A truly wild and wonderful enemies to lovers with a second chance novel. The story of Jamie and Flo is filled with confusion, family intrusion and meddling. Greece is a beautiful locale for this terrific story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you enjoy a book set on a vacation in Greece, this is a perfect book for you. I was entertained the story of Flo and her reported "enemy," her brother's best friend Jamie. I had a hard time believing the enemy portion of this, however, because it never seemed that they were truly that at odds. They have a history of getting closer and developing a sort of relationship during their last Christmas spent with Flo's family, but things were broken off in the form of a letter. Flo is surprised, however, to find Jamie is attending their family holiday in Greece, unbeknownst to her. She spends her days trying at first to ignore him, and then trying to perform "exposure therapy" in a way to get him out of her head by just simply being around him more. The reader then sees how the relationship seems to pick right up where they left off at Christmas and the drama that might cause with the family.

I thought this was an okay read, but it is certainly one that won't stick with me. I, unfortunately, don't love some of the troupes that are involved in this one (miscommunication drives me batty). That being said, it was an easy read that could be a perfect book for some readers out there. It would be best enjoyed on the beach with a nice chilled white wine on the side. While it wasn't my favorite, hopefully other readers will find this book to be one they enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

"Enemies to Lovers" is a perfect beach read, offering an ideal escape to Greece even if you can't be there. The story follows Flo Greenberg, who hopes for a relaxing holiday but is thrown off when her brother’s best friend, Jamie, unexpectedly joins. As Flo recovers from a mental breakdown, she discovers Jamie might not be so bad after all. Though it reads more like a brother’s best friend/forbidden romance than a true enemies-to-lovers story, it's still a fun, summery romcom. The 20s and 30s characters add a refreshing touch, though their behavior sometimes feels immature. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, for the review copy.

This was an entertaining romance. The Greenberg family is fun and it felt like I was on vacation with them. Flo is a bit immature but based on her experiences, this isn't a surprise. The chemistry between Flo and Jamie isn't obvious and I think a little more backstory would have made it feel stronger. I did like their interactions and banter. The book is a good summer read and I enjoyed it. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Enemies to Lovers is an enjoyable summer read. I loved the destination vacation vibes and all the fun family antics. The mental health representation is also commendable. That being said the romance falls a little to the wayside with all the other family vacation stuff happening. It really doesn't read enemy rather a few misunderstandings. Jamie's character was a little flat too. I didn't find myself that interested in him. Flo and her bestie texts were super cute. Overall I am happy to have read it.

Thank you, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for this eARC!

I received this book as a NetGalley ARC and I don't know how I feel about this one. I can't really tell if I liked it or not. The whole will they, won't they (Ross and Rachel) style romance sometimes is so tedious. There were so many times that I was just thinking "Good Lord, be adults and talk to each other about what happened at Christmas." Because it was clear from the get-go that Jamie hadn't written the note (I'm trying to remember the last time I was shocked by a book. It's been awhile). I also felt like the whole plot around Flo's breakdown was a bit contrived. As I read, it made me think either the author couldn't quite understand the nuances of having a mental health crisis, so she just skirted around the topic a lot and called it the elusive Breakdown (which having had people in my life experience mental health crises' it felt watered down.) Or it made Flo's family seem very out of touch. Clearly, they all worked it out and admitted to their own failings as parents, partners, siblings, and adults. Also it was kinda weird the way Flo described her family (calling them hot and sexy) was a bit odd to me. Like hype up your family but if that's how you are describing your parents in your head I am a little concerned. Jamie seemed like a very good character, but I wish he would have tried to talk, instead of just saying her name or giving cryptic lines that could mean anything. The fact that everyone knew he was in love with her for years and didn't say anything is pretty crazy with how gossipy (as they should be) they are. I will say it made me want to go on vacation to Greece ASAP. And I definitely relate to Flo's need to be in control. As an English major myself, I get the feeling of wanting to go above and beyond and really having to prove yourself when you don't have a the classic job like doctor or lawyer. Overall, I felt like the vibes were their, but I don't think the plot was as good as it could have been!

