I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Dear Enemy was my first contemporary by Kristen Callihan, and I had no idea what to epect, having only read her Darkest London series prior to this one. However, I have heard a few raves from other advance reviewers, and I was intrigued by this premise, even if enemies-to-lovers is hard to do well.

This book hits the mark of what the trope is almost immediately, showing two people who an’t stand each other, but at heart, do have things in common and even some respect for one another that hint and deeper underlying feelings. There is some danger of it falling into the “he only does these things because he likes you,” but this is a discussion that is had in the book, and the way it’s subverted is done fairly well, even if the later execution of the relationsihp development did leave me feeling a little cold. .

I could relate to Delilah and the sense of feeling less than, both in comparison to her sister and in the eyes of others. That this sometimes manifested in her mind in Macon’s voice is somewhat troubling and does color their present romance in an odd light, but after mentioning this, she does say that there’s a flip side to his influence on her as well.

I also enjoyed that there is a bit of reckoning with her sister, without them ending up reconciling and being all buddy-buddy by the end. It struck the perfect balance between the heroine and antagonist seeing each other’s perspective, but the former not forgiving the latter for being horrible to them in the past.

Macon left less of an impression on me as a character in his own right. I enjoyed the fact that he did manage to succeed in spite of coming from a less spectacular childhood, but I found a lot of the rest of it just borrowed too heavily from familiar cliches with broody heroes, and I wanted a little more depth. Plus, he calls Delilah “Tater Tot” constantly…I like pet names as much as the next person, but it just felt so hammered in and forced. Those two factors led to me feelings generally lukewarm as things heated up between them, even though I do acknowledge they work well as a couple.

This was a generally enjoyable contemporary romance, but maybe just not really for me in some ways. But if you are more of a fan of contemporary romance and enemies to lovers, I recommend this, as it is a solid read with a great heroine.

I picked this up and didn't want to put it down. An enemies to lovers with a slow burn. Delilah's a chef, Macon's an actor, they were bitter rivals/enemies as kids. Her sister/his ex-gf betrayed him and stole a valuable piece of jewelry. So Delilah makes a deal to protect her sister and her weak-hearted mother, and ends up working for Macon for free. Close quarters force them to confront their past and their undeniable attraction to each other.

Kristen Callihan is great at what she does. I was drawn in from page one, and felt with each character. It takes a long time for the MCs to confront and accept how they feel, but it's worth the wait. I love how Delilah is loyal and defends what she cares about.

I will 500% be reading this book again.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review.

A great read, the story of Macon and Delilah.

She hasn't seen him for years, and back then they were always arguing. Now she needs him to let her pay for what her sister took from him. But as they start to spend more time together they start to fall for each other, but will old insecurities stop them being happy together?

I am OBSESSED with enemies to lover read!!! This is my first book by this author and the way she has created this world has made me want to get every book she’s written! I love how she built the backstory of their history together to understand how their relationship is to date. All of it, everything. The slow burn of their attraction, the mystery/suspense of his accident, just perfection! I can’t wait to tell everyone about it!!!

Rated 3.5 Stars

Dear Enemy is funny, snarky and sexy. I enjoyed it especially the tension, sexual and otherwise between the main characters, Delilah and Macon. However, I struggled quite a bit while reading it. It has the elements I love in an enemies to lovers yet somehow it didn't work for me. That said it's still an enjoyable story.

I really enjoyed this book! The slow burn romance had great timing for me, and I really appreciated the enemies to lovers trope - it worked for me. We get flashbacks of the past, when the characters are "in hate" with one another, and then swap to the future. The reason for the hate is believable, although I wish there were a few more hints to the protagonist about WHY she is mistreated (even if she is too young to fully understand it, that point could have used a little more fleshing out). Sometimes in hate to love books the antagonist is forgiven too quickly for what they've done, but I think Delilah makes him sweat it out for long enough before giving in to temptation. The sister relationship was an interesting one, and although I was getting annoyed at Delilah for letting her sister walk all over her, I don't have a sister so what do I know about that? I will say the sisters I know would definitely hold one another a bit more responsible for their actions and not be so quick to throw themselves on the pyre for something as dire as what occurred in the book. Overall, it was a fun and sexy read!

