11 Sep Book Review: Exes & Foes
Exes & Foes
by Amanda Woody
Emma Jones and Caleb Daniels were the best of friends – emphasis on the word “were”. After a falling out in eighth grade, Emma completely breaks all contact with Caleb, and the two of them haven’t spoken to each other in nearly four years. But that hasn’t stopped Emma from getting in the way of every romantic relationship Caleb has tried having. To Emma, Caleb is an uptight rule follower, prone to lectures and meticulous cleaning. When both Caleb and Emma begin to feel attracted to the new girl, Juliet Higgins, Emma suggests a competition to find out who can win Juliet’s heart. But plans quickly fall apart when Juliet seems less interested in romance and more interested in spending time with both of them together. Now they both have to figure out how to win Juliet’s affection while trying to navigate how to also deal with each other.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book was that all of the characters are fleshed out and have a feeling of realism to them – even secondary characters such as the vice principal. I also liked that none of the characters were perfect. Each of the main characters has their own thing they’re dealing with and how they navigate that in the story is part of the appeal. Although the story is a romance, it doesn’t bog down the narrative. The story leans more toward growth and acceptance both internally and externally.
This story is a great choice for those who enjoy a bit of drama and are looking for a romance story that’s not sugary sweet. I would rate this a 7 out of 10.
