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To Make Matters Worse
Violet Moore is not having a good week.
It starts with a fight between her and Charlie Davis – her friend turned enemy, that ends with fruit punch thrown on her. Then, she somehow agrees to be fake friends with the same enemy to ensure her best friend’s wedding goes off without a hitch. And last but certainly not least, her apartment collapses, and the only person with an open room is Charlie Davis himself…
Violet isn't sure what's going to be worse, the wedding, or her living situation.
There are few people that are more confusing than Violet Moore.
Charlie has never understood her, but the five-foot three schoolteacher has a sharp tongue and a huge grudge against him. Why? He has no clue. He’s not proud of his immature spats with his former college friend turned bane of his existence, but he can never seem to stop himself – not where she’s concerned. He’s content to get this wedding and their fake friendship over with - so they can go back to their normal fighting lifestyle.
Then he finds her crying and needing a place to stay – changing all of his plans. Feelings he had long since buried rush to the surface, and he finds himself unable to stop thinking about the beautiful but confusing Violet Moore.
They haven’t agreed on anything in six years, but can one wedding, a ruined apartment, and being stuck in one house somehow bring them together?
It starts with a fight between her and Charlie Davis – her friend turned enemy, that ends with fruit punch thrown on her. Then, she somehow agrees to be fake friends with the same enemy to ensure her best friend’s wedding goes off without a hitch. And last but certainly not least, her apartment collapses, and the only person with an open room is Charlie Davis himself…
Violet isn't sure what's going to be worse, the wedding, or her living situation.
There are few people that are more confusing than Violet Moore.
Charlie has never understood her, but the five-foot three schoolteacher has a sharp tongue and a huge grudge against him. Why? He has no clue. He’s not proud of his immature spats with his former college friend turned bane of his existence, but he can never seem to stop himself – not where she’s concerned. He’s content to get this wedding and their fake friendship over with - so they can go back to their normal fighting lifestyle.
Then he finds her crying and needing a place to stay – changing all of his plans. Feelings he had long since buried rush to the surface, and he finds himself unable to stop thinking about the beautiful but confusing Violet Moore.
They haven’t agreed on anything in six years, but can one wedding, a ruined apartment, and being stuck in one house somehow bring them together?
396 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2022
240 people are currently reading
3139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
June 13, 2023
DNF 40%
come on girl give us nothing
come on girl give us nothing
June 26, 2023
3.7
I couldn't stand Liv and Lewis most of the time.
Moving to a 3 cause I realized that the reason for their rivalry wasn't as climactic as they made it out to be
I couldn't stand Liv and Lewis most of the time.
Moving to a 3 cause I realized that the reason for their rivalry wasn't as climactic as they made it out to be
June 14, 2023
4.5 ☆
I had such a long review for this and goodreads decided to crash once again 😔
This was such an unexpectedly amazing read. I went in looking for a traditional enemies to lovers book and got a heartwarming, genuinely entertaining enemies to friends to lovers romance between two bantery and fun characters.
I feel like i am one to judge books by their covers way too quickly and even though this one is quite cute im always expecting a certain type of writing and storytelling from books with the cartoon drawings.
And this book is definitely an outlier in my skewed mental graph. (Not that those other books are bad, just lack sharpness when it comes to characters)
I mean not only is the plot consistent (even though the book is mostly characters driven) but the character’s personalities are also really well thought of.
I mean the main point of the book is that Charlie and Violet “hate” each other, and I found that in this book not only were their fights/banter really realistic and fun to read but that even when things got sunnier they maintained the same vibe.
The flow of the book was also really good and even though it felt a little stuck around the 35% mark it soon got better and went back to its original flow.
And if im being honest one of the main reasons (if not one of the ONLY reasons) why I didn’t give this a 5 star review was violet (the female lead) making tea by warming up the water in the microwave and then putting the tea bag and that sounded illegal.
(Yes, i am petty)
So apart from that and one or two small things that are inconsequential to mention i would say this book is deserving of a fantastic rating and it should definitely get more hype. I swear its the kind of book the booktok enemies to lovers community would eat up if they knew more about it.
Plus not only did it do what it had to do in terms of romance but it also managed to have a pretty heartwarming and even angsty tone at times.
