This is a light-hearted, summer rom-com set on a family holiday in Greece. The characters are likeable and relatable with plenty of humour but they have also had tough experiences such as suffering with mental health, death of parents and sexual assault. These are all handled sensitively in the book and gave it more depth rather than just being your typical rom-com.

I’m not sure I’d describe Flo and Jamie as ‘enemies’ but there’s tension between the two of them and the lack of understanding and communication between the two of them for much of the book was frustrating. This definitely ticks the box for ‘brother’s best friend’ trope if you enjoy this in a book.

Some of the dialogue was a bit cringeworthy but it would make a great holiday book this summer and it was an enjoyable, easy read.

3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Random House UK, Cornerstone) for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

enemies to lovers by laura jane williams🇬🇷🏛️🍷🌊🏝️☀️🤍🫒🕯️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

this book could not have been more me if it tried, being named after my favroyite trope of all time🤭😍

enemies to lovers (obvs)
forced proximity
brothers best friend
family holiday
jealousy
slow burn romance

such a perfect summer romance, based in the lands of greece🇬🇷

i ate this book up this weekend, i just couldn’t put it down🤭 the banter, the chemistry, the family moments…i couldn’t get enough!! plus, basically mamma mia vibes!!🏝️

after all, my favourite romances are the wholesome, light, easy, fun romances - and laura smashed it😍

flo hadn’t had the easiest of lives recently, and being rejected by her brothers best friend was the tip of the ice burg…BUT when he shows up on their family holiday in greece, she finds herself stuck with him for two weeks🤭

jamie was just perfect, he saw flo for everything she was, herself🥹 not her past or what had happened, just her as she was now, stronger - which was all she ever wanted from her family - he had a heart of gold💛

i loved the family dynamic written throughout the book, a bunch of foodies that were as competitive as i’d expect from a larger family, i couldn’t help but giggle to myself at times😅

and then there’s the romance!! my favourite part!! what starts as a ‘holiday fling’ in flo’s eyes…except its everything BUT that🔥 its as clear as the greek sky that jamie is in love with flo, but being known as part of the family he is afraid of losing them if things get rocky…making for the perfect slow burn romance🥹

release date: august 15th - please save this date if you haven’t already🙏🏼

thank you to netgalley and cornerstone, random house for the ARC in return for my review🫶🏼

⚠️TWs: sensitive topics covered so please check out in advance🫶🏼

DNF @ 5%

I just could not do it. This book is like someone word vomited all over and there was no way I was going to enjoy this. I didn’t like the present tense and in the first 5% all it did was go on about her mental health and breakdown and him being a player.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc of this book. A lovely easy read that I read in less than 2 days!

Flo is desperate for a relaxing holiday with her family in Greece. That’s until she turns up and sees her Brother’s best friend, Jamie, on the beach with them. After what happened at Christmas, she isn’t sure if this is going to be the relaxing holiday after all but she is determined to not let him get the better of her.

Laura writes such easy, enjoyable reads which I don’t want to put down! This story was light hearted, but also full of a lot of feelings which so many families go through. The characters were well-developed and the storyline was captivating.

I definitely recommend for anyone looking for a light hearted romance they can read by the pool.

Florence & Jamie ❤️

🇬🇷Florence has just completed her PhD in literature and she’s holidaying with her parents, her two brothers and her sister in law in a fantastic villa in Greece. Only problem is that her brother’s best friend Jamie has come along.

📝Had she known, she would definitely have stayed away. Last Christmas, things were developing between the two, and then Jamie left suddenly, leaving her a note with a nonsense excuse.

⛱️As the idyllic days pass in a blur of Mediterranean food, Greek hotties and lazy days by the pool, Flo realises she needs to try and be friends with Jamie. But can the two put aside their differences?

📚This story is all about the extremely slow burn. In the very Brit-Lit way, there’s a sunshine filled holiday, family antics and a holiday romance. The pace of this story is very slow, Flo spends time with each of the family members, her parents and time texting with her best friend, ruminating about her recent breakdown and considering the Jamie situation. I felt like a dual POV could have shaken the story up a little bit and given some insight into the relationship between Flo and Jamie and what they actually saw in each other.

Read an eARC copy courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher
My rating 3/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Pub Date 15 Aug 2024

I was really in the mood for a summer setting holiday feeling read and the concept of this one definitely delivered in that regard. The setting was lovely and I really liked the coming together of the family.

Unfortunately the story itself fell a little flat for me, I felt like we skimmed on the edge of depth and would have liked to have explored it a little more but just never really got there and it made me lose connection to the characters. Every time we started to tread into the depth it felt as though we retreated.

I did like the banter between the siblings and I thought the whole female/male sibling relationship was really well captured- I just wanted more. I wanted to understand them more, to dive more into the parental relationship and the bond between the characters.

