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Enemy Dearest
August Monreaux was a stormy sea of a man, the dark between the stars, an electric chill cutting through a crowded room—all wrapped into one wicked, beautiful package. He was also off-limits. My entire life, I was kept a safe distance from the notoriously virulent Monreauxs, banned from so much as breathing the same air. And like the good daughter I was, I obeyed those rules. Until the one time I didn’t … Only while I sampled him, he devoured me like the forbidden fruit that I was. And in the blink of an eye, my worst enemy became my first love. His poison became my antidote. His touch, my addiction. And then he made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. So I didn’t. But falling in love was never part of our secret arrangement. Our futures were written in the stars long before either of us were born. But what a Monreaux wants, a Monreaux always gets. And August will stop at nothing to make me his—even if it costs him everything. AUTHOR’S This angsty, forbidden romance has major Romeo and Juliet vibes but promises a HEA. :-)
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 401 reviews
February 14, 2021
3 Stars!
... Two different worlds, one romance.
My feelings when I finished this one? I was mad, sad, and disappointed!
Note: This is an enemies to lovers, forbidden romance.
I can't begin to tell you how I so much loved the first half of the story. Especially the bond between the hero and heroine. But when the hero changed his role from an enemy to a friend, it totally went downhill.
August and Sheridan's family were mortal enemies. August has plans. Things that would destroy Sheridan. I expected something like, when he would gain her love and trust, he would break her heart. But that's not what happened.
When he scored a taste, he became softhearted. He felt something for Sheridan that he never felt before. That was an unoriginal turn of events. But I have no problem with that. I just thought that the idea of revenge became useless because the author went safe.
August and Sheridan were forbidden by their parents to interact with each other. But they disobeyed them. They became friends. They fell in love. They planned a life ahead. But they could never be together. There futures were already written, and all they had was a limited moment.
The second half ruined the story. The plot became hurried and boring. The growth of the characters was abrupt. I also noticed some minor inconsistency that made statements confusing. A little more polish and editing, and I swear, this book would be a 5 Stars!
Overall, I somehow enjoyed the story. I would give the first half perfect stars if possible. Seriously, I really loved it so much! I was just fucking disappointed when I reached the second half. I felt like it was rushed. So ... damn it!
... Two different worlds, one romance.
My feelings when I finished this one? I was mad, sad, and disappointed!
Note: This is an enemies to lovers, forbidden romance.
I can't begin to tell you how I so much loved the first half of the story. Especially the bond between the hero and heroine. But when the hero changed his role from an enemy to a friend, it totally went downhill.
August and Sheridan's family were mortal enemies. August has plans. Things that would destroy Sheridan. I expected something like, when he would gain her love and trust, he would break her heart. But that's not what happened.
When he scored a taste, he became softhearted. He felt something for Sheridan that he never felt before. That was an unoriginal turn of events. But I have no problem with that. I just thought that the idea of revenge became useless because the author went safe.
“Sheridan is nothing more than a retty little pawn. A means to an end. A heart I intend to shatter into a million jagged pieces. I won’t hurt her physically. Frankly, that isn’t my style. But I will ruin her. I’ll ruin her for any other man. And when she runs home to daddy to dry her tears, I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that this time, a Monreaux broke a Rose."
August and Sheridan were forbidden by their parents to interact with each other. But they disobeyed them. They became friends. They fell in love. They planned a life ahead. But they could never be together. There futures were already written, and all they had was a limited moment.
“I love you. But I can never be yours, okay? Not in this life.” Her voice breaks. “Maybe we can try again in the next one. Maybe then we won’t be enemies?”
The second half ruined the story. The plot became hurried and boring. The growth of the characters was abrupt. I also noticed some minor inconsistency that made statements confusing. A little more polish and editing, and I swear, this book would be a 5 Stars!
Overall, I somehow enjoyed the story. I would give the first half perfect stars if possible. Seriously, I really loved it so much! I was just fucking disappointed when I reached the second half. I felt like it was rushed. So ... damn it!
on-hold
July 19, 2021is it me or the guy on the cover looks like Harry Styles?
January 17, 2021
3 STARS
The second I read this blurb, I was salivating for this book. SALIVATING. I'm a sucker for a second chance romance and this one sounded utterly delicious. Admittedly, the blurb is deceiving. Because it wasn't quite that. And while I did enjoy this book for the most part, there were a few parts that just didn't live up to the promise of the blurb for me.
The premise of the story is amazing. Sheridan and August are the children of families with a long and dark history rooted in lies and pain. August is the youngest son and doesn't take much seriously. But when he catches the daughter of his family's enemy in his pool, he's determined to make the best of it. He sets out to make her pay for what her father did to his family, or at least what he thinks he did. But it leads to something that neither of them expect.
Sheridan fights the allure of August for as long as she can. He's the epitome of forbidden fruit to her. His family ruined hers, after all. But August is determined and chases her until she gives in. Thus begins their tumultuous secret relationship.
Now, I loved the complexity of their family history and both Sheridan and August's characters. The secrets that lie between their families was alluring and had me turning the pages to figure it all out. What left me a bit disappointed was the timeline. August's fall seemed sudden and quick. It wasn't as satisfying as I had hoped considering the set up where he wants to make her pay and be the pawn. It seems the second he first sleeps with her, all of it is forgotten. It just didn't seem fleshed out enough to be satisfying for me. I love when the bad boy falls, especially when it's in spite of himself. And while the set up alludes to that, it didn't end up that way.
The other piece of it is the blurb. The blurb alludes that they fall apart to crash back together. And while it did happen, sort of, it wasn't quite as satisfying as it seems. Their separation is really over the span of a few pages and ultimately lasts just a few months. It's barely fleshed out and happens in the blink of an eye towards the end of the story. I was hoping for a big falling out and a falling back together. But really, they reunite at the end and then just face some family drama. The blurb just felt a bit...deceiving to me. It set up my hopes to one story, but this turned out different.
Did I ultimately enjoy this book, yes. It wasn't quite what I thought, but I did like it. It was my first book by this author but certainly won't be my last. I had my quibbles with it, but those things aside, it was a nice read.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
Sheridan is nothing more than a pretty little pawn. A means to an end. A heart I intend to shatter into a million jagged pieces. I won’t hurt her physically.
Frankly, that isn’t my style. But I will ruin her.
I’ll ruin her for any other man.
