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How to Catch a Crush #5

Sleepover with the Enemy

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Locked in a school overnight with her arch nemesis? Nope. Nothing could go wrong with this plan.

Chaperone the middle-school co-ed sleepover, they said. It'll be fun, they said. Too bad they forgot to tell Max that the boys' chaperone was none other than Alex Luven, AKA the bane of her existence.

Max could survive one night with the enemy, though. Right? It wasn't like they had to be friends, just allies. Because when it came to watching a bunch of hormonally challenged tweens, it was clear that this was war. These little heathens didn't want to play Monopoly, they wanted to play Spin the Bottle and Seven Minutes in Heaven. Worse? They thought it was hilarious to watch their chaperones go head to head in a heated game of Truth or Dare.

One night had never felt so long. But when it's all over and these opponents go back to their respective corners, the future is far from clear. With secrets exposed and a certain kiss in a closet under their belts, no one knows where things stand anymore.

Are Max and Alex still enemies? Or is it possible that the fine line between love and hate was real...and they'd crossed it?

114 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 6, 2021

20 people are currently reading
148 people want to read

About the author

Maggie Dallen

200 books1,001 followers

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5 stars
79 (36%)
4 stars
70 (32%)
3 stars
56 (26%)
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9 (4%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Vibliophile.
1,588 reviews129 followers
October 1, 2021
(4.5 stars) - Stand united or fall together!

After Avery fell for Cristian, I was looking forward to seeing who Alex & Max were going to be paired up with, but I never thought it would be to each other

Max is a tough gal; Alex is a schmoozer.
But Max's toughness hides a vulnerable interior, & Alex's schmooziness hides an insecure interior.

Alex usually thinks Max's snark is funny, but Max is sure he's laughing at her. She flings out something at Alex that hits too close to home, & you begin to wonder how the two will ever end up together - but along comes the jr high lock-in, & suddenly the enemy of my enemy is my friend!

Ironically, even though I initially I started out doubtful about the pairing, once the book helps us get to know them better, it's believable, & it turned out to be one of my favorites of the series!

*Romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic
Profile Image for Aurelia Lovelace.
116 reviews5 followers
January 6, 2025
I believe in seeing things through, in finishing what I started, no matter what. That’s why I read the fourth and fifth book of this series, even though it’s been years since I’ve been interested in books like this. The fourth book, First kiss with the quarterback, disappointed me, but I wasn’t willing to just give up, especially since this book was the one I was most interested in from the whole series. So today, I finally read it. And let me say, this one did NOT disappoint me.
I’ve always been a fan of enemies to lovers books, and this book was no exception. I found Max and Alex’s banter entertaining, and I liked that they ended up bringing out the best in each other. They definitely had chemistry, and I thought their relationship was well done. This was definitely a book I enjoyed. I can see why I used to like this author so much.
Profile Image for Meredith.
772 reviews33 followers
January 15, 2021
Solid Enemies to Lovers

It's a sweet funny book that I've been waiting for. I really like Max and it was fun to see a different side of her, that was a little more open and less prickly.
I find that when boys do the fake arrogant thing, it entertains me. In books, probably not in real life. So I like Alex. I like seeing Cristian and Avery again too.
Cute book. Clean, funny, I recommend it.
Profile Image for Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review.
2,328 reviews31 followers
December 2, 2020
Realistic

This is a great, clean YA romance. I liked the characters and I found it very realistic. If you haven’t been following the series there are an awful lot of secondary characters to try to keep track of so it’s best to read the others first. I liked it and recommend it.
Profile Image for Love is in the books.
1,552 reviews39 followers
July 30, 2021

Cari lettori,
oggi vi parlo del nuovo capitolo della serie Ops mi sono innamorata... il mio miglior nemico di Maggie Dallen, edito Virgibooks. Pronti a vivere una nuova avventura liceale?
Max si ritrova a dover fare da supervisore al pigiama party della scuola media e li scoprirà di essere insieme al suo peggior nemico: Alex Luven. 
Ben presto la presenza di Alex si rivelerà la cosa “migliore” della serata, visto che il branco di ragazzini da supervisionare si rivela molto più impegnativo di quanto Max pensasse. Terminato il pigiama party, Alex e Max non saranno più gli stessi… Cosa ne sarà di loro?





