From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Callihan comes a smart, emotional contemporary romance about finding love with the most unlikely of people.As kids, they hated each other. Macon Saint was beautiful, but despite his name, Delilah knew he was the devil. That he dated her slightly evil sister, Samantha, was no picnic either. When they broke up, it was a dream come true: Delilah never … come true: Delilah never had to see him again.
Ten years later, her old enemy sends a text.
Delilah’s sister has stolen a valuable heirloom from Macon, now a rising Hollywood star, and he intends to collect his due. One problem: Sam has skipped town.
Sparks still sizzle between Macon and Delilah, only this heat feels alarmingly like unwanted attraction. But Delilah is desperate to keep her weak-hearted mother from learning of her sister’s theft. So she proposes a deal: she’ll pay off the debt by being Macon’s personal chef and assistant.
It’s a recipe for disaster, but Macon can’t stop himself from accepting. Even though Delilah clearly hates him, there’s something about her that feels like home. Besides, they’re no longer kids, and what once was a bitter rivalry has the potential to be something sweeter. Something like forever.
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A wonderful romance by the talented Kristen Callihan with all the requirements for a slow burn, sizzling, emotional read!
I fell in love with Kristen Callihan’s writing through her paranormal series. Then I found her contemporary books and my life was officially made. It feels like I’ve been impatiently awaiting Dear Enemy for approximately *checks watch* seven lifetimes, so I am BEYOND EXCITED that it’s finally here!
This has all the good stuff. They are ENEMIES. They knew each other as CHILDREN. He dated her SISTER. They make a BARGAIN. Now they are in FORCED PROXIMITY. There are COMPLICATED FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. Their burn is SLOW. Talia has FAINTED on the FLOOR like a POKEMON.
Please check in with me soon. If I don’t resurface within 24 hours, this book has killed me.
“As kids, they hated each other. Macon Saint was beautiful, but despite his name, Delilah knew he was the devil. That he dated her slightly evil sister, Samantha, was no picnic either. When they broke up, it was a dream come true: Delilah never had to see him again.
Ten years later, her old enemy sends a text.
Delilah’s sister has stolen a valuable heirloom from Macon, now a rising Hollywood star, and he intends to collect his due. One problem: Sam has skipped town.
Sparks still sizzle between Macon and Delilah, only this heat feels alarmingly like unwanted attraction. But Delilah is desperate to keep her weak-hearted mother from learning of her sister’s theft. So she proposes a deal: she’ll pay off the debt by being Macon’s personal chef and assistant.
It’s a recipe for disaster, but Macon can’t stop himself from accepting. Even though Delilah clearly hates him, there’s something about her that feels like home. Besides, they’re no longer kids, and what once was a bitter rivalry has the potential to be something sweeter. Something like forever. “
Kristen Callihan has a new release! Huzzah! She writes books that you cannot put down and Dear Enemy is no exception. It’s a smoking hot enemies to lovers story that you can’t miss. I love it when the characters have a complicated past rooted in childhood, so this book was my crack. Go get it.
Callihan delivers the steamy, enemies to lovers goodness in this slow burn emotional romance! She throws in forced proximity and angst, and we’ve got a page-turner that will leave us panting and satisifed!
4.9 Stars
Delilah and Macon.
They met when they were eleven years old.
Delilah wanted to be friends. Macon did the verbal ‘pulling-the-little-girls-hair’ thing and they’ve been enemies ever since. But they’re still always in each other’s presence, because Macon and Deliah’s sister Sam have been a ‘thing’ since that very first day. On and off again all through school.
Now, ten years after highschool, Delilah is a busy catering chef in Los Angeles. Sister Sam is still a flighty good-for-not-much party & con girl. And Macon. He’s a Hollywood Star.
Delilah and Macon haven’t spoken (read: fought) since prom.
But now Delilah has to work for Macon as his personal chef and assistant, to pay for the expensive watch Sam stole from him.
Let the fun times begin ….
Because we all know that those years of hate were not really hate …
What will happen with Delilah & Macon??
Will there be a Happy End??
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT!
Aww – that was adorable!!
But first, I have to complain about the cover – and the title!
I’m not in love with either! When you look at the cover – quickly – you don’t even see the people on it. You just see ENEMY and think, okay – Kristin wrote a thriller – or a romantic suspense thingy maybe if we’re lucky. Which would totally be okay – I love reading thrillers and suspense romances …. But it’s none of those things!!! It’s a beautiful and fun and adorable and slightly heartbreaking enemies to lovers romance! The cover should be changed! And the title – I know it used to be different – Kristen said something about it on FB, but it got changed. Dear Enemy sounds as if a stalker or killer writes letters to the hero or heroine. As a potential reader in a bookstore? I would not buy this book. I’m afraid people will buy it as a thriller and then rate it only 1-Star on amazon because they’re mad that it was just a sweet romance!