The second I read this blurb, I was salivating for this book. SALIVATING. I'm a sucker for a second chance romance and this one sounded utterly delicious. Admittedly, the blurb is deceiving. Because it wasn't quite that. And while I did enjoy this book for the most part, there were a few parts that just didn't live up to the promise of the blurb for me.
The premise of the story is amazing. Sheridan and August are the children of families with a long and dark history rooted in lies and pain. August is the youngest son and doesn't take much seriously. But when he catches the daughter of his family's enemy in his pool, he's determined to make the best of it. He sets out to make her pay for what her father did to his family, or at least what he thinks he did. But it leads to something that neither of them expect.
Sheridan fights the allure of August for as long as she can. He's the epitome of forbidden fruit to her. His family ruined hers, after all. But August is determined and chases her until she gives in. Thus begins their tumultuous secret relationship.
Now, I loved the complexity of their family history and both Sheridan and August's characters. The secrets that lie between their families was alluring and had me turning the pages to figure it all out. What left me a bit disappointed was the timeline. August's fall seemed sudden and quick. It wasn't as satisfying as I had hoped considering the set up where he wants to make her pay and be the pawn. It seems the second he first sleeps with her, all of it is forgotten. It just didn't seem fleshed out enough to be satisfying for me. I love when the bad boy falls, especially when it's in spite of himself. And while the set up alludes to that, it didn't end up that way.
The other piece of it is the blurb. The blurb alludes that they fall apart to crash back together. And while it did happen, sort of, it wasn't quite as satisfying as it seems. Their separation is really over the span of a few pages and ultimately lasts just a few months. It's barely fleshed out and happens in the blink of an eye towards the end of the story. I was hoping for a big falling out and a falling back together. But really, they reunite at the end and then just face some family drama. The blurb just felt a bit...deceiving to me. It set up my hopes to one story, but this turned out different.
Did I ultimately enjoy this book, yes. It wasn't quite what I thought, but I did like it. It was my first book by this author but certainly won't be my last. I had my quibbles with it, but those things aside, it was a nice read.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
October 30, 2021
Nice not exceptional
Nevertheless nice
He is supposed to hate her but it last five second
He fall for her like a stone dropped in water
Nevertheless nice
He is supposed to hate her but it last five second
He fall for her like a stone dropped in water
January 13, 2021
3.5 ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
Style: YA/ Enemies to Lovers Romance
Story: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3.5/5
Dark Level: 0/5
Sexual: GOOD
Male: Rich Teenager, Trouble & Revengeful
Series:
Pages: loc. 3432
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
I like August’s and Sheridan’s story. For me though, it felt more like a forbidden/revenge book.
This felt like Romeo and Juliet 2021 as their families hate each other, hence it felt more forbidden. On the surface they appear to be enemies, but it wasn’t intense enough to be that. In the beginning, August seems lost, broken even, but the more he is with Sheridan, you will love him. He got a few awwwws from me. In the mist of the climax of this story, August’s letter to Sheridan was like a John Cusack moment in the movie Say Anything with his stereo in hand. I think their chemistry together was so good to read.
It was nice reading about August’s brothers, I hope they get their own stories. I even liked Adrianna, Sheridan’s best friend.
I felt like the blurb gave this book a different vibe, especially when it mentions marriage as I thought they would be older. So I was surprise they were teenagers on their way to college as their story takes place during the summer before college.
Overall, I still like this story, it’s nice and it’s one that as the story progresses, it gets better. This is not dark, so don’t expect that much of a jerk in August. He still has his wicked thoughts but lukewarm with his execution towards Sheridan.
***I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the books you read. I know we all have different opinions and preferences with what we read and hope this review was helpful.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Style: YA/ Enemies to Lovers Romance
Story: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3.5/5
Dark Level: 0/5
Sexual: GOOD
Male: Rich Teenager, Trouble & Revengeful
Series:
Pages: loc. 3432
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
I like August’s and Sheridan’s story. For me though, it felt more like a forbidden/revenge book.
This felt like Romeo and Juliet 2021 as their families hate each other, hence it felt more forbidden. On the surface they appear to be enemies, but it wasn’t intense enough to be that. In the beginning, August seems lost, broken even, but the more he is with Sheridan, you will love him. He got a few awwwws from me. In the mist of the climax of this story, August’s letter to Sheridan was like a John Cusack moment in the movie Say Anything with his stereo in hand. I think their chemistry together was so good to read.
It was nice reading about August’s brothers, I hope they get their own stories. I even liked Adrianna, Sheridan’s best friend.
I felt like the blurb gave this book a different vibe, especially when it mentions marriage as I thought they would be older. So I was surprise they were teenagers on their way to college as their story takes place during the summer before college.
Overall, I still like this story, it’s nice and it’s one that as the story progresses, it gets better. This is not dark, so don’t expect that much of a jerk in August. He still has his wicked thoughts but lukewarm with his execution towards Sheridan.
***I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the books you read. I know we all have different opinions and preferences with what we read and hope this review was helpful.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 11, 2021
AHHHH! Winter Renshaw just delivered an amazingggg Enemies to Lovers story that I could not get enough of. August and Sheridan's chemistry was FIRE! I loved their connection and how drawn they were to one another. This book was enemies to lovers gold!!
Anyone that knows me knows that enemies to lovers is the reason I read romance. I die for this trope and can not get enough of it. Enemy Dearest was absolutely incredible!! I fell in love with the biting banter between August and Sheridan and the fiery heat and history they shared. I also loved the mysterious element prevalent in the story. It kept me hooked and on the edge of my seat the entire time. This was an OUTSTANDING story! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
Anyone that knows me knows that enemies to lovers is the reason I read romance. I die for this trope and can not get enough of it. Enemy Dearest was absolutely incredible!! I fell in love with the biting banter between August and Sheridan and the fiery heat and history they shared. I also loved the mysterious element prevalent in the story. It kept me hooked and on the edge of my seat the entire time. This was an OUTSTANDING story! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
January 21, 2021
Sheridan and August
Outstanding and wonderful... One hot summer night Sheridan decides to go swimming in a pool except its not her pool. It belongs to a family Sheridan is been told to never set foot in there yard or talk to them. All of a sudden she hears a noise and there stands the most beautiful man she has even seen. Tattoos long hair beautiful eyes. Bad boy all the way. He tells her to get .she jumps over the fence. Then August wants to ruin Sheridan. He follows her . next he's in love. This is their story.
