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What's Not to Love
Real romance from a real couple!
An academic enemies-to-lovers YA with all the nerdy drama, high school antics, and heartpounding romance of the Netflix original series Never Have I Ever
Since high school began, Alison Sanger and Ethan Molloy have competed on almost everything. AP classes, the school paper, community service, it never ends. If Alison could avoid Ethan until graduation, she would. Except, naturally, for two over-achieving seniors with their sights on valedictorian and Harvard, they share all the same classes and extracurriculars. So when their school’s principal assigns them the task of co-planning a previous class’s ten-year reunion, with the promise of a recommendation for Harvard if they do, Ethan and Alison are willing to endure one more activity together if it means beating the other out of the lead. But with all this extra time spent in each other’s company, their rivalry begins to feel closer to friendship. And as tension between them builds, Alison fights the growing realization that the only thing she wants more than winning…is Ethan.
An academic enemies-to-lovers YA with all the nerdy drama, high school antics, and heartpounding romance of the Netflix original series Never Have I Ever
Since high school began, Alison Sanger and Ethan Molloy have competed on almost everything. AP classes, the school paper, community service, it never ends. If Alison could avoid Ethan until graduation, she would. Except, naturally, for two over-achieving seniors with their sights on valedictorian and Harvard, they share all the same classes and extracurriculars. So when their school’s principal assigns them the task of co-planning a previous class’s ten-year reunion, with the promise of a recommendation for Harvard if they do, Ethan and Alison are willing to endure one more activity together if it means beating the other out of the lead. But with all this extra time spent in each other’s company, their rivalry begins to feel closer to friendship. And as tension between them builds, Alison fights the growing realization that the only thing she wants more than winning…is Ethan.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2021
95 people are currently reading
10114 people want to read
About the author
Emily Wibberley
21 books2,248 followersEmily Wibberley attended Princeton University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Austin Siegemund-Broka, with whom she is author of The Roughest Draft, as well as several love stories for teens.
Visit her and Austin's website at www.emilyandaustinwrite.com.
Visit her and Austin's website at www.emilyandaustinwrite.com.
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May 25, 2021DNF @ 38%
I'm not the biggest fan of enemies to lovers but sometimes I like it, but that was definitely not the case with this one. They literally just hated each other. There was no chemistry, no hint of it turning to romance except other people saying that's why they bicker so much. But by almost halfway through I'd expect the characters to have a bit more than meaningless quick interactions and just fighting. I found both of them annoying and immature and didn't feel like the plot was enough to hook me so I just decided it wasn't for me. Really sad about it but oh well. If you like enemies to lovers you might have better luck!
I'm not the biggest fan of enemies to lovers but sometimes I like it, but that was definitely not the case with this one. They literally just hated each other. There was no chemistry, no hint of it turning to romance except other people saying that's why they bicker so much. But by almost halfway through I'd expect the characters to have a bit more than meaningless quick interactions and just fighting. I found both of them annoying and immature and didn't feel like the plot was enough to hook me so I just decided it wasn't for me. Really sad about it but oh well. If you like enemies to lovers you might have better luck!
May 4, 2021
i’m a simple girl. i see wibbroka, i click “WANT TO READ”.
May 4, 2021
4 stars
I am such a sucker for anything enemies to lovers and when I read the synopsis of this I knew I needed to get to it asap. I love reading books about overachieving rivals who ride that line of love/hate.
Alison and Ethan are in competition for anything and everything. Both are at the top of their class and the two contenders for valedictorian. Both are planning on going to Harvard. Academics is life and beating each other is what they strive for. They have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with it, to be honest. When they get paired to plan a big school event, these two are stuck spending even more time with each other than before.
I love watching that switch flip from I really hate this person to loving them. In a lot of enemies to lovers books it seems like one of the main characters doesn't hate the other so much, they've just been pining for them etc. One of my favorite things about this one is that wasn't the case here. Both of these characters truly couldn't stand each other... until a kiss of passion and frustration changed everything.
I adore this author duo and had so much fun with this one. A great coming of age story with lots of different dynamics of friendship, family, love, and life changing after high school. Would recommend to lovers of this troupe and YA.
I am such a sucker for anything enemies to lovers and when I read the synopsis of this I knew I needed to get to it asap. I love reading books about overachieving rivals who ride that line of love/hate.
Alison and Ethan are in competition for anything and everything. Both are at the top of their class and the two contenders for valedictorian. Both are planning on going to Harvard. Academics is life and beating each other is what they strive for. They have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with it, to be honest. When they get paired to plan a big school event, these two are stuck spending even more time with each other than before.
I love watching that switch flip from I really hate this person to loving them. In a lot of enemies to lovers books it seems like one of the main characters doesn't hate the other so much, they've just been pining for them etc. One of my favorite things about this one is that wasn't the case here. Both of these characters truly couldn't stand each other... until a kiss of passion and frustration changed everything.
I adore this author duo and had so much fun with this one. A great coming of age story with lots of different dynamics of friendship, family, love, and life changing after high school. Would recommend to lovers of this troupe and YA.
Audio book source: Audible (purchased)
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrator: Elizabeth Cottle
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary YA
Length: 9h 36m
April 21, 2021
I am so relieved right now. I was really starting to think IF I'M BEING HONEST was a fluke for this duo. While I had liked everything else they had written, nothing had edged over into love category and while I enjoyed the topics and themes, I was nonetheless a little disappointed.
"What, Sanger? You don't enjoy our conversations?"
"They're not conversations, they're hostage negotiations."
Until now.
For every reason I have to despise Ethan, I'm grateful for the chance to prove my worth. To prove not that I am the best, but that I can be the best.
That said, I was definitely feeling some minor trepidation with this one, too. I was loving the competitive dynamic between the two leads but, not unlike in another romance (though, that one was adult, not YA), I worried it was just a little too much to come back from. Too often toeing over that line where the bickering and banter becomes too harsh, the back and forth too toxic, the overall relationship too problematic. But not only did the characters have dialogue about those moments but how it all unfolded ended up working just right.
I'm surprised this many people want to celebrate his birth. I would rather commemorate it the way one would a natural disaster or other unfortunate occurence -- somber social media posts, vows to stay strong on this dark day.
This particular match-up was also so much more than I expected it to be, in regards to motivations and self-awareness. I've definitely appreciated how these two authors have explored the strangeness of post-highschool life, and what that looks like, what it has to be, both on personal and romantic levels, and I liked how they worked through it via a new angle with these two characters; and even with those within their friendships and families.
Even when you think you've found your story, you might need to change it later if the one you've living doesn't work.
Overall it was just.. fun. The tension, the combativeness, the mixed feelings when one would deviate from the expected, and how that looks going into their future. I would definitely recommend this one. Obviously.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
"What, Sanger? You don't enjoy our conversations?"
"They're not conversations, they're hostage negotiations."
Until now.
For every reason I have to despise Ethan, I'm grateful for the chance to prove my worth. To prove not that I am the best, but that I can be the best.
That said, I was definitely feeling some minor trepidation with this one, too. I was loving the competitive dynamic between the two leads but, not unlike in another romance (though, that one was adult, not YA), I worried it was just a little too much to come back from. Too often toeing over that line where the bickering and banter becomes too harsh, the back and forth too toxic, the overall relationship too problematic. But not only did the characters have dialogue about those moments but how it all unfolded ended up working just right.
I'm surprised this many people want to celebrate his birth. I would rather commemorate it the way one would a natural disaster or other unfortunate occurence -- somber social media posts, vows to stay strong on this dark day.
This particular match-up was also so much more than I expected it to be, in regards to motivations and self-awareness. I've definitely appreciated how these two authors have explored the strangeness of post-highschool life, and what that looks like, what it has to be, both on personal and romantic levels, and I liked how they worked through it via a new angle with these two characters; and even with those within their friendships and families.
Even when you think you've found your story, you might need to change it later if the one you've living doesn't work.
Overall it was just.. fun. The tension, the combativeness, the mixed feelings when one would deviate from the expected, and how that looks going into their future. I would definitely recommend this one. Obviously.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
April 20, 2021
”Sometimes you only think you outgrew someone when really you let them go.”
What’s not to love is a rivals to rivals with benefits to love interests, YA romance. On it’s very surface it’s an angsty read about two high school seniors who have been competing academically and in anyway possible since their freshman year. I swear I thought at points Alison and Ethan would start competing about who could hold their breath the longest. Anything and everything was a chance to beat the other.
We follow Alison as she dedicates her final year of high school to finally beating Ethan in their penultimate competitions, earning valedictorian and getting into Harvard. The thing is, at some point, the back and forth becomes too much and just as Alison is about to be the “bigger more mature person” some unnamed feelings come to light and yeah. You’ll just have to read to find out.
