more.

I have enjoyed almost all of Laura Jane Williams books, and while this one wasn't a favourite of mine I still really enjoyed it. Laura's writing is really easy to engage with and makes it super easy to fly through!

“enemies” part of the title was a bit misleading—there’s tension, sure, but not the fiery animosity you might expect from the trope. the chemistry between Flo and Jamie didn’t quite sizzle, and the humor leaned heavily on TikTok slang and juvenile antics.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons

Enemies to Lovers
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Laura Jane Williams

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sobn and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Flo Greenberg: highly strung. Over-achiever. And desperate for a relaxing Greek holiday with her family.

Jamie Kramer: her brother's best friend. Pain in the arse. And somehow on Flo’s relaxing Greek holiday too…

With two surprise weeks of sharing meals, boat trips and sun-loungers, Flo must endure the company of this irksomely chiselled Lothario. But after what happened last year, she’s determined not to let him get the better of her.

In fact, spending time with the enemy will be the perfect cure for Flo's all-consuming anger towards Jamie, right?

(Spoiler alert: wrong…!)

My Thoughts: Flo is desperate for a holiday with her family and is counting down the days until they are vacationing in Greece for some rest and relaxation. When she arrives, she is shocked to see that Jamie, family friend, is also joining the family for the holiday in Greece. We follow this family for two weeks in Greece where they share lodging, meals, and summer outings, together as a family. This follows the tropes of enemies to lovers, forced proximity, misunderstanding, brother’s best friend, vacation fling, and closed door romance.

This is narrated in a single POV, through Flo’s POV. Flo has a beautiful dynamic with her sisters. Family status is important to her. Flo is a flawed character that is an overachiever, energetic, and would do anything for her family. Jamie lost his parents at a young age and latched onto Flo’s family. Jamie is caring, compassionate, charming, and swoony. I kept the enemies to lovers tag in here but it is so short and more of tension than a true conflict. The family dynamics was probably one of my favorite parts, they are united, sometimes immature, and always seem to get themselves into situations. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, tension, angst, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, swoony, light humor, thought-provoking, and heartfelt. The setting of Greece was absolutely beautiful. The author does an amazing job at setting the scene and describing the details so perfectly, that you feel like you are right there in Greece with the family. The plot was well done as the characters were explored, including their relationships with one another, and the HEA was beautifully done and absolutely perfection.

Trigger Warnings: Grief, loss of parents (off the scene), mental health, and depression. I think the author does an amazing job at tackling these sensitive issues with authenticity, respect and grace. While I think the book could have explored their past relationship a little further, I still enjoyed the book. I have read other works by this author and really enjoyed them. I would recommend this book and her other works as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

This unfortunately just wasn't the book for me. I think that a lot of the elements in this book were great ideas, but just didn't work for me. Some of the family dynamics were fun and entertaining, but did not contribute all that much to the main plot. The characters were overall pretty surface level, so it was hard to really connect to the MC's. I think there are things in here that could really work, but just needs a little more cohesion.

This book unfortunately could not grab my attention and I could not make it past the first 20%. I will pick it up at a later date to try again and will not be posting any negative reviews. Thank you!

I hated to do it but I had to DNF this one, I just couldn’t take the characters seriously.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Enemies to Lovers is the perfect Summer read. It was pretty fast paced and fun to read. I could imagine sitting at the beach reading this one. The one thing that wasn't my favorite was the misunderstanding trope. That is one of my top tropes that I don't enjoy. I'm like can't y'all just talk it out? Overall, this was a cute book, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good beach read.

Flo heads to Greece for a relaxing family vacation, only to find Jamie—her brother's best friend and her own unresolved almost-flame—unexpectedly joining the trip. Cue forced proximity, simmering tension, and plenty of awkward sun-lounger moments.