Outstanding and wonderful... One hot summer night Sheridan decides to go swimming in a pool except its not her pool. It belongs to a family Sheridan is been told to never set foot in there yard or talk to them. All of a sudden she hears a noise and there stands the most beautiful man she has even seen. Tattoos long hair beautiful eyes. Bad boy all the way. He tells her to get .she jumps over the fence. Then August wants to ruin Sheridan. He follows her . next he's in love. This is their story.
January 13, 2021
STEAMY & TEMPTING ROMEO & JULIET WITH AN EDGE
“… a history … a dark, rooted, tragic, ugly history. A history so shrouded we don’t even talk about it. The Monreaux family is off-limits in every sense of the word.”
Hot and steamy Romeo & Juliet! The Montagues and Capulets or the Hatfields & McCoys have nothing on the feuding Monreaux and Rose families. This romance teased the promise of a dark and turbulent mystery involving death and blame in both families, and the damage caused. Sheridan Rose and August Monreaux -- a pair of teenage Romeo & Juliet offspring -- are off-limits to each other and caught in the middle of a feud they don’t even understand in a forbidden love that changes all their lives.
“It’s crazy how a single incident can have a ripple effect that spans the rest of your life.”
“Nothing good ever happens after midnight” as a summer night of trespassing and skinny dipping finally brings these star-crossed lovers fatefully together. The poor virgin that he nicknames “rose girl” and the rich enigmatic boy jaded beyond his years each find mutual temptation in each other, but fight it. He’s programmed to despise her, so she becomes “nothing more than a pretty pawn” in a scheme that backfires. All the heavy entanglements in the setup more than hooked me in expectation of a seductively passionate story of forbidden love, but as they say “no good will ever come from a Rose and a Monreaux in the same room together.” Of course, nothing is as it seems.
Rose was sweet and endearing, but no pushover for a boy used to getting his way. And August was a compellingly bristly contradiction in thought and action that made him so obviously misunderstood that I wanted to crack him open and learn every hidden facet. He was so droll and bored before Rose comes into his life, which made him maddeningly flawed and intriguing. August is wicked and naughty and spoiled, but also a really good guy underneath it all. His inner thoughts were hysterical -- the way he views everyone and everything with dismissive disdain. He keeps striking out with Rose and that makes him, and her, even more interesting.
The mood of vengeance, blame, lies and finally forbidden love made me believe that this story would take a very different course than it did. As much as I enjoyed the majority of the book, this couple, and the author’s writing, from the blurb I expected the lovers to be early 20s, not teens (18 and 19) during the summer before college. The sexual tension and build-up were great, but as good as the slow burn and a few sexy times were, it was more of a young love pursuit than adult level. The love evolved quickly despite the slow burn sexually, and the feud was on simmer in the background -- complicated on the surface, but surprisingly easy to unravel and resolve in a fast wrap-up that left me feeling a bit shortchanged given the story importance. The lover's separation alluded to in the blurb was just a blip, and the story takes place in real time within 6 months. The mom’s illness took up space and there were some sidewinders to the feud mystery along the way to keep us guessing, but it was essentially a teen romance of forbidden love and less of a dark mystery.
I’ve loved this author forever, and have read/own all her books, which never fail to hook me with intriguing romances, compelling lovers, enticing storylines, and a commercially captivating writing style that's very cinematic. That never changes. And for once, an author truly captivates the actual look and essence of her hero in this luscious book cover. That scrumptious guy really is August Monreaux. This was a sweet love story with a good HEA, but the heavily underscored conflict of the family feud took a backseat to the lovestruck romance. Was this book maybe a setup for a trio of books about all three Monreaux brothers? Hmmmm. Bring on rock star Soren!
“… a history … a dark, rooted, tragic, ugly history. A history so shrouded we don’t even talk about it. The Monreaux family is off-limits in every sense of the word.”
Hot and steamy Romeo & Juliet! The Montagues and Capulets or the Hatfields & McCoys have nothing on the feuding Monreaux and Rose families. This romance teased the promise of a dark and turbulent mystery involving death and blame in both families, and the damage caused. Sheridan Rose and August Monreaux -- a pair of teenage Romeo & Juliet offspring -- are off-limits to each other and caught in the middle of a feud they don’t even understand in a forbidden love that changes all their lives.
“It’s crazy how a single incident can have a ripple effect that spans the rest of your life.”
“Nothing good ever happens after midnight” as a summer night of trespassing and skinny dipping finally brings these star-crossed lovers fatefully together. The poor virgin that he nicknames “rose girl” and the rich enigmatic boy jaded beyond his years each find mutual temptation in each other, but fight it. He’s programmed to despise her, so she becomes “nothing more than a pretty pawn” in a scheme that backfires. All the heavy entanglements in the setup more than hooked me in expectation of a seductively passionate story of forbidden love, but as they say “no good will ever come from a Rose and a Monreaux in the same room together.” Of course, nothing is as it seems.
Rose was sweet and endearing, but no pushover for a boy used to getting his way. And August was a compellingly bristly contradiction in thought and action that made him so obviously misunderstood that I wanted to crack him open and learn every hidden facet. He was so droll and bored before Rose comes into his life, which made him maddeningly flawed and intriguing. August is wicked and naughty and spoiled, but also a really good guy underneath it all. His inner thoughts were hysterical -- the way he views everyone and everything with dismissive disdain. He keeps striking out with Rose and that makes him, and her, even more interesting.
The mood of vengeance, blame, lies and finally forbidden love made me believe that this story would take a very different course than it did. As much as I enjoyed the majority of the book, this couple, and the author’s writing, from the blurb I expected the lovers to be early 20s, not teens (18 and 19) during the summer before college. The sexual tension and build-up were great, but as good as the slow burn and a few sexy times were, it was more of a young love pursuit than adult level. The love evolved quickly despite the slow burn sexually, and the feud was on simmer in the background -- complicated on the surface, but surprisingly easy to unravel and resolve in a fast wrap-up that left me feeling a bit shortchanged given the story importance. The lover's separation alluded to in the blurb was just a blip, and the story takes place in real time within 6 months. The mom’s illness took up space and there were some sidewinders to the feud mystery along the way to keep us guessing, but it was essentially a teen romance of forbidden love and less of a dark mystery.