I think I enjoyed this story so much, because it wasn’t solely about Alison and her rival turned love interest. It’s also a story featuring so many different people in different stages of their lives. Alison’s best friend Dylan for example, is the same age and about to be off to college as well, but she also has had a completely different path to get there. She finds different things important and Alison sort of struggles with whether or not she should want the experiences she didn’t value as important. I like that WNTL explores how all these characters have made different choices and have had different experiences and some of them are still figuring things out. Even the adults that Alison aspires to have the respect of. So while Alison and Ethan are navigating the new relationship their rivalry has morphed into, Alison is also questioning those around her and wondering if the path she’s so sure about is actually a sure path.
All in all this is a good read. If you enjoy angsty YA with a lot of back and forth between characters, and some impactful subplots about coming of age and still figuring it out when you are of age, then you’ll enjoy this read!
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC
What’s not to love is a rivals to rivals with benefits to love interests, YA romance. On it’s very surface it’s an angsty read about two high school seniors who have been competing academically and in anyway possible since their freshman year. I swear I thought at points Alison and Ethan would start competing about who could hold their breath the longest. Anything and everything was a chance to beat the other.
We follow Alison as she dedicates her final year of high school to finally beating Ethan in their penultimate competitions, earning valedictorian and getting into Harvard. The thing is, at some point, the back and forth becomes too much and just as Alison is about to be the “bigger more mature person” some unnamed feelings come to light and yeah. You’ll just have to read to find out.
I think I enjoyed this story so much, because it wasn’t solely about Alison and her rival turned love interest. It’s also a story featuring so many different people in different stages of their lives. Alison’s best friend Dylan for example, is the same age and about to be off to college as well, but she also has had a completely different path to get there. She finds different things important and Alison sort of struggles with whether or not she should want the experiences she didn’t value as important. I like that WNTL explores how all these characters have made different choices and have had different experiences and some of them are still figuring things out. Even the adults that Alison aspires to have the respect of. So while Alison and Ethan are navigating the new relationship their rivalry has morphed into, Alison is also questioning those around her and wondering if the path she’s so sure about is actually a sure path.
All in all this is a good read. If you enjoy angsty YA with a lot of back and forth between characters, and some impactful subplots about coming of age and still figuring it out when you are of age, then you’ll enjoy this read!
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC
May 10, 2021
who do we need to bully to change this cover
_______
Ugh. My heart.
This was dang cute. It lands perfectly in that place in the YA genre where I find I can really enjoy the book without having to view it as my high-school self. I didn't need to age myself down to understand the conflict, the drama, the friendships, the rivalry, because Wibberley toed that line between teens and young adults so well. The writing was cohesive and mature. The characters were 3-dimensional and well-rounded, and the story flowed perfectly.
I've seen this compared to Today Tonight Tomorrow. I've seen people rate this a little lower because of how it measures up. I haven't read Today, Tonight, Tomorrow yet, though it is on my TBR, but I will just say I'm grateful I read this first, because I got to enjoy it on its own merits. And I'm sure when I do eventually get to read Today, Tonight, Tomorrow, I'll enjoy it, too.
Also, lets put our hands together for a true enemies-to-lovers. How often in the trope does one of the lovers (usually the guy) admit he's really loved the other all along? That he's been pining since the moment they met? Don't get me wrong. I love the pining. It still gets my heart fluttering. But there is something refreshing about seeing our main couple come together into their feelings.
A solid YA. I think the only thing I would have liked more was if it was told in a dual POV. And again.... LET'S GET A NEW COVER ON THIS BITCH, VIKING BOOKS!!
_______
It’s odd to me now, how I’d considered every paragraph of high school only prologue while I wrote chapter upon chapter of newspaper productions and driving lessons, fights and fantasies and food poisoning. Under the lights, I feel grateful for the exhilaration of an unfinished story and the necessity of every page before this one.
Ugh. My heart.
This was dang cute. It lands perfectly in that place in the YA genre where I find I can really enjoy the book without having to view it as my high-school self. I didn't need to age myself down to understand the conflict, the drama, the friendships, the rivalry, because Wibberley toed that line between teens and young adults so well. The writing was cohesive and mature. The characters were 3-dimensional and well-rounded, and the story flowed perfectly.
I've seen this compared to Today Tonight Tomorrow. I've seen people rate this a little lower because of how it measures up. I haven't read Today, Tonight, Tomorrow yet, though it is on my TBR, but I will just say I'm grateful I read this first, because I got to enjoy it on its own merits. And I'm sure when I do eventually get to read Today, Tonight, Tomorrow, I'll enjoy it, too.
Also, lets put our hands together for a true enemies-to-lovers. How often in the trope does one of the lovers (usually the guy) admit he's really loved the other all along? That he's been pining since the moment they met? Don't get me wrong. I love the pining. It still gets my heart fluttering. But there is something refreshing about seeing our main couple come together into their feelings.
A solid YA. I think the only thing I would have liked more was if it was told in a dual POV. And again.... LET'S GET A NEW COVER ON THIS BITCH, VIKING BOOKS!!
May 16, 2023
this was super cute but i think it was just a lot longer than it needed. i was looking for academic rivals to lovers and this served! beware if you don’t like “toxic” this may not be for you but this definitely had me giggling
January 26, 2021
One of THE BEST YA enemies to lovers I’ve ever read. It’s like if Tristan and Rory from Gilmore Girls hooked up. It’s like if Ethan & Olive from The Unhoneymooners went to high school together. A wonderfully written story about discovering who you are and what you want to be in life.
April 6, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and PenguinTeen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, I did not love What's Not To Love. I have enjoyed all of the author's other books, so I'm shocked to say this just didn't even have the same vibe. First off, Allison and Ethan are very immature annoying main characters. Allison spends half the book talking about how she is so mature, but quite frankly I just never saw that side of her. I love the idea of an academic enemies to lovers, as I will read anything with enemies to lovers. This romance just did not work for me.
Allison and Ethan are literal enemies at school, they are in every single class together, they both want to be the best, and they both want to get into Harvard. I felt like their rivalry was very toxic, especially because it wasn't just silly pranks they would pull on each other. They really did ruin each other's lives. I had such a hard time rooting for them to even be a couple because they spent 75% of this book hating each other and had no thoughts about maybe actually liking one another. Not to mention the cringeyness of when they did get together was laughable. It was very unbelievable because they are such a strange couple and I just didn't like it.
Honestly the side characters in this is what made me enjoy this book. Allison's parents were honestly great and were so funny. Jamie her sister was so supportive and just super nice in general, even when her sister treated her like crap. Even the driver's ed instructor I enjoyed learning about.
I'm sorry to say this one just didn't do it for me. Will I still read anything these author's write? Yes I will. I just think this one was written was over the top that it just wasn't a fun romance read.
Sadly, I did not love What's Not To Love. I have enjoyed all of the author's other books, so I'm shocked to say this just didn't even have the same vibe. First off, Allison and Ethan are very immature annoying main characters. Allison spends half the book talking about how she is so mature, but quite frankly I just never saw that side of her. I love the idea of an academic enemies to lovers, as I will read anything with enemies to lovers. This romance just did not work for me.
Allison and Ethan are literal enemies at school, they are in every single class together, they both want to be the best, and they both want to get into Harvard. I felt like their rivalry was very toxic, especially because it wasn't just silly pranks they would pull on each other. They really did ruin each other's lives. I had such a hard time rooting for them to even be a couple because they spent 75% of this book hating each other and had no thoughts about maybe actually liking one another. Not to mention the cringeyness of when they did get together was laughable. It was very unbelievable because they are such a strange couple and I just didn't like it.
Honestly the side characters in this is what made me enjoy this book. Allison's parents were honestly great and were so funny. Jamie her sister was so supportive and just super nice in general, even when her sister treated her like crap. Even the driver's ed instructor I enjoyed learning about.
I'm sorry to say this one just didn't do it for me. Will I still read anything these author's write? Yes I will. I just think this one was written was over the top that it just wasn't a fun romance read.
May 20, 2021
This was SUCH a cute enemies-to-lovers story! The gradual build up to Alison and Ethan’s relationship was perfect! I also appreciated how there was more to the book than just falling in love. It was also about discovering who you are and where you’re headed, and being okay with the unexpected twists and turns along the way. In the beginning, Alison was really set in her ways, but she slowly learned some important life lessons through Ethan, her best friend, her sister, her parents, and even her driving instructor, Hector (who lowkey was my favorite character; I adored him).
Even though this book takes place in high school, it also touches on life after graduation, so I think both YA and New Adult readers will resonate with this.
Some of my favorite quotes:
✨ “Sometimes you only think you outgrew someone when really you let them go.”
