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Not Your Enemy
Libby Burns is a good girl. She doesn’t take risks or color outside the lines, content to let others take the lead. Especially her assertive best friend Jana, who asks Libby to clean out her childhood home for her alongside Jana’s enemy. Preparing herself to meet the deceitful, sullen bully Jana described to her, she’s surprised to meet a woman who is nothing like that. In fact, she’s quite charismatic and sultry. Which makes it hard for Libby to hate her, or stay away from her.
Jade Thornton is a free spirit. Her parents taught her young that she’d never please them, so now she focuses on pleasing herself. Despite the pain that came with her father’s recent passing, she looked forward to returning to her hometown and cleaning out his home alongside her sister, as this would offer a chance to mend their strained relationship—something she’s been trying to do for years. But her sister sends a a high-strung, buxom sweetheart who Jade can’t help but pine for.
Libby knows getting cozy with Jade spells trouble. Sleeping with the enemy is not something a worthwhile best friend would do. But Jade is persistent in her advances, making it clear she wants more than just a taste.
Are her feelings for Jade worth risking her longest friendship for?
Why does something so wicked feel so righteous?
Libby has no hope of navigating this sticky situation without giving herself a deep-seated wound. She just hopes she chooses the right person to mend it.
Jade Thornton is a free spirit. Her parents taught her young that she’d never please them, so now she focuses on pleasing herself. Despite the pain that came with her father’s recent passing, she looked forward to returning to her hometown and cleaning out his home alongside her sister, as this would offer a chance to mend their strained relationship—something she’s been trying to do for years. But her sister sends a a high-strung, buxom sweetheart who Jade can’t help but pine for.
Libby knows getting cozy with Jade spells trouble. Sleeping with the enemy is not something a worthwhile best friend would do. But Jade is persistent in her advances, making it clear she wants more than just a taste.
Are her feelings for Jade worth risking her longest friendship for?
Why does something so wicked feel so righteous?
Libby has no hope of navigating this sticky situation without giving herself a deep-seated wound. She just hopes she chooses the right person to mend it.
207 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2026
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1701 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 8, 2026
Not Your Enemy by Madison Mars is a fairly low-angst adult contemporary romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this quick and easy read. It features sweet, intimate moments and spicy times. I like how the relationship develops organically; although it progresses rather quickly, it feels genuine and believable. Jade and Libby are wonderful characters, both endearing and sexy. Clear consent, effective communication, strong chemistry, and thoughtful plot placement make the sex scenes rewarding.
Despite the setting being the clearing out of the home of a deceased parent and the discussion of toxic parenting, the novel is, in general, light and romantic. There is a third-act breakup, but I didn't hate it. The ending is satisfying. I recommend this book as a lighter read between heavier ones.
Not Your Enemy is my first book by this author, and I would love to read more.
#oppositesattract #bestfriendssister #forcedproximity #femmefemme #tattooartist #claimsprocessor #remotejob #smalltown #bodypositivity #3rdactbreakup #lightbondage #spanking #vibrator #69 #spicy #HEA #epilogue #consentissexy
I received a review copy from the author. This is my honest review.
Despite the setting being the clearing out of the home of a deceased parent and the discussion of toxic parenting, the novel is, in general, light and romantic. There is a third-act breakup, but I didn't hate it. The ending is satisfying. I recommend this book as a lighter read between heavier ones.
Not Your Enemy is my first book by this author, and I would love to read more.
#oppositesattract #bestfriendssister #forcedproximity #femmefemme #tattooartist #claimsprocessor #remotejob #smalltown #bodypositivity #3rdactbreakup #lightbondage #spanking #vibrator #69 #spicy #HEA #epilogue #consentissexy
I received a review copy from the author. This is my honest review.
dnf-not-my-cup-of-tea
January 26, 2026DNF at 30%. The characters feel somewhat shallow, and the romance leans heavily into insta-love territory, which isn't my preference. It's a shame because I went into this one really excited! Huge thank you to the author for the eARC though!
February 11, 2026
(rounded down from 2.25)
A quick read, but not terribly compelling. There are interesting grains of introspection that would be great to explore, such as the unbalanced dynamics of a friendship, talking it out about past trauma and reconnecting as adults despite shitty childhoods, and the complexities of dating your best friend's estranged sister. However, none of these are explored in more than a passing thought. Additionally, this book could use a quick editor with some easily fixed grammatical mistakes still present. All in all, this was a decent attempt but still some ways to go.
A quick read, but not terribly compelling. There are interesting grains of introspection that would be great to explore, such as the unbalanced dynamics of a friendship, talking it out about past trauma and reconnecting as adults despite shitty childhoods, and the complexities of dating your best friend's estranged sister. However, none of these are explored in more than a passing thought. Additionally, this book could use a quick editor with some easily fixed grammatical mistakes still present. All in all, this was a decent attempt but still some ways to go.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.25⭐️ & 4🌶
This is a cute romcom opposites attract tale. Jana has lost her mom and more recently her dad. she's estranged from her sister Jade and can't go home to help settle the estate. she recruits/bribes her best friend Libby to help out.
Libby and Jade are seemingly opposites but end up working together to clean up and get the estate ready to sell. What starts as two separate parts comes together nicely at the end. I wasn't fond of the Jana. I truly didn't t like her and it didn't get better as it went along, that's probably by design but overall I did enjoy the book.
Tropes: forced proximity, opposites attract, second chance, found family, small town, instalove.
