My Own Worst Enemy

Lily Lindon's My Own Worst Enemy is another sweet, queer romcom along the lines of Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott's She Gets The Girl and Adiba Jaigirdar's The Henna Wars. Twenty-five-year-old Emmy, a butch lesbian, is an aspiring actor who's all too aware that there's usually only room for one masculine-presenting woman in any given film, play, advert or TV show. All's going well until she meets Mae, who's her spitting image - except more confident and perhaps more naturally talented, despite her lack of formal training. Emmy and Mae become declared enemies - but they keep bumping into each other on the same casting calls. Will their mutual obsession become something more?

I enjoyed this fun romance and the representation of a butch lesbian/bi pairing, although I felt the secondary characters, with the exception of Emmy's parents and her refreshingly non-stereotypical straight best friend Ruth, were a little thinly drawn. In particular, I found Heather caricatured and unbelievable. Emmy herself could also be a little too clueless and dithery at times for my liking, as well as intensely self-absorbed - I wanted to hear more from Mae. However, although this wasn't on a par with the titles mentioned above, it's still a warm, likeable read. 3.5 stars.

Emmeline Clooney (no relation) has no chill whatsoever. An unapologetically nerdy, geeky and masculine-presenting lesbian, she loves acting, graduated at the top of her class at drama school, and is determined to be the Top Short-Haired Female Actor in the UK. Then she meets Mae Jones, her charismatic doppelganger and instant frenemy, in the loos during an audition for an updated production based on (what else)? Tipping the Velvet. As Emmy tries to beat Mae at her own game, she meets a new woman, glamorous, femme theatre critic Heather, who can make - or break - them both.

I really enjoyed this author's first novel, Double Booked, and my only complaint with it was that it didn't always live up to its complex 'double life' premise. With this one, the premise is simpler - if sillier - and the author gets to have more fun with it, including setting up a queer pirate-themed production of Twelfth Night with a dancing squid puppet. Exactly what you need after a tough year or two - pure, unadulterated fun. Cheers, Lily, and thanks for the Shakesqueer!

My Own Worst Enemy is a romantic comedy novel about an up-and-coming actress who runs into someone with the same casting as her in an audition, who also happens to be just her type, and they spark up a rivalry that threatens to turn into something else. Emmy Clooney is obsessed with acting and came top of her year at drama school, but now she's graduated, she's floundering, not quite getting anywhere and overthinking everything. At an audition she meets Mae, who looks similar to her—short, dark hair, masc clothing—and is, in Emmy's eyes, far more charismatic. Clearly, they must become rivals, as there's not much room in acting for two people like them going for roles, but things get more complicated than that.

This has a classic 'enemies to lovers' set up, combined with a romance between two butches, so it is likely to appeal to plenty of people looking for those elements. Emmy makes a lot of classic romantic hero mistakes—she makes a lot of assumptions about people and their thoughts and motives without actually checking, she assumes that her new crush must be much more popular and confident than she is—and though she can be frustrating, she's also written in a way that does make sense to have some of these traits, particularly in such a competitive business. We learn less about Mae as what we see is through Emmy's eyes, but the hints towards more than her exterior are interesting. Emmy's flatmates (who are also her best friends) are fun supporting characters (and believable potential London flatmates), though Emmy's pizza-obsessed dad's disapproval of her acting felt a bit random, as his entire character is 'loves pizza and doesn't outwardly support her acting'.

The twists and turns of Emmy' new relationship, the queer Twelfth Night production, and Emmy's relationship with her mum bring a lot of the later plot, with one character in particular a bit of a comedy villain who raises red flags from the start, but that is often the case in romance novels. This is a fun novel, a light read that doesn't delve deep into things, but keeps the enemies to lovers plotline and the acting world at the forefront.

- 3.5 stars -
My Own Worst Enemy was a sweet sapphic rom-com. A bit cheesy, yes, and at times Emmy's self-deprecation was incredibly irritating - but it was a cute, quick read.
I enjoyed the London setting, and the supporting cast were fun! Also surprisingly topical considering the current spotlight on nepo babies...

This isn't literary genius but if you're looking for a short but sweet, feel-good read, this is the book for you.

This was my first read of the year, and it did not disappoint.

If you are smart but also stupid, this is a book for you; it balances intelligence and wit with silliness and stupidity in a way that is surprising, page-turning and, above all, so much FUN. My favourite example of this is when the protagonist, Emmy, and her enemy, Mae, have a fight in an audition via alternating lines of Viola's ring monologue from Twelfth Night. As someone who is extremely intelligent (see my masterful use of semi-colons as evidence), I found myself shouting the final line of the monologue in my head, because it is omitted, which literally and actually shed new light on Shakespeare for ME, someone extremely intelligent: 'It is too tight a knot for me to untie!' is, like, probably a nod to 'tying the knot' with marriage, right? Anyway.