Both Charlie's and Violet's background stories felt very authentic and tender while not going overboard and accidentally changing the genre of the book.
They definitely added to what made them as who they are as characters and also helped explain why they did the things they did.
Also i loved reading about the struggles of a teacher in this society that doesn't appreciate them as well as the talks of how even the ones that have great, high paying, jobs are struggling to pay rent and make end meet.
Violet is definitely one of my new fav book heroines and Charlie is also gonna be added to my book boyfriend list even though his name doesn’t suit him. Like charlies gives off golden retriever himbo vibes and this male lead definitely didn’t give those vibes (maybe one or two times)
Laura lauren whatever her name is was also very well written and she triggered my fight or flight. Girly was a very realistic money obsessed lawyer.
Overall props to Elle Rivers for making such a great book, I’ll definitely try to stay up to date with her releases (hopefully they have the same quality) and if anyone ever read this review then I recommend you check this book out. (Damn it sound like im getting paid for this lmao)
You can tell Elle Rivers put a great deal of effort in making this book entertaining, accurate, cute and also touching.
I had such a long review for this and goodreads decided to crash once again 😔
This was such an unexpectedly amazing read. I went in looking for a traditional enemies to lovers book and got a heartwarming, genuinely entertaining enemies to friends to lovers romance between two bantery and fun characters.
I feel like i am one to judge books by their covers way too quickly and even though this one is quite cute im always expecting a certain type of writing and storytelling from books with the cartoon drawings.
And this book is definitely an outlier in my skewed mental graph. (Not that those other books are bad, just lack sharpness when it comes to characters)
I mean not only is the plot consistent (even though the book is mostly characters driven) but the character’s personalities are also really well thought of.
I mean the main point of the book is that Charlie and Violet “hate” each other, and I found that in this book not only were their fights/banter really realistic and fun to read but that even when things got sunnier they maintained the same vibe.
The flow of the book was also really good and even though it felt a little stuck around the 35% mark it soon got better and went back to its original flow.
And if im being honest one of the main reasons (if not one of the ONLY reasons) why I didn’t give this a 5 star review was violet (the female lead) making tea by warming up the water in the microwave and then putting the tea bag and that sounded illegal.
(Yes, i am petty)
So apart from that and one or two small things that are inconsequential to mention i would say this book is deserving of a fantastic rating and it should definitely get more hype. I swear its the kind of book the booktok enemies to lovers community would eat up if they knew more about it.
Plus not only did it do what it had to do in terms of romance but it also managed to have a pretty heartwarming and even angsty tone at times.
Both Charlie's and Violet's background stories felt very authentic and tender while not going overboard and accidentally changing the genre of the book.
They definitely added to what made them as who they are as characters and also helped explain why they did the things they did.
Also i loved reading about the struggles of a teacher in this society that doesn't appreciate them as well as the talks of how even the ones that have great, high paying, jobs are struggling to pay rent and make end meet.
Violet is definitely one of my new fav book heroines and Charlie is also gonna be added to my book boyfriend list even though his name doesn’t suit him. Like charlies gives off golden retriever himbo vibes and this male lead definitely didn’t give those vibes (maybe one or two times)
Laura lauren whatever her name is was also very well written and she triggered my fight or flight. Girly was a very realistic money obsessed lawyer.
Overall props to Elle Rivers for making such a great book, I’ll definitely try to stay up to date with her releases (hopefully they have the same quality) and if anyone ever read this review then I recommend you check this book out. (Damn it sound like im getting paid for this lmao)
You can tell Elle Rivers put a great deal of effort in making this book entertaining, accurate, cute and also touching.
January 22, 2024
the main characters could have avoided 6 years of fighting in two sentences but god forbid they have a conversation
the two side characters are the most annoying humans ever. there were multiple paragraphs, over multiple chapters, of them just saying in different fonts “how are y’all getting along after arguing for 6 years” and “i don’t believe it”
the two side characters are the most annoying humans ever. there were multiple paragraphs, over multiple chapters, of them just saying in different fonts “how are y’all getting along after arguing for 6 years” and “i don’t believe it”
May 10, 2024
This book was cute, but I think it being in 3rd person made it more difficult to read and connect with any of the characters. The beginning is kinda slow but it picks up after a while. It definitely took me longer to get through than normal.
