November 27, 2023
In this clever debut, a queer retelling of Much Ado About Nothing, Joy expertly echoes one of the most classic enemies-to-lovers stories of all time, right down to overheard conversations, meddling friends, and mistaken identities. When therapist Abby Meyer and TV journalist Freya Jonsson run into one another at their 15th high school reunion, the encounter reignites their teenage feud, resulting in tossed drinks and hurt feelings. Unfortunately, Abby’s best friend Naomi falls for Freya’s associate producer Will, forcing the bitter enemies to coexist as their friend groups merge. Their tenuous truce is tested time and again, until their friends and families wonder if maybe their animosity belies a different kind of heat. Will, Naomi, and friends hatch a plan to bring Abby and Freya together by planting the idea of the other having feelings for them in each of their heads. But the course of true love never runs smoothly, especially after Naomi’s obsessive ex-husband tries to destroy her budding relationship, fracturing the group once more. Colorful characters, wacky hijinks, and some gratifying sex scenes once the women give in to their mutual attraction make the pages fly. Readers will delight in watching these sparring hearts lay down their weapons.
May 31, 2024
When Abigail Meyer and Freya Jonsson first met in high school, it was hate at first sight. Now, at their 10-year high school reunion, that long-ago animosity is instantly reignited. Then, Abby's friend Naomi and Freya's friend Will fall in love, giving Abby and Naomi no choice but to try to get along. Their tenuous truce is tested as they keep running into each other, and their friends start plotting to bring them even closer. Mara Wilson and Gail Shalan narrate Joy's appealing enemies-to-lovers debut. Together, Wilson and Shalan capture Abby and Naomi's relationship, starting with a grudge dating back to high school and moving forward as they try to do right by their friends. The combined narration highlights the tension, perfectly balanced between fraught and flirty, that runs throughout the many awkward circumstances in which they find themselves. Though Abby and Freya are the main characters, the focus is often on their many meddling friends, which only slightly takes away from the romantic tension. VERDICT An enemies-to-lovers romance for fans of Ashley Herring Blake's Delilah Green Doesn't Care.--Elyssa Everling
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