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!

Let's Call A Truce by Amy Buchanan is a delightful workplace enemies-to-lovers romance that delivers plenty of laughs, spice, and heart. Juliana, a widowed mother of two, is thrust back into the workplace after a period of grief, only to immediately clash with her colleague Ben. The tension between them ignites after Juliana overhears Ben making dismissive comments about her ability to juggle her job and motherhood, setting the stage for two years of hilarious banter, pranks, and simmering animosity.

What makes this book stand out is the chemistry between Juliana and Ben. Their witty back-and-forth is nothing short of entertaining, and their growing attraction, hidden beneath their rivalry, keeps you eagerly turning the pages (or listening in my case). The tension between them builds to a boiling point during a night out, revealing that their mutual dislike masks something much deeper—and much more steamy.

If you're looking for a rom-com that balances laugh-out-loud moments with sizzling chemistry and heartwarming growth, Let's Call A Truce is an absolute must-read.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced copy

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley!

After the death of her husband, Juliana launches herself back into the workforce. While most of her colleagues are understanding and accommodating as she adjusts her home/work balance, one of her coworkers, Ben, thinks she’s in way over her head. They end up paired together on a project after two years of somewhat silent loathing and have to find a way to move on past their rivalry.

Let’s Call a Truce is a stand-alone, workplace romance. The book does contain open-door content. TW/CW: The FMC is a widow so there is a lot of talk about her husband’s death. The author does well portraying both the grief from the point of a widow and the children. Grief and “moving on” are such an individual thing and I had no problem with the pace of the MCs relationship.

What a great debut novel! The author balances what can be a more difficult topic with progression of starting over. The storyline has a good mix of sweet and swoony moments and we see a lot of personal growth from both of the MCs.

Charlotte North does a wonderful job with the solo narration of the audiobook. She always does well keeping the different characters distinct enough and her male voices don't come across as forced.

I listened to Let’s Call a Truce on my morning commutes to work this week, and every day I got a little bummed when I had to turn it off and start interacting with other humans. Thanks to Macmillan Audio, St Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for early access in exchange for my honest opinion.
Fair warning, I shed some tears reading/listening to this one, so I wouldn’t plan to go in expecting a completely light read. Juliana’s husband recently passed away in a sudden accident, and she is left with their two young girls, needing to reenter the workforce after being a stay-at-home-mom. She is anxious, having a rough first day, when she meets her gorgeous coworker - who she then overhears bad mouthing her and her commitment to the job, wrecking her confidence and defining their roles as rivals. After two years working together, things have not improved, but the two are forced to collaborate on an account that includes traveling to Boston together. Her rival is originally from Boston, and I loved how he helped her explore the city.
If you’re a fan of workplace rivals-to-lovers, I definitely recommend Let’s Call a Truce! It comes out Tuesday 1/14.

You know I love a good enemies to
lovers/work romance type of vibe. And this book hit the
mark.


Loss Love
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
₹ Workplace Romance
Single Mom/Single Dad
Banter For Days
And So Much Spice


This is a very emotional, bittersweet, and so real! I love
Juliana's journey. She's learning to balance the loss of her
husband, balancing her work life, kids, being a friend and
possibly finding love.. again! I loved Ben but there was a
moment where I wanted to see him outside. This was a
great listen and 1 really appreciate the opportunity to
review this alc of Let's Call A Truce by
@amybuchananbooks and thank you @netgalley for the
opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

This was a cute workplace romance with some heavy topics and emotions. I felt myself really feeling for the tragic events in both of the main characters’ lives and just rooting for their love story. The narrators were phenomenal! They kept me interested and did a great job with the character voice’s and personalities. Absolutely love it!

Publication: January 14th, 2025

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this story, the characters, and everything in between. Ben and Juliana experience significant growth and change throughout the book, making their journeys compelling. The story felt like a TV show, with realistic characters facing real-world problems.
• Workplace romance
• Single parents
• Plenty of banter
• And so much more

The narrator for the audiobook was fantastic and perfectly suited to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to be able to listen to it early

I love that the MCs are older (in their mid to late thirties) and this is their second chance at love. FMC lost her husband (the love of her life two plus years ago) and her office antagonist is the MMC. I was not expecting that spice - it was great. The twist was not unpredictable but it was irritating
The book is near and dear to my heart as I currently live in Boston and spent five years in Florida. My husband went to school in Gainesville.

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, Forced Proximity, Its Always Been You, Single Dad, Single Mom

Charlotte North did a great job with the narration in this audiobook. She had to voice a number of different characters, and I was able to distinguish them from other characters. Her narration is what led me to finish this book when I wanted to DNF.

This is a story that I should have loved, but it fell short for me. It was not enjoyable, and I didn't root for any of the characters.