I think I've reviewed this before, but I freaking love Portia Macintosh! She writes FUN, flirty and easy to read books that I can't seem to devour fast enough.

I love love love her writing style and Enemies to Lovers was no different.

The book's title, "Enemies to Lovers," signals its central trope—journalists Lara and Sonny, longtime rivals, are reluctantly sent on a secret mission together. The premise promises a straightforward read as they navigate their animosity turning into romance amid a professional assignment. However, the execution falls short, with forced character dynamics and a struggle to maintain a cohesive tone between romantic comedy and thriller elements.

Thank you to Boldwood Books & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I usually really enjoy Portia’s stories, and while I did like this one it just wasn’t my favorite of her books.

Sonny & Lara are the ultimate enemies at their magazine jobs. Both doing whatever it takes to get them ahead in their career. Until one day it goes too far and they find themselves in big trouble with their bosses. Instead of being fired they’re sent to the ultra secretive “Eden” resort posing undercover as a couple in need of counseling to get the inside scoop on the other celebrities there with them.

While they’re there and acting as a real couple things start to get weird between them. By the end of their stay at the resort will they still be at odds with each other? Blow their cover? Or work together and return back to work with a smoking story on their celebrity encounters at the resort?

Overall this was a tried and true rom com, that had enjoyable banter between Sonny & Lara. But I just felt like the plot was a little all over the place, especially at Eden; it was just a really bizarre story line. I would choose other Portia books over this one, but it was an okay read!

I rounded up to 3 stars because I’m a fan of the authors but this was definitely my least favorite of her work so far. There are some fun bits but the plot kinda fell flat and was more than a little cliche. The main character was seriously annoying and quite childish, which made her hard to like. It’s a shame because as always the writing itself was good and it had potential to be more than it ended up being. It just never got there for me. The “enemies to lovers “ trope was misleading as they were work rivals at most.
It was all quite underwhelming sadly. Oh well they can’t all be a smash. On to the next one!
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Okay! I might be a little biased with my review on this one since it was the very first book i received an invite for,
From Net galley or the author, all in all, I'm giddy just thinking about it, Thank you @netgalley and @Portia Macintosh for giving me the honors

Here's my honest review:
Enemies to Lovers is a story about two colleagues/ College mates/ exes who after ending their young relationship on a wrong note have developed into work rivals whose only happiness derives from the misery of the other
After a ''not so intended'' mistake, they find themselves on a spy mission with nothing but each other to rely on

It's presented from Lara's POV and has quick and light chapters that'll keep you hooked but it's a normal , enemies to loves type of a story, they tried to incorporate some twists but they weren't shocking or life changing,

The story itself is fun with horrendous but laughable captivating scenes (not all ... ), I loved all the characters and their roles were very well plotted and portrayed

on the flip coin though
Here's what i didn't like about the book
1. The name - I think something more alluring could be thought of ( spy mission, work retreat etc. )
having this name is too basic and not intriguing
2. The chemistry and the enemity wasn't much portrayed, it was always portrayed in Lara's mind so it came off as a one sided rival that could be due that college incident

Apart from that, This one made me swoon in love and laugh out loud and it's got a 3 solid stars from me
Also, it's only when I'm reading this genre that i realize I'm a hopeless romantic, so if you think you are one too then this book is for you.

I would suggest getting this one when you need a refresh after a series of mystery genre books or a long day at work, it's light and you'll enjoy it best then
I had a good time reading this one, i hope you do too

Lara and Sonny, sworn enemies in the competitive world of showbiz journalism, find themselves reluctantly thrown together for an undercover mission at an exclusive celebrity retreat in Portia MacIntosh's delightful romantic comedy. Forced to masquerade as a couple seeking therapy, their week-long escapade on a tropical island becomes a hilarious journey of unexpected discoveries and comic mishaps. MacIntosh weaves a tale that seamlessly transitions from the icy battleground of rivalry to the warm sands of potential romance. As Lara and Sonny navigate through fake relationships and celebrity secrets, the author delivers a laugh-out-loud narrative that captures the essence of enemies-to-lovers with charm and wit. A delightful summer read that combines humor, romance, and the perfect dose of escapism.

Portia does it again with a book filled with love, laughter and many cringe moments.

It is brilliantly written and Portia is one of my instant read authors so I'd expected nothing less. The island was beautiful, so many stunning visions, the Otter pool made me smile.

I was so happy with the ending, it really was perfect for the book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Enemies to lovers started off with a great concept but once they were sent to Eden the book felt too rushed and parts were just plain silly. The ending was very rushed too. It was an ok read but not one I'd read again or recommend to others sadly.

Another cute Portia MacIntosh book! They are always light and funny, sometimes with a bit of frustration due to miscommunication or a small unbelievable plot point, but never enough to distract from the overall book. They are always delight to read! I will keep reading them as long as she keeps writing them.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Enemies to Lovers. I saw some negative reviews for this book, but I totally disagree with them. It was way better than most Enemies to Lovers books. I enjoyed how much Lara and Sonny learn about themselves and become better people. Although the book was fairly short, it had enough substance to be a cute story. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

This book was just okay. It started off promising - enemy journalists at sister magazine companies. They get into a fight and are forced by their bosses to take on an assignment where they have to pretend to be a couple in need of help at an exclusive couples retreat named Eden. I could not get behind the entire time at Eden. The couples were subjected to nonsense - little to no food, physical challenges, etc. I was hoping there would be a big payoff or a great twist at the end, but there really wasn't. It seemed like a missed opportunity to do something great. Also, the couples all became very good friends but I feel like we hardly got to know them. I also didn't feel any chemistry between the two main characters. I needed more sweet and thoughtful moments between the two. All in all, not my favorite.

