Scan barcode
andiej2019's review
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
symonnereads's review
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Office Rivals to Lovers
Small Town Romance
Enemies with Benefits
Boss (her)/ Employee (him) CEO/CFO
Accidental Pregnancy
Where do I start? The MMC was extremely misogynistic towards the female character. Like, I get it, he’s supposed to hate her and the trope is supposed to be enemies and rivals to lovers but holy fucking shit, this guy is a dbag. Even when they are together as a couple he still doesn’t think much of her. It was honestly hard to read and by the time the ending came, I couldn’t care less about him. He literally hated her so much from a few small interactions that when he tried to undermine her and stage a coup with her family at her family company and he actually went through with it, like talking to her sisters and her parents?! I should have DNF’d there.
As far as the FMC, she wasn’t much better, extremely irrational and all over the place. Honestly, kinda messily written.
The actual relationship between them was ok, some of the banter was decent but overall? They didn’t work as a couple.
The plot? I liked the plot. I think it played out fairly well despite the characters. The side characters were actually good and the storyline had so much potential. I liked her parents and sisters and I liked his friend. I can’t wait to read some of the other books in the series and I pray they are better than this one. The third act pregnancy and breakup? Terrible. Badly done. Overall, a disappointing result.
hollyreadsromance's review
3.0
I loved Cal and Amara! I loved this new section of the world Amanda has created! I cannot wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the Delatou sisters!
The enemies to lovers banter was SO GOOD. And the way Cal and Amara wanted each other despite despising each other?? Also SO GOOD. They loved each other SO MUCH. Cal finding her cutie little tiktoks about them made my heart HAPPY. And the ending made my heart SO HAPPY.
The third act conflict was…annoying? Mostly because I kind of forgot about the fact that Cal was trying oust Amara at the beginning. And I thought we had finally moved on from all of that. And I was annoyed by Cal?? Like I loved him and Amara??? They were SO GOOD together?? But something about him alone irritated me??
BUT I cant wait for the rest of the series!! Owen and Delia?!? Im READY.
The enemies to lovers banter was SO GOOD. And the way Cal and Amara wanted each other despite despising each other?? Also SO GOOD. They loved each other SO MUCH. Cal finding her cutie little tiktoks about them made my heart HAPPY. And the ending made my heart SO HAPPY.
The third act conflict was…annoying? Mostly because I kind of forgot about the fact that Cal was trying oust Amara at the beginning. And I thought we had finally moved on from all of that. And I was annoyed by Cal?? Like I loved him and Amara??? They were SO GOOD together?? But something about him alone irritated me??
BUT I cant wait for the rest of the series!! Owen and Delia?!? Im READY.
kayleigh_reads_romance's review
I know this is supposed to be enemies to lovers, but he is just being a douche.
coffeesips_and_pageflips's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thebookishdogmom's review
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
I feel duped. This book was marketed with the following tropes:
-workplace romance
-boss/employee
-rivals to lovers
-small town
-sisterly bonds
You know what's NOT on this list, but should be? Accidental pregnancy. Im sorry, but readers deserve to know what they're fully getting into. Tropes can be loved, hated, or triggering. I personally do not seek out this trope, and has i known it was part of the storyline, I'd have passed on this.
But I did read it. And I did finish it. And even with the accidental pregnancy, I still didn't like it.
Cal was a grade A asshole. The man hated Amara so much that he tried to undermine her to her family and stage a coup. Why would he ever think her family would go along with him and not their daughter/sister? My guy is delusional. Not only that, but he's incredibly disrespectful ALL THE TIME. He calls her Princess during work meetings, with family and other associates around! Thats fine behind closed doors when they're one on one but this was not that. The audacity boggles my mind as well as the fact that he was never fired for the way he treated Amara. You're telling me the CFO of a company never bothered to look into his new CEO's credentials or finances for the past 5 years to truly understand her education, credentials, work ethic, and experience? It's wild to me. He undermined her every chance he got and didnt understand why that would be a problem. And we are supposed to love him bc he gives good dick? I dont think so.
Amara wasnt much better. She is kind of a loose cannon. Hot and cold, happy to angry real quick. Her feelings for Cal seemed fleeting and unstable. She loves him but then hates him for various reasons. And then is quick to forgive him. If she wanted to put him in his place, she would have been up front with him about who she really is instead of allowing him to treat her like shit for 5 years.