I’ve loved this author forever, and have read/own all her books, which never fail to hook me with intriguing romances, compelling lovers, enticing storylines, and a commercially captivating writing style that's very cinematic. That never changes. And for once, an author truly captivates the actual look and essence of her hero in this luscious book cover. That scrumptious guy really is August Monreaux. This was a sweet love story with a good HEA, but the heavily underscored conflict of the family feud took a backseat to the lovestruck romance. Was this book maybe a setup for a trio of books about all three Monreaux brothers? Hmmmm. Bring on rock star Soren!
January 13, 2021
Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What do you get when you combine starcrossed lovers, enough attraction to power a small city, and the threat of no future? Winter Renshaw’s newest book, Enemy Dearest. The Monreauxs and Roses are enemies, a tenet created after tragedies befalling both families. August, the youngest Monreaux, and Sheridan Rose are taught from their youth to avoid each other. This isn’t difficult given that the Monreauxs are the royalty of their town in Missouri, while the Roses struggle for every penny. One night, though, changes everything. When August Monreaux finds Sheridan Rose floating in his pool to escape the heat of the day, all bets are off. August determines that he will make the Roses pay for his family’s tragedy through seducing their daughter, Sheridan. Unfortunately, that changes when August and Sheridan realize that their foundation of hate may be a mistake, and they will fight to find their happy ending together.
Winter Renshaw has an adeptness at writing heroes such as August, heroes broken and emotionally detached. They tend to surround themselves with the fire of their ire believing that love is a farce. Instead, they live to destroy the feelings of others. August continues in this tradition in Enemy Dearest. The difference with August is that he is younger than many of Renshaw’s earlier heroes, qualifying Enemy Dearest as a New Adult romance, for anyone who loves that particular genre. However, to quantify this book in that way honestly reduces it. August exists in this story to prove himself worthy of his heroine. For the first half of the book, he isn’t heroic by any measure. He exists. He parties. He has no ambition, and he simply wants to make the Roses pay for his loss. He’s willing to do this at any cost. With these attributes, he is ripe for a transformation.
In true romance form, Renshaw crafts a heroine in Sheridan who is the light to August’s dark. She understands easily August’s intent with her, and she willingly entraps herself to his plan to protect the health of her mother. She is compassionate, hardworking, and goal-driven, the antithesis of August. In their coupling, they are the yin to the other’s yang, and Sheridan becomes the impetus for August’s evolution. With this understanding, Renshaw makes it easy to fall in love with her hero and heroine because they grow into each other in the shadow of forbidden love. That is romance catnip for this reader.
Where the book struggles is in its elaboration of the forbidden love. Much of this story is spent in developing the individual characters of the story, but the history of the two families is rushed. There are moments in the book that feel underdeveloped, more specifically an important conversation between Sheridan and her father. There is much that could be explained in the conversation, yet it feels glossed over in its development. Even more, the ending is rushed. I would have liked to have had the resolution fleshed out more so that we could feel the emotional impact of the changing of the guard. Instead, it falls flat.
That being said, Enemy Dearest is a romance that will draw you in as August and Sheridan find their way. It’s a story that reminds us that we can be more than the sins of our fathers; it reminds us that love will conquer all even when our choices seem few. Winter Renshaw’s story will remind you why you love to read her stories.
What do you get when you combine starcrossed lovers, enough attraction to power a small city, and the threat of no future? Winter Renshaw’s newest book, Enemy Dearest. The Monreauxs and Roses are enemies, a tenet created after tragedies befalling both families. August, the youngest Monreaux, and Sheridan Rose are taught from their youth to avoid each other. This isn’t difficult given that the Monreauxs are the royalty of their town in Missouri, while the Roses struggle for every penny. One night, though, changes everything. When August Monreaux finds Sheridan Rose floating in his pool to escape the heat of the day, all bets are off. August determines that he will make the Roses pay for his family’s tragedy through seducing their daughter, Sheridan. Unfortunately, that changes when August and Sheridan realize that their foundation of hate may be a mistake, and they will fight to find their happy ending together.
Winter Renshaw has an adeptness at writing heroes such as August, heroes broken and emotionally detached. They tend to surround themselves with the fire of their ire believing that love is a farce. Instead, they live to destroy the feelings of others. August continues in this tradition in Enemy Dearest. The difference with August is that he is younger than many of Renshaw’s earlier heroes, qualifying Enemy Dearest as a New Adult romance, for anyone who loves that particular genre. However, to quantify this book in that way honestly reduces it. August exists in this story to prove himself worthy of his heroine. For the first half of the book, he isn’t heroic by any measure. He exists. He parties. He has no ambition, and he simply wants to make the Roses pay for his loss. He’s willing to do this at any cost. With these attributes, he is ripe for a transformation.
In true romance form, Renshaw crafts a heroine in Sheridan who is the light to August’s dark. She understands easily August’s intent with her, and she willingly entraps herself to his plan to protect the health of her mother. She is compassionate, hardworking, and goal-driven, the antithesis of August. In their coupling, they are the yin to the other’s yang, and Sheridan becomes the impetus for August’s evolution. With this understanding, Renshaw makes it easy to fall in love with her hero and heroine because they grow into each other in the shadow of forbidden love. That is romance catnip for this reader.
Where the book struggles is in its elaboration of the forbidden love. Much of this story is spent in developing the individual characters of the story, but the history of the two families is rushed. There are moments in the book that feel underdeveloped, more specifically an important conversation between Sheridan and her father. There is much that could be explained in the conversation, yet it feels glossed over in its development. Even more, the ending is rushed. I would have liked to have had the resolution fleshed out more so that we could feel the emotional impact of the changing of the guard. Instead, it falls flat.
That being said, Enemy Dearest is a romance that will draw you in as August and Sheridan find their way. It’s a story that reminds us that we can be more than the sins of our fathers; it reminds us that love will conquer all even when our choices seem few. Winter Renshaw’s story will remind you why you love to read her stories.
January 28, 2021
2,5
Eu gosto dos livros da autora, mas esse não senti química entre os protagonistas. E a firma como tudo se resolveu, muito simples, pela gravidade de tudo esperava um desenvolvimento melhor.
Eu gosto dos livros da autora, mas esse não senti química entre os protagonistas. E a firma como tudo se resolveu, muito simples, pela gravidade de tudo esperava um desenvolvimento melhor.
January 16, 2021
4.5 Stars
"𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝘂𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿."
