This was a cute Enemies to lover’s romance. Charles and Kriya aren’t truly enemies but there is tension between them!

Charles is a stick to the rules type of guy and Kriya has just gone through a breakup and is not sure which way to go. Her career isn’t moving the way she wants it too and doesn't really know what to do. Her boss goes to a new company, and she does as well, and she meets Charles and the more time she spends with him they eventually fake a relationship.

Workplace romances may seem like fun but can also be damaging to a person’s career, so be careful, triggers: sexual harassment!
Overall, this was a cute, quick, fun read the banter and flirting was quirky, and I wished they had more time together. No spice was in this book, so I’ll say it was an innocent read, be


Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillian and Bramble for the eARC!

As this is an advanced listener copy, I will focus on the narration and how the story landed on me. I am unsure that I would recommend the audio for this book. The female narrator put emphasis on some words and phrases that made me question the meaning. At times, I felt that the narration was a parody of a narration: you know how people who don't watch soap operas over emphasize the "cheesiness" of soap operas and people who watch soap operas cringe? That's how I felt at times. There was a cheekiness to her delivery that felt like she was winking at the listener as if to say- this is ridiculous, no? And for that reason, I think that I would recommend the print version, if possible. That way the reader can assign their own meaning to the story as written. The male narrator was fine.

That said, I enjoyed the story overall.

3.75⭐️

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and TOR Publishing Group for an advance copy of this novel! I read this via immersion, as I also received a physical copy, and I thought this was so cute! I loved that there were also two narrators for each point of view.

This was an adorable office romcom with forced proximity, and even a small fake dating scenario! I loved all of the characters and all of the representation which can sometimes be lacking in the romance genre.

This one feels like watching a wholesome romcom movie on a cozy weekend in surrounded by all of your favorite snacks, wearing your fluffy slippers, and enjoying a face mask.

I would recommend this for a happy little romance read!

Behind Frenemy Lines was a quick, cute read packed with romance! It’s a workplace rom-com with only one office yes, forced proximity fans, this one’s for you. There’s also fake dating, great banter, and solid diversity rep throughout.

It’s a sweet, slow-build romance with no spice (fade to black), but the chemistry still shines. I flew through it and really enjoyed the lighthearted vibes.

Trigger warning: sexual harassment in the workplace is addressed.
Big thanks to Bramble Romance for the gifted copy! Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. the audio was very well done the narration was nuanced and great performances.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalleyn for this ARC in exchange for honest review.
📖 Book: Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho
🍸 Cocktail Pairing: Bittersweet Office Romance – Gin & Tonic with Grapefruit
⭐️ Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ – Mid-Shelf Mixer

This was a “opposites attract” with a side of workplace tension and fake dating chaos and honestly, I was into it… for the most part.

Charles is buttoned-up and stuffy, Kriya is chaotic and over it, and together they’re like mixing gin with grapefruit juice: refreshing, a little tart, but not always smooth.
The banter was fun and the premise had potential, but the pacing felt a bit uneven and I wanted a deeper pour when it came to emotional stakes.

Still, it was cute! A solid mid-shelf read with sparks, sass, and slow-burn tension.

🍸 Bittersweet Office Romance Recipe

2 oz gin
Tonic water to top
1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
Grapefruit wedge for garnish
Dash of orange bitters (optional)

Instructions:
Pour gin and grapefruit juice over ice in a highball glass. Top with tonic, stir gently, and garnish. Best enjoyed while side-eyeing your office crush.

ARC and ALC review

Kriya is going through a messy break up and needs a fresh start.
Her boss plans to leave the law firm and asks her to follow him.
What she did not expect is to share an office with Charles, her work nemesis.

Thank you Pan Macmillan for the ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

This book is a workplace romance that starts with fake dating.
I liked both main characters, especially Kriya.
She is a strong and independent woman that can take care of herself and even stands up for others.
I have to say that I did not like Charles much in the start, but he turned out to be a very cute guy.

The audiobook is narrated in dual style by Daniel York Loh and Vera Chok.
I liked that we have both perspectives and the narrators helped me connect easier with the characters and the story.
They both have great accents but were easy to understand.

The romantic plot is a slow burn and I liked that they became friends first.
What I did not expect (but it did not bother me) is that there were fade to black scenes.

I also liked that there were realistic work problems, relatable plus size experiences and Asian families expectations.