It also made me cry at the end, twice. Part of me thought, hmm, having your protagonist cry a lot at the end for many different reasons is probably a good way to get the tear ducts of your readers working. But then I also thought that I would not have shed a single tear if I did not feel connected to the characters, and realised that there were at least 7 characters to whom I felt connected and tied emotions to and the confluence of all of these characters, and the emotions I associate with them, at the end made me sob on the tube. The characters are extremely well-drawn, and the outpouring of my own emotions at the end is testament to this.

We all love romance, and it has sexy erotic queer romance in spades. Of course, I fancy Mae and wish she was real and single. But what it also presents is love in so many different forms; if this were translated into Greek, all of those different words for love would be in here. I particularly enjoyed friend love and self-love, though the familial love thread was one that made me cry.

10/10 no notes loved it loved it loved it

Romances are always a feel-good genre to turn to when you need an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Whether it's delving into a classic love story or the modern take on them, there is something special about following two characters as they explore the depths of their feelings for each other. This book review is all about one particular romantic comedy that I recently read – if your heart aches for a LGBT enemies-to-lovers story then this is surely worth exploring…

Emmy Clooney was ready to show the world what she's made of, but when an audition brings her face-to-face with Mae—her cool and captivating doppelganger — a fierce rivalry is born. With tensions high between them both in their attempt for screen time glory, will they be able to move past their differences or let it get out of hand? An unlikely love story blooms as My Own Worst Enemy invites you on Emmy’s journey from drama school graduate determinedly chasing her dreams into becoming a successful actress (and possibly finding true love).

While I didn’t necessarily find the characters likeable, Emmy really irritated me, they were well-drawn and authentic. Emmy graduated from her amazing drama school top of her class, but life isn’t panning out quite how she expects, and she doesn’t have many friends which makes her moany and annoying especially when you realise the reason she has no friends is almost entirely her own fault. Mae is far more likeable, she is fun and bubbly, doesn’t care about the acting norms and just wants to make her own way. She isn’t so hung up on the outcome, just trying her best. The fact that they are almost identical butch lesbians means they are directly competing for each role. Their rivalry feels real and authentic and has some nasty and some exceptionally good scenes throughout.

The supporting actors are also real and authentic, I fell in love with Emmy’s dad and Uncle Pete (who I am sure are a secret couple by the way!) and their pizza obsession…pizza is life. While My Own Worst Enemy is primarily a rom-com it also celebrates love in all its forms including parents, friends, family and even the random strangers you meet along the way.

The ending was obvious, as with most romances but that’s expected I feel and it had a lovely ‘happily ever after’ feel to it which felt inevitable from the beginning.

Having read Lily Lindon’s last novel, Double Booked, I enjoy her writing style which is relaxed and free flowing. While I doubt it's true it feels like she just sat down and write the whole story in one sitting and then just popped it out to publishers and here it is!

This is a warm, witty and heart-warming novel, perfect for a weekend escape.

A very good book that made me reflect on life. The title says it all we are our own worst enemies.
Caught in stereotypes, other's expectations and simply not living our life.
A young actor that has done all by the book, finished acting school, extremely well read and serious at her job suddenly finds competition in an mirror image girl. We get a clash of educated vs. improv acting. Self achievement vs. nepotism. A story of opposites and attractions.
I would suggest this book to everyone even if you are not interested in lgtb themes, young people's problems or acting world.

A very aptly titled book and a terrific fun read. I very much enjoyed the rivalry between Emmy and Mae although towards the end some of their behaviour became a little childish and in Emmy's case overdoing the bitchiness a little which I don't think suited her character. I loved the auditions which were hilarious and the improv scenes that sparked with electricity between the two main characters.The Twelfth Night production was a treat, a wonderful backdrop for the build up to the final momentous events.
Other characters played their parts well, Emmy's family providing solid if under appreciated support and the chemistry between Emmy and her flatmates worked to a tee. The plot was more than a little predictable but there were enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning. All in all I was thoroughly entertained by a book that is well written with style and a great sense of humour.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

A quick, easy and cute read that had me feeling all the feels. I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I loved that it was set in London as I recognised some of the parts being spoken about in the book. A great read.

Firstly, thank you for letting me read this early.
Queer Shakespeare, with so much laughter.
I absolutely adored this fantastic story, I didn't see all the twists and turns coming but very much enjoyed it

I absolutely adored DOUBLE BOOKED and was stoked to get this arc. I loved this one just as much. It did take me some time to get into it but after that, I just fell in love with it. It’s the classic enemies-to-lovers which I love! I loved the characters, their dynamic worked so well together. It’s a fun, light read which I recommend to those who enjoy lgbt romance.

