Unfortunately this book just could not capture my attention. “Rivals to Lovers” with two writers fighting it out for the same goal made me think we’d get a spicy steamy enemies to lovers however the story and character development fell flat for me. The story just dragged for me and the characters didn’t the type of chemistry that keeps you wanting more. For those who may like a more simple romance this may be for you but for me unfortunately it just wasn’t enough

I had high hopes for "Rivals to Lovers", but unfortunately, this book left me feeling more frustrated than entertained. The premise was promising—two writers battling for the chance to adapt a beloved classic, with the tension of professional rivalry brewing into romance. However, the execution fell flat for me.

From the start, I struggled to connect with the characters. Mo and Wes had their moments of witty banter, but the way they met felt odd, and the chemistry never fully clicked for me. Their back-and-forth occasionally sparkled, but at other times, the dialogue felt out of place, breaking the immersion rather than drawing me in. I expected a strong, fiery rivals-to-lovers dynamic, but instead, the rivalry fizzled out too soon. By the time they got together, there was still 70% of the book left, making the rest feel like a meandering exploration of their struggles with communication rather than a compelling romance.

Another major issue was the pacing. The book dragged in several places, particularly at the beginning. I found myself skimming sections, hoping for the excitement to pick up. The third-person narration also created a sense of detachment, making it difficult to feel deeply invested in the characters’ emotions.

As for the romance itself, it leaned more towards a quiet, reflective dynamic rather than the passionate, high-stakes tension I had hoped for. Even the steamier moments lacked impact, falling somewhere between closed-door and overly stylized prose that failed to deliver the expected heat.

Ultimately, "Rivals to Lovers" wasn’t for me. It lacked the fiery intensity and sharp conflict I crave in a good rivals-to-lovers romance, instead offering a slower, more subdued story that didn’t hold my attention. While it might appeal to readers who enjoy bookish protagonists and a gentler, introspective romance, I was left disappointed and underwhelmed. That's why I'm giving it 1 ⭐.

Perfect mix of sass, sparks, and swoon-worthy moments. From the very first page, the tension crackles between the main characters, and watching their rivalry slowly shift into something deeper was pure chef’s kiss perfection.

The banter? Top-tier. The chemistry? Off the charts. And the little moments where their walls start to crack? Absolute gold. Wayland does an amazing job balancing the push-and-pull of enemies-to-lovers with heartfelt, laugh-out-loud moments that make this book impossible to put down.

If you love witty comebacks, undeniable attraction, and a romance that makes your heart race and melt at the same time, Rivals to Lovers is your next must-read. Trust me—you’ll be rooting for these two from start to finish!

This was such a cute read! I loved the vibe and the feeling of love I got while I was reading. I'm not usually one for a true "love" story but man oh man I loved this one! This is the kind of book that makes you want to dive deep into the romance genre and lose yourself for DAYS!

This was a cute and entertaining read with a solid rivals-to-lovers dynamic. While the romance developed a bit quickly, the banter was sharp, and the “only one can come out on top” premise added great tension. The FMC stood out as a strong lead, and the dual POV made the story feel well-rounded.

The writing was fun and witty, though some moments felt slow or underdeveloped. I also wished the rivalry had lasted longer before turning romantic. The queer-normative world was refreshing, but frequent real-world references pulled me out of the story at times.

Overall, a cozy and enjoyable read with great chemistry, even if it didn’t fully hook me. Solid 3.5⭐️—thanks to NetGalley and Elise Wayland for the early copy!

This was an ARC from NetGalley. Overall, I just couldn't get invested in this book. The characters were one dimensional and didn't make me riot for their love story. The will they won't they barely got going before the characters connected. Which felt flat since there was very little build up. You spend the second half of the book exploring a misunderstanding that felt very low stakes and sort of silly. Everything felt very surface level. I did enjoy the multiple Iowa/Des Moines references, and the final few pages were probably the best and wrapped the story up nicely. #netgalley #rivalstolovers #romance

A sharp, swoon-worthy rivals-to-lovers romance, this book delivers sizzling chemistry, witty banter, and high-stakes literary drama. Mo and Wes are rival writers competing to adapt their favorite classic novel, but as tensions rise, so does their undeniable attraction. With a perfect mix of passion, humor, and heart, this is a must-read! I enjoyed this read!

Enemies to lovers is one of my favourite tropes and this delivered!

Such a cute easy to read rom com!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This was such a cute, fun, and easy read! I really enjoyed it and breezed through the story. I’m always a sucker for rivals-to-lovers romances, and this one kept me completely invested. I especially loved Mo!

The only thing I struggled with at times was the third-person writing. I personally prefer first-person, but that’s just a preference—it didn’t take away from how enjoyable the book was.

