So I am a fan of Kristen Callihan and have been for awhile.  When I saw this story, I had to sign up for it.  It sounded right up my alley...childhood enemies to lovers.  I liked it, but I didn't love it sadly.

Macon and Delilah met when they were young.  Delilah and her family moved in down the street from Macon.  Right from the start they hated one another, but why?  They didn't know one another and all Delilah wanted to do was make a new friend, but nope Macon wasn't having it.   He decided to be friends with her little sister instead.  As the years went by, Macon and Delilah  had a tumultuous relationship filled with hate and more hate.  It was who could make the other one feel the crappiest.  Macon had the upper hand most of the time because he was dating her little sister and he was popular, so everyone made Delilah's life horrible.  Until one last prank went bad and Macon decided he was done with the Baker girls.

Fast Forward ten years and once again Macon and Delilah are thrown together because of some irresponsible behavior from her sister.  Sam has taken something from Macon and he wants it back. Delilah is once again faced with the boy she hate, only he's a man know.  A very successful and gorgeous man. 
Delilah makes a deal with the devil(Macon) to help pay off her sister's debt.  She didn't realize that she was going to end up falling in love with him.  Macon can't help but be thrilled to have Delilah back in his life.  Yes, they have a hate/hate relationship, but really he sees it as a love/hate relationship. 

I loved that they seem to complete one another.  Both had a feeling of emptiness until they were brought back into each other's lives.  They seemed to get off on arguing about things, but now they are adults and it doesn't go right to the jugular like it did back in the day.  They had some funny moments and I did like there banter. 
One thing I wanted to do was punch her sister.  Yep worthless user.  I got that Delilah loved her sister and you do things for those you love, but come on...after what she did.  She forgives her way to easily and I knew what it was right off the bat too. 

Okay so here are my issues.  It is a very sloooooow burn.  No real action until almost the end of the book.  I like the build up of it, but I would have been happier with a bit more action.  It just didn't feel like they truly wanted one another. 
Another issue:  The sister.  Were Macon and Sam intimate?  I don't know.  But to me that is a bit of a no-go for me.  I don't have issues where I won't read a book, but it still is you don't step where your family has stepped. 

So overall, the story was cute and funny at times.  I did laugh out loud at a few quips that Delilah said.  I just wish we had a few more steamy scenes with the characters.

You might recall that Enemies to Lovers is my Favorite Trope Ever. I’m a big fan of Forced Proximity too. Dear Enemy has both, making it just about my perfect book. I loved the way Macon and Delilah wound up working through their differences.

They were great. Macon’s friend North is great and should get his own book. But I hated Delilah’s sister Sam. I mean, we’re not supposed to like her since she’s kind of the villain but I just hated her. At the end, there’s an explanation for some of her behavior but it wasn’t enough. It actually felt tacked on and not believable to me, which made me hate her even more.

Because of all those mixed feelings, I couldn’t decide how to rate Dear Enemy. Maybe 3.5 stars? I’m curious to see what other people think when they read it.

I wish I knew how much I was going to love the second half of this book when I was reading the first, because I had already disconnected from the story by the time I got there. Kristen Callihan is one of my favorite authors and enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite trope, so this SHOULD’VE been a homerun for me, but… it just wasn’t. The writing is fantastic, the relationship develops into something truly beautiful, and the slow burn was tortuously perfect, but the history these two share is where the problems lie. We’ll get into that in a minute.

The story follows Macon and Delilah, two people who grew up together and whose hate for each other strongly mirrors love. Macon wasn’t the nicest person back in high school, and his cruelty left permanent marks on Delilah… and that’s not even taking into account his relationship with her sister. When Delilah’s sister unknowingly reunites them years later, it’s obvious that there are still plenty of feelings between them, good and bad.

