Macon and Delilah are like gas and oil.  When they first meet at age 11 Delilah offers friendship, but Macon brushes  her off and instead takes up with Delilah's "mean girl" sister Samantha.  Throughout school they actively display their hatred for one another, but was it truly hate?  Everything comes to a head at prom and the two don't see one another again until ten years later.  They drop easily back into their routine of trading insults and participating in lively banter.  The difference is that they are no longer kids.  They find the attraction completely different this time around.  They also learn that not all was as it seemed all those years ago.

I enjoyed how the main characters interacted.  Delilah was not afraid to bite back even though she was still vulnerable to personal criticism, and the hurt she felt back in high school still liked to rear its ugly head just when it seemed she might be able to get past it.  I admired how Macon took responsibility for his past mistakes and was determined to find a way to make Delilah part of his future.

I would recommend this to any romance reader - especially if they enjoy the enemies to lovers trope.  There is some steam to this book, so keep that in mind.   My thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book and offer my unbiased opinion.

There isn't much that would convince Delilah Baker to fraternize with her childhood enemy, but unfortunately, protecting her family is what tops the list. When her sister makes a big mistake, Delilah steps in... and volunteers to be THE Macon Saint's new assistant and personal chef... and then she has to move in with him in the process...

Macon Saint is an up and coming actor who spent his childhood with the Baker girls. One was his girlfriend and the other his enemy, but the more Macon remembers Delilah, the more he realizes that he has never hated her... and that he feels quite the opposite when it comes to the grown up versions of the Baker sisters...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Enemy was a highly entertaining story of two childhood enemies whose memories from the past are hiding the very strong feelings they may have been harboring their entire lives. Delilah and Macon get along like oil and water, but will soon find that their friction has been hiding an attraction that can not be denied... no matter how complicated it may be...

Delilah has grown a lot from the shy girl who Macon once knew, but she has never once backed down from a challenge when it has come to him, and she isn't about to start now. As a success chef who knows her worth, she agrees to help the injured and angry Macon despite their past... all in the name of helping her sister right a wrong... and protecting her family in the process. 

Macon grew up suffering through a terrible childhood, and the Baker family was often his only respite, but he never let on to that fact to his nemesis, Delilah. In fact, every time he lashed out at her, it was due to his own unhappiness, and he has regretted it greatly ever since. And now that they have reconnected, Macon is determined to show Delilah just how much she has always meant to him... and why he could never show it...

Delilah was an inspiration in her love for cooking and her loyalty, whether it was deserved or not. She was quick with the snark and never hesitated to stand up to Macon. And while her view on her relationship with her sister leaning towards being a little naive, there wasn't much about Delilah that you couldn't love. 

Macon was such a complex and delightfully broody character! Seeing behind his wall and the reasons why he was always so unkind to Delilah will make you feel all kinds of sympathy for the misunderstood and surprisingly sweet man he is today. 

This was a great read! The story itself was an extreme slow burn, and it sort of lost some of its steam half way through, but in the end, turned out to be VERY sexy. Delilah and Macon were such a great couple... when they finally got over their past animosity towards each other... but the friction between them was fantastic all the same! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

My reviewer definitely didn't like Dear Enemy as much as I did. Personally, I would have given it a full star more. But that's me. :) 

2.5 Stars

Dear Enemy revolves around two childhood enemies: Delilah Baker and Macon Saint. Delilah Baker moved into the southern town of Shermont, North Caroline with her family when she was eleven. She quickly got off on the wrong foot with her neighbor Macon Saint, the most popular boy at their school. Macon is described as being physical perfection, and so it is only natural that Delilah’s sister, Samantha, also the face of physical perfection, develops a romantic relationship with Macon. Throughout their childhood and teenage years, Macon and Delilah continue to antagonize each other and have a mutual hatred towards one another.

Fast forward ten years and Delilah receives a text from Macon saying that her sister has committed some crimes against him and that he will be going to the police unless they come to some sort of arrangement to right the wrongs. Delilah, worried about her mother’s health, decides to become a live-in assistant and cook to the now famous Macon – putting herself in close proximity to her childhood nemesis.

So starts the enemies to lovers story of Delilah and Macon as they both work to awkwardly understand each other and acknowledge their true feelings for each other.

I am usually a big fan of Kristen Callihan’s books, and for most of her books I have read them through within a few days. This one however, just did not do it for me, I struggled to finish it. It started off well enough and there was a lot of character development and the reader really gets to know Macon and Delilah and why they act the way they do towards each other. The banter between the two of them was really entertaining and I found myself actually laughing out loud at some points. But, honestly, the story was just boring. After about halfway through the book I felt like I could predict every single thing that would happen between the two and it just was not that interesting.