Enemies to Lovers

A summer holiday family romance with brother's best friend trope. The "enemies" to lovers part felt a bit stretched as it didn't feel like true enemies, just some stand offish tension. I struggled to see and believe the romantic chemistry between the two main characters. I loved Laura Jane Williams Our Stop and was disappointed that this one didn't quite work for me. I hope others enjoy it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

This novel is an easy and breezy vacation rom com about Flo and Jamie. Jamie is Flo's older brother's best friend and he shows up at the family's Greek Holiday. This plot line was set up for so much success. However the dialogue and the chemistry between Flo and Jamie fell flat for me. This is a classic miscommunication trope with forced proximity of that is your jam.

Also I dislike how the author displayed mental health and Flo's "breakdown". Immediately had red flags up for me and it wrecked the novel in my mind. As someone who has struggled with her mental health I disliked how it was weaponized in this novel. I would proceed with caution


Thank you Putnam Books and netgalley for the ARC.

Enemies to lovers! Forced proximity! These are some of my favorite topes, I really enjoyed the writing. I enjoyed all of the mental health rep, it is always important to mention. This was a really good romance, 4 stars

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

This was a vacation-less summer over here but I did go to Hawaii for spring break. In Enemies to Lovers, the story revolves around a family vacation to Greece where the protagonist is recovering from a mental health breakdown and is reunited with her brother’s best friend who rebuffed her in the past. This book really snuck up on me. It was delightful. I laughed out loud so many times between the Greek massage therapist and the parents. The family dynamic and the banter among the family members were adorable and the whole book was just heartwarming. It was a quick frothy read.

Read if you like:
🧍‍♂️ Brother’s Best Friend
😡 Enemies to Lovers
🏡 Forced Proximity
👙 Beach Vacations
💪🏾 GTL MMC
🧠 Mental Health Rep

If you like the above, this book may just be for you!

This was my first book by this author and definitely intrigued to read more by her in the future.

I really enjoyed the focus on mental health in a raw way with our FMC and how the author’s own mental health is what inspired this part of the plot.

I always love enemies to lovers, especially with forced proximity and this vacation setting!

Thank you Putnam for my ARC in exchange for my review!

3 stars

Thank you penguin random house audio for this ALC & Netgalley for the eARC.

While I didn’t really dislike this book, I definitely didn’t find myself wanting to reach for it. It took me several days to finish this audiobook and again, it wasn’t awful, but just nothing happened that made it exciting.

There’s great talk about mental health after our FMC Florence has a mental break and is hospitalized. She speaks of therapy and coping mechanisms which was really insightful.

Florence is in her late 20’s and the previous year had a mental break that required hospitalization. Her family walks around the topic trying to not speak of it for fear of upsetting her. That Christmas she and her brother best friend Jamie, who is an adopted member of their family after his parents death, have a window of intense chemistry but ultimately it falls apart when Florence thinks he left her after leaving a note saying he led her on.

Cut to this summer family holiday when they’re reunited again in Greece and things are tense. They avoid each other, go on dates with the locals, all while coexisting around one another. Things happen and the two hook up and we learn that Jamie has had a thing for Florence for years but her older brother and his best friend Lawrence warns him to stay away from Florence. Squabbling occurs, a literal fire happens, and the twos short lived romance comes to a brawl between Lawrence and Jamie.

It seemed obvious to the reader that Jamie still had feelings for Florence and this “enemies” aspect was nonsense. There was good dialogue between Jamie and Florence but it felt all very predictable and I honestly was over hearing how hot Flo found Jamie to be over and over again.

I saw the twist coming from the beginning with how cagey Lawrence was. The family dynamics were wonderful and I enjoyed those bits about life, family, and growing up.

This book was utterly enjoyable! The pacing was perfect, and I felt right inside Flo's head as she felt all her feelings for Jamie, from hurt, confusion, and anger, to friendship and pining, to anger and confusion again, until ultimately "love." I only figured out the twist about a chapter before it was revealed, and it was all very well done. My favorite part of this book, however, was the hilarious and absolutely believable family dynamics between Mom and Pop Greenberg, the three siblings, friend of the family, and sister in law in forced proximity for a week on vacation. The teasing, the inside jokes, the immaturity at times. It was a hoot! Absolute vacation vibes. And there was subtle Jewish rep as well, which I also loved. This book surprised me in the best way.