✨ “Don’t shut the door on new experiences or shaking up your own self-image. You might surprise yourself.”
Even though this book takes place in high school, it also touches on life after graduation, so I think both YA and New Adult readers will resonate with this.
Some of my favorite quotes:
✨ “Sometimes you only think you outgrew someone when really you let them go.”
✨ “Don’t shut the door on new experiences or shaking up your own self-image. You might surprise yourself.”
February 17, 2025
I didn’t hate this book. But I’ve come to realize rivals to lovers isn’t my thing. The main characters were so immature and immediately after getting together started calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend? Also all the relationships were toxic. I didn’t love those things about the book. So that’s why I only gave it three stars.
November 16, 2021
Ok so, I really, really enjoyed this book. I have not read a book that made me swoon as much as this book did in a while. It is so adorable, and I really felt Alison and Ethan's chemistry from the first page.
However, I will say that this was not necessarily a new favorite for me. For instance, an element of this book that annoyed me a bit was Alison's character. I felt like throughout the book, she was a little bit too judgmental and immature. She seemed like she was way too focused on herself that she was a bit cold to other people around her. But, this is to be expected, as she is still in high school in this book and is still young.
Overall, I enjoyed both characters. Once again, Alison could be a bit frustrating to read about at times. However, as a whole, I liked her and Ethan's characters. Additionally, as previously mentioned, their chemistry and relationship was absolutely adorable. I had so many butterflies in my stomach reading about them!
This was an enemies-to-lovers I would definitely recommend, and thought it was a solid read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2020
Exactly what I needed and wanted. An intense enemies to lovers involving two extreme over achievers who may literally fight to the death (it really feels close sometimes lol).
Plus, I loved seeing Alison’s drive paired up with her sister’s loss of ambition. There’s so much growth and insight there that Alison desperately needed.
My absolute only wish would be for an alternating POV with Ethan, but this book was still delicious and exciting without it.
Another contemporary gem from one of my favorite writing duos.
Plus, I loved seeing Alison’s drive paired up with her sister’s loss of ambition. There’s so much growth and insight there that Alison desperately needed.
My absolute only wish would be for an alternating POV with Ethan, but this book was still delicious and exciting without it.
Another contemporary gem from one of my favorite writing duos.
December 30, 2023
2.25 Stars
you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
this book cover is ugly. i’m being mature though and i’m going to read it anyway.
—————————————————————
update after reading: maybe it’s alright to judge a book by its cover sometimes.
this book cover is ugly. i’m being mature though and i’m going to read it anyway.
—————————————————————
update after reading: maybe it’s alright to judge a book by its cover sometimes.
May 9, 2021
kind of ... disappointed? we never really did get a reason to why they were rivals + honestly i think t3 spoiled me w academic rivals to lovers. oop.
May 4, 2022
✨Enemies to lovers but they’re actually enemies and not just horny (most of the time)✨
There’s a point where you realize that wow they really crossed some lines and did NOT harbor secret feelings for each other all along. I had read in some other reviews that the two really hated each other and if I’m being honest [;)] I didn’t think that was actually possible in enemies to lovers. I’m always one for pining and desperately waiting so this was a bit of culture shock but it did the trick in the end.
I was so intrigued to see the moment when they finally collided lips instead of words. I felt like I was an evil mastermind seeing my evil mastermind plan fulfilled. I’m pretty sure I evil mastermind cackled. I enjoyed Ethan’s description of why they weren’t secretly in love with each other, it was a nice twist on the trope.
Personally I find the set-up of this novel interesting. Like I can’t decide if I like reading about rich characters who get into Harvard and can actually afford it without a worry. Rarely do you get two independently wealthy kids without bad or pressuring parents or some obvious struggle. Ethan and Allison were just oddly flat characters if their interactions with each other would be removed. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed Allison’s parents a lot, but maybe throw in something that’s more realistic. Maybe I’m just bitter; I didn’t dislike it, it was just a unique choice. Book three was ~a lot~ so maybe they tried to have less happening in the background of this one?
I think we needed a few more intimate conversations with the main couple. I’d have like these scenes to reveal a bit more about Ethan and his motivations. Why was his life so empty besides his rivalry? Where were his parents? Is it a good relationship?
Overall, this is a book that had a lot potential in the beginning and ~pretty much~ lived up to my expectations. Will I still read into Ethan’s joining of the Chronicle as an act of desperate love and not distaste? Obviously. I simply can’t let go of some of my hopeless romantic notions. This was a really fast read and I didn’t want to put it down. It’s pretty comparable to book one, but nothing holds a candle to book two. That enemies to lovers had just a bit more struggle, the plot a bit more agency, the story perfectly rounded out by the subplots of supporting characters. This one was just a shade paler in comparison but still a solid novel.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
*PS at the beginning I totally thought this was a comp for Today Tonight Tomorrow but I really don’t think that’s accurate in the full scope of things. T3 is just ~that~ book. The relationship is ~that~ relationship. Those characters are ~the~ characters. There’s just no fair comparison to that romance and Neil’s pine tree forest. They have similar vibes but honestly the romance and overall feel of the book are completely individual.
**PPS I have zero clue how to rate this book. I was fluctuating between 3.5, 3.75, (even 3.95), and 4. It basically comes down to if I think I’d read it again and I’m pretty sure I will, so I settled on four. I enjoyed so much but there were some things left to be desired.
There’s a point where you realize that wow they really crossed some lines and did NOT harbor secret feelings for each other all along. I had read in some other reviews that the two really hated each other and if I’m being honest [;)] I didn’t think that was actually possible in enemies to lovers. I’m always one for pining and desperately waiting so this was a bit of culture shock but it did the trick in the end.
I was so intrigued to see the moment when they finally collided lips instead of words. I felt like I was an evil mastermind seeing my evil mastermind plan fulfilled. I’m pretty sure I evil mastermind cackled. I enjoyed Ethan’s description of why they weren’t secretly in love with each other, it was a nice twist on the trope.
Personally I find the set-up of this novel interesting. Like I can’t decide if I like reading about rich characters who get into Harvard and can actually afford it without a worry. Rarely do you get two independently wealthy kids without bad or pressuring parents or some obvious struggle. Ethan and Allison were just oddly flat characters if their interactions with each other would be removed. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed Allison’s parents a lot, but maybe throw in something that’s more realistic. Maybe I’m just bitter; I didn’t dislike it, it was just a unique choice. Book three was ~a lot~ so maybe they tried to have less happening in the background of this one?
I think we needed a few more intimate conversations with the main couple. I’d have like these scenes to reveal a bit more about Ethan and his motivations. Why was his life so empty besides his rivalry? Where were his parents? Is it a good relationship?
Overall, this is a book that had a lot potential in the beginning and ~pretty much~ lived up to my expectations. Will I still read into Ethan’s joining of the Chronicle as an act of desperate love and not distaste? Obviously. I simply can’t let go of some of my hopeless romantic notions. This was a really fast read and I didn’t want to put it down. It’s pretty comparable to book one, but nothing holds a candle to book two. That enemies to lovers had just a bit more struggle, the plot a bit more agency, the story perfectly rounded out by the subplots of supporting characters. This one was just a shade paler in comparison but still a solid novel.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
*PS at the beginning I totally thought this was a comp for Today Tonight Tomorrow but I really don’t think that’s accurate in the full scope of things. T3 is just ~that~ book. The relationship is ~that~ relationship. Those characters are ~the~ characters. There’s just no fair comparison to that romance and Neil’s pine tree forest. They have similar vibes but honestly the romance and overall feel of the book are completely individual.
**PPS I have zero clue how to rate this book. I was fluctuating between 3.5, 3.75, (even 3.95), and 4. It basically comes down to if I think I’d read it again and I’m pretty sure I will, so I settled on four. I enjoyed so much but there were some things left to be desired.
June 7, 2022
More thoughts found in this reading vlog.
This book was utterly insufferable...
Told in a single perspective this is the love story of two academic rivals as they are forced to work together by their principal to plan a previous classes ten year reunion in order to decide who will be valedictorian. If you think that's foolishness, that's because it is.
Rivals to lovers is never something I've seen work well in a single perspective, if anything I'm becoming more and more convinced it is a cheap trick authors have devised in order to keep the reader from seeing how stupid the two characters are meant to be. Here, I think that's the case more than anything. Because the male character in this duo... let's just say there's not a lot of animosity ever in his perspective. And our female character has to go on this journey of self discovery that maybe it's okay to relax a little because flaming out the way her elder sister did isn't actually the worst thing in the world. It's a very cliche set up with a very cliche ending and not a lot of enjoyable substance between those two destinations. Ultimately I wouldn't recommend this to just about anyone, but if you are desperate to scratch a rivals to lovers itch, go for it I guess.
