Not your typical office enemies to something more, this love story doesn’t shy away from the fact that grief and loss are complicated.

That fear can make us act like jerks. (Oops?)

That parenting isn’t just sticky-messy, it can also make our adult relationships messy because of decisions we make for our kids.

And that love is absolutely worth the wait and work.

The build from butting heads to the thrum of attraction between the two coworkers with a lot going on in their personal lives was an interesting and enjoyable ride.

People are complicated, making the fights, spice, humor, heartache, family dynamics and workplace navigations feel real and as integral parts of a satisfying love story.

Looking forward to what’s next for this author.

I was so excited to read my first ARC! 3 ⭐️ I really liked the plot and the conversations about grief. This was so unique as a romance book, but unfortunately I did not like the dialogue. The dialogue and inner monologue was a bit cheesy and unrealistic to me.

I really loved how this book tackled so many difficult themes - single parenting, life after an untimely death of a spouse, dating as a parent, etc - while striking a balance with wit and humor.

4/5 stars

This was a sweet rom-com to help with the dreaded book slump I feel like I've been in for several months.

Juliana, single mother, after her husband passes away, overhears Ben, a coworker, talking bad about her. This creates a bit of a back and forth bickering and a slight feud until they are forced to acknowledge the chemistry between them.

While the author was new to me, I was impressed with the structure and timeline of the book. The author's writing was engaging and easy to follow along with. I'll definitely be following along for future books!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for an ARC!

First, thank you for the eARC of this book.

I requested this arc after a recommendation from a bookstagram friend. After getting the arc, I read the synopsis and was unsure if this would be up my alley. I'm fairly new to contemporary romance and especially one where a MC has children. But I'm glad I gave this book a chance. The story was cute albeit a little slow paced (other than a time jump) but the TENSION?! Chef kiss. I also think the side characters were wonderful and engaging. The little side plots that were revealed and came together were great. Definitely recommend!

*side note: my only real qualm with this book is that the FMC is described as having an "olive complexion" and while I know that this can be considered a lighter skin tone, the cover art depicts her as very fair. It's definitely not what I pictured at all

I thought this would be a simple, coworker/workplace romance but it was so much more and I ate it up! This book touched on enemies to lovers, single parents, grief, forced proximity, and more. The book was the perfect slow burn I needed!
Juliana is a widowed mother of two young girls. She is trying to get her footing for returning to work and finding a balance between being a present mom and a hard worker after the passing of her college sweetheart.
Like any workplace, she has a coworker she doesn't see eye to eye with. Cue Ben... Ben is her cocky coworker who seems to have it all together and appears to be annoyed by Juliana and the flexibility she gets with the company since she has kids. I don't want to give anything away but due to being coworkers and Juliana working on getting a promotion, she and Ben are forced together more frequently to do a big project. Their banter and flirting are top tier, I couldn't get enough of it. I will say I hated it when Stephanie showed up... seemed unnecessary.
The side characters in the book such as Asia, Juliana's mom & others add so much to the story! Normally I don't have strong feelings for background characters but I loved these. Buchanan did a great job giving them a purpose!
I was happily pleased with this book and can't wait to see what Amy Buchanan comes out with in the future. If you love slow burns and enimes to lovers, this book is for you! Check it out when it comes out on January 14, 2025.
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Thank you, NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Juliana and Ben’s story is one filled with achingly human characters and moments. While I did start off on the wrong foot with Juliana, she did start to grow on me with the help of the many characters in this book. She’s multifaceted and a strong soul. After losing her husband so abruptly she takes the time she can to try and attempt to adjust to the world without Jason in it. By starting her new job she also establishes the potential of a community. She was once a stay at home mom, surrounded by other mom’s who were able to make the same decision but had lost that community along with Jason. I found that she knew her own worth, and was able to hold up boundaries when it was needed.