Callihan is a skilled writer, so there is a LOT that I loved about this, from the great dialogue to the chemistry that ignites between these two later on. It’s definitely a tension-filled read, and that made the back half so engrossing. I could feel the emotion and was pulled back into a story that I had, sadly, become disconnected from. My problem is just how long it took for things to turn a corner. This borders on a bully romance, with a very messy history involving Macon dating Delilah’s sister for years. Though there’s no love lost between Macon and Delilah’s sister, she remains a huge presence in their relationship throughout the course of the book. I could MAYBE get over a hero having dated the heroine’s sister (and have, plenty of times), but this time it just came up so frequently that it got in the way. I also LOVE enemies to lovers but don’t tolerate bully romances well, so I wish we had seen some of the good times sooner. I’ve got extremely complicated feelings about this book, and I think that if I reread it knowing how much I would love Delilah and Macon as a couple later on, it would be a completely different experience. But I’m not sure that my rating would change. I’ll be buying whatever Callihan writes next - that was never in question - but I’m going to have to stew on this one a while longer to see how I truly feel about it.

As a fan of Kristen’s books I had high expectations going in. Enemies to lovers is a trope I love, but in order to enjoy it, I feel both protagonists need to be on level footing in some way. In this case I was slightly uncomfortable with the feud in their youth because I felt Delilah’s animosity was born from self preservation more than anything else.

In adulthood Delilah is a very successful chef and Macon an actor. They have not seen or heard from each other in Ten years but their worlds collide due to Delilah’s sister, Sam. Sam’s character was one I thought would be redeemable with the possibility or her having her own book, but like other plots running through the novel I felt she/it became a villain/device rather than being cohesive in the story building.

This was likely a case of “It’s not you, it’s me” as I was interested enough in wanting to see Delilah and Macron’s HEA, but I can’t say I was reverted in way that I normally am with Kristen’s novels.

3.5-4 'My little Hot Tater Tot' Stars!
ARC provided by the the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with Kristen Callihan’s writing ever since I read the first book in her Game On series. Imagine my excitement when I saw she was releasing a standalone novel with Montlake and I saw the ARC on my Kindle! I love how Kristen develops her characters and the relationships between them and the chemistry build between the couples. Dear Enemy is no exception to that!

So, Dear Enemy is Kristen’s new standalone romance and it’s an enemies to lovers story. Macon Saint and Delilah Baker are childhood enemies and that hatred started from the very first moment they laid eyes on each other. That got even worse when Macon started dating Delilah’s sister Sam. Things did not end well and ten years have passed. Macon is now a Hollywood star and Delilah a professional chef. Circumstances bring them back together and they have to spend a huge amount of time in the same space. Is it really hate what they feel or other hidden feelings are now in the mix?

“It’s killing you, isn’t it?” he says, way too pleased. “The thought of being subservient to me.”
“What was your first clue, Detective?”
His grin is all teeth and anticipation. “I’ll own you, Delilah. For one year, your ass will be mine.”

I am a massive fan of a good hate to love romance. I knew Kristen Callihan could write a good one and Dear Enemy was a good example of this romance trope. Is it not my favorite from this author but did I still enjoy it? Yes, of course! This novel also involves a good dose of slow burn and kind of second chance feels. I loved Macon and Delilah, their banter, the chemistry and the emotions. I loved how they become vulnerable after knowing the whole truth and how that is explained. When they leave the hate apart and the true nature of their relationship shows it’s so sweet and emotional and I really loved that.

I can’t let her go.
Something is waking up in me or settling back into place. I don’t know which, but everything in me wants to hold on to the sensation and soak it up.

The chemistry was mind-blowing when it finally burned and I just loved this couple together. I loved how Kristen took it to the next level with the whole truth about their past experiences and their true feelings. I do however know Kristen can develop that chemistry a whole lot more than she did here. In my opinion, the slow burn was a bit too long and I found myself disconnecting a bit from the story sometimes. Still, towards the end I was at the edge of my seat all over again and I really loved Macon and Delilah’s happy ending.

If there is one thing I know to be true, it’s that everything worth having in my life is worth fighting for.
And I will fight for Delilah.

