Stone Reeves was my neighbor, and I’ve hated him since sixth grade.Gorgeous and charismatic, he became the town’s football god, while I became the town’s invisible girl.He went to a Division 1 school for football, while my father was fired by his father.His team won the National Championship, while my mother died the same day.He was a first round pick for the NFL …… while I made the worst … …
… while I made the worst decision of my life.
Now I’m in Texas trying to pick up the pieces of my life.
But, Stone is here.
Stone is everywhere.
It doesn’t matter that disaster has struck my life again.
It doesn’t matter that he’s the one trying to console me.
It doesn’t matter that he’s the nation’s newest football obsession.
Because for me, he always has been and always will be my enemy.
** Enemies is a 100k enemies-to-lovers football romance standalone!
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New adult sport romance by Tijan is always a good idea! Enemies is a book full of drama and angst that will bring you to tears, but it also shows beautiful friendships and breaths a new life to old relations. There are many really sad moments, many happy and funny moments and overall the book is an emotional rollercoaster that makes the story realistic.
Stone and Dusty used to be neighbors/best friends before they had a falling out. Dusty haven’t had it easy in life and experienced too many painful losses. She transferred universities to start again when she meets Stone again after years. Stone is a very famous football player that everyone loves and admires. From the get go, they have a great chemistry and a banter and you just easily fall into the rhythm of their new found friendship/relation.
The only think that I didn’t like and hence are giving the book four stars rather than five is that I was missing a natural flow of story-telling between chapters. To me, is seemed really like chapter-cut-chapter-cut if you know what I mean. Other than this detail, I can totally recommend reading Enemies and experiencing Dusty’s and Stone’s story for yourself!
Oh gees . How do I even …
I did not want this book to end . But then I couldn’t stop reading either ! I was grateful for the epilogue but I’m still hoping we see spin offs for the other characters and get to see more of stone and dusty !
I LOVE the way tijan writes! I love the way she is able to capture the reader and makes me feel like I know these people . She does it every time ! And this was no exception.
I felt part of the story I cried with the characters I fell in love with stone . I love that he really wasn’t an asshole. I loved all the side characters and the growth we see of everyone throughout !
I really hope we see more of the supporting characters! They all seem like a great bunch with stories to tell !
If you like emotional , messy mental health after grief and loss, trauma and enemies to lovers romance , This book was a great read ! Emotional and a ride I won’t forget in a hurry ! This will definitely be one I’ll read again !!!
Dusty and Stone’s relationship is the epitome of complicated, and as the title suggests, what they feel for each other, especially Dusty’s feelings for Stone, illustrates nothing but the negative emotions that swirl around them – ones that threaten to implode and eviscerate any semblance of the friendship they once shared.
As I’ve learned from Tijan’s other stories that I’ve read, nothing is as straightforward as it may initially seem, not with who the characters truly are and not with the reasons that events happened in the past or are still festering in the present.
I will admit that I was caught off guard by quite a few revelations that occurred throughout the story – ones that offered the reality of the issues Dusty and Stone faced. And then, when I had a chance to see things from a different perspective than I originally had, everything fused together and provided the answers I needed to understand the hows and whys and whens of the things that drive them apart and what it would take to bring them back to what they once were and maybe help them move toward what they truly deserve to be.
The story line of Enemies is significantly more rich than I thought it would be…Dusty and Stone’s backstories as well as the differing paths they took once their friendship was destroyed and the angsty journey that followed, once they reconnected, once they faced-off against their past and their present, and once their truths were laid bare and understanding dawned on both of them, what they became was everything they should have been from the very beginning, if life would have allowed it…if Dusty and Stone would have led with their hearts instead of all of the static…the pressure…the ill-feelings between the families.
I enjoyed Dusty and Stone’s story, and while I seriously wanted to throttle both of them for their harsh words and their devastating deeds, it almost seems like it had to be this way, not saying that they deserved to go through those hellish experiences, but they had to prove they could endure…they could achieve…they could find a way to move beyond enemies to anything and everything they needed and wanted.
4.5 Poison Apples
I picked up this book casually, just because I saw it came out and I’ve always wanted to read this author. I regret I started reading her late, because I loved this book and I think I’ll also love her previous books.