January 27, 2024
Enemies to roommates to lovers! I love when main characters can fight with one another yet know when to draw the line. Violet and Charlie used to be friends briefly in college before they became enemies overnight. Now, all of their friends tiptoe around them waiting for them to blow up at events. But when their best friends are getting married they agree to be "friends" temporarily. Then, Violet's roof collapses and the only one with extra space is Charlie. Forced to finally deal with each other after 6 years of non-stop fighting is good for them...and the feelings they used to have before their friendship exploded seem to creep back. So what happened 6 years ago and can either of them get over it?
I really liked Violet's struggle to come to terms with her career. Violet is a schoolteacher in an expensive city with a mother who thinks more money makes you happier. I enjoyed watching Violet learn what really matters more to her. Also, the kitten Roo was adorable.
Romance Rating: 3.8/5
Spicy Rating: 1.5/5
I really liked Violet's struggle to come to terms with her career. Violet is a schoolteacher in an expensive city with a mother who thinks more money makes you happier. I enjoyed watching Violet learn what really matters more to her. Also, the kitten Roo was adorable.
Romance Rating: 3.8/5
Spicy Rating: 1.5/5
February 7, 2023
This book was such a slog and burden to finish… the story should have ended 40% in it was pointless after that. I didn’t care about a single character. They were all flat and wooden no not even wooden, cardboard. And good lord steamy??? Not even! Had 1 1/2 scenes and not til the end. And they were not good. This had a good premise and some okay moments but nothing was fleshed out. It was so easy to see from the beginning that it was Lauren’s fault about the feud. Also grow up seriously yes, he hurt your feelings but come on.. 6 years and you’re still upset about that? Have some confidence! Also got really sick of the dumping on her job and the poor pay. She acted like her job was the worst thing in the world 🙄 Sorry to the author but I hate finished this as in I hated every moment of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2025
this book was so bad it proved to me that really anything can get published
May 31, 2025
3.25 ★
To be honest, I loved Forces of Nature sooo much more, but I still very much enjoyed this one too!! It was adorable and Violet and Charlie were so fun to read about! I loveddd the way the story line went and how it developed too. 💕
To be honest, I loved Forces of Nature sooo much more, but I still very much enjoyed this one too!! It was adorable and Violet and Charlie were so fun to read about! I loveddd the way the story line went and how it developed too. 💕
December 24, 2023
4.5
pretty good
MA
enemies to lovers
pretty good
MA
enemies to lovers
September 23, 2022
This story is equally charming as it is heartbreaking at times. After they get over there strife with each other they mesh well personality wise. Another brilliant book from an amazing author. Can't wait to read what she writes next.
September 25, 2022
ahhh! I will be gushing about this book!!
Elle Rivers is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I’ve read a couple other books by her and they literally never miss. In this book we have some enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance.
This book has given me a couple more insults to add to my favorites list. The banter was SO GOOD. So good. It’s also borderline flirty. Like you can definitely tell there’s some *ahem* tension.
Okay, I’m going to talk about Charlie first because he’s getting added to my book boyfriends list. We love a man who is obsessed with consent. He didn’t make it weird either, I loved seeing it. He cares about her the whole time, even when he doesn’t realize he does care about her, he does.
Violet is also very sweet. She’s a really likable FMC. She has boundaries she won’t cross when throwing insults and she stands up for him, even when they aren’t done being enemies. Both of these characters very much exude “I can mess with them, but no one else can” vibes and I love that.
I struggled to always like their friends Liv and Lewis. I could see some of the things they said, other times I thought they were too harsh or hung up on things that had been resolved, but then I also had to remember they aren’t in the characters heads and seeing how things played out. Sometimes I felt like they could have been better friends to both MCs, but again, that’s adult life, sometimes your friends get wrapped up in their lives and aren’t the best. Adult life is hard. Friendships are hard.
Overall, great book. Loved it. Will definitely read again.
Elle Rivers is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I’ve read a couple other books by her and they literally never miss. In this book we have some enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance.
This book has given me a couple more insults to add to my favorites list. The banter was SO GOOD. So good. It’s also borderline flirty. Like you can definitely tell there’s some *ahem* tension.