Therefore, I am rating Dear Enemy with 3.5-4 STARS because it was a great standalone hate to love story and I am pretty sure people will like it if they have enjoyed Kristen’s work in the past. The couple was engaging, the banter too and I enjoyed how their relationship was taken to the next level. I would have loved to see a bit more of Macon and Delilah as a couple but I really loved this novel overall. I am so happy these two found their HEA together after all those years supposedly hating each other!

I have a hard time rating this book, because the premise should not work not only because it's over the top and makes no sense, but also because this is a bully romance even if the hero is never called that, and that is a hard limit for me. But Callihan is a good storyteller who writes compelling characters so this book was incredibly easy to read and very hard to put down. That said, I can't recommend it and the more I think about it, the less sense it does. I think you just have to ignore that the hero bullied the heroine throughout their childhoods and just look at it as a modern gothic that sacrifices realism for atmosphere.

Content warning: parental death; lots of scenes of the hero tormenting and being cruel to the heroine when they were kids/teens.

Kristen Callihan is one of my most favorite authors and when I get a new book by her, I get addicted to the story until I finish it. Dear Enemy is an enemies to lovers book and the author shows us how it is properly done. It has amazing banter, great characters and a sweet love story.

Delilah has always been the good girl and her sister just the opposite. When she gets a text from her arch nemesis of her past saying that her sister is going to be in trouble, once again she rushes to save face.

Macon might be a Hollywood star but he feels lonely. When Delilah’ s sister steals his mom’s watch, he finds the perfect plan to have Delilah at his mercy. He is going to forget the theft if she becomes his personal assistant and chef. The girl from his past though has changed and he makes him feel happy.

Delilah is forced to face the bully of her teenage years but she is not ready to feel the crazy attraction towards him. Is this just a scheme or has he really changed?

Although, Macon and Delilah fought like dogs and cats in the past, now they both have matured. There is amazing back and forth between them but it is not hurtful. It is a light and humorous sweet but not lacking emotional turmoil.

I loved both characters. Despite the fact that our heroine has been hurt by Macon’s comments, she is not afraid to stand up for herself. She is sensitive but with a will of steel. Macon is a character that surprised me. We are used nowadays to see in romance books bully boys that turn into unapologetic, alpha men but Macon is anything but. He is remorseful and regrets his actions and he shows it. He is not scared to show his vulnerabilities in order to convince her that their relationship has worth.

This is a slow burn romance book and I admit that I would have liked to see more intimate scenes between them. Also, I would have loved a more definite epilogue.

This is one of the most pleasant books I have read so far this year. I completely enjoyed it and I would read more and more pages!!!

I loved this book so much!!! The back and forth between Delilah and Macon was everything!! It was just a perfect enemies to lovers. It served up all that fight while letting us in to both of their tender and painful sides. I love these two so freaking much!!!!

Through the book you get to love and care for them so much and you want all the best things for them. You want to protect them from absolutely everyone and just want them to be happy together because they truly deserve it.

I’ve had such a hard time reading lately and this book held all my attention and had me rooting for the main characters and I loved every second of it.

I will probably never stop hating Sam and I think that’s ok...

4.5

Such a great book! So why not 5 stars? I needed more from the ending. Regardless, I highly recommend. It is written well and the characters were wonderful. If you like enemies to lovers, this one tells it well. The banter, insults, teasing and flirting were so clever and I laughed outloud quite a few times. Also loved Mama. ❤

This is a relatively new author for me but I wouldn't hesitate to read them again and again. I enjoyed reading this story and found the storyline and characters were interesting and enjoyable to read about. Overall I really enjoyed this book alot and would love to read about the secondary characters as well.

4.5 STARS

THIS! This is why I love reading and this is what has been missing for me lately. The feeling of excitement, being unable to put the book down just to go pee. Yeah, I'm going there people. DEAR ENEMY is a flawlessly executed enemies-to-lovers romance that follows a sassy heroine and a brooding hero with lots of humor, emotions and a pinch of angst to keep it interesting.