The story of “Enemies” is complicated and it isn’t. I can’t find the right words to tell you what it is about, because it’s about a lot of things, feelings, relationships, family, and much more. It is told in first person by Dusty, as she is just arrived in front of the house where she’ll live the first semester of college at Texas CB. Ever since the introduction, a lot of things happen and it seems our Dusty here can’t take a break. At first, she seems too pitiful and paranoid, but as you move forward, the layers of her difficult and complex personality are shrugged off and you understand what happened in her life to make her like that. Dusty just wants to survive and study marine biology and be invisible, basically. But it’s impossible when she realizes the people living in the house hosts many parties, and many people come and go and there’s not a second of silence in there. Plus, these some of her roommates are football players, and she’d wish to forget about this sport and a certain person from her past tied to it.
This person directly connected with Dusty’s past is Stone, a famous football player in the state of Texas, since he plays for the local team. He’s already big as a player, so everyone talks about him and every place in town where she goes is tuned to ESPN and she sees him even if she doesn’t want to. She and Stone used to be best friends, but their friendship fell apart when they started high school, and have hated each other since then, they don’t even know why. But at some point they figure it out, and it helps them figure out their issues.
Dusty was a complex character, very raw and real. A lot happens to her and I loved how the author described everything, from the pain to the confusion, to the hope and so on. She really made Dusty seem real with her fears and her hate/love towards Stone and her insecurities and her stubbornness that made her push away any help her friends and Stone wanted to give her. She was strong but she was also human, and this was her journey towards trust and reconciliation with her past and her future.
We only got two chapters from Stone’s POV, but during the entire book, you could tell his personality. Unlike Dusty, he was more confident and direct when he didn’t like someone or something. When he first contacts Dusty, you want to hate him too, because he’s not nice to her, and you can taste his hatred through his words (and hers as well). He always cared for Dusty, but as everyone, he had to make a decision about his future and he was selfish, considering all that had happened between her family and his. But thanks to Dusty’s stepmom, he contacts her again and is able to make things right this time, after he’s achieved his dreams and his future is secured.
Stone and Dusty were a true “hate to love you” couple. Their interactions were full of raw emotions because they didn’t want to be around each other, but as their interactions progressed, the hate evolved into what would have probably blossomed between them if Stone hadn’t stopped interacting with Dusty in high school. Love.
I can see why it was easier for Dusty to hate Stone. She suffered because of many things, some people, and she feared that if she let herself feel more than hate for her ex best friend, she would be rejected and would end up suffering again, to the point of no return. Hating someone is easier than loving them, that’s why she pushes Stone and her roommates away. She doesn’t want their pity nor revealing herself and open up, because she believes she’ll lose them. But when she finally lets her walls crumble and tries to trust again, she can really live her life and have relationships with other people.
Well, I loved this book although I haven’t read NA romances in a while, since some have the same story line and it’s tiring. This book uses some tropes but spins them in a page-turning way, making the story interesting and something you want to keep reading until the end, because you want to know what happens to those people.
Good job.
#DUSTYANDSTONE<3
FIVE FOOTBALL STARS for Dusty and Stone !!!
To be honest, Tijan is the new author to me.
Yes, I read her a few books but I still feel like someone who needs to read more than four books to be really familiar with her writing.
I love Tijan's writing style.
It's beautiful and it steals your attention at the same time you start reading one of her books.
"Enemies" is a college romance book with enemies to lovers trope.
But, this isn't enemies to lovers book like you use to.
It's much more and because if that I love it so much!
If you're want to start to read Tijan's books this book is definitely the book you need to read the first!!!
Highly recommended!!!
Whenever I see that Tijan has a new book coming out I immediately one-click it, I sign up to read it. I do everything I can to ensure it hits my kindle ASAP. Because I’m that big of a Tijan fan. There is not any book that she has written that I have not loved. Enemies was no exception. This was a Bully Romance fans dream book with some sports romance sprinkled in. So basically the perfect combo! It had everything you could possibly want and then some. So settle in, grab a blanket, some tissues, snacks, chocolate and wine. It’s going to be a great night of reading! You will not stop until you have devoured this book without stopping for anything.