This isn't your typical enemies-to-lovers tale; it's more of a second-chance romance with a side of miscommunication. The Greek island setting adds a dreamy backdrop to Flo and Jamie's journey from avoidance to affection. Flo's struggles with anxiety are portrayed with sensitivity, adding depth to her character. While the romance unfolds slowly, the witty banter and family dynamics keep things engaging.

This book was written for you if:
1. You enjoy slow-burn romances set in picturesque locations.
2. You're a fan of the brother's best friend trope.
3. You appreciate stories that blend humor with emotional depth.

Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Penguin and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Flo Greenberg: highly strung. Over-achiever. And desperate for a relaxing Greek holiday with her family.

Jamie Kramer: her brother's best friend. Pain in the arse. And somehow on Flo’s relaxing Greek holiday too…

With two surprise weeks of sharing meals, boat trips and sun-loungers, Flo must endure the company of this irksomely chiselled Lothario. But after what happened last year, she’s determined not to let him get the better of her.

In fact, spending time with the enemy will be the perfect cure for Flo's all-consuming anger towards Jamie, right?

(Spoiler alert: wrong…!)

My Opinion

Enemies to Lovers was an enjoyable read. This will make for a great holiday read. With a fast pace this was a relatively quick read.

Rating 4/5

Flo is slowly putting her life back together after a breakdown that halted everything. She's sticking to things that feel safe and easy to make sure she stays on track. A family vacation in Greece is exactly what she needs to relax and consider what's next. She's shocked when Jamie, her brother's best friend, joins the family. She and Jamie had an almost-something at Christmas until he humiliated her by running away before things even got started. Now they're stuck in the same house for two weeks and Flo needs to figure out how to tolerate her enemy.

This is a fun romantic comedy with a refreshing real take on mental health. The pressures of life and family were very relatable and I loved seeing how each character approached their own challenges. I also loved seeing a family that while not perfect, generally like each other and enjoy vacationing together. Definitely a great vacation read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of Enemies to Lovers.

This book was a DNF for me. I found myself being annoyed by the characters more than anything and decided this wasn't the book for me.

Enemies to lovers is my FAVORITE trope and Laura DID NOT DISSAPOINT with this one! I loveddd this book and a summer in Greece?! Yes Please! There is a great mental health representation in this book, the author handled it so well!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory.

This was an ok read. I really struggled to connect with the main characters, and I felt like the very important topic of mental health could have been woven into the story better.

Personally, I felt like the FMC was not very likable and that her struggle with anxiety could have been written in a more impactful way.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book is not an enemy to lovers, and it's not well written either.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this one.

I'm a sucker for an enemies to lovers romance. And this was set in Greece, where my now-husband and I were planning our honeymoon when I requested this, so I was super excited to get approved.

And trust me, I tried. I really, really did.

Each time I picked this up with an open mind, but I just couldn't get invested in the story. And I'd end up shelving it as a soft DNF, hoping to come back to it. For my final attempt, I even tried the audio. I just don't think this author's writing is for me.

The characters felt bland, and even at 25%, I had no connection to any of them. Flo was honestly more annoying than anything. Her and Jaime were never enemies. She was just bitter after a rejection.

And.. who tf other than a 5-year-old uses "farthead" as a genuine insult?

I'm sorry, after nearly a year on my shelf and 3 failed attempts, I just can't keep trying to force this one any longer.

Thank you to NetGalley, GP Putnam's Sons, and the author for the ARC!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel before release day!

While the book is certainly an easy read, it has its shortcomings. I did enjoy the family dynamics and the summery atmosphere, but the title seems misleading given that the main characters don't really come across as enemies.

Some of the characters were likable, but I struggled to form a strong connection with them. I never reached that point where I truly cared about their fates or felt invested in their journeys.

That being said, the book does succeed in its primary goal of entertaining the reader. It's a light, enjoyable read that would be perfect for those seeking a comforting story with elements of romance, humor, and personal growth.

A good read. I enjoyed the growth the main character went through in the book, confronting her feelings and processing them. I liked the plot, it kept me coming back for more.