A gorgeous enemies to lovers story filled with Shakespeare, a rivalry, housemates, pizza and pride. Emmy Clooney is an actress who is shocked to find another actress, Mae, who looks just like her but is just that tiny bit cooler then her and has that je ne sais quoi, that neurotic Emmy could never hope to live up to. A rivalry begins with Mae and Emmy in a constant competition for the best parts when Emmy discovers Mae's secret.

The story takes a slight turn with a storyline involving nepotism and a controlling partner entering from stage left just as the pair are both cast in a queer production of Twelfth Night. There is a whole cast of characters who help the main couple shine, my favourite always seem to be the housemates but in this case it is justified as they are SUCH a good pair. The rivalry continues until, that moment happens and all is well.. except not this time, Emmy is so very good at the right moment, wrong time and I loved that there was a little more to the story then the classic enemies to lovers with a few extra twists and turns in there until we got to the HEA.

The ending is gorgeous and overall I felt it was the fun bit of escapism I needed mixed in with the queer representation that the rom-com genre needs!

Emmy Clooney (no relation) isn't her biggest fan. In fact, sometimes she's her own worst enemy.

She's still waiting for her moment to shine- the moment everything clicks and she's got her life together, but in the meantime she's stuck taking small acting roles as the short-haired, queer young woman - but at least she's good at it.

Until Mae walks into an audition - who is exactly the same as Emmy, which makes her the enemy too. But as their rivalry starts to heat up, she can't deny that as much as she wants to hate Mae, there's something about her she can't stay away from. Not as though she gets much of a choice, anyway because she's everywhere. But you know what they say - keep your friends close, and your annoyingly hot doppelganger enemies closer!

"For a second, I have a sense of an alternate universe, a universe where I'm like myself, but better in every way Then I realise it's not me at all. But Mae is exactly my type."

Lindons follow-up novel is an absolute joy. This playful, fun romcom is one of those love stories that goes beyond the love we find in romance but the love that can be found all around us.

Our narrator Emmy is clearly frustrated with her life, with still having to work at her Dads pizza place when she should be acting, with her place in life. But even with all this self-doubt and loathing, it's interesting to see how much she thinks Mae is threatening, charming, beautiful - even though she reminds her so much of herself. As an ex-theatre nerd, I loved seeing her passion, all the rituals and quirks of the stage, the old superstitions and routines making me extremely nostalgic for the spotlight. As a narrator, she was amazing - always observing the little details and setting the scene, but going off on hilariously witty tangents with us and addressing us like a friend. She makes absolutely ridiculous decisions, over reacts, and misunderstands but she was so authentically human that I didn't blame her.

The entire cast are bright, vibrant, larger-than-life but still have an air of genuiness about them. And anyone who knows theatre kids knows that yes, people really do act like that even first thing in the morning. Her friends were playful and fun, blunt and honest but deeply caring and warm - Lindon gives us a collective of relationships that are beautifully complex and meaningful, but of course sometimes heart-breaking and confusing like people usually are.

Emmys journey was hilariously chaotic - her meet-cute turned rivalry with Mae, her nightmarish career moments, her attempts at dating, her complicated family life, her competitiveness reaching new levels of intensity - almost becoming vital to them, linking them together. There were moments that made me want to hide my eyes and throw away the book because it got so tense, moments that made me want to scream at them, and some moments I saw coming but was bewildered about how we'd get there.

Again Lindon cleverly subverts and explores stereotypes and tropes about queerness and spiritedly plays with them - taking the things that are used to often pigeon-hole us and reclaiming them in her own refreshingly authentic way. Emmys sexuality and identity, and how this plays a part in who she has become is dealt with brilliantly and genuinely, giving us a snapshot of a person trying to figure out their life and who they want to be.

A chaotic romcom with a lot of heart - this book made me happy I was reading on a kindle or the crying would have ruined the pages! An amazing follow-up from a powerful and entertaining voice.

"You're the only person you can't run away from … It's the worst."

My Own Worst Enemy is a drama student's diary- filled with the awkwardness of blossoming adulthood and trying to weave your way into a creative career whilst also trying to pay the bills.

My Own Worst Enemy starts with the main character, Emmy Clooney (no relation) throwing her entire being into her school plays with the air of a teen who sees her school play as the beginning and the end of an era- there are agents in the audience after all. Pressures of succeeding, achieving and being an artist weigh down as Emmy breaks into acting.