Stone Reeves is everything! Like football royalty, a mere god among men. Gorgeous, charming, in the best shape of his life. Living out his dream as a first round draft pick in the NFL. He grew up best friends with Dusty until he left to achieve his dreams. Fast forward years later and he is forced to reach out to his old BFF and in not a friendly “I missed you old pal” way. That adds to the hatred Dusty already has towards him for the ways his family wronged hers. The next blow comes when he is forced to find her and deliver the most tragic news imaginable. The chain of events this sets off gives him a sense of responsibility towards her and he feels the need to protect Dusty. Their relationship takes a physical turn as a method of protective healing for Dusty more than anything. What will happen when the lines start to blur for these sworn enemies? Will Stone be able to just walk away when Dusty is better and what will his family have to say about everything?
Dusty. Oh this character y’all. From page one her character brought tear after tear out of me. How does one person continually take hit after devastating hit. This gorgeous girl did, and was emotionally damaged for it. She was suffering. She was the poster woman for PTSD. But she was also strong too. She hated Stone Reeves. When she went to college in town where he was the ultimate football god she had every intention of staying far far away from him in fact. Life had other plans.
“Because for me, he always has been and always will be my enemy.”
On the second worst day of her life Stone was there, and He would deliver the blow that had the power to end her. When she is forced to rely on him to take care of her it’s her nightmares come true. She just wants to be left alone to break, Stone isn’t having it.
She could spar with Stone like nobody else. It was hot and full of need and fire. That is where she found her strength. She needed him, even if she didn’t realize it. Without Stone she wouldn’t have made it through what all she had to go through. She found comfort in his arms and solace when he used her body for both their pleasures to take away the pain, even if only for a little while.
This book is an incredible journey about Dusty’s healing and growth as a character. Tijan gives us an emotional tale about two people whose lives were weaved together as children growing up. The details from those shared childhood stories and memories were so beautiful and special and they brought such an incredible element to the story. Each having their own unique experiences and special memories. So perfect y’all. (You will totally know what I’m talking about when you read it). Stone and Dusty’s quest to love. Now that was a hard fought battle. They had so many secrets, emotions, anger, hatred and hurts between them.
But Stone being the telamon he is and Dusty being much more resilient that she would have thought, can overcome anything.
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book!
My cr8zysockbookblock blog wrap up for this book!
-This is like Bully/ Friends to lovers romance all in one! There is not really much sweet or sugar, there is sad and real life tragedy!
-OMG!!Stone and Dusty are Fire in the sheets though! HATE SEX! Nuff said
Cliffhanger Warning-No cliffhanger! After your heart has been beat to hell and back and then turned all around and inside out. You will get your will earned HEA!
Everyone who knows me knows that Tijan is my go to author for kindle crack. Her stories are like magic to me and I can’t get enough. Enemies was a fantastic enemies to lovers sports romance and I was completely here for Stone and Dusty.
While I did feel like the writing was a little disjointed and choppy at times, I could not escape the magic that was Stone and Dusty’s connection. It was always there and despite years and tragedies between them, it still remained. Dusty was strong and assertive and I love that she held her own. I did wish that certain tragic parts of Dusty’s past weren’t glossed over as it would have provided more of an emotional gut punch over what happened to her. But through the brief glimpse provided, we were able to see that she overcame a lot in her life. Overall, this was another solid Tijan story with a great cast of characters. 4 stars! ~Ratula
I know anytime I pick up a book by Tijan I’m in for angst filled story. Enemies had it all and I couldn’t put this book down.
Dusty and Stone have known each other since the sixth grade. At one point they were friends until he became a football god. Stone changed once football became his life and Dusty didn’t exist to him anymore.
Now years later they are going to college at the same school and she can’t seem to get away from Stone. He is her enemy and she wants nothing to do with him.
The chemistry between Stone and Dusty is off the charts. I loved this book so much. I know when I read a book by Tijan I’m going to love it. If your looking a sports romance/enemies to lovers look no further.
I am a HUGE Tijan fan and was excited to get my hands on an Enemies ARC. As always, she did not disappoint!
One of my favorite things about Tijan’s writing is the strength that all of her characters seem to have, but especially her heroines. No matter how many times Dusty was knocked down, she got back up and kept fighting. And Stone never tried to hold her back. The chemistry between the two is off the charts!