Every single time I pick up a book by Kristen I think to myself "no way is this going to top the last book she wrote. It isn't possible" and then I sit down and read the new book within one sitting because I can't put it down. It has become a very much appreciated tradition and I can safely say that Dear Enemy was no different.
There is just something about the way Callihan writes flawed characters - intriguing and spellbinding, but never ignorant of the hurt that people can inflict on others just because they may be suffering themselves. And she makes no excuses when it comes to trauma - you either stand up and accept that you have been a shithead, or you can leave the narrative for good.
Macon and Delilah may be my favorite couple of hers yet. From childhood enemies to frenemies as adults and lovers, the slow burn was real with this one and the connection between the two of them felt visceral and all-encompassing. Like I said, I couldn't put it down.
For old fans of Callihan's writing and readers new to this author, get ready for an impactful, delicious slow-burn romance that will make you cackle (these characters are hilarious), swoon (I mean, come on, Macon is hot as hell) and clutch your heart in agony when they're fighting through their trauma. One for the ages, my friends.

Quick Synopsis: Macon Saint and Delilah Baker grew up together and they did not get along. And think Draco/Hermione kind of not getting along and not just real petty childhood things. I mean, granted, instead of Draco standing by while Hermione is literally tortured, Macon just gives Delilah the nickname tator tot and then stands by while everyone at SENIOR PROM laughs at her because the catering pans have all been replaced with tator tots. But Macon has always been a part of Delilah's life because he dated her sister, Sam. And now, they're all grown up and Macon's a big star on a Game of Throne style show and Delilah is a chef and Sam is... a thief. To protect Sam, if only for their mother's sake, Delilah enters Macon's orbit and... Well, eventually you get an HEA.

My Thoughts: I really, really loved this. Kristen Callihan is so, so good at deep characterization and that skill is definitely put to use here. Delilah and Macon have very real flaws and quirks and personalities. It's easy to see and understand their chemistry and I loved watching them slowly work their way toward one another. This is definitely a slow burn, but the sexual tension builds up so, so nicely and you can see them really working through their past history and coming to terms with it. I loved how they would disclose information to kind of explain their thought processes, but in a guarded fashion that felt true to life.

And, given that this book is about a couple who knew one another as children/teenagers, I also loved that this book specifically calls out the "boys will be boys" and "boys tease girls they like" mentality and shuts it down because YES. Speaking of that discussion, the side characters in this book are incredible. I love North and I love Delilah's mom and her best friend.

There are lines in this book that just absolutely destroyed me and scenes that made me laugh out loud. Honestly, I can't recommend this book enough. Other things you may want to know are that Delilah is described as being curvy and also she's a chef so you should definitely not read this while hungry or you will be very sad you are not a chef. (Okay, that might just be me.)

There are several CWs though so I'm going to try and list them all here: stalking, injury requiring wheelchair use and pain, bullying, emotional manipulation, child abuse (discussed, but not seen on page), discussion of adoption, car accident, death of parent/grief discussions... I think that's all of them, but I may have missed a few.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher/author for the chance to read and review this book early!

We are following childhood enemies Macon and Delilah. I am always ready for this trope to blow me away, and from what I've read from this author's past works she really can deliver.
So, what are my issues?
1. Our male character dated our female character's sister. It wasn't a flirt, it lasted for years. They were the definition of "sweethearts" and even if their relationship was superficial and no love was present between them it still irritated the hell out of me that this was even part of the plot.
2. The build up lasted until 70/75% they didn't even have their first kiss until that moment. And let me tell you not everyone is Mariana Zapata. Not everyone can built up a slow burn like she can. And it shows.
3. The characters were bland and flat, I didn't care about them. I just didn't find believable their feelings especially after seeing their past. Too many coincidences, too many plot holes.

Basically 392 pages of nothing.

Thin line between love and hate is small!

Macon Saint had saint for a last name but he was anything but saintly with Delilah Baker, even giving her a nickname of Tater Tot that lasted all through school. Delilah had to deal with Macon being around when he was dating her younger sister Samantha, but when they broke up, she was happy to see the end of him. Delilah’s plans changed when he contacted her out of the blue claiming that Samantha had stolen a watch that had belonged to his mother. Delilah tried to pay Macon back for the watch but instead she volunteered to work as personal chef and assistant to repay him waiting for Samantha to contact her.