August Monreaux is hot, sexy, and with his devil may care attitude, women just can't help but fall for his charm. But there's only one woman he's interested in... Sheridan Rose.
"𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮. 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀."
Growing up Sheridan Rose has been told not to get near any Monreaux. But one night of bold impromptu skinny dipping led her to meet the man that has all the intention to ruin her.
After that encounter, August can't seem to stop thinking about Sheridan. He pursues her, invites her to his party. Sheridan knew nothing will come out well if she gets involve with August. But curiosity got the best of her and went there anyway. Certainly, there's an undeniable attraction between these two. What will happen next between August and Sheridan is something they both didn't expect.
Enemy Dearest was an angst-filled ride which I absolutely enjoyed. This story was everything I want from a romance. August and Sheridan's story was a whirlwind of emotion right from the very beginning that you never want to put it down. You can’t help becoming invested in their stories and the steamy chemistry doesn't hurt either. Twists and turns towards the end which explores the various aspects of lies and deception. If you're looking for an enemy to lovers romance, I recommend this one!
Note: ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2021
Dearest Enemy was a one day read for me. August was an asshole but as soon as he fell in love it was obvious. Sheridan was wonderful and the two of them together were magic. I wanted this book to be longer because I didn't want the story to end. I can't wait for another Renshaw read!
January 19, 2021
I've been reading Winter's books for a few years now. I can honestly say that I've fallen in love with every one of them She never disappoints, imo.
August Monreaux and Sheridan Rose story was amazingly written. Their fate/paths were meant to be. The stars align before they were born. Two souls who were Forbidden to be together. Families who hate ran deep. But love, it's powerful and even when the path is filled with roadblocks. Love, true love will find a way.
This story stole my heart, broke it and put it together again. I rooted for them so hard. Smiled with tears in my eyes and swooned. It was beautiful. Please read this one, you won't be disappointed.
August Monreaux and Sheridan Rose story was amazingly written. Their fate/paths were meant to be. The stars align before they were born. Two souls who were Forbidden to be together. Families who hate ran deep. But love, it's powerful and even when the path is filled with roadblocks. Love, true love will find a way.
This story stole my heart, broke it and put it together again. I rooted for them so hard. Smiled with tears in my eyes and swooned. It was beautiful. Please read this one, you won't be disappointed.
March 10, 2021
1.5 stars
Ugggg. I continued on with this because I wanted to know WHY their families hated each other so much, but the answer was obvious. Oh and wrapping up this book? It was fast and perfect for sure. There were passages that made me want to bang my head against a wall. One example of many was a passage about her father being fired. Her dad was fired from the meat locker WHAT? Thank goodness the author clarified that later in the book by mentioning the meat PACKING PLANT! Yikes 😳
Don’t get me started on the epilogue. The house description reads like a child’s report on a famous house they visited, not someone giving a first time tour of their house to their parents.
The stars are for the heroine not being a total freak over the hero’s 🍆
Ugggg. I continued on with this because I wanted to know WHY their families hated each other so much, but the answer was obvious. Oh and wrapping up this book? It was fast and perfect for sure. There were passages that made me want to bang my head against a wall. One example of many was a passage about her father being fired. Her dad was fired from the meat locker WHAT? Thank goodness the author clarified that later in the book by mentioning the meat PACKING PLANT! Yikes 😳
Don’t get me started on the epilogue. The house description reads like a child’s report on a famous house they visited, not someone giving a first time tour of their house to their parents.
The stars are for the heroine not being a total freak over the hero’s 🍆
January 19, 2021
Safe read
Hero was very experimented and the heroine was a virgin
He was a asshol-ish boy but then he become just a gorgeous caring man.
Some heavy drama
Hero was very experimented and the heroine was a virgin
He was a asshol-ish boy but then he become just a gorgeous caring man.
Some heavy drama
January 15, 2021
ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS
Sheridan is nothing more than a pretty little pawn. A means to an end. A heart I intend to shatter into a million jagged pieces.”
Star Rating : 3.5 / 5 Stars
POV : Dual
Cliffhanger : None
Hero : August Monreaux . He was one of the Monreaux sons and never really liked Sher’s family. He was commanding and hot and very very persistent!
Heroine : Sheridan Rose. She was one of the Rose’s and knew that she had to stay away from the monreaux for her own good. That is until she got caught in August’s trap and never wanted to come out. She was sweet but sassy!
Pace of the story : Slow
Angst Rating : 5/10
Heat Rating : 5/10
Triggers Involved : None
Plot Summary :
Rose and Monreauxes have always been at war. Ever Since Rose’s father was suspected of killing August’s mom , there had never been any peace. That is until one day August found Sheridan at his property. She had trespassed and now she had to pay the price. He won’t stop until he has broken her and finally gets the revenge of his mother’s death.
Sheridan knew better than to go to a Monreaux’s house , but she just wanted a midnight swim. WHat she didn’t expect was the youngest son to be at home. August Monreaux was as hot as he was cold. He was rude and demanding and knew the effect he had on her. And he was fully going to use that to trap her and make her his, And then finally break her.
Overall Opinion :
The timeline of this book just confused the hell out of me. If you read the blurb , you will think that it is a second chance romance and the main characters separated in the past and are now back to reconcile but it is not like that at all. They never really separated and the blurb is based on a separation of a few months which occurs at about 80% of the book.
The Book was Ok, I won’t say it was good because that timeline mess up totally ruined it for me to be honest. However the story was nice and it was a one time read for me! It was a light bully romance with no triggers absolutely. It had a decent storyline and I would recommend it to all the light bully romance lovers out there!
Final Verdict :
The timeline of the story and the blurb was totally wrong and it ruined the story for me.
This book was a decent one time read for me.
It was a light bully romance and more of a contemporary romance type.
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January 17, 2021
Another
incredible
book by Winter Renshaw enemies to lovers trope has always been one of my favorite trope in R O M A N C E!
February 9, 2021
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars! Enemies to lover romance. I love this trope when the families hate each other some times for generations but the 2 hero and heroine are ridiculously attracted to each other and then they can’t help themselves and they break that rule. Ha, so good! This was a good one.