I found it difficult to connect to Ben and understand his reasoning with the lack of his perspective but it worked excellently when sustaining the angst. Stephanie abandoned Paris and Ben suddenly, disappearing for two years before he could track her down to divorce her. If I had to make an educated guess I would say that Stephanie always thrived off of Ben’s attention. When he was describing his and Stephanie’s relationship to Juliana he used the word “addictive” to explain how he felt about his ex. So I think that being a dad to Paris was far more consuming than being a husband to Stephanie. Meaning that their relationship was neglected. Obviously Stephanie also has personal issues, because most people would divorce their husband and get 50/50 custody of their child. She instead went big, and decided to traumatize the both of them. It appeared that she only came back because single life wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. In fact I would say that once Stephanie barged back in to the picture Paris was definitely used as a pawn to get him back. Which is confirmed when it’s revealed that Ben has full custody of Paris, and Stephanie didn’t once try and fight for her during the divorce. Ben’s actions though showed that he hadn’t learnt his lesson from the first experience. I believe in parents having the right to make choices for themselves- whether it be investing in a hobby, having nights out away from the kids, or whichever. It’s essential for them to remain an individual rather than be wholly consumed by being a parent. He was so focused on Paris’ happiness (again) that he had no issue neglecting Juliana’s needs or wants. Which were pretty simple in my opinion. Entertaining emotional blackmail by his ex made me highly reluctant to believe in his personal character, because how did he set a good example to Paris? People should not take back a person who abandoned and traumatized them. It would have been hard on Paris but it also would have shown her how important boundaries are.

This is by no means an instant-love romance. While their sexual chemistry is immediate, it was at some points in the book like observing two brick walls trying to talk to each other. They got along so well once they called their various truces, it made me think of the two years wasted. I even suspected if they would have started out as friends it would have created a stronger foundation for their relationship. By the epilogue of the book I fancied the idea that Jason had sent Ben along to help Juliana continue to live her life instead of just survive it. That he was on the other side cheering her on to find her happily ever after a second time for the person she is now.

Let’s Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan was a funny, swoon-worthy, sexy story! Juliana is a widowed mom of two trying to get back into the workforce after taking seven years off to care for her children, while also mourning the loss of her husband. It’s only been one day in her new office and she’s already making enemies. Ben is a beautiful man who also makes Juliana rage every time he talks, thus creating a two year in-office feud. Eventually Juliana and Ben end up having to work together on a project, thus calling a truce to their feud. In this lovely enemies to lover romance we journey with Juliana and Ben in their struggle with learning how to love after loss, and what it means to leave the past behind in order to have a wonderful future.

I give this books a 4/5. It was sweet, funny, and had the right amount of spice! I did feel like Juliana needed a bit more character development. There wasn’t a lot of explanation about why she would get frustrated or angry with Ben, and why she couldn’t just apologize at times when she needed to. I felt like the fight towards the end could have gone differently, but I also get where Ben is coming from in protecting those he loves the most. I also wish there was a little more information on the two years that Ben and Juliana interacted with each other.

I absolutely loved how much the daughters were involved and how deep their characters were. The relationships with their daughters was heart-warming and a beautiful addition to the story. I also loved the relationships with their friends-Asia, Dani, Gabriela, and Christina.

Amy Buchanan’s ability to capture hearts with this story, these characters, and their sweet daughters, was beautiful. Doesn’t hurt that Juliana is a Gator fan!!

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I cannot wait for Amy Buchanan to write more!
I am so thankful to NetGallery for this ARC!

Spice Level: 3.75/5

📚✨Book Review✨📚

Let’s Call a Truce
Author: Amy Buchanan

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Notes: I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I Liked:
💜 Enemies to lovers in a workplace is basically catnip to me so this was a real treat! Ben was such a delightful surprise. I really didn’t expect much from him in the beginning but I’m so glad with all the twists in the story. It was the ending that much better!

What I Didn’t Like:
💜 Here’s the truth. After the first two chapters I was pretty disinterested. I thought about contacting the author to say I couldn’t review it. I’m not sure why. They just didn’t grasp my attention and I wasn’t into the plot. But I’m glad I read one more. It was worth it!


Final Thoughts:
💜 Amy Buchanan is a new author for me, but one I really enjoyed. This story was heavy at times but also a delightful rom com. Can’t wait to read more from her!


#bookreview #reviewsneedlovetoo #readforeverpub #unpopularopinion #booktok #bookstagram #bookfriend #books #bookish #booklover #instablog #netgalley #romcom

Really good and really sexy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

OOF. Juliana is ROUGH. What an absolutely unenjoyable character. Anything I did like about this book got totally sidetracked for me because i couldn’t deal with the FMC.