I know there is a thin line between love and hate but between Macon and Delilah that line is the width of a molecule because the heat that comes across in the story is the love between Macon and Delilah.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There's a thin line between love and hate, and that's something that is so well illustrated between Delilah and Macon. Theirs is a complicated relationship filled with misunderstandings, deceptions, and buried hurt. When they met as children, Macon shot down her innocent offer of friendship out of self-preservation. From that moment on, there was never a moment's peace between them. To make matters worse, Delilah was forced to be in his company more often than not once her sister started dating him. He was like the gum on the bottom of your shoe that you just can't get off. Taunting, harassing, and humiliating her every chance he got. She wasn't quite sure why Macon had it out for her from the start, but it seemed to confirm her feeling that she was the lesser of the Baker sisters. After an unforgivable incident at prom, that was the end of their chaotic relationship. She never thought she'd see him again after high school, but her sister Sam had other ideas.

In a word, Sam is....the WORST. She's self-centered and immature from high school into adulthood. Her disregard for others is proven again and again, and there were points I could not believe that Delilah would turn her life upside down to rescue her. There's something to be said for family loyalty, and part of the reason she went out of her way to clean up her mess was her concern for their mother. Though, if you look at the bigger picture, this isn't an isolated incident. Sam has been manipulating for a very long time, and everyone around the two can see how Delilah allows it to happen. Which sucks. It flat out sucks, because Delilah is a soft-hearted woman who keeps getting dumped on because she cares too much.

Delilah offers her soul to the devil-her services as personal assistant and chef to none other than Macon Saint, her childhood nemesis. Her sister has stepped far over the line this time, but she's willing to sacrifice her pride to make things right. Macon reluctantly agrees to the temporary arrangement, but the friction between them immediately starts throwing sparks once again. Although Delilah can be sarcastic and cutting, the hate just isn't there anymore. She sees a whole new side to him that makes her question her long-standing grudge. The Macon she knows now doesn't add up with the rude kid she was so well acquainted with.

Delilah has some soul searching to do once she recognizes how her feelings have changed. Her new feelings are tangled up in residual hurt from the past. She'll have to overcome her own hidden insecurities as well as put her foot down with her sister once and for all. I really enjoyed Delilah's sassy personality, her bluntness and gift with food. Cooking is her form of self-expression that she can pour all of her creativity and emotion into. Macon's art form is acting, but it's his way of hiding his painful life behind fictional characters. Sometimes he seems cocky and insensitive, but it's just a front for his battered pride. I loved how they both opened themselves up completely in the end and laid everything bare. There was so much between them hidden under the surface that needed to be aired that not only mended their relationship, but was the beginning of bridging something new with her sister.

I feel like there's definitely potential to make this into a series. North and Ronan were both intriguing secondary characters that are worthy of a full length story. Overall, I was really satisfied, but the stalker storyline kind of fizzled out into nothing. As far as conflicts go, it was skimmed over too much, and the resolution was anti-climactic. I didn't love Dear Enemy quite as much as some of the author's other works, but it was still a solid book. It was very fast-paced, full of snappy dialogue, and the epilogue rounded out the story so perfectly with heartfelt emotion. Anyone looking for a light enemies to lovers story needs this on their radar.

Sadly I didn’t love this.
First of all I wanted the hero to grovel some more for his former behaviour. There was also the second half of the book... It dragged and the plot got a quite cheesy towards the end.
Overall this was a fun read, but nothing special.

This was a compelling and humorous enemies to lovers romance with intricate and complex characters and witty banter.

On its face this is a classic enemies to lovers romance between to childhood enemies but it was so much more; there was so much going beyond the surface. Macon had a painful past that I was not expecting that shined a light on who he was and why he acted the way he did. This was a story about letting old hurts go, personal growth, and realizing that perception is not reality and that you don’t always know what is going on in someone’s life. I don’t want to give any spoilers into the story, but I completely swooned over Mason, especially during one particular moment when he reveals something to Delilah about their past.