Workplace enemies to lovers comes with all kinds of witty and entertaining tension! Lara and Sonny were enemies but they got thrown into a weird situation where they have to act as couple to save their jobs in their respective publications...it was bound to be a mess!

The story is told from Lara's pov. She likes things to be controlled and planned. She can come across a bit too serious. She has a dry sense of humor that's not everyone's cup of tea. Depending on your preference, she can either be an intelligent smart woman who knows what she wants ...or someone who can be a bit too witty and too closed off and a bit nagging. Sonny is her exact opposite. The charmer, the spontaneously living life person, who enjoys riling her up a bit too much. But he is also very level headed and practical and definitely the more well balanced person here.

I liked the set up. An exclusive couples retreat in an anonymous island where celebrity couples go off the grid to solve their issues. The weird stuffs and their strange ways to try to mend the differences. The celebs with their issues and gossips. But there wasn't a lot of romance. That's my problem with the romance. Even before Sonny and Lara are sent undercover..I didn't think they had any chemistry. I thought the island and it's pressure with unveil that part and will show their connection growing. But what I felt was only a strong friendship. I am a little bit confused how the story unfolds after they sleep together. I had fun with the secondary characters. If you tell me it's a fiction, I will say I enjoy it. I was pretty invested in the story of the other couples and the island's mysterious activities. But is there a solid love story between Sonny and Lara? I cannot say clearly.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

'Enemies to Lovers' takes you away from reality and brings you to paradise.

Sonny and Lara are workplace nemesis, forced to work together after they've let their competitive streaks get out of hand. Their bosses force them to pretend to be a couple at a couple's retreat, to get a scoop on a new story.

I liked the setting of this story a lot. A secret retreat somewhere who knows where? Count me in. Fake dating, enemies to lovers? Yes!

I liked Sonny and Lara and their banter. It's clear from the start that Lara doesn't like Sonny and has valid reasons to unlike him. I like how Lara struggles with the integrity of her job and is forced to face these doubts a lot more throughout the story.

While I liked the idea of the story, A LOT, I'd say I'm a little disappointed by how it turned out. This all has to do with the fake dating trope. When I read fake dating, I expect (and hope for) a lot of tension between the characters. Especially when it's enemies to lovers. In this book, there wasn't enough of that for my liking. Therefore, the relationship between Sonny and Lara felt a little rushed to me.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading this book, I just think I could have liked it more.

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This book was so good! It was intriguing and really drawed me in. I'll be reading more of this authors work.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Once again Portia Macintosh gives us a great funny read! I enjoyed every word and was sad to finish it so fast! All the characters are wonderful and I cannot wait to read more of her novels! I think I have officially read every one of her books. If you like Sophie Kinsella then you will love this author! With her witty sense of humor rom/coms they will have you wanting to come back for more and waiting with anticipation for her next book!

Another adorable and quick read from Portia Macintosh! I really enjoyed this one and yet again the characters were lovely. Lara and Sonny are the definition of work rivals to lovers as the title implies. They knew each other before but now hate each other, or so they think. I loved the plot of the rivalry resulting in a work trip where they are forced to fake date at a couples retreat at an unknown tropical location. The side characters were really good as well and the friendships they built were fun to watch unfold. There were so many tropes thrown into one book that it was too good. Workplace romance, forced proximity, second chance romance, fake dating, and of course enemies to lovers. I did feel the plot was a bit rushed in this one and some of the subplots I wish got a little more time to shine.

I hate to say this but I unfortunately DNFd this book. I normally am not quite so picky as to decide a book isn’t for me so early, but one of the number one pet peeves I have in enemies to lovers is when one character clearly acts in a way that is not just on an opposing side, but is bigoted or misogynistic in some way. That line was crossed very early on in the story and I absolutely couldn’t stand the idea of continuing. While this book might be right for someone else, it just wasn’t a good fit for me.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Unfortunately I’ve read quite a few random ARCs recently and this did add to the list. I really liked the idea and was drawn in by the cover looking very similar to another romcom, I felt like there was good potential for the idea but it just wasn’t executed that well. The plot started off okay but I didn’t feel like the pair were enemies, there was obviously tension between them but I wouldn’t say enough to classify as them as enemies.

The past between the characters was actually revealed at a good time and I think it did add to the plot. However I remain firmly in the standing that Hope and Eden are absolutely INSANE. Burning down something that people have just built??? Having a challenge where you are supposed to jump off a cliff only to realise you aren’t actually supposed to jump off the cliff… I really didn’t understand a vast majority of the thinking behind what Hope was having everyone do. While I enjoyed the closeness that developed between all of the characters and the self reflection that happened with the main characters was good I just felt like the plot sort of happened. It didn’t really flow and I feel like the ‘plot twist’ was just sort of chucked in there because the author thought she should have a plot twist. It felt slightly incomplete and I didn’t understand Sonny and Lara’s decision in the end when they had both made clear they didn’t like the character.

Having written 15 other novels I did expect a slightly better writing quality and plot because of the experience but it just didn’t hit the mark unfortunately. Despite this I thought the actual idea had lots of potential and I am grateful to have been chosen as an ARC reader for this book.

This book was hilarious! I couldn’t stop laughing! First of all everything about their travels was funny, the prank Sonny pulled on her, the others who are in the retreat are also funny. It was an all around funny read, we get the romance of course, it was a little it of a slow burn, but it was a smooth and fun book.

If you’re a fan of a quick romance read I would definitely recommend this one!
It’s a light hearted fun book but I still found myself unable to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Portia McIntosh for providing the eARC in exchange for a review, but all thoughts are my own