I don't know how much more outside of the description listed for this book I can tell you without spoilers. This isn't the type of book where having spoilers would really kill the vibe or experience, but some things are best left unknown to the reader until the main character, Juliana learns about them or experiences them herself.

I listened to the audio version of this book. Charlotte North narrates Let's Call a Truce and does a great job.

Like the description says, Juliana's husband died suddenly and left her as a grieving widow with two grieving children. Her entire purpose has switched to making sure her kids are okay. And well that job just got harder as she has to take on roles that weren't meant to be hers. Most importantly, she needs to provide for their physical needs. And that means she needs this job. So when she overhears a co-worker blasting her on day 1, she feels justifiably irate. Who does this guy think he is? How can he judge her or her life or her kids on day 1 without knowing her or anything about her? She strikes out in a campaign against him.

And well, as the description says, two years later the feud is still going strong. An added complication is that Juliana and Ben share a best friend. The best friend, I can't remember her name, doesn't want to play the middleman. She always indicates that she knows more than Juliana does, and Juliana ought to give Ben a break.

There are "on-page" scenes that are descriptive. It's been a month and a half between listening to this book and writing my review. So I don't remember it all clearly. I've stated frequently that I have a lower spice tolerance than most people. And well some of the scenes made me cringe a little if I remember correctly. However, audiobook versions of these scenes are always harder than paper because skipping ahead is a little more complicated.

In the end, I decided that Let's Call a Truce gets 4 Stars. I enjoyed the relationship build-up and transition from enemies to lovers between Juliana and Ben. Their backstories and the resolution worked really well. Have you read (or listened to) Let's Call a Truce? What did you think? Let me know!

I’m a sucker for workplace romance and this book does not disappoint. There is angst, tension, forced proximity. Juliana is a widow who lost her husband to a tragic accident recently and raising 2 young girls on her own. Ben is that attractive coworker that seems to be popping up everywhere in her life. Is he the creep she originally labeled him as when they met 2 years ago, or is he actually a decent human being? She struggles with her own emotions surrounding her husband’s death and how to move on with a potential love interest.

I enjoyed Juliana’s character and story. Her girls are adorable and it was great having an independent FMC that was over 30. She met her husband young and I loved seeing her journey of finding love again. Juliana was just a little too perfect though if I have any criticisms. Everyone loves her and she just has people flocking to her, her bosses, her coworkers, her friends, and men. I mean good for her!

I listened to the audiobook version of this novel and it was extremely well done. Charlotte North’s performance added to the enjoyment of this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Amy Buchanan, and Macmillon Audio for an advanced listening copy of this book.

This book was so cute and so good!

Juliana Ryan is looking for a new job after her husbands unexpected death, leaving her with two grieving kids and a stunted career from being a stay-at-home mom. She starts work at a new company and she is all excited to dive in, until she overhears her condescending but infuriatingly handsome new colleague, Ben Thomas, talking about how her kids and inexperience are a liability. This sets off a feud between the two. Will the two be able to call a truce and work together or will the man Juliana considers her nemesis, actually understand her life more then anyone?

I absolutely devoured this book. I loved watching the connection between Juliana and Ben grow and them fall in love. Buchanan knows how to pull at your momma heartstrings and had me all in my feels while listening to this book. I loved the connection with the kids and I felt that she did a great job with the character development of each character. I also loved all the side characters! I cannot believe this is a debut book. Oh and that spice, that was a nice unexpected surprise! I cannot wait to see what else Amy Buchanan writes!

I loved the narrator Charlotte North and that that she did a great job with both the female and the male voices.

Read if you like:
-Workplace romance
-Enemies to lovers
-Cinnamon roll MMC
-Single parents

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the #gifted copy.

Okay enemies to lovers in the workplace and I am here for it.

This one is a little different from the norm as we have grief from a dead spouse and kids involved. BUT it was done well. I do fell like for a book it was a little heavy on the grief but I don't have a spouse who passed so who is to say too much?? Anyway I would have a loved a dual POV on this one as I think it would have taken down grief to a more manageable amount for the reader.

UGH. But when Ben's ex-wife decides to come back and uses the kid as an excuse. gross. I wish this part didn't happen.