The last thing I'll say is that it just felt like throwing tropes at the wall to see what sticks. There were too many things going on, and it was all over the place. The whole book had this chaotic energy that left little rokm for a solid plotline start to finish and lacked true character development.
The best part about the whole book was the spice. Cal and Amara had crazy chemistry and got down and dirty. Many times. So at least that was enjoyable.
1/5
Tags:
-workplace romance
-boss/employee
-rivals to lovers
-small town
-sisterly bonds
-accidental pregnancy
Spice: 4/5
First person/Dual POV
-workplace romance
-boss/employee
-rivals to lovers
-small town
-sisterly bonds
You know what's NOT on this list, but should be? Accidental pregnancy. Im sorry, but readers deserve to know what they're fully getting into. Tropes can be loved, hated, or triggering. I personally do not seek out this trope, and has i known it was part of the storyline, I'd have passed on this.
But I did read it. And I did finish it. And even with the accidental pregnancy, I still didn't like it.
Cal was a grade A asshole. The man hated Amara so much that he tried to undermine her to her family and stage a coup. Why would he ever think her family would go along with him and not their daughter/sister? My guy is delusional. Not only that, but he's incredibly disrespectful ALL THE TIME. He calls her Princess during work meetings, with family and other associates around! Thats fine behind closed doors when they're one on one but this was not that. The audacity boggles my mind as well as the fact that he was never fired for the way he treated Amara. You're telling me the CFO of a company never bothered to look into his new CEO's credentials or finances for the past 5 years to truly understand her education, credentials, work ethic, and experience? It's wild to me. He undermined her every chance he got and didnt understand why that would be a problem. And we are supposed to love him bc he gives good dick? I dont think so.
Amara wasnt much better. She is kind of a loose cannon. Hot and cold, happy to angry real quick. Her feelings for Cal seemed fleeting and unstable. She loves him but then hates him for various reasons. And then is quick to forgive him. If she wanted to put him in his place, she would have been up front with him about who she really is instead of allowing him to treat her like shit for 5 years.
The last thing I'll say is that it just felt like throwing tropes at the wall to see what sticks. There were too many things going on, and it was all over the place. The whole book had this chaotic energy that left little rokm for a solid plotline start to finish and lacked true character development.
The best part about the whole book was the spice. Cal and Amara had crazy chemistry and got down and dirty. Many times. So at least that was enjoyable.
1/5
Tags:
-workplace romance
-boss/employee
-rivals to lovers
-small town
-sisterly bonds
-accidental pregnancy
Spice: 4/5
First person/Dual POV
jfreadsbooks's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I think that this series is going to have really great potential with all the amazing and fun side characters that are built in.
With that said, I liked this book but in some aspects it fell flat for me.
The things I loved: Amara’s family, Owen, and Skye made the story really interesting and I am looking forward to what stories Amanda weaves for them. The vineyard setting. The spice and chemistry between cal and amara, when they were together they were fun to read! Amara was also kind of amazing and I liked her.
Things I didn’t love: cal, like I said above when he was with Amara and they were good, I liked him, but he just wasn’t super likeable in the beginning and he had some not great moments throughout as well. The pacing and plot holes, there were parts I really wanted more of that felt shortchanged and then parts that could have been skipped all together that just led to more questions. There was a lot of conflict for conflicts sake and then it just resolved quickly with sex most of the time.
With that said, I liked this book but in some aspects it fell flat for me.
The things I loved: Amara’s family, Owen, and Skye made the story really interesting and I am looking forward to what stories Amanda weaves for them. The vineyard setting. The spice and chemistry between cal and amara, when they were together they were fun to read! Amara was also kind of amazing and I liked her.
Things I didn’t love: cal, like I said above when he was with Amara and they were good, I liked him, but he just wasn’t super likeable in the beginning and he had some not great moments throughout as well. The pacing and plot holes, there were parts I really wanted more of that felt shortchanged and then parts that could have been skipped all together that just led to more questions. There was a lot of conflict for conflicts sake and then it just resolved quickly with sex most of the time.
melaniestewart16's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0