I found the secondary characters, with the exception of North, quite odd as well. Delilah’s mother was strange and seemed to unknowingly place a lot of burden on Delilah to care for her mental wellbeing. Her mother just seemed so fragile and like she could not bear to hear that her other daughter could have been involved in criminal activates, it just didn’t sit right that her mother didn’t know anything about what her daughters were up to and their characters. Delilah’s sister was also really odd and the interactions between the two of them just did not flow very well. I just found myself not fully believing in their relationships.

Overall, this is a light and easy read but I would not really recommend if you want a real page-turner.

~ Harshita

Kristen Callihan is an author I will always buy books from. When I saw Dear Enemy was available, I started reading without looking at the blurb. This book and these characters did not disappoint!

Delilah and Macon have a history. They have known each other since they were kids, and from their first meeting did not get along. He even dated Delilah's sister Sam for a time, and it is the actions of Sam that brings him back into Delilah's life.

The story is told in dual POV, and it is easy to see from the beginning that there is more than meets the eye to their past and feelings for each other. Their verbal sparring, chemistry, and attraction are explosive from the beginning. I loved that Delilah would often stand up for herself or tell Macon exactly what she thought. Macon was more complicated than I initially thought he would be. His actions were frustrating at times, but I definitely grew to love him the more I read.

Their past makes things difficult. Especially as Delilah feels hurt by Macon's past treatment of her. However, Kristen Callihan did a wonderful job with getting them to their happily ever after. I hope we get to see North, Macon's bodyguard and friend, get his own book!

Dear Enemy had its good moments but damn, it was such a looooong slow burn that I never felt like I actually believed in their relationship let alone their HEA. Plus the letters he suddenly pulls out? That was unnecessary AND unbelievable and added nothing to the story, especially not that late into the book. It came out of nowhere and was useless, IMO.


The sister was a bitch and ruined so much, making it hard to just enjoy this story. And maybe that's because some of her actions triggered things I've had to put up with from similar people in my own life, in which case your own mileage may vary. But damn, I wanted her to just leave them alone.


I usually love Callihan's books but this one was just okay and sometimes bordered on annoying.

Eu gosto muito dos livros da autora Kristen Callihan, mas infelizmente não consegui me conectar com esse livro como os outros dela. A proposta do livro é boa e a escrita fluida. O problema aqui para mim foi que não que a história demorou a engrenar pra mim e mesmo depois de ter ficado um pouco mais envolvida com ela ainda não consegui me conectar ou sentir simpatia pelos protagonistas.


Embora esse livro não funcionou pra mim, estou animada para ler os futuros lançamentos dessa autora e só posso aconselhar que vocês deem uma chance ao livro pois opinião literária é pessoal e você pode gostar desse livro

I Received an unreleased copy of this book

Delilah and Macon have been enemies since they were children as he went out of his way to make things as difficult as he could for her and she never understood why.    Instead of things getting better they just got worse when he started dating her sister.    The happiness day of her life was when they broke up so  he wouldn’t infringe on her home as well as the rest of her life.

When Macon calls Delilah looking for her sister the past comes rushing back even if it has been a decade since they have seen each other.   In order to protect her sister, she now finds herself working for Macon  and the animosity between resumes as if they had never been apart.   Spending time together she realizes that he is not the boy she remembers and she have to decide if holding on to the past is worth losing what she could have in the future.      

Not only is Delilah fiery and feisty but when it comes to those she loves there is nothing she won’t do for them.    Even as children Macon knew that she was special and as a boy the only way to protect himself was by ensuring she didn’t get too close.   Now that they are adults there is no doubting they belong together but their journey will be filled with a lot of angst along the way.

4.25 stars-- DEAR ENEMY by Kristen Callihan is a contemporary, adult, erotic romance story line focusing on Hollywood actor Macon Saint, and chef Delilah Baker.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Delilah and Macon) DEAR ENEMY is an enemies to lovers story line that follows the building romance and relationship between Hollywood actor Macon Saint, and chef Delilah Baker. Delilah Baker has always been the third wheel especially when it involved her sister Samantha, and her childhood nemesis Macon Saint. A lifetime of humiliation inflicted by Macon Saint pushed Delilah one too many times and our heroine left without looking back. Fast forward to present day where an unexpected and accidental phone call found Delilah Baker facing down the man that has fuelled her anger and heart break for over twenty years. Enter Hollywood star Macon Saint, and the man with whom Delilah would fall in love. What ensues is the building friendship, relationship and romance between Delilah and Macon when Delilah finds herself the personal chef and assistant to the Hollywood star, and the potential fall-out as Delilah struggles with memories from the past.