Okay, I’m going to talk about Charlie first because he’s getting added to my book boyfriends list. We love a man who is obsessed with consent. He didn’t make it weird either, I loved seeing it. He cares about her the whole time, even when he doesn’t realize he does care about her, he does.
Violet is also very sweet. She’s a really likable FMC. She has boundaries she won’t cross when throwing insults and she stands up for him, even when they aren’t done being enemies. Both of these characters very much exude “I can mess with them, but no one else can” vibes and I love that.
I struggled to always like their friends Liv and Lewis. I could see some of the things they said, other times I thought they were too harsh or hung up on things that had been resolved, but then I also had to remember they aren’t in the characters heads and seeing how things played out. Sometimes I felt like they could have been better friends to both MCs, but again, that’s adult life, sometimes your friends get wrapped up in their lives and aren’t the best. Adult life is hard. Friendships are hard.
Overall, great book. Loved it. Will definitely read again.
February 26, 2023
3 stars because i finished the book and the plot kept me captivated enough to be invested despite the fact that the plot was quite literally two people being in love for 6 years and not being together because of themselves. i know it's unpopular but i love a good miscommunication trope (and i'm weak for enemies to lovers) and it can be frustrating at times, but the fact that the wedding was before the halfway point of the book made me want to keep reading to see where it was going after that.
however, at some point every single character was a tad unlikable and there were so many grammatical errors! i saw the first two early on and didn't think anything of it but it got much worse towards the end as if it was written in a rush to finish. there were wrong you're/yours (which was particularly interesting given the fact that lauren criticized violet for the wrong their), incorrect pronouns (unless that character went by different pronouns but w the amount of errors i just assumed that was not the case), and just straight up missing words from sentences so if i wasn't invested in the plot i would've dnf'ed
however, at some point every single character was a tad unlikable and there were so many grammatical errors! i saw the first two early on and didn't think anything of it but it got much worse towards the end as if it was written in a rush to finish. there were wrong you're/yours (which was particularly interesting given the fact that lauren criticized violet for the wrong their), incorrect pronouns (unless that character went by different pronouns but w the amount of errors i just assumed that was not the case), and just straight up missing words from sentences so if i wasn't invested in the plot i would've dnf'ed
September 22, 2023
Charlie and Violet became enemies in college. How did it happen? Violet asked Charlie to help her with her thesis but instead he told her it's awful and she won't do better than a school teacher. Because of him Violet decided to not pursue grad school. Except it wasn't him, it was actually his on and off girlfriend, Lauren, who got jealous of Violet. That girlfriend then kept them from talking it out by telling Charlie this situation is Violet's fault.
Does anyone beside me see how ridiculous that is? Grown adults couldn't communicate with each other, never talked about what actually happened, never demanded explanation and that's somehow someone else's fault.
It was not only a laughable reason to become enemies with someone when this could've been easily fixed with a little communication, it was also a very boring way to write conflict. It was clear from the beginning Lauren was a psycho. It was clear she would be the reason for whatever happened between Charlie and Violet. And a psycho girlfriend is an overused thrope. It's boring, it's unoriginal. Even main characters couldn't save the plot. They were boring and one dimensional as well.
Does anyone beside me see how ridiculous that is? Grown adults couldn't communicate with each other, never talked about what actually happened, never demanded explanation and that's somehow someone else's fault.
It was not only a laughable reason to become enemies with someone when this could've been easily fixed with a little communication, it was also a very boring way to write conflict. It was clear from the beginning Lauren was a psycho. It was clear she would be the reason for whatever happened between Charlie and Violet. And a psycho girlfriend is an overused thrope. It's boring, it's unoriginal. Even main characters couldn't save the plot. They were boring and one dimensional as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2023
I do not like the switching of POV when it’s 3rd person. There’s no reason to. Especially when it basically says the same thing in both POVS. It’s basically Violet “It felt strange to be around him again.” And Charlie says “it was strange to see her.” SO repetitive. Some grammar mistakes. I think the book WOULDVE lost 30% of its length if the writer didn’t repeat herself 10 times. I think I read “we fought for six years” a million times. And it was a repeat of what we already read.
Now, the STORY, that was good and I enjoyed that. But I did skim over parts cus I was like…yep I read that 10 times already. (See how I’m repeating myself in this hahahaha, I’m a hypocrite)
I do like the story, wish there was more depth and I do wish it was 1st person instead of 3rd. Also the ending? So rushed and why did they just randomly fuck at the end. Girrrrll we coulda used that in the middle of the book!