This is a cute romcom opposites attract tale. Jana has lost her mom and more recently her dad. she's estranged from her sister Jade and can't go home to help settle the estate. she recruits/bribes her best friend Libby to help out.
Libby and Jade are seemingly opposites but end up working together to clean up and get the estate ready to sell. What starts as two separate parts comes together nicely at the end. I wasn't fond of the Jana. I truly didn't t like her and it didn't get better as it went along, that's probably by design but overall I did enjoy the book.
Tropes: forced proximity, opposites attract, second chance, found family, small town, instalove.
January 28, 2026
Other than still slightly being pissed at Libby, i can say i understand too. Blah that was tough but im so happy for the two of them
A whirlwind of unlikely lovers. 🖤 also just love that jade was a tattoo artist & another thing i really weirdly liked was that the author did force the sister reunification. I feel like it made it so much more authentic as well.
Jades dirty talk even had me blushing 🫣☺️
A whirlwind of unlikely lovers. 🖤 also just love that jade was a tattoo artist & another thing i really weirdly liked was that the author did force the sister reunification. I feel like it made it so much more authentic as well.
Jades dirty talk even had me blushing 🫣☺️
February 15, 2026
3.5✨ okay so, i got the arc for this (thank you so much madison for the chance to read this early!)
i was simply not in the mood for romance tho, so i put it down for a couple weeks bc i just knew i would like it if i gave it the chance and i DID.
i enjoyed the relationship between jade and libby, it was a bit too insta love/lust for me personally, but that’s not a fault of the book lol. i love pet names so jade calling libby princess was so sweet, and then libby eventually calling jade sweetheart i loved that.
i really liked how jade always understood what she was trying to say and what she needed, and how gentle she was about things with jana and how regretful she was over the past.
i liked how the ending went, and how she didn’t immediately forgive her and jana giving them permission. i would have liked to see some of them mending fences, but jana getting therapy was good. jana drove me crazy for a while but got better😅
i was simply not in the mood for romance tho, so i put it down for a couple weeks bc i just knew i would like it if i gave it the chance and i DID.
i enjoyed the relationship between jade and libby, it was a bit too insta love/lust for me personally, but that’s not a fault of the book lol. i love pet names so jade calling libby princess was so sweet, and then libby eventually calling jade sweetheart i loved that.
i really liked how jade always understood what she was trying to say and what she needed, and how gentle she was about things with jana and how regretful she was over the past.
i liked how the ending went, and how she didn’t immediately forgive her and jana giving them permission. i would have liked to see some of them mending fences, but jana getting therapy was good. jana drove me crazy for a while but got better😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2026
I read this in one day. I had to find out what happened. The book explores a lot of different relationship dynamics and how they can be toxic, but also how people can mature, change, hold on to grudges, and try too hard to keep other people happy.
The characters are well thought out and work well together. I absolutely loved the communication between Libby and Jade from the very beginning. The author manages a few different layers of tension throughout the book, and that really kept me engaged.
Libby falls for her best friend’s sister, who also happens to be her best friend’s worst enemy. A well crafted story. Wonderfully lesbian characters. An enjoyable journey from start to finish, with plenty heat to enjoy along the way.
The characters are well thought out and work well together. I absolutely loved the communication between Libby and Jade from the very beginning. The author manages a few different layers of tension throughout the book, and that really kept me engaged.
Libby falls for her best friend’s sister, who also happens to be her best friend’s worst enemy. A well crafted story. Wonderfully lesbian characters. An enjoyable journey from start to finish, with plenty heat to enjoy along the way.
February 7, 2026
Thank you to the author for the ARC opportunity!
This was such a cute read! The MCs were so cute together! I didnt like how the sister was about the whole thing but glad it got better in the end.
Over all ai really enjoyed it!
This was such a cute read! The MCs were so cute together! I didnt like how the sister was about the whole thing but glad it got better in the end.
Over all ai really enjoyed it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
1.5⭐️
I think this book would be great for fans of the best-friends-siblings and forbidden-romance tropes. Unfortunately, this was not the book for me. For me, it missed the mark in both the writing and the story.
While fully acknowledging that reviewing is subjective, the writing style seemed a bit juvenile at times. The example that comes to mind was that there were multiple times where an exclamation mark was used when it wasn’t necessary or expected. It made the tone feel off and gave the impression that the characters were teenagers rather than adults. The other example that made it feel juvenile to me was its choppy nature. The flow from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph at times didn’t feel natural. There were moments where it felt like a stream-of-consciousness series of sentences rather than a character's thought process, making it hard to follow. I will also mention that Jade used the pet name “princess” the whole book, which, to me, is hard to take seriously in an adult romance. But that is 100% a personal preference; I have no doubt that there are adult romance readers who would enjoy it.
The story also fell flat for me. I will be upfront and say that forbidden romances and best-friends-siblings romances are not my favorite tropes. I don’t dislike them, but I don’t love them either. I didn’t love the way Jana (the best friend) approached and handled this whole situation. The whole time, she refused even to consider the possibility that she was in the wrong in both the situation with her sister and with Libby. I also didn’t love the way the main character, Libby, approached it, especially towards the end. She was very back-and-forth the whole time, which made sense to an extent, but sometimes it felt repetitive. I feel like in this scenario, only Jade, the love interest, acted like an adult.
For those who like those tropes, forbidden romance and best friends’ siblings, I think you would like this romance. It was an easy read, and for fans of those tropes, I think this book would hit the mark. Unfortunately, because of my issues with the writing, it wasn’t the book for me.