Macon Saint has always had a secret crush on Delilah Baker, a crush manifested as perceived hatred, emotional abuse and heart breaking name calling but Macon’s relationship with her sister Samantha, was what hurt Delilah the most. When Delilah discovered to what extent Samantha was continuing to destroy Macon’s life, Delilah offers herself up for one year of servitude in payment for her sister’s sins.  Delilah Baker gave as good as she got, and in this the spiteful barbs and condescending attitude were equally on par with Macon’s stabs on Delilah’s behalf but Macon kept secret the truth behind one devastating act of humiliation, a secret that was about to destroy Delilah’s heart.

The relationship between Macon and Delilah is an enemies to lovers romance wherein both must apologize and forgive for mistakes of the past. Delilah struggles with the memories of not so long ago,  a struggle could potential threaten any future with Macon Saint.  The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense. The sexual tension is palpable.

We are introduced to Delilah’s sister Samantha, and their mother Andie Baker, as well as Macon’s best friend and stunt double North West; his agent/publicist Karen,  and Macon’s father George Saint. I am hoping the author has plans for North West.

DEAR ENEMY is a story of family, friendship, betrayal and heart break; a story of love and loss ; of hatred, anger, acceptance and hope. The premise is emotional; the characters are flirty, broken, sassy and tragic; the romance is intimate and sensual .



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Delilah and Macon didn’t get along when they were children. One could even say that he bullied her and she responded in kind. The flashbacks of them as kids and antagonizing each other were at times hard to read. They reconnect as adults after he texts her after her is trying to reach her sister. 

I enjoyed the book enough to finish it, but I didn’t overly enjoy it. Enemies to lovers is always a hard sell for me. I need them to keep the meanness to a minimum. And even as adults Macon started out trying to be mean to Delilah. He still wants to punish her for wrongs caused by her and her sister. I just couldn’t let that go and couldn’t quite understand why Delilah would, especially so easily. There were some sweet and tender moments that did work for me, just overall I couldn’t believe in them.

Also there is a plot about Delilah’s sister that was boring and annoying how Delilah was so willing to sacrifice her wants and needs for her sister. 

With all that said, I was interested in learning more about Macon’s best friend and seeing if he gets an HEA.

***2 Stars***

UGH…

I really, REALLY, wanted to like this book ~ and for all intents and purposes I should have ~ the books I’ve read by this author I’ve thoroughly enjoyed (The Friend Zone has been re read more times than I can count), I love an enemies to lovers trope AND the food ~ OMG the FOOD ~ BUT ~ yes, the dreaded “BUT” ~ it ended up being just an okay read for me.

Macon and Delilah ~ I honestly liked Delilah. She has a good heart ~ even if it gets her into situations it shouldn’t ~ and I loved her passion for cooking and making it her career. Macon. He isn’t a bad guy, but I just needed more from him. So to say their journey to their HEA didn’t work for me isn’t a surprise and it isn’t that I didn’t like them together, I just thought Delilah deserved so much more.

I know all too well that not every book by authors one loves will end up being fav’s, but it still hurts to have to put it out into the world that this one just didn’t do it for me. The pacing dragged for me and outside of Delilah the rest of the characters just didn’t do it for me. So, I’m figuring this is just a one off and am looking forward to diving into her next book.

I’ve never read a book by this author before, and contemporary romances have to be really good for me to not lose interest, so I was very pleased to read this one.

Macon Saint, is the man with everything on the surface, beautiful, rich and a famous actor in a hot fantasy tv series, As a boy, he pushed new girl Delilah away when she offered to be friends, and they were childhood enemies, linked together by the fact that Macon dated Delilah’s younger and crueller sister Sam, and was always hanging round Delilah’s house.

Delilah was outraged and upset by Macon’s jibes when she was a girl, and then stunned by a cruel joke he played on her as a teen. Now a ambitious chef, folding her catering business and planning to travel to research food culture, so she can open her own restaurant one day, Delilah is stunned when Macon gets in touch and tells her that Sam has stolen a family heirloom, and gone AWOL. Desperate to protect her mother’s health, Delilah tries to track down Sam, and then, desperate offers to work off the debt as Macon’s PA and personal chef. 

The snark and cutting comments are still in play, but they both realise they are secretly energised as well as enraged by it. Macon is recovering from injuries both physical and emotional from a car crash he has been involved in. What Delilah doesn’t know is that Macon was struggling with a difficult home life as a kid, and he dated Sam to be able to escape from his home life, and insulted Delilah as a defence mechanism.

As they spend time together, they are increasingly physically attracted to each other, and as Delilah reveals the insecurity and holes in her self esteem from her childhood, Macon realises the hurt he caused, and Delilah starts to understand Macon’s defence mechanisms.