Ero una snob? Probabilmente. Ma se essere una snob significava preferire la compagnia di persone riflessive e intelligenti rispetto a quella di un gruppo di ragazzi che pensavano che il mondo ruotasse solo intorno a loro, allora mi andava bene così.





Max, caporedattrice del giornale della scuola, è una ragazza molto ligia al dovere, sempre pronta a difendere le sue amiche. È un po' allergica alle relazioni amorose, non a caso infatti è una delle poche restate single del famoso Club dei Cuori Solitari.
Mi piace molto il suo senso del dovere ma anche la sua parte più fragile dovuta alla sua situazione familiare e al rapporto che ha con il padre.
Alex, capitano della squadra di basket del liceo, è il sogno di tutte le ragazze. È quel tipo di ragazzo sicuro di sé, un po' spocchioso e che da l'idea di snobbare tutto ciò che hai intorno a lui. 
Ma si sa, molte volte la grande sicurezza che si dimostra, nasconde delle insicurezze, e Alex in questo caso ne è l'esempio. Mi è piaciuto scoprire dei lati un po' più insicuri e umani del suo carattere.







Mi guardavano tutti come se fossi un principe sul suo trono, in attesa di essere servito e riverito. Quel pensiero mi face rabbrividire, e  non solo perché non ero tipo da introspezione o autoanalisi. Mi aveva fatto rabbrividire anche perché quella descrizione si adattava a qualcuno che conoscevo.  Mio padre.






Non avrei mai pensato di vedere Max alle prese con Alex; per chi ha letto i precedenti capitoli della serie vi ricorderete di lui nel divertentissimo episodio del bambolotto a cui far da genitori che aveva visto protagonisti Alex e Avery.
Max e Alex sono acerrimi nemici, si stuzzicano a vicenda e non fanno altro che tirarsi battutine e frecciatine; mi verrebbe da dire come un vecchio detto recita: chi disprezza compra... e in questo caso è esattamente così! 
La storia è narrata a POV alterni in prima persona, dandoci la possibilità di conoscere questi due giovani studenti e di vivere insieme a loro quello che è il cambiamento del loro rapporto. 
Questa serie riesce sempre a regalarmi un sacco di sorrisi e a farmi davvero emozionare perché, come ho già avuto modo di dire, i primi amori, le prime cotte, i primi baci riescono sempre a farmi avere un sorriso stampato in faccia e avere un'aria trasognante.







Il mio cuore batteva forte per un milione di ragioni, e ognuna di esse aveva a che fare con quel ragazzo seduto proprio accanto a me, così vicino che potevo sentire la sua coscia sfiorare la mia.






La bellezza di poter rivivere i sette minuti in paradiso o il gioco della bottiglia è qualcosa che ho adorato particolarmente!
Ho trovato davvero esilarante la scena del pigiama party nella scuola, che ha messo davvero a dura prova i nostri protagonisti e a permesso anche a loro di scontrarsi e di conoscersi meglio.
Mi è piaciuto molto l'accento che è stato messo in questo capitolo sul tema delle famiglie allargate: famiglie che sempre più spesso nascono all'interno della nostra società e che permettono di poter unire nuclei familiari differenti. Nello specifico, Max vive questa situazione e ci permette di poter entrare nella sua testa, di riflettere su tutto quello che comporta avere fratelli e sorelle acquisite.
Un altro argomento trattato è quello di come gli altri ci vedono e di come questo poi ci porti a essere in un determinato modo perché è così che gli altri si aspettano da noi. Questa dicotomia, tra ciò che siamo e ciò che gli altri pensano che siamo, molte volte porta a non trovare un equilibrio con se stessi, e di conseguenza a non trovare la propria felicità.
Aldilà di questi argomenti che mi hanno portato molto a riflettere, questa storia mi ha fatto battere il cuore ed è per questo che la consiglio a chi ama gli Young Adult, a chi ha voglia di vivere amori freschi ma che allo stesso tempo che riescono a far riflettere su moltissime tematiche della nostra società.


