I’m really enjoying Macintosh’s books, and this one was no different.

It is light hearted and an easy read. A good array of characters and solid dialogue.

That said, this is possibly one of her weaker books thus far. It is wholly predictable (not a bad thing in this genre, but no surprises at all) and some of the language was a turn off for me - if I read that a character “clapped back” again I may have put the book down forever.

A good, holiday read.

Enemies to Lovers by Portia Macintosh is a work rivals/workplace romance including some of my favorite tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, and only one bed. Lara and Sonny are entertainment journalists for brother/sister magazines under the same umbrella company. The two are often at each other’s throats, trying to one-up the other with their stories and interviews, until one incident puts both their jobs in jeopardy. In order to save their careers, the two are sent undercover to an ultra-exclusive couples retreat to get the scoop on a celebrity couple said to be there.

The banter between Lara and Sonny was fun, and I enjoyed the setup. I wish there had been more about the backstory between these two, and the resolution felt a bit rushed. I’d also like to have seen more come from the forced proximity and only one bed situations that our couple was put into instead of it being mentioned a couple of times towards the beginning (still in the rivals stage), but then never again as the two became closer.

The book is told entirely from Lara’s perspective, and while I often wanted to know what was going on in Sonny’s head, I found this to be a very effective choice for that very reason - Lara doesn’t know what’s going on in Sonny’s head, so neither do we. We feel her frustration and confusion.

Ultimately, this book was a fun, quick, enjoyable read, but one I am unlikely to return to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

Portia MacIntosh' book feels like a romcom. With much fun and humour the author leads us trough this story.
It lacked some tension for me, it was very predictable and nothing new. Of course they are rivals and find each other in a task that they have to solve together and in the meantime they fall in love. I really liked the style of writing, it was a fun and fast-paced book and I would definitely read something of MacIntosh again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a 2.5-star, rounded up to a 3-star read for me.

With its popular trope-bearing title and vibrant cover, this book by an author I hadn’t yet read caught my attention. Sadly, I found that it wasn’t quite what I had been looking for. I had a hard time connecting with the main characters and their story.

Lara and Sonny didn’t have that amazing couple energy that I look for in a romance book. I didn’t buy that they were rivals. And while their story felt like it dragged out, I also felt like it ended abruptly.

One of my biggest issues is that I feel like the title didn’t quite suit the book. Instead of creating a quirky title that perfectly fits this couple and their story, the title instead feels like a marketing tactic.

In the end, this is a lighthearted romance and a quick read. If you want to check it out for yourself, it’s due to be published in early January, 2024.

The writing was light and easy to get into. I enjoyed reading about the dynamic between the two main characters. I also liked the fact that there were lots of little things touched upon, but we didn't linger too long on anything. There was enough detail to keep my interest and once I put the book down I looked forward to picking it up again to see what was going to happen next.

The chapters were fairly long so you could get immersed in what was going on before moving on. There was a good pace to the book with nothing being overdone, thus resulting in moving quickly through the story.

The characters were excellent. They made me smile with their attitude towards life and one another. The minor characters around them did a good job in highlighting the main characters' personalities and provided good entertainment. I actually would have liked to have read more about the other characters. It felt like there was a good base that could have been built upon further.

Lastly the settings. I loved being taken to a mystery Island and reading about the mix of luxury and basic survival. Again I feel like there was a good base more could have been added here.

Overall an enjoyable story and something that I would recommend for a light, fairly quick, holiday read.

Well I did like this story, it took me a little bit to get into it. It had its great moments and rather weird moments. Sonny and Lara mix like oil and water. I sometimes had a hard time with Lara. I felt she could just never really let go.
Definitely enemies to lovers is true. But it was hard to really feel a love connection between the two of them. I really struggled to find it. It’s almost like Lara has feelings for someone else. In the end Sonny and Lara do find their happiness but it is quite a struggle to get there.

Enemies to Lovers
By: Portia Macintosh
Review Score: 4 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints

-I love a good enemies to lovers story.

-Macintosh does such amazing job of describing the couples resort, Eden, and all the wild things that happened there. I loved knowing so much about the place.

-There are a few plot twists I did not expect, and I really enjoyed what they added to the story.

-Lara and Sonny have amazing chemistry.

-The ending was really sweet.

——

Enemies to Lovers was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and Boldwood Books. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

Release Date: 1/4/24

In Enemies to Lover, we meet 2 journalists, Lara and Sonny. They work for magainzes under the same company, and, after some shenanigans, are told to go together to a couple’s retreat and find out dirt on a celebrity couple that is there.

“Eden”, the resort where the therapy takes place, is meant to be a truly mysterious place, where every couple who comes out of it has fixed their relationship issues. I loved reading about Eden, all of the weird activities, and trying to figure out who was legitimate and who was not. It was such a fun place to be immerse in, especially as you watch Lara and Sonny’s relationship evolve.

This is a fun, quick, and entertaining read, and I really enjoyed it.

#bookstagram #books #readingnow #boogiereadsbooks #fivekeyfeels #audiobooks #audiobook #fiction #arcreview #netgalley#boogiesbulletpoints #enemiestolovers #portiamacintosh #boldwoodbooks

i love Portia MacIntosh books! they are always quick to read and full of engaging characters. this was no different and i really enjoyed it, the addition of several couples form different walks of life added to the fun in the story and I really loved reading it, many thanks Netgalley xx

A good Enemies to Lovers story is hand down my favorite trope. I have been a big fan of Portia Macintosh's books and that is why I feel saying that this book fell flat for me. The story had a lot of potential and the premise was good, but it did not keep me engaged.
Lara and Sonny are two journalists who do not get along well. They have been sent on a story together. As the title indicates, they go from enemies to lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the ARC of this book.

Portia MacIntosh always writes my favourite lighthearted and sweet romances. She never fails to tell a great story with some hilarious moments.
I did hope to love this one more than I did. It was a enjoyable read and had some great funny moments, but I didn't quite feel the chemistry between Sonny and Lara. There was just something missing between them, and at times I found Lara more childish than funny.
Portia MacIntosh will always be a go to read for me. I will always recommend her!

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood and Portia for allowing me to read this book as an ARC. This is my honest review.

4.5 stars!

Oh my gosh was this book adorable and funny and literally perfect.
First off a huge thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for giving me the chance to read and review this arc!

‘Enemies to Lovers’ by Portia Macintosh was a lovely read. It follows Lara and Sonny work rivals of a media conglomerate where they constantly try to one-up and argue/banter with the other. When one particular situation escalates into violence their bosses send them on an undercover mission or be fired.
And so, then we embarked on a hilarious, banter filled story with laugh out of loud moments of two rivals pretending to be in a fake relationship so they don’t lose their jobs.

Lara and Sonny were hilarious! Their banter was incredible and had me smiling and laughing throughout the book. This is a perfect light hearted rom-com that still had its deep and meaningful moments throughout.
The other characters were introduced to were sooooo entertaining and I absolutely loved reading about them and honestly wish each of them had a book!

Overall I would most definitely recommend this book! It was fun, quick and a perfect light read when you’re feeling down or just want a good laugh.

This is a cute story about two journalists - Sonny and Lara - forced to work together, despite their frictions, to get a story.

The story is an enjoyable read with some great characters and really fun scenes. The main characters start off as “enemies” and have a life-changing experience as they search for their story.

Although it was an enjoyable read, I wouldn’t say that there was a huge amount of chemistry between the two main characters; which made it harder to invest in their relationship.

A great read for anyone who likes light-hearted romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC.

It was a light quick read. There was no guessing as to what the trope would be. I liked the characters in the beginnng of the book, but they fell flat at the end. I wasn't invested in their love story at the end and the end seemed very unlikely given everything we had read about them in the rest of the book.

This is my first book from this author, and I like to give authors 2-3 books before I decide whether or not I want to continue reading them. I'll look for something else.


Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and the author for giving me the chance to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another thoroughly enjoyable novel from the Portia MacIntosh conveyer belt. Nothing overly original, yet there are always scenes that are standout. As ever, I continually chuckled whilst reading.


Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Sparks fly when rival showbiz journalists Lara and Sonny are forced to pose as a couple at a couples resort to get the scoop on an A-list Hollywood couple.

This book was a fun, light and easy read with all the banter that I love about Portia Macintosh's books. There were a lot of funny antics, particularly the extremely unorthodox methods of therapy. It was also refreshing to see Lara, a bit of a workaholic loner, bond with the other women.

However, the main problem I had with this book is that after all that build up, it fizzled out quickly. The ending seemed unlikely given the fact they were there to betray two of the characters. I could've also done without the horrifically unprofessional sexual harassment training course. I know its meant to be funny, but getting colleagues to act out sexually harassing the other as a training scenario is treating a serious topic flippantly.

That said I enjoyed that by the second last chapter, Macintosh did a bit of 'zagging' where most authors would have made Lara 'zig'. Overall, this is a solidly breezy book thats perfect for a beachside (or fireside) read.

Thanks to Boldwood and NetGalley for the ARC.

thank you netgalley and boldwood books for an arc in exchange of an honest review!

"enemies to lovers" was a mixed bag for me. It's got its moments and it’s well-written, but the characters were super cliché and I
couldn’t connect with them for the life of me, so their lives and love story was boring. and while this book was not my cup of tea, i do think it could touch other people and get a decent dose of entertainment.

★ ★ ★ ★ //5

Enemies To Lovers
by: Portia MacIntosh

THOUGHTS:

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh boy I loved this book!I love a fun quick romcom that gives us RIVALS with some fake dating scattered int here. I sat down after a really dark read and this was just what I needed to get me over that hump. I loved the characters, the plot/storyline was great and I laughed a lot through this book. This is another book I would introduce to someone who is just dipping their toe into the romance book scene. Absolutely kept me turning pages and I just smiled after that very last page. I will continue to look for books by Portia in the future. Adore her writing!

3.5 stars, rounding up!

Enemies to Lovers was a quick, fun, and fairly entertaining read! I could definitely see this plot being a Netflix romantic comedy, work rivals being forced to work together and faux a relationship? Classic rom-com material! I was even picturing Emma Roberts as the lead, Lara, with her sassy and quick-witted attitude. Lara, our narrator, works as a magazine writer and her work rival with the same exact job at another publication is Sonny AKA Thor, since he looks like Chris Hemsworth (the author never lets us forget this as it's written how hot he is at least 10 times a chapter). They have to fake a relationship, lest they lose their jobs, to get into an elusive couples retreat so they can hopefully dig up some dirt on a very private celebrity couple. It’s of course at a beautiful, lavish island and is run by a therapist who gives them daily challenges they have to work through as a team, and as couples, all while trying to do their jobs AND navigate their attraction, I MEAN HATE, to one another.

While I thought this book was fun, I do think that it struggled to figure out if it was going to be rom-com, or a thriller romance-which I think actually would have been really fun and where I thought it was headed. It kept me reading and wondering what was next, but then felt a little let down when it didn’t really go anywhere and was explained away in a few short sentences. It definitely gave me a mix between the Couples Retreat movie (especially with the flirty yoga teacher) and the Hulu show Nine Perfect Strangers (weird vibes from a retreat with an eerie head therapist where they think something more nefarious is going on). If there was a bit more thriller, or maybe a bit more romance I would have rated this a lot higher. The main characters didn’t really have any true romance, beyond some flirty banter and stolen glances, until about 75% through the book. I love a good slow burn, but with such a short book I wish we would have gotten a lot more of the pair together sooner. I also don’t totally buy that after just a week or so of being together-ish she would agree to quit her job and move to a whole other country for him? But, the romantic in me was like yeah girl, go live your dreams with Thor!

If you’re into a lot of different romance tropes, I think something in here will tickle your fancy, as they say. You have forced proximity, one bed, fake dating, miscommunication, grumpy/sunshine, work rivals, and as the title suggests-enemies to lovers. Although I wouldn’t really classify them as enemies, as they definitely are just flirty work place rivals. I think a better title would have been “What Happens In Eden”, since it seems like the book focused a lot more on what was going on in the couples retreat and how transformative it was for the participants and our main “couple”. I absolutely loved the side characters and the friendships that were forged throughout. I especially appreciated how vulnerable the girls were with each other and how the author didn’t include any cattiness or drama, so refreshing! Additionally, having all the couples end up stronger and healthy in the end made the whole book just feel a lot more Netflix rom-com but in a really good way. I love when you can whole-heartedly root for nearly every character in a book and this was it. I do think this could have used another maybe three or so chapters to really complete the story, but it could also be a great lead off into another fun sequel! All this to say, Enemies to Lovers is fun, light-hearted and while it could use a bit more romance, a more flushed out ending and focus, it has a unique premise and is worth the quick read!

Thank you Portia, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration!

There is no guessing the trope of this novel with a title like Enemies to Lovers. Since this kind of plot device is a favorite of mine, and the two main characters are show biz journalists, another enjoyable aspect of the story, I devoured the novel.

As with many rom-coms, the reader has to suspend disbelief. The two combative journalists are sent by their publications to a very exclusive and expensive couples therapy retreat to get the dirt on a high-profile acting couple who are scheduled to be there. I’m not sure there is that kind of budget these days for journalists, but the premise made for a fun read.

As other reviewers have said, I didn’t really see much heat between the two MC’s. Also, their squabbling was devoid of sexy banter, and the male MC seemed to smirk too much. Still, this was an entertaining quick read.

A light read with a bit of mystery, a lot of gossip and plenty of secrets. Sonny and Lara work as entertainment editors at sister companies. With a long history behind them, they do not get along at all. There are lots of funny moments at the beginning of this book to show just how toxic their relationship is.

When their bosses send them to couples retreat at a mysterious place called Eden under the pretense of finding some celebrity gossip, Sonny and Lara have to pretend to be a couple in order to fit in. Eden is very odd, lots of weird drills, no food, and a crazy woman running the show. What is this place? Can Sonny and Lara put their differences aside and work together?

Quick read but there seems to be a real lack of chemistry between the 2 leads. I enjoyed their story but didn't feel any real heat between them. Great premise though and a solid 3.5 🌟. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.