Macon was the perfect hero - growing up he was a real jerk to Delilah but there are just enough hints to give the reader an inkling that this isn't just pure malice, that there is something cooking we aren't privy to yet. Over the course of the story I fell in love with Macon's kindness, his thoughts about Delilah and how he opened up to her about his childhood and youth.
Delilah is pretty. Quietly pretty. She will never be the first person everyone looks at when entering a room. Especially not in LA, where beautiful women bloom like flowers in a well-tended garden. But among a bouquet of perfect roses, Delilah is much like her namesake flower—unexpectedly vivid and complex—making you realize that roses are boring in comparison.

He seemed so self-confident, so larger-than-life on the outside that no one bothered to look what's behind the facade.

With Delilah I got one of my favorite heroines - sassy, snarky, smart, deeply loyal and adaptive. A person who keeps the hero on his toes, who listens and learns, who makes mistakes and knows how to say sorry and how to forgive. And there was a lot to forgive when it came to Macon - he really was the worst and total punk as a teenager. For Delilah it wasn't the grudge that was hard to get over though but her insecurities that Macon caused and they would flare up frequently. Macon's openness and his true remorse helped her to get over it though and earned him her absolute trust. He didn't let up when he realized that it was his childhood enemy he wanted and went after her with every tool in his repertoire.
"Did I take advantage? Yeah, I did. But it was never about control or payback. It was the only way I knew I could be close to you. We parted with so much hate and hurt between us. I wanted a chance to get to know who you are now. For me to show you who I am.”

I also loved Delilah for her steadfastness, her loyalty, her unshakable love for her sister although she wasn't blind to Sam's many flaws (boy, did I hate her). Both of the main characters experienced immense growth that left me completely satisfied in the end.
"You're killing me, Tot. I don't know whether I'm coming or going with you."

The stalker aspect of the story was a prominent part of the story and I expected a showdown which I was deprived of. It wasn't a big deal and didn't take away from my enjoyment but I thought this could have been handled a liiittle bit better. I loved the food references, the way Delilah expressed herself with food, how she told stories and experiences through it. This was so well done.

I'm a huge fan of Kristen Callihan's writing - I loved every single book I read by her in the past. She writes with heart and humor, her heroines and heroes are always strong, people who seem real with all their flaws but still so darn likable. DEAR ENEMY falls right into this category. I'm now looking forward to what she has next in store for us. Maybe we get a book about North, Macon's awesome bodyguard? I think he deserves a HEA.
"I'm going to love you, Macon Saint. So long and so hard you're not going to remember what it feels like to be without love."

Not my favorite Kristen Calihan (she's an auto-buy for me). It was a slow burn story that was a little too slow in the beginning. I didn't find the characters as likeable as her other novels.

4.5 Stars!
Delilah Baker’s family moves to the southern town of Shermont, North Carolina when she’s eleven years old. She quickly makes an enemy out of a boy named Macon Saint. He’s a popular jerk with the face of an angel, but an ugly personality. Through middle school and high school they hated each other and clashed at every turn. She often felt like she couldn’t escape him since he dated her sister Samantha. No one on earth has ever annoyed her so much, so when her sister and Macon finally break up she’s thrilled she won’t have to be tormented by him anymore.

Ten years later Delilah receives a text that has her trying to scramble to fix her sister’s problems. In the process she comes face to face with her childhood nemesis Macon Saint. It’s been ten years, and he’s all grown up and a famous actor living on the beach in Malibu. They make a deal that will help solve both their problems, but also put them in close proximity.

Delilah still holds a grudge and loathed Macon with a passion. She needed to try to keep the past in the past for their arrangement to work, but all the disappointment and hurt were still there. It was as if no time had passed the way they still bickered, and he knew just which buttons to push, but she’s no longer that shy, lonely, awkward girl. As they spend time together she wonders if the boy he once was and the man he is today are that different. He’s still arrogant, but she’s also seeing other sides of Macon. Soon she wonders if she ever really saw the real him all those years?