This book was utterly insufferable...
Told in a single perspective this is the love story of two academic rivals as they are forced to work together by their principal to plan a previous classes ten year reunion in order to decide who will be valedictorian. If you think that's foolishness, that's because it is.
Rivals to lovers is never something I've seen work well in a single perspective, if anything I'm becoming more and more convinced it is a cheap trick authors have devised in order to keep the reader from seeing how stupid the two characters are meant to be. Here, I think that's the case more than anything. Because the male character in this duo... let's just say there's not a lot of animosity ever in his perspective. And our female character has to go on this journey of self discovery that maybe it's okay to relax a little because flaming out the way her elder sister did isn't actually the worst thing in the world. It's a very cliche set up with a very cliche ending and not a lot of enjoyable substance between those two destinations. Ultimately I wouldn't recommend this to just about anyone, but if you are desperate to scratch a rivals to lovers itch, go for it I guess.
January 3, 2023
came here for a nice academic rivals to lovers, left severely dissatisfied. why on earth does every student want to go to harvard or another ivy leage? the entire 'highschool is the best four years of your life' theme is SO untrue and made me uncomfortable, Alison is hugely unlikable: 'better than thou' personality and tried to be Rory Gilmore too much. Ethan was not my cup of tea, also why did this new 16 year old driver have a Mercedes as his first car??? this entire book screamed 'I'm rich and peppy and my life is so! hard!' anyways there are better academic rivals to lovers out there.
November 22, 2025
Well... As an enemies-to-lovers fan, I expected way more chemistry and funnier scenes.
I liked the book in parts but the writing didn't do it for me. Maybe I'll find Wibberley's other works better but for this one, the story could've build up real nice as the starting was strong but it felt a lot stretched after some time.
I liked the book in parts but the writing didn't do it for me. Maybe I'll find Wibberley's other works better but for this one, the story could've build up real nice as the starting was strong but it felt a lot stretched after some time.
February 27, 2024
This book was such a fun and adorable read! Although categorized as Young Adult, I would say maybe it leans closer to New Adult due to the content, the maturity of the characters, and that bridging time of being a senior in high school.
I really enjoyed this novel and how the enemies to lovers trope was used. Even though I know this trope IS in YA, I don't often read YA novels including it and from those that I have read, it hasn't necessarily been done well (or realistically) for that age group. However, I could easily imagine how these circumstances could lead to these two characters having this rival relationship.
From start to finish, this was just an overall great read. I found myself wanting to pick this book up each time I put it down and probably would have read it in one sitting if time allowed.
The story was both comical and swoon worthy and had more than just romance as the message.
This novel may be my new favourite from these authors but now I'm even more encouraged to read more of their backlist.
I really enjoyed this novel and how the enemies to lovers trope was used. Even though I know this trope IS in YA, I don't often read YA novels including it and from those that I have read, it hasn't necessarily been done well (or realistically) for that age group. However, I could easily imagine how these circumstances could lead to these two characters having this rival relationship.
From start to finish, this was just an overall great read. I found myself wanting to pick this book up each time I put it down and probably would have read it in one sitting if time allowed.
The story was both comical and swoon worthy and had more than just romance as the message.
This novel may be my new favourite from these authors but now I'm even more encouraged to read more of their backlist.
April 28, 2021
I've come to the realization that Emily and Austin's ya books are unfortunately not for me. This was my third book by the duo and none of them I truly enjoyed, they felt too basic for me or maybe I'm just growing out of this genre. Although I'd hate finding myself not getting entertained by ya contemporaries anymore, because they were the reason I re-discovered my love for books.
May 12, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What's Not to Love didn't mesh with me in the beginning. Honestly, I was never the girl who was completely competitive in school. I hated the schools I went to so I just wanted to go in and get out. That's it. Doesn't mean I wasn't competitive in anything else - hellllllllo sports. Heck yes!
Other than that, I didn't really connect with Alison and Ethan. If I'm going to continue this honesty trend - I didn't like them either. Alison could be pretty harsh at times. Now I was raised by parents who didn't sugarcoat anything.. but Alison clearly wasn't. So, yeah, she was really harsh to her own family at times.
A couple of times she started to become relatable to me, maybe even borderline likable. She would fail at something and no one would give her crap about it. Seriously no one but herself. One needs to go into life knowing that they are going to fail at something. Doesn't matter when it's going to hit you - you just need to know that it's going to happen and you are going to be okay. Yet, for Alison - it wasn't.
Then there's Ethan. I don't really get what they were trying to do because they just annoyed me. Tension? Sure they had some weird version of it but nothing that made my heart pitter patter. Were they cute? At times they could be but I still didn't connect to anyone. Am I glad that I dove into this book? Sure, with a glass of wine I can always be glad to dive into any book.
In the end, it had cute moments even if I didn't connect to anyone.
What's Not to Love didn't mesh with me in the beginning. Honestly, I was never the girl who was completely competitive in school. I hated the schools I went to so I just wanted to go in and get out. That's it. Doesn't mean I wasn't competitive in anything else - hellllllllo sports. Heck yes!
Other than that, I didn't really connect with Alison and Ethan. If I'm going to continue this honesty trend - I didn't like them either. Alison could be pretty harsh at times. Now I was raised by parents who didn't sugarcoat anything.. but Alison clearly wasn't. So, yeah, she was really harsh to her own family at times.
A couple of times she started to become relatable to me, maybe even borderline likable. She would fail at something and no one would give her crap about it. Seriously no one but herself. One needs to go into life knowing that they are going to fail at something. Doesn't matter when it's going to hit you - you just need to know that it's going to happen and you are going to be okay. Yet, for Alison - it wasn't.
Then there's Ethan. I don't really get what they were trying to do because they just annoyed me. Tension? Sure they had some weird version of it but nothing that made my heart pitter patter. Were they cute? At times they could be but I still didn't connect to anyone. Am I glad that I dove into this book? Sure, with a glass of wine I can always be glad to dive into any book.
In the end, it had cute moments even if I didn't connect to anyone.
February 10, 2022
I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers and I went into this one a bit weary because I did look at the reviews before hand.
I really liked Alison and Ethan. They're both ambitious and competitive and underneath all of the irritation, there's a good connection between them. It was amusing to read Alison figure out what was going on as it seemed like she didn't have a lot of experience (there was mention of her kissing a few boys in the past, but her inner monologue sounds different.) Alison's parents were hilarious and even though they weren't in a lot of scenes, stole every one they were in.
Plot wise, it was good. There's a tension and a rush to get to graduation and the fast moving pace of the story really complimented that. I feel like Alison's BFF Dylan was more of an afterthought than an actual character and that (to me) seemed like an opportunity missed because she was awesome. The hate lasted longer than I expected, but I loved the omg-what-are-we-doing-hate-kissing and the slooooooooooooooooooow turn into something substantial. And while I wanted more of a future take at the end, where it stopped was perfect for these two.
Overall, this was a super quick read with characters I wanted to smash their faces together from the first interaction.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I really liked Alison and Ethan. They're both ambitious and competitive and underneath all of the irritation, there's a good connection between them. It was amusing to read Alison figure out what was going on as it seemed like she didn't have a lot of experience (there was mention of her kissing a few boys in the past, but her inner monologue sounds different.) Alison's parents were hilarious and even though they weren't in a lot of scenes, stole every one they were in.
Plot wise, it was good. There's a tension and a rush to get to graduation and the fast moving pace of the story really complimented that. I feel like Alison's BFF Dylan was more of an afterthought than an actual character and that (to me) seemed like an opportunity missed because she was awesome. The hate lasted longer than I expected, but I loved the omg-what-are-we-doing-hate-kissing and the slooooooooooooooooooow turn into something substantial. And while I wanted more of a future take at the end, where it stopped was perfect for these two.
Overall, this was a super quick read with characters I wanted to smash their faces together from the first interaction.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
May 1, 2021
this was too adorable
Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka's books never disappoint me. I can always count on them to be cute, fluffy, and entertaining.
This was such an engaging book that I read it in one sitting and COULD NOT put it down. It was fast-paced and the plot was "electrifying".
The characters were fantastic and I have zero complaints. They're writing is excellent. AND IT's adorable that they dated in high-school, got married, and WRITE FREAKING ADORABLE BOOKS TOGETHER. <3
my only complaint is that I kind of hate the cover...
That's not really how I envisioned the characters to look like but it's fine...
--------------------
ajkshfkjsahdjkfsakjfhsjd
this was so cute
rtc cause it's 7 pm and I haven't started my homework :)
Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka's books never disappoint me. I can always count on them to be cute, fluffy, and entertaining.
This was such an engaging book that I read it in one sitting and COULD NOT put it down. It was fast-paced and the plot was "electrifying".