Let me just say that the one blight on this story is Sam, Delilah’s sister. She is absolutely horrible, to both Mason and Delilah. It was a bit frustrating that Delilah repeatedly covered for her sister and wasn’t forcing her to face the consequences of her actions. I kind of expected there to be some sort of redemption for Sam in the long run that would make some of Delilah’s actions sort of worth it but that didn’t really happen.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was was a steamy, humorous, and heartwarming romance.

Read this if you enjoy:

- Dual POV
- Enemies to Lovers
- Witty banter

Delilah and Macon were childhood enemies. Macon dated Delilah’s sister, Sam, and teased Delilah mercilessly. Even publicly humiliating her more than once. After prom, Delilah and Sam moved away. And ever since, Delilah hasn’t seen Macon...until now.

She wrongly receives a text from Macon that was meant for Sam. And in order to pick up Sam’s mess, she offers to work for Macon as his personal chef/assistant until Sam returns with Macon’s family watch that’s worth over $300,000.

At first Macon and Delilah are feuding the same as when they were teens. They soon become friends and that flourishes into something more. But can history be forgotten or is it bound to repeat itself?

Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan is a childhood enemies to adult lovers romance, which can be such a hit or miss for me. This one also has a trope that can go very wrong: dating your sibling’s ex. This romance was sweet and had all the ingredients for a great enemies to lovers romance. But it fell a little short for me. I didn’t hate it by any means, but I didn’t love it either. 3.5/5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kristen Callihan and Montlake for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh man, this book was everything I love in a story! Hate to love, a bit forbidden, and good lord, the chemistry! It was off the charts. I could not put this book down, one of my top reads for 2020 so far!

DEAR ENEMY is a standalone contemporary romance by Kristen Callihan. I don’t normally take a chance on “enemies-to- lovers” stories, but I’m a fan of Kristen Callihan’s previous books so I thought I’d check this one out. There are several emotional intricacies that make this more than your average “enemies-to-lovers” book. As teenagers, Macon Saint was the thorn in Delilah Baker’s side – even when he eventually started dating her sister Samantha. A cruel prom night prank seemed to cap off their stormy relationship. Now, years later as adults, they involuntarily reconnect when Sam took off after stealing a family memento from Macon. Awkward doesn’t begin to cover it. Mortifying might be a better word to describe the situation for Delilah. “Unexpected sense of anticipation” might describe Macon’s feelings when he gets a second chance with Delilah.

Although these two are older and in a much different space than they were when they last knew each other as teenagers – those experiences inhibit their interactions now. I’m glad that Kristen Callihan tells DEAR ENEMY from both perspectives, otherwise I think it’d wouldn’t be as palatable. Macon and Delilah have such wildly different recollections and secrets associated with the past, that the reader needs a window into their minds and souls. Given their pasts, and the fact that Delilah is somewhat forced to work off her sister’s debt acting as Macon’s assistant and personal chef, I was prepared to dislike him. However, Kristen Callihan does a good job of revealing the complexities and motivations of both characters, thus creating some depth and getting the reader to connect with them. Delilah never really knew where things truly stood in the past when it came to Macon. Macon did a super job of hiding his pain and masking his true feelings and inconvenient attraction to Delilah. I’m happy that Callihan includes a scene in which Macon is made to understand the way Delilah internalized his lousy behavior and apologized in a heartfelt and satisfying way. Without that, Delilah and I – as a reader – would have had a hard time moving past that.

DEAR ENEMY is a deeply moving and unconventional romance that I wholeheartedly recommend. This book does have one or two steamy scenes between the main characters, but it’s the sexual tension and emotional punch that puts the added zing in this story. I look forward to Kristen Callihan’s next book.

I usually love a good enemies to lovers so I figured this would be right up my alley, but it just missed the mark for me. I hated, loathed, abhored Delilia. I was rolling my eyes at her the entire book. And because I didn't like her I couldn't connect to the book.m it just felt long. Very long.

Dear Enemy is a fun enemies to lovers, slow burn that was the perfect distraction from the crazy times that we are currently living in. I found myself eager to be in the world of Macon and Delilah and their history of burns and barbs. Delilah had such a sharp tongue and a quick trigger with her insults that I found I was either cheering her, laughing, or cringing at how filterless she could be. As sympathetic as I was to her hurts, the more I got to know Macon, I found myself equally sympathetic to his plight too. (SIDE NOTE--Macon, rhymes with bacon....still not sure about that name! but I got past it). I actually found that I felt more for Macon the more I read. He had a lot going on in that back story and his current day life was not all sweet and perfect and yet he found a way to brave through it all to push for something with Delilah. As they rounded the curve from their past interactions to dealing with each other in the present, and finding that they've grown and are actually good for and with each other, I found myself just loving what was happening. The secondary plotlines were fun...the cooking was to die for...and I was genuinely sad to see the ending of this novel.