This is such a lovely and layered romance. Kriya Rajasekar is a lawyer who's moved to a new Law Firm and then been asked to share an office with her work nemesis Charles Goh. Every time something terrible/awkward happens to Kriya, Charles has been there, but it all changes once she realized how lost her life has become. She's still reeling from her longterm boyfriend breaking up with her, while also starting to come to terms with the fact that her boss/mentor is not actually a very good guy. Charles meanwhile, has always had a giant crush on Kriya. He's struggling with how best to support her while also dealing with some family stress of his own. I love how their relationship grew in such a real way and the wonderful cast of friends and family that supported them along the way.

The narrators really added to the overall experience. They both put emotion and depth into their readings, and really seemed to inhabit the characters.

𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Behind Enemy Lines by Zen Cho is a workplace, multicultural romance with a shy MMC and an ambitious FMC.

Book Description: Kriya Rajasekar has lost her way. Her longtime boyfriend has broken up with her, and she feels trapped in her legal career. She knows she needs a fresh start—but it turns out her new job is at the same firm as her work nemesis. Charles Goh is like the bad luck charm she keeps running into, and their encounters lead to disaster every single time. And now he's her office mate.

But just as they're figuring out how to navigate this frenemy relationship, Kriya needs Charles's help: pretend they're dating so her boss will stop hitting on her.

This was a great introduction to Zen Cho; I enjoyed this story! I like how we explored the workplace and both characters' personal lives as well. Sometimes I feel like some authors skip over that part, but not this author. I will be reading more books by them.

The audiobook is dual narrated by Daniel York Loh and Vera Chok. They did a good job; it was easy to understand and listen to. Listened at 2x speed.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Zen Cho, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. ♡

₊˚⊹⋆ first thoughts: definitely need to add more multicultural romances to my archive and this one definitely caught my eye! I love a good fake dating when it isn't too overly cliche, so i have high hopes for this baby!

₊˚⊹⋆ final thoughts: i feel like i dont read many books that have a shy mmc and i loooved charles. after getting to know him more i dont see how he and kriya ever thought the other didn't like each other as he seemed distant with 99% of people BUT the chemistry between these two was so there. i could imagine these two characters irl being absolutely adorable together. zen cho did a fantastic job with this one and i have to read more by her! loved it!!

Workplace romance

Dual Narration- Daniel York Loh & Vera Chok

These were two new to me narrators and I think they were great. The accents were fabulous.

This is a workplace romance. Sort of enemies to lovers. It is a fun quick listen. There is a lot of “lawyer” speak but I still enjoyed the book.

I loved that the FMC was a strong and independent woman taking care of herself and even sticking up for others.

The MMC is a cute lawyer nerd with a hot body and comes off like a jerk but secretly he’s a softy.

Content warning
Fatphobia, racism , sexual harassment (not between main characters)

This UK-based romance completely won me over with its one-sided enemies-to-lovers trope! While it’s not explicitly labeled, there were beautiful nods to neurodivergence that felt authentic and warm. It’s a closed-door romance, so if you’re into sweet stories with emotional intimacy and zero spice, this one’s for you. An easy, cozy listen that left me smiling!

I was drawn by the cover of this story as someone that supports authors and characters of color. Originally when I read the plot of this about two colleagues fake dating to get the FMC's boss to stop hitting on her I immediately thought I wouldn't like it since it technically was an open-shut case to take to HR. But the added increased stakes of her starting a new firm and having no ties within her new company outside of her problem of a boss made for the roll out of this scheme pretty much brilliant since I've never read anything with this kind of plot point.

I enjoyed the narrators' portrayal of these characters. They did a good job of making me feel like I was being talked to by these characters and not being read to, which is hard for some audiobooks. This definitely felt like a cozy office romance with no real high stakes aside of avoiding the FMC's boss. There was barely any miscommunication between the characters and their interactions felt very organic to their personalities.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Narration is top notch.

This book literally had me freaking cackling out loud!! But it was also able to tackle serious real life issues in a relatable way.

•Fake dating
•Plus size rep
•BIPOC rep
•Although the MCs are in a hetero relationship there is incredible LGBTQIA+ Representation/Allyship in this
•Realistic workplace issues
•A wonderful look into cultural expectations of eastern Asian families in terms of their relationships with their parents, marriage, career, etc.