Thank you Madison Mars for the advanced copy! I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
🌶️🌶️🌶️(a few explicit scenes/comments)
I think this book would be great for fans of the best-friends-siblings and forbidden-romance tropes. Unfortunately, this was not the book for me. For me, it missed the mark in both the writing and the story.
While fully acknowledging that reviewing is subjective, the writing style seemed a bit juvenile at times. The example that comes to mind was that there were multiple times where an exclamation mark was used when it wasn’t necessary or expected. It made the tone feel off and gave the impression that the characters were teenagers rather than adults. The other example that made it feel juvenile to me was its choppy nature. The flow from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph at times didn’t feel natural. There were moments where it felt like a stream-of-consciousness series of sentences rather than a character's thought process, making it hard to follow. I will also mention that Jade used the pet name “princess” the whole book, which, to me, is hard to take seriously in an adult romance. But that is 100% a personal preference; I have no doubt that there are adult romance readers who would enjoy it.
The story also fell flat for me. I will be upfront and say that forbidden romances and best-friends-siblings romances are not my favorite tropes. I don’t dislike them, but I don’t love them either. I didn’t love the way Jana (the best friend) approached and handled this whole situation. The whole time, she refused even to consider the possibility that she was in the wrong in both the situation with her sister and with Libby. I also didn’t love the way the main character, Libby, approached it, especially towards the end. She was very back-and-forth the whole time, which made sense to an extent, but sometimes it felt repetitive. I feel like in this scenario, only Jade, the love interest, acted like an adult.
For those who like those tropes, forbidden romance and best friends’ siblings, I think you would like this romance. It was an easy read, and for fans of those tropes, I think this book would hit the mark. Unfortunately, because of my issues with the writing, it wasn’t the book for me.
Thank you Madison Mars for the advanced copy! I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
🌶️🌶️🌶️(a few explicit scenes/comments)
Review of advance copy received from Author
I didn’t hate this book, but it also didn’t fully land for me.
The biggest issue was the characters. Libby, Jade and Jana all felt flat and underdeveloped, but Libby and Jana were honestly borderline insufferable at times. A lot of the dialogue felt cringe and weirdly juvenile, even though the themes themselves are more mature. I struggled to connect emotionally because everything stayed very surface level.
Jade, in particular, had SUCH potential to be absolutely swoon worthy, but it just missed the mark for me. She came across as really forward without the charm or smooth energy I’d normally expect from her character type, which made her feel more awkward than magnetic.
The themes of self acceptance, choosing your own happiness and growing emotionally are genuinely great. It’s a real pity that Libby was completely spineless for basically the entire book. Like literally right up until the end, where she almost develops a spine. I also really didn’t love the whole “she saved me because she made me feel special” thing. That didn’t feel romantic to me so much as emotional dependence dressed up as love.
The pacing was also off. Somehow it felt rushed and dragged out at the same time. Important moments were skimmed over, while less meaningful scenes lingered. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, which made it harder to feel immersed. Even the way the characters were described felt flat, which just added to the overall lack of depth.
The spicy scenes didn’t work for me personally, but that’s very much a preference thing and not something I’d judge the book on objectively.
On the positive side, I appreciated the plus size representation (even if it felt a bit surface level), and I genuinely loved the family acceptance around Libby’s queerness. Those moments were genuinely nice to see and stood out as a couple of brighter spots in my reading experience.
Overall, this book explores heavier emotional themes, but I personally struggled with the execution. I was hoping for more depth, stronger character development and smoother pacing. While it didn’t fully work for me, I think readers who connect with the characters more than I did may have a better experience.
The biggest issue was the characters. Libby, Jade and Jana all felt flat and underdeveloped, but Libby and Jana were honestly borderline insufferable at times. A lot of the dialogue felt cringe and weirdly juvenile, even though the themes themselves are more mature. I struggled to connect emotionally because everything stayed very surface level.
Jade, in particular, had SUCH potential to be absolutely swoon worthy, but it just missed the mark for me. She came across as really forward without the charm or smooth energy I’d normally expect from her character type, which made her feel more awkward than magnetic.
The themes of self acceptance, choosing your own happiness and growing emotionally are genuinely great. It’s a real pity that Libby was completely spineless for basically the entire book. Like literally right up until the end, where she almost develops a spine. I also really didn’t love the whole “she saved me because she made me feel special” thing. That didn’t feel romantic to me so much as emotional dependence dressed up as love.
The pacing was also off. Somehow it felt rushed and dragged out at the same time. Important moments were skimmed over, while less meaningful scenes lingered. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, which made it harder to feel immersed. Even the way the characters were described felt flat, which just added to the overall lack of depth.
The spicy scenes didn’t work for me personally, but that’s very much a preference thing and not something I’d judge the book on objectively.
On the positive side, I appreciated the plus size representation (even if it felt a bit surface level), and I genuinely loved the family acceptance around Libby’s queerness. Those moments were genuinely nice to see and stood out as a couple of brighter spots in my reading experience.
Overall, this book explores heavier emotional themes, but I personally struggled with the execution. I was hoping for more depth, stronger character development and smoother pacing. While it didn’t fully work for me, I think readers who connect with the characters more than I did may have a better experience.
January 27, 2026
Cute sapphic romance
Libby & Jana are best friends since college who would do just about anything for each other. Jana’s mom passed away when they were still in college and now, her dad passed leaving the house .. with her parents’ antiques and art left to sort through. But Jana can’t bring herself to return to her childhood home because she’ll have to face her sister Jade and Jade is Jana’s worst enemy for the things she did to her when they were growing up.
