Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Hello friends! I just finished Enemies to Lovers by Alisha Rai, and what a wild, twisty adventure this turned out to be. I received the audiobook from NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager in exchange for my honest review, and I went into it with very little idea of what I was getting into. I didn’t realize at first that this is the second book in the series. You can absolutely enjoy it on its own, but once you finish, you’ll probably want to go back and read book one too.
The story follows Sejal, who grew up in a creatively criminal family and has spent most of her life surrounded by cons and schemes. She’s clever, fast, and incredibly good at sleight-of-hand tricks, yet she’s trying hard to live a less criminal life now. Then there’s Krish, who tells Sejal he works for the FBI. What she doesn’t know is that he actually took his missing brother’s credentials and is using them to find out what happened to him. Krish is bookish, thoughtful, and not at all the typical field agent type, which makes it all the more entertaining when he ends up in this position.
Their paths collide when Krish decides that Sejal’s family might be connected to his brother’s disappearance. His solution is extreme, and he ends up kidnapping Sejal to use her as leverage while he searches for answers. That moment sparks the enemies to lovers tension right away. Sejal doesn’t trust him, Krish doesn’t trust her family, and they’re forced to travel together while chasing leads, dodging trouble, and trying to uncover the truth. Their partnership starts out entirely out of necessity, but soon it grows into something much more.
The attraction between them is clear from the beginning, and their inner thoughts constantly betray how much they notice each other. The romantic tension lives mostly inside their heads at first, and what I liked most is how they both resist acting on those feelings because the situation they’re in is so complicated. They’re surrounded by danger, secrets, and family drama, and that emotional restraint makes their eventual connection even more rewarding.
The story keeps throwing twists and reveals their way, and I never knew what was coming next. The pacing was strong for most of the book, though the ending felt a little rushed to me and tied things up too neatly. That’s the main reason I didn’t give it five stars.
The audiobook narration by Soneela Nankani and Shahjehan Khan was excellent. They brought Sejal and Krish to life in such a believable way. Soneela captured Sejal’s quick wit and emotional depth beautifully, and Shahjehan gave Krish the perfect blend of charm and vulnerability. Their duet narration made the entire story feel vivid and immersive.
Overall, Enemies to Lovers is a lively and unpredictable romance with chaotic road trip energy, plenty of surprises, and a slow burn that unfolds through longing looks and complicated emotions. If you enjoy enemies to lovers stories, forced proximity, and messy family drama, this is one you’ll want to add to your list.
As always, friends, I hope you find time this week to relax with a tasty beverage, a cozy spot, and a good audiobook like Enemies to Lovers.