The characters were fantastic and I have zero complaints. They're writing is excellent. AND IT's adorable that they dated in high-school, got married, and WRITE FREAKING ADORABLE BOOKS TOGETHER. <3
my only complaint is that I kind of hate the cover...
That's not really how I envisioned the characters to look like but it's fine...
--------------------
ajkshfkjsahdjkfsakjfhsjd
this was so cute
rtc cause it's 7 pm and I haven't started my homework :)
May 20, 2021
Everything this author duo writes ends up being on my favorites' list. Once again, I loved this one. The enemies to lovers, the character development, the siblings relationship, the everything okay. I loved it all.
Full review coming soon :)
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Full review coming soon :)
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bookstagram - Bloglovin'
August 30, 2023
This was everything I wanted, everything I secretly wanted and everything I didn’t know I wanted.
First we’ll start with these authors. They do not exist. Stories like theirs exist purely in fiction. They did not fall in love in high school. They did not have an enemies to lovers relationship. They did not both get valedictorian. They do not both love reading and writing romance. They are not married with four books. It’s just not true that they write published books with the person they’re in love with.
Second. I can tell. The Anne with an e was so there and I loved it. Unlike when Emily Henry just stole parts of the show and put her own characters in, this was a... iykyk 😉. I mean- the journalism thing. The ‘carefully planned and flawlessly executed,’ quote. The white paint on the cheek when the Queens study group was painting signs. The ‘Remains to be seen,’ about them two getting married I mean… what is not to love about this book I have no idea. Remember when I said Love and other words was the most me book I’d read. It’s getting replaced. If you want me in a book… this is where you look. OH. MY. GOSH. IT. RHYMES. EVEN BETTTTEEERRR
Thirdly. The relatability. I just- the ambition, the discipline, the whole thing about carrying relationships with you into new phases of your life, outgrowing people, the ‘four hours of sleep is A-Okay.’ I could continue….
So I will. At the bottom tho.
Fourthly. *swoon-ey sigh* I spent so much time trying to get AI to write sm like this for me. and then I found this. And it was there. 400 pages of whatever I wanted right there for me to thumb though and adore and enjoy so darn much. I was like, ok, they better both hate each other: and then Alison and EtHaN are all like- to the *bones* I hate you with everything in my guts and if you don’t believe me I will puke them all over you but that won’t be hard because the sight of you makes me sick and all my friends scowl at you when we are forced to walk past you and I will do *anything* for you to lose. And we never lost that! (well, i mean it turned less horrific, but even when she was falling in love, she knew that she had actual reasons why she should hate him. And we saw them happen in the book. It was a proper enemies to lovers. (EH could never :p))
And then I was like, ok, now we gonna need some simple swearing with mucheth meaning behind them: “Ethan.” I raise my voice. “What the *fuck*.”
Ok, now crescendo into a really heated argument in the locker hallway and then an even heateder kiss scene: and then they do that, but it’s better because afterwards they tear apart and are all, “Why would you do that?! Why would you kiss me?!” “*You* kissed *me*.” “NO I DI-“
and then I was like, ok, now do it again, but you still have to hate each other: “This,” I say, breaking off between breathless kisses, “is,” - I pant - “meaningless.” “Inconsequential,” he adds, his voice gravelly. “Totally-“ He cuts me off with tongue. “Unremarkable,” he finishes, forcing emotion out of the word.
Another thing - remember when Anne and Gil were competing to see who could get the other the most hot and bothered and they were tallying mental points? *These did the same thing.*
Anyway, then I was like, ok, now you have to have a confession scene where she asks him a question, not expecting his answer to be that he genuinely likes her. And then, because she wouldn’t believe him if he just said it, he doesn’t say anything, he just looks at her, his mouth all upset and worried, his eyes exhausted with repressed emotion, and just saying something simple like, “unfortunately,” that totally betrays the complexity and emotional toll loving her takes on him. AND IT WAS ALL THERRRRREEEEE
Anyway, separate from that: the promposal at the end… it was kind of both cringe and perfect because yes it was so ‘American teenage temporary dating’ vibe… but also, wasn’t the whole point of the book to just… you do you, boo? To say, yes things may change in the future, maybe I'll cringe at the things I did, maybe I’ll be a completely different person in 10 years… but *right now* I’m enjoying this. I’m going to apologise to my friend today even though we might grow out of each other by tomorrow. I’m going to be a little immature now, because that’s who I am right now. It’s what I enjoy. So, yes. Maybe promposals are so… overly romanticised, but you know what? You’d rather participate in that than judge it wouldn’t you? If they wanna be cutesy (and that’s totally what it was, because he wrote her a persuasive argument and then printed it in the school newspaper. and tehn she came out PISSED and then he realised she hadn't read it yet and- ow. my heart. it's squeezing too hard) then DO. THAT. YIZ.
Ethan was constantly changing himself for her. And this was addressed - AS WELL AS EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS BOOK - be-ah-YOO-tifully! Yes, he changed *because* of her, but that doesn’t mean he changed *for* her. It was just- concise and meaningful and perfect. He was willing to change (when he took her on the mature, agreeable date thing because she said their relationship was too immature (please don't hate on Alison sandwich. she had probably the best, most interesting, realistic, meaningful character arc I've ever read))… but that only made her love him as he is more (ice-cream and challenging) therefore learning all the fun stuff about being who you are now, not who you think you are supposed to bbeeeee. Which was just about the most perfect thing.
Like, even when she realised their rivalry was his only real interest… she wasn’t like oh yay he’s obsessed with me. She was like, hey, yo, dude, I will support you whatever you do, but what do *you* want? And he was all uuhhhhh omg idek. And she was like well… that’s ok. But maybe we should do something so you can know. Which pushed him into doing a gap year thing to figure out what he wanted to do and just ugh… proud beans. They’re so good for each other. I Stan competitive relationships.
Ad- HORRIFIED FACE. I WAS ABOUT TO TYPE ADDITIONALLY INSTEAD OF ALSO. WHAT IS THIS BOOK DOING TO ME.
*reluctantly* additionally (🧐) …omg I forgot what I was gonna- PARENTS. I was gonna talk about the parents/side characters. Ugh, so perfect. Also, she makes a point about how old her parents are… but like… they’re not even that old. Like 57 years when she’s in year 12? Anyway. Irrelevant. I loved that the parents kinda chilled. I love my parents, I do, but I would love being given special permission to watch t.v and learn an instrument while I ‘figure stuff out’ I would love to have my writing/reading/homework not be referred to as my free time. I would love to be able to leave teh dinner table before our hour long discussion (complaining session about the sparkie. (lol, I wrote that five months ago, but Betty (dog) eating Liam's (sparkie) biscuits was the hot topic of the night.)) has finished so I could meet writing deadlines.
Aaaaaaanyway. I really loved also how there was Alison who promoted the study hard, ambition is important, determination and discipline are crucial. Because there’s that kind of ambition. Where you enjoy working hard and want to push yourself and stuff… but then there’s her sister’s side as well. Where yes, work hard for success yadda ya *but define success yourself*. If you don’t care about being a doctor, if being a doctor doesn’t make you happy… don’t be a doctor. Don’t live by other people’s definitions. Care about your grades, Alison says. But have a reason for why you want an A besides just the fact that it’s an A, Jamie adds. Like… I know what Ikm trying to say here. I had this conversation with Lanah. And my brother actually. We were writing a persuasive argument on how tests and grades and stuff promote external motivation. It’s actually a super interesting topic, probably another reason why I lived this book so much.
But like, if you only ever do what people put in front of you… what are you going to do, who are you going to be when no one tells you what to do and who to be? Do what makes you happy. And that sounds so simple, but I think so many people do what they are *supposed* to do or are expected to do even if it doesn’t make them feel good. But then again, there’s a lot of grey area there because you can’t just only do what you want to. But then again, what you want to do, and what makes you happy are two very different things. And then, what you need to do is another thing again.
I just really enjoyed how Alison and Jamie did the same hard work/extra credit stuff… but because Jamie only did it because she measured her success with grades and lists of achievements rather than fulfilment and happiness… she ended up back home at near 30 to try and refigure out what she wanted her life to be like. Whereas Alison enjoys the pressure, the struggle, and will likely push herself as far as she can go because she wants to prove not that she is the best, but that she can be the best.
See, but then where Alison and I differ, is that her motivation is founded on other people (EtHaN, and just other people’s expectations of her), whereas I have drilled into my mind that I will never be ‘better’ than someone else, I can only be better than my past self. (Omg it rhymes too) So I could say, oh, but what’s Alison gonna do when there’s no one to compete with/when there are no worthy competitors/when people already know she can do whatever she wants to? She won’t try at all. But no, I don’t think so. I feel like she’d still be ambitious and determined, but it would just be harder for her to see whereabouts is the highest she can go. It’s not just above where the other person’s best is anymore.
