3.5 ⭐️ | Behind Frenemy Lines was such a cute & resonating read. I loved the diversity of the characters & they were very easy to love. With underlying tropes of fake dating and frenemies to lovers, it was an overall enjoyable read.

Kriya & Charles are forced to share an office when she embarks on a new career journey & of course, Charles is her work nemesis. In true fate fashion, they slowly blossom a wonderful friendship that leads to more!

It was great to read about characters with such diverse backgrounds. In addition to ethnicity, Kriya is a lawyer and navigating her way through a male dominated workplace & its challenges. I enjoyed the performance in the audiobook & the dual narration, both narrators brought good energy to the characters. Recommend for fans of slow burn work romance stories with satisfying endings & the tropes listed above. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own.

🎧 Title: Behind Frenemy Lines-a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Zen Cho- I read The Friend Zone Experiment and gave it 3.5 ⭐

📅Publication date: 7-1-25 | Read: 6-28-25

🗣️Narrator: Daniel York Loh and Vera Chok voice all the characters with standouts from Kriya, Charles, and Arthur. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrators worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrators paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️Run Time: 8:46

Genre:
*AAPI Interests
*Adult/Women's Fic
*Contemporary Romance

Tropes:
*enemies to lovers
*family drama
*workplace romance
*fake dating
*forced proximity
*slow burn
*a wedding/LGBTQIA+ rep
*plus sized h

👆🏾POV: 1st person dual

⚠️TW: racism, sexual harassment, fatphobia, homophobia, h cheated on, toxic parents


🌎 Setting: London

Summary: Kriya starts a new job at a law firm with Charles, and they share an office together. She isn't that excited because Charles has proven he's not the friendliest. When Kriya's boss makes unwanted advances towards her, she creates a fake boyfriend to make him stop. Charles finds out he is the fake boyfriend and asks her to go to his cousin's wedding. His family thinks he's gay because he lives with Loretta (his lesbian cousin), and he hasn't dated in six years. Kriya just ended a 13-year relationship six months ago and is still licking her wounds. They spend more time together and discover they actually like each other. Charles takes his time but eventually Kriya warms to him. Office and government politics interfere and soon Kriya and Charles go in different directions.


👩🏾 Heroine: Kriya Rajasekar-a lawyer, new to the firm-S. Watkins

👨🏾 Hero: Charles Goh- a lawyer, worked several years @ the firm S. Watkins

🎭 Other Characters:

* Arthur-Kriya's boss
* Loretta + Hailey-Charles's cousin and her wife-just got married
* Tom + Alexis-Kriya's ex and his new gf-both guests at Loretta's wedding
* Shaw Bowie-Malaysian Prime Minister fixer/corrupt
* Helen Daley-reporter / government corruption in Malaysia (side character from TFZE)
* Ket Hau-makes an appearance from TFZE about an interview w/ Helen

🤔 My Thoughts: I enjoyed this a little more than TFZE because the romance was more developed. Kriya and Charles were in close proximity, so they worked on projects together and met each other's families. The DEI and sexual harassment issues were impactful given the current climate, and they were handled expertly. I disliked the judgmental aunties and Charles's father but felt Kriya and Charles's respect for them. Kriya put her trust in Charles, and I hope they enjoy Hong Kong!

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 3/5 🌶️ open door

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Zen Cho for this ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

Kriya is a lawyer. She has had a few bad run-ins with Charles over the years. Then she switches firms with her boss and ends up sharing an office with him.

Her boss comes onto her and she lies and says she is in a relationship. Her boss thinks that Charles is the guy she is in a relationship. Charles needs a date for his cousin’s wedding.

Their romance is quirky. Charles is a really awkward guy. They didn’t discuss what was going on between them and then the shit hits the fan. Several things happen that end up pulling them apart.

I enjoyed this story. It was cute.

Finished 6/25/2025

Closed door but some sexual language.
Rep for Chinese MMC, Curvy Indian Malaysian FMC and queer side characters. Lots of rich cultural references thruout the story. Loved everything about the wedding part! They were very sweet to each other and loved when they were each starting to feel feelings about each other. I wouldnt say they were "enemies" but more like disliked based on miscommunication. I eventually liked their relationship trajectory but it was kind of too slow burn for me. Overall, I liked the story but I got bored at many points. It wasn't a listen that made me want to go nonstop.

Shout out to Milo and Ouran High School Host Club references.
Small interconnection to The Friend Zone Experiment MMC Ket Yap.
First time author for me!

Audiobook narrators: Daniel York Loh, Vera Chok
Dual POV, First Person
Tropes: Workplace, Forced Proximity, Fake Dating, Dislike-to-Love
Notable Microtropes: Fake first kiss to hide from her ex
Spice: 0/5

Listened at 1.5x speed.
First time listening to both of these narrators. Thankful for asian rep for narrators. Liked Vera a lot, super expressive! Daniel was great for the MMC but didnt really have a range of voices other than the mom's voice.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing an ALC.

The premise of this story had me so intrigued but unfortunately the writing style didn’t work for me. The MMC has a habit of speaking in fragments which made his chapters feel very disjointed and broke up my reading flow. He will leave off the first word of his sentences for some reason.

