A new enemy to lovers in the office is coming with Let's Call A a Truce. After her husband suddenly dies, Juliana is returning to work after being a stay at home mom for the past seven years. But the day doesn't go as planned as she overhears a new colleague talking poorly of her. This starts a 2 year bicker fest with said colleague, Ben. The tension is next level and they finally admit to having feelings for each other but soon the balls are dropping when parts of Ben's life are thrown in the mix. The rollercoaster of emotions continues in a will they, won't they story with lots of real life drama along the way. Amy Buchanan writes a sarcasm filled novel with hilarious and loving side characters, laugh out loud moments, and hopes of a second chance at love for both Ben and Juliana. In rare form, I actually loved Ben more than Juliana. I enjoyed her character in the beginning but by the middle I was over her wishy washy-ness. A solid debut though and I'd happily read Amy's work again. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the gifted copies in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up.

This is a great story that pits two single parents against each other. As coworkers they are in close proximity for many hours. Julianna is a widow and a mother of two. Ben is a single dad of one. The plot of the story is interesting and unfolds slowly. The characters are really wonderful and well developed.readers will love the story because the characters and their situations are relatable. It is an enjoyable story to read.

I normally love a good rivals to lovers, but I unfortunately didn't enjoy this trope here. I think Juliana & Ben's rivalry was a bit too much, especially on Juliana's end. Overall though, this was really good, I just didn't like Juliana lol

It's been a long time since a main character in a romance had me steaming... from anger.

I was all in up until the 70 percent mark of the book. Even though I found Juliana to be insufferable from the start. But it all fell apart for me when:

*** spoiler alert ***

The DEI portion of the story just wasn't needed. It felt forced and t started a downslide of questionable plot disasters.

I absolutely get why Juliana was so protective of her girls in the beginning. Yet, when Ben needed to do that SAME THING for his daughter Juliana couldn't understand. Then when he'd taken care of the Stephanie problem it STILL wasn't good enough for her. WHAT?

I didn't like the James character and it was obvious he was not a good guy, yet she used his flirtatious ways to make Ben jealous. And then she actually considered going work for him when it would uproot her girls ... what about protecting the girls like she did in the beginning??

Anyways, I thought the banter was fun (although she was far more harsh to him than he was to her), can you tell I'm not a fan of Juliana's?

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-copy of LET'S CALL A TRUCE to review.

I rate LET'S CALL A TRUCE three out of five stars.

FMC 33-Widow 9 months when the book starts

Chapter 3- two years later
FMC 35
MMC 37

Enemies to lovers
Coworkers
Found family
Single parents
He Falls first

Thos book is an enemies to lovers, which is not one of my favorite tropes, but mostly because many enemies to lovers are written with too much animosity or lack of feelings for too long. This book wasn't like that and I enjoyed the fact that there was chemistry between Julianna and Ben and that he chases her and falls first.

She's not immune to his charms and is tempted by him multiple times, but harboring resentment about a time he was talking about her behind her back at work 2 years ago. She typically avoids him at work. He was admittedly a dick about her leaving work early for a kid emergency and even worse when we find out he has his own kid. That's really what upsets Julianna even more.

I liked that the book started with a bit of a time jump so that we got some backstory and a current perspective.

I also liked that while this book had the ever-present 3rd act drama, it wasn't superficial and not resolved quickly and actually lasted almost 40% of the book. So maybe not so 3rd act 😂

My one main problem with this book is that other than looks, I dont know what they like about each other in the beginning when all the chasing and convincing is going on. There are a few tiny times he does something nice for her at work that she's skeptical about and begrudgingly thanks him. But I honestly do not understand why he spends so much time chasing her when she hates him, and why she spends so much time telling herself not to give in to him even though she wants to. It started to almost get annoying and leave me not invested, but then other drama started happening that kept my interest.

He could be obsessed with her because she's a hard worker, or a great mom, or any number of things other than he being super beautiful but I just wish we got to actually  "see" the moments. Unless its purely physical insta lust, which I am also not a fan of.

This is probably the first book I've actually really felt would have been better written in dual POV because Ben's perspective is one we really miss out on for a while. It's clear he is enjoying her sassy side of always giving snide comments and turning him away, but we don't really get why he feels such big emotions for her and wants her so bad. I think alternating POV would have been a good setup for this book.

I liked the found family in this book with Asia, Dani, and Gabriella and how much they are there for her and she is there for them. But Julianna did something really shitty to Asia, that she admits she did and doesn't apologize for. I didn’t like that at all and it was incongruous to Julianna's personality.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars overall. It was my first by this author and while I was dissapointed not to get more if Ben's POV and really read more about why they liked each other, it kept my attention and interest and I am a totalllllll sucker for cute kids and this book has 3!