Profile Image for Yames Bond.
891 reviews14 followers
December 14, 2020
5🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭 - Spanish & English Opinion

ESP ::

He estado esperando este libro desde que leí el texto 2 de la serie. Me gustaban de pareja Max y Alex y su dinámica de odio-amor.

Tanta espera no decepcionó, y la reina del YA romance escribió una novela que apapacha el corazón. Alex y Max tienen mucha profundidad como personajes.

Max tiene una nueva dinámica familiar a la cual acostumbrarse. Ambos padres se casan de nuevo y ella tiene nuevos hermanos, y debe entender cómo relacionarse y formar familia, aún cuando ella ya tiene 18 y es un adulto.

Alex está consciente de un aspecto narcisista de su personalidad y comienza a buscar sentirse mejor consigo. Quiere ser una mejor versión y toma cartas en el asunto.

Ambos se ayudan a crecer. Tienen mucha química pero no es solamente algo físico. Siento que son los personajes que hacen más introspección en los libros y el resultado es maravilloso.

ENG ::

The waiting was worth it! I have been shipping Alex and Max sin Avery’s book. Their enemies-to-lovers dynamic was hilarious.

Max has her life changing. Her parents are forming new families and with this, she gets step siblings. Even though She’s a senior at high school and practically an adult, she needs to learn how to interact and adjust to her new reality.

Alex has a very narcissistic father and he’s aware that he’s very similar. He’s also a senior in high school but he’s an example of someone understanding something really hard and changing. He takes action for being a better person and this is why Alex and Max have something else besides off the charts chemistry.

In my opinion, their characters are the most deep in the series and they help each other to be better and to love stronger.
I love them! Loved the story and Queen Maggie D is always rocking it!
113 reviews
March 15, 2023
It is the last book in the series and I think it is good that there is an end. The lonely heart club (when I’m right there have to be two girls left) gets out of members and it would be kind of boring repeating the whole process over and over again with the same characters, the same friends, the same side info’s you already know. This was also one of the facts which disturbed me a little bit, one thought that accompanied me the whole reading process was: How crazy is it that she fell in love with the crush from her best friend which is now together with his brother? Couldn’t the author think of new characters? Had she a lack of creativity? It sounds hard but is true.

Besides that thought the author really got me by using all the teenage memories you had and which are special to you. Playing spin the bottle, dare and truth, watching horror movies, staying awake all night, getting your first kiss and all that other stuff you do for the first time when you were young. I adore to read about it, to remember all this moments, to feel again like an inexperienced girl getting totally excited just by thinking about it. Therefore I kind of like that the book took place in almost just one night which made it surprisingly interesting. It is like you snapped your finger and everything change and I just can confirm: This is how life sometimes is. Something happened and nothing is like before. One moment and it never will be like before. After that you can't make things unseen and even you don't want to, there is no way out. Life will always go on and you just have to find a way to adjust to it.

So, if you are into Sleepovers, a wonderful hate-love-chemistry and the idea that your partner will bring out the best in you, I can really recommend this easy and fast reading book.
Profile Image for Mimia The Reader.
453 reviews12 followers
December 12, 2020
There will be a kind of rant down there. I marked it as a spoiler if you want to skip that
I liked this book but I had high hopes for this one and came out disappointed. I really liked Max from the previous books and we had already met Alex in Avery’s book so I was expecting a little bit more than what we got. Also I am used to Maggie Dallen’s series to get better as they progress and this was the last one written for this series.

Anyway, it was okay but if you make your all story around a night chaperoning 12/13 years old we are expecting to get to know them better not just “a blonde girl cried” or “the gangly boy taunted”. It was a little bit impersonal for what it was.

Also, why do all the girls in this series discover they like the boy (usually after thinking they like someone else) because of a kiss? I know I read all these books in a row (and that could have made these similarities more noticeable) but they’re part of the same series!

All in all, the book was entertaining enough but I need a pause from Dallen’s YA again. I really liked them but then I burnout...