Here's an example: "Throat felt tight. Felt like I'd been running all my life and looked up to find myself in the same bloody place. No progress, no possibility of change. Just me doing the same thing over and over again, hoping for a different outcome each time. Feeling was familiar. Get it whenever I have to deal with Ba"

The characters themselves are interesting and it seems like this book is going to talk about some important topics but the writing style was really not for me so I had to put it down. If you're looking for an enemies to lovers, workplace romance this could be the one for you!

The narrators were lovely and actually kept me engaged even when the text was losing me. I loved the British accents of both narrators and I would definitely recommend the audiobook if you are picking up this book.

Enemies to lovers
Close proximity
Workplace romance
Slow burn
Multicultural (Asian MMC/Indian MFC)

Audio review:
Narrated by: Daniel York Loh and Vera Chok
The narrators did a good job capturing the personalities of their respective characters. Charles was a little awkward and Kriya was a bit of an over thinker.




Main characters
Charles Goh
Kriya Rajasekar

A cute story. Low angst and a slow burn between two workaholics. Their first meeting was brief but left a less than pleasant impression. When they meet again 13 years later, the same feelings emerge also they now share a workspace.
I loved the characters. Charles was a little awkward and shy. He takes care of his family.The cousin and aunties were fun.
Kriya worked hard, had a big heart. She was probably too nice. She gave him too much credit.


Kriya had a great friend group. The were fun and supportive.


Overall an easy fun read.

Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho, releasing July 1st, is a workplace rom-com with enemies-to-lovers vibes, cultural nuance, and a touch of political intrigue. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC.

Thirteen years ago, Kriya literally ran into Charles. Now, fate throws them back together at the same law firm—sharing an office, no less. While not true enemies, Kriya sees Charles as her walking bad luck charm, someone whose presence always seems to spell chaos. Forced into close proximity, their dynamic shifts from wary colleagues to something more complicated—and possibly more romantic.

I loved the slow-burn chemistry and witty banter between the leads. The romance felt natural and sweet, even amid misunderstandings and missed signals (though I did grow a little weary of the constant assumptions rather than real conversations).

As someone unfamiliar with Southeast Asian cultures, I appreciated how Zen Cho weaved cultural identity and family dynamics into the story. Charles is from Hong Kong, and Kriya is Indian-Malaysian, and their backgrounds shape both their personal views and the conflicts they face. The inclusion of regional politics adds depth but occasionally pulled me away from the heart of the romance.

Overall, Behind Frenemy Lines is a charming, thought-provoking read. If you love workplace romances, mutual pining, forced proximity, or stories that explore cultural identity alongside humor and heart, this one belongs on your TBR.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillian audio for providing me with an ALC!

Behind Frenemy Lines is a fun and refreshing romcom with diverse cultural representation. Kriya was a well fleshed out and enjoyable FMC to follow. Always very grateful for more fat representation in fiction! I found the overall arc of this story to be well paced without feeling hollow and the characters were all interesting and felt complete. I do think "Frenemy" is a strong word for their initial relationship, which was really just based on a miscommunication. I also found myself a little jarred by Charles' staccato mental dialogue. I think it worked in relation to his characterized personality, but I don't prefer that style as a reader/listener. Whether or not this affects your enjoyment will certainly be based on personal preference.

In terms of the narrators, I very much enjoyed the performances of Daniel York Loh and Vera Chok. I really enjoy how much diversity and representation there is featured throughout the entire package of this novel: from the cultural discussions in the novel itself, to the diverse narrators chosen for the audiobook.

I enjoyed my time with this novel and look forward to reading (or listening to) more of Zen Cho's works in the future!

Behind Frenemy Lines is a “breath of fresh air” rom-com; fast-paced, no dragged-out drama, and refreshingly low on angst. From the very first chapter, Zen Cho gets right into the meat and potatoes of the story without sacrificing any emotional depth or leaving the characters underdeveloped.

The “frenemies” setup is more of a delightful case of miscommunication than actual conflict, which I loved because it meant we got way more time soaking in the chemistry instead of sitting in unnecessary angst. Instead of spending too much time untangling hurt feelings, the book gives us exactly what we came for: two people satisfyingly falling for each other.

If you love romance that prioritizes connection, banter, and heart over drawn-out drama, or if you’re craving a romance that doesn’t stress you out, this is one you won’t want to miss. I adored every minute of it.

I really liked this audiobook. The two narrators were fantastic at voicing all the characters many of whom were from different cultural traditions.
This book wrestles with some pretty serious issues, including workplace sexual harassment, racial/ethnic discrimination and government corruption so it wasn't an easy listen from that perspective. But I really liked both MCs and their circle of friends/family, some of which were supportive and others very difficult. I think the thing I appreciated the most was the depth and sensitivity of how the author dealt with the competing responsibilities these characters felt over their careers, their families and mostly putting themselves and their personal needs last in their lives. It was poignant to the extreme.
I will highly recommend this audiobook!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

Surprisingly political and feminist forward. The romance was light, not exactly the level of tension I’d expect when “frenemy” is in the title, and fade to black is not my fav. All that said, the plot kept me completely engaged. Lots of multi culture rep, Asian family expectations, and funny side characters. Both narrators did a great job bringing these characters to life.

Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan audio for the ARC!

Kriya is fun I loved her personality a lot. She’s one of those characters that’s grows from the beginning to the end tremendously. She’s starts out really kind of passive and really seems to try to just keep the peace even when she’s been done wrong but she develops her backbone through the book and by the end she’s standing up for herself and taking chances.

Charles is pretty shy and awkward and that was frustrating through a lot of the book. I think it was supposed to be cute that he’s kind of an odd bird and not really sure how to interact people but it made me crazy because he reminded me of ex husband and I just couldn’t find it charming.

There wasn’t much romance to the story it was like they were strangers throughout most of the book even though they were working in the same office, staying in the same place, and even sleeping together. The chemistry just got lost in the lack of communication. I wanted to absolutely love this book it had so much potential but it fell a bit short.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book dual narrated by Daniel York Loh and Vera Chok. I enjoyed the narration they did and excellent job of bringing the story to life.

DNF at 32% - I was Boring, had to start chapter over 3 times and the only thing I remember is she is a lawyer and he boss is gross.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillian audio for the ability to listen and review this book! I truly enjoyed this book and the narrating was fantastic! This was a fast listen and kept me entertained throughout the book. There were parts that were alittle dry which is why I can’t give it a full 5 starts BUT it really was cute and had some great romance parts. There were parts I was laughing out loud and others I was angry for the FMC and how she was being treated. I LOVED the multicultural aspects of this book and learning things about other cultures, you may not have known before. I truly enjoyed this book and want to listen and read even more from this author!!

Audio review: I really liked both narrators! They fit their characters SO well, and really brought the story to the next level. I recognized Daniel York Loh's voice immediately from another audiobook, and I think his narration style really works well for Charles as a character, Vera Chok was new to me, but I'd say the the same for her with Kriya! Great quality production.

Book review: I love a workplace romance, slow burn, fake dating, and I really loved that both MCs were lawyers, and the diversity of the characters in this book! It's a quick and sweet read. Charles is the awkward one, but it was cute to see him fall for Kriya, who I really liked! The discourse around Kriya's experience with sexual harassment at work was so relatable and well done.

I would have liked more chemistry between the MCs - they had the right moments and experiences, but I just didn't feel enough growing between them. While I usually love dual POV, Charles' POV narration style did not work for me. The lack of personal pronouns at the beginning of most sentences and their clipped nature threw me off every time.

Super well written and fun story! Really good chemistry between the main characters, excellent BIPOC representation and just a really cute workplace romance listen. GREAT narrators!

💡 First thoughts: This was such a sweet and fun read. I really enjoyed the glimpse into Asian American culture and how it impacts relationships. Perfect for summer reading and for the 30+ person who enjoys missed connection romance.
📝 Plot: The way the plot unfolded was not your typical enemies-to-lovers trope, and the title suits this book perfectly. The plot was engaging and moved at pace that kept me listening.
💘 Characters: the chemistry between the main characters was a lot of fun. I was invested in the development and happiness of both characters with every chapter I finished. Both characters are having their own private struggles that actually bring them together. The tension was natural and there were several parts that reminded me of myself as a mature woman - so relatable.
🌶 Spice: Low. Its giving new adult romance vibes but I'm here for it!
🎧 Narration: Dual narrators. The voice acting was pretty good with minor hiccups; there were a few parts where the female narrator mixed up the dialects (I was about 50% through the book) but this was at a major function/event in the story when several characters are introduced, so it was hard to keep up a bit. Also, the way the male character spoke was hard to follow because of how "choppy" his speech patterns were, but perhaps it was meant to showcase his personality more...or is it a typical speech pattern? I couldn't tell.
🌟 Rating: 4 stars. I would definitely continue reading books by this author. It was fun and lighthearted but also witty and reflective .

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook! Zen Cho writes such a good rivals to lovers story full of realistic complicated family and work dynamics. He falls first and so hard! Our fmc is a smart and driven young woman who has moved to London to pursue her career in law. The mmc is a classic strait-laced introvert who also practices law at a rival law firm. As time and their careers progress, they find themselves working together and discover that the underpinnings of their rivalry might not be all that they seem. The line between love and hate can be very thin…

The narrator was so good!

There were times I felt I struggled to find the footing of this story. I struggled to guess who the love interest. But overall this has some great themes about representation for AAPI, for women in male-lead fields, and great approach at office romance.

I will be recommending this to many friends.

Very enjoyable audiobook with adept narrators. Thank you NetGalley. This is a character-driven novel and Zen Cho makes good use of them. I particularly appreciate that the FMC does not linger in whiny victimhood long after she sees what's going on. The MMC is a little bland, but definitely trainable! I also appreciate the author's approach to sexuality. The characters are allowed their privacy! I'm just *over* all the detailed sexytime passages anymore (though y'all are welcome to whatever floats your boat).

The story does leave some plot threads hanging, but I'm not jonesing for resolution about how their career changes pan out, what happens to the MMC's father, whether they get married and have babies, etc.