In this novel, Lily captures life in it's uncomfortableness in moments such as when you recognise queer people and get excited and then embarrass yourself because they don't know you are also queer. Or when your dad offers you full time employment because none of your acting auditions have been successful...

Emmy continues to audition to achieve her goal of being an actor, but when her doupleganger auditions in the form of Mae Jones- who wins every role she doesn't get- and when Emmy realises she has a crush on her...things get more difficult.

Telling the story through a dramatised narrative voice which reflects the desperation and sometimes selfish main character, Lily Lindon reflects the whirlwind of emotions experienced when trying to achieve your dreams and navigating the possibilities of success or changing paths. Lily writes in a modern way, with text speek that doesn't feel out of place or cringey and is able to interject this integral method of communication into her novel with ease. And pays homage to the drama world in her narrative too.

I found that sometimes the rivalry of the two characters was a bit rushed and I think that more time should have been spent making us really feel the anger that Emmy feels...instead it felt a little bit too drama school and I would have loved to see the loosing game of Emmy to Mae written into the narrative a bit more. Make them suffer!! For this reason, at times I felt lost in the post teen pre adult style drama but for the majority I felt engaged and entertained by Emmy's first acting role and first girlfriend drama.

At first I saw Emmy still as a kid, fresh out of college or uni but when I realised she was my age I realised that to be honest, sometimes even adults are dramatic and silly and emotional. And sometimes we act like our world is our world and it's amazing or a disaster without thinking of others. And that is ok if we correct it.

The ending was sweet and well wrapped up, and overall this was an enjoyable and peppy book to read: one that lifted my spirits whilst also keeping me on my toes with slice of life suspense.

This novel would be perfect for anyone who enjoys novels that are light drama, a little bit of tension with everyday antics which are resolved and leave you feeling happy inside.

“My Own Worst Enemy” by Lily Lindon is a thought-provoking and honest exploration of the modern-day dating scene. The story is told from the perspective of the protagonist, who is navigating the ups and downs of their love life while also dealing with the pressures of a demanding career.

A beautifully handled lesbian romcom, I loved it! Emmy is an aspiring actor who meets her double - the charismatic Mae -at auditions where they are both going up for the same role. Mae is everything Emmy wants to be, she's more confident than Emmy, she's more beautiful, more people want to be her friend, she's even a better actor. The two of them get off to a bad start, swearing lifelong enmity-uh oh, what could possibly happen?!

As its a romcom, we know where the story's going to take us in the end - but the journey there was fabulously handled and I loved every page, shouting at Emmy to see what was right in front of her, and to stop fighting what was so obvious.

Her friendship with her flatmates was brilliant too, I wanted to be there with them all listening to musicals and putting the world to rights/

Lily Lindon writes characters wonderfully, they are honest and truthful with realistic struggles and wishes.
I couldnt wait to see how the story unfolded and was so happy with the outcome!

A very cute, easy but well-written sapphic romance! I would like to read some of Lindon's other work (or her previous book) before she cements herself as a favourite author of mine because I found this one quite drama school heavy at the beginning and not being someone who is particularly interested in that area, I found it a little bit of a struggle to get into and a bit hard to relate to. That said, this was a real feel good novel and we absolutely need more decent romances featuring bisexuals!

You're always in good hands with Lily Lindon.

Lindon has done it again with a funny romance novel that is centred on two 'butch' lesbians who keep turning up to the same auditions and begin a rivalry for parts. When they both get hired for a queer adaptation of Twelfth Night, tensions rise and we all know what happens after that.

Quick and easy little enemies to lovers read with good representation.

I was so excited to read this book after devouring Double Booked! This book is different but still witty and funny, with complex, grounded characters whose actions you understand even as you are screaming at them to stop self sabotaging! The flirting was immaculate, and all around was a really fun read.

I really enjoyed Double Booked by Lily Lindon last year, so was delighted to be sent an eARC of Lily’s new novel to read by the publisher 💕

This is a queer hug in a book. It focuses on Emmy, a talented actor struggling to get roles, who ends up falling in hate- and then love - with another butch in the same industry. I felt Emmy’s turmoil as she struggled to process her feelings. Her naivety in her relationship with Alice was rather heartbreaking and I wanted her to realise her true feelings, leave the relationship and be with Mae already.

Aside from the romantic plot line, I also loved the insight into the acting industry. It was cool to see Emmy and Mae’s different styles into acting: from the methodical professional, to the authentic improviser and the clashes that caused between them. Emmy’s relationships with her family and friends felt very authentic, causing quite a few problems that led to an “all is lost” moment. But as with most romances, this is neatly resolved at the ending for a happy ending 🥰

Emmy’s journey was hilarious chaotic. Her naivety and innocence was a little juvenile and frustrating, but understandable. The relationship with Mae helped aid her character development. Very fun, chaotic, emotional and charming!