If you love romance and the rivals-to-lovers trope, you need to read this!

4/5

This was a super cute and fun romance!

I think it delivers on the rivals-to-lovers trope, as is the title, as the professional rivalry between their respective novels is at the center of the plot. I wouldn't necessarily call this book an enemies-to-lovers, since it's at most one-sided dislike to lovers.

The writing of the book felt very fun and witty without going overboard, and I loved the banter between the two MCs! I liked the MCs, though I liked the FMC more, and I liked the dual-POV chapters as I felt like it made the story feel more well-rounded and interesting. The plot was interesting and I felt as though the side characters involved in the plot were super interesting and fun. The world felt queer normative too, which was nice to see. One thing that I didn't love just as a personal preference was that there were mentions to super recent, IRL things (Bluesky, Chappell Roan, etc) which for me actually remove me from the story world in any book that does that. That didn't impact my rating, however, since that's just a preference though.

There were parts of the story that I felt could've been moved along faster or expanded on more to make them more interesting, and the lover relationship did develop quite quickly. But all in all, this was a very cozy and funny romance!

Really enjoyed this read, definitely a solid 3.5 ⭐️’s for this read! It had me giggling and kicking my feet, it’s full of wit, has a strong female main character which I LOVEEEE, and has such TENSION you’re at the edge of your seat practically of what’s going to happen. I loved the “only one can come out on top” concept, that they’re working towards the same goal. It really had me excited throughout on how the ending was going to play out, and the ending definitely didn’t disappoint me at all! I really do wish we had more of a rivaling concept for a bit longer, because they were already lovers about 60-70% of the book. I do love their chemistry and time together so i won’t complain too much about it hahah, but seriously this was such a GOOD read. Thank you NetGalley and Elise Wayland (the author) for giving me early access to this cute read in exchange for my review!

I’m a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope, so I was excited to dive into this book. While I appreciated the representation of the LGBTQIA community, I found myself struggling to stay invested at times. The story felt a bit dry, and I had trouble connecting with the characters' charisma—they just didn’t click for me. Despite the intriguing premise, something about the characters' dynamic felt off, which made it hard to fully immerse myself in the romance. Overall, I enjoyed the themes but wished the characters had more depth and chemistry.

Rivals to Lovers by Elise Wayland is a super cute rivals to lovers rom-com!

Maureen "Mo" and Wes have both written adaptations of their all-time favorite book -- the 1929 classic The Proud And The Lost -- the two of them are invited to the estate of the late author's daughter to read excerpts and compete to be the chosen adaptation. There's some shenanigans that happen along the way that will have you laughing and swooning.

The witty banter and not-so-slow-burn romance was incredible. I had so much fun with our cheese obsessed Mo - she's a hoot and kept Wes on (and off) his toes. The pacing was steady and I never felt bored with this story.

I highly recommend this book to book lovers who enjoy witty banter and rivals to lovers. Thank you so much to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I hope to read more from the author.

what a cute romance!! this was a quick break between some heavy fantasy reads and i loved seeing the dynamic between wes and estelle. i do wish their romance had been a bit slower though, the quick transition from rivals-lovers felt a bit inauthentic to me.

aside from this, cute short and sweet, and made me miss my home in NY little bit more than usual.

This book was cute but felt forced and full of rom-com cliches, including misunderstandings, chance encounters, and a last-minute grand gesture. Neither of the main characters had much depth, but I did love Estelle - the daughter of the famous author of "The Proud and the Lost." She had a lot of depth and was the best character in the book. I also really enjoyed Mo's dad who only briefly appeared but had a meaningful exchange with Wes outside the tent at the end. This is a perfectly adequate romance with a happy ending.

This was a cute read but it felt a little slow to me in the first half. But the ending was worth it. Perfectly tied up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a super cute romance. I think their banter and developing chemistry were so much fun to read. I think they felt so real to me and I was rooting for them to get together. I loved it so much

Another book I DNF so early on. I couldn’t with these two. I didn’t believe the rivalry factor (there was barely any tension when they met?). And I could not make myself like Wes. He just seemed like a spoiled little rich kid. That’s a steep hill of character redemption to climb.
This one wasn’t for me, but maybe it’ll be perfect for someone else!

This was an interesting story, I’ve read another rival writers to lovers (fae) story so I was super excited to read this one. This one is a contemporary romance, so no magical elements, but still a fun read!

This was a really nice book to break up some of my longer reads. There's still the death which I was really interested in hearing more about. I enjoyed Maureen's and Wes's relationship. The writing flowed and it was a quick read. There weren't many mistakes either in the writing.
Again this was just a break book inbetween longer reads.

Thank you to the publisher and author for sending me this copy.