I have been very bad at, well, lots of things lately. I’m in the third trimester of this pregnancy (surprise?), and I basically just want to sleep, which is impossible when you have a four-year-old. So I haven’t read anything other than a few short holiday-themed novellas in a long time. Even this book I finished back in early December, so the details are a bit fuzzy. Let’s Call A Truce by Amy Buchanan is an enemies-to-lovers workplace romance that’s spicy, funny and full of heart.

After Juliana Ryan’s husband dies unexpectedly, leaving her with two grieving kids and a stunted career from years as a stay-at-home mom, she has no choice but to make it work all on her own. But her confidence crashes around her when she overhears her condescending but infuriatingly attractive new colleague, Ben Thomas, talking about how her kids and inexperience are a liability the company can’t afford. This sets off a feud between the two, as Juliana vows to prove him wrong.

Two years later, their feud rages on, but it may be charged with something they aren’t willing to admit. When they are forced onto a career-making project together, Juliana has no choice but to call a truce. As their lives become more intertwined in and out of the office, Juliana finds it hard to ignore Ben’s perpetual smile and charming determination. What started as a truce grows into more, as boardroom-clearing arguments turn to desk-clearing kisses. Could the man she deemed her nemesis understand her life–her stress and responsibilities–better than anyone?

But just when Juliana decides to open her heart again, Ben’s past threatens their newfound bliss, and she has to figure out whether this second chance at love is worth it after all.

I’m not going to lie, I read this over a month and a half ago, so the details aren’t there, but I do remember the basic plot, what I liked and what I didn’t. This is a debut novel for Amy Buchanan, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

What didn’t work for me

The third act: It’s been refreshing lately that I’ve been reading stories where the characters don’t break up for a stupid reason at the end—they’ve been staying together and working through their issues (and often the issue isn’t about their relationship at all), but I’m sorry to say that this isn’t the case here. The reason they break up is absolutely ridiculous and I found it very frustrating to get past.

What I liked

The tropes: This is enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, office romance as well as mature people who’ve had lives and histories before they meet—and all of these are my faves. It reminds me a lot of The Hating Game, which is one of my favourites.

Spice level: This was an open-door story with some very sexy parts without being raunchy or over the top. Just perfect.

3.5 STARS

“I want you to pick me because you feel the same way I do every time I look at you.” —Amy Buchanan, Let’s Call A Truce

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced book copy in exchange for my honest review.