There were so many cute elements in this book. I really enjoyed that Ben and Juliana were both older and had age appropriate conflicts. I also really enjoyed how they had to balance their children, professional life and their relationship. My only major complaint is that the hostility went on for to long and got to a point where I was just like enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this. I always love workplace and enemies together! Juliana is back to work after being a stay at home mom for years. Her husband passed away, so she and her two kids are grieving as they adjust to their new normal. Juliana and Ben get off on the wrong foot, and begins a workplace rivalry.

They’re forced to work closely together, so Juliana has to put her dislike to the side. Once she starts getting to know Ben, she realizes maybe she was wrong about him all along.

There’s a slight little twist about halfway that I loved! It added some depth and more emotion to the story.

Didn’t love the third act conflict. I do think it recovered a little with his gesture.

Overall, an enjoyable read filled with banter!

Workplace romance
Enemies to lovers
Single mom
Widow
Banter
Found family
He falls first

What to expect in Let’s Call a Truce:
🏢Workplace romance
❤️‍🔥Enemies to lovers
🧑‍🧒‍🧒FMC is a widowed, single mom
☝️Single POV

I’ve got mixed feelings about this one… The book started off strong for me, a solid 4🌟 read, but the ending lost me. I also found some of their office pranks and banter immature, but it didn’t stop me from rooting for Juliana and her happy ending after the tragic loss of her husband.

Things I liked:
👩‍💼Very relatable as a FT working mom to 2 girls- my daughters happen to be the same ages as Juliana’s children
💙watching Ben patiently, but consistently fight and pine for Juliana

Things I didn’t like:
🤬The conflict- Juliana was so deserving of a happily ever after. She’s gone through so much and it takes so long for her to trust Ben and work up the courage to risk her heart again. But then Ben had to go and ruin it. That 3rd act was not ok- it felt so angsty and Juliana needed happiness, not heartbreak. I am torn because as a parent I would do anything for my kids… but I wouldn’t do that. 🙄

While I didn’t like the ending, I still think it was a strong debut (the writing was good) and I would definitely try another book from Amy Buchanan.

Overall rating: 3🌟

Let’s Call a Truce is out now (pub date 1/14/25)! Thank you to SMP romance for the advanced copy; all thoughts are my own.

Thank you to @netgalley & @stmartinspress for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! Happy Pub week!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Let’s Call A Truce
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Amy Buchanan
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 336
𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: Florida & Boston

𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Juliana's life is turned upside down when her husband unexpectedly died. She was left alone with two small daughters and after 7 years as a stay- at-home mom, she had to get a job and downsize their life. She reconnects with a past employer to get a HR position with KMG. Ben is a department head, they started off on the wrong foot and it has snowballed over the years. They are put together on a project where they not only get to know each other better, some misunderstandings are cleared up but secrets come out too.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬:
• Enemies to Lovers
• Single Parents
• Second Chance at Love
• Workplace Romance
• Found Family
• Forced Proximity

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: I am so on the fence with this book - it has some of my favorite tropes! I absolutely loved this book in the beginning. The banter/tension between Juliana and Ben was fire! I loved that Juliana put her kids' happiness first and how she really persevered after such a tragedy. But somewhere along the way, the miscommunication, back and forth with the feelings just got to be too much for me. The third act break- up almost pushed me over the edge. It was a complicated situation but it was too much for this story, in my opinion.

I loved the side characters, especially Asia but I would personally have to question the friendship if my bestie kept all the things from me that she did. There were great qualities between both characters but after the situation with Ben's ex, I just couldn't root for this couple.

I adored the book cover. I look forward to reading more by this author.

𝐂𝐖: Death of Spouse, Abandonment

Let's Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan is an adult contemporary romance that follows Juliana who is a widow and single mom trying to live with her grief and take care of her family, and Ben who is a single dad with different pain of his own. It's an office dislike-to-love romance where they get off on the wrong foot but slowly find out they're a lot more alike than they thought.

I loved the themes of healing and Juliana's journey with loss and finding love again. It was realistic and meaningful, and beautiful to see her find herself again. The romance is quite angsty and slow-burn; they have an instant attraction but Juliana isn't ready for a relationship and Ben also says multiple stupid things about her. But after working in the same office for over two years, they start feeling the pull to each other, and things go on from there. It's sweet, steamy, and really easy to read. I felt like the story had a really strong start where I felt immediately invested and wanted to keep reading. It slowed down a bit around the middle, and I felt like the plot was a bit stagnant and repetitive, but then it picked up again. It also had a type of conflict I really don't like but it made sense for the story.

Overall, this is a great office romance I'd recommend if you'd like some forced proximity, a single parent romance, and meaningful themes. The family aspect in this book is really sweet as well.