Such a tough book to read. The feud between the two main characters is so immature and the way that it plays out in a workplace for over two years is cringy.

Very slow and Juliana (FMC) was extremely childish and irritating. Ben was way too patient to feel real.

Juliana and Ben cross paths for the first time in what could be described as a classic workplace "meet-cute." But any potential spark between them is quickly snuffed out when Juliana overhears Ben making an offhand, insensitive remark questioning her ability to resume work after an extended absence to focus on motherhood. Deeply hurt—especially after the tragic loss of her daughters' father—Juliana becomes determined to make his life at the office as difficult as possible.
Fast forward two years, and Juliana’s frustration hasn’t waned. In fact, it’s only grown as Ben repeatedly seeks her out for assistance in recruiting new talent for his team. Just as she thinks things couldn’t be more challenging, she finds out she’s being considered for a promotion. However, to prove her worth, she must collaborate closely with Ben on a critical project based in the Boston branch of their architecture firm. As they’re forced to work together, the tension between them shifts, and what was once mutual disdain starts to transform into something far more complicated—an undeniable attraction that simmers beneath the surface.
As the story progresses, Juliana learns that Ben’s hurtful comment wasn’t as simple as it seemed. He’s been grappling with his own personal issues, which leads to a deeper understanding between them. But as Juliana continues to heal from her past, she’s faced with the question: can she really open her heart to Ben after everything she’s been through? And more importantly, is she ready to let him into her life—and the lives of her daughters—beyond just their newfound chemistry?
The enemies-to-lovers trope combined with the steamy workplace dynamics made for an engrossing read, with Juliana and Ben’s evolving relationship captivating my attention. However, the final act of the book took a turn toward unnecessary melodrama. Ben, who started out as a thoughtful and genuine character despite his early blunder, became less compelling as the narrative introduced an unnecessary quasi-love triangle. Meanwhile, Juliana’s stubbornness and impulsive choices felt exaggerated, adding a layer of drama that didn’t quite sit right with me.
In the end, I had to lower my overall rating to 3.5 stars, though I rounded it up to 4 for the strong opening, the well-executed romance, and the charming portrayal of Juliana’s daughters. The ending, with its over-the-top dramatics, just didn’t live up to the promise of the earlier chapters. Despite this, it’s still an enjoyable book for fans of contemporary romance.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for providing a digital review copy of this engaging romance in exchange for my honest opinion.

LET'S CALL A TRUCE is a workplace rivals-to-lovers romance about juliana, a widowed mom of two who finds herself re-entering the workforce after years of being a stay-at-home mom, only to immediately butt heads with her attractive but annoying coworker, ben. years later, the two are forced to work together on a career-defining project that they can't afford to mess up, so they have no choice but to call a truce. except as they spend more and more time together, things between them start to heat up, leading to desk-clearing kisses and quality time spent out of the office.

i haven't stopped thinking about this book since i first read it and it's not an exaggeration to say i think about the desk scene at least once a day. this book is so much more than just a romance—it touches on so many subjects like grief, parenthood, identity, rebuilding your life after loss, and so much more. but amy manages to handle these topics with grace and compassion, while also delivering witty banter, swoon-worthy romance, and such a strong connection between juliana and ben. beyond being a romance heroine, juliana is so much more—she's a good friend and a loving mother, even if she struggles sometimes.

this is such an incredible book, especially for a debut author, and there's not a single doubt in my mind that there are great things in amy's future. thanks to netgalley and st. martin's press for the advanced copy! LET'S CALL A TRUCE comes out january 14!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

This book was flirty and fun and full of the best mean banter. I thought Juliana's backstory make this story feel fun and fresh even with the tropes we know and love. I didn't love their love story as much as I wanted to but it was still a quick, entertaining read!