Overall I enjoyed this one.

annnnnnnnd Henry Cavill as the lead? Yes? Okay. Sold.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Juliana is a stay at home mom of two children when her husband suddenly passes away. Newly widowed and re-entering the work force for the first time in a while, she is balancing all of her new routines while also dealing with her coworker Ben. She overhears him saying something hurtful and that’s where their feud begins. They’re paired together for a huge work project, can they find a way to get along?

This book was such a surprise! I expected another entertaining romance but this was so much more. It was touching, emotional, and laugh out loud funny at some parts. The character depth was great and the topics of motherhood that were touched on were so relevant in today’s society. I did feel like it was very long in certain areas but overall I really really enjoyed this one!

Charlotte North did a wonderful job narrating this story. I was engaged immediately and loved her portrayal of the characters.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Amy Buchanan, and Macmillan Audio for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review. This publishes on January 14th!

I had a really hard time buying into the relationship between the MMC and FMC. It is almost like the author took two different plots of books they were writing and smashed it together. It made NO SENSE for Ben to accuse Juliana of not being a hard worker and dropping the meeting for her kids…when he himself is a single father. Also some of the dialogue made me wonder if they were actual parents in their late 30’s or if they were in the early 20’s.

Romance tropes:
-Enemies to lovers
-Forced proximity
-second chance love after loss
-Miscommunication/Lack of communication

Thank you to St. Martin Griffin and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What more to say other than - workplace romance + enemies to lovers + single dad trope + ex-related jealousy? It's like a sandwich made up of all the romance tropes I love the most. This was so fun, substantial enough to keep me engaged, but frothy enough to be entertaining and light! Very much a little dessert of a book. I strongly recommend for fans of any of the tropes listed above! I especially recommend this one on audio, where the narration was so well done and well-suited to the characters and nature of the story.

2.5 stars

I think this book isn't bad and it is quite well written. Even though I personally didn't love it, I did still feel things from it which I think was a feat. The plot just didn't fit right in my head for quite a few reasons. 1-She works in HR but is clearly ok with a hostile work environment between her and the MMC. 2-She works in HR and is a single parents but never once worried about losing her job for the things they were doing. Not for the bad blood, not for banging IN THE WORKPLACE, not for secretly dating a colleague (even if it isn't against the rules, it is definitely frowned upon for an HR person to do). And the 3rd act breakup felt like such a copout and the way they got back together was rushed and cheap in my opinion. He needed to GROVEL for that screw up. For weeks he should have been groveling! Girl, have more respect for yourself after what he did and you get back together like 12 hours after you said no?

Regarding the audiobook, the narrator is great, don't get me wrong, but I found her male voice to be flat and monotone and a bit creepy at times. I enjoyed the MMC much more in writing than in the audio solely because of the voice.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC and ALC!

This was an easy five star for me! And it’s the author’s debut! This story had me hooked from the very beginning, when we meet Juliana, a widowed mom to two girls. She starts a new job and almost immediately finds herself at odds with her hot coworker, Ben. Two years go by, and their rivalry carries on. But there is clearly an attraction between them that brings with it a lot of fun tension.
I really enjoyed the pace, the writing, the friendships between the characters, the drama, angst, humor, and especially the chemistry between Juliana and Ben. I’m looking forward to the next one by Amy!

Charlotte North narrates the audiobook - I always love listening to her. She did a great job capturing all of the emotions!

Read/Listen if you like ⇣
•Workplace romance
•Single parent
•Enemies to lovers
•Forced proximity
•Single POV
•Spice

Thank you so much Macmillan Audio for the ALC, and St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Let’s Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan
Contemporary romance. Diverse. Enemies to lovers.
Widow Juliana Ryan needs to support her two girls and pay bills so after nine months, starts to look for a job. She hasn’t worked since having the girls so her experience isn’t current but she’s lucky enough to be hired in the Human Resources department by her prior boss.
Ben Thomas gets off on the wrong foot with Juliana when she hears him complaining about her lack of recent experience and her children’s needs. Their feud rages on still two years later when they are put together on a project. Their bickering has changed over the years to include a little flirting. As they work on the project they find their home lives also mixing. Turns out their children are similar in ages and they go to the same school. They declare a truce which turns into more. Juliana is ready to love again. Is Ben?