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Read it if you love:
🌈 Queer love
😈 Enemies to lovers
💭 MC on a journey of self discovery
☀️ Light hearted reads with a small amount of tension
❤️ Happy endings

LILY LINDON – MY OWN WORST ENEMY *****

I read this novel in advance of publication through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Emmy Clooney, no relation, is an aspiring actor, about to step onto the stage. Her first job after leaving drama school is Lesbian Number Two, with one line; playing a short haired butch. Which very much sums up herself.

She lives with Ruth and Raphy, her flatmates, and seems unable to see about herself what others see. Hence the title. Her father and uncle Pete run Pete’szas, a pizza joint where she works to supplement her acting career (for that, read subsidies).

Into this mix comes Mae, vivacious, charming, talented, daughter of a famous actress who happens to be Emmy’s favourite. Mae is a mirror image of Emmy herself. And, like two cockerels, they peck and ruffle each other’s feathers whenever they meet. Which is often as they both go to the same auditions for the same parts. Emmy, of course, is unable to see what is really going on, though everyone else can.

And then she meets glamorous and manipulative Alice, older, wiser, a theatre critic who can make or break a career unless she gets what she wants. Which is Emmy.

It's fun, it’s witty, a great follow-up to Double Booked, Lily’s first novel. One of those novels you want to keep on reading but don’t want to end.

Enjoyed this A LOT. A queer romance set in London - the book I never knew I needed!

Loved the characters and could picture them in my head as I was reading - the biggest compliment ever, FYI.

whole heartedly recommend!

Lily Lindon's writing style is engaging and honest, allowing me to empathize with Anna's journey as she confronts her own insecurities and fears. The author captures the challenges of modern dating and the pressures of societal expectations, creating a story that feels both relatable and deeply personal. At times it did feel a little too deep, not something I would normally knock, but it dragged you down a little bit.
It allows you to delve into the complexities of human emotions and relationships. We read about difficult topics such as jealousy, infidelity, and self-doubt with sensitivity and nuance, creating a story that is both emotionally resonant and stimulating.
This is a well written novel that will leave readers reflecting on their own relationships and the search for self-understanding. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and engaging read. That being said, don’t allow it to suck you too deeply, it could be the place I was in when reading it, as you could tell its superbly written, it just pulled down too much to get five-full stars.

A backstage pass to the acting industry with lots of fun and off stage drama along the way. Great chemistry between our leading ladies and I was sold from the Tipping the Velvet reference. (Although not sure why they called her Nat instead of Nan for the lead of Tipping.)

Great to see some LGBTQ+ representation and this is done well.

Fab read.

My Own Worst Enemy was a quick and easy to read enemies to lovers romance. Pretty run of the mill though, but thoroughly enjoyed it

What a fun lil rom-com! Emmy Clooney is a recently graduated actress going up for the slim pickings that are butch lesbian roles, when she meets the charismatic Mae... also up for the same roles. She's immediately attracted to Mae (not that she admits that for the bulk of the book) but she's deeply insecure about her acting and her relationships, and what ensues is a rivalry with a grudge. I actually really enjoyed this, and both lead characters come across very well on the page – Mae's spontaneous and bubbly, and Emmy is in love with the craft of acting, Shakespeare and delving deep into what a text means. It's all wrapped up a bit too neatly, as these books tend to be, but apart from that the only thing I didn't like was Emmy's relationship with her theatre critic girlfriend Heather. I just found her so irredeemable that I struggled to believe even naive Emmy would stick with her, although I found Heather's craving for a traditional relationship very interesting and not something I've seen explored in fiction much! She's the kind of character who you just know wishes she wasn't a lesbian, because all she really wants is a nice heteronormative relationship. Anyway, thanks to Head of Zeus for letting me read this; I liked it a lot!

My own worst enemy
Emmy Clooney (no relation) is an actor fresh out of a prestigious acting school aspiring to be magnetising on stage and screen. She works in the small niche of butch lesbian with short hair - not often the main character and jobs are hard to come by. Things are made even harder when Mae appears on scene, an exact carbon copy of Emmy, even down to their warm-ups. But will their rivalry turn in to something more?

This is the first novel I have read by Lily Lindon so I didn’t really know what to expect, but it was fantastic! My Own Worst Enemy had me feeling all of the feels - sad, happy, hopeful, in fits of laughter at some of the outrageous bits (pirate Shakespeare?!).

If you want a book you can’t help but keep turning the pages to see what happens next, look no further! Bonus - it’s LGBTQ+!