Juliana Ryan, 33, is a widow with two daughters Clara, 7, and Sophie 5. She has a degree in human resources and had a good job before deciding to stay home with her children. Now, she is the sole bread-winner, she has returned to her previous job. Having been away for some years, she is quite nervous about her return.

Popping out of an office one day, she runs into a man, Ben Thomas, and leaves a lipstick stain on his shirt. She apologies and offers to have it dry-cleaned but he declines. It doesn’t take long for both of them to begin butting heads. In her new position, Juliana will be recruiting top talent for a number of hiring managers in the company, one of whom is Ben.

Two Years Later:

Juliana and Ben continue to butt heads as he is often quite rude to her with her telling him to use his manners. When they are assigned to a special project together, they realize that they must put their differences aside and call a truce for the good of the company. However, their competitive natures tend to get in the way despite their attraction to one another. Where is this relationship headed? Enemies, friends, or something else?

When I first started reading this book, I felt like it was going to be a story where some chick tries to one-up a male colleague and I rolled my eyes at that. As I read more, I was impressed at how genuine Juliana was as a mother trying her very best to make a good life for her children. As my own Mom was left a widow at a very young age with 3 little children under 4, I know first hand how difficult that can be. I loved Juliana’s friends and their closeness and diverseness which was astonishing. The honesty among the friends was so much fun. This book is delightful from start to finish. Do not miss it and enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
sᴘɪᴄᴇ: 🌶️🌶️
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ: January 14
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ɪɴ KU: No
ᴘᴀɢᴇs: 335

The story follows Juliana Ryan, a widowed mom who’s returning to work after years of staying home with her kids. Her first day back is rough when she overhears her new colleague, Ben Thomas, making a hurtful comment about her being a liability because of her kids and lack of experience. This sparks a feud between the two that lasts for two years.
When they’re forced to work together on a big project, things start to change. Their chemistry is undeniable, and as they get to know each other, Juliana starts to see there’s more to Ben than she first thought. But she’s been hurt before, and trusting him isn’t easy.
The romance is slow-burn and steamy, and there’s a good mix of humor and heartfelt moments throughout. Juliana is a character you can root for – she’s strong and doing the best she can for her kids. Ben is frustrating at times but also has his own struggles, and the banter between them adds some fun to the story.
While I really enjoyed the first part of the book, the last section felt a little too dramatic and unnecessary, taking away from the buildup. That said, I still enjoyed the overall story and the dynamic between Juliana and Ben.
If you like office romance with a bit of tension, second chances, and a dash of spice, this is a solid read. Buchanan’s debut shows a lot of promise, and I’ll be looking forward to more from her in the future.

᪥ Enemies To Lovers
᪥ Office Romance
᪥ Widow/Single Mom
᪥ Close Proximity
᪥ He Falls First
᪥ Banter
᪥ Single POV

ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || LET’S CALL A TRUCE [thank you to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for my #gifted ARC & ALC!]

Title: Let’s Call a Truce
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Star Rating: ★★★★☆
Narrator: Charlotte North
Narration: ★★★★☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
Widowed and rebuilding her life, Juliana Ryan battles her dismissive coworker-turned-nemesis, Ben Thomas, until a career-defining project forces a truce. As fiery arguments evolve into undeniable chemistry, Juliana faces a choice: risk her heart for love again or protect herself from the shadows of Ben’s past.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
I absolutely love a good older MC, second chance at love romance story. As a mom myself, it’s always a treat to see issues and problems that I run into shown in romance novels (needing a babysitter to do anything? Check. Feeling like you’re always behind or doing it wrong? Check).

My only true complaint with this book was the third act breakup. Something about it felt kind of off and weird…but also understandable? I don’t know, I just wish it had come about a different way maybe. But I still loved it!

Can’t wait to see what Amy comes out with next!

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Widowed FMC
Second Chance at Love
Adorable Children
Catch & Keep
Workplace Romance
Enemies-to-Lovers

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 4.00 ⭐️
# of Hours: 10 hours, 45 Minutes
Pub Date: January 14, 2025

I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of Let’s Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan, courtesy of St. Martin's Publishing, in exchange for my honest review.

This book was undeniably cute. At first, I was apprehensive - I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy a story that starts with the main character, Juliana, experiencing a panic attack on her first day of work. Without much context in the book description, I was worried this would dominate the story. However, I was pleasantly surprised as the narrative quickly moved beyond that moment, evolving into something deeper and more engaging.

Enter Ben—Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. Within a matter of paragraphs, he became a character I loved so much to one I couldn't stand. He won me back in the end, but it was a long and winding road there.

While I ultimately enjoyed the story, I often found myself frustrated with Juliana. Her grudge-holding and lack of understanding contrasted sharply with Ben’s endless patience, which left me wishing for more character growth or a positive shift in her perspective by the end. That said, her behaviour was not entirely out of nowhere, given her struggles with grief and moving on from a lost love, as well as navigating dating as a parent of two young children.