There are letters in here – not until the very end really, but still – we have letters. But still the Dear Enemy beginning doesn’t happen. I like the paper background of the cover and the couple is perfect. But the colors and title make it so sinister and scary.
I wish I could say DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER … but I’m really afraid that people will do so.
OK – rant over!
The story was beautiful!
Funny, sweet, a little sad and moving.
I LOVED it!
Macon and Delilah are just amazing!
They fought and argued and insulted each other ever since they met.
And nothing much has changed – even though he’s her boss now. Soo adorable!
Both are a bit or a lot broken inside for various reasons from their past. They are soo perfect for each other really, but they think they have to hate each other. I loved seeing them slowly fall for each other. Fighting for their happily ever after. I even cried a little here and there.
I loved security guy North. I loved Macon’s amazing house in Malibu – I want to move in asap! And I want to eat all the amazing things Delilah was cooking and baking!
It was a really beautiful enemies to lovers romance with some Hollywoody and some other interesting things thrown in. I loved it.
I could’ve maybe been a tiny little bit shorter. And I felt that the tiny ‘fight’/ ‘lie thing’ towards the end wasn’t really needed … But I still loved every word of this story!
I wouldn’t mind seeing this on Netflix one day soon!
DEAR ENEMY was such a beautiful and adorable and funny enemies to lovers Hollywood romance. Run to your nearest amazon for your own Macon – he’ll be sold out in no time!
I am a big fan of Kristen Callihan’s books and some of them are favorites that I read over and over again. So when I saw this baby and read the blurb I knew I had to give it a go.
Now as much as I enjoyed reading it…I wasn’t blown away by it. For some reason, I just couldn’t fully connect with the story or the characters and I even found myself skimming every now and then. It was all just a bit too slow for my liking…
Now, this might also be because of the weird times we are currently living in. I find it harder and harder to escape into a story and connect.
For those of you who love the “enemies to lovers” trope, you should definitely give this one a go.
I myself like my stories a bit more angsty, especially now, which makes me a bit weird I know. A lot of people are looking for comfort stories right now, while for me it is pretty much the opposite.
That is why I think I should give this one another go when things have calmed down a bit… Maybe I will feel completely different about it… It has been known to happen 😉
For now, I would have to go with 3 stars… not bad…but not awesome either.
An emotion-filled enemies-to-lovers story!
4 1/2 stars
This was my first book by K.C. Excellent Enemies to Lovers. Slow burn romance that was heartwarming, fun and with a great hot chemistry. Great cast. Delightful heroine and a Devine hero.
I am looking forward another book by this author.
If you need a great slow burn, Kristen Callihan has the prefect read for you!
Yes! Going to grab this one now.
This is pure enemies-to-lover magic. A sexy and compelling romance that explores the fine line between love and hate. Utterly addictive. I couldn’t put it down!
Mini Audible Reviews
Dear Enemy & Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan
I don’t listen to books as much as I should but that’s because when I find one I love, the bar is raised so high for other narrators. But these two books had me claiming I was on a “work call” at the chiropractor (until an ear bud slipped out and everyone heard something about kissing – oops) and sitting in my car at pick up to finish a scene before getting the littles.
The style and stories were very similar, and both were delectable slow burns. Maybe a pinch too slow but the wait was worth it when both couples finally got together. Kristen Callihan is such a descriptive writer, and her world building is top notch. More than that, her writing about food is insanely mouth-watering and sexy. The food is just as much a character, woven into the build-up, and central to each love story. Craving each other, craving the food – so much wanting layered into the narrative. Macon and Lucien are delectable. Macon’s letters are endearing; Lucien’s desserts are erotic and peeling back both of their layers was as satisfying and rewarding as the decadent sweets she describes in detail.
I would listen to Jacob Morgan read Doritos’ ingredients because his voice is just. that. good. Sebastian York was great too, but Jacob as Lucien may have ruined all other audibles for me.
Quote: “Now, all I could think was “Where have you been all this time?” I’d missed her before I’d even known her.” Make it Sweet
Song for Deliah & Macon and Emma & Lucien: Craving You by Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett, “I never had something that I can’t walk away from, But, girl, my self-control’s so paralyzed, When it comes to you, no, I ain’t got no patience, There’s something ’bout you girl I just can’t fight…”
I really enjoyed this one! This is the first book by this author that I’ve read and I can’t wait to read more. It’s a good escape from life, you know?
I LOVED the characters and the romance. Just wow!