I also like the twists this book had. My mouth dropped couple of times.
Giving 3/5 cus the storyline was good enough. I think author should’ve gotten an editor, though.
Now, the STORY, that was good and I enjoyed that. But I did skim over parts cus I was like…yep I read that 10 times already. (See how I’m repeating myself in this hahahaha, I’m a hypocrite)
I do like the story, wish there was more depth and I do wish it was 1st person instead of 3rd. Also the ending? So rushed and why did they just randomly fuck at the end. Girrrrll we coulda used that in the middle of the book!
I also like the twists this book had. My mouth dropped couple of times.
Giving 3/5 cus the storyline was good enough. I think author should’ve gotten an editor, though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2022
I don’t want to say this was terrible, but I did feel that there were some timeline inconsistencies. It was said Lauren and Charlie dated for 6 years and since high school, but that she became a lawyer since then, that Violet and Charlie have been fighting for 6 years, etc. so I’m not really sure how old anyone is or how long they’ve been in each others lives. A lot of the characters seemed rude, immature and oblivious. I also found that by 40% in there shouldn’t have been too much left in the book because so much time was spent describing wedding planning and details etc that dragged on - I couldn’t get myself to finish and get to the good stuff.
January 24, 2024
I got this recommended to me from TikTok and it sounded very interesting, but the author made it out to sound like something better. I expected SO much and was pretty disappointed. I vaguely remember the author saying “very spicy” and let me tell you what, no it is not! I’m talking, the smut in this book sounded like a middle schooler wrote it. They were barely a page long and it was just overall not very good.
Another thing… Liv and Lewis? I could not stand them more than half the time. This book felt rushed in some places, and too slow in others.
Even though I finished this book, it took me forever. I just kept losing interest and almost DNF’ed quite a few times.
Another thing… Liv and Lewis? I could not stand them more than half the time. This book felt rushed in some places, and too slow in others.
Even though I finished this book, it took me forever. I just kept losing interest and almost DNF’ed quite a few times.
January 27, 2024
I spent the majority of this book feeling second hand embarrassment on behalf of the main characters. As a 28 year old I can tell you that most reasonable people wouldn’t put up with two friends who acted like this, especially in public and especially at important events. The group dynamic felt so toxic I couldn’t stand it. It felt like the characters barely knew each other.
I did enjoy the banter, some of the comebacks were truly inspired.
I did enjoy the banter, some of the comebacks were truly inspired.
June 19, 2023
DNF, felt borderline unreadable
Edit: went back to try and finish it bc it was still on my kindle and I can’t like…hold any of my regular books to read them. If you’ve read one book by this author, assume you’ve read them all.
Edit: went back to try and finish it bc it was still on my kindle and I can’t like…hold any of my regular books to read them. If you’ve read one book by this author, assume you’ve read them all.
January 12, 2024
Fcking hell, try taking a shot every time they talk about Violet’s shit pay as a teacher, so annoying
And why the hell couldn’t their friends leave them tf alone after they started being friends??????
And why the hell couldn’t their friends leave them tf alone after they started being friends??????
March 10, 2023
truly god awful characters and writing. nothing they say or do makes sense
June 3, 2023
Dnf at 5%
I’m sorry, I just couldn’t read this. The premise is enticing, but the writing style is not good.
I’m sorry, I just couldn’t read this. The premise is enticing, but the writing style is not good.
February 25, 2024
dialogue was horrible and the side characters sucked
January 27, 2025
Too long, too repetitive, all the characters were sooo annoying, among other things - don’t waste your time!
July 1, 2025
Go girl give us nothing! Could've been a short story, still wouldn't have been great
December 2, 2022
This was definitely the perfect mix of cozy with a little bit of spice. It reminded me of a Hallmark movie which is perfect for this time of year. Rivers’ writing style is easy to follow but still descriptive. I was pleasantly surprised by the representation within the book. It’s always nice to see BIPOC and LGBTQ+ characters presented in a positive way and their roles being relevant to the plot. It definitely included the Enemies to Lovers trope but also Forced Proximity. I’d never heard of the “fake friends” trope but it was a nice change of pace from fake dating.