So, Jana asks Libby to go in her place. Just stay there for a little while, help sort through the stuff and get it appraised so Jade doesn’t wind up with everything. What could possibly go wrong?
When Libby shows up and meets Jade, she can feel the hostility from a mile away. But over the course of her stay.. that turns into flirtation,
Now Libby is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She has feelings for her best friend’s enemy, her sister. Libby can’t live with her secret any longer and when she returns home and tells Jana that she’s dating Jade, Jana reacts in a way Libby never expected and Libby makes a terrible mistake that can cost her the person she���s in love with and her best friend.
To start off, thank you to Madison Mars for allowing me to ARC read Not Your Enemy. It’s a contemporary, spicy, sapphic romance and it’s a great read for Valentine’s Day. I absolutely ADORED Libby & Jade together. Libby is a plus sized FMC and the praise given to her by Jade? *chefs kiss*. I loved how dominant Jade was and that she was a tattoo artist. Their chemistry was top notch from the beginning.
While I did enjoy this read, the only downside for me was how repetitive Jana was with the negativity regarding her sister, Jade. Every time Libby & Jana spoke, she brought up how bad Jade was. I do believe in second chances, so I would have loved to see Jade & Jana work through their issues at some point during the story. I also did not like the ultimatum that Jade gave to her best friend. Other than that, it was a fun and enjoyable read with lots of SPICE. Giving it 3.75 stars and I definitely recommend for all sapphic romance lovers.
Libby & Jana are best friends since college who would do just about anything for each other. Jana’s mom passed away when they were still in college and now, her dad passed leaving the house .. with her parents’ antiques and art left to sort through. But Jana can’t bring herself to return to her childhood home because she’ll have to face her sister Jade and Jade is Jana’s worst enemy for the things she did to her when they were growing up.
So, Jana asks Libby to go in her place. Just stay there for a little while, help sort through the stuff and get it appraised so Jade doesn’t wind up with everything. What could possibly go wrong?
When Libby shows up and meets Jade, she can feel the hostility from a mile away. But over the course of her stay.. that turns into flirtation,
Now Libby is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She has feelings for her best friend’s enemy, her sister. Libby can’t live with her secret any longer and when she returns home and tells Jana that she’s dating Jade, Jana reacts in a way Libby never expected and Libby makes a terrible mistake that can cost her the person she���s in love with and her best friend.
To start off, thank you to Madison Mars for allowing me to ARC read Not Your Enemy. It’s a contemporary, spicy, sapphic romance and it’s a great read for Valentine’s Day. I absolutely ADORED Libby & Jade together. Libby is a plus sized FMC and the praise given to her by Jade? *chefs kiss*. I loved how dominant Jade was and that she was a tattoo artist. Their chemistry was top notch from the beginning.
While I did enjoy this read, the only downside for me was how repetitive Jana was with the negativity regarding her sister, Jade. Every time Libby & Jana spoke, she brought up how bad Jade was. I do believe in second chances, so I would have loved to see Jade & Jana work through their issues at some point during the story. I also did not like the ultimatum that Jade gave to her best friend. Other than that, it was a fun and enjoyable read with lots of SPICE. Giving it 3.75 stars and I definitely recommend for all sapphic romance lovers.
January 27, 2026
Not Your Enemy by Madison Mars 💖🌶️
Thank you to the author for the eARC — I was excited for this one and immediately understood why because I devoured it in a single day! At just over 200 pages, it was a fun snow day read ❄️🩷
This is a sweet, very spicy WLW romcom told from Libby’s POV. Libby is a pathological people-pleasing, Type A introvert. She somehow gets convinced by her best friend, Jana, to go in her place to clean out her deceased parents’ house. Jana refuses to go because her older sister will be there, who is his archenemy. How Libby agreed to this? I truly may never understand 😂
Enter forced proximity with Jade — the hot lesbian sister who is outgoing, carefree, wildly spontaneous, and absolutely relentless with her flirting. Jade’s blunt, outspoken energy completely intoxicates Libby, and Libby falls hard in the most painfully relatable lesbian way possible.
What follows is tension, banter, undeniable chemistry, and the ultimate impossible choice: best friend loyalty… or potential future partner?
If you love: ✨ forced proximity ✨ sapphic smut ✨ grumpy x sunshine ✨ spicy but heartfelt romances
Add this to your TBR immediately 💘🔥
I rated this book 3.75/5 stars. I do wish it had been a bit longer so we had more time to really get to know Libby and Jade — the characters felt like they were just slightly lacking depth for me. One thing I really enjoyed, though, was how quickly the story got started. You learn the plot in the very first chapter, which I loved. It didn’t take long to get into at all, and that’s something I really appreciate as a reader.
I also lowkey loved the details in the spicy scenes 🤭 I’m not a huge smut reader in general, but the sapphic scenes were written so well, and I genuinely enjoyed them.
Overall, a fun and steamy quick read that’s guaranteed to pull you out of a reading slump.🔥🥰
Thank you to the author for the eARC — I was excited for this one and immediately understood why because I devoured it in a single day! At just over 200 pages, it was a fun snow day read ❄️🩷
This is a sweet, very spicy WLW romcom told from Libby’s POV. Libby is a pathological people-pleasing, Type A introvert. She somehow gets convinced by her best friend, Jana, to go in her place to clean out her deceased parents’ house. Jana refuses to go because her older sister will be there, who is his archenemy. How Libby agreed to this? I truly may never understand 😂
Enter forced proximity with Jade — the hot lesbian sister who is outgoing, carefree, wildly spontaneous, and absolutely relentless with her flirting. Jade’s blunt, outspoken energy completely intoxicates Libby, and Libby falls hard in the most painfully relatable lesbian way possible.
