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Love and Other Tropes #2
Romance Thy Enemy
This is not one of her romance books, they’re not going to fall in love.
Mina and Graham have disliked each other for as long as they can remember, and everyone knows it. When asked to be the Maid of Honor and Best Man at their best friend's wedding, the bride and groom worry about making the two of them uncomfortable knowing the mutual disdain between them.
In an effort to alleviate any tension and awkwardness in the friend group, Mina fabricates a story that she and Graham have secretly been dating. What she can't understand though, is why Graham is so eager to play along.
Meanwhile, Graham has been slowly falling for Mina for years, but he hasn't wanted to make his feelings known—especially since hers have been crystal clear—but he wonders if their fake dating scheme could be his opportunity to make her fall for him too.
But soon, the lies and guilt begin to eat at them both and they have to decide if they'll come clean before the wedding, or keep up the ruse until their contract is due.
Mina and Graham have disliked each other for as long as they can remember, and everyone knows it. When asked to be the Maid of Honor and Best Man at their best friend's wedding, the bride and groom worry about making the two of them uncomfortable knowing the mutual disdain between them.
In an effort to alleviate any tension and awkwardness in the friend group, Mina fabricates a story that she and Graham have secretly been dating. What she can't understand though, is why Graham is so eager to play along.
Meanwhile, Graham has been slowly falling for Mina for years, but he hasn't wanted to make his feelings known—especially since hers have been crystal clear—but he wonders if their fake dating scheme could be his opportunity to make her fall for him too.
But soon, the lies and guilt begin to eat at them both and they have to decide if they'll come clean before the wedding, or keep up the ruse until their contract is due.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2025
5 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 12, 2025
This is book 2 in the Love and Other Tropes series. Jasmina "Mina" and Graham have disliked each other for years. Their friends Emmett and Iliana are getting married and have reservations asking them to be their made of honor and best man since the two don't like each other. Mina doesn't want to cause any problems so she tells everyone her and Graham have been secretly dating. Graham agrees to go along with it since he secretly has always had feelings for her and during the contract Mina actually starts falling for him but is scared that he doesn't feel the same.
This was such a great story. II really enjoyed it! I loved their banter and it was a very spicy read. Graham is the ideal book boyfriend and golden retriever! I love a good enemies to lovers and fake dating trope! This was my first book by this author and won't be my last.
What you can expect:
-enemies to lovers
-fake dating
-only one bed
-banter
-spicy
Thank you to author Kayla McGrath for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This was such a great story. II really enjoyed it! I loved their banter and it was a very spicy read. Graham is the ideal book boyfriend and golden retriever! I love a good enemies to lovers and fake dating trope! This was my first book by this author and won't be my last.
What you can expect:
-enemies to lovers
-fake dating
-only one bed
-banter
-spicy
Thank you to author Kayla McGrath for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 12, 2025
This book completely stole my attention—I couldn’t put it down and finished it in under 24 hours! Though it’s a sequel to Love & Other Tropes, it reads perfectly well as a standalone. Sure, there are a few mild spoilers from the first book, but nothing that takes away from the experience.
From page one, I was hooked by the tension, the banter, and the absolutely sizzling chemistry between Mina and Graham. Every character feels genuine and thoughtfully developed, with a refreshing focus on healthy communication and personal growth (green flags everywhere 👏).
Returning to Rose Point felt like coming home. I loved revisiting familiar faces and meeting new ones that I’m sure we’ll see more of. And yes—the spice? It’s just right.
Perfect for fans of fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, and small-town romance with heart. Kayla McGrath remains a must-read author for me. Already counting the days until her next release!
From page one, I was hooked by the tension, the banter, and the absolutely sizzling chemistry between Mina and Graham. Every character feels genuine and thoughtfully developed, with a refreshing focus on healthy communication and personal growth (green flags everywhere 👏).
Returning to Rose Point felt like coming home. I loved revisiting familiar faces and meeting new ones that I’m sure we’ll see more of. And yes—the spice? It’s just right.
Perfect for fans of fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, and small-town romance with heart. Kayla McGrath remains a must-read author for me. Already counting the days until her next release!
May 14, 2025
This is such a feel good book! It just had me smiling a lot. We met Mina and Graham in Love & Other Tropes so we've read them fighting but now we get to read about them falling in love. Their chemistry is so good. Even when they were fighting in the previous book I could feel their chemistry. I was so excited for their book and it didn't disappoint!