When Macon and Delilah finally succumb, will Sam’s reappearance destroy their fragile accord, or can they be vulnerable enough to trust each other and go for an HEA?

What I loved was the dialogue, the banter, the grovelling from Macon, and the descriptions of the food - I seriously want the whole menu right now.

Recommended 

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Also posted on Goodreads

Delilah Baker and Macon Saint were once enemies back in high school. Years later in the future, they meet again now that Macon is a Hollywood star and Delilah is a well-known chef/caterer. 

I liked the two main characters enough. Macon didn’t have a good upbringing and has always put up a front. It doesn’t excuse all that he did to Delilah when they were younger, though. Presently, he doesn’t really have anyone in his life — only North, who was his stunt double/trainer/bodyguard.

Delilah has always been the only one to see through Macon’s front. I love that she always fights back and level with Macon. She stands up for herself when it comes to him.

Their banter and the build-up to their relationship was enjoyable, but I do feel like the book just dragged on and it didn’t really feel worth it to me. It’s a shame because I did want to like the book and it has elements I like. 

Overall still enjoyable enough.

4.25-4.5 stars. This book was so good! Dear Enemy is the story of Macon and Delilah. They grew up as neighbors and enemies as children and teens. Both were cruel and hurt each other. Macon dated Delilah's sister in high school, too. Now, years later, Macon is a famous movie actor living in Hollywood. Delilah is a chef, hoping to own her own restaurant someday. When her flighty sister, Sam, takes a job as Macon's assistant and steals a priceless heirloom from him, Delilah must step in to save her from jail by taking over her job. Now she is working for her enemy. Only Macon doesn't seem like her enemy any longer. He feels like coming home.

I loved this book. There is a great story and fantastic writing. Macon and Delilah go from enemies to friends to lovers, slow burn style. Their connection and chemistry was amazing. I liked them both a lot. I loved that they had matured since they were kids. They had both made mistakes and hurt each other in the past, but they soon found they were not enemies in the present. They were both two lonely people. No one else in their lives had ever truly seen them for who they were. I definitely felt they were soulmates. This book had fun banter, sweet, sexy and witty moments. I could have read about these two forever. I was happy that for once the hero was the one who had not had a satisfying sex life before the heroine. He was not a manwhore, was more of a loner, and had never truly loved or been loved before Delilah came back into his life. She was just what he needed, an vice versa, to be happy. Although, while I felt secure in their future together, I did want a more firm plan for the future, like an engagement.

As Sam had dated Macon in the past, it was a very immature, not serious, high school relationship. This had the potential to bother me, as sometimes in other books this trope hasn't worked. But I wasn't too bothered by it in this situation. Macon never really liked Sam, nor her him. Their relationship was something for them both to hide behind. Sam was not a good person and took advantage of her sister and hurt her, while pretending to be on her side. It was nothing compared to he and Delilah together.

I also loved the sense of history and nostalgia for their Southern childhood. And I really enjoyed the food aspect and the sense that Delilah's cooking brought to mind shared memories and was a way of sharing love with those she cared about.

Overall, Dear Enemy was just really, really good! Definitely the best book I have read so far this year and will be in my top ten at year end. The writing is amazing. I loved Delilah and Macon and savored their journey to love. I look forward to whatever Ms. Callihan comes up with next!

Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan drew me right away because I love Kristen Callihan. I was a little leery about premise because I don't really like movie stars or rock stars, but if anyone can make it work for me, its Kristen Callihan.

Dear Enemy starts with a flashback to childhood days when Macon fell in love with Samantha, Delilah's sister. He also began a bitter rivalry with Delilah that continued throughout high school. Now, all are older and have moved on, but Delilah never forgets. Macon and Delilah are forced together to deal with Sam's reckless behavior, and Delilah is still sure Macon Saint is the devil.

I wanted to love this. I didn't. First, Sam and Macon dated all through high school, so the idea of her sister Delilah being with Macon was just weird to me. Had that not been an issue, I probably would have given this 3 stars. Years ago there was a Lauren Layne book where a sister married her sibling's ex husband. I didn't think that would work for me, but in the end, I gave it 3 stars because Layne swayed me.

My next issue in Dear Enemy was the stagnant story. Everything felt so predictable and none of it really GRABBED me. It was just a march toward the very predictable end. Now, I am the first one to say sometimes stories like that are great. But, for me, when combined with the "he dated her sister" and "movie star" trope, I was just not feeling it.

I skimmed most of it because I just kept thinking, "Something is going to happen and surprise me!" but it just never happened. I think other readers will still enjoy Dear Enemy-it has the great characters that Callihan is known for, and its a great enemies to lovers trope for fans of that!

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.