Overall I would say this book is a fun easy read but it had the potential to be more. Personally I love the depth I find and the contrast to the light when reading a romance which this one lacked, however if you are after something that is light hearted and easy to read this could definitely be the pick for you!

overall i thought the books was a little too juvenile for my liking. the characters acted a lot younger than they were, and i often feel uncomfortable reading explicit scenes when the characters feel adn act "younger".

here's what i wrote on my bookstores website (link is added)
spice, humor and a lot of tension, thats what you'll find in this easy to digest summer romance about friends turned enemies turned lovers.


i will add more, once i had more time to think about the book!

Flo hasn’t had the easiest of times lately, and this hasn’t been helped by being rejected by her brother’s best friend Jamie at Christmas, so when he turns up on their family holiday in Greece she isn’t best pleased and it seems that he feels the same.

I loved the family dynamics in this one and would be very happy to join the Greenberg’s in their villa for the summer … eating, drinking, floaty races in the pool followed by some more eating! I can always get onboard with a family who prioritises food in the same way I do! 😆

The chemistry between Flo and Jamie was great, with just the right amount of steam so that you could happily read this on a sun lounger surrounded by others without feeling too awkward

3.5🌟
Flo and her whole family go on holiday, only to discover her 'enemy' is in the same place. In actual reality, they're not her enemy at all but someone she has had a crush on for a long long time. However she's angry at him because of a previous incident, and it seems like he's really angry at her too which she just can't quite understand. Flo has been on a mental health journey herself and feels like maybe it's time to let go and be a little more free whilst on holiday, I wonder where that will lead her?

Generally, I liked the book but I wasn't enamored by it and didn't read it as voraciously as others. I enjoyed the family element to it and showing the strength of their family - I thought that was really sweet.

An easy, summer read of a romance.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as I opened "Enemies to Lovers" by Laura Jane Williams, I was instantly transported to the sun-drenched shores of Greece, with the irresistible blend of romance and humour filling the air. This delightful novel follows Flo Greenberg, a highly strung over-achiever looking to enjoy what she hopes will be a relaxing family holiday. However, her plans are thrown into chaos when her brother’s best friend, Jamie Kramer—her “pain in the arse" nemesis—joins the trip unexpectedly.
From the beginning, I was taken in by Flo’s relatable struggles. After a mental breakdown had put her life on hold, all she wanted was a peaceful vacation to recharge. Instead, she finds herself sharing meals, boat trips, and sun loungers with the chiselled Lothario who drove her up the wall in the past. Their history is palpable, filled with tension and unresolved feelings that had me laughing and cringing at times. I was rooting for Flo to stand her ground while secretly hoping for some of that sizzling chemistry to spark into something more.
Williams nails the pacing right off the bat, creating a story that feels breezy yet full of emotion—a perfect combo for a beach read. The conflict between Flo and Jamie is both entertaining and believable, and I appreciated that it was tied intricately to the plot rather than feeling like unnecessary filler. While I found Jamie to be an endearing character with layers that slowly revealed themselves, I’ll admit that Flo’s repeated internal monologues occasionally grated on my nerves. Still, her quirks made her a relatable protagonist, and I loved how her journey toward healing was depicted without minimising the complexities of her mental health struggles.

The heart of the story lies in the chemistry between Flo and Jamie, which sizzles off the page. Their banter is sharp, and the slow-burn tension between them makes each scene filled with anticipation. I found myself flipping through chapters, eager to see whether they would finally confront their feelings. The witty text exchanges between Flo and her friend Hope added a lovely touch of humour and warmth, grounding the narrative in a relatable reality that we can all recognise.
One highlight for me was the eventual turning point in their relationship—I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say that the big reveal is well-executed and adds depth to their journey. It was gratifying to witness an evolution in communication among the characters, which felt like a natural progression of their growth.
My only wish would be for a tad more focus on the destination of their relationship—maybe a splash more spice wouldn’t have hurt either! Regardless, Williams delivered a beautifully written novel brimming with hope, humour, and a deep exploration of love that resonated with me.
In conclusion "Enemies to Lovers" is for anyone in search of a captivating summer romance that offers both emotion and escapism. With its stunning Greek backdrop and relatable characters, it’s the perfect read for those looking to be swept away into a world of love and laughter. Honestly, I couldn't put it down—I was hooked from beginning to end, and I think you will be too!

In Enemies to lovers we follow Florence (Flo) on her family vacation to Greece with her parents and brothers… and surprisingly Jamie, her brother’s best friend and Flo’s enemy after what happened last Christmas. Now Flo has to navigate spending two weeks in Greece with Jamie, without her family catching on to what happened between them which turns out be easier said than done.

This is the perfect beach read for your summer vacation: quick pacing, entertaining and you can cut the tension with a knife, everything you would want from a summer romance.
To give you my rating, I have decided on a 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 stars). The pacing is what made it such a great beach read, it was not too dragged out but also not too fast to be not believable. There was enough conflict between the two main characters but this was also not too dragged out and was relevant to the storyline and solved in a great way. I do wish there had been more communication between them earlier on, but I understand this was necessary for the plot to go where the author wanted it to.
My favourite character was definitely Jamie, Flo could get slightly annoying at some parts of the book as her thought process seemed very repetitive, but not to a point where it was insufferable.

Overall, I would recommend this to everyone looking for a great summer romance that will entertain you and keep you hooked! I couldn’t put the book down, I just needed to know what was going to happen next.