Macon has many regrets when it comes to Delilah, and after a decade isn’t surprised she still seems to be immune to his charms. She’s honest, direct, and genuine. What you see is what you get, and she’s always been able to see right through him. She slips past his defenses and makes him feel exposed. She’s the one person he’s never been able to ignore, who leaves him open and vulnerable in every way. She knows the real him, and they share an overwhelming connection that just keeps growing. They are complete opposites, but she feels like home and makes him feel alive again. He can no longer pretend that he doesn’t want her or care. Lines get blurred, and soon real feelings are involved as things turn complicated between them.

Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan is a sexy enemies to lovers romance packed with angst, emotion, and magnetic chemistry. I really loved this story and these characters, and couldn’t get enough of their fantastic banter!

A really entertaining fast paced read, I love the enemies to lovers trope and this was such a great example of why. Full of chemistry, Macon and Delilah are sizzling hot, it’s well written and such an addictive read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

They have known and hated each other since they were 11 years old. But when Delilah's sister betrays Macon Saint in the worst possible way, it's up to her to come to her sister's rescue while being an assistant and chef to the person she can't stand the most.
I absolutely LOVE enemies to lovers... and this one with the angst, the slow burn, the perfect banter hit the sweet spot for me for so many reasons. If I am being honest, I haven't read for weeks... I just haven't been in the mood as of late and this one checked all my boxes and provided that much-needed escape from real life... I was glued to my kindle, frantically turning the pages because I could not get enough of these characters, their story, their realizations of the truth and that bittersweet moment when it all connects and you can breathe that sigh of relief that all is right in the world. Callihan evoked all those emotions and feelings with her words and I will read anything she writes. A perfect rainy day, feel-good read... my heart is so happy <3

Kristen Callihan's Dear Enemy gives us a classic enemy to lovers story done well. We get the history of Delilah and Macon's long suffering dislike for one another. He dated her sister through a good portion of their teen years and tortured and teased Delilah every chance he got. She hasn't forgiven him for the humiliation he caused her and the painful memories she still carries with her. He hasn't forgiven her for being one of the few people who doesn't "bow" to him.

Years down the road, Delilah is pulled back into Macon's orbit when her sister, Sam steals from him. She finds herself offering to become not only his new personal assistant but also his personal chef to repay Sam's debt. It forces them to be in close proximity on an almost continual basis. This reignites feelings that they both thought were long buried. Delilah always had a crush on Macon, but he was off limits since he was dating her sister. However, her sister and he are not dating and she finds she's strangely attracted to him but she's petrified to trust him. With their history, she doesn't know if she can believe anything he's telling her if it's another ruse to lure her into his game and embarrass her at the most opportune moment. Meanwhile, Macon is tired of feeling like his past is continually being thrown in his face. Their push and pull is a difficult one to read about at times because you truly want to yell at both of them. However, it's also completely understandable at the same time. Neither of them understands what is going on in the other person's head so there is a need for trust between two people who haven't ever earned each other's trust.

I liked that even though these two acknowledged they had feelings for one another, it wasn't an easy and quick-moving type of relationship. They still had issues to overcome because of their past. Delilah's insecurities were extreme and Macon was brutalized by her lack of faith in him. Ms. Callihan definitely didn't gloss over the healing process that was still needed for these two to move forward as a successful couple.

I really did enjoy this book. I, personally, would have liked just a little bit more from the epilogue. However, it was still quite a good book and ticked all my major boxes.

Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake and Ms. Callihan for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There was a legitimate concern when I sat down to write this review that it would mainly consist of heart-eyed emojis and exclamation points. It’s an accurate representation of how this book made me feel.

Dear Enemy is a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance, which is hands down my absolute favorite trope. If anyone should use the term slow-burn to recommend a romance to me, chances are high that I’ve already one-clicked it or 5 starred it.