So yeah, maybe I would reach higher if I had someone to compete with, but (uh oh, we’ve gotten into a new facet of the topic) then I wouldn’t have time to devote myself to other things that are important to me. You could, hypothetically, be the best at something. You can’t however be the best at everything. So often when you become really good at something it’s because you’ve sacrificed other stuff. You could say, “I wanna be the best I can be.” But… you can’t be the best in every area because you have to devote heaps of your time and attention and effort just to be dedicated to one area. You have to choose something. Some people choose to be teh best in tehir field of work, but then that sacrifices family time. So in a hypothetical world, maybe I wanna be better than my rival, and that pushes me to be better in school - pushes me farther than I would get without them motivating me - but, see, then I would be sacrificing time/attention/effort that I usually spend on writing.
WHOO BABY DO I WANNA WRITE AN ESSAY ON THIS. Ooo but noooo let’s do the same assignment that we’ve done for three years. Except it’s different because it’s a different book, see? See we’re learning new stuff!
☹️
Anywho. Then there was the thing about the friends. There was teh thing about maturity. It’s crazy how much of this book was about other stuff even though so much page time was dedicated to Alison and EtHaN and their gorgeous rivalry and make out scenes.
Ok. Teh friends thing. See, I relate because although I haven’t graduated high school and moved to uni, I have moved away from my best friends in Sydney. So, Alison was all ‘leave things where they are. Why do people reminisce so much. Teh past should be the past. Why would you constantly WNAT to revisit it.’ There was even a point where she almost doesn’t resolve a fight with her bestie because, hey, chances are we’ll drift apart when we head off to different unis anyway. And then, you know, Hector came and went all ‘sometimes we say we grow out of our relationships, when really we just let them go.’ And I don’t quite know how this relates but like, I’ve been so scared (funny tho, because I haven't been for ages BECAUSE of this book! And then just when I get nervous again, I read this book and feel better. What is that?) that when I see my friends from Sydney it’s going to be awkward and disappointing and we’ll see that we don’t quite fit together anymore and it will be heartbreaking. But that line made me feel better. Like everything fell into place. cos if I did my part, and friends didn’t reply and they let me go, then big whoop. That’s life. But at least I didn’t do what Alison almost did and went, well we gonna die out anyway, why try? I want to know I did everything I could, and if we drift apart I’ll know it wasn’t because I didn’t try. See, doing the best I can gives me peace more than A plusses or first place ribbons do. (Not that I got any ribbons, but I still felt like I won because I trained and I tried and there exactly is my point.)
here is a list of the quotes I compiled bc.
‘It’s why I’m hard on myself. If I’m not, no one will be, and then what’s to keep me from being in the exact same place I am now in ten years? Life feels like a tightrope walk, but I want to reach the end, not lounge in the net.”
“I’m not faking. I really am confident. Just… no one is confident all the time.”
“I was as confident as possible when facing the odds, and yet, it’s kind of incredible that I decided what I wanted and proved I was worth having it.”
“I feel like the pressure’s been released from my life, and the colour’s fled with it.”
“I don’t like being told to diminish what I’m proud of.”
“The way I do before tests in class, I remind myself I’ve practised and memorised. There’s no reason to be nervous. I feel prepared.”
“I had to choose what success for myself should mean.”
“But you’re constantly seeking out new challenges for yourself instead of settling for the ones in front of you. I think if anyone knows who they are and what they want, it’s you.” psych. but then, instead of settling, I end up dismissing. Hence me reading during class and doing my assignments only when I feel the need to be productive.
“Sometimes people just outgrow each other.
Maybe. But sometimes you only think you outgrew someone when really you let them go.” And thank god you put in the effort to keep in touch with Sydney friends.
“Try not to let thinking about where you’re headed distract you from what you’re doing.” #Anne (HAHAHAHAH NO! BEcause! I was reading and I was like, omg, my anne baby needs to hear this. it's so great when you write stuff and then you come back to it and are all surprised that you relate)
“My sleep schedule is down to four hours nightly.” But see, where she has tests coming up, she stays up late because she’s doing crazy revisions. When you have tests coming up, you stay up late because you’re reading books like this. (lol facts. or even just... fanfiction)
“Just minutes ago, I could hardly hold my eyes open, vision searing with every word I edited. Now I’m wide awake.” Allison: writing vs Ethan. Me: writing vs reading this book. (Or any book, but this literally happened Monday night so.)
“It’s an odd feeling, consciously evaluating whether I’m enough *myself*.” Because, like, y’all, don’t you feel like it’s less you get scared that people won’t like you for who you are, and more you get scared people won’t like you for the image you accidentally project of yourself that isn’t actually yourself?
“It’s who I am right now, not who I thought I needed to be.”
“If embracing this means embracing a little immaturity, then it’s an immaturity I’m ready to love.”
WHY THO! I always seem to read this book at the exact right time for everything to hit hard. Like- some of this stuff I have literally quoted just this week, cos you know how you have concepts and ideas running in teh background, and then when you're just thinking, you come up with phrases that jus perfectly and concisely explain your end result of that background thinking? Some of those phrases were made up in writing and reviewing this book so's you knows.
Like, idk if I was thinking stuff and then happened to read this book, or if I was reading this book which dredged up old thoughts. Because I also wantedd to explain how crazily this book made me grin. ME! Me, the galleen who doesn't lift resting-sad face up from EH passionate make outs. Can I just sAY THO! That this book had a SMASHING series of kiss scenes. Like- they were many but they were different but they were JUST. KEYBOARD SMASHINGLY GOOD>
EH tries to make it a wholesome well-rounded book by including the same characters with different names. This. This is gorgeous. Everyone felt so real and depthful and- I've been thinking recently about the idea of quirks vs character and is there another *something*. All these characters were just... treated as though they were the main character. Given voice and style, goals and strengths and fears and weaknesses. It was great. I really enjoyed that.
Sm i noticed second reread was the way us readers were introduced to people with their ethnicity. And for one hot second I was iffy about it, but then! I changed my mind! Because I don't want people to be colourblind, but we don't need to 'celebrate' differences and point them out and make people 'special' because of them, we can just accept them. Same way we would hair colour, clothes, everything else that was introduced in the same line as ethnicity because really, to us it's just to help us get a mind picture. And ethnicity is a huge part of what people look like.
Oh, another thing from teh reread. I was expecting not to like this book as much, because I recognise on my first read I was high on the 'I RELATE' drug, and I thought I only related because wow, work hard, school stuff. But reallyy? Not true. That's definitely not why I related, neither this time nor the first. I related to the goals, the ambition, not the studying and stressing over tests and assignments. And good. god. the romance in this book is some of the best. I cannot stress enough how wondrous those kiss scenes were. The daydream material this book provided... 👩🍳👌
Still very much my favourite book at the moment. Five months after I first read it and it is a BANGERRRRR. Everything i want. Love. all of it. Gratitude and pure enjoyment.
First we’ll start with these authors. They do not exist. Stories like theirs exist purely in fiction. They did not fall in love in high school. They did not have an enemies to lovers relationship. They did not both get valedictorian. They do not both love reading and writing romance. They are not married with four books. It’s just not true that they write published books with the person they’re in love with.
Second. I can tell. The Anne with an e was so there and I loved it. Unlike when Emily Henry just stole parts of the show and put her own characters in, this was a... iykyk 😉. I mean- the journalism thing. The ‘carefully planned and flawlessly executed,’ quote. The white paint on the cheek when the Queens study group was painting signs. The ‘Remains to be seen,’ about them two getting married I mean… what is not to love about this book I have no idea. Remember when I said Love and other words was the most me book I’d read. It’s getting replaced. If you want me in a book… this is where you look. OH. MY. GOSH. IT. RHYMES. EVEN BETTTTEEERRR
Thirdly. The relatability. I just- the ambition, the discipline, the whole thing about carrying relationships with you into new phases of your life, outgrowing people, the ‘four hours of sleep is A-Okay.’ I could continue….
So I will. At the bottom tho.
Fourthly. *swoon-ey sigh* I spent so much time trying to get AI to write sm like this for me. and then I found this. And it was there. 400 pages of whatever I wanted right there for me to thumb though and adore and enjoy so darn much. I was like, ok, they better both hate each other: and then Alison and EtHaN are all like- to the *bones* I hate you with everything in my guts and if you don’t believe me I will puke them all over you but that won’t be hard because the sight of you makes me sick and all my friends scowl at you when we are forced to walk past you and I will do *anything* for you to lose. And we never lost that! (well, i mean it turned less horrific, but even when she was falling in love, she knew that she had actual reasons why she should hate him. And we saw them happen in the book. It was a proper enemies to lovers. (EH could never :p))
And then I was like, ok, now we gonna need some simple swearing with mucheth meaning behind them: “Ethan.” I raise my voice. “What the *fuck*.”