Want to read
October 29, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/29/2021)! 🎁
January 12, 2021
The Monreaux and Rose family- modern day Hatfields and McCoys? The Capulets and Montagues, minus the terrible ending? Sheridan Rose and August Monreaux are on opposites sides of everything possible- the proverbial tracks, their wealth or lack of it and life situtions. He is the idle rich, youngest playboy son of the man who controls everything in their hometown of Meredith Hills and she is the innocent, hard working only child of a downtrodden family who are struggling just to make ends meet, one day at a time. The Monreaux name is equivalent to a dirty word in their modest home, always has been, but why? This, I was dying to know!
August and Sheridan know they should have never been in the same zipcode, let alone airspace but one crazy night, they do just that, crossing paths like fate had a whole different plan for them. She becomes a fascination for him, part of a quickly conceived plan for revenge which morphs into a new obesssion- Rose girl.
Forbidden fruit never looked so tasty as the cat and mouse game between jaded August and sweet, wary Sheridan begins to heat up. Tragedies from long ago still fester, buried secrets wanting to surface, incorrect assumptions and hidden agendas all add up to a bring a mysterious air to this suspenseful romance of two star crossed lovers who somehow become the dearest of enemies.
I've always been a sucker for a great opposites attract, enemies to lovers romance with a fascinating story to back it up. Having said story conclude with a huge, satisfying bang and then being presented with the loveliest of 'down the road of life' epilogues and this author has once again has left me happy and smiling from ear to ear. I really loved reading this complimentary copy of Enemy Dearest as the bad boy and the good girl get the happy ending they deserved. I whipped through this book in record time and will call it another Winter Renshaw winner for me.
August and Sheridan know they should have never been in the same zipcode, let alone airspace but one crazy night, they do just that, crossing paths like fate had a whole different plan for them. She becomes a fascination for him, part of a quickly conceived plan for revenge which morphs into a new obesssion- Rose girl.
Forbidden fruit never looked so tasty as the cat and mouse game between jaded August and sweet, wary Sheridan begins to heat up. Tragedies from long ago still fester, buried secrets wanting to surface, incorrect assumptions and hidden agendas all add up to a bring a mysterious air to this suspenseful romance of two star crossed lovers who somehow become the dearest of enemies.
I've always been a sucker for a great opposites attract, enemies to lovers romance with a fascinating story to back it up. Having said story conclude with a huge, satisfying bang and then being presented with the loveliest of 'down the road of life' epilogues and this author has once again has left me happy and smiling from ear to ear. I really loved reading this complimentary copy of Enemy Dearest as the bad boy and the good girl get the happy ending they deserved. I whipped through this book in record time and will call it another Winter Renshaw winner for me.
January 13, 2021
Unfortunately this was not my favorite Winter Renshaw novel. First off, I think the blurb is very misleading. This isn’t a marriage of convenience like I thought, the characters are 18/19 years old about to leave for college. Marriage has literally nothing to do with the majority of this book. Basically, this is a Romeo and Juliet-ish type story with a mystery woven into it, and while I appreciate the fact that I couldn’t tell you who the bad guy really was, I still think the book fell flat.
January 13, 2021
‘𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙪𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙩.’
Essentially a Romeo & Juliet retelling, with a murky family history between the Monreaux and Rose families. August & Sheridan basically stood no chance at a love story. Star crossed lovers at their finest.
But things changed. While you can’t pick your family, you can learn from their past experiences, and grow from it. And they did.
Essentially a Romeo & Juliet retelling, with a murky family history between the Monreaux and Rose families. August & Sheridan basically stood no chance at a love story. Star crossed lovers at their finest.
But things changed. While you can’t pick your family, you can learn from their past experiences, and grow from it. And they did.
January 12, 2021
3.5 Stars
Review to come!!!
Review to come!!!
January 21, 2021
3,75🌟🌟🌟⭐
May 13, 2021
lol the last part of the blurb made me think that marriage would be a big part of the plot, but it turned out they just got engaged for like 5 seconds before the book ended asdfghjkl. Anyways, I still enjoyed it tho.
January 14, 2021
So, I'm a sucker for WR books, this one pulled me in quite fast. A forbidden love story between the kids of 2 families who have terrible history. August Monreaux, a rich, entitled "bad boy" who always got what he wanted and got away with anything because of his family and last name finds a girl trespassing in his swimming pool one night. Sheridan Rose, the girl from the other side of the tracks. The Rose's and Monreaux's have a complicated history but there is just something about Sheridan that he can't shake. They are in the summer before they head to college but strike up a sort of friendship they both feel oddly about yet somehow feel this pull towards each other.
This book has family drama, Romeo and Juliet'ish storyline and it has allll the feels between Sheridan and August. I do have to say that some of the blurb didn't really match the story, but it didn't bother me much once I was into it because I ended up enjoying the story.
This book has family drama, Romeo and Juliet'ish storyline and it has allll the feels between Sheridan and August. I do have to say that some of the blurb didn't really match the story, but it didn't bother me much once I was into it because I ended up enjoying the story.
July 17, 2021
3,5 🌟
Adoro cada vez más los libros de Winter y esta historia no se queda atrás, en si la trama está interesante y los personajes también, la verdad ya sospechaba de ese personaje en especifico con respecto a la mamá de August y la tía de Sher así que no quede tan sorprendida de saber quien era en realidad tal personaje.
Adoro cada vez más los libros de Winter y esta historia no se queda atrás, en si la trama está interesante y los personajes también, la verdad ya sospechaba de ese personaje en especifico con respecto a la mamá de August y la tía de Sher así que no quede tan sorprendida de saber quien era en realidad tal personaje.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2021
Undeveloped story. Some parts dragged , some were rushed. Mostly lacked story line.
Reminded me of a Scooby Doo mystery with sex.
Reminded me of a Scooby Doo mystery with sex.
January 16, 2021
We don’t have a future—we have a score to settle.
Enemy Dearest is an all new standalone featuring the enemies to lovers/forbidden romance of August Monreaux & Sheridan Rose. She’s always known it was absolutely forbidden to be anywhere near the Monreaux family, the very family that is responsible for so much tragedy & hardship for her family....yet that doesn’t stop her from coming face to face with him as she took a dip in his pool without permission. That one encounter is all it takes for August to want to sample the ultimate forbidden fruit, but they both soon realize that one taste isn’t enough. A meeting that should’ve never happened, a bitter feud between two families that can’t be repaired by love alone....hearts will be broken, but can two lifelong enemies find their HEA in each other?