When I tell you that Let’s Call a Truce dragged me out of my reading slump, I can also confidently tell you I went willingly. Amy Buchanan’s debut novel is *Chef’s Kiss*
The witty banter, the sarcasm, the spice, and heart wrenching but beautiful family moments had me reading this book at top speed.

Juliana is truly Wonder Woman embodied. The way she showed up for kids and put their wants and needs above her own potential happiness showed how much of a dedicated mother she was. But she was also a business badass. I love a strong female character who can do both.

Ben was the best office enemy that we all love to hate and fall in love with. He scared me there for a minute but a truce was exactly what he and Juliana needed 😉

The supporting characters in this book were all so unique that I hope we can see more of their stories in the future!

I can’t wait to see what is next for Amy Buchanan because I’m definitely a fan ❤️

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Amy Buchanan for the ARC and opportunity to read this amazing story.

Thank you to the publisher, author & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Let’s Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan
Ben and Julianna are coworkers, they are attracted to each other but do not get along. This was a cute enemies to lovers. Both characters have tragic histories in love. Their story is very realistic, which I appreciated. I do feel like it could have been shorter, a lot of the work storylines were boring. The 3rd act breakup went on for longer than necessary. But the ending made up for it.

This book grabbed me from the start, and I literally didn't put it down once I started. Julianna's story made me emotional, and her banter with Ben had me giggling and kicking my feet.

I loved how their stories kept intertwining, and their relationship was really believable and sweet.

As a side note, I love how this book also showcased her female friendships, and the village around Julianna, this is often overlooked in a "rom-com" but her friends brought so much to the story.

I think Amy Buchanan just made a fan for life!!

This one was not what I expected, but I definitely ended up appreciating it. I didn't read much of the blurb, so I ended up going in mostly blind.

Read this if you enjoy:
> Workplace romance
> Enemies to lovers
> Single parents (both)
> Witty banter
> Open door spice

There was a lot about this story that really worked for me - I haven't read a ton of romances where both main characters were single parents and I thought the emphasis on the lifestyle of parenting and the things that parents will do for their kids really shone through in spots. There were times where the decisions made by the MCs only made sense in the context of them doing what they thought was best for their children, and that really felt like real life.

There were also parts of the story that really were a bit frustrating. While I understood the narrative in the context of the storyline, I really didn't like how some of the scenarios played out between the two MCs. The return of the ex-wife was a twist that I didn't really enjoy - the way that they interacted between each other while the ex-wife was in the picture bordered on disrespectful and definitely lived in a grey area. Overall, the story was well written and the characters were believable in the circumstances they found themselves in.

Thank you to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the ALC and eARC of this book.

This may be the first time I disliked both main characters AND the secondary characters. By the 50% mark I just wanted it to be over.

There was so much potential to journey through the grief and experience of losing someone and grow from it or at least through it…but it just became a crutch for annoying behavior. I wish I could say it kinder 😬🫣!

And the MMC reads VERY much as written by a woman for the majority of the book; too cringey.

Thank you, but no thank you! Not for me, but I’ll always say to give it a try. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Who doesn’t love a steamy workplace romance packed with enemies-to-lovers, second chances, and forced proximity? 😍 Juliana and Ben’s story kicks off with a cute workplace meet-cute that takes a sour turn when Juliana overhears Ben doubting her ability to return to work after a long break for motherhood. 😤 Grieving the loss of her daughters’ father, she can’t forgive his hurtful words and vows to make his work life a nightmare.

Fast forward two years, and the tension only grows as Juliana is forced to team up with Ben on a big project for a shot at her dream promotion. Cue undeniable chemistry and witty banter that turn the office into a very hot place to work. 🔥 But as their walls come down, Juliana learns Ben’s hurtful comment had its own backstory. Can she let go of her doubts and open her heart to a man who’s battling his own struggles? 💔❤️

I loved the tropes and the swoony tension between Juliana and Ben, but the last part of the book felt overly dramatic. The not-quite-love-triangle and Juliana’s impulsive decisions added unnecessary chaos. 😬 Still, the adorable moments with Juliana’s daughters and the steamy romance kept me hooked!