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook. The narration is performed by Charlotte North who does an excellent job between the two main characters. The emotions including anger, remorse, angst, and lust come through clearly. I did speed up the playback to 1.5 which more closely matches a standard Midwest conversation.
I liked the audiobook more than the ebook in this case because it kept me listening. If I only had the ebook, after the second breakup, I probably would have either skipped ahead to the end of the book, or simply stopped reading at that point.
I liked Ben for his priorities and his not willing to give up.
Too much angst for me with the arguments, banter a touch too mean for me, and a second on again off again yo-yo.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio

Let's call a truce is a romance novel about Juliana Ryan who lost her husband in a car accident years before and is now raising her two daughters alone. When she starts a new job she clumsily runs into the very handsome Ben. When Juliana over hears Ben making comments about her being unable to handle the pressure of corporate life while raising her daughters, their feud begins. This is a true enemies to lovers story, emphasis on the enemies. Over the next two years they bicker constantly at work all the while having a mutual attraction but never acting on it.
This book had highs and lows for me. The first half was mostly about their rivalry and a lot about their jobs. I know way too much about corporate HR now. Around 50% the story started to pick up and I started enjoying the book a lot more. I loved their children in the story and all of the side characters. Juliana was a frustrating character for me throughout the book. The "will she, won't she" took way too long in my opinion. Just when you thought she would give in and give Ben a chance, she pulled away. This started to get very annoying and I almost DNF the book. The second half was much better.
I listened to this on audio and the narration was great.

I was provided an ALC and ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own. I thought the narrator did a great job narrating both leads. Typically you see books like this in dual POV format with two narrators, but Charlotte North does a good job voicing both characters

This follows Juliana, a single mom who is returning to work after the sudden death of her beloved husband. She decided to stay home and raise their two daughters after having a successful career in human resources. Fortunately her mentor hired after a hiatus, knowing that she could work her way back up the ranks. Parenting with two working parents is hard enough, but Juliana and her daughters are still grieving, and Juliana struggles with the transition from stay at home mom to working mom. The guilt of not being able to to juggle everything and be as on top of things as you want for both work and your kids is very real, and I thought the author did a good job capturing that. She also captured the disdain you get from colleagues when you need to leave early or take time off for your family, even if you are stellar at your job and complete all of your tasks. One of those colleagues Juliana faces off with is Ben. They don't know each other well, but they immediately get off to a bad start on her first day, and despite an attraction between them they are determined to snark at each other. When a project comes across their desks forcing them to work together, they call a truce. Their truce expands when their daughters become best friends at school, and they are forced to let some of their frosty feelings thaw as they get to know each other better.

It took me quite a while to warm up to Juliana. Her disdain for Ben was a bit over the top, to the point she was pushing away some of her best friends. Fortunately, she eventually figures things out and lets her guard down a bit. I appreciated that she had a good support network and her friends made for some great side characters. Ben was a bit grumpy at first but he redeems himself with his patience and kindness as we get to know him.

I personally did not enjoy the third act break up. Ben was working so hard to get Juliana to trust him and let him into her life and heart, then that happens. I won't spoil it, and I guess I can see why once their mutual bestie Asia explains it, but I feel like it could have been handled differently. I also guess I should have expected something like that to happen based on how many times Juliana mentions not wanting to let someone in and be hurt again.

Overall, this was a cute enemies to lovers romance. I enjoyed that both main characters were single parents and how much both of them loved all of the kids.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book because it a great portrayal of characters that aren’t normally featured in contemporary romance novels- single parents, over the age of 35, complicated pasts; all voices of characters that deserve to be heard.

The kids were such fun characters that added a lot rather than took away from the story

Ben is a true gem, he may make mistakes but his character shows emotional maturity and consideration we should all strive to find in a partner and emulate in a relationship.

I loved the line about “every argument- should be us against the problem, not us against each other.” It’s so true, yet so difficult in the moment.

The workplace romance and enemies to lovers tropes were good. I did not enjoy what happened when the ex came back in the picture, though it made for a good twist and made this not entirely predictable like a lot of romances. Thank you to MacMillan audio for a copy in exchange for my review!