The main characters, Violet and Charlie were written in such a relatable/believable way. Both of them have their own flaws to work through but each was incredibly endearing. The supporting characters were charming and it was nice reading a romance with a strong sense of community. The friend group has known each other since college and the dynamic gave off a vibe similar to the show ‘Friends’ or ‘Seinfeld.’ I loved both main characters, but I’ll start with Charlie, he was the perfect mix of obnoxious and sweet/loving. He’s definitely the perfect book boyfriend. In and out of the bedroom he’s shown to be thoughtful, protective and kind. And It was so lovely how much he cared about his family and taking care of their family home. While Violet dealt with insecurities, she was a strong character and not a damsel in distress. It was nice to have a FMC that was passionate about her job as a teacher. Her relationship with her students was wonderful and I appreciated that the book discussed the harder aspects of teaching.
The main characters, Violet and Charlie were written in such a relatable/believable way. Both of them have their own flaws to work through but each was incredibly endearing. The supporting characters were charming and it was nice reading a romance with a strong sense of community. The friend group has known each other since college and the dynamic gave off a vibe similar to the show ‘Friends’ or ‘Seinfeld.’ I loved both main characters, but I’ll start with Charlie, he was the perfect mix of obnoxious and sweet/loving. He’s definitely the perfect book boyfriend. In and out of the bedroom he’s shown to be thoughtful, protective and kind. And It was so lovely how much he cared about his family and taking care of their family home. While Violet dealt with insecurities, she was a strong character and not a damsel in distress. It was nice to have a FMC that was passionate about her job as a teacher. Her relationship with her students was wonderful and I appreciated that the book discussed the harder aspects of teaching.
January 4, 2025
overview :: ☆
i don't know what it is about this book that made it 4 stars as most aspects felt annoying but i think it was charlie and violet's relationship. this is another lovely book from elle rivers. semi disclaimer, this book is more of a friends to lovers than an enemies to lovers as they were only enemies for like 15% of the book and then they were reluctant friends to real friends. for friends to lovers, i really liked this book!! i usually find friends to lovers as more of a boring trope, but i liked the other contents in it.
storyline :: ☆
i liked the storyline overall, but i think after liv and lewis' wedding, it was a bit dragged out. the synopsis like fully highlighted the points of their wedding and you would expect that to be the main focus but it was only there for like half the book. its a decent friends to lovers though
characters :: ☆
the only reason that its 4 stars is because of the main characters and some of the storyline to be honest. all the other side characters felt a little annoying, even liv and lewis. also the miscommunication between charlie and violet kind of threw me off sometimes
violet - my girl deserved better.
charlie - charlie single-handedly (and some of violet) carried this book. he was such a good character and was such a good person to violet
conclusion :: ☆
i liked this book but i can easily see why someone wouldn't. i would recommend it if you like friends to lovers with a little bit of enemies in the beginning! ❤
i don't know what it is about this book that made it 4 stars as most aspects felt annoying but i think it was charlie and violet's relationship. this is another lovely book from elle rivers. semi disclaimer, this book is more of a friends to lovers than an enemies to lovers as they were only enemies for like 15% of the book and then they were reluctant friends to real friends. for friends to lovers, i really liked this book!! i usually find friends to lovers as more of a boring trope, but i liked the other contents in it.
storyline :: ☆
i liked the storyline overall, but i think after liv and lewis' wedding, it was a bit dragged out. the synopsis like fully highlighted the points of their wedding and you would expect that to be the main focus but it was only there for like half the book. its a decent friends to lovers though
characters :: ☆
the only reason that its 4 stars is because of the main characters and some of the storyline to be honest. all the other side characters felt a little annoying, even liv and lewis. also the miscommunication between charlie and violet kind of threw me off sometimes
violet - my girl deserved better.
charlie - charlie single-handedly (and some of violet) carried this book. he was such a good character and was such a good person to violet
conclusion :: ☆
i liked this book but i can easily see why someone wouldn't. i would recommend it if you like friends to lovers with a little bit of enemies in the beginning! ❤
May 17, 2025
3.5 I love a “we don’t like each other cus of a misunderstanding trope,” so I was excited to read this. It was good, but not as good as I hoped.