Well, I love anything & every single thing she writes and this book was no different! Just loved it!
This is one of the best books I have read in quite a while! I highly recommend this book! You will not be disappointed.
Enjoyed
I love enemies to lovers, and this is, of course, right up my alley. Macon and Delilah have YEARS of past bickering, a genuine sense of loathing between them, and now this madness.
I really enjoyed the snark each of them displayed, along with the sweet that finally came about.
After meeting them in Make it Sweet, I knew that I needed to find out the details behind Delilah and Macon’s love story. Honestly, I was wary after reading the blurb since bully romances aren’t really my thing and I wasn’t keen on the hero having dated the heroine’s sister (in Middle and High School). Kristen Callihan made me a believer though and I was pulled right into this story.
I think one of the things that made Dear Enemy work for me was that I truly felt that the characters were trying to work through things and not just excusing their prior poor behavior. There’s so much hurt between Macon and Delilah and I appreciated how Kristen Callihan showed them struggle, be vulnerable, and eventually trust each other and move forward. The childhood bully aspect plays a large role in this story, but there’s also forced proximity and slow burn enemies to lovers. I think the slow burn build up was absolutely necessary and made the transformation of Macon and Delilah’s relationship so much more believable. It let things heat up to scorching hot and that bathtub scene… wow *fans self*. There is some predictable drama at the end thanks to Delilah’s sister Sam (ugh she was so terrible!), but thankfully it’s addressed and dealt with quickly. I would love to see North find a happily ever after one day and hope there are more books in this series.
Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 4.5 stars
Story 4-4.5 stars
I read and listened to this one and thought the narration by Maxine Mitchell and Sebastian York was wonderful. Maxine Mitchell especially shined and she really captured so much emotion in her performance. I really enjoy Sebastian York’s narrations, but for some reason I didn’t fully love him as Macon. Perhaps it’s because he sounded a little too mature or possibly not gruff enough, but despite his great performance, something kept me from fully feeling him in this role. Overall, this was still a fantastic audiobook and a great listen.
CW: physical and emotional abuse, death of parent
Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan
Five Full Stars
World Building
Storytelling
Romance
Stand Alone
HEA
This is the first time I’ve read a novel by Kristen Callihan, and I’m glad I didn’t look at the ratings before I read this book, because I might not have purchased it.
This is a slow burn enemies to lovers story. This follows Macon Saint and Delilah Baker and her sister Sam. As kids Macon and Delilah would be like oil and water. They just didn’t mix well. Macon and Sam were the beautiful ones, and dated off and on finishing on Prom night. All along, Delilah felt like the unwanted third wheel, an awkward ugly duckling.
This is a story of being bullied at school and the emotional and psychological scars that it leaves on the one who’s it directed towards and carried through into adulthood. This is a story of love, hate, trust, betrayal, bullying, lies, deception, and forgiveness.
Fast forward ten years, Delilah receives a text from her old nemesis, Macon. Sam stole Macon’s dead mothers beloved and expensive watch, and disappeared. To prevent Macon contacting the police, Delilah agreed to work off the cost of the watch. Delilah had always covered for her sister.
Delilah, a successful chef, now finds herself living with the man who made her life hell all through school. She finds herself now living with the enemy. She is now personal assistant and personal chef to Macon, now a rising Hollywood star.
This novel is about two rivals coming together, reassessing themselves and each other, and finding that there are feelings between the two, and having the courage to explore this, and coming to terms with the past. This is a wonderfully written book. When I found out that SebastianYork was one of the narrators, I purchased the audiobook as well. Yum.
4.5
An amazing and original enemies to lovers!
Spanish & English Opinion
ESP ::
Me gustó mucho este libro. Es un enemies to lovers pero con una premisa muy original y una historia creíble.
Los personajes secundarios son muy importantes y ninguno puede ser indiferente (amo a North. Detesto a Sam).
La pareja principal es INCREÍBLE. Me encanta su historia y me gusta que las heridas e inseguridades de niñez tienen un impacto. Aquí la evolución de la historia no viene desde mágicamente ignorar lo pasado, sino de aprender y entenderlo. Y ese es un mensaje que ni había visto de forma tan clara en un libro así.
Súper recomendado.
ENG ::
I enjoyed this book way too much! Enemies to lovers but with a completely original and believable story.
The secondary characters are amazing and there’s no way to remain indifferent toward anyone. (For example, I LOVED North and DETESTED Sam).
The main couple is everything. I love their story and what I really respect the most is that their past is not forgotten and swept away just because. It’s a knowledge, pulls old insecurities and it has to be healed in order to give in to love and evolution. This is something that I haven’t seen on a book with this plot and I really enjoyed it.
A great book!