What follows is tension, banter, undeniable chemistry, and the ultimate impossible choice: best friend loyalty… or potential future partner?
If you love: ✨ forced proximity ✨ sapphic smut ✨ grumpy x sunshine ✨ spicy but heartfelt romances
Add this to your TBR immediately 💘🔥
I rated this book 3.75/5 stars. I do wish it had been a bit longer so we had more time to really get to know Libby and Jade — the characters felt like they were just slightly lacking depth for me. One thing I really enjoyed, though, was how quickly the story got started. You learn the plot in the very first chapter, which I loved. It didn’t take long to get into at all, and that’s something I really appreciate as a reader.
I also lowkey loved the details in the spicy scenes 🤭 I’m not a huge smut reader in general, but the sapphic scenes were written so well, and I genuinely enjoyed them.
Overall, a fun and steamy quick read that’s guaranteed to pull you out of a reading slump.🔥🥰
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not Your Enemy follows Libby, a people pleaser who agrees to help her best friend by cleaning out her childhood home after her parents’ death. The complication is that Libby has to do it alongside her best friend’s estranged sister, Jade, who she’s been warned to stay away from. Instead, Libby finds herself drawn to someone very different from what she expected.
There were elements I really enjoyed here. I’m always a fan of forced proximity, and I love sapphic romances. This was a fast paced read with short chapters which always makes for an enjoyable read. I also appreciated the plus size representation with Libby, which, while not heavily emphasized, was nice to see.
That said, this one didn’t fully work for me. Once the romance begins, which felt a bit instalove ish, there's a strong emphasis on physical intimacy, which started to feel repetitive. I found myself wishing there had been more time spent developing the characters and the relationship, as the emotional connection felt rushed.
The central conflict was also frustrating for me, particularly the role of Libby’s best friend. The tension felt exaggerated, and the resolution came together a little too conveniently for my taste. I did appreciate that the epilogue offered some closure for one of the side character arcs though, which ended the story on a nice note.
Overall, this was a mixed experience. I think readers who enjoy sapphic romances with frequent, open door spice, and a quick pace will likely enjoy this more than I did.
💕 Tropes-
❤️ Forced proximity
❤️ Sapphic love
❤️ Instalove
❤️ Open door spice 🌶️ 🔥
❤️ Plus size rep
Thank you to Madison Mars for my copy, which I read and gave my honest thoughts on!
Not Your Enemy follows Libby, a people pleaser who agrees to help her best friend by cleaning out her childhood home after her parents’ death. The complication is that Libby has to do it alongside her best friend’s estranged sister, Jade, who she’s been warned to stay away from. Instead, Libby finds herself drawn to someone very different from what she expected.
There were elements I really enjoyed here. I’m always a fan of forced proximity, and I love sapphic romances. This was a fast paced read with short chapters which always makes for an enjoyable read. I also appreciated the plus size representation with Libby, which, while not heavily emphasized, was nice to see.
That said, this one didn’t fully work for me. Once the romance begins, which felt a bit instalove ish, there's a strong emphasis on physical intimacy, which started to feel repetitive. I found myself wishing there had been more time spent developing the characters and the relationship, as the emotional connection felt rushed.
The central conflict was also frustrating for me, particularly the role of Libby’s best friend. The tension felt exaggerated, and the resolution came together a little too conveniently for my taste. I did appreciate that the epilogue offered some closure for one of the side character arcs though, which ended the story on a nice note.
Overall, this was a mixed experience. I think readers who enjoy sapphic romances with frequent, open door spice, and a quick pace will likely enjoy this more than I did.
💕 Tropes-
❤️ Forced proximity
❤️ Sapphic love
❤️ Instalove
❤️ Open door spice 🌶️ 🔥
❤️ Plus size rep
Thank you to Madison Mars for my copy, which I read and gave my honest thoughts on!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was my first contemporary sapphic romance, and I enjoyed it.
I did not expect to be triggered so emotionally, though. Libby and Janas' friendship dynamic brought back some past trauma with a friend who was very much a Jana, but to the narcissistic extreme without the ability for internal reflection,while I was a Libby. Unlike how my friendship ended, badly and without growth from my Jana, I respect how the author made at least the friendship dynamic a growing moment for both Libby and Jana in their own ways by acknowledging they both messed up and could grow from this without ultimatums.
In terms of romance, I enjoyed the warm, cozy feeling Jade and Libbys' relationship gave me as it evolved. Yes, it was quick, but sometimes relationships are like that.
I'm not sure if the author plans to write any more books with these characters, but I would be interested to see if we get more insight into Jade and Janas past before Libby as well as Libbys past before Jana or Jade. Our past does a lot to form foundations of who we are as a person, be that for the worse or better, and I would like to see how all their futures evolve. For now, I will just cozy up with my own tattooed love and call it good.
I did not expect to be triggered so emotionally, though. Libby and Janas' friendship dynamic brought back some past trauma with a friend who was very much a Jana, but to the narcissistic extreme without the ability for internal reflection,while I was a Libby. Unlike how my friendship ended, badly and without growth from my Jana, I respect how the author made at least the friendship dynamic a growing moment for both Libby and Jana in their own ways by acknowledging they both messed up and could grow from this without ultimatums.