But let me be clear, slow burns are hard to write. There must be engaging and memorable characters and snarky and witty banter between the leads and the ultimate payoff must be worth the wait the reader has to endure to get to it. It’s actually ridiculous that a person who is as impatient as I am so enjoys a subcategory of romance that can best be explained by the phrase, WAIT FOR IT.

In Dear Enemy, Kristen Callihan has managed to employ all of the traits necessary to write a successful slow burn. Delilah Baker and Macon Saint, adversaries since childhood, have been forced back into each other’s orbit after a ten year gap. To say they do not get along is a massive understatement. Yet, against her better judgment, Delilah makes a deal with the devil that is Macon Saint, when her sister, who also happens to be Macon’s ex high-school girlfriend, skips town after stealing from him.

Delilah and Macon’s back and forth banter is snarky and sarcastic and basically the most delicious brand of verbal foreplay. Yes, they have history and some of it is very, very ugly but there is no denying the underlying heat and chemistry that exists between these two characters. Watching their verbal sparring, their endless thrust and parry of heated insults is only tolerable because of the sexual tension that coats all of their interactions. You just know when these two finally finally get horizontal on a bed (or in a bathtub or on a sandy beach), the end result is bound to be explosive.

But if the book was just sexy fighting leading up to some hot love scenes, that’s kind of an empty shell of a romance. What makes Dear Enemy really work is the emotional component, watching these long-time adversaries coming together to realize that people can grow and change, and that these two individuals who used to bring out the worst in each other can actually evolve to bringing out the best in each other. And that ultimately leads to the question that Delilah must answer for herself: can a guy who was the root cause of so much misery in her youth also turn out to be the greatest source of happiness for her as an adult? Given that this is a romance, I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that the chances of this happening are pretty high.

I would be remiss in not mentioning the side characters in this novel. While Delilah’s sister, Sam, could take a hike and I really would not miss her, I desperately hope that Macon’s bodyguard/stunt double, North West (no relation to Kim and Kanye) gets his own book. He was a delight and I enjoyed his interactions with both Delilah and Macon.

Ultimately, though, the book rests on the shoulders of its main characters. Watching Delilah and Macon travel this bumpy road from mutual wariness and disdain to one of reluctant trust and respect to ultimately falling hard for each other is what makes this slow burn well worth the wait.

I really enjoyed this slow burn enemies to lovers storyline. Macon and Delilah’s banter was off the charts hilarious. Their chemistry was sizzling hot. I highly recommend this book.

Lord, I'm glad it wasn't just me not enjoying this book. I thought maybe I was falling into a book slump again.

Anyway, I found Dear Ememy to be blah. No chemistry, well sexual anyway; they had a shit ton as enemies and friends. Outside of that, I wasn't on the Macon and Dee train. I did enjoy the banter though, hence the one star. However, that banter could sometimes turn real cheesy. So it was hit or miss with them.

The whole sister dated him first aspect didn't bother me. The author never showed anything romantic between the two of them.

The plot is predictable. You'll guess early on who the bad guy is. Macon was a dick when he was younger. As an adult he was okay. He seemed to feel regret for his bullying antics as a child. Dee wasn't a complete doormat, which was refreshing.

I did think the build up of the stalker was a let down in the end. It's about the only real thing that kept me turning the page. I was expecting a big blowup scene and it fell flatter than a pancake.

If your looking for a surface book with little angst, depth, or emotion than this one will be perfect for you. It's pretty mindless and more of a tell than show type of book. I know that sounds harsh, but it's the truth.

I'm normally a fan of Callihan, which is why I snapped it up. Dear Enemy feels like a totally different author from her other books.

I haven't read a romance book from Kristen Callihan in a while but going into this one was like revisiting an old friend. I love Callihan's ability to write strong characters and exciting novels! I always manage to fall in love with her heroes and find friendship with her heroines. This is no different with Dear Enemy and Callihan truly delivered!