After Juliana Ryan's husband dies unexpectedly, leaving her with two grieving kids and a stunted career from years as a stay-at-home mom, she has no choice but to make it work all on her own. But her confidence crashes around her when she overhears her condescending but infuriatingly attractive new colleague, Ben Thomas, talking about how her kids and inexperience are a liability the company can’t afford. This sets off a feud between the two, as Juliana vows to prove him wrong.
Two years later, their feud rages on, but it may be charged with something they aren't willing to admit. When they are forced onto a career-making project together, Juliana has no choice but to call a truce. As their lives become more intertwined in and out of the office, Juliana finds it hard to ignore Ben’s perpetual smile and charming determination. What started as a truce grows into more, as boardroom-clearing arguments turn to desk-clearing kisses. Could the man she deemed her nemesis understand her life–her stress and responsibilities–better than anyone?
But just when Juliana decides to open her heart again, Ben’s past threatens their newfound bliss, and she has to figure out whether this second chance at love is worth it after all.

Who can resist the charm of a steamy workplace romance, especially one packed with enemies-to-lovers, second chances, and forced proximity tropes, spiced up with witty, entertaining banter? Juliana and Ben first meet in a classic "meet cute" at work, but their budding connection quickly turns sour after Juliana overhears Ben making a hurtful comment, doubting her ability to return to work after taking a long break for motherhood. Unable to forgive his unfair words—particularly after losing her daughters' father in a tragic accident—Juliana sharpens her resolve to make his work life difficult.

Two years pass, and Juliana's frustration only grows as Ben repeatedly shows up at her door requesting help finding candidates for his department. As if things couldn’t get worse, Juliana learns she’s up for a promotion—but the only way to prove herself is by working closely with Ben on a special project for their company’s Boston-based architecture department. Forced to bury the hatchet and work together, their chemistry becomes undeniable, turning the workplace into a hotbed of tension and barely-contained desire.

Juliana eventually discovers that Ben’s hurtful comment has its own explanation—he, too, has been battling his own struggles. This mutual understanding allows them to connect on a deeper level. But can Juliana trust him after losing the love of her life? And beyond their physical attraction, is she ready to let him into her heart and her daughters' lives?

I have to say, the enemies-to-lovers dynamic and the steamy office romance definitely drew me in, making Juliana and Ben’s second-chance story captivating. However, the last third of the book veered into unnecessary melodrama. Ben, who initially came across as patient, honest, and determined—despite his initial hurtful comment—left me disappointed by the end. The story introduced a not-quite-love-triangle situation that felt excessive, and Juliana’s stubbornness and impulsive reactions added to the drama in a way that felt forced.

Ultimately, I dropped my rating to 3.5 stars due to the overly dramatic conclusion, though I’m rounding it up to 4 stars for my love of the tropes, the romance, and the portrayal of Juliana’s adorable daughters. The beginning was so strong, and I was rooting for Juliana and Ben, but the overly dramatic ending just didn’t live up to my hopes. Nevertheless, it’s an enjoyable read for fans of the genre.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this addictive romance's digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

It started out fun and snarky, with a good mix of flirty banter. But there is a time jump of 2 years that felt unnecessary and Juliana wasn’t the most enjoyable FMC. It almost felt like the flirty fighting in the beginning was part of a different book than the second half of the book. It’s not my favorite rom-com book but it had parts I liked enough to make it enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this, so much. If you loved the hating game, with a bit more emotion with the single parent trope, then you will devour this. The banter and tension throughout the beginning to middle of the book made the slow burn so worth it. There's nothing like a man down bad, and Ben WAS DOWN BAAAAAAAD.

4/5 Stars
1.5/5 SPICE

Credit where credit is due - this book got me as close to The Hating Game as I've felt since that book came out, but for other reasons, this was not a winner.

I really struggled with Juliana's behavior in the first half of the book - she did not read as a grown adult, let alone a single mother of two. She read more like a college student holding a pointless grudge. And that's what it was. Because Ben, sweet Ben, underdeveloped as a character Ben, clearly had just put his foot in his mouth one time but Juliana couldn't be an adult about it.

I also felt like the story itself was shallow - I never felt connected to either character, their grudges, their sudden lack of grudges, etc. And when they were suddenly kissing after working a late night, I realized that the romance wasn't developing enough for me and I couldn't root for their HEA.

As this is a debut, I def see the room for the author to grow with future releases, because there is some good bones here, but the meat just wasn't too my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!