Ok, now crescendo into a really heated argument in the locker hallway and then an even heateder kiss scene: and then they do that, but it’s better because afterwards they tear apart and are all, “Why would you do that?! Why would you kiss me?!” “*You* kissed *me*.” “NO I DI-“
and then I was like, ok, now do it again, but you still have to hate each other: “This,” I say, breaking off between breathless kisses, “is,” - I pant - “meaningless.” “Inconsequential,” he adds, his voice gravelly. “Totally-“ He cuts me off with tongue. “Unremarkable,” he finishes, forcing emotion out of the word.
Another thing - remember when Anne and Gil were competing to see who could get the other the most hot and bothered and they were tallying mental points? *These did the same thing.*
Anyway, then I was like, ok, now you have to have a confession scene where she asks him a question, not expecting his answer to be that he genuinely likes her. And then, because she wouldn’t believe him if he just said it, he doesn’t say anything, he just looks at her, his mouth all upset and worried, his eyes exhausted with repressed emotion, and just saying something simple like, “unfortunately,” that totally betrays the complexity and emotional toll loving her takes on him. AND IT WAS ALL THERRRRREEEEE
Anyway, separate from that: the promposal at the end… it was kind of both cringe and perfect because yes it was so ‘American teenage temporary dating’ vibe… but also, wasn’t the whole point of the book to just… you do you, boo? To say, yes things may change in the future, maybe I'll cringe at the things I did, maybe I’ll be a completely different person in 10 years… but *right now* I’m enjoying this. I’m going to apologise to my friend today even though we might grow out of each other by tomorrow. I’m going to be a little immature now, because that’s who I am right now. It’s what I enjoy. So, yes. Maybe promposals are so… overly romanticised, but you know what? You’d rather participate in that than judge it wouldn’t you? If they wanna be cutesy (and that’s totally what it was, because he wrote her a persuasive argument and then printed it in the school newspaper. and tehn she came out PISSED and then he realised she hadn't read it yet and- ow. my heart. it's squeezing too hard) then DO. THAT. YIZ.
Ethan was constantly changing himself for her. And this was addressed - AS WELL AS EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS BOOK - be-ah-YOO-tifully! Yes, he changed *because* of her, but that doesn’t mean he changed *for* her. It was just- concise and meaningful and perfect. He was willing to change (when he took her on the mature, agreeable date thing because she said their relationship was too immature (please don't hate on Alison sandwich. she had probably the best, most interesting, realistic, meaningful character arc I've ever read))… but that only made her love him as he is more (ice-cream and challenging) therefore learning all the fun stuff about being who you are now, not who you think you are supposed to bbeeeee. Which was just about the most perfect thing.
Like, even when she realised their rivalry was his only real interest… she wasn’t like oh yay he’s obsessed with me. She was like, hey, yo, dude, I will support you whatever you do, but what do *you* want? And he was all uuhhhhh omg idek. And she was like well… that’s ok. But maybe we should do something so you can know. Which pushed him into doing a gap year thing to figure out what he wanted to do and just ugh… proud beans. They’re so good for each other. I Stan competitive relationships.
Ad- HORRIFIED FACE. I WAS ABOUT TO TYPE ADDITIONALLY INSTEAD OF ALSO. WHAT IS THIS BOOK DOING TO ME.
*reluctantly* additionally (🧐) …omg I forgot what I was gonna- PARENTS. I was gonna talk about the parents/side characters. Ugh, so perfect. Also, she makes a point about how old her parents are… but like… they’re not even that old. Like 57 years when she’s in year 12? Anyway. Irrelevant. I loved that the parents kinda chilled. I love my parents, I do, but I would love being given special permission to watch t.v and learn an instrument while I ‘figure stuff out’ I would love to have my writing/reading/homework not be referred to as my free time. I would love to be able to leave teh dinner table before our hour long discussion (complaining session about the sparkie. (lol, I wrote that five months ago, but Betty (dog) eating Liam's (sparkie) biscuits was the hot topic of the night.)) has finished so I could meet writing deadlines.
Aaaaaaanyway. I really loved also how there was Alison who promoted the study hard, ambition is important, determination and discipline are crucial. Because there’s that kind of ambition. Where you enjoy working hard and want to push yourself and stuff… but then there’s her sister’s side as well. Where yes, work hard for success yadda ya *but define success yourself*. If you don’t care about being a doctor, if being a doctor doesn’t make you happy… don’t be a doctor. Don’t live by other people’s definitions. Care about your grades, Alison says. But have a reason for why you want an A besides just the fact that it’s an A, Jamie adds. Like… I know what Ikm trying to say here. I had this conversation with Lanah. And my brother actually. We were writing a persuasive argument on how tests and grades and stuff promote external motivation. It’s actually a super interesting topic, probably another reason why I lived this book so much.
But like, if you only ever do what people put in front of you… what are you going to do, who are you going to be when no one tells you what to do and who to be? Do what makes you happy. And that sounds so simple, but I think so many people do what they are *supposed* to do or are expected to do even if it doesn’t make them feel good. But then again, there’s a lot of grey area there because you can’t just only do what you want to. But then again, what you want to do, and what makes you happy are two very different things. And then, what you need to do is another thing again.
I just really enjoyed how Alison and Jamie did the same hard work/extra credit stuff… but because Jamie only did it because she measured her success with grades and lists of achievements rather than fulfilment and happiness… she ended up back home at near 30 to try and refigure out what she wanted her life to be like. Whereas Alison enjoys the pressure, the struggle, and will likely push herself as far as she can go because she wants to prove not that she is the best, but that she can be the best.
See, but then where Alison and I differ, is that her motivation is founded on other people (EtHaN, and just other people’s expectations of her), whereas I have drilled into my mind that I will never be ‘better’ than someone else, I can only be better than my past self. (Omg it rhymes too) So I could say, oh, but what’s Alison gonna do when there’s no one to compete with/when there are no worthy competitors/when people already know she can do whatever she wants to? She won’t try at all. But no, I don’t think so. I feel like she’d still be ambitious and determined, but it would just be harder for her to see whereabouts is the highest she can go. It’s not just above where the other person’s best is anymore.
So yeah, maybe I would reach higher if I had someone to compete with, but (uh oh, we’ve gotten into a new facet of the topic) then I wouldn’t have time to devote myself to other things that are important to me. You could, hypothetically, be the best at something. You can’t however be the best at everything. So often when you become really good at something it’s because you’ve sacrificed other stuff. You could say, “I wanna be the best I can be.” But… you can’t be the best in every area because you have to devote heaps of your time and attention and effort just to be dedicated to one area. You have to choose something. Some people choose to be teh best in tehir field of work, but then that sacrifices family time. So in a hypothetical world, maybe I wanna be better than my rival, and that pushes me to be better in school - pushes me farther than I would get without them motivating me - but, see, then I would be sacrificing time/attention/effort that I usually spend on writing.
WHOO BABY DO I WANNA WRITE AN ESSAY ON THIS. Ooo but noooo let’s do the same assignment that we’ve done for three years. Except it’s different because it’s a different book, see? See we’re learning new stuff!
☹️
Anywho. Then there was the thing about the friends. There was teh thing about maturity. It’s crazy how much of this book was about other stuff even though so much page time was dedicated to Alison and EtHaN and their gorgeous rivalry and make out scenes.
Ok. Teh friends thing. See, I relate because although I haven’t graduated high school and moved to uni, I have moved away from my best friends in Sydney. So, Alison was all ‘leave things where they are. Why do people reminisce so much. Teh past should be the past. Why would you constantly WNAT to revisit it.’ There was even a point where she almost doesn’t resolve a fight with her bestie because, hey, chances are we’ll drift apart when we head off to different unis anyway. And then, you know, Hector came and went all ‘sometimes we say we grow out of our relationships, when really we just let them go.’ And I don’t quite know how this relates but like, I’ve been so scared (funny tho, because I haven't been for ages BECAUSE of this book! And then just when I get nervous again, I read this book and feel better. What is that?) that when I see my friends from Sydney it’s going to be awkward and disappointing and we’ll see that we don’t quite fit together anymore and it will be heartbreaking. But that line made me feel better. Like everything fell into place. cos if I did my part, and friends didn’t reply and they let me go, then big whoop. That’s life. But at least I didn’t do what Alison almost did and went, well we gonna die out anyway, why try? I want to know I did everything I could, and if we drift apart I’ll know it wasn’t because I didn’t try. See, doing the best I can gives me peace more than A plusses or first place ribbons do. (Not that I got any ribbons, but I still felt like I won because I trained and I tried and there exactly is my point.)
here is a list of the quotes I compiled bc.