Enemies provides a thrill of second chances, enemies-to-lovers, and some good emotional ups and downs to get you through without any of them being overwhelming.
I enjoyed reading Dusty and Stone’s journey to finding each other and their HEA. I am hoping to see a few more of these characters in future Tijan books!
This was my first book of Tijan and I can‘t believe I waited so long to read one of her books.
I loved this book so much and it is honestly my highlight of this year.
I loved the characters most of all Stone. What did you expect I‘m a woman. However I also really loved Dusty and my heart broke all the damn time for what she had to deal with in her life. I loved that Stone was there for her even though they both hated each other.
The writing and storytelling was phenomenal. I laughed, I cried. There even where some WTF moments for me.
If I could I would give this book more than 5 stars because it‘s really damn good. I will recommend it to everyone I know!
Enemies by Tijan is amazing! I loved Stone and Dusty! Their story had drama, tragedy, laughs and everything you would expect from Tijan! I highly recommend this book! I hope there is more to come with these characters!
Its no secret I am a huge fan of Tijan and her writing so when I hear she has a new book out I get super excited and she has never disappointed me. Her writing is always flawless, filled with emotion and well built storylines with character that get under your skin and embed them in your heart. My only criticism is that she sometimes writes these beautiful standalones that are amazing but leave me wanting more from the characters as I have loved them that much.
If like me you love a college-angsty romance mixed with hot sportsman then this is the one for you. She had me enthralled and captivated throughout this book. Once I started it I couldn’t out it down!
I loved Dusty, she is a young woman who has been through so much pain in her life and she is starting over at a new college. Her childhood best friend, Stone, also lives in this town now, he’s a rising football star, but they haven’t spoken to each other in years after a falling out between the families. They are pretty much enemies at first sight now. When they are reunited again its far from hearts and flowers but ultimately when heartbreak and trauma hit Dusty its Stone that steps up and is there for her, who gets her through her heartbreak.
Tijan brought some simply heartbreaking moments in this one, I seriously needed tissues at certain points. My heart literally felt broken for Dusty, this girl deserved a break. Stone, whilst I started off wanting to hate him as I was totally #teamDusty he really did redeem himself and made me swoon and fall head over heels in love with him. He may even have given my love for Mason Kade a run for its money.
Even though this is built as a standalone I am keeping my fingers crossed that we see more from some of the other characters we have meet in this book in future series…..hint hint Tijan 😉
Je me suis régalée avec cette romance Young Adult où nous découvrons l’histoire selon le point de vue de l’héroïne qui aura une destinée des plus intéressantes. Ce qu’elle a vécu , vit et va vivre sera une lourde épreuve sur les épaules d’une jeune femme de 17 ans et pourtant elle va forcer l’admiration. Et dire qu’elle devra accepter la main tendue de son pire ennemi.
Dusty Philipps cherche clairement à mettre de la distance entre son ancienne vie et sa nouvelle vie d’étudiante . Mais ce ne sera pas chose facile car on sent qu’elle fuit les fantômes du passé et qu’elle a de sacrés obstacles face à elle. Elle semble perdue dans cette vie qui n’est pas la sienne et quand elle arrive dans sa nouvelle collocation, les choses ne vont pas s’arranger. Elle n’a jamais fait partie des filles populaires et au contraire a toujours voulu rester invisible mais elle va devoir faire face à la peste Mia et son acolyte Lisa qui lui feront payer des événements sur lequel elle n’aura aucun impact. On se demande dès lors pourquoi le destin lui en veut autant car elle n’aura jamais une seule seconde pour souffler au fil des pages. Subir des épreuves peut vous endurcir mais encore faut il avoir la force de se relever et d’avancer. Je ne veux pas vous spoiler mais sachez juste que son histoire sera très émouvante et nous donne envie de la voir enfin heureuse et épanouie.
Ce sera d’autant plus difficile qu’elle va se retrouver sur le chemin de Stone Reeves, star adulée du football. Elle se fiche de l’athlète aimé de tous car elle a connu plus jeune cet homme qui avait compté dans sa vie, qui a connu des personnes qui lui sont chères mais qui a eu en quelque sorte un impact énorme sur son adolescence. Quand je vous disais qu’elle ne faisait pas partie des filles géniales du lycée, imaginez vous passer de bons moments avec celui que vous considérez comme votre ami et qui le lendemain d’une soirée TV , vous ignore comme pas possible. Et si cette blessure était la plus importante, ce serait anodin mais le malaise et la délicatesse de la situation très tendue entre eux vient d’ailleurs et ne fera que s’intensifier. Quand on déteste quelqu’un pour des raisons valables, il sera impossible de reconstruire une amitié qui n’est plus faite que de cendres.