I love that Kayla writes these romances without unnecessary drama and such sweet characters. Neither book has had a third act break up so far which immediately makes me love a book more lol. I also love the connections she writes with these interconnected standalones. I loved getting to revisit old characters and seeing hints at the books to come.
I love that Kayla writes these romances without unnecessary drama and such sweet characters. Neither book has had a third act break up so far which immediately makes me love a book more lol. I also love the connections she writes with these interconnected standalones. I loved getting to revisit old characters and seeing hints at the books to come.
May 16, 2025
!!!!!! I love this series!!!!!
It's funny, it's heartwarming, it has the perfect amount of spice. I enjoyed reading every single second of this book.
Graham the man you are. I am so in love with you, and Mina, I want to be you. They were the perfect fake dating couple.
And I have to say what Graham went through with his grandpa was so relatable to me and reading those moments made me feel so connected to him.
Kayla gave me something I didn't know I was craving with this book. I finished it overnight (yes I stayed up all night for this book)
I can't wait for the rest of the series and more of this friend group!
It's funny, it's heartwarming, it has the perfect amount of spice. I enjoyed reading every single second of this book.
Graham the man you are. I am so in love with you, and Mina, I want to be you. They were the perfect fake dating couple.
And I have to say what Graham went through with his grandpa was so relatable to me and reading those moments made me feel so connected to him.
Kayla gave me something I didn't know I was craving with this book. I finished it overnight (yes I stayed up all night for this book)
I can't wait for the rest of the series and more of this friend group!
June 22, 2025
5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“For us, fighting is as natural as breathing.”
“Things have changed.”
She leaned closer, her lips touching his neck - he trembled in response.
“Not that much”
Romance Thy Enemy is the second instalment in the adult contemporary romance series, Love and Other Tropes. Each novel is an interconnected standalone as they are set in the same world and following the same friend group but each book follows a separate couple. Written in dual third person POV, we follow Mina and Graham as they find themselves striking a fake dating agreement in the lead up to their best friends' wedding.
Mina and Graham have always been at odds, despite being a part of similar friend groups. When their rivalry adds tension to their friend's wedding that makes them second guess asking Graham and Mina to be best man and maid of honor respectively, Mina gets a crazy idea - to pretend they are dating leading up to the wedding to help alleviate stress for the happy couple. What Mina doesn't know is that Graham has always had a crush on her and this is finally his chance to show her he's not the villain she likes to paint him to be. As the lies begin to build up Mina and Graham must decide if they will keep the ruse up to the end of their contract or will they admit the truth...and the feelings they've grown in the process.
Kayla has a gift with contemporary romance. I was kicking my feet while reading this by the end of the second chapter.
Mira and Graham just worked so well together even when they think they don't get along. Mira is kickbutt and stands her ground while Graham reveals the sweetest things about himself and I loved how both of them fall in love in different ways as a result. They both want this to work for their friends and that determination to make it work feeds into this romance that blooms effortlessly. Every "study" night and discussion of how to sell the romance just fed further into their own love for each other.
Something clearer struck her through. She wasn't just happy to see him. She wasn’t just having fun. She was falling in love.
In terms of spice I would place this at 3 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. Spice begins around the 23% with some personal pleasure scenes and then it graduates to more between the couples - there are about 6+ scenes. Spice is passionate and explorative with some public moments and toys being used...and different positions. I felt it really worked to show the characters letting their guard down and connecting in ways that allowed them to see each other in a new light. It was explicit and detailed and so much fun!
The story itself is character driven with the overarching story being them preparing for their friends' wedding while also succeeding in tricking everyone into believing they are in love and committed. I felt this was such an effortless read as we get a good balance of banter between our love birds alongside side characters really helping us see how much this "fake" couple is selling it to their family...and how much they are blurring these lines. The amount of work they put into convincing others they are dating leads to them just doing things dating people would and I just loved how the romance grew from that. I would say there isn't any major conflict to overcome but there is a reveal of some lack of communication from years ago but I didn't feel it shook any foundations while reading. The ending is really sweet and I like how this whole story came together.
Overall, Kayla once again DELIVERS in her contemporary romances. I need book 3 ASAP!
Thank you Kayla for sending a review copy!
“For us, fighting is as natural as breathing.”