In terms of romance, I enjoyed the warm, cozy feeling Jade and Libbys' relationship gave me as it evolved. Yes, it was quick, but sometimes relationships are like that.
I'm not sure if the author plans to write any more books with these characters, but I would be interested to see if we get more insight into Jade and Janas past before Libby as well as Libbys past before Jana or Jade. Our past does a lot to form foundations of who we are as a person, be that for the worse or better, and I would like to see how all their futures evolve. For now, I will just cozy up with my own tattooed love and call it good.
February 9, 2026
Libby is asked by her best friend Jana to help sort through her deceased father's house and storage unit, as Jana can't get off work (really?) and wants to avoid her sister, Jade.
Libby arrives at the house to find out Jana didnt tell her sister she was sending her, and Jade is pretty rude. And she keeps teasing Libby, calling her Princess.
We learn from Jana that Jade was a narc when they were teens, telling on her with their parents. Jana claims Jade framed her, but Libby doubts that.
They work together and Libby increasingly realizes Jade is her type. Jade also reveals part of why the sisters had issues is their parents subtly et them against each other, as they were too busy.
They finally clear out the house, Libby goes home and finally confesses to Jana about dating Jade.
Jana goes ballistic, demands that Libby break it off or their friendship is over.
Third act breakup.
Libby ghosts Jade and is miserable. Jana springs a blind date on Libby, which goes awful, and Jana realizes she screwed up. Libby goes to see Jade, who's understandably pissed, but do make up.
3 out of 5. The breakup just feels weird and wrong, and kinda threw me out of thd book. Decently written overall tho.
Libby arrives at the house to find out Jana didnt tell her sister she was sending her, and Jade is pretty rude. And she keeps teasing Libby, calling her Princess.
We learn from Jana that Jade was a narc when they were teens, telling on her with their parents. Jana claims Jade framed her, but Libby doubts that.
They work together and Libby increasingly realizes Jade is her type. Jade also reveals part of why the sisters had issues is their parents subtly et them against each other, as they were too busy.
They finally clear out the house, Libby goes home and finally confesses to Jana about dating Jade.
Jana goes ballistic, demands that Libby break it off or their friendship is over.
Third act breakup.
Libby ghosts Jade and is miserable. Jana springs a blind date on Libby, which goes awful, and Jana realizes she screwed up. Libby goes to see Jade, who's understandably pissed, but do make up.
3 out of 5. The breakup just feels weird and wrong, and kinda threw me out of thd book. Decently written overall tho.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2026
My ARC Thoughts (Spoiler-Free)
If you love sharp dialogue, tension so thick you could slice it, and two women who absolutely refuse to admit they’re falling… this one delivers.
Not Your Enemy leans hard into that delicious adversarial chemistry. From the first chapter, the banter is biting, competitive, and layered with unresolved attraction. Madison Mars writes conflict beautifully — not just surface-level snark, but emotional armor. These women aren’t just rivals… they’re protecting wounds.
The slow burn feels earned. The progression from irritation → fascination → vulnerability is paced intentionally, which makes the emotional payoff satisfying instead of rushed.
And when the spice hits?
It hits. 🔥
What I Loved
Authentic tension – The enemies-to-lovers dynamic isn’t petty; it’s rooted in pride, ambition, and fear.
Layered characters – Both leads feel flawed but deeply human.
Chemistry – Electric. The glances, the almost-confessions, the forced proximity moments? Chef’s kiss.
Emotional vulnerability – The story doesn’t just give spice; it gives softness underneath the armor.
Who Should Read This?
WLW romance lovers who enjoy sharp banter
Readers who love workplace power dynamics
Fans of emotionally guarded characters learning to trust
If you love sharp dialogue, tension so thick you could slice it, and two women who absolutely refuse to admit they’re falling… this one delivers.
Not Your Enemy leans hard into that delicious adversarial chemistry. From the first chapter, the banter is biting, competitive, and layered with unresolved attraction. Madison Mars writes conflict beautifully — not just surface-level snark, but emotional armor. These women aren’t just rivals… they’re protecting wounds.
The slow burn feels earned. The progression from irritation → fascination → vulnerability is paced intentionally, which makes the emotional payoff satisfying instead of rushed.
And when the spice hits?
It hits. 🔥
What I Loved
Authentic tension – The enemies-to-lovers dynamic isn’t petty; it’s rooted in pride, ambition, and fear.
Layered characters – Both leads feel flawed but deeply human.
Chemistry – Electric. The glances, the almost-confessions, the forced proximity moments? Chef’s kiss.
Emotional vulnerability – The story doesn’t just give spice; it gives softness underneath the armor.
Who Should Read This?
WLW romance lovers who enjoy sharp banter
Readers who love workplace power dynamics
Fans of emotionally guarded characters learning to trust
Review of advance copy received from Author
First thank you to the Author for the Arc, my first at that!
I read this book in two days, stayed up till 2 AM to finish it because I was HOOKED. I felt that each character brought something to the table that was uniquely them. What I liked most was that these characters felt real, the way they were written made me feel like I knew them.
I loved the fact that not only was there a plus size MC, they were worshiped for their body which was so refreshing to see.
The book took a lot of really deep things (grief, anxiety/overthinking, and familial conflict) and not only wrote them well but was able to make plot around them and not have the story only focus on those things were nice.
I wish that Jana would have been written slightly different in terms of how negative she was about her sister, it was very repetitive and I wish there would have been some reflection on her part after everything that happened and with what Libby was telling her.