Stone Reeves est un personnage qu’on va avoir du mal à cerner dans un premier temps car nous le découvrons uniquement du point de vue biaisé de l’héroïne . On sent qu’il a vécu une enfance et une adolescence dorée et que le mot difficultés ou obstacles ne font pas partie de son vocabulaire. La haine qu’ils entretiennent est viscérale et on va en comprendre les raisons au fil des chapitres. Il y aura des raisons profondes mais il pourrait aussi y avoir des malentendus qui devront être mis à plat. Il apparaît comme quelqu’un d’hautain , de distant mais on verra qu’on est loin de la réalité le concernant. Quand on va découvrir l’étendue du différent entre eux, on risque de tomber de haut mais aussi de mieux appréhender la situation. J’ai apprécié ce personnage au final car il n’avait pas tous les tenants et les aboutissants. Quand il décide de protéger quelqu’un , il le fait et de plus , il ne profite pas de son statut de star. Saura t-il faire entendre raison à notre héroïne?
Bref, j’ai passé un excellent moment de lecture avec cette nouvelle romance de Tijan. Elle a su aborder avec brio des thématiques fortes et intéressantes. Le fait que cette aventure se déroule entre deux adolescents pourraient amoindrir l’intensité de l”intrigue mais c’est le contraire qui se déroule. Enemies est une superbe romance Young Adult à ne pas manquer.
Tijan is always an instant buy, instant binge read and Enemies may be one of my very favorite stories of hers. Her style is always engaging and her characters rich and real. This particular world – one I never got as a college student – was really enjoyable to roam around.
Childhood friends became enemies and are brought back together under circumstances they can’t control. What could possibly go right?
This story tugged at my emotions and my hormones and everything inbetween. Such a great read! There’s no escaping the volatile chemistry between Dusty and Stone and unraveling their past so they can have a future is a painful, amazing ride.
Recommend!
I wish I could this book more than 5 stars because it deserves it all! Tijan is my go to 1-click author when no matter what she writes I will always buy her books and Enemies just proves once again why that is. When I thought I would hate a certain character based on snippets that I’ve read and it becomes the total opposite, LOVE THAT!! Enemies will break your heart in the beginning and then piece you back together in the end.
Dusty is trying to pick up her life and start over, but it’s never that easy when she can’t get away from her past. I love Dusty’s character. The girl has moxie and guts. Never wanting to let anything break her. I wanted to wrap her up give her a hug and tell her everything was going to be ok. Even after all she went through she never let it break her spirit and the way that Tijan beautifully wrote this character I fell in love instantly.
Stone Reeves!! Words cannot describe how I feel about this character!! I had a hate love relationship from the beginning and then I totally changed my tune. Stone not knowing how his parents and his past affected Dusty’s life that he rights his wrongs and his life changes.
This book is emotional, heartfelt, swoon worthy and I was here for all of it. I don’t know how Tijan does it but with every book I become even more of a fan! Enemies is one of a kind and I will be reading it again and again!!
Tijan has a way of making me feel all the feels while adding twists and turns that are so sharp, and that I never see coming. She reached me with this read. It had a major twist I didn’t see coming and completely shocked me.
I didn’t know what this book would be about but it was a Tijan book and so I HAD to read it. I must say, I’m completely impressed once again. Her stories, for me, never get old and the writing never fails to pull me in. Enemies, was no different in this regard and, not surprisingly, I was entranced.
Although this is an enemies-to-lovers romance, it really is low-key on the enemies. It’s more about a lot of hurt, resentment and, not to mention, forgiveness.
With that being said, however, I found the reason they were enemies was a little too weak to support all the hatred of each other.
Stone is THE alpha-male we all look for and swoon over. Strong, protective and knows how to take care of a woman.