The office rivalry and love/hate dynamic reminded me of Lucy Score’s The Hating Game. It was quick, addicting, and full of playful tension. However, Juliana’s lack of empathy toward the end held me back from fully falling in love with the story.

I gave this one 3.5 / 5 stars.

If you’re a fan of lighthearted romantic dramas with a touch of workplace shenanigans, Let’s Call a Truce might be just what you’re looking for. You can grab your copy today!

3.5 stars

I appreciate the opportunity to have read this story in advance! While I enjoyed 'Let's Call a Truce', I didn't love it. The story started off strong with a single working mom, workplace tension and a good slow burn. I was all in for the adversaries to lovers and romance after heartbreak tropes, but I just couldn't like or relate to Juliana past what we had in common as mothers. The 'feud' between her and Ben struck me as incredibly juvenile and not in a fun/lighthearted as I'm sure it was meant to be. I thoroughly enjoyed the relationships that Juliana had with her daughters and her friend group. They were what helped the story be more dynamic. I glossed over the third act break up because I felt it was unrealistic just plain toxic for Ben and his family. Additionally, the book had two very different tones for the first and second parts of the story and I would have preferred a bit more balance in the narrative.

This was a fun, fairly straight-forward enemies to lovers with a healthy dose of workplace romance. What sets it apart is that both leads are dealing with really unique, although not THAT unique (but unique for romance novels) situations with their previous partners. One is a widow with children and the other was walked away from by their ex and mother of their child together. This combination leads to lots of hesitation, some guilt and oh, surprise, surprise, a third act appearance by someone. I’ll let you guess who.

Lots of hot and heavy scenes during the few moments when the leads get over all of their pettiness and hesitation. A fun read.

“These truces are going to be the death of me.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5+ stars
Spicy Meter: 5 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on tough topics like losing a partner, parent abandonment, and mental health struggles. Contains sooo much explicit sexual content.

“Let’s Call a Truce” follows Juliana Ryan, who is rebuilding her life after unexpectedly losing her husband while juggling work, motherhood, and a bitter feud with her arrogant but undeniably charming colleague, Ben Thomas. What starts as mutual disdain softens when they are forced to collaborate on a high-stakes project, sparking an unexpected connection. As their professional rivalry transforms into a passionate romance, Juliana must decide if she’s willing to risk her heart again—especially when Ben’s past jeopardizes their fragile happiness.

2025 is starting strong with this one. A spicy and twisty enemies-to-lovers is exactly what I needed this January. Ben Thomas is the new universal book boyfriend, of that I’m sure. Juliana Ryan is relatable and quick on her feet. There were so many turns in this read that I truly didn’t expect, but absolutely loved (and loved to hate). And let’s not even talk about how spicy it is, I’m blushing after just thinking about it.

If you’re a fan of Sally Thorne’s “The Hating Game”, then this work-place, enemies-to-lovers romance has been literally written for you. “Let’s Call a Truce” will be my new go-to romance recommendation.

ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: January 14, 2025

I had a mixed experience with this book but overall I still think it’s a good read. The first third was tough for me because I struggled with Juliana’s behavior. As a widowed single mom, I expected her to be more mature but her workplace pettiness and constant tallying of arguments with Ben felt unrealistic and exhausting. I get that Ben hurt her feelings but after years of holding onto that resentment, her immaturity was hard to root for.

However, once the story shifted into the middle third I found myself enjoying it much more. I started to understand Juliana and Ben better as characters and their budding romance felt more heartfelt. I also loved how the author explored grief and the complexity of blending two families. The family dynamics—both between Juliana’s and Ben’s daughters and the main characters—were one of the strongest parts of the book. They felt thoughtful and realistic and added so much depth to the story.

The third act breakup was unexpected and dramatic and while it was well-written, the quick resolution didn’t fully land for me. Given Juliana’s hesitance to even be open about their relationship, the way things wrapped up felt a little rushed. That said, I appreciated the care the author put into depicting loss, healing and moving on after losing the love of your life both as a partner and as a parent.

I laughed, I cried and while I struggled to connect with Juliana at first, I did come around to her. If you enjoy books about second chances and older characters navigating realistic challenges, this is worth picking up. It’s a heartfelt story with a lot of emotional depth even if some moments didn’t quite work for me.

3.5 stars. I liked it but didn't love it. Amy has a great voice and I enjoyed reading it but the impact of grief on both Juliana and her daughters felt incomplete. We would see Juliana refer to her grief but never really working through it. Amy created an A+ MMC in Ben...up until the conflict and then it felt, despite everything we've been led to believe about Ben, poof- gone.