Honestly, I'm waiting for a sequel at this point. I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book!
Thanks again to the author, another great book of hers I fell in love with!
I read this book in two days, stayed up till 2 AM to finish it because I was HOOKED. I felt that each character brought something to the table that was uniquely them. What I liked most was that these characters felt real, the way they were written made me feel like I knew them.
I loved the fact that not only was there a plus size MC, they were worshiped for their body which was so refreshing to see.
The book took a lot of really deep things (grief, anxiety/overthinking, and familial conflict) and not only wrote them well but was able to make plot around them and not have the story only focus on those things were nice.
I wish that Jana would have been written slightly different in terms of how negative she was about her sister, it was very repetitive and I wish there would have been some reflection on her part after everything that happened and with what Libby was telling her.
Honestly, I'm waiting for a sequel at this point. I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book!
Thanks again to the author, another great book of hers I fell in love with!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Sweet, satisfying sapphic romance!
Libby is probably the best friend anyone could ask for. When she agrees to go in workaholic Jana’s place to clear out Jana’s late parents’ house, the rules are pretty simple: maintain a healthy distance from Jana’s cruel sister, Jade.
Only, things are never as cut-and-dry as they seem, and when Libby finds herself caught in the middle of decades-old bad blood, she must make an impossible choice.
These characters are easy to love, and there are strong themes of meeting your loved ones where they’re at, establishing boundaries, and finding your own voice in your life.
Libby tries to do the best she can for the people around her, sometimes at the cost of her own happiness, and seeing her character growth over the course of the novel was so satisfying.
If you’re looking for a wholesome sapphic romance to escape into, I absolutely recommend ‘Not Your Enemy’!
Super grateful to have received an advance copy of this story - all opinions are my own!
Libby is probably the best friend anyone could ask for. When she agrees to go in workaholic Jana’s place to clear out Jana’s late parents’ house, the rules are pretty simple: maintain a healthy distance from Jana’s cruel sister, Jade.
Only, things are never as cut-and-dry as they seem, and when Libby finds herself caught in the middle of decades-old bad blood, she must make an impossible choice.
These characters are easy to love, and there are strong themes of meeting your loved ones where they’re at, establishing boundaries, and finding your own voice in your life.
Libby tries to do the best she can for the people around her, sometimes at the cost of her own happiness, and seeing her character growth over the course of the novel was so satisfying.
If you’re looking for a wholesome sapphic romance to escape into, I absolutely recommend ‘Not Your Enemy’!
Super grateful to have received an advance copy of this story - all opinions are my own!
Review of advance copy received from Author
First thank you to the author for this ARC.
I have a hard time getting into books but this one sucked me right in and I read almost straight through. First the best friend in the story is such a unlikable character. How do you pressure your best friend to go deal with your dead parents house with the sister you hate? That was enough for me to hate Janna. Libby I wasn’t sure about for a while but I loved Jade instantly. I love her so much she’s real, self aware, intelligent, artistic, down to earth — can you tell I have a book crush? Ha ha
There were a few cliffhangers and surprises and I kept waiting for Jana or Libby’s parents to walk in on them at different points 🤣.
Overall lovable characters, relatable for those of us with familial trauma (which is most of our generation) and a very meet cute love story.
Thank you to the author for writing this tale - can’t wait to read more sapphic love stories from you in the future!!
I have a hard time getting into books but this one sucked me right in and I read almost straight through. First the best friend in the story is such a unlikable character. How do you pressure your best friend to go deal with your dead parents house with the sister you hate? That was enough for me to hate Janna. Libby I wasn’t sure about for a while but I loved Jade instantly. I love her so much she’s real, self aware, intelligent, artistic, down to earth — can you tell I have a book crush? Ha ha
There were a few cliffhangers and surprises and I kept waiting for Jana or Libby’s parents to walk in on them at different points 🤣.
Overall lovable characters, relatable for those of us with familial trauma (which is most of our generation) and a very meet cute love story.
Thank you to the author for writing this tale - can’t wait to read more sapphic love stories from you in the future!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
If given the choice, who would you pick? Your best friend or your soulmate? Libby is a people pleaser, so when her bff Jana asks her to step in her place to pack up her late parents’ house, she agrees to. Jana wanted to avoid her worst enemy, her older sister Jade. Libby quickly realizes that Jade is not the monster that Jana made her out to be.
Not Your Enemy was a quick, fun, and smutty sapphic read. The dynamic between Libby and Jade is cute. Libby really opened herself out to possibly, and Jade brought that out in her. I think Jana was toxic AF. I wish there was more resolution between the two sisters. I think that would have wrapped the book together fully, but instead, it feels like a loose end. Overall, I really enjoyed Not Your Enemy. The close-proximity chemistry was both cute and sexy.
Not Your Enemy was a quick, fun, and smutty sapphic read. The dynamic between Libby and Jade is cute. Libby really opened herself out to possibly, and Jade brought that out in her. I think Jana was toxic AF. I wish there was more resolution between the two sisters. I think that would have wrapped the book together fully, but instead, it feels like a loose end. Overall, I really enjoyed Not Your Enemy. The close-proximity chemistry was both cute and sexy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Libby is the BEST Friend. When her best friend asked her go clean out her parents house with sister that she hasn't spoke with in years. Jana sees her sister as her enemy number one! And doesnt even want to to talk about her let alone see her. So what esle is Libby supposed to do? Libby said yes to go help her sister clean out their parents house. Even though she thinks its really wrong that she is there and not Jana.