Thank you NetGalley, Aria & Aries, and Lily Lindon for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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.

Let’s start off with the positives… This book has the classic ‘enemies to lovers’ plot that I am a hugeeee fan of, I adore reading LGBTQIA+ inclusive books, and not only was this a wlw story but it was TWO butches falling in love, I have NEVER read that before, butch & femme, femme & femme I’ve read but it was so refreshing to see butch & butch and I want to see more of that in books from now on!! I loved r the main characters best friends, and her family seemed lovely as well from what you learnt of them. Maes character wasn’t explored very much in my opinion but what I learnt of her character did seem fantastic. Also, the last few chapters had me in tears, I am a huge fan of happy endings!!!
I’ll be quick with the negatives as I don’t like to linger toooo much on them, I wasn’t huge on our main character Emmy, I think she was portrayed as someone with major confidence issues, but I don’t think it was written very well and at times it was obvious things were going one way but she was determined for them to go another and that was frustrating to read. I also think the book spoke a little too much about the logistics of theatre, it went into the plots of plays too much in my opinion BUT that’s just my opinion and I’m sure there was good reason for it.
Overall, I really really enjoyed this book, it was so cute!!

“Change is the only constant”

My Own Worst Enemy follows actor Emmy Clooney (no relation – this is definitely a running joke throughout the book that made me giggle every time I read it, I actually found myself repeated Emmy’s one-liner every time she introduced herself!), who finds herself attracted to a women she has just met, who looks just like her: butch and athletic, with short messy hair. However, their personalities could not be further apart, and as a fellow actor they find themselves as rivals battling out for the same roles, enter a fantastically cute enemies to lovers rom com that was an absolute rollercoaster of a read!

Characters
Emmy as a main character was so well written, you could really feel her personality as well as her insecurities screaming off the page, I feel like the author does a great job in building and rounding out such realistic characters that I would not be surprised if half of these characters were real people! I felt like we really experience Emmy’s life and emotions alongside her and loved watching her grow as a character throughout the book, and I loved how protective her father, and her best friends Ruth and Raphael were of her, it really proved how much of a well-loved character she was despite of her own low self-esteem.

Mae was another character who was fantastically written and really helped bring Emmy out of her shell, I loved all of their scenes together and could truly see so many of them as part of a tv series or film. The way that they worked against each other was fantastic, I love that the author did not try to make Mae out to seem like she was better than Emmy, just that they were both really unsure and unwilling to admit their feelings throughout majority of the book, it is definitely one of the best enemy to lover books I have read in a long time, the chemistry was unreal!

I am not a fan of Alice; she seemed to be portraying a lot of controlling behaviour such as choosing Emmy’s drinks and giving her a time limit on bathroom trips, plus the awful blackmail and review was terrible behaviour, I found myself considering if Alice was actually based off someone who behaved this way, I could not stand her character and I love the fact that Lily was able to write such a character that you just knew had their own insecurities and problems to deal with, so the author did a fantastic job in trying to humanise Alice’s character whilst also proving they were the toxicity of the story

“We’re always closest when we’re furthest apart” absolutely adored the three housemates, Ruth, Emmy and Ralphael scenes, they are just a perfect collection of characters and all bounced of each other very well, they brought a great mix to the book, and really helped to prove that best friends always know you better than you know yourself, I found all of their scenes full of so much emotion and love and was completely there for their friendship group, I would love to be a part of it!

Plot/Writing Style
I absolutely love Emmy’s monologue type thoughts towards the ending of the book in which she is coming to the realisation that not everyone will always be in her life, and it really resonated with me the words on that page, as it definitely is okay sometimes for people to not be in your life, and that was a statement that I really did not know I needed to hear, but am grateful for said statement

It is such a well-paced book that is a complete emotional rollercoaster; there were times I was giggling, cringing, crying and just outraged, this book definitely got me in the feels, and it’s just so well written, the wit and sarcasm shines through and the characters all feel so realistic! My only niggle point is that I would have loved more closure with Thalia, but maybe that’s just who I am as a person. Emmy is easily my favourite character as I completely resonated with her (without the acting career) I felt just how self sabotaging she could be and how easily she was fulfilling her own prophecies of pushing people away.

Overview
There is just so much about this book that felt real and right, I love that it is a fun and cute enemies to lovers romance, but it doesn’t shy away from facts, especially those assumptions made about lesbians, I love the diversity in this book too, its perfection and easily one of my favourite reads of 2023.

This is the second novel Lily Lindon has written and that I have read and its just as strong as her first, both leading ladies are fantastic and easily loveable, and I’d love to be in a trio friendship group with Emmy and Georgina, I think we’d get on so well! I loved Lily’s acknowledgements at the end of the story, she seems like such an outgoing and lovely person, and I am completely ready for book three, you’re an auto buy author for me now!

