Title: Exes & Foes
Author: Amanda Woody
Publisher: Viking Books
Publication date: July 23, 2024
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop | Goodreads | StoryGraph
Summary
After a pretty bad friend breakup in 8th grade, Caleb and Emma haven’t gotten along. According to Caleb, Emma has gotten in the way of every single one of his romantic relationships since then. But really, Emma has just been trying to get by since their 8th grade break up.
When both Caleb and Emma set their sights on the new girl, they decide to hold a competition for her. Whoever gets a kiss first wins. But as they start spending more time together again, they both realize maybe their feelings from 8th grade haven’t completely gone away.
Review: Exes & Foes
Thanks to Viking Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Exes & Foes by Amanda Woody to review! Foody’s debut, They Hate Each Other, was one of my favorite books of 2023, so I was super excited to pick this one up! They definitely didn’t disappoint with this one, either.
Hands down, Foody excels at writing characters you will connect to right from the beginning. Caleb and Emma might be polar opposites, but it’s clear they have good chemistry together. Even when they’re fighting. The book is split between their points of view, and each of their voices were distinct enough that they don’t blur together.
The plot does follow some typical romance tropes, but I found that didn’t matter because I was so invested in the characters. The love interest Emma and Caleb are competing for, Juliet, has her own identity revelations throughout the book, and it felt so natural for the rest of the book. In general, the side characters were just as engaging as the main characters.
There’s great queer representation in this book, too, which we always love to see. It will definitely be a perfect romance to read on the beach when it comes out in July!
4.5/5 stars