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House, for the eARC.

An ideal sunlounger read, perfect for a beach read. Funny as always I lok forward to reading the author's next work.

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to read this book, however, this wasn’t the right book for me. I didn’t understand the romance between the characters and found them to be hard to relate to. I did enjoy the holiday setting though and feel this would make a good beach read for someone else.

I've come to the conclusion Laura's writing just isn't for me.
I've read many of her books but only really enjoyed one.
I found this story to not really interest me. While the synopsis sounds like something I'd enjoy.

Enemies to lovers is my favourite romance trope. Combine that with the forced proximity of those enemies having to spend a two week holiday together - then I am hooked. It also featured the awesome trope of brother’s best friend. One I wasn’t very familiar with, but a trope that I’ve fallen for.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Laura Jane Williams’s writing just flows. Her books are so easy to read and I read this book in only a few settings. Considering it’s the school holidays, that’s a sign of just how enjoyable this book is. “Enemies to lovers” gets into the action quickly and the tension between Jamie and Flo was built up expertly.
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And let me talk about Jamie and Flo. They are now one of my favourite romantic couples. Both vulnerable and having come out of a tough few years. They saw in each other things others didn’t see. Jamie didn’t see Flo as the girl who’d had a breakdown and needed to be wrapped in cotton wool. He saw her as she was. Someone who struggled sometimes but who was stronger because of the experiences she’d been through. Jamie had a heart of gold and I adored him.
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The depiction of mental health problems was so accurate. As someone who’s had a breakdown, I really understood Flo. I got that she would never forget what she’d experienced but that it now felt like time to move on and take steps forward. Even if she sometimes needed to be encouraged to do that.
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This is the perfect summer romance and the ideal holiday book.

This was a nice, easy read while on holiday. Thank you to Random House UK and netgalley for the arc for my honest review.
I was a good read, although I found the attitude of the main characters to be quite childish at times and feel as though the book would have been over a lot sooner if they'd actually spoken to each other properly there was a lot of mixed signals and bad communication.
Would still recommend for people who want a light summer holiday read with the book being based around a summer holiday to Greece too.

Book: Enemies to lovers
Author: Laura Jane Williams
Rating: 3.25 stars 🌟

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the ARC of this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed it! But I must say it took me a while to get into, I felt like in the first 3rd of the book, not much really happened... I kept wanting more

Once we got past that, it got really into the plot and characters. The writing was easy to read, and I enjoyed the storyline

If you love a good slow burn and, as the title says, enemies to lovers, then this is for you

It was an easy summer read 📚

‘Enemies To Lovers’ by Laura Jane Williams is an absolutely wonderful and emotional romance novel set on a gorgeous Greek holiday - it definitely gave me vacation envy! The main character Flo is a university lecturer whose PhD was interrupted last year by a severe mental breakdown. Now in a much better place, all she wants is a relaxing and fun family holiday, and for people to stop tip-toeing around her. Her plans come crashing down when she arrives to find her brother’s incredibly hot best friend Jamie is joining the trip - she and Jamie have a chequered history of longing and rejection, and he is the last person she needs on her dream vacation!

I really connected with this novel based on the way it plainly and unapologetically described Flo’s mental health struggles while not treating her constantly like a delicate ornament about to break. She was incredibly loveable and relatable - and a the joy she found in reading just endeared her to me more. I adored her funny text messages with friend Hope and many of her interactions with her family. Jamie was another interesting character whose layers were peeled back throughout the novel.

The chemistry between the two leads was off-the-charts and their slow-burn journey from “enemies” to lovers made this book super hard to put down. A big reveal towards the end was well-handled and I enjoyed how communication opened up between all of the characters.

Overall, this beautiful book gets 4.5 stars from me - given the long road to get there I would have preferred a little more focus on the destination (and maybe some more spice) but otherwise this novel was perfect! Flo might be one of my favourite characters ever and the messages of hope and healing are so powerful.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Random House UK via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

2.5 ☆

tropes:
brother's best friend
forced proximity
forbidden romance
summer romance

While I usually add a bit of the blurb here, we need to get down to business. I need this title changed EXPEDITIOUSLY because where is the enemies to lovers angst we are used to??? The tension?! The hatred?!! I-

Our FMC, Flo, gets rejected by her brother's best friend, Jamie via a note slid under her door (I wish I made that up) because communication was not found between our characters (why yes, there is one of my top 3 tropes in this book and I really wish I was briefed more but yikes). The relationship between the two was very immature as well and it was really hard to read past it at times.

BUTTT. While the chemistry between our main characters flopped, the family's was so cute. Her and her brother's banter was adorable and it reminded me even of my relationship with my own. Altogether, I think the author had the makings of a really good book (Greece getaway, brother's best friend trope, forced proximity) but it fell flat.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my honest opinion! :)

This was a very light and breezy read, which I definitely enjoyed! It made for a lovely summer read. The setting made me feel as if it were really summer while in reality it was quite rainy! However, it was nothing special for me. The characters fell a little flat, and the story was enjoyable but predictable.