Dusty has an uphill battle to make herself a stronger person. From past transgressions, the loss of a parent and a recent past she is running from, she is not at a loss for obstacles. Not to mention all the hits that keep coming. Dusty needs and wants to be a great person for herself but mostly for her step-brother. She really does take a beat down and the place her psyche is at during this time is spot on. She is definitely the underdog that you will be rooting for.
Although I did love this story tremendously, I did end up with a few critics. I find Dusty’s quick recovery from everything that happened a little off. She is, in my opinion, a little too resilient in that regard to be believable.
I also must say that I did want this author to create a stronger bond between the siblings. I thought that was so important to Dusty and yet it played only a minor role. Also, the major twist, although emotional, was downplayed. Dusty had panic attacks after it occurred and I found they went away too seamlessly and quickly to be real.
Overall, an AMAZING read that kept my undivided attention until the very end.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Enemies is the second book by Tijan I have read this year and let me tell you, she is now a one-click author for me. I absolutely loved Enemies and completely devoured it. I loved it! A second chance romance that was about enemies to lovers. Dusty and Stone were friends once, but then one day Stone acted like she did not exist. And it only got worse. His family destroyed hers and she hates them more than anything. She wants nothing to do with them, much less him.
Dusty broke my heart. Her life has not been easy at all and yet she was strong and determined. She had a plan. When we first meet Stone, he is ruthless and resolute and yet as he learns more about Dusty’s life, we see a caring side of him. He was just what she needed. But as they spend time together, can they ignore their shared broken past? I loved the banter between them and how unwavering Stone was in helping Dusty. I loved their steamy chemistry and interactions with their friends and some not-so-nice friends. They went a long way by the end of the story! Enemies by Tijan was a great read and I loved it. I highly recommend it!
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
Another 5 star read from Tijan! Dusty and Stone are just so perfect together. Dusty has gone through so much at such a young age already and you can’t help but feel for her and want to ensure she is protected. From the start that’s what Stone does for her regardless of how things ended when they were kids. Dusty relies on Stone and gets strength from him which she needed especially after going through some of the things that she did. Stone doesn’t mince words, he says it or he does it and I liked that about him. He let Dusty control or handle the situations if he felt like he didn’t need to step in and there were time when he did step in to protect or defend her. Dusty’s roommates and Stone’s teammates just add to all of the enjoyable times in this book. This Tijan Stand alone college football romance is one you won’t want to miss!
About 4-5 years ago I read a book titled Fallen Crest High. I was hooked. I devoured the 9 book series plus the alternative version. Since then I have read almost all of this authors work. I have lived in so many different stories and loved so many different characters because of this author. I have spent so much time invested in this authors work.
I just finished Enemies. This book y’all…I have connected with this book in a way I haven’t in a very long time. My heart hurt so much. My heart soared. I cried. I laughed. I hated. I felt every damn emotion that exist while reading this book. Dusty & Stones story has become my favorite. I didn’t think any book could replace my love for Ryan’s Bed…but Enemies did just that. I seriously cannot rave about this book enough.
Tijan out does herself AGAIN in her newest standalone rmance, Enemies.
“I had to hate him. Maybe it’s why I hated him all those years before, because I had to , because if I didn’t there was just the vast hole of his rejection.”
“I was going to make him hate me.
I was going to make us enemies, once and for all.”
Dusty moved hundreds of miles away to try to recreate her life, but she wasn’t expecting to have Stone, a childhood friend turned enemy, enter her life and turn her life even more upside down. Dusty is a big introverted college student who is thrust into a party house when she unexpectedly moves into an unknown apartment/house. Stone is the local boy turned Pro athlete . But Dusty now needed Stone in her life, even if just for a short time. Can they both get along to help Dusty recover from some tragedy, or will they destroy each other.
“You never knew when your time was up. Then what’d you do? Die with regrets of not trying something ? That’d be worse than dying having tried and been rejected. Who cared about rejection ? That stuff was never remembered. But not living, that was remembered till someone’s death bed.”
This is a mature NA standalone. Highly recommended!
*But to be honest, I wanted Mark to still be alive because I did not want the story to end and wanted a cliffhanger to keep Stone and Dusty’s story going..But there are so many great characters in the story, Jared, Corey, the football team, the roommates, Siobhan…that hoping I can maybe see Stone again.