“Things have changed.”
She leaned closer, her lips touching his neck - he trembled in response.
“Not that much”
Romance Thy Enemy is the second instalment in the adult contemporary romance series, Love and Other Tropes. Each novel is an interconnected standalone as they are set in the same world and following the same friend group but each book follows a separate couple. Written in dual third person POV, we follow Mina and Graham as they find themselves striking a fake dating agreement in the lead up to their best friends' wedding.
Mina and Graham have always been at odds, despite being a part of similar friend groups. When their rivalry adds tension to their friend's wedding that makes them second guess asking Graham and Mina to be best man and maid of honor respectively, Mina gets a crazy idea - to pretend they are dating leading up to the wedding to help alleviate stress for the happy couple. What Mina doesn't know is that Graham has always had a crush on her and this is finally his chance to show her he's not the villain she likes to paint him to be. As the lies begin to build up Mina and Graham must decide if they will keep the ruse up to the end of their contract or will they admit the truth...and the feelings they've grown in the process.
Kayla has a gift with contemporary romance. I was kicking my feet while reading this by the end of the second chapter.
Mira and Graham just worked so well together even when they think they don't get along. Mira is kickbutt and stands her ground while Graham reveals the sweetest things about himself and I loved how both of them fall in love in different ways as a result. They both want this to work for their friends and that determination to make it work feeds into this romance that blooms effortlessly. Every "study" night and discussion of how to sell the romance just fed further into their own love for each other.
Something clearer struck her through. She wasn't just happy to see him. She wasn’t just having fun. She was falling in love.
In terms of spice I would place this at 3 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. Spice begins around the 23% with some personal pleasure scenes and then it graduates to more between the couples - there are about 6+ scenes. Spice is passionate and explorative with some public moments and toys being used...and different positions. I felt it really worked to show the characters letting their guard down and connecting in ways that allowed them to see each other in a new light. It was explicit and detailed and so much fun!
The story itself is character driven with the overarching story being them preparing for their friends' wedding while also succeeding in tricking everyone into believing they are in love and committed. I felt this was such an effortless read as we get a good balance of banter between our love birds alongside side characters really helping us see how much this "fake" couple is selling it to their family...and how much they are blurring these lines. The amount of work they put into convincing others they are dating leads to them just doing things dating people would and I just loved how the romance grew from that. I would say there isn't any major conflict to overcome but there is a reveal of some lack of communication from years ago but I didn't feel it shook any foundations while reading. The ending is really sweet and I like how this whole story came together.
Overall, Kayla once again DELIVERS in her contemporary romances. I need book 3 ASAP!
Thank you Kayla for sending a review copy!
May 11, 2025
I truly love this series, and Romance Thy Enemy is no exception!
As someone who has no personal proof that they exist, reading about men who openly and unabashedly respect women, and staunchly defend and normalize that behavior while rejecting and loathing the opposite is incredibly refreshing. Not only do the MMCs in Kayla McGrath’s universe hold themselves accountable to this standard, but they hold each other accountable. Leave it to a woman to invent such fiction.
It’s lovely to immerse myself in such a world. When I’m reading a Love and Other Tropes story, I’m able to forget for just a little while what the reality of the world is, and the truth of *most* men’s behavior toward women, and I can return to the naïveté of my youth while daydreaming about what love could be.
In their friend group, and the small town of Rose Point, Graham and Mina are known to hate each other. Through some of the best (and some of the most frustrating!) romance book tropes and microtropes, we get to experience the discovery of how/why they became enemies, and follow their journey to becoming lovers with the most delicious yearning and tension.
Again, I love losing myself in this series, the complex and honorable MMCs, the strong and caring FMCs, the idyllic small town that I wish I could escape to in real life, and the spiiiiiiiice. 🌶️🥵 I’ll be reading every single book that comes out in this series. I’m here for a good time AND a long time.❤️❤️❤️
As someone who has no personal proof that they exist, reading about men who openly and unabashedly respect women, and staunchly defend and normalize that behavior while rejecting and loathing the opposite is incredibly refreshing. Not only do the MMCs in Kayla McGrath’s universe hold themselves accountable to this standard, but they hold each other accountable. Leave it to a woman to invent such fiction.
It’s lovely to immerse myself in such a world. When I’m reading a Love and Other Tropes story, I’m able to forget for just a little while what the reality of the world is, and the truth of *most* men’s behavior toward women, and I can return to the naïveté of my youth while daydreaming about what love could be.