My main issue is that the main couple is pretty annoying during their enemy stage. Two grown-ass people who can’t stop arguing even at their mutual best friends’ engagement party?? Just don’t talk to each other! I know it’s necessary for the plot, but they don’t even try to contain themselves. And then even when they’ve cleared up the misunderstanding, they have to “practice” not fighting, and it’s just super unrealistic how hard they think it will be not to fight. And on that note, it’s annoying and unrealistic how scared their friends are once they’re together. Like yes, they used to fight, but the friends are acting like they regularly came to blows or something.
I think overall there is just something unnatural or contrived about the characters in this book. They don’t really talk like normal people and their behavior is often just weird. A huge deal is made of what a “loser, dead-end job” the FMC has—she’s a middle school teacher!! Public school teachers aren’t raking in the big bucks, but no one talks about them like they’re sad, destitute, directionless losers. It’s just such a weird perspective on what is a pretty normal career path.
So yeah. Decent read, but too many oddities to rank it higher.
My main issue is that the main couple is pretty annoying during their enemy stage. Two grown-ass people who can’t stop arguing even at their mutual best friends’ engagement party?? Just don’t talk to each other! I know it’s necessary for the plot, but they don’t even try to contain themselves. And then even when they’ve cleared up the misunderstanding, they have to “practice” not fighting, and it’s just super unrealistic how hard they think it will be not to fight. And on that note, it’s annoying and unrealistic how scared their friends are once they’re together. Like yes, they used to fight, but the friends are acting like they regularly came to blows or something.
I think overall there is just something unnatural or contrived about the characters in this book. They don’t really talk like normal people and their behavior is often just weird. A huge deal is made of what a “loser, dead-end job” the FMC has—she’s a middle school teacher!! Public school teachers aren’t raking in the big bucks, but no one talks about them like they’re sad, destitute, directionless losers. It’s just such a weird perspective on what is a pretty normal career path.
So yeah. Decent read, but too many oddities to rank it higher.
December 7, 2022
Overall, this was a cute story that showed how enemies for 6 years became lovers. It was nice to see a detailed history of the characters' friendships and their circle but I found myself at times, a little lost because from one POV - it would abruptly stop and switch to the other. While I appreciate that, it would have been nice in some parts to have more dialog among the characters. You get a lot of feelings from them but not "dialog action", which is needed. This book was not as steamy as I would have liked but I think that is a level of preference. I did find myself liking Violet a lot but for some reason, I couldn't get myself to like Liv or Lewis as much. Charlie was another I liked but he seemed to be so much in his head, but it grew on me to keep reading about him. He was a character that made you realize that there are honorable guys out there. I gave it a 4-star rating because I could overlook the edits that were needed, but it was not steamy. It was too clean for me when I read that it was steamy.
February 22, 2023
Loved the story itself
I really wanted to give this 4 stars but there were just so many grammatical errors. It was almost every page. Wrong words being used (not incorrect use if you’re/your or their/they’re/there but just a completely wrong word thrown in) and quite a few times it was the wrong pronoun used while talking about a specific character. There were missing words in sentences over and over. The fact that this was the edited version and there were beta readers is what surprises me. I get independent authors don’t have the option for editors the way a big publisher does but it doesn’t seem like this was edited at all.
Aside from the errors in grammar, I truly did like this book a lot. I loved the characters even though I found Liv and Lewis to be somewhat annoying I know they had their reasons. This is definitely a slow burn and it takes a while longer than I typically like for them to get together but I didn’t feel annoyed with it while reading like I normally would in a book.
I really wanted to give this 4 stars but there were just so many grammatical errors. It was almost every page. Wrong words being used (not incorrect use if you’re/your or their/they’re/there but just a completely wrong word thrown in) and quite a few times it was the wrong pronoun used while talking about a specific character. There were missing words in sentences over and over. The fact that this was the edited version and there were beta readers is what surprises me. I get independent authors don’t have the option for editors the way a big publisher does but it doesn’t seem like this was edited at all.
Aside from the errors in grammar, I truly did like this book a lot. I loved the characters even though I found Liv and Lewis to be somewhat annoying I know they had their reasons. This is definitely a slow burn and it takes a while longer than I typically like for them to get together but I didn’t feel annoyed with it while reading like I normally would in a book.
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