Book Review: Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
This review may contain minor spoilers.

Flo Greenburg is looking forward to her family vacation in Greece. That is until Jamie Kramer, her brother's best friend, arrives. Enemies to Lovers starts off six months after Jamie ran away when Flo thought they were starting a romance the previous Christmas, she now has to grapple with his constant presence. Her new plan, exposure therapy. Because ‘the best way to get over a crush? Get to know them better.’ This story includes enemies to lovers (ish), brother best friend, and summer vibes.

I enjoyed the setting of this story and the overall Greenburg dynamic was fun to follow. I was pleasantly surprised by the sibling dynamic and loved the three of them together. The family games and outings kept the fun and humor, and also made the story more relatable. I enjoyed the interactions between Flo and Jamie, especially after some of the confusion was explained by the twist reveal.

Overall this story was not as much “enemies to lovers” as it was brother’s best friend and second chance romance. There were a few parts of the story that felt non-flushed out or brushed off when I wanted more dialogue or details. And Jamie didn't seem as shocked or upset by the reveal, which felt odd.

I enjoyed this story and it was a fun summer read. Would love to read more about the siblings. Definitely need more on Alex’s story since there were many holes. Need to know what comes next for him.

I received an eARC from NetGalley & Penguin Group Putnam for my honest review.

Overview: Flo is excited and ready to enjoy a family vacation in Greece - until she finds out that her family also invited Jamie, her brother’s best friend, who led her on last Christmas and then promptly abandoned her…

Thoughts: Boy, do I have thoughts about this book! 1) I feel hoodwinked by the title! This is not a book I would have categorized as “enemies to lovers”, as the animosity felt very one-sided. 2) The connection between Flo and Jamie was so superficial, as it was continually emphasized in the book how hot both of them were. I’m not sure what they even had in common otherwise?! But they did seem to spend a lot of time looking at each other… 3) I absolutely detest the use of misunderstandings to create conflicts in books. That is all I will say on the topic. Other than that, the setting of the book sounded amazing.. I only WISH I could go on a summer vacation like this!!

Take home message: Enemies to lovers is an easy beach read that ironically doesn’t feature much of the enemies to lovers trope at all. BUT! If you are a fan of second chance romances and want to live vicariously through hot female and male leads who spend half the book in their swimsuits/bikinis, this is definitely the book for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I knew I would like this one simply because of the title being my favorite trope. It was a super cute story and I loved that it included brother’s best friend and forced proximity. A family vacation where Jamie, Flo’s brother’s best friend, tags along even though she hasn’t seen him since Christmas when they almost hooked up. Queue the miscommunication but what a better place to figure it out than in Greece? Definitely a great beach read.

Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams is a solid 3-star read that offers an enjoyable, somewhat frustrating, romance. The story follows Flo, a relatable protagonist who struggles with anxiety, and Jamie, her brother's friend and supposed enemy-turned-lover. One of the strengths of the book is how well Williams illustrates Flo’s internal battles with anxiety, making her a character many readers can empathize with. I also enjoyed the lively and close-knit family on a Greek vacation because it adds warmth and charm to the story.

The chemistry between Jamie and Flo has some delicious moments, where sparks fly and you can see the potential for a great romance. Until one or both of the characters hastily exits the scene. Their interactions are marred by a frustrating reliance on miscommunication. The plot hinges on misunderstandings that drag on far too long, leaving you wishing the characters would just sit down and have a meaningful conversation. This issue becomes particularly problematic when Jamie and Flo sleep together before resolving their differences, a moment that makes the heroine in particular seem self-absorbed and undermines the emotional depth of their relationship.

Enemies to Lovers is an entertaining read with likable characters and a picturesque setting, but it falls short due to the overuse of miscommunication as a plot device. If you enjoy slow-burn romances and don’t mind a bit of frustration along the way, this book might still be worth your time.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

This was a super easy read, with short chapters and a very simple concept. I wish the story gripped me a little more, but it's a perfect beach read for the end of summer!

Thank you to Putnam Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. Unfortunately the writing style of this really did not work for me. I hate when a book starts entirely with exposition. It feels like a story is being explained to me instead of me getting to experience it myself. Because of that, I had to DNF.