Honest update here. I read this book 2 months ago after it was recommended to me by Amy Watson at Head of Zeus, publishers.

Whilst I was on holiday I read this book and I devoured it in two days. I absolutely love the premise. Emmy Clooney (no relation of George) is a self-classed-typical stereotyped gay actor. She is bagging all the niche roles for her type of character.

Then along comes Mae, Amy finds her self up against Mae in all of the auditions. The rivalry between these two, the friendship and Frenemies situation, secrets and the truths are all woven together brilliantly.

I absolutely could see a screenplay in this book, I would love to see it transferred to a movie because it was so compelling, I loved the characters and had many laugh out loud moments as I read the dramas between them.

I loved Lily London’s last book and this one is even better. Many thanks to #NetGalley For. The Opportunity To Read This Book Ahead Of Publication In Exchange For An Honest Review Which I Give 10 Stars Out Of 5

I found this a really cute, modern, rom com. The characters were adorable, yet feisty. Sometimes I felt like I needed to give Emmy a shake, but that's what kept me hooked throughout! I loved the theatrics of it all, and I totally related to Raphy mostly. Overall, a fabulous, lovely read.
I'm grateful to have received an e-arc from netgalley, the author and publisher.

For me, there is a huge place in my summer reading list for fun, easy stories that just put a smile on my face and let me go with the flow. That said, they have to have something special about them to capture my attention. My Own Worst Enemy absolutely ticked that box, I highly enjoyed meeting Mae and I really liked the messages coming through here, exploring different kinds of love, relationships and perspectives.

The key was how much I was rooting for Mae - she felt like a friend by the end and I was emotionally invested in her story, I highly encourage you to meet her soon!

She's her own worst enemy. So why does she fancy people who look like her? The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work.

Reading an author’s second novel is always fun, seeing what stands out as consistent strengths, and trying to work out what the author’s signature themes might be.

One thing that stood out for me in both of Lindon’s books, but especially in this one, is how good she is at writing an unreliable narrator. A lot of the tensions and conflicts in My Own Worst Enemy, we as the reader can solve within a few seconds, and yet Emmy cannot see what’s right in front of her. To keep that going (convincingly) for an entire novel is a skill in and of itself, and it makes for an incredibly compelling story and a very satisfying conclusion.

As with many of the best romances, the romance acts as a vehicle for the characters to realise so much more about themselves. Emmy and Mae push each other, rile each other up, and force each other to confront their own insecurities.

The book also deals with some heavier issues, particularly unhealthy relationships. The relationship that Emmy is in for the majority of the story is a toxic one, and at times upsetting and frustrating to read. I do wish her girlfriend had a bit more of a comeuppance, but it was still good to see Emmy find the confidence to firmly show her the door.

I was gripped from the very beginning of this book, and was desperate to see what would happen next the whole time. I’m excited to see what Lindon writes next – safe to say I’m a fan of her work!

I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.

A very aptly titled book and a terrific fun read. I very much enjoyed the rivalry between Emmy and Mae although towards the end some of their behaviour became a little childish and in Emmy's case overdoing the bitchiness a little which I don't think suited her character. I loved the auditions which were hilarious and the improv scenes that sparked with electricity between the two main characters. The Twelfth Night production was a treat, a wonderful backdrop for the build up to the final momentous events.
Other characters played their parts well, Emmy's family providing solid if under appreciated support and the chemistry between Emmy and her flatmates worked to a tee. The plot was more than a little predictable but there were enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning.
All in all I was thoroughly entertained by a book that is well written with style and a great sense of humour.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

A very good book that made me reflect on life. The title says it all we are our own worst enemies.
Caught in stereotypes, other's expectations and simply not living our life.
A young actor that has done all by the book, finished acting school, extremely well read and serious at her job suddenly finds competition in an mirror image girl. We get a clash of educated vs. improv acting. Self achievement vs. nepotism. A story of opposites and attractions.
I would suggest this book to everyone even if you are not interested in lgtb themes, young people's problems or acting world.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎭🌭🥛🍕🤺

If I have to give you any advice for this book, it is to make sure you have a lot of time free, because you're not gonna want to put this book down.

My Own Worst Enemy is a cute YA/NA romcom about a butch lesbian actor named Emmy Clooney (no relation) who is the most precious character I have come across. She wants nothing more than to be a successful actress. She's smart, she's funny and she prepares to the max when it comes to roles, and she is more comfortable being someone else and following scripts than she is talking to people on her own. She is shy and anxious, seconds guesses herself and is afraid people are going to abandon her when she's not acting. She's certain she's going to get lots of queer butch roles, because there are so many femme lesbians, but not that many that a butch, so when she meets fellow aspiring actress, Mae Jones, who looks exactly like her, and seems to be way more of a natural actor than her, Emmy feels threatened.