This is the first Kristen Callihan novel I've read and I am excited that she has a backlist for me to go through. Grab this novel and enjoy!

4.5/5. This is my first exposure to the author and it definitely has me wanting more. Great bantering. likeable protagonists. Absolutely sizzling chemistry and the author certainly kept us waiting for their inevitable physical union, building up the heat with each encounter only for them to part licking their wounds and craving more. And these two definitely know the other's vulnerable spots to draw blood.

Throughout their middle and high school years, Delilah and Macon were fierce adversaries forced to endure each other's company by virtue of their common link, Delilah's sister and Macon's then on/off girlfriend - Sam. Their interactions only got more vicious and personal as they got older, culminating in a traumatic and humiliating moment for Delilah at their prom.

Ten years later, they cross paths again, courtesy once more of the manipulative Sam's self-serving shenanigans. Delilah is no longer the insecure, plainer sister, but a successful chef in LA. Once she got over her shock of having to face her old arch enemy again, Delilah tries to right Sam's wrongs as she is wont to do, this time offering to work for Macon to compensate him for Sam's thieving actions against him. Macon, the star of a popular TV series, does not hesitate to bind Delilah to a devil's agreement, rejoicing in finally having Delilah right where he has always wanted her. They start their working relationship circling each other warily. Not knowing any other way to behave around the other, they fall into their usual habits of trading barbs and jabs. But living and working in close proximity slowly result in old prejudices being replaced by grudging respect and the realisation that perhaps they do not have the other one pegged after all. The fiery exchanges soon gets superseded by just pure fire and heat, because there’s always heat between them.

This book has it all - humour, great characters, lust, real emotions, more lust. My only gripes are that the ending got a bit too maudlin. Don't get me wrong, I love angst and I love the emotional side to the story, but it might have been just a tad too over-done. I also felt that the problem of Sam was not suitably dealt with. I thought it might be a bit awkward for Delilah to fall for the man, her sister dated, but in truth, Sam dated the boy and never really knew the man. In actual fact, she barely knew Macon, the boy, either, and their teenaged relationship was more 'let's hang out because it was convenient', rather than any affectionate bond or attraction. This really is no love triangle story, which is a relief to me, because I hate this trope. Dual first person POV.

This is a NetGalley ARC.


Arguing with him is like trying on the skinny jeans you've pulled out of the closet after a number of years and finding they still fit, albeit tightly. it might not be exactly comfortable, but there is definitely an empowering kick to the experience.


"But like it or not, we spent a decade lashing out at each other, and I still have those scars. For years, whenever I looked in a mirror and saw flaws, whenever I heard that voice in my head that said I wasn't good enough...Macon, it was your voice I heard."


"You say I'm the voice in your head, telling you what you aren't. I want to be the voice telling you all the things that you are. Talented and funny and fearless as hell."


He's not getting under my skin; he's becoming part of it. i don't think I can walk away from him now without tearing a chunk of myself apart.

I absolutely loved this story, from the first to the very last page. Enemies to lovers, but not in a clichéd way. If you want lots of hot steamy sex then this is not for you. If you want a slow burn that ends in an explosion maybe this is the book for you. Macon (pronounced like bacon), and Delilah are mortal enemies from a young age. Even though Macon is pretty much part of her family as he’s been dating her sister Sam for the majority of their youth,the Fast forward 10 years and it appears they are still harbouring those same feelings of hatred x ten, but in order to pay off her sister’s debt they have to at list coexist together for a while. What a fun, angsty and emotional read. I love that the story centres around food, I think I put 10lbs on just reading it, and I loved the passion that both Macon and Delilah shared for each other and that they could both relate so well to each other while still fighting. This book needs to be made into a film. Just putting it out there, because I would definitely go and see it. Such a wonderful read, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.