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up
While there were aspects of this book that I appreciated, my overall experience was not great.
The constant indecision was tiresome, and I found myself struggling with wanting to finish the book. The dialogue and "battle log" struck me as immature. The plot twist involving the mother's return was equally unconvincing, as it seemed unrealistic to allow a neglectful parent to reenter the child's life so easily.
Ultimately, this book failed to resonate with me, although I acknowledge that fans of this particular trope may find it enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Release date 1/22/25

What a read! Still processing the personal feelings this brought up for me, but I devoured this! The audio was fabulous and the narrator was amazing and really fit the vibe and feel of this book. The back and forth banter was so good and I loved how the book started and then jumped forward two years to give time for healing after the loss of a spouse. Their relationship journey was fun to follow. The involvement of their children was very well done as well. The spicy scenes were oh my goodness....so hot!

FULL REVIEW
This book was just beyond good, and it’s a debut, and I have no many things I want to say about it! This book perfectly balances swoon-worthy enemies-to-lovers banter with deeply emotional moments. Juliana’s resilience as a single mom rebuilding her life and guiding her two daughter through the grief of losing their father was inspiring. My personal single mom journey is more in line with what Ben goes through as a single parent, and it brought up a lot of feelings for me personally as I read. The way Juliana stands up for and protects his daughter just like she would her own had me wanting to yell, sing it sister! Seeing both Juliana and Ben navigate their shared struggles, while finding healing and love together made their journey feel real and unforgettable. Amy Buchanan was able to perfectly blend humor, heart, heat (that office scene 🫠) and healing into this beautiful story and it’s her DEBUT! I will be getting a trophy copy and I will be anxiously waiting for whatever she writes next!

Charlotte North narrates this beautifully. It is single first person POV, with some great inner dialogue and I was totally pulled in by her performance!

Normally I’m not one for a workplace romance, but this kept me hooked for the entirety of the book. The main FMC is relatable for me and has a strong personality. I really like how grief was explored. It really gave me a new perspective on how those that have lost a loved one censor themselves to reduce awkwardness for others. The spice in this book is chef’s kiss. Not an exuberant amount of scenes and the ones that take place are very well written!

Truthfully, I wanted to give this book five stars, but the lack of awareness the FMC had towards the MMC when it came to his personal life was just a little disappointing and unbelievable given her character. It was probably just me. I just had a hard time believing she was completely unaware of aspects of the MMCs life when they both work at the same company. Even if he didn’t tell her, people talk. It was all explained and I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would recommend to any romance reader!

Let's Call a Truce is an emotionally intense romance that will make you laugh, and cry, on multiple occasions. This story is told from a single point of view from the female MC, which also gives this story an element of women's fiction, and supports the in depth growth of the characters as well as the elements of surprise and angst. I absolutely loved the two main characters and their enemies to lovers romance. The enemies portion is absolutely hilarious, and chosen by the characters. The inclusiveness of children in this story is incredible and relatable. The sexy scenes are sexy! And the supporting characters are dynamic and intriguing.

This is truly a second chance romance, with both the characters coming into the relationship with history that presented challenges. These elements can be hard for some, so a trigger warning for death, loss, and abandonment are necessary. But these elements give this story depth and make it feel real, pulling the reader into the story with an investment that won't wane. Also, the author does a wonderful job handling these topics with genuine compassion and understanding, so it is very well done, and very much worth the read.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story, which was well done by a single narrator. I listened at 1.75x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75).

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced listening copy.

Let’s Call a Truce is a sweet and meaningful story about finding happiness, love and a chosen family after unimaginable loss.

After the sudden loss of her husband, Juliana is tackling taking care of her two daughters, while diving back into the workforce. On top of all of that she is forced to deal with her brooding, self-righteous (and of course, unbelievably handsome) colleague Ben, on the daily! I think we see where this is going and yes, they meet every expectation you could possibly have for the slow-burn, workplace, enemies to lovers romance of your dreams.

The banter and fun between these two feuding colleagues had me GIDDY and the tension was EVERYTHING! But the substance and sweetness of their love story really begins and centres around their daughters; who manage to kick this connection into high gear between their two single parents.

Together, Juliana and Ben navigate through the trials of single parenthood, growth in their careers as well as finding the way to trust themselves and each other enough to move forward after loss.

There is so much to love about this book and I think it will be a favourite in 2025 for many of us! Congratulations to Amy Buchanan on a stunning debut novel, you have earned yourself a fan - I absolutely cannot wait to read whatever you come up with next!

I absolutely adored this book. Juliane is so relatable as a working mom that it was easy to understand her struggles. And Ben’s character development was chefs kiss.
This is easily one of my top books for 2025 already and we’re just getting started!