I'll absolutely be on the lookout for what Amy does next. Thank you to SMP for the opportunity. All thoughts are my own

I'm not typically an enemies to lovers girl but Amy Buchanan might have turned me. I loved this "grown" romance so much. There’s just something about a FMC that has kids and has experienced life that just hits different and this one was done so well. Juliana and Ben's rivalry kept me laughing in the beginning and their struggles kept me invested the rest of the way. I found myself siding with both sides of the story and Buchanan did a great job of showing both perspectives. I thought this story was multifaceted: thoughtful, had depth, while tackling themes of grief and abandonment. I only had a few minor misses in this story like Ben calling Juliana "baby”. It was making cringe but that's just a personal preference.

Definitely pick this up if you like:

Enemies to lovers
Work place romance
FMC widow with children
Open door
Love of Boston (partial setting)
Found family

Overall this was a 4.5 star (rounded to 5 stars for Goodreads) read for me! Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this early in exchange of an honest review. I can't wait to read whatever Amy Buchanan writes next!

Well this book was an absolute treat! I opened it with the intention of only reading a little bit just to get a feel for it and a few hours later i've finished it! yikes!!

The banter, the angst, the whole rivalry and arguing....i loved it!

if you're looking for fast paced that takes you through all the emotions then this is the book for you

Highly recommend!

Thank you, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley, for my eARC of Let's Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Let's Call a Truce is a second chance romance where we're following Juliana and Ben, coworkers and enemies-to-lovers. The book takes place over the course of a few years when they're forced to work together, sparks fly--until the past threatens to tear them apart again.

I liked the premise of this one -- after all, enemies-to-lovers is my jam!, and I flew threw it. There were just a few things that didn't work for me. I didn't feel the chemistry between these two as much as I'd have liked to. They had good banter, but it felt more than "playful between lovers" to me. It felt it was just written in that they were now into each other.

The breakup and resolve felt like it was phoned in, no matter the character's reasoning, and it didn't make it seem believable.

There were some heavy undertones in the book -- the husband has died, and there are other themes and issues that are brought up throughout the book -- but they're handled well.

Overall, though, if you like second-chance at romance books with some open-door scenes and inclusions of single parents, check this one out!

Thanks, St. Martin's Griffin!

Thank you SMP Romance for my #gifted ARC and thank you Macmillan Audio for my #gifted AL of Let’s Call a Truce! #smpromance #macmillanaudio #MacAudio2024 #LetsCallATruce #AmyBuchanan

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐀 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐦𝐲 𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

This was an absolutely adorable and steamy debut by author Amy Buchanan!

Quick Summary: After her husband dies unexpectedly, Juliana is forced to go back to work to support her children. Her new (attractive) colleague, Ben, feels she is a liability as a single parent, and Juliana sets out to prove him wrong!

Juliana was such an amazing FMC and I loved her from the very start. I thought she was such a strong character to deal with everything she went through and I just loved her and her character. This book had so much humor and the best banter too! The feud between Ben and Juliana was something else, filled with so much tension. Buchanan is an amazing writer and I look forward to reading whatever she writes next!

💕Enemies to Lovers
💕Workplace Romance
💕Second Chances
💕He Falls First
💕Open Door Romance
💕Single Parent
💕Debut Novel

🎧I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Charlotte North. North did such a fabulous job bringing this story to life. I always love listening to books narrated by North, and this was no exception. This one was absolutely perfect on audio and I would highly recommend listening to this one on audio if that option is available to you!

Posted on Goodreads on January 15, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around January 15, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on January 15, 2025
**-will post on designated date

I loved this one so much. I have such a girl crush on Juliana Ryan. She’s an incredible mother and brilliant manager and a kickass friend. She doesn’t stand for anyone’s shit and honestly, she was too good for Ben 😆 that’s the only reason I’m giving it 4.5!!!

Loved this book so much. Thank you for the early access!

🤝Let’s Call a Truce by @amybuchananbooks
⭐️ 4.5/5
🌶️ 3/5

“You deserve to be taken care of sometimes. To get to enjoy what you love without having to take care of everything. I’d like to take care of it for you, if you’ll let me.”

Juliana, a widowed mother of two, has been at odds with her colleague, Ben, for two years after overhearing a hurtful comment about her work ethic and her children. When they are unexpectedly paired together for a company project that could secure Juliana a life-changing promotion, the two are forced to set aside their differences and work together.

This workplace romance strikes the perfect balance of realistic problems, humor, banter, and spice. Amy Buchanan does a brilliant job of addressing sensitive issues, adding emotional depth to both Juliana and Ben. I especially appreciate the unexpected twists that added layers of complexity to their relationship, making their growth even more compelling.

Amy’s debut novel is a hit! I look forward to reading more from her in future 🥰

Tropes
🤝Workplace Romance
🤝Enemies to Lovers
🤝Single parent
🤝Anxiety rep
🤝HEA

TW
🖤Loss of spouse (off page)
🖤Parental abandonment