Libby knew she had to chose between Jana or Jade. But how.. does she listens to her heart or do whats right?
A very beautiful, romantic book. I love how of a great friend Libby is. And I love how Libby finally see she wasn't happy she was just comfortable in her life. And finally what she loves.
Libby knew she had to chose between Jana or Jade. But how.. does she listens to her heart or do whats right?
A very beautiful, romantic book. I love how of a great friend Libby is. And I love how Libby finally see she wasn't happy she was just comfortable in her life. And finally what she loves.
February 1, 2026
I want to thank Madison Mars for an eARC of “Not Your Enemy”! I thought this was a really cute concept and it’s what caught my attention. For those who like insta-love, this will be up your alley with open-door spice!
I did finish the book and it did not quite hit the mark for me. I so wish it had. Libby and Jade as characters on their own conceptually- they were great. We love a tattoo artist, love a character who is a planner & has a love for fashion! However, I felt like I experienced pacing issues as I was reading and wished there was some more development of the characters. With that being said, you may have an entirely different experience!
I did finish the book and it did not quite hit the mark for me. I so wish it had. Libby and Jade as characters on their own conceptually- they were great. We love a tattoo artist, love a character who is a planner & has a love for fashion! However, I felt like I experienced pacing issues as I was reading and wished there was some more development of the characters. With that being said, you may have an entirely different experience!
February 8, 2026
Thank you Madison and her team for the eARC!
If you want a quick, very spicy WLW romance, this is for you! Libby feels in between being loyal to her best friend and her best friend's sexy, tatted sister who spoils her and cares for her in ways she never experienced before. A small town romance with some drama and emotions and lots of spice. I definitely recommend for anyone who prefers shorter books and LGBTQ+ romances. The relationship was very sweet and perfect for anyone who isn't into too dark, complicated relationship plots. I wished it was longer and anyone who reads this enjoys it as well! ❤️❤️❤️
If you want a quick, very spicy WLW romance, this is for you! Libby feels in between being loyal to her best friend and her best friend's sexy, tatted sister who spoils her and cares for her in ways she never experienced before. A small town romance with some drama and emotions and lots of spice. I definitely recommend for anyone who prefers shorter books and LGBTQ+ romances. The relationship was very sweet and perfect for anyone who isn't into too dark, complicated relationship plots. I wished it was longer and anyone who reads this enjoys it as well! ❤️❤️❤️
February 7, 2026
This was a cute read that kept me engaged and I didn’t want to put it down!
I loved Jade and Libby both and the spice was spicing ❤️🔥 It was a heartfelt book with some good lessons about not letting the past get in the way of your current happiness. I loved that Libby was plus sized but it was never something that felt tokenized. I wanted to get to know each of the characters a bit more, but overall I loved Not Your Enemy and definitely recommend it for a fun, cute, and quick sapphic read.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
I loved Jade and Libby both and the spice was spicing ❤️🔥 It was a heartfelt book with some good lessons about not letting the past get in the way of your current happiness. I loved that Libby was plus sized but it was never something that felt tokenized. I wanted to get to know each of the characters a bit more, but overall I loved Not Your Enemy and definitely recommend it for a fun, cute, and quick sapphic read.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this book.
Libby and jade were made to heal each other. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still upset with Jana but damnit if she didn’t come through for her bestie.
There were scenes where I cried, scenes that made me giggle and laugh, scenes where I went “WHAT THE EVER LOVING HELL!” but I really enjoyed it!!
Thank you to the author for allowing me to be an ARC reader. Trust me this is an honest review.
Libby and jade were made to heal each other. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still upset with Jana but damnit if she didn’t come through for her bestie.
There were scenes where I cried, scenes that made me giggle and laugh, scenes where I went “WHAT THE EVER LOVING HELL!” but I really enjoyed it!!
Thank you to the author for allowing me to be an ARC reader. Trust me this is an honest review.
February 7, 2026
Struggle bus to love
Libby and Jade's story had me from the jump, showing me how sweet and honest they both were. Their struggles made their HEA feel well-earned and lovely! What stood out for me was the domesticity Mars established early on between them, giving the story an almost slice-of-life feeling. Even though the story has an end, I can imagine their daily lives together afterward, given this.
Well worth reading in a single sitting, and I'll definitely reread it!
Libby and Jade's story had me from the jump, showing me how sweet and honest they both were. Their struggles made their HEA feel well-earned and lovely! What stood out for me was the domesticity Mars established early on between them, giving the story an almost slice-of-life feeling. Even though the story has an end, I can imagine their daily lives together afterward, given this.
Well worth reading in a single sitting, and I'll definitely reread it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I did enjoy this read, the way it was quick to get your attention, but the repetitive and negative that Jana had regarding her sister at every turn just soured parts of the plot for me. The romance between Libby and Jade was great and spicy, but I felt the characters all needed more depth. It would have been an excellent book without all the negativity..
dnf-did-not-finish
February 1, 2026DNF’d 20% - I first want to thank the author for giving me an arc of this book. The premise of the book sounded really intriguing. Unfortunately I found myself unable to connect to the characters. Also I found the book to be suffering from telling me things, not showing them to me.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.
This book had some fun sections and decent spice. I struggled with a lot of the dialogue- which felt unrealistic- and the lack of maturity of the characters, who were late 20s+.
This book had some fun sections and decent spice. I struggled with a lot of the dialogue- which felt unrealistic- and the lack of maturity of the characters, who were late 20s+.
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