But I will ruin her. I’ll ruin her for any other man. And when she runs home to daddy to dry her tears, I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that this time, a Monreaux broke a Rose.
Let me start off by saying that anytime I find a new ARC in my Kindle library from Winter is a GREAT day....
....I know I’m in for a great read, the kind of pageturner I find impossible to put down. The blurb? Definitely intriguing BUT total transparency here, it does a TERRIBLE job describing the story within. I went in expecting a second chance love story about two MCs from feuding families that reconnected as adults due to a marriage arrangement (that started as a “contract” type but ended with love).
What you get is two kids heading off to college from feuding families and opposite sides of the social circle who go from enemies to lovers with very little “down”/off time. That’s not to say it’s not an excellent read because it most certainly is, I’m just saying DO NOT go into it with expectations from the blurb bc the story you will find is a different kind of romance. With that said, in typical Winter fashion she earned herself another top read spot from me with the beautifully angsty love story that was August & his Rose Girl.
Book Facts:
Told in: Dual POV, all present day with some time jumps ahead to progress the story.
Type? An all new standalone featuring new characters.
Triggers: Some troubling family struggles.
Ends in: HEA with an extended Epilogue.
The Main Players:
August Monreaux: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trust fund baby who looks like he grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. A man with every ability to devour me, but who has been nothing but patient and gentle.
Sheridan Rose: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sheridan is nothing more than a pretty little pawn. A means to an end. A heart I intend to shatter into a million jagged pieces.
What I liked:
❤️When done right, modern day depictions of Romeo & Juliet are always winners in my book. I loved the R&J feel this one had....
No good will ever come from a Rose and a Monreaux in the same room together. We were born into two opposing forces. Sharp against soft. Dark against light. Love against fear. We were raised in completely different worlds, with differing priorities and a distinct belief system instilled into us from day one.
..... but loved even more how Winter put her own spin on it while also bringing in twists that made it hard to put down.
❤️Because of the R&J feel to it, there has to be a backstory that sets that bitter feud in motion.....I was truly fascinated and fully committed to the tragic history that connected these two rival families....
Anyone in this town would be a damned fool to try to cross my father. How Rich Rose got away with it not once, but twice, is a real life miracle.
.....I would swear I had it all figured out only to realize I didn’t at all. It didn’t feel “made up” or over the top, it made sense to the story & the characters it pertained to. I couldn’t wait for the truth to be revealed and boy was it ever!
❤️I wasn’t sure how I would feel about these two at first (together-wise), worried it would either happen to quickly to be believable or lack the depth to see to their love. Instead, what I got were two polar opposites who had every reason not to fall in love yet couldn’t help themselves. I LOVED seeing them struggle with those feelings in very real ways.....
“I’m sorry.” Her brows lift. “For what?” “For kissing you like you meant something to me,” I say. “And for fucking you like you didn’t.”
.....being able to see them recognize that although their feelings came fast and might be crazy, those feelings felt right.....
“It’s strange, feeling like I’ve known you my entire life.” Her voice is barely a whisper. “And I’ve only just met you.”
.....and more than anything else, I absolutely adored seeing how not only were they both changed because of it....
Thank you for showing me what love is for the first time in my life. Thank you for saving me from the monster I was destined to become.
.....it changed them both in ways that were necessary personally. I loved these two together.
❤️Expanding on the above, what might’ve been my favorite part of all was the fact that it wasn’t easy for them. This wasn’t a story where love immediately “conquered all”. I could feel the dread coming off the pages at times because it constantly felt like despite everything they weren’t going to make it past all the obstacles in their way.....
Good things never last, especially when they weren’t supposed to happen in the first place.
.....with every ounce of hope I was given through them, I was given double the angst that had me questioning if love could be enough in their world.....
“You’ve changed my life from the second you walked into it, Rose girl,” I say. “This can’t be the end for us. Now that I’ve met you, I don’t want anyone else.”
.....I know some readers don’t like that, but I personally LOVE reading books where the only conflict/angst comes from mistakes/decisions the MCs make....it’s so much more intense when you have to suffer through seeing how circumstances completely out of their control result in consequences they shouldn’t be dealt yet have to overcome anyways.
What I didn’t:
🖤Don’t condemn me for this one, hear me out.....this might be the very first time I wasn’t a fan of Winter’s cover model for the character.
I thought the cover was beautiful but I had to envision a different guy for August. This guy didn’t fit this description nor did he give me the vibes August was putting out in this book.
🖤Another one that might cause some condemnation......I didn’t like her mama. I started off with my heart broken and with so much sorrow over just what her mama was going through....
Some people react to stress with a surge of adrenaline, but Mama’s brain has the power to make the whole operation shut down.
....but that was very quickly overshadowed by just how nasty she was in regards to the feud and the way she dismissed her daughters happiness and allowed another blameless victim of said feud to suffer because of her bitterness.....
“It’s the right thing to do,” I say. “He only did that because he wanted to be with me—and you won’t allow that. It’s just kind of unfair now, don’t you think?” Her lips flatten. “After everything that family has done to ours, I think it’s more than fair.”
.....I just thought for someone who should’ve seen life/happiness/love in a more precious way due to her illnesses, she should’ve been more understanding and willing when it came to August.
🖤I wish their separation period had been a little longer....maybe it was because the blurb set me up for something that seemed set years later, but I was a little letdown by the fact that it was very little time passed at all. I wanted the true angst of not knowing if they would find their way back to each other or at the very least, having to watch them truly reconnect and fight their way back to that place again.
The Verdict:
At this point I’m pretty confident there won’t come a time that I can’t confidently recommend a Winter creation.....her stories always pull me in while her characters keep me there, but it’s her style of storytelling that makes it impossible for me to put down her books once I pick one up. While Enemy Dearest won’t go down as my favorite by her, it’s still a solid 4 star read that any romance lover will find worthy of the time spent lost within the pages.
I once told August that our fate was written long before we were even born. I stand by what I e Es said. I just know now that I had it all wrong. Fate wasn’t trying to keep us apart; it was trying to bring us together.
Enemy Dearest is an all new standalone featuring the enemies to lovers/forbidden romance of August Monreaux & Sheridan Rose. She’s always known it was absolutely forbidden to be anywhere near the Monreaux family, the very family that is responsible for so much tragedy & hardship for her family....yet that doesn’t stop her from coming face to face with him as she took a dip in his pool without permission. That one encounter is all it takes for August to want to sample the ultimate forbidden fruit, but they both soon realize that one taste isn’t enough. A meeting that should’ve never happened, a bitter feud between two families that can’t be repaired by love alone....hearts will be broken, but can two lifelong enemies find their HEA in each other?