Queue the declared rivalry between the two characters, where there is back-and-forth tension, that borderlines with intense flirting, self-growth and awareness of own faults, and we get this beautiful book. There are laugh-out-loud moments (like seriously, I peed my pants) there are parts that made me cry, and there were parts that made me wish I was a part of their world.

The side characters were great too. I loved the side story going on in the background with Emmy's best friends/roommates. I loved the queer representation throughout the book. (Lesbian, Bisexual, Pansexual, Gay, Non-Binary.) I didn't like Alice, and neither will you when you read this book, but she was a core element of Emmy's growth.

Thank so much to Lily Lindon, Netgalley and Aria Fiction for the copy of the eArc. This review is left voluntary.

A lovely rom com about two females trying t get parts in plays. A lovey easy read novel and one for the holidays when you have time to relax. Well written and a pleasure to read. 4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

What a perfect time to get into a cute queer rom-com none other than pride month!

Okay admittedly it took me a while to get into this, I felt like the beginning may have lacked a bit of the 'OMGosh you need to keep reading' factor but then a few chapters later I was fully invested in Emmy's love story.

I absolutely found it so endearing how naive she was when it came to not realising how much Mae was into her. Her character was so well written and her insecurities both in the acting world and in the dating world were literally screaming off the page. I enjoyed all the characters apart from Alice I found came across as controlling and honestly really desperate.

The book was paced well and was full of funny and cringe-worthy moments which definitely added to my enjoyment.
Overall it was a cute enemies to lovers romance thay I'd highly recommend to anyone wanting to read a queer romance.

‘My Own Worst Enemy’ was an absolute joy to read! Also a little stressful, but not in a bad way, more that I got really invested in the characters and their story way. There is so much to love about this novel. There are so many elements of the story, from Emmy’s internal monologue to her love of her craft, that made me feel so seen. Something I love to find with queer romance novels I read.

It’s been a while since a book has made me full body laugh. It was wonderful to find this with My Own Worst Enemy (though as I had a bad cough at the time of reading, the laughter sometimes brought on coughing fits, which weren’t so great, but worth it regardless). At times I found myself kicking my legs or burying my face in a pillow at some of the events of the novel, with Emmy managing to put her foot in it or just end up in situations I couldn’t just read with a straight face. It made for a delightful reading experience.

The rivalry between Emmy and Mae was so entertaining to read as they continued to try and one up each other. Though I won’t lie, so me of the things they did I really didn’t expect them to go that far. The chemistry between the two characters was, to me, tangible, from the get go - only making me further invested in their story and relationship. Especially with a certain character that made me feel uneasy with how she treated Emmy, and honestly made me want to sit Emmy down and tell her what was going on (I will protect Emmy with my life if needed).

I loved the emotional growth for Emmy throughout this novel. It made me so happy by the time I finished reading, I just wanted to start the novel over again just to spend some more time with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for gifting me this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title was published 8th June 2023.

My Own Worst Enemy by Lily Lindon is based on the premise that opposites don't always attract, and is a charming and funny slice of escapism, perfect for Summer reading.
Emmy Clooney (no relation) has just graduated from drama school and is determined to make a name for herself and have a successful career so that she will no longer have to rely on working in her dad's pizza restaurant
As a "butch" presenting mid twenties short haired lesbian she is acutely aware of the limited numbers of roles that are available to her, but she is determined to make the most of every one. Imagine her chagrin when at her next casting she meets Mae, another short haired mid twenties short haired lesbian, who is up for the same role and may be just that little bit more talented and charismatic than Emmy. As they bump into each other more frequently at auditions Emmy finds herself torn between jealousy and her growing attraction , and when they are both cast in an all queer adaptation of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night sparks truly begin to fly.
Emmy is a very relatable character, I think many of us experienced similar doubts as we first embarked on our chosen careers, and struggled to figure out how to take our place in the world., and that made me forgive some of her self absorption. I loved several of the support characters too, most notably her pizza obsessed dad with his food based terms of endearment and her career driven housemate and best friend Ruth. Mae, the love interest/rival was also a fun character, though I can't help wishing we had a few chapters from her perspective. I appreciated that while the book was mainly about the love story between Emmy and Mae, there was also a strong subplot involving Emmy's parents, and their separation when Emmy was a young teen. Though this is a fun romance read, its also a smart and funny one, and I really appreciated the skill of the author in creating dialogue that had me giggling as I read.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.