‘It’s why I’m hard on myself. If I’m not, no one will be, and then what’s to keep me from being in the exact same place I am now in ten years? Life feels like a tightrope walk, but I want to reach the end, not lounge in the net.”
“I’m not faking. I really am confident. Just… no one is confident all the time.”
“I was as confident as possible when facing the odds, and yet, it’s kind of incredible that I decided what I wanted and proved I was worth having it.”
“I feel like the pressure’s been released from my life, and the colour’s fled with it.”
“I don’t like being told to diminish what I’m proud of.”
“The way I do before tests in class, I remind myself I’ve practised and memorised. There’s no reason to be nervous. I feel prepared.”
“I had to choose what success for myself should mean.”
“But you’re constantly seeking out new challenges for yourself instead of settling for the ones in front of you. I think if anyone knows who they are and what they want, it’s you.” psych. but then, instead of settling, I end up dismissing. Hence me reading during class and doing my assignments only when I feel the need to be productive.
“Sometimes people just outgrow each other.
Maybe. But sometimes you only think you outgrew someone when really you let them go.” And thank god you put in the effort to keep in touch with Sydney friends.
“Try not to let thinking about where you’re headed distract you from what you’re doing.” #Anne (HAHAHAHAH NO! BEcause! I was reading and I was like, omg, my anne baby needs to hear this. it's so great when you write stuff and then you come back to it and are all surprised that you relate)
“My sleep schedule is down to four hours nightly.” But see, where she has tests coming up, she stays up late because she’s doing crazy revisions. When you have tests coming up, you stay up late because you’re reading books like this. (lol facts. or even just... fanfiction)
“Just minutes ago, I could hardly hold my eyes open, vision searing with every word I edited. Now I’m wide awake.” Allison: writing vs Ethan. Me: writing vs reading this book. (Or any book, but this literally happened Monday night so.)
“It’s an odd feeling, consciously evaluating whether I’m enough *myself*.” Because, like, y’all, don’t you feel like it’s less you get scared that people won’t like you for who you are, and more you get scared people won’t like you for the image you accidentally project of yourself that isn’t actually yourself?
“It’s who I am right now, not who I thought I needed to be.”
“If embracing this means embracing a little immaturity, then it’s an immaturity I’m ready to love.”
WHY THO! I always seem to read this book at the exact right time for everything to hit hard. Like- some of this stuff I have literally quoted just this week, cos you know how you have concepts and ideas running in teh background, and then when you're just thinking, you come up with phrases that jus perfectly and concisely explain your end result of that background thinking? Some of those phrases were made up in writing and reviewing this book so's you knows.
Like, idk if I was thinking stuff and then happened to read this book, or if I was reading this book which dredged up old thoughts. Because I also wantedd to explain how crazily this book made me grin. ME! Me, the galleen who doesn't lift resting-sad face up from EH passionate make outs. Can I just sAY THO! That this book had a SMASHING series of kiss scenes. Like- they were many but they were different but they were JUST. KEYBOARD SMASHINGLY GOOD>
EH tries to make it a wholesome well-rounded book by including the same characters with different names. This. This is gorgeous. Everyone felt so real and depthful and- I've been thinking recently about the idea of quirks vs character and is there another *something*. All these characters were just... treated as though they were the main character. Given voice and style, goals and strengths and fears and weaknesses. It was great. I really enjoyed that.
Sm i noticed second reread was the way us readers were introduced to people with their ethnicity. And for one hot second I was iffy about it, but then! I changed my mind! Because I don't want people to be colourblind, but we don't need to 'celebrate' differences and point them out and make people 'special' because of them, we can just accept them. Same way we would hair colour, clothes, everything else that was introduced in the same line as ethnicity because really, to us it's just to help us get a mind picture. And ethnicity is a huge part of what people look like.
Oh, another thing from teh reread. I was expecting not to like this book as much, because I recognise on my first read I was high on the 'I RELATE' drug, and I thought I only related because wow, work hard, school stuff. But reallyy? Not true. That's definitely not why I related, neither this time nor the first. I related to the goals, the ambition, not the studying and stressing over tests and assignments. And good. god. the romance in this book is some of the best. I cannot stress enough how wondrous those kiss scenes were. The daydream material this book provided... 👩🍳👌
Still very much my favourite book at the moment. Five months after I first read it and it is a BANGERRRRR. Everything i want. Love. all of it. Gratitude and pure enjoyment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2024
3 stars 🌟
This was a decent read. I had read around 40% of it a while back and put it on hold but thought to finish it off now.
I felt this book was way longer than it needed to be, 200 pages for this story would have been more than sufficient. I did like the characters but I didn't feel very strongly towards them and couldn't really connect on an emotional level. The writing also seemed very wordy, which made me skim quite a bit. I also felt bored during most of the book and honestly didn't get much of the chemistry between the leads.
Overall wasn't perhaps the best book but would recommend if you're looking for an academic rivals to lovers where they really hate each other.
Review written on 27th November, 2024.
DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/was average/Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/new favourite
This was a decent read. I had read around 40% of it a while back and put it on hold but thought to finish it off now.
I felt this book was way longer than it needed to be, 200 pages for this story would have been more than sufficient. I did like the characters but I didn't feel very strongly towards them and couldn't really connect on an emotional level. The writing also seemed very wordy, which made me skim quite a bit. I also felt bored during most of the book and honestly didn't get much of the chemistry between the leads.
Overall wasn't perhaps the best book but would recommend if you're looking for an academic rivals to lovers where they really hate each other.
Review written on 27th November, 2024.
DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/was average/Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/new favourite
May 9, 2021
Gahh! This was so stinking cute! I couldn't get enough of it!
Some quick thoughts:
▪︎ If academic rivals-to-lovers is your jam, you're going to devour this one. I loved how the rivalry between Alison and Ethan was legit and intense. You could tell that these two did dislike each other early on.
▪︎ I really liked seeing a character who was super studious and not all that into socializing. She cared about her academics and was super goal-oriented.
▪︎ THE SWOONS! THE BANTER! THE KISSING! THE CHEMISTRY! THE TENSION!
I really loved how the romantic relationship evolved throughout the book. It was just too cute.
*melts*
▪︎ Alison's parents were the best. They were older but really cool! I loved how much they encouraged Alison to be a teenager but also were respectful of her goals.
▪︎ Also really loved the lessons that Alison learns throughout the book.
▪︎ I would have loveeed to see Ethan's POV. Shame we didn't get that here.
▪︎ The audiobook was fantastic. I enjoyed the narrator and thought she did a good job voicing Alison.
May 4, 2022
When I tell you this book was boring, I really mean it
first it was so hard to read because the main characters where so unlikeable and infuriating honestly. not even the teachers liked them and that’s gotta be a lot to say🫠
their relationship was pure hatred bro so i honestly don’t see how this all happened because there wasn’t even chemistry between them. it was such a dull relation and it got tiring.
when Alison treated Jamie like shit?? that’s a hell no from me. she’s supposed to be there to support and help her because that’s just what siblings do dude and she threw so much shade at her, it was just disgusting 🫥 like Jamie had already a lot of shit going on and her sister judging her just made it worse. no thank you
Ethan also was mad annoying, when he treated Clint also like shit i was pissed. he was so obnoxious and i’m not even going to lie, i wanted to DNF so bad but for some reason i can’t so I just kept on reading but THANK GOD IM FINALLY DONE
the only reason I’m giving it 2 stars is because Alison’s parents were the shit haha and sometimes Ethan’s and Alison’s relationship got kind of electrifying so yeah but i wouldn’t recommend it to anyone :)
first it was so hard to read because the main characters where so unlikeable and infuriating honestly. not even the teachers liked them and that’s gotta be a lot to say🫠
their relationship was pure hatred bro so i honestly don’t see how this all happened because there wasn’t even chemistry between them. it was such a dull relation and it got tiring.
when Alison treated Jamie like shit?? that’s a hell no from me. she’s supposed to be there to support and help her because that’s just what siblings do dude and she threw so much shade at her, it was just disgusting 🫥 like Jamie had already a lot of shit going on and her sister judging her just made it worse. no thank you
Ethan also was mad annoying, when he treated Clint also like shit i was pissed. he was so obnoxious and i’m not even going to lie, i wanted to DNF so bad but for some reason i can’t so I just kept on reading but THANK GOD IM FINALLY DONE
the only reason I’m giving it 2 stars is because Alison’s parents were the shit haha and sometimes Ethan’s and Alison’s relationship got kind of electrifying so yeah but i wouldn’t recommend it to anyone :)
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