I received an ARC of this book. My opinion is my own.
1,159 reviews12 followers
April 25, 2025
Cute, Young Adult Romance
Max despises Alex. For years, her best friend had a crush on him, but he never seemed to notice. (You can read about her story in Saved by the Crush’s Brother, the second adorable book in this series.) Now, unexpectedly, Max and Alex find themselves chaperoning a group of tweens. Max is filling in for someone else, and she never imagined Alex would volunteer for something like this.
As it turns out, the middle schoolers have plans of their own—complete with a game of truth or dare and a kiss in the closet. Over the course of the evening, Max begins to realize there’s much more to Alex than she thought.
Could this unexpected night shift their relationship from enemies to something more? You’ll have to read this cute romance to find out. I recommend it to young adults—and to those of us who choose to stay young forever.
Profile Image for Firstand.
87 reviews
September 6, 2022
So my biggest (and only, really) complaint about this series is how SHORT the books are. But in the first four books, the shortness worked. I wished for more, but the stories still felt complete. With this one, though--arguably my favorite of the five, except for this one thing--it just felt abruptly over. Like, I was waiting for the epilogue, I was waiting for another chapter, anything, something. The whole series ended with no real closure. If there were ever a series I'd love to see Dallen expand properly, it's this one. All these characters won me over so so much, and Max was always a favorite. So in a way this was a five star book --but I can only give it two stars because it just felt like I only got half of it.
Profile Image for Regina.
1,084 reviews
December 8, 2020
One of my favorites in the series!

This fun and delightful novella gave me all the warm fuzzies!
Honestly, I was a bit surprised how much I liked these two, somewhat prickly Max - but especially Alex. I mean, c'mon... Maggie had made it sooo easy to root against him in "Saved by the Crush's Brother," and Max's reluctance to warm up to him was very understandable.
But Maggie has a knack for transforming bad boys (or mean girls, for that matter) into compelling (s)heroes, and Max sure wasn't the only one Alex managed to win over in the end. :)

Highly recommended for fans of clean YA rom-coms with plenty of witty banter.

5/5 who-are-you-and-what-have-you-done-with-Alex? stars
255 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2021
This was one of my favorites. I have been waiting for Alex’s story since How to Catch A Crush and it did not disappoint. Alex thinks he’s doing fine until Max’s comments hit close to home and he looks at who he is and while trying to prove he can be better they get stuck together chaperoning. While coming together they learn more about each other and that they might not dislike each other as much as they thought. I was wondering how these two opposites where going to come together but by the end we get our HEA but not without a few bumps in the road the make the story all the better. Great read!!

Voluntarily read and reviewed an arc of this book.
Profile Image for Reva Parks.
1,748 reviews14 followers
January 9, 2021
I really enjoy Dallen's ability to write engaging YA books. Who would think that sworn enemies could fall in love while chaperoning out-of-control tweens at a middle school lock-in? But just read this story to find the star varsity basketball jock using his smarts to get respect and the school newspaper editor-in-chief setting the rules, yet the only chaperones still find themselves locked in a dark closet! They help each other become more self-aware, challenging each other to unselfishness and forgiveness, improving their family lives as well as their own happiness! Lesson meditated while enjoying a great story.
481 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2021
It's amazing how the person you dislike the most, ends up being the person who knows you the best...that fits Maxine and Alex perfectly! While the two are not happy about being chaperones together at a co-ed middle school sleepover, they both agreed that they can handle being on the same "side" for one night! That is until they are tricked into playing "7 minutes in Heaven", then their world(s) as they know it changes...but was it for the better or worse? Great YA read on how high schoolers deal with family, friends, and those you thought were your nemesis!
Profile Image for Silverscarf.
144 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2021
3.5 stars.
Well this wasn't my favorite of the series, but it has some great character moments for these two. They are both deeper people than the other realizes and they both evolve to move past their previous antagonistic interactions in a great way so that they become friends and then more. So while this couple is probably my least favorite so far, they were a great example of a well written enemies to lovers story line. Looking forward to the next one!
Profile Image for Regina Vera.
84 reviews
February 9, 2021
Rate:3.6
Chapters: 10

I enjoyed reading about Maxine and Alex in these story. If you haven't read the previous stories it gives you more details about these two characters. They way they turn from enemies to lovers is so cute.