⭐ 3.5 stars (rounded to 4) for its strong start, heartfelt moments, and trope-filled goodness! Fans of spicy office romances will still have plenty to enjoy. 💕📚

What a great debut novel! I really liked this one, and thought it was nice spin on enemies to lovers/office romance. The beginning reminded me a lot of The Hating Game, and I loved the banter and tension between the characters. When I got to the middle of the book I was worried it was going to get slow, but the angst and drama between them ratcheted up and kept me reading. I felt like the pacing was great and the story was interesting. Definitely a pleasant surprise, and I’ll be looking out for more from this author!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Juliana and Ben don't get along at work, but there was a lot of sexual tension. Enemies to lovers is my favorite troupe so this book was on point for me. The only part of this book that I didn't; love was when both characters continuously put their mutual friend in the middles of their feud. It felt a little childish and not fair to her. Juliana's husband had died and I thought the grief was handled well in the book. She talked about him a lot with Ben and with her kids, which was nice but also got to be a lot at times. I loved the plot for the most part too.

I see you Amy Buchanan and you hit it out of the park with your debut novel! YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK! I mean this book was everything I wanted and more. I didn't want to stop reading it. This book spoke to me on so many levels. I went through all the emotions, I was either laughing, crying or smiling through a lot of the book. I can always tell it's a great book when I'm constantly highlighting passages, and this book had many!
First of all, Ben and Juliana are hilarious! The banter in this book is top notch!
Also, where do I sign up to get a Ben of my own?
Juliana's strength in this book was amazing!
There was definitely some angst in the story but when the spice hit, it was good!
I wasn't sure I was going to survive the third act breakup but she put my heart back together again! Probably one of the only times I wanted to slap Ben upside the head!
I LOVED this book, so you have to read it! You will not regret it! Congrats on rocking your debut novel!

*Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Griffin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

A quick read that infuriated me in too many parts.

*Juliana, the MFC, was extremely self centered and not kind - her behavior throughout this didn’t allow me to see at all how the MMC was interested or how her friends tolerated her
*this was begging for a second POV
*that first sex scene - wtf was that? Oof
*both of the MC’s were beyond juvenile and neither was written with depth - this made them both simply highly unlikeable without the benefit of evolution
*repetitive
*the romance aspect wasn’t believable (and by the time they got together it simply showcased two deeply damaged and immature people who both desperately needed therapy)

I disliked the MC’s so much that this wasn’t able to hold my interest and I finished my reading of this wishing I had added it to my DNF list.

In spite of my dislike for this particular book, I found the writing engaging and easy to read and would read the author’s work in the future.




Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the DRC

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a Not For Now book/audiobook for me at 30%.

Widowed mom Juliana is juggling her kids, going back to work, and feuding with her annoyingly hot coworker, Ben, who she overhears him talk about how her kids and inexperience are a liability to the company. Their feud is ongoing for several years before they are forced to work together on a project that will determine the rest of their career. What starts are fiery arguments turn into sparks that cannot be contained. Their temporary truces start to look more and more like a permanent truce. There are many laughs and many tension-filled moments throughout the book. This is the perfect read for someone looking for an enemies to lovers slow burn. I did this as a combination eyeball read and audio and really enjoyed the narrators. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free eARC and ALC. All opinions in this review are my own.

Instagram review will go live on 13-Jan-2025.

I love a workplace enemies to lovers, and Let's Call a Truce was a really great debut! I thought Amy Buchanan did a great job of combining the tension and laughable moments I love in this type of contemporary romance with the depth of second chance love and family dynamics. The banter was great, and some of the moments had my jaw dropping, The coffee! Wow! The tension and spice was well done. All of this didn't take away from the exploration of the deeper topics of second chance love after loss, grief and navigating relationships with children. I did sometimes wish for Ben's perspective, but I thought Juliana still had a great character arc where she was navigating her own grief, being a working mother, and trying to see Ben's point of view as well. This book felt honest and messy and real. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend to those that love a workplace contemporary rom-com.
Thank you St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Let’s Call a Truce is a single POV enemies-to-lovers office romance. Single mother Juliana returns to the workforce after her husband passes away and almost instantly finds a workplace nemesis in Ben. The two fight for years before they are forced to team up to work together on a project. Forced proximity ignites some of the passion that was behind their fights, but there are complications that prevent them from coming together smoothly!

I really enjoyed this book and wavered on my rating back and forth. I think it’s a solid four star read though, a great story, wonderful found family aspects and excellent side characters. Some of the 3rd act drama that didn’t work for me would probably not be a hang-up for most, and I think it’s well worth the read!

Read dates: 12/03/2024- 12/05/2024
Goodreads review: 12/05/2024
Instagram review: 12/05/2024
Blog review: 01/14/2025

What a delightful debut! I absolutely loved the dynamic between Juliana and Ben and the relationship that blossoms not only for them, but for their families as well! Their push and pull was tense and delicious and kept me turning pages because I couldn't get enough of their banter. This was such a heartwarming read, I'll definitely be looking for more from this author in the future.