In their friend group, and the small town of Rose Point, Graham and Mina are known to hate each other. Through some of the best (and some of the most frustrating!) romance book tropes and microtropes, we get to experience the discovery of how/why they became enemies, and follow their journey to becoming lovers with the most delicious yearning and tension.
Again, I love losing myself in this series, the complex and honorable MMCs, the strong and caring FMCs, the idyllic small town that I wish I could escape to in real life, and the spiiiiiiiice. 🌶️🥵 I’ll be reading every single book that comes out in this series. I’m here for a good time AND a long time.❤️❤️❤️
May 15, 2025
I can not tell you how much I absolutely love this series and this book specifically!! I was kicking and giggling all the way through! I can't wait to get the physical copy to annotate because the entire book will be covered in highlights and notes!! This story is just so sweet! It had me tearing up at times and then laughing out loud at others! I just love how Kayla pulls you into all of her stories!
May 20, 2025
It's so hard to put into words how much I love this series by Kayla McGrath! These interconnected romance books are heartfelt, playful, and perfectly spicy!
My god tier romance books have to have- amazing character depth, plot, make me cry, and spice that is delicious and moves the plot forward and Romance Thy Enemy encompasses all of it perfectly!
Mina & Graham's love jumped off the pages and latched onto my heart. I will never forget their story!
My god tier romance books have to have- amazing character depth, plot, make me cry, and spice that is delicious and moves the plot forward and Romance Thy Enemy encompasses all of it perfectly!
Mina & Graham's love jumped off the pages and latched onto my heart. I will never forget their story!
May 10, 2025
Mina and Graham are all green flags (like their cover). They just want what’s best for their friends. Enter: the fake relationship.
Their banter is so fun to read and Graham is absolutely gone for Mina. I loved reading his POV and also finally seeing them work through everything.
I’m so excited for the rest of this series!
Their banter is so fun to read and Graham is absolutely gone for Mina. I loved reading his POV and also finally seeing them work through everything.
I’m so excited for the rest of this series!
May 18, 2025
This follow up to L&OT could not be more perfect. I may have enjoyed it even more than the first book. Graham and Mina have such great chemistry and I adore the way Graham pays so close attention. I could not put this book down and ended up finishing it within a day.
May 8, 2025
Rating it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ cause I know it’ll be one of my all time favorites!😍
UPDATE:
This is my most anticipated release since finishing L&OT! Even though it sounds cliché, RYE had me in a chokehold from page one. The tension, wit, ALL the banter and undeniable chemistry between Mina and Graham made this book impossible to put down.
Each character has a beautiful layer of interesting complexity with their own flaws and strengths, making their ending that much more happy and believable. I loved being back in Rose Point and meeting new characters while also getting to better know the ones we met in the first book. The friendships that I know will be a continuing plot point for all the books is truly some of the best I’ve ever read. The spice was *chefs kiss* and all the cute moments of everyday life is something I can only dream of having one day.
Overall, Romance Thy Enemy is a delightful read that I highly recommend to those who love romantic comedies, fake dating and “enemies”-to-lovers stories.
As always Kayla McGrath will hold a spot on my favorite authors list, and I will always look forward to reading her future works!😍
UPDATE:
This is my most anticipated release since finishing L&OT! Even though it sounds cliché, RYE had me in a chokehold from page one. The tension, wit, ALL the banter and undeniable chemistry between Mina and Graham made this book impossible to put down.
Each character has a beautiful layer of interesting complexity with their own flaws and strengths, making their ending that much more happy and believable. I loved being back in Rose Point and meeting new characters while also getting to better know the ones we met in the first book. The friendships that I know will be a continuing plot point for all the books is truly some of the best I’ve ever read. The spice was *chefs kiss* and all the cute moments of everyday life is something I can only dream of having one day.
Overall, Romance Thy Enemy is a delightful read that I highly recommend to those who love romantic comedies, fake dating and “enemies”-to-lovers stories.
As always Kayla McGrath will hold a spot on my favorite authors list, and I will always look forward to reading her future works!😍
May 7, 2025
You know i love working on Kayla’s books 😌😍 and im also in love with Graham
January 5, 2026
Enemies to lovers aaaand O.M.G 👀
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews