The thing I enjoyed most about this book was the family dynamic, it felt authentic and layered - just like real family feelings. It was totally believable that these three adult children still wanted to go on holiday with their parents given the relationship they all had with each other and the way they clearly enjoyed each others company.
The setting is beautiful and written about brilliantly, I could smell the chlorine of the pool, the coconut of the suntan lotion, and the cooking of the many meals they eat together.
The thing I didn't enjoy so much was the main storyline of the misunderstanding-laden relationship between Flo and Jamie. It felt a bit safe, a little held back. It wasn't so much enemies as exasperated people, who could straighten everything out if they just had one meaningful conversation. I found that element quite frustrating.
There are depictions of poor mental health, trauma, and a near-miss with unwanted sexual attention - all of these were handled with care and understanding.

4.5 Stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams!

Another perfect summer read. This book has some of my favourite trope including, enemies to lovers (obviously) and forced proximity as well as including a cute family dynamic.

There were times in the book where the main character, Flo, felt very self absorbed and she annoyed me a little bit but overall I really enjoyed this book.

A perfect bit of escapism and a great holiday read although I didn't really feel the title as the 'enemies to lovers' story was there but very subtle.

This is the perfect summer read. I absolutely loved it. The characters, the location, everything was just perfect. Such an easy to read book.

Flo hasn’t had the best year and goes on a family holiday with her family to Greece. She is surprised to see her brother’s friend, Jamie there once she arrives, as a year ago they started a very brief romance which stopped when he suddenly rejected her.

This was a lighthearted read with a familiar trope. I enjoyed the family dynamic and the holiday setting. This added some fun to the story. Unfortunately I didn’t really get the ‘enemy’ vibe and I felt that as this was meant to be the main basis for the plot it came off a bit thin. I didn’t really connect to the characters and found them to be slightly annoying and stereotypical. I also felt the story plodded along fairly slowly, with little depth and was quite predictable. Even though this wasn’t fully for me, it would make a great read for those looking for a fun, easy going summer rom-com. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

I’ve had this one on my shelf for ages and I had VERY high hopes because the tropes were perfect. Enemies to lovers, brothers best friend. We love to see it.

I was not disappointed. I honestly think this is the perfect holiday read and I wish I’d been sat poolside with a drink in the sunshine but even being sat in rainy England I still loved it.

I definitely think it had a lot more potential so I agree with some of the lesser reviews however that didn’t make me love it any less. It’s an easy read you will fly through and it gives you what it says on the package; enemies to lovers.

Everyone's favourite trope literally the centre of the book!

I loved the idyllic setting of Greece, makes you feel on holiday 🌞 I needed something different, fun & entertaining. This book gave me just that.

Thank you for the ARC!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I loved it! I loved all the characters and felt they were were written so brilliantly. The family dynamic was really sweet and the romance was just perfect. Lots of anticipation, frustration, mixed communication with just the right amount of spice.
I will definitely keep the author as a must read!

All Flo wants is a relaxing holiday with her family—then her brother’s best friend Jamie shows up and that’s when things get interesting. Let’s just say the suitcase with the dresses and sandals and sun cream isn’t the only baggage about to be unpacked on this trip! With a gorgeously vivid Greek setting, humour, romance, family dynamics and some real heartfelt moments, Enemies To Lovers is the perfect escapist read by the pool this summer. Recommended!

I must admit that I struggled getting into this book, but I did persevere and I was glad that I did so. Flo is unhappy when on a family holiday in Greece they were joined by Jamie, a longtime family friend who she had split with previously.
I am very far from the character of Jamie, if nothing else my physique is nothing like his, even many years ago when I was younger. I did feel that I had more in common with Flo, who had suffered from a mental breakdown earlier. Hoping that these two could rekindle their friendship at least there did seem to be many obstacles in their way, which kept me guessing on how it was going to turn out. With the background of wonderful Greece with its sunshine and food, plus a family that enjoyed holidaying together there was enough to keep me interested and hoping for a happy outcome. A summer read, with a few spicy moments, ideal for passing a few hours.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Well this is just the most perfect book to read this summer ☀️ It was light hearted, easy read that I adored.

The setting was just 🤌🏻*chefs kiss. You are transported to an idilic town in Greece, I could almost smell the sea air 🏝

I loved the close knit family dynamic 🩷 it's totally adorable and the banter between them all was just brilliant.

The one thing that bugged me was the title.... I didn't think Flo and Jamie were ever enemies 🤔

Thank you to netgally for this advanced reading copy 🩷

3.75 ⭐️A fun romance that oozed summer and sunshine; exactly what I was hoping to get from this!

Overall, I really enjoyed most of the book and found it had a lot of heart and depth than just your standard romance.

It was so fun to see the family interactions and I loved the snippets of the rest of the characters’ lives that we got to see, especially Kate and Laurie!

I’m a bit conflicted as it felt like a book of two halves and the plot seemed to get a bit lost by the final third. It seemed like some things never got resolved and swept a bit under the rug.

Saying that, I really did enjoy reading! Thank you to the publisher for an ARC.

A massive thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc

I loved this book. The title could not have been more perfect. I devoured this book in one sitting and high recommend.

Second chance romance. Miscommunication that does irritate you. Brothers best friend. Holiday romance. What more could you want?

Everything about this I loved but one critique I do have is that I wished it was dual pov as I would’ve loved to have seen what the MMC was thinking throughout the whole book.

A solid 4.5 stars! Run

The best way to get over a crush? Get to know them better.

Flo has no idea that her brothers best friend Jamie is joining them on their family holiday. Despite him almost being part of the family Flo has been keeping her distance and playing it cool after what has gone on in their past. Exactly how can she avoid him and will she find a holiday romance to distance herself even more?

This was just an ok read for me, nothing original and I found it really drawn out. As easy read in a nice setting. Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and good luck to the author on its release.

Publication Date - 15/08/2024

#EnemiesToLovers
#LauraJaneWilliams

You can't beat a good holiday romance
I was drawn straight in to the story, despite it being clear in the direction it was heading. It's fun easy to read ans with characters that are easily likeable and recognisable.
Covering a short family holiday we are reminded that everyone has their own demons but when you have friend and family that are around it can make all the difference.

"Enemies to Lovers" was a mixed bag for me. The setting in Greece is beautifully vivid, transporting me straight to sun-soaked beaches and charming villages, which is perfect for a summer read. The family dynamics were also a highlight, with warm, funny moments that added depth to the story. I appreciated how the author handled mental health, particularly when talking about how to navigate a relationship post-breakdown. It felt real and relatable, adding a layer of seriousness to an otherwise light-hearted book.

However, the main draw—the enemies-to-lovers trope—fell a little flat for me. The tension between Flo and Jamie simply didn’t really capture the "enemies" vibe the title suggests, at least not enough to make it punch me in the face as I wanted it to. Instead, it felt more like mild awkwardness, which made the romance less impactful. The pacing was another issue; the story took a while to pick up, and though I have plenty of patience when it comes to a romance I want it to be a quick pick-me-up that starts with a metaphorical bang!

While it’s an enjoyable read if you're looking for a light, beachy romance, it didn’t fully deliver on its promises for me. I wanted more intensity in the main relationship and a stronger start to really pull me in. That said, the book does have its charms, particularly when referring to Flo and the relationship/bond she has with her family, and the gorgeous Greek setting, making it a decent choice for a relaxed holiday read, or weekend on the balcony read in the case of someone like me who hasn’t been abroad in almost a decade!

I'd say that this is a 3.5 but as we can't do half-star ratings I'll upgrade to a 4.

Such a light and funny read - but still layered and heartfelt. Recommended!

Florence's extended family is on a two week holiday in Greece. On the face of it everybody’s great - she has a loving mum and dad, two adult brothers (plus one) and their partners. Florence is a young academic recovering from a mental health incident. She's getting her life back in order. Author Laura considers these invisible wounds in a family that doesn’t have a lot of experience with mental health issues. Everyone is looking out for Flo and caring for her, but this is not actually the acceptance that she needs. There’s layers of love and gratitude and obligation even in what is essentially a healthy family dynamic. Then there's Jamie, he’s the plus one, golden boy, mantoddler himbo who messes about in boats. He also has his own struggles following the death of his parents a couple of years before. There's a strong connection between these two - it’s love/hate - the Enemies of the title - and it's complicated. The family all meddle and poke around which makes it even harder.

But ... it's also light and very funny with wardrobe malfunctions, banter and plenty of holiday moments. I was pushing for Jamie and Flo to work it out. This is both a summer shining sparkly beachside holiday romance, and also a thoughtful consideration about mental health. What an excellent read!

Thank you NetGalley, Laura Jane Williams and Random House for the ARC. Opinions are all my own.

Enemies to Lovers, forced proximity on a Greek island whilst on a family vacation…..I read this is 2 days whilst on holiday myself.
Flo’s family as just wonderful, I would have loved to be spending time in a villa with them in the sunshine. For Flo her dreams of a relaxing family vacation are scuppered when Jamie, her brothers best friend are a less than welcome addition. She spent the last few months getting over a “what could have been” at Christmas with him until he cut things off with a short note before leaving.
Let’s just say Enemies to Lovers is the perfect name for this book, there are some twists along the way which paints Jamie in a much different light.
I felt the terminology around Flo’s breakdown was very well written, the family really felt “real” and some lol moments along the way too. The last 50% of this book was so good, I would highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley, Laura Jane Williams and Random House for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed reading this book.

Flo goes with her family to Greece for a holiday, but what she’s not aware of is that Jaime, a friend of her brothers will also be there. At one time she thought they’d both be in a relationship together but, Jaimie stopped that from happening.

The story was about family relationships, crossed wires and mental health, which was covered sensitively.

The characters were all different, which made the story have more humour. I loved the setting of Greece, a place I’ve not been to, but now want to.

I recommend this book.

A bit of a miss for me. I usually expect lovers in a romance to have more of an ‘issue’ to overcome particularly if the book is entitled Enemies to Lovers. This was quite weak on that front and I found Flo to be really childish. If I were Jamie I would have run for the hills…