Maxine has never liked Alex for being such a jerk jock until one night makes her understand why he is the person he is. Alex has never thought of Maxine as a girl until one kiss changes everything. Will they be together or will they continue hating each other?
1,097 reviews
November 4, 2024
When Max and Alex end up chaperoning a middle school sleepover their antagonising shifts with person discovering, tired confession and an unexpected kiss. I enjoyed this story where Max and Alex's outward persona's hide complex emotions and internal struggles that a late night revelations and friends helpful insight can bring this couple together.
Profile Image for Heather Dowell.
Author 25 books78 followers
January 2, 2021
This was just as enjoyable as the others in the series. I loved Max, and it was nice to see a kinder side of the misunderstood bad boy, Alex. I would have liked even more chapters. My favorite parts were the closet and hallway scenes.
I loved how he made her loosen up and be honest about her home life. And she made him kinder. Of course the banter was good to, so I got all the laughs and swoonys in this one. Bring on the next.
Profile Image for Arceli.
1,516 reviews9 followers
January 14, 2021
I really loved this novel. The chemistry was sizzling hot and amazing. I loved seeing the other side of an anti-hero and he is a surprisingly good person. I loved how the heroine was a protective friend, but a great person. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Teya Teya.
Author 9 books103 followers
March 30, 2021
So stinking cute and I am overjoyed he met his match and got a love story. I love that she calls him on his crap. I love that it doesn't finish a total head over heels love story and still more room to grow. I really enjoyed this story.
Profile Image for Mayedah.
373 reviews11 followers
October 1, 2021
They are the best. Love this book! 😍😍
Profile Image for rio ୨୧.
87 reviews7 followers
June 27, 2025
it was definitely liked the characters more in this one. i think im done w the short stories tho for rn lol.
Profile Image for Ella's Bookshelf.
440 reviews2 followers
April 25, 2021
Alex & Max

Max signs up to chaperone a middle school sleepover. Unfortunately, the other chaperone is her nemesis, Alex. Forced to work together, Alex and Max quickly discover that the assumptions they have about each other aren't true and that there is a fine line between hate and love.

My favorite thing about Maggie Dallen's books is the character overlap from different books and series! Each of the other Lonely Hears Club members and their Crushes gets a mention in this book.

I've been looking forward to Max and Alex's book after noticing the tension building between them since book 2.

My Short & Sweet badge is for books recommended for a young adult (YA) audience.<br />These books are<br />Short: stand-alone books that generally take less than 5 hours to read<br />Sweet: high school romance with sweet kisses and hand-holding only (no sex, swearing, or violence). My ARC Review badge helps identify books I have reviewed as part of an Advanced Reader Copy agreement.<br />All of my reviews are positive AND honest.
Profile Image for Emanuela - La biblioteca di Mary blog.
679 reviews16 followers
October 7, 2021
Se siete amanti della commedia e dei romance non troppo complessi ma coinvolgenti, questa è la lettura che fa per voi.

L'autrice in poche pagine vi regala una storia d'amore e odio che forse di odio non ha poi molto, i protagonisti vi faranno sorridere con i loro battibecchi e i loro scontri e vi faranno riassaporare quella leggerezza e quell'atmosfera spensierata e ricca di emozioni degli anni di scuola.

La narrazione corre veloce ma a me è piaciuto perché a mio avviso cavalca l'onda di un preciso momento, lei non si sofferma troppo sul raccontare la storia dei protagonisti fin dal principio, lei si sofferma sul momento esatto in cui le loro vite hanno una svolta e usando l'irriverenza tipica dell'età e discorsi freschi e diretti ci racconta l'evento che scatena il tutto.

Lo stile di questa autrice è frizzante, fresco e ironico, una lettura perfetta per le giornate grigie, vi assicuro che vi regalerà un'ottima pausa dalla routine.

A presto, Emanuela.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

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