But I will ruin her. I’ll ruin her for any other man. And when she runs home to daddy to dry her tears, I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that this time, a Monreaux broke a Rose.
Let me start off by saying that anytime I find a new ARC in my Kindle library from Winter is a GREAT day....
....I know I’m in for a great read, the kind of pageturner I find impossible to put down. The blurb? Definitely intriguing BUT total transparency here, it does a TERRIBLE job describing the story within. I went in expecting a second chance love story about two MCs from feuding families that reconnected as adults due to a marriage arrangement (that started as a “contract” type but ended with love).
What you get is two kids heading off to college from feuding families and opposite sides of the social circle who go from enemies to lovers with very little “down”/off time. That’s not to say it’s not an excellent read because it most certainly is, I’m just saying DO NOT go into it with expectations from the blurb bc the story you will find is a different kind of romance. With that said, in typical Winter fashion she earned herself another top read spot from me with the beautifully angsty love story that was August & his Rose Girl.
Book Facts:
Told in: Dual POV, all present day with some time jumps ahead to progress the story.
Type? An all new standalone featuring new characters.
Triggers: Some troubling family struggles.
Ends in: HEA with an extended Epilogue.
The Main Players:
August Monreaux: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trust fund baby who looks like he grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. A man with every ability to devour me, but who has been nothing but patient and gentle.
Sheridan Rose: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sheridan is nothing more than a pretty little pawn. A means to an end. A heart I intend to shatter into a million jagged pieces.
What I liked:
❤️When done right, modern day depictions of Romeo & Juliet are always winners in my book. I loved the R&J feel this one had....
No good will ever come from a Rose and a Monreaux in the same room together. We were born into two opposing forces. Sharp against soft. Dark against light. Love against fear. We were raised in completely different worlds, with differing priorities and a distinct belief system instilled into us from day one.
..... but loved even more how Winter put her own spin on it while also bringing in twists that made it hard to put down.
❤️Because of the R&J feel to it, there has to be a backstory that sets that bitter feud in motion.....I was truly fascinated and fully committed to the tragic history that connected these two rival families....
Anyone in this town would be a damned fool to try to cross my father. How Rich Rose got away with it not once, but twice, is a real life miracle.
.....I would swear I had it all figured out only to realize I didn’t at all. It didn’t feel “made up” or over the top, it made sense to the story & the characters it pertained to. I couldn’t wait for the truth to be revealed and boy was it ever!
❤️I wasn’t sure how I would feel about these two at first (together-wise), worried it would either happen to quickly to be believable or lack the depth to see to their love. Instead, what I got were two polar opposites who had every reason not to fall in love yet couldn’t help themselves. I LOVED seeing them struggle with those feelings in very real ways.....
“I’m sorry.” Her brows lift. “For what?” “For kissing you like you meant something to me,” I say. “And for fucking you like you didn’t.”
.....being able to see them recognize that although their feelings came fast and might be crazy, those feelings felt right.....
“It’s strange, feeling like I’ve known you my entire life.” Her voice is barely a whisper. “And I’ve only just met you.”
.....and more than anything else, I absolutely adored seeing how not only were they both changed because of it....
Thank you for showing me what love is for the first time in my life. Thank you for saving me from the monster I was destined to become.
.....it changed them both in ways that were necessary personally. I loved these two together.
❤️Expanding on the above, what might’ve been my favorite part of all was the fact that it wasn’t easy for them. This wasn’t a story where love immediately “conquered all”. I could feel the dread coming off the pages at times because it constantly felt like despite everything they weren’t going to make it past all the obstacles in their way.....
Good things never last, especially when they weren’t supposed to happen in the first place.
.....with every ounce of hope I was given through them, I was given double the angst that had me questioning if love could be enough in their world.....
“You’ve changed my life from the second you walked into it, Rose girl,” I say. “This can’t be the end for us. Now that I’ve met you, I don’t want anyone else.”
.....I know some readers don’t like that, but I personally LOVE reading books where the only conflict/angst comes from mistakes/decisions the MCs make....it’s so much more intense when you have to suffer through seeing how circumstances completely out of their control result in consequences they shouldn’t be dealt yet have to overcome anyways.
What I didn’t:
🖤Don’t condemn me for this one, hear me out.....this might be the very first time I wasn’t a fan of Winter’s cover model for the character.
I thought the cover was beautiful but I had to envision a different guy for August. This guy didn’t fit this description nor did he give me the vibes August was putting out in this book.
🖤Another one that might cause some condemnation......I didn’t like her mama. I started off with my heart broken and with so much sorrow over just what her mama was going through....
Some people react to stress with a surge of adrenaline, but Mama’s brain has the power to make the whole operation shut down.
....but that was very quickly overshadowed by just how nasty she was in regards to the feud and the way she dismissed her daughters happiness and allowed another blameless victim of said feud to suffer because of her bitterness.....
“It’s the right thing to do,” I say. “He only did that because he wanted to be with me—and you won’t allow that. It’s just kind of unfair now, don’t you think?” Her lips flatten. “After everything that family has done to ours, I think it’s more than fair.”
.....I just thought for someone who should’ve seen life/happiness/love in a more precious way due to her illnesses, she should’ve been more understanding and willing when it came to August.
🖤I wish their separation period had been a little longer....maybe it was because the blurb set me up for something that seemed set years later, but I was a little letdown by the fact that it was very little time passed at all. I wanted the true angst of not knowing if they would find their way back to each other or at the very least, having to watch them truly reconnect and fight their way back to that place again.
The Verdict:
At this point I’m pretty confident there won’t come a time that I can’t confidently recommend a Winter creation.....her stories always pull me in while her characters keep me there, but it’s her style of storytelling that makes it impossible for me to put down her books once I pick one up. While Enemy Dearest won’t go down as my favorite by her, it’s still a solid 4 star read that any romance lover will find worthy of the time spent lost within the pages.
I once told August that our fate was written long before we were even born. I stand by what I e Es said. I just know now that I had it all wrong. Fate wasn’t trying to keep us apart; it was trying to bring us together.
June 5, 2022
Esa sinopsis engaña! 🥴
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