I adored the story between Noelle and Paul as much as I enjoyed the story between Noelle and Theo. 

My late Grand Dad’s name was Paul and I cried multiple times while listening to this book. Some sections were so beautifully written. 

And the sexual tension between Noelle and Theo. Hooooly. It felt like it took them forever to realize the reason they drove each other crazy. 

This is everything I want in an enemies to lovers romance and more. 

this broke me into a million pieces, but god, it was so worth it. i knew from some of my friends who have read this that i would cry but damnnnnn, this hurt my heart. grief plots usually hurt and make me cry, but this one just hit a little closer to home for me. i loved noelle and theo so much. the book was amazing beginning to end - like i was absolutely hooked. if i had not read a good chunk of this at work, i would have cried WAY more than i did, but alas, i didn't want to be caught boo-hooing on the job lol. i honestly just LOVED this book in its entirety. the 3rd act breakup part hurt, but i loved how it played out.

it was honestly just like handled so maturely and realistically. like i really appreciate how jessica wrote their interaction at theo's house after noelle found out he left the company. the way that noelle realized that how theo reacted and how she reacted were different but that was okay as long as they both remembered that and worked on interacting with each other in a healthy way >>>>> like i just felt like this was realistic because it wasn't just a "okay, you hurt me with your reaction but lets just move on and live happily ever after" moment that is way too common in romance novels.

i would 1000% recommend this book and i cannot wait to read more of jessica's books in the future!!!

⚠️: grief, death, sexual content, emotional abuse, blood

A juicy romance filled with all kinds of love stories about all the people in our bubbles.

Super cute enemies to lovers with some strong undercurrents of grief and self- esteem. I liked the romance and the family surrounding them, I liked the writing, and I loved the ending. The characters hit a bit close to home at times but I guess that makes it even better.

Taylor Swift songs: “timeless (tv) (ftv)”, “lover”, “I can see you (tv) (ftv)”, “false god”, “Marjorie”

Other songs: 
-“A Sunday kind of love” by Etta James
-“in agreement” by Lizzy McAlpine
-“feels like” by Gracie Abrams
-“Everything, everywhere” by Noah Kahan

Age rating: 17+ (4 ish spice scenes, 2/5🌶️)

This book exceeded my already high expectations, wow! This was a phenomenal sweet and spicy romance that was also extremely emotionally moving!! Everything about this book was amazing. I knew from the first ten pages that I was going to love this book, and I enjoyed every second of it. 

The concept was so original, and combined real life (social media, specifically, Tiktok) in just the right way where it was NOT cringy at all and it didn’t take me out of the story. (Which is a very rare thing!)

Noelle and Theo both had such moving character arcs that are so relatable! I saw so much of myself in both of them, as they are trying to navigate life, failure, grief, and finding loving in the midst of all of it. Their connection was truly electric and “timeless” (as Taylor Swift would say). I loved Theo so much, and he became one of my top book boyfriends!! 

I think this will be so moving and important to so many people, so if you’re on the fence, READ IT. Right now.

And can we talk about how this is a DEBUT??? Jessica Joyce is now an auto-buy author for me!

Wow, was this book good! First of all, the writing was amazing! I will read anything that Jessica Joyce writes. I loved her descriptions of the picturesque places they visited, but my favorite was the dialogue. I absolutely fell in love with Theo and that was because of both his dialogue and the expressions that the author paired with each thing he said.

The rivals to lovers was done so well! Even though they haven’t competed for anything in a decade, they kept that spark of competition alive, and that spark led to great romantic chemistry for Theo and Noelle. This couple really has soulmate energy.

I think seeing their grief made the book feel so much more real. I thought that going on a road trip to grieve a grandma was a really unique plot for a romance book and I think it was done very well.

Beyond Theo and Noelle, I loved their families. I want Thomas and Sadie to have a prequel, because I want to see how they got together. I also loved the grandparents’ storylines. I had a grandma that I was very close to too, and this book made me wish to find letters or a journal that would let me get to know her again years after she’s died. I also think that Paul was a great addition, because anyone can take a role like a grandparent in your life.

Now, go read this book! Especially if you read in on a road trip like I did.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Berkley, and Jessica Joyce for providing me access to this book.

THIS WAS A HOME RUN, OUTTA THE PARK, STRAIGHT TO MY HEART. This book felt so indulgent; I literally would have to make myself stop reading at times because a) it was too cute or too sweet or too tense in the best way and, b) I desperately didn’t want it to end so I prolonged it as much as I could.

Word vomit seems to be my review of choice lately so, buckle up for lots of thoughts…

Jessica Joyce’s writing flowed so easily and got straight to the main plot without feeling rushed. That takes talent!!!!

Noelle was such a strong character, so relatable. It was like Joyce was inside my head, down to the hopeful photography career path. Unbelievable.

And Theo, my God! The hot success story who’s secretly quite sensitive and too hard on himself, limiting his trust in what others believe of him.

I emphatically did the Leonardo-DiCaprio-as-Jordan-Belfort-fist-bite several times while reading to avoid squealing out loud. The incredible slow burn of it all!!

I loved LOVED the deliciously sweet-and-sour banter, the palpable sexual tension (Theo Spencer you have not only ruined Noelle’s life, you have ruined my life), the believable close proximity. The road trip setting.

The Maggie Rogers shoutout!!! Though to be fair I like Theo’s Thom Yorke obsession too. I loved that Theo listened to “sad boy music” as Noelle described it. But Maggie is my girlllll.

Noelle and Theo are one of the cutest book rivals-to-lovers couples I’ve ever read; I’m so serious. Their chemistry was off every chart. How they fed off each other, how they supported each other in earnest. The moment they finally gave into their feelings for each other—UNMATCHED, I tell you!

All of their mutual disdain and lust was so much fun to read, all their give and take. I adored how they became such positive forces in each other’s lives—so sweet. How much they praised each other, their concern for each other’s emotions even when they didn’t align completely. The honest communication. The story really captured the millennial restlessness of striving for success and thinking it’s never right. I really connected with those feelings, both in Theo and Noelle’s cases. *Especially* in Noelle’s case as I’m a photographer just like her and I have gone down some of the very same thought spirals. I felt seen, validated.

This book just made my heart hurt in the best way. It was so tender and meaningful and the unknown love story of their grandparents (not what you think) bringing Noelle and Theo back together 10 years after high school was just everything.

A few favorite quotes:

“He looks like a mess, like he belongs in Vegas. He’s all sin.”

“If you could see yourself through my eyes, your head wouldn’t fit through the door.”

“Don’t think that there are conditions to the way I feel about you.”

“Because we battle, but at the end of the day we’re doing it side by side.”

“I had your voice in my head long after high school ended.”

“You’re the one I want to tell everything to.”

“We both deserve to be with someone who wants us exactly as we are, don’t you think?”

You know when a book finds you at the exact right moment? This was kinda like that, except I think every moment would be exactly right for this book. It’s an every-moment book. 